VI.— FRIENDSHIP.
"By friendship I suppose you mean the greatest love, and the greatest usefulness, and the most open communication, and the noblest sufferings, and the most exemplary faithfulness, and the severest truth, and the heartiest counsel, and the greatest union of minds of which brave men and women are capable."—Jeremy Taylor.
Hitherto it is from the testimony of others that this imperfect outline has been given of the life and character of Hedley Vicars. But now it was to be our happy privilege to gather from personal observation, and in the enjoyment of no common Christian friendship, the blessed proofs of how exceeding abundant was the grace of Christ towards him.
In the month of October of the same year, my father, my sister, and I were renewing a friendship of former days by a visit to Terling-place. A letter was received on the morning of the 11th by Lady Rayleigh, promising a visit from her brother, which caused such a tumult of joyous excitement at the breakfast-table, and so much shouting and clapping of hands among the children, as soon as the news was made known to them, that, in my ignorance, I supposed the young soldier had only just arrived from Nova Scotia. At dinner that day he was beside me. Not knowing anything of his character, I ventured rather cautiously at first, on subjects one would fain have the faithful courage to speak of to every fellow-creature. At the first touch of the chord, his pleasant countenance lighted up, and his eyes glistening as I told him of a remarkable instance of the grace of God connected with my father's first sermon.
