BISHOP WILBERFORCE. 97 



Collets, Oxford, as a genial, kind-hearted man, and it 

 was not till late in life that he was inducted into the 

 tolerably rich college living of Hardwick. It was my 

 privilege to enjoy his friendship, as amongst my most 

 agreeable recollections. My own school training enabled 

 me to appreciate his sayings and to enjoy the Latin and 

 Greek puns and witticisms he was so fond of telling. 

 One thing alone which he did when he was accustomed 

 to dine with the Hunt Club was enough to declare his 

 goodness of heart and kindness to the poor. The host 

 was surprised to find Mr. Erie, the first time he came 

 into Aylesbury, after he had been the guest of the 

 Master of the Buckhounds, asking how much the dinner 

 bill had come to ? He was told it was of no consequence, 

 as his dinner was charged to the Master of the 

 Buckhounds. This did not satisfy him, and at last, on 

 being told the amount, varying as it did from twenty- 

 five to thirty shillings per head, we found that the next 

 day he went round and distributed the amount amongst 

 the old and deserving poor of his parish and the 

 neighbouring hamlet of Weedon. His heart was always 

 open to any tale of distress, and his pocket also. 



Many stories are told of this reverend sportsman, 

 some relating also to the late Bishop of Oxford, Dr. 

 Wilberforce, who was very fond of Mr. Erie, and was 

 always glad to get a " rise " out of his country rector. 

 As the following anecdote has had many variations, I 

 venture here to give the version related to me by Mr. 

 Erie himself. Sir Thomas Digby Aubrey, who lived at 

 Oving, a parish adjoining that of Mr. Erie, had invited 



the Bishop to dinner, and several of the neighbouring 



H 



