stole on the ear, and soothed the passions. Statues, paintings, vestments, and various ornaments beguiled the eye; while the pause which was produced by that sudden attack, which a multitude of objects made on the senses, on entering a spacious decorated edifice, was enthusiastically taken for devotion. Blind obedience was first allowed by courtesy, and then established by law. Public worship was performed in an unknown tongue, and the sacrament was adored as the body and blood of Christ. The credit of the ceremonial produced in the people a notion that the performance of it was the practice of piety, and religion degenerated into gross superstition. Vice, uncontrouled by reason or scripture, retained a Pagan vigour, and committed the most horrid crimes; and superstition atoned for them by building and endowing religious houses, and by bestowing donations on the church. Human merit was introduced; saints were invoked; and the perfections of God were distributed by canonization, among the creatures of the pope. The pillars that supported this edifice were immense riches, arising by imposts from the sins of mankind; idle distinctions between supreme and subordinate adoration; senseless axioms, called the divinity of the schools; preachments of buffoonery, or blasphemy, or both; cruel casuistry, consisting of a body of dangerous and scandalous morality; false miracles and midnight visions; spurious books and relics, oaths, dungeons, inquisitions, and crusades. The whole was denominated THE HOLY CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH, and laid to the charge of Jesus Christ!"

Such was the religion of France in the sixteenth century; how far it has been restored in the nineteenth century, the too successful efforts of the French priesthood in re-establishing the monastic orders, and rebuilding the religious houses which time or reason had destroyed, sufficiently attest. A monastic order, in the bosom of a community, is a swarm of drones living on the industry of the hive. Religious houses are sanctuaries for ignorance, and receptacles for crimes. A French paper, the Journal des Debats, of the 19th Sept. furnishes us with an account of the re-establishment of the Brotherhood of the Cross at Calvary; the Calvary, we imagine, of St. Valerian, near Paris, famed for its sculptured mysteries.

"The missionaries of France had announced that the procession of the relics of the cross should be followed by the re-establishment of the Brotherhood of the Cross, erected August 30, 1645. The brotherhood was dispersed at the recent epoch, when the hermits of Calvary were torn from their asylum; when the sacred vessels were broken, and the pilgrims massacred; and the sacred place of the cross was converted into a kiosque for amusement. On Thursday this spot, restored by the piety of the monarch to its venerable and primitive destination, displayed a religious spectacle of great interest. The archbishop of Arles, surrounded by several bishops, thirty Cures, and two hundred ecclesiastics, solemnly officiated. The altar, forty feet high, surrounded by large banks, occupied by the clergy, was entirely covered with garlands of flowers: it rose like a hill, above a multitude of more than 60,000 people, who crouded round it. From 700 to 800 soldiers, many officers, magistrates, and persons in the first ranks of society were present.

"Le chant des Cantiques rose first to heaven. M. L'Abbé de Forbin Janson pronounced a moving discourse on the Cross; he then explained, to the numerous auditors, the motives for assembling, and the statutes of the Brotherhood of the Cross.

"The king, at the request of the missionaries, has granted them, said the Abbé, all the ruins, and they have not shrunk from the grand work of again restoring them to splendour-Dominus providebit. Faithful worshippers of the Cross-you are come here to accomplish the views of Providence! Seven thousand Christians immediately precipated themselves at the foot of the Cross, and were inscribed in the brotherhood, amidst cries of "vive la Croix !?? "vivent les Bourbons!" Tears were abundantly shed. The procession com menced, attended by affecting music, and accompanied by pious songs. It passed over a road strewed with flowers; through triumphant arches, prepared by the faithful, as in the days of the primitive church. The Labanum, or standard of the Cross, was carried by veterans, who, covered with glory came to day, to offer sacrifices to the glory of the God of peace. The benediction of the Cross terminated the day. Happy are the days which unite more than 60,000 souls in the same thought-that of doing good.

This is, assuredly, the banquet of fanaticism-the saturnalia of priestcraft. Let us turn to a more moderated picture of clerical imposition, which may, however, affect us the more, being nearer home.

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His Majesty's recent visit to SCOTLAND served, in some measure, to develope the present character of religious parties in that conntry; and to raise a suspicion that, however much the good people north of the Tweed, pride themselves on their unbending independence, their priests have, as in duty bound, a proper share of the obsequious virtues. In the address, from the University of Edinburgh, presented to the king by the professors and rectors, they very truly represent that "intellectual, moral, and religious "instruction is the most solid basis of a nation's prosperity, "happiness, and honour; which," says the addressers, "it "is the dearest wish of your Majesty's heart, and the most unceasing object of your reign, to extend and perpetuate throughout all your dominions.". Now, taking it to be so, taking it all as true-literally true-what an object of sympathy does his Majesty appear; the dearest wish of whose heart and the unceasing object of whose reign, have been, in the distresses that have pervaded the country, from the first commencement of that reign, so lamentably disappointed. It is at any rate, consolatory that, however unhappy his Majesty may have been in this respect, since he has worn his earthly crown, the address prays that he may receive" in heaven an unfading crown. Next in order is the address from the episcopal elergy of Scotland, presented by the bishops, &c. This is unquestionably, a very curious document; and, proceeding from the ancient

