154 THE LIFE OF PHILIP HENRY GOSSE. 



preacher in Wimborne itself and in the neighbouring vil- 

 lages, and frequently supplying the pulpit of the minister 

 at the Congregational chapel of the town. The fervour of 

 religious zeal with which he had left Alabama now, how- 

 ever, began to abate. Many little things had occurred 

 which tended to diminish his ardour. His purpose was 

 still to seek acceptance from the Methodist Conference as 

 a travelling preacher. But much of the enthusiasm which 

 had prompted him to undertake this form of employment 

 had evaporated by the summer, and, to his surprise, he 

 was conscious of not being disappointed when, on applica- 

 tion, he found that he was past the limit of age at which 

 candidates for the regular ministry are received. He was 

 not destined to be a Wesleyan preacher after all. 



Why he lingered so long at Wimborne it is not easy to 

 say. Perhaps it was connected with an episode which must 

 be recounted in the exact form in which he has chosen to 

 preserve it among his notes : — 



" The widow of a deceased Wesleyan minister, residing 

 "in Wimborne, Mrs. Button, had two unmarried 

 " daughters, to the elder of whom, Amelia, an accom- 

 " plished, pious, and winning lady, older than I, and 

 " much pitted with the small-pox, I at once formed a 

 "very tender attachment. It was as tenderly returned ; 

 "but the prudent mother made her sanction contingent 

 " on my obtaining some permanent source of income, 

 " which at present was wholly in nubibus. This was not 

 " readily obtained. Amelia's years could not well brook 

 " delay : another suitor interposed, a Wesleyan minister 

 " in full employ ; she accepted him, and I was left to 

 " mourn. And mourn I did, sadly and deeply ; for my 

 " love for her was very earnest. I could not, however, 

 " blame her decision." 

 The conduct of Amelia Button was as proper as that of 



