next morning, the Sergeant being engaged in stacking a plentiful crop of hay which he had raised on a field of very moderate extent, his hostess attended the invalid with his breakfast, when, the conversation turning upon the last night’s visitor, he learned many particulars farther to his honour, and the landlady was just entering into an account of his family, when Mr. Wentbridge himself interrupted the discourse.--The Vicar and the Major, as they increased in knowledge of each other, advanced in reciprocal esteem. Wentbridge found Hamilton a man of abilities and extensive knowledge, besides a very impressive and engaging deportment.--The soldier soon discovered in Wentbridge, besides the talents, learning, and virtuous sentiments, which became his sacred profession, a fund of scientific and political knowledge, which he was not incompetent to appreciate, relieved by delicacy and strength of wit and of humour, which he could highly relish.--The skill of the surgeon, with the vigour of his own constitution, the kind care and assiduity of his host and hostess, and the interesting and amusing conversation of his new clerical friend, combined speedily to raise the Major from his bed, and in a few weeks he was able to move about on his crutch, and sometimes to take the air in the vicar’s chaise-cart. In the beginning of September he found himself sufficiently well to accept of an invitation to the parsonage-house. CHAPTER II. MR. Wentbridge’s vicarage, situate in a pleasing district of the West Riding, amounting to about 200l. per annum, in a cheap country, afforded to very moderate wants ample means of supply.--The possessor was besides skilled in farming; and as one part of his vicarage was twenty acres of land, and he rented thirty more, he had an opportunity of employing his agricultural talents to his own emolument, and also by example to the benefit of his neighbours. No lands were better fenced or cultivated, laid out in a more skilful and productive rotation of crops, a more agreeable variety of tillage or pasturage, than the snug fields of the parson of Brotherton. Their situation also enabled the taste of the cultivator to superinduce elegance and beauty on fruitfulness and utility. The house was placed on the south-east slope of a gentle hill, terminating in a small plain that was bounded by a river, which, winding round the farm, appearing to rise out of woods on the right and on the left, seemed to lose itself behind an advanced post of the hill, whilst, seeking the eastern confines of Yorkshire, it hastened to make a part of the conflux of rivers that after their coalition are distinguished by the name of Humber. In this aspect was situated the chief part of the vicar’s arable farm; behind were his offices and lands of steeper ascent, bounded by a wood, which covering all the upper part of the hill, besides beautifully diversifying the scene, sheltered the parsonage from the northern blast. Here