58 FRANCIS ORPEN MORRIS 



of warning to one so entirely my superior, though 

 you may think me presumptuous, you will not, I 

 am certain, attach to my doings any more grave 

 objection." 



It happened that one of the last official acts that 

 the Archdeacon had to perform before he severed 

 his connection with the Church of England was to 

 hold his Visitation at Pocklington. On this occasion 

 he stayed the night at Nunburnholme Rectory, but 

 there was nothing in his manner or words to show 

 that he so soon was about to take the step he did. 

 It was remarked, indeed, by those who were present 

 with him then that he seemed in particularly good 

 spirits ; and, as an indication of this, it happened 

 that, as he was walking in the garden with the Rector, 

 the Archdeacon suddenly said he would like to try 

 and jump the little stream that ran close by, and 

 there and then he took a short run and cleared it 

 at a bound. 



The life of an English clergyman in a small 

 country parish is generally passed quietly and peace- 

 ably enough, without anything occurring to inter- 

 fere with its serenity and seclusion. As far as his 

 parochial duties were concerned, the life of the 

 rector of Nunburnholme was of this description. 

 The demands of his parish upon his energies were, 

 do what he would, only light as compared with other 

 larger parishes, although he was one who would 

 never admit that even a small parish did not give 

 a clergyman much more to do than was generally 

 supposed, provided he was determined to do his 



