get yourself ordained as soon as possible. I shall write to my friend the
bishop for that purpose this very night."

"Let me beg; father, that you will not be so precipitate. Upon my word,
sir, I cannot go into orders. I am not--in short, I am not fit for the
church."

The father stared with an expression between anger and astonishment.

"Have not you gone through the university?"

"Yes, sir:--but--but I am scarcely sober, and _staid_, and moral enough for
the church. Such a wild fellow as I am, I really could not in conscience--I
would not upon any account, for any living upon earth, or any emolument, go
into the church, unless I thought I should do credit to it."

"And why should not you do credit to the church? I don't see that you are
wilder than your neighbours, and need not be more scrupulous. There is
G----, who at your age was wild enough, but he took up in time, and is now
a plump dean. Then there is the bishop that is just made: I remember him
such a youth as you are. Come, come, these are idle scruples. Let me hear
no more, my dear Buckhurst, of your conscience."

"Dear sir, I never pleaded my conscience on any occasion before--you know
that I am no puritan--but really on this point I have some conscience, and
I beg you not to press me farther. You have other sons; and if you cannot
spare Cunningham, that treasure of diplomacy!--there's John; surely you
might contrive to spare him for the church."

"Spare him I would, and welcome. But you know I could never get John into