criticize with much acumen the discourses of their ministers, and are quick at discovering anything which savours of unsound doctrine. They admire a preacher whose style is vigorous and energetic. John Knox is always represented as if going to jump out of the pulpit; Dr. Chalmers beat the air like a prize-fighter; and a certain living divine, more famed for his virulence than his charity, wriggles and writhes like a snake in the grass. But let it not be supposed that Scottish clergymen are so rigid and austere as ignorant caricaturists have described them. "A mild, humane, and truly liberal way of looking at life," says Mr. Hannay, in one of his brilliant "Essays from the Quarterly Review," "prevails in that venerable establishment, which was graced at one time by the presidency in her Assembly of Buchanan, and at another time by that of Robertson." Dean Ramsay's "Reminiscences," and Dr. Rogers' "Illustrations," abound with anecdotes, having for their subject the mingled simplicity and shrewdness which have characterized many ministers, both of the Established Church and the various dissenting bodies. Every reader of "Guy Mannering" remembers the sad failure of Abel Sampson's maiden sermon; how he could not proceed with his discourse, but stumbled down the stairs, and ever afterwards received the appellation of a "stickit minister." The first appearance in the pulpit of another very absent-minded probationer was also attended with mishap. There being no liturgy in the Presbyterian service, our hero had written out the needful number of prayers, and after much labour had got them off by heart. Now, it unfortunately happened that, just before he began the second one, the precentor gave out the intimation, "Remember in prayer Jonathan Jolly, an aged man in distress." The reverend gentleman was terribly put about by this announcement, for he could not by any means discover an appropriate place to introduce the petition. In this perplexity he stopped short, opened his eyes, glared around him in perfect despair, and at length gasped forth, 66 The person who is ill-I-I-hope she'll get better!" and went on again from the point where he had stopped to insert his parenthetical request. Upon another occasion this same genius had promised to officiate in a neighbouring parish. He arrived in safety at the church, entered by one door and walked out at the other, forgetting all about his engagement! It is but right to add that he was never ordained. The intercourse maintained between the clergy and their parishioners is, generally speaking, of the most friendly nature. And we are sure that very rarely indeed do the flocks in reality breathe such prayers for their pastors as that to which the hero of the following anecdote unwittingly gave utterance. "I'm sure, sir, I dinna ken hoo to repay you for a' your kindness," said he, gratefully, to his minister. "O, you can attend my funeral, John," replied the clergyman, with a smile. "An' I wish I saw the invitation!" was John's impetuous response. "I could point to a country in Africa," says A. K. H. B., "where men who would be recognized as great men elsewhere, are thought little of, because there is hardly anybody who can appreciate them and their attainments. I have known there an accomplished scholar, who in the neighbouring kingdom of Biafra would be a clefrag (corresponding to our bishop), who, living where he does, when spoken of at all is usually spoken of contemptuously as a DOMINIE (corresponding to our schoolmaster or cottage tutor, but the undignified way of stating the fact). Such a man is a great Greek scholar; but if he dwells among Africans who know nothing earthly about Greek, and who care even less for it, what does it profit him? Alas for that misplaced man! Thought an ugly duck because he lives at Heliopolis: while four hundred miles off, in the great University of Biafra, he would be hailed as a noble swan by kindred swans!" We are sorry to say that such is too much the case; but it is not with the qualifications of these "misplaced men that we have at present to do. There was a certain schoolmaster who, in addition to the terrors wherewith the cane and the tawse invested him, struck additional fear into the hearts of his pupils by the wild appearance of his shaggy, unkempt head of red hair. boy having been guilty of some flagrant violation of the Dominie's laws, "Come here, sir," cried the pedagogue, in a voice of thunder. The poor youth, trembling in every limb, began very slowly to obey the order. His tardiness increased the