The meanest note that swells the gale, The simplest flower that scents the dale, The common sun, the air, the skies, To him are opening Paradise--' he was much affected, and said he had not heard them since his sister, Lady Lyttelton, repeated them to him after recovering from an illness when he was young. There was, also, a song he sang occasionally at our house, because she liked it, and had taught it to him. He sang it with such feeling that it always moved me to tears, and as soon as I heard of his death I began to sing it, and it kept recurring to me all day. I seemed to rejoice for him in the song. These are the words: they are Moore's:-- "'The bird, let loose in Eastern skies, When hastening fondly home, Ne'er stoops to earth her wing, nor flies Where idle warblers roam. But high she shoots through air and light, Above all low delay: Where nothing earthly bounds her flight, Nor shadow dims her way. So grant me, Lord, from ev'ry care, And stain of passion free, Aloft through virtue's nobler air, To wing my course to thee. No sin to cloud, no lure to stay, My soul as home she springs, Thy sunshine on her joyful way, Thy freedom on her wings.' He was always very much moved when speaking of Lady Lyttelton." It was no small sacrifice to submit with cheerfulness to the circumstances which prevented him visiting this sister, now that she had become a widow and had need of a consoler to help herself and children to bear their affliction. He simply says: "I find all my crosses and vexations to be blessings; and directly I made the sacrifice of feeling to duty, God sent me the best set of catechumens I have had yet. {245} Among others, a man and wife who have been _male_ and _female_ preachers, among the Primitive Methodists, or Ranters." His great friend and director, the Rev. Mr. Martyn, was the next of whose death he heard. This good and virtuous priest was more than a friend to Father Spencer. He served his novitiate to the work of the English mission, under his direction in Walsall, for three months before he came to West Bromwich. He had been his confessor and guide in all his practices of piety until now. He managed his affairs with as much interest as if they were his own; he was ever ready with his counsel and assistance, and seems to have taken the Dudley mission as soon as Father Spencer had built the church there. Father Spencer preached his funeral oration, and paid the last tribute of respect to his mortal remains in the very spot where he so often profited by his counsels. Here there was no cause of regret, except for the good priest's widowed flock, for his saintly life gave strong hopes of a blessed eternity.