"Oh, you'll be quite ready for the examination in a week, my boy,"--said the vicar, to encourage me.--"The examiners only require superficial knowledge; not, honest groundwork--although, they pretend to test the effects of a `good liberal education!' One of these public crammers would make you fit to pass in any certified time, if you could barely read and write. He would hardly require even that preliminary basis to work upon, for that matter. But, I ought not to blame them; for, I am a coach myself, or, rather, was one, once, when I had the time to read with pupils for the university. These competitive examinations are a mistake, I think,"--he continued,--"for the men who pass them the most brilliantly seldom make the best clerks, which one would imagine to be the result mainly desired. I would prefer, myself, the present middle- class examinations at Oxford--which they lately instituted, for discovering talent and merit--to all these hot-house tests; although, of course, I may be biassed against them, through the recollection of my old don days, when I was at college. "Not but what the idea of throwing open all appointments in the public service is better than the former custom of close patronage. The system is only abused, that's all, in consequence of the Competition-Wallah business being carried to excess. Your poor man, whom the change was especially supposed to benefit, has no chance now, unless he has the money to pay for the services of a crammer--be his attainments never so great. The examinations have really degenerated into a technical groove, into which aspirants have to be regularly initiated by a `coach,' or they will never succeed in getting out of it, to receive their certificates of proficiency. "I will write you down the name of a good man to apply to, Frank,"--he added.--"He'll pass you, I warrant, or I will eat my hat! And now I must be off, my boy. I have a lot of visiting to do to-night ere I can hope to go to bed. I'll not forget to speak to the bishop, as I have promised; and, I think, you may rely upon getting a nomination for a good office within the time I have named. Have you anything to do out, Sally--any letters to post?"--he then said, turning to his sister, and putting on the hat he had just volunteered to eat.--"No? Then I'm off. Good-night, Frank! Mind you go to that tutor to-morrow,"--he said, handing me the address he had hastily scribbled down; and, he went out on some errand of mercy, leaving Miss Pimpernell and myself to resume our tete-a-tete conversation, which he had so satisfactorily interrupted. "Well, Frank!"--said she, as his coat tails disappeared out of the doorway,--"will not that do for you?" "I should just think it would!"--I replied, buoyantly;--"and I do not know how to thank you and the vicar for all your kindness. I can't tell what I should have done without your help!"