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his knew so well. Dealing in these papers with 

 political and ecclesiastical questions, he was plain 

 and outspoken, as he always was, going straight, as 

 it were, into the enemy's camp, and striking with 

 good effect. If his opponents were not convinced 

 by his arguments, they could hardly fail to give 

 him credit for honesty of purpose in his endeavours 

 to expose the fallacies of those who seek to injure 

 the usefulness of the Church, and destroy her in- 

 fluence in the land. Into these questions it would 

 be unfitting here to enter ; they are only mentioned 

 as affording proof of his interest in such questions 

 at this period of his life, and of his activity in 

 dealing with the points raised in these lively and 

 entertaining papers. 



The early winter of 1892 was in the East Riding, 

 as elsewhere, one of great severity ; keen winds and 

 storms swept over the wolds, and penetrated with 

 cruel effect even to the sheltered valley of Nun- 

 burnholme. Still, they were not sufficient to keep 

 my father indoors, unless the day happened to be 

 exceptionally stormy. Most days he made his 

 regular walk into the village, or beyond it, to call 

 upon his parishioners and others. Christmas came 

 and went, with all its peaceful joys, and the New 

 Year dawned upon the venerable rector, enfeebled, 

 indeed, as compared with what he was the previous 

 New Year, but still by no means laid by. At this time, 

 and for some months previously, he was engaged 

 in what proved to be his last piece of literary work. 

 This was the revision of the proof-sheets of the 



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