some interest and amusement in my erratic movements, I took the opportunity of remarking to her on the apparent longevity of the inhabitants, as exhibited on the gravestones. "Oh, ay," she observed, "there's not many young uns as goes off at Holla, and most of them as dies comes from Broadheath." Having a great respect for that kind of amor patrie which induced the old lady to stickle for the honour and credit of her native parish, I continued the conversation, and asked who was to preach on that day. 66 Why our new vicar, to be sure,” she replied, in that peculiar tone which seemed to imply that I must have been living of late in the Hebrides or New South Wales, to be unacquainted with that fact. "Ah," said she, "he's reckoned a good churchman, and has done a power o' good; and if he d'an't come there's a many as 'll come for un.”

66

By this time the vanguard of the village church-goers was seen slowly approaching the house of worship, and after I had watched the pleasing procession-for it was literally so-wind its way round the rustic lane and through the wicket of the yard, I joined the rear, and with them entered the church. The interior is spacious, well lighted, and fitted up most decently and in order ;" there is a gallery round three of the sides, and a neat little organ at the western end. The church was rebuilt and enlarged in 1830, and contains 600 sittings, 300 of which are free in consequence of a grant from the Incorporated Society. A very handsome painted window has been placed in the east window, the gift of candidates for holy orders to the vicar, who is examining chaplain to the Bishop. There are necessarily but few ancient remains here, and those are confined to monuments to members of the Lygon, Hall, and Harrison families. The services commenced with the Morning Hymn, sung to the tune of the Old Hundredth; the organ was a grinder, but the instrument has since been altered for manipulatory purposes.

In restoring the musical services of this church there must have been sacrifices made both by the minister and choir. This is as it should be, for it betokens something more than a lazy acquiescence in religious devotion. The minister, organist, and

congregation, ought to go hand in hand in their endeavours to restore the fallen state of the church service to efficiency. They should also avoid the union of vulgar music with a variety of hymns treating rather of man than of God; and I trust the day is not far distant when this improvement will be completed by the national adoption of one uniform version of psalms-for till then it should be borne in mind that it is improper and unlawful to use in our churches any book in the worship of God except the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer.

The vicar gave out his text from Matthew iv, 23—and here I must give my readers a brief abstract of the scope and intention of this sermon. It was not, he said, too much to assert that the institutions which Christian benevolence has reared in our land have raised Britain to a prouder rank among the nations of the earth than the triumph she has acquired by her arms. The rev. gentleman then went on to show the duty and the reward of charity, quoting St. Basil, who says, "I have known many who have fasted and groaned and prayed, and expressed all kinds of costless piety, who yet would not part with one doit to the afflicted." The practice of indiscriminate charity, however, he observed, could not be too highly censured, while the regular support of established charities could not be too warmly commended, more especially of such an institution as the Infirmary, whose object and advantages, whether in the conservation of life and limb, the extension of medical and surgical knowledge, or the protection of the public health, was worthy of all praise. During the century which the Infirmary had now been founded, no less than 115,000 patients had been relieved; the average number of in-patients during the past year had been 95; out-patients, 250; 659 cases of accident had also been admitted, and 21 surgical operations had been performed, within the same period. The requirements of the establishment now were to extend the wards, to build a fever ward, to add to the number of baths, to arrange a library and museum, and to obtain a more convenient board-room. Added to these indispensable requirements was the fact that for some

years the income of the institution had been several hundreds less than the expenditure, and thus a pretty strong case was made out for the generous assistance of every one who had a heart to feel and a hand to give.

“Here's a pretty sentence of execration upon the Rambler," thought I; for the last five Sundays having regularly drawn as many shillings from my pocket, on behalf either of Sunday Schools, the Infirmary, or the sufferers at Quebec, and naturally conjecturing that the plethora of charity had now subsided, I had come to Hallow with nothing but a solitary sovereign in my pocket, not dreaming of another call. It will perhaps scarcely be credited, yet it is nevertheless true, that a gentleman who was recently taking a tour among his friends in Worcestershire chanced to hear, for four or five consecutive Sundays, a sermon on the Prodigal Son; till at last, fancying there was something in all this beyond the natural course of events, which it would be sinful on his part to oppose, he resolved to "arise and go" home to his friends. So I began to look upon these repeated charity sermons as a tax upon my absenteeism, but rather than pass by the goodhumoured churchwarden at the door, I resolved to stay in my seat, and after the collection was made and the congregation dispersed, to go and offer my mite when there was a probability of getting change for the inconvenient coin I had in my pocket. In the act of doing this, the vicar, probably recognising an old face he had seen occasionally in the streets of Worcester, entered into a conversation which resulted in an invitation to partake of luncheon at the vicarage.

