f the justest of judges;
insisted on understanding the case to the bottom, and then
swiftly decided without feud or favour. For which reason,
indeed, the Dominus Rex, searching for such men, as for hidden
treasure and healing to his distressed realm, had made him one of
the new Itinerant judges,--such as continue to this day. "My
curse on that Abbot's court," a suitor was heard imprecating,
_"Maledicta sit curia istius Abbatis,_ where neither gold nor
silver can help me to confound my enemy!" And old friendships
and all connexions forgotten, when you go to seek an office from
him! "A kinless loon," as the Scotch said of Cromwell's new
judges,--intent on mere indifferent fair-play!

Eloquence in three languages is good; but it is not the best.
To us, as already hinted, the Lord Abbot's eloquence is less
admirable than his ineloquence, his great invaluable 'talent of
silence!' _'"Deus, Deus,"_ said the Lord Abbot to me once, when
he heard the Convent were murmuring at some act of his, "I have
much need to remember that Dream they had of me, that I was to
rage among them like a wolf. Above all earthly things I dread
their driving me to do it. How much do I hold in, and wink at;
raging and shuddering in my own secret mind, and not outwardly at
all!" He would boast to me at other times: "This and that I
have seen, this and that I have heard; yet patiently stood it."
He had this way, too, which I have never seen in any other man,
that he affectionately loved many persons to whom he never or
hardly ever shewed a countenance of love. Once on my venturing
to expostulate with him on the subject, he reminded me of
Solomon: "Many sons I have; it is not fit that I should smile
on them." He would suffer faults, damage from his servants, and
know what he suffered, and not speak of it; but I think the
reason was, he waited a good time for speaking of it, and in a
wise way amending it. He intimated, openly in chapter to us all,
that he would have no eavesdropping: "Let none," said he, "come
to me secretly accusing another, unless he will publicly stand to
the same; if he come otherwise, I will openly proclaim the name
of him. I wish, too, that every Monk of you have free access to
me, to speak of your needs or grievances when you will."'

The kinds of people Abbot Samson liked worst were these three:
_`Mendaces, ebriosi, verbosi,_ Liars, drunkards, and wordy or
windy persons;'--not good kinds, any of them! He al