OLD HUMPHREY. 489 



ever and anon a glance at the Moss Rose-bud blooming 

 at her breast. We will not inquire who gathered and 

 placed it there, though, while his hand was employed, his 

 heart breathed the prayer that he never might plant any 

 thorn in her bosom. She could tell you if she would ; 

 nay, look at her happy face, and you may know without 

 her telling you, how much of calm delight and peaceful 

 pleasure may be crowded into the petals of a flower. The 

 poor aged widow in the almshouse must also have her 

 flower. Old and poor and lonely as she is, she has not 

 forgotten the time when she had a garden of her own ; 

 and now she sticks a bunch of Gilliflowers in her broken 

 blue jug, and placing it in the window, looks upon it with 

 satisfaction. And why should she not ? May her flowers 

 bloom, and her hopes of Heaven brighten. The aged 

 labourer, too, who held the plough in his boyhood, and 

 who now has near fourscore years on his forehead, when 

 his blue Sunday coat, with the broad skirts and big 

 buttons, is taken out of the oaken coffer, cannot wear it 

 in peace to the house of God unless it has a Sweet William 

 or Pink in the button-hole." 



How simple ! how luminous ! how truthful ! how 

 practical ! Are not words like these, dropping from the 

 lips of a good and wise man, worthy of being treasured 

 up? Do they not establish yea, ennoble a pursuit? 

 Here is a man of undoubted goodness and talent, attached 

 to those things which engage our affections, and whether 

 we cultivate for profit or pleasure, do we not derive new 

 impulses from the halo of brilliancy and beauty with 

 which he surrounds them ? 



On a recent visit to Hastings, I determined to make a 

 pilgrimage to Old Humphrey's tomb. It was a calm 

 summer's evening, the sky above was cloudless, scarcely 

 a ripple moved upon the sea ; the sun was slowly setting 

 in a flood of glory behind the western hill, as I ascended 

 the steep steps and acclivity of All Saint's churchyard. 

 Arrived at the summit, a humble stone, erected by the 



