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Julia.

O, help.

Leon.

My mother dies!

The grief and consternation of the Count may be imagined-his indignation thus breaks forth against the Marquis, who declares he has redeemed his honour.

Count. Aye! with your children's blood!
The noble heart by thy rash hand transfix'd
Was God's own temple, on whose spotless altar
Virtue in silence laid her costliest offering.
Yes! he was silent, when to speak was bliss!
Yet is the death dealt by thy hand less bitter
Than life, as doom'd by thee to drag its chain.
Know, 'tis the painter Leny who lies murder'd there.
Marq. (Despairingly.) Where art thou, Death?
Paint. (To the Count.)

I meant it well-I thought

To make her thine-but now she is mine own:
Thanks to her father, who united us!
Count. Haste homeward-with thy bride!
Leon.

Take me too with thee!

Marq.

(He dies.

He dies! O Father,

Wake, Camilla, wake,

He is not dead!-My weak arm could not kill.
He shall be thine-awake! Back, grisly Death!
Julia. Death would not be so cruel-
Count.

Once ye stole

His semblance-now he claims a double debt.
O puny mortal engines, Pride and Vengeance,
How pow'rless are ye to encounter Death!
When, in vain quest of loved ones, weeping children
Stray through Life's path, their heavenly Father sends
His mightiest messenger to bear them home.

Julia. Ye're with your father! Peace be to your bond.
Marq. Dead? Both?

Leon. (To his mother's body.) Can thy son's sorrowing voice
Not reach thee where thou art?

Count.

O, let her sleep!

Marq. Come to me, Leonhard!
Leon.

Between us-ye are full of blood

Yonder lies my sword

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BISHOP OF CHESTER'S LETTER TO THE CLERGY OF HIS DIOCESE.

WHEN an imputation of any kind is cast upon a body of men, the charge made against them has been compared to a phial of ink thrown into a pool of water. The stain is so diffused throughout the whole, that it is scarcely perceptible in any particular part.

Supposing such a pool to exist,-of all the birds in the air which came to dip their beaks, and flutter, and plume themselves therein, one would think that the strangest bird which should endeavour to collect the impurity, and carry as much as possible home to its own nest. We can fancy we see the "rara avis," with beak and claws begrimed and besmutted, bespattering its astonished young with the fruits of its grovelling! But no ;-there cannot be such a naturally ink-loving bird in existence and if we really saw one, in a situation which might render him liable to suspicion, we should be charitably inclined to conclude, that the poor thing had been disporting himself in the said pool, (mayhap not his natural element,) and had, contrary to his own inclinations, become soiled with certain particles of the floating stain. We can readily imagine what such a bird must feel, when, on returning to its nest, or among its own kind, it should be avoided, or looked upon shyly, by those fortunate bipeds that had remained uncontaminated. It would, moreover, be amusing to see the said creature, after fruitlessly endeavouring to get rid of the taint, endeavouring to cackle his brethren into a belief that it was exceedingly becoming, and that "motley was the only wear.'" Like the fox that had lost his tail, he might harangue, and declare it was the last new fashion; but, truly, the flock must be silly geese indeed, if they did not suspect the real state of the case. They would conclude, when beholding the state of his plumage, as Falstaff did of treason, "that dirt lay in his way, and he hath found it."

We have now before us* "A Letter to the Clergy of the Diocese of Chester, occasioned by the Act of the Legislature granting relief to his Majesty's

Roman Catholic subjects. By Bird, Lord Bishop of Chester."

John

The writer begins by stating, that though he has been inclined for many years to consider the removal of the Roman Catholic disabilities, upon the whole, desirable, yet those persons have often appeared to him fortunate, who were exempted from any active concerns in a question which he knew to be attended with uncertainty, and perplexed with many difficulties." He then continues-" It has been no longer in my power to possess this secret satisfaction." Greatly do we marvel what may be the nature of this "secret satisfaction," which could harbour itself within the breast of a dignitary of the Established Church. Truly it seemeth to have a strong savour of that" secret satisfaction" wherewith a "white-feathered" soldier might find himself ensconced behind a stone wall in the day of battle. We are not now called upon to enter into a discussion upon a question which has been so frequently and so ably handled as that of Roman Catholic Emancipation-we propose merely to stick to the "Letter;" and therein we find the following passage :-" I could not, however, rest satisfied with merely the cold expectation, that no mischief was likely to arise to the Protestant religion. I look further to a great and positive advantage, not indeed to this country, which less needs it, but in Ireland.' P. 22. And, in the next page, we have this assurance," I FULLY BELIEVE that a MAIN OBSTACLE to the REFORMATION in Ireland IS REMOVED by the removal of political distinction between Protestant and Roman Catholic." This is a formal announcement of his belief on this important subject, made, not in the heat of argument, nor the careless confidence of the dinner table; but expressly addressed, from the study, by a Bishop of the Reformed Church to the clergy of his diocese! With such a belief, voluntarily expressed, what kind of "secret satisfaction" can that be which the writer would have felt, had he been " exempted from any active concern in the question?"

A Letter to the Clergy of the Diocese of Chester, occasioned by the act of the Legislature granting relief to his Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects. By John Bird, Lord Bishop of Chester. London. Hatchard and Son. 1829.

VOL. XXVI. NO. CLIV.

To assist in the removal of " a main obstacle to the reformation," one would have conceived to be a work so glorious and exciting, to any man fit to be a Bishop of the Reformed Church, that even a crown of martyrdom might not have been declined for its achievement. But no. In these, "our modern days," matters are differently ordered. "Some are born to greatness, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." But let us seek in the "Letter" for a solution of that which perplexes us. Is it possible that the following, which we copy from page 12, can throw any light on the subject?

"In the course of social and political life, many circumstances occur which cannot and need not be pointed out, but which often lead men to act in a very different way from what, on abstract principles, might be expect ed."

There is no denying this, "seeing what we see, and hearing what we hear." We perceive the Bishop hath pondered upon the nature of man's mind. There are strange arcana and hidden mysteries there, not to be accounted for, perhaps, on abstract principles." But it is a fine study, as Juvenal says-" E cœlo descendit yol avlov." The Bishop's next la mentation (the loss of his "secret satisfaction" being the first) is, that he was obliged to take an active part in the removal of the "main obstacle to the reformation in Ireland" "so soon after his appointment to the diocese." It certainly was a hard case. No man likes to do good, "upon compulsion," at any time; but, to be compelled to set about it directly one possesses the power, really requires more than