ire of the master. Quicker, sir," he said, sternly. "I'm awsome fear'd," answered the hapless culprit. "And what are you afraid of ?” "I'm awsome 66 A fear'd," bellowed the boy, whom extremity of fright endowed with courage "I'm awsome fear'd o' that great big reid heid o' yours!" How this reply was taken by the "Dominie" we are unable to state. Scottish servants have been famed all the world over for devotion to their masters' interests. But it seems that even amongst them there have been some who have changed their avowed opinions as rapidly as the Times itself. Janet, the cook at a certain mansionhouse, was one of those who, in the beginning of the present century, shared in the alarm consequent upon Napoleon's threatened invasion of Britain. In justice, however, it must be confessed that her dismay arose not altogether from selfish motives, as her chief vexation was the certainty of the destruction of several first-rate hams! Two young ladies of the house, who were fond of practical jokes, took an opportunity of telling the cook that a vessel which had entered the bay was filled with Frenchmen. Having thus sufficiently appalled her, they lost no time in concluding their trick. Each of them threw a gentleman's cloak over her shoulders, arranged her skirts somewhat à la Zouave, and, shouldering a musket, advanced towards Janet, who was feeding the hens. She saw them coming, but her trepidation was so great that she did not recognize them. Nor was she in any degree reassured when one of them demanded, in a very gruff voice, "Who lives here ?" "Sir John 66 she answered, humbly, "a real nice gentleman!" "A nice gentleman!" repeated her interrogator, angrily; "if you say that again, I'll blow your brains out!" Mercy, sirs!" she shrieked, dropping on her knees and clasping her hands; "'deed an' he's no that, for he's juist an auld blackguard!" How horrified she must have been when the plot was revealed to her, and the character she had given Sir John was recalled to her remembrance! 66 An old woman was abusing in no measured terms some children who were tormenting her. If I was you," said a bystander, slily, "I wad speak to thae bairns.' Speak to them, maister!" retorted Mally," ye may speak to them yersel', for they're for nae dacent body to speak to!" * The cunning of half-witted persons in furthering their own ends is sometimes very ludicrously shown. One of these "innocents was begging a gentleman to give him a hat. "Nonsense, Jemmy, my hat would be far too small for you." "O but," answered Jemmy, logically disposing of the difficulty, "my heid 'll creep in!"† A farmer one day saw Jemmy hastening homewards with a can of whey upon his head, and called out, Come here till I shoot ye,' holding up a gun for Jemmy's inspection. "Na, na, lad," replied the dutiful son, "I ha'e nae time the-day, my mither's in a hurry for the whey." Jemmy's notions of geography were very limited. At the time of her Majesty's coronation some one asked him if he had any news; "O nocht," said Jemmy, "only the Queen's drooned" (meaning crowned). "Ay, whaur did that tak' place ?" "I dinna richt ken," replied Jemmy, "but I think it was ower by the New Cumnock side," which to him was the end of the world. We shall conclude our desultory notice with an anecdote which we have ventured to render into rhyme. THE DUMB MENDICANT. One day as worthy Mrs. Brown "Wha can it be ava?" she said; And when she came without, And from her neck there hung a card, Which this inscription bare:"Kind Christians, a poor female help, Oppressed with grief and care. *No respectable person. "For many years bygone, dear friends, Some hours she kept the mendicant, And gave her food and clothes; Kind Mrs. Brown-who, doing good, + Creep in-shrink, become smaller, as well as go in with caution. 1864. X When they had gone some hundred Home to his supper came John Brown; yards Upon their silent walk,, "Hoo lang is it," said Mrs. Brown, "Since last your tongue could talk?" ""Tis now, alas! full fifteen years," The woman made reply; "Pair body!" cried good Mrs. Brown, His wife told him the tale, The story could not fail. Funeral Services; on Occasion of the Death of the Rev. Richard Alliott, LL.D. London: Hamilton, Adams, and Co.. RICHARD ALLIOTT, LL.D., born Sept. 1, 1804, delivered the Congregational Lecture, 1854, choosing for his subject "Psychology and Theology." This work was published in 1855. In it mental and theological science are blended and harmonized with a beauty and power seldom achieved. It consists of an introductory lecture