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supporters of the house of Stuart, it assumes a peculiar and characteristic interest. The episcopal clergy humbly hint their poverty to his Majesty; they commend themselves to the royal favour, by asserting that " their principles and "forms of worship are the same with the established church "of England." They recognize in his Majesty, "the lineal "descendant of the royal family of Scotland, and the "legitimate POSSESSOR of the British throne." And these episcopalians, it appears, are ready, not only to pray, but to fight for his Majesty; " and, with heart and hand, to con"vince the world that in their breasts a firm attachment to "the religion of their fathers is inseparably continued, with "unshaken loyalty to their king." And yet, notwithstanding these assurances, it seems that the presbyterians, with their deans and chaplains, suspected there was a certain sediment of the old jacobine tenets and feelings lurking at the bottom of the episcopalian address; and they are represented as having conceived offence at the circumstance of his Majesty remaining at Dalkeith during the preceding sunday. Matters are however, set right by the king's attending the worship of the high kirk of the presbyterians, and listening, as the papers state," to the simple and primitive service of the "Scottish kirk." There is, says the same report, "a permanent THRONE in the high kirk, for the KING'S REPRESENTATIVE, during the sittings of the general "assembly, which his Majesty now occupied." This permanent THRONE does not savor much of simplicity; this KING'S REPRESENTATIVE is not an officer familiar to our recollection in the primitive church and then, when we are told, that during the reading the introductory psalm, the people stood up in honour of the entrance of his Majesty, with his court, nobles, and officers of state, our mind is insensibly carried back to the earliest era of the Christian church; and we fancy we are hearing an homily from the apostle James, against the sin of paying respect to the rich man," with a gold ring in goodly apparel," who should come into our assembly! (James ii. 1 to 4,)

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The report next introduces us to another of the primitives— "the Very Rev. Dr. Lamont, Moderator," (" be not called of "men Rabbi") who, " in his prayer, alluded to the honour "of the royal visit," ("the kings of the earth exercise lordship "We suppress our scripture-quoting propensity, or we may be suspected at once of irreligion and disloyalty; for it is dangerous, in these times, to follow Jesus-even though afar off.')

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Our reporter concludes his account by an exposition of the impression of the royal mind, in reference to this solemnity, as illustrative of the piety of our northern neighbours; "and if the king had reason to say, that, on account of "their week-day conduct, they were all ladies and gentlemen, "he must have felt, from their conduct on the sabbath, that they are a nation of Christians!" One extract from the address of the ministers and elders of the Scotch kirk to the king, we cannot fail to observe.

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"But we cannot express what we feel, when, within the precincts of your ancient kingdom of Scotland we behold your Majesty in person—a King distinguished by every splendid endowment, and graced by every elegant accomplishment-at once the safeguard of our country and the bulwark of our church!!!”

If our readers have not had enough of presbyterianism and episcopacy for further particulars let them refer to Mr. Robinson of Cambridge. "EPISCOPACY has not varied "from the days kings created it. It has always been a "hireling state of servitude!"-" Religious tyranny subsists in "various degrees, as all civil tyrannies do. Popery is the "consummation of it, and PRESBYTERIANISM a weak degree "of it; but the latter has in it the essence of the former, "and differs from it only as a kept mistress differs from a street-walking prostitute !"*

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In IRELAND the clergy of the established church are, at the present time, manifesting a most active zeal, if not in the cause of religion, at least in that of revenue; and certain of the London clergy appear not behind them in this particular. The continued and increasing distresses of the sister kingdom have, of late, drawn the public attention to a close and scrutinizing examination of the TITHE SYSTEM; which, injurious as it is in all countries, is esteemed particulary so in Ireland, from the mode in which it is collected, by which, among other causes of complaint, it seems that the tenant pays, under the present system, more than the clergyman receives, and the difference is consumed by endless and expensive litigation.

The prodigal and splendid protestant establishment in Ireland, maintained by a catholic population, is a monstrous anomaly in legislation, and a fruitful source of popular jealoussy and national discontent. It is calculated, that of a population less than seven millions in Ireland, about one

* Plan of Lectures on the Principles of Non-conformity.-Lectures 6 and 10.

million only are protestants; and of these one half may be computed to be dissenters, leaving about 500,000 to the national church of Ireland; to provide for whose spiritual wants there are twenty-two archbishops and bishops, and upwards of thirteen hundred beneficed clergy. The twenty-two mitred heads divide amongst them upwards of £. 180,000 annually, drawn from the labour of a distressed and starving population; and the real rental of the Irish ecclesiastical property has been estimated at one million!* From the manner in which the tithes are leased out, from the parson to the tithe-proctor, from the tithe-proctor frequently to others, the land becomes, as Mr. Grattan expressed it, "a prey to "a subordination of vultures." "It is not alone" (says this gentleman)" the excess of exaction which makes the tithe"farmer a public misfortune-his mode of collecting is "another scourge. He puts his charges into one or more notes, payable at a certain time; if not then discharged "he serves the countryman with a summons, charging him "6d. for the service, and 1 s. for the summons. He then some"times puts the whole into a kerry bond, or instrument "which bears interest; he then either keeps the bond over "his head, or issues out execution, and gets the countryman's "body and goods completely into his power! To such an abuse "is this abominable practice carried, that, in some of the southern parts of Ireland, the peasantry are made tributary "to the tithe-farmer-draw home his corn, his hay, and his "turf; or give their labour, their cows, their horses, at a "certain time of the year, for-nothing! These oppressions not only exist, but have acquired a form and distinct appellation-tributes:- tributes to extortioners — TRI"6 BUTES PAID BY THE POOR, IN THE NAME OF THE "LORD!"+

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A considerable portion of the income of the beneficed. clergy is derived from tithes thus levied on the cattle and produce of the poor peasantry-the hapless cotters of Ireland! "I have seen" (says Mr. Wakefield) "the cow-the favourite "cow-driven away, accompanied by the sighs, the tears, "and the imprecations of a whole family, who were paddling after, through wet and dirt, to take their last, affectionate

*Mr. Wakefield, Dr. Beaufort, Mr. Newenham.

↑ Grattan's Speeches.-Vol. ii. p. 45.

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