to him, consented to part with it, and placed the purchase-money, 20_l._, at my disposal, for any local use which I thought proper.  Accordingly, I resolved to plant yew-trees in the churchyard; and had four pretty strong large oak enclosures made, in each of which was planted under my own eye, and principally, if not entirely, by my own hand, two young trees, with the intention of leaving the one that throve best to stand.  Many years after, Mr. Barber, who will long be remembered in Grasmere, Mr. Greenwood (the chief landed proprietor), and myself, had four other enclosures made in the churchyard at our own expense, in each of which was planted a tree taken from its neighbour, and they all stand thriving admirably, the fences having been removed as no longer necessary.  May the trees be taken care of hereafter, when we are all gone; and some of them will perhaps, at some far-distant time, rival the majesty of the yew of Lorton, and those which I have described as growing at Borrowdale, where they are still to be seen in grand assemblage.

And now for the persons that are selected as lying in the churchyard.  But first for the individual whose grave is prepared to receive him.

His story is here truly related.  He was a schoolfellow of mine for some years.  He came to us when he was at least seventeen years of age, very tall, robust, and full grown.  This prevented him from falling into the amusements and games of the school; consequently, he gave more time to books.  He was not remarkably bright or quick, but, by industry, he made a progress more than respectable.  His parents not being wealthy enough to send him to college when he left Hawkshead, he became a schoolmaster, with a view to preparing himself for holy orders.  About this time he fell in love, as related in the poem, and every thing followed as there described, except that I do not know exactly when and where he died.  The number of youths that came to Hawkshead school from the families of the humble yeomanry, to be educated to a certain degree of scholarship, as a preparation for the church, was considerable; and the fortunes of those persons in after life various of course, and some not a little remarkable.  I have now one of this class in my eye who became an usher in a preparatory school, and ended in making a large fortune.  His manners, when he came to Hawkshead, were as uncouth as well could be; but he had good abilities, with skill to turn them to account, and when the master of the school to which he was usher died, he stept into his place, and became proprietor of the establishment.  He continued to manage it with such address, and so much to the taste of what is called high society and the fashionable world, that no school of the kind, even till he retired, was in such high request.  Ministers of State, the wealthiest gentry, and nobility of the first rank, vied with each other in bespeaking a place for their sons in the seminary of this fortunate teacher.