PALMERSTON AND WILBERFORCE. 113 



Under-sheriff explained to the jury that they had only 

 to assess the damages, and th:it we had pleaded 

 " guilty." The damages having l^cen claimed as ;^300, 

 it was for them to say how much of that sum they 

 would assess ; but they still persisted in finding for the 

 defendants, and it was not until they had been told that 

 it could not end there, that if they still gave this verdict 

 the case would have to be carried to a higher court, and 

 would cost the defendants a very heavy sum, that they 

 consented to give damages, £^. We had offered ;z^iOO 

 to settle it before going to trial, so the result was a great 

 triumph for my father. The trial, however, with costs, 

 came to more than the £100, and the costs to the 

 plaintiff to over £^0 ; so much for thrashing a miller, 

 however abusive ! 



In connection with the Tate and Brady version of the 

 Psalms, I remember being told a good story, as all 

 stories about Lord Palmerston and Wilberforce, Bishop 

 of Oxford, are likely to be. On one occasion these two 

 were visiting at a country house, and on the morning of 

 departure were told that carriages were ready to take 

 the departing guests to the railway station. Palmerston 

 settled to go in one of these carriages, as he feared 

 there would be rain ; but the Bishop, who was a great 

 pedestrian, preferred to walk. Before he had proceeded 

 half-way to the station a heavy storm of rain came on ; 

 yet the good Bishop struggled on, when the carriage 

 containing Lord Palmerston overtook him, and his lord- 

 ship called out from its window a part of the first 

 v^erse of the Tate and Brady version of the first psalm — 



" How blest is he who ne'er consents 

 By ill advice to walk." 



