province. The man of sense and virtue keeps his own ground. He knows that his recommendation should consist, not in imitation, but in originality; not in extravagant expenditure or attire, but in accomplishment and address. Mr Sandford was, therefore, esteemed as well as liked, he never sought the society of men of rank, but he was always found in it,—for there was no disputing his pretensions, which were those of birth and scholarship. He never concurred in the opinion, that as we descend in the scale of society we shall find virtue and piety increase, and doubtless his own experience justified his incredulity. Among his intimate associates were the late Earl of Liverpool, and the present Lord Bexley, the latter of whom never forgot his college friendship, and was one of the very first to testify to his widow, after his death, the esteem which he had always entertained for her deceased husband. Mr Sandford was greatly distinguished while at Oxford for accurate and accomplished scholarship, and especially for the correctness and elegance of his latinity. In 1787, he won the Christ Church prize for Latin composition; and so well was his style known in college, that, on more than one occasion, when he had furnished exercises for his friends, his assistance was immediately detected by the Dean. Every one knows the influence which waking thoughts exercise on the mind in sleep. Mr Sandford used to mention an instance which occurred to himself while engaged in the composition of his successful essay. Having been much occupied, before he retired to rest, with some refractory sentiment which he was unable to reduce to words, he dreamed that a form appeared to him, and like Order in the fairy tale, adjusted his entangled thoughts, and clothed them in elegant latinity. On awaking, he availed himself of the suggestion, and the passage was afterwards pointed out to him by the Dean as the happiest in the essay. does not appear whether he acknowledged at the time the assistance he had received. He used to regret that Latin composition was less insisted on now, than it had been in his youth, as he always considered this accomplishment to be the surest test of scholarship. He himself retained and cultivated his talent for it to the last; and it was the ground of much delightful intercourse in Edinburgh with that accomplished scholar, and amiable man, Dr Gregory. It At the seat of the Duchess of Portland, where he spent his vacations, when not at Windsor with Mrs Delany, he imbibed a taste for botany, which supplied him with an innocent and graceful relaxation in later life. He was an ardent disciple of Linnæus, in this interesting branch of natural history, and none ever discoursed more sweetly or instructively on such themes, or led the hearts of those who listened to him with more easy and unaffected piety from nature to its God. He used to roam the fields in the neighbourhood of Oxford in the pursuit of his favourite science, and dedicated to it most of the hours which were not devoted to graver studies. His relaxations were not, however, always of so sylvan a character. His adroitness in the management of an Indian canoe upon the river excited the admiration of his compeers, and was one of the most popular attractions of Christ Church meadow. This was, however, a more perilous enjoyment than his botanical pursuits,-for he was no swimmer, and his exhibitions were attended with some personal risk. On one occasion he was nearly drowned through the spleen-and at another time through the awkwardness-of an associate. It has been observed, that the present generation will probably revert to academic life with more of pride, but less of kindly feeling, than the former did. A few years ago, too much time was given to society,-with the better. order of young men, at the universities, reading is now, perhaps, too exclusively the object. The only desire with these seems to be, to cram, with or without digestion, as much knowledge as possible with a view to a dazzling appearance in the schools. A few succeed, many more, and those often not the least meritorious, fail of the distinction they aspire to, ―and some, through ill health or nervousness, draw back, when at the very goal, and retire from the scene of their exertions the victims of disappointment and chagrin. Authority has done every thing to regulate this passion,-to secure sound learning as well as brilliancy in the candidates for honours,-but as long as the distinction is so dazzling, youth will consider it the first object of ambition, and covet more the laurel than the knowledge it implies. But in Mr Sandford's time study was less often carried to excess;-those who read did so rather from literary taste than from desire of distinction; and the result, if less splendid, was, in most cases, more satisfactory. Reading men spent their time as profitably and virtuously then as now, and they could afterwards revert to the university as the scene of much intellectual and innocent happiness, and as the source of many valuable friendships, while their retrospect was seldom clouded by the recollection that their health had been undermined, or their expectations disappointed. All Mr Sandford's recollections of college life were pleasing, and he used to speak of the six years of his residence at Oxford as the happiest he ever spent.-He was a thorough Christ Church man, and he never discoursed more delightfully than when he spoke of its august walk and classic meadow; of its wits in his own day, the elegant Spencer, and the classic |