The Rev. E. Burnaby 67 



suggested that he not only disliked it, but did not know what to 

 do with his purchase when he had it. 



Another time Mrs. Burnaby, the rector's wife and mother of 

 Evelyn, got up some theatricals at the rectorj^ The Duchess 

 was among the guests, and seeing Evelyn taking the part of the 

 Prince, remarked that as he was a Prince he must wear royal 

 jewels, and she thereupon adorned his black velvet cap with some 

 of the jewels that once belonged to the ill-fated Josephine. He 

 was glad when the theatricals were over and the jewels safely 

 back in the Duchess's hands again. 



Parson Burnaby was installed by the Bishop of Peterborough 

 to the living of Burrough-on-the-Hill, a famous spot in the 

 Quorn country. It will be remembered that this Bishop was 

 appointed by Disraeli so that he might use his eloquence in the 

 House of Lords to save the Irish Church from disestablishment. 

 ■ The Bishop of Peterborough was not what could be justly 

 described as a very sympathetic man, but he had a great fund 

 of after-dinner stories. Perhaps none of them come up to the 

 repartee attributed to Archdeacon Baly of Calcutta, when 

 sitting at dinner near a young man whose conversation was 

 inclined to be rather boisterous and interspersed with swear 

 words. Presently the youth looked across at him and said, 

 " I hope I do not pain you with my language, sir, but I always 

 call a spade a spade." " Do you really ? " replied the Arch- 

 deacon ; " I should have thought you would have called it a 

 damned shovel ! " 



Parson Burnaby was staying one winter in the Isle of Wight. 

 His old friend the late Marquess of Exeter and his wife were 

 living at Shanklin for a time trying to retrench. Burnaby 

 was arranging a ball in aid of the Primrose League, and asked 

 the Exeters if they would be patron and patroness. The 

 Marquess, who was a delightfully natural man, replied, " Cer- 

 tainly, if our poor names are any use to you ; but we have no 

 money." 



Sea-fishing was a favourite ' recreation of Lord Exeter, 

 and one day he walked into the County Club at Ventnor in the 

 grubby old sweater and woollen comforter he had been 

 wearing at sea. The secretary of the club was much upset at 

 his appearance, and not knowing who it was, remarked to Mr. 

 Burnaby that such extraordinary -looking vagabonds should 



