bandon his
flock to the wolf--was to forsake those with whom he had held sweet
counsel in religious communion--was to leave the recently converted
to relapse into false doctrines, and forsake the wavering, whom his
continued cares might have directed into the right path,--these were
of themselves deep causes of sorrow, and were aggravated, doubtless, by
those natural feelings with which all men, especially those whose duties
or habits have confined them to a limited circle, regard the separation
from wonted scenes, and their accustomed haunts of solitary musing, or
social intercourse.

There was, indeed, a plan of placing Mr. Solsgrace at the head of a
nonconforming congregation in his present parish, which his followers
would have readily consented to endow with a sufficient revenue. But
although the act for universal conformity was not yet passed, such a
measure was understood to be impending, and there existed a general
opinion among the Presbyterians, that in no hands was it likely to be
more strictly enforced, than in those of Peveril of the Peak.
Solsgrace himself considered not only his personal danger as being
considerable,--for, assuming perhaps more consequence than was actually
attached to him or his productions, he conceived the honest Knight to be
his mortal and determined enemy,--but he also conceived that he should
serve the cause of his Church by absenting himself from Derbyshire.

"Less known pastors," he said, "though perhaps more worthy of the name,
may be permitted to assemble the scattered flocks in caverns or in
secret wilds, and to them shall the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim
be better than the vintage of Abiezer. But I, that have so often carried
the banner forth against the mighty--I, whose tongue hath testified,
morning and evening, like the watchman upon the tower, against Popery,
Prelacy, and the tyrant of the Peak--for me to abide here, were but to
bring the sword of bloody vengeance amongst you, that the shepherd might
be smitten, and the sheep scattered. The shedders of blood have
already assailed me, even within that ground which they themselves call
consecrated; and yourselves have seen the scalp of the righteous broken,
as he defended my cause. Therefore, I will put on my sandals, and gird
my loins, and depart to a far country, and there do as my duty shall
call upon me, whether it be to act or to suffer--to bear testimony at
the stake or in the pulpit."

Such were the sentiments