Having a wish to attend the afternoon service at the old parish church of Grimley, I reluctantly took my leave of this interesting family, having a few minutes to spare for the purpose of going over the allotment grounds which are in this parish laid out for the labouring families, under the auspices of the vicar. Having seen much of the beneficial working of this system in Somersetshire, under the Bishop of Bath and Wells, I have become somewhat enthusiastic in its favour, and take a

deep interest in its progress. I am delighted to hear that in this parish the allotment system works most admirably—a rood of land being easily cultivated at spare hours, and by the younger children, and furnishing vegetables for the family, straw for a pig, and about five bushels of corn for grinding, besides inducing habits of regularity, industry, and economy, giving at the same time the day labourer an interest in the soil, preserving him from the snares and temptations of the beerhouse, and generally ameliorating the condition of the poor man-preserving regularity, good order, and good feeling, throughout the parishes. My own idea is, that the rood ought to be divided into three parts, and occupied as follows: one-third, potatoes; one-third, cabbages, peas, beans, onions, carrots, &c. ; and the remaining portion to wheat, barley, or grain of any sort. Thus every necessary for a family would be in due season provided; and if, for instance, potatoes failed, other roots would supply their place. I hear that the rental of these allotments is at the low rate of £2 per acre, and that the payments are made most regularly. There are 62 allotments.

We read of the church of Grimley having been given, more than a thousand years ago, to the church of Worcester, by Burtwolf, King of the Mercians, before he was expelled his country by the Danes; and Pope Nicholas, in the 20th year of his pontificate, mentions the church of Grimley, with that of Hallow depending on it. At the dissolution of the Worcester Priory the benefice was given to the Dean and Chapter; but at the present moment, in consequence of certain exchanges, it is in the hands of the bishops of the diocese.

The church has been recently restored in excellent taste, and in perfect keeping with the character of the edifice, by Mr. Eginton, architect to the Church Building Society. The walls and the south doorway of the old edifice were Norman, and accordingly the new porch over the doorway is constructed in the same style. The approach to the western gallery is by an external covered stone staircase leading from the porch, and the roof of the staircase is supported by graduated Norman

shafts, terminating in arcade work. The tower is of the style which prevailed at the latter part of the 14th century, and is exceedingly well designed and executed. The interior of the church has been repaired and fitted up in a very neat manner; and by the alteration at the tower end greater accommodation has been provided for the poor. The old peal of six bells has been rehung; and the whole expenses, amounting to about £500, have been defrayed by voluntary subscriptions.

On my return home I passed through Hallow Park-a beautifully wooded estate overhanging the Severn, where stands the mansion now occupied by the Rev. R. B. Bourne, and which has for centuries belonged to the Lygons. The scenery from this spot is of the richest and most lovely description—it is, in fact, one of the fairest flowers in the garden of Worcestershire.

From a Chamber Order Book of the city of Worcester (date 1575), it appears that Queen Elizabeth chose this spot for hunting purposes, killing two bucks here during her royal visit to Worcester; on which occasion Her Majesty's horses and geldings, to the number of 1,500, were depastured on Pitchcroft ; and the local historian in his own graphic language observed, "thanks be to God, amongst the said grett number of horses and geldings, not one horse or gelding was eyther stolen, strayed away, or peryshd." The peculiar adaptation of this locality for sporting purposes is recognised in the present day, if I am to judge from the scores of young men who regularly on each returning Sunday plant themselves on the edge of the Severn hereabout, to amuse themselves by disentangling their fishhooks from all kinds of river weeds, under the idea that they are-fishing! Would not some one of the "City Mission," or a church clergyman whose labours are not remarkably heavy, do well to pass up the river in a boat for a few Sundays, and take on hand the backsliders on both banks? He would in that case aptly assume the character of " a fisher of men."

With regard to the moral and religious condition of the widely extended district in which Hallow, Grimley, and Broadheath, are comprised, I have a word or two to say. A chapel