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ages, and worshipping of them; passing over their massing and many altars, and the rest of their popish service.

"The south-side alley was for usury and popery; the north for simony; and the horsefair in the midst, for all kinds of bargains, meetings, brawlings, murders, and conspiracies. The font, for ordinary payments of money, as well known to all men as the beggar knows his dish; so that without and within, above the ground and under, over the roof and beneath, from the top of the steeple and spire down to the floor, not one spot was free from wickedness.'

"How the divines of that age reconciled these violents philippics against those who differed from them in religious views, with the injunction left by the apostle, in his masterly delineation of Christian charity, is not for me to determine," said Mr. Wilmot, "You will observe, that the practice of making St. Paul's a kind of exchange, for transactions of all kinds of business, and a place of meeting for idlers of all sorts, is here alluded to: it is frequently mentioned by writers of this and the two succeeding reigns; and when, and by what means the custom was put an end to, does not appear.

"It was here that Sir Nicholas Throgmorton held a conference with an emissary of

Wyatt's: it was here that one of the bravos, engaged in the noted murder of Alden of Fever

sham, was hired. It was in St. Paul's that Falstaff is made to say, he bought Bardolph. "In bishop Earl's admirable little book, called, 'Microcosmography,' the scene is described with all the wit of the author, and somewhat of the quaintness of his age, which was that of James the First. He says, 'Paul's walk is the land's epitome, or you may call it the lesser isle of Great Britain. It is more than this; the whole world's map, which you may here discern in the perfectest motion, jostling and turning. It is the great exchange of all discourse; and no business whatever, but is here stirring and afoot. It is the synod of all pates politic joined and laid together, in most serious posture; and they are not half so busy at the parliament. It is the market of young lecturers, whom you may cheapen here at all rates and sizes. It is the general mint of all lies, which were, like the legends of popery, first coined and stamped in the church. All inventions are emptied here; and not a few pockets. The best sign of a temple in it, is, that it is the thieves' sanctuary.

"The visitants are all men, without exception; but the principal inhabitants and posses

sors are, stale knights, and captains out of service, men of long rapiers and breeches, which, after all, turn merchants here, and traffic for news. Some make it a preface to their dinner; but thriftier men make it their ordinary, and board here very cheap.'"

The bell now rang, and company was announced. Susan and Ann quitted the gallery with reluctance; but not before they had obtained a promise from Mr. Wilmot, that they should visit it again on the following day.

141

CHAP. VIII.

PUNCTUAL to the moment of appointment, Mr. Wilmot led his young friends into the gallery; and, after giving them leave to range round it, he begged that they would select a subject for the morning's entertainment.

"Then, Sir," said Susan, "I should like to be informed who that wounded officer is, and that poor soldier, who, even whilst drinking with eagerness, seems to fix his eyes so intently on him."

"That officer," answered Mr. Wilmot, "is Sir Philip Sidney, one of the brightest ornaments of queen Elizabeth's court; and whose personal endowments were only equalled by his valour and humanity.

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When, at the battle of Zutphen, in the United Provinces, in which he had distinguished himself, his thigh-bone was broken by a musket-shot, in the agony of his wound he called for water: some was brought him, but, as he was lifting it to his lips, the ghastly looks of a

dying soldier met his eye. Take this,' said he, holding the water to him, 'thy necessities are yet greater than mine.'. We can better estimate the self-denial of this generous act, when we remember that the wound was mortal, and that, after sixteen days of acute suffering, it terminated his valuable life.

"Thus perished, at the early age of thirtytwo, this Marcellus of the English nation; at once the pride and ornament of his time-the theme and favourite of song and story.

"The beautiful anecdote which I have just related to you, inspires a love and esteem for his virtues, which will be retained as long as the name of Sidney shall exist. He is described by the writers of that age, as the most perfect model of an English gentleman, that could be formed, even in imagination; and when to this we add his amiable disposition, his elegant erudition, his rare talents and dauntless valour, we are prepared to estimate the demonstrations of grief which were expressed for his loss, and the almost unexampled honours paid to his memory. The court went into mourning for him, and his remains received a magnificent funeral in St. Paul's: the United Provinces having in vain requested permission to inter him at their own expence, promising that he

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