LIFE OF ROBERT STEPHEN HAWKER. CHAPTER I. Birth of Mr. Hawker. Dr. Hawker of Charles Church. The Amended Hymn. - Robert S. Hawker runs away from School. - Boyish Pranks.· At Cheltenham.—Publishes his "Tendrils."— At Oxford. Marries.The Stowe Ghost. Robert Hawker and Mr. Jeune at Boscastle. — The Mazed Pigs.- Nanny Heale and the Potatoes. -"Records of the Western Shore." -The Bude Mermaid. — Takes his Degree. Comes with his Wife to Morwenstow. ROBERT STEPHEN HAWKER was born at Stoke Damerel on Dec. 3, 1804, and was baptized there in the parish church. His father, Mr. Jacob Stephen Hawker, was at that time a medical man, practising at Plymouth. He afterwards was ordained at Altarnun, and spent thirty years as curate and then vicar of Stratton in Cornwall, where he died in 1845. Mr. J. S. Hawker was the son of the famous Dr. Hawker, incumbent of Charles Church in Plymouth, author of "Morning and Evening Portions," a man as remarkable for his abilities as he was for his piety. Young Robert was committed to his grandfather to be educated. The doctor, after the death of his 9 wife, lived in Plymouth with his daughter, a widow, Mrs. Hodgson, at whose expense Robert was educated. The profuse generosity, the deep religiousness, and the eccentricity of the doctor, had their effect on the boy, and traced in his opening mind and forming character deep lines, which were never effaced. Dr. Hawker had a heart always open to appeals of poverty, and in his kindness he believed every story of distress which was told him, and hastened to relieve it without inquiring closely whether it were true or not; nor did he stop to consider whether his own pocket could afford the generosity to which his heart prompted him. His wife, as long as she lived, found it a difficult matter to keep house. In winter, if he came across a poor family without sufficient coverings on their beds, he would run home, pull the blankets off his own bed, and run with them over his arm to the house where they were needed. He had an immense following of pious ladies, who were sometimes troublesome to him. "I see what it is," said the doctor in one of his sermons: "you ladies think to reach heaven by hanging on to my coat-tails. I will trounce you all: I will wear a spencer.' In Charles Church the evening service always closed with the singing of the hymn, "Lord, dismiss us with thy blessing," composed by Dr. Hawker himself. His grandson did not know the authorship of the hymn he came to the doctor one day with a paper in his hand, and said, "Grandfather, I don't altogether like that hymn, 'Lord, dismiss us with thy blessing:' I think it might be improved in metre and language, and would be better if made somewhat longer." "Oh, indeed!" said Dr. Hawker, getting red; "and pray, Robert, what emendations commend themselves to your precocious wisdom?" "This is my improved version," said the boy, and read as follows: 666 Lord, requite not as we merit; Thy displeasure all must fear: As of old, so let thy Spirit Still the dove's resemblance bear. May that Spirit dwell within us! So when these our lips shall wither, "Now listen to the old version, grandfather: "Lord, dismiss us with thy blessing; Triumph in redeeming grace. Travelling through this wilderness! Thanks we give, and adoration, For the gospel's joyous sound; With us evermore be found!' "This one is crude and flat; don't you think so, grandfather?" "Crude and flat, sir! Young puppy, it is mine i I wrote that hymn." "Oh! I beg your pardon, grandfather; I did not know that it is a very nice hymn indeed; but— but " and, as he went out of the door, "mine is better." Robert was sent to a boarding-school by his grandfather; where, I do not know, nor does it much matter, for he only staid there one night. He arrived in the evening, and was delivered over by the doctor to a very godly but close-fisted master. Robert did not approve of being sent supperless to bed, still less did he approve of the bed and bedroom in which he was placed. Next morning the dominie was shaving at his window, when he saw his pupil, with his portmanteau on his back, striding across the lawn, with reckless indifference to the flower-beds, singing at the top of his voice, "Lord, dismiss us with thy blessing.' He shouted after him from the window, but Robert was deaf. The boy flung his portmanteau over the hedge, jumped after it, and was seen no more at that school. He was then put with the Rev. Mr. Laffer, at |