They observed this, and inferred from hence that their friend Samuel was
dead, and so they found it. Some of the ancient Christians too, it
seems, used to go to church with a purpose of receiving as the will of
heaven the words of scripture that were singing at their entrance.

To pay a very great deference in opening upon a place of scripture, as
to its affording an assurance of salvation, used to be a very common
practice amongst the people called Methodists, but chiefly those of the
Calvinistic persuasion; this, it is probable, has declined in proportion
with the earnestness of these people in other respects. They had also
another opinion, viz. that if the recollection of any particular text of
scripture happened to arise in their minds, this was likewise looked
upon as a kind of immediate revelation from heaven. This they call being
presented or brought home to them!

* * * * *


THE GATHERER


"I am but a _Gatherer_ and disposer of other
men's stuff."--_Wotton_.

* * * * *

Whoever the following story may be fathered on, Sir John Hamilton was
certainly its parent. The duke of Rutland, at one of his levees, being
at a loss (as probably most kings, princes, and viceroys occasionally
are) for something to say to every person he was bound in etiquette to