In the preparation of the present volume, I have again enjoyed the advantage of the friendly aid and cooperation of Mr A. T. BARTHOLOMEW, to whom I am specially indebted for the compilation of the _Variants_. Our joint efforts have been occasionally defeated by the illegibility of passages in the Crabbe MSS. acquired by our University Press. It is hoped that the third and concluding volume of this edition, which will contain a considerable amount of previously unpublished verse, will appear in the course of the summer. A. W. WARD. PETERHOUSE LODGE, CAMBRIDGE. _March 19th, 1906._ CONTENTS. TALES PAGE I. THE DUMB ORATORS 13 II. THE PARTING HOUR 27 III. THE GENTLEMAN FARMER 41 IV. PROCRASTINATION 56 V. THE PATRON 67 VI. THE FRANK COURTSHIP 87 VII. THE WIDOW’S TALE 101 VIII. THE MOTHER 113 IX. ARABELLA 124 X. THE LOVER’S JOURNEY 134 XI. EDWARD SHORE 145 XII. ’SQUIRE THOMAS 159 XIII. JESSE AND COLIN 170 XIV. THE STRUGGLES OF CONSCIENCE 185 XV. THE ’SQUIRE AND THE PRIEST 199 XVI. THE CONFIDANT 211 XVII. RESENTMENT 228 XVIII. THE WAGER 242 XIX. THE CONVERT 251 XX. THE BROTHERS 264 XXI. THE LEARNED BOY 276 TALES OF THE HALL I. THE HALL 302 II. THE BROTHERS 312 III. BOYS AT SCHOOL 319 IV. ADVENTURES OF RICHARD 332 V. RUTH 346 VI. ADVENTURES OF RICHARD (_concluded_) 359 VII. THE ELDER BROTHER 371 VIII. THE SISTERS 394 IX. THE PRECEPTOR HUSBAND 419 X. THE OLD BACHELOR 430 XI. THE MAID’S STORY 451 TALES. TO HER GRACE ISABELLA DUCHESS DOWAGER OF RUTLAND. MADAM,