stating the case,-that "an inseparable relation exists between Psychology and the three sciences, those of Religion, of God, and of Revelation." Lecture II. treats of "Psychology in Relation to Religion." III. and IV. show us "Psychology applied to Investigations respecting God." V. and VI. discuss the question, "Is Christianity from God?" And Lecture VII. concerns itself with "The Inspiration of Scripture." The whole treatise is intellectual, thoughtful, and spiritual. The style is simple, clear, and attractive. It is in all respects a trustworthy book. The author died on sabbath morning, December 20th, 1863, at Acock's Green, near Birmingham, having held a pastorate there as well as a professorship at Spring Hill College, about two miles nearer the chief seat of the manufactures of that county which "The heart of England we may truly call." This pamphlet contains the address delivered at his grave in Nottingham, a sermon preached before his people, and a sketch of the deceased as a man, a preacher, a professor, an author, and a Christian. Many who have read his lectures may be glad to know that they can here learn what manner of person the author was "in his habit as he lived." In and for itself it is interesting, The Topic. IS THE DANO-GERMAN WAR JUSTIFIABLE? AFFIRMATIVE. By the "Dano-German War," I presume is meant the hostilities which have ensued upon the action taken by the two great German powers in relation to Schleswig. This action has been much condemned in England, and all the blame has been cast upon Austria and Prussia for the state of things that has come to pass. Now, in my opinion, the blame ought, in the first instance, to rest almost entirely with Denmark, or the rulers of that country, who have, by their unwise and unjustifiable conduct provoked and rendered unavoidable the present lamentable contest. Schleswig is not, and never was, an integral part of the Danish monarchy; the people of the duchy are, by far the largest part, of a German, not of a Danish origin; and have never, from time almost immemorial, been anything else than an independent sovereignty under the rule of a duke of their own, who has been, for the last 500 years, also the King of Denmark. It has been stipulated again and again, in treaties without number, that under no circumstances should Schleswig be incorporated into the Danish monarchy; and though attempts have been, from time to time, made by the reigning sovereigns of Denmark to set those positive stipulations aside, they have not, until last year, been successful. The now famous Constitution of November last, that has been the cause of all the blood that has been shed, and which virtually incorporated Schleswig with Denmark, was not only formed contrary to the wishes of the people whose welfare it affected, but was a direct violation of the treaty obligation that Denmark had entered into for the last time in 1852, and for the first time in 1326, which, in as plain words as possible, provided that such an incorporation should not take place. The German powers, great and small, have constantly protested at the outrageous conduct of Denmark, and the latter has only herself to blame if matters have now come to a crisis, and if the unjust conduct that she has pursued towards Schleswig has, at last, brought down vengeance on her head. Schleswig and Holstein are German states, inhabited by Germans, and how can we wonder at the enthusiastic sympathy felt for them by the great German nation, and at the indignation which has been manifested at the attempt of Denmark to incorporate one of the duchies (probably with the view to amalgamate the others also), and which conduct has been declared to be unjustifiable even by the best friends of Denmark? That Austria and Prussia have been somewhat precipitate in their action may be admitted, but that they had a good cause of complaint is also pretty generally admitted; and though we may censure their indecent haste, we must not, on that account, allow our sympathies to revert from the cause of justice and faith to the oppressors of Schleswig, merely because they are a small nation, while the maintainers of order and treaty rights happen to be numerically the stronger. -J. G. J. Right is right. States must not be allowed to use their insignificance as a cloak for their violation of treaties. Least of all must bullying threats from friends prevent the great powers from maintaining order in Europe. The Danes sought to incorporate the duchies unlawfully, and war was justified by their faithlessness.-T. B. |