1  The  recollections  came,  the  sermons  were  published,  and  no  exception
taken  to  them,  although  ten  days  had  elapsed  since  the  delivery,  and  a  short
hand  writer  had,  as  the  Bishop  saw,  followed  him  in  one  of  the  sermons
throughout.  2  Communicated  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Liddon.
LIFE  OF  BIS'HOP  WILBERFORCE  287

A  Cuddesdon  story  illustrates  Bishop  Wilberforce's  power
of  observation  while  preaching.  Canon,  afterwards  Bishop,
Woodford  was  sitting  in  the  long  chancel  of  Cuddesdon  church
while  the  Bishop  was  preaching,  at  the  time  of  the  cattle
plague,  on  the  'Red  Heifer.'  Suddenly  Canon  Woodford
gave  a  violent  start,  which  the  Bishop,  though  his  back  was
turned  to  him,  observed.  After  church  he  asked,  '  Why  did
you  jump  so  while  I  was  preaching  ? '  Canon  Woodford,  whose
natural  history  education  had  been  neglected,  answered  :  '  I
started  at  what  you  said  about  the  red  heifer ;  I  never  knew
before  that  it  was  a  female  cow.'

November  29. — Dined  at  Windsor  Castle,  and  talk  with  the
Crown  Princess.  Her  story,  told  so  like  her  father,  of  Mr.  Jones
not  quite  so  religious  as  others,  for  he  does  not  smell  his  hat.'
N.B. — lam  told  this  was  in  '  Punch  '  long  ago.
Writing  to  Mr.  Gordon  the  Bishop  gives  an  account  of  some
of  the  principal  events  of  the  year  : —

'  It  has  been  an  interesting  year  with  me.  First,  Ernest's  mar
riage,  which  seems  a  really  happy  one  and  has  brought  a  beam  of
sunlight  into  my  so  long  shadowed  house.  God  be  praised  for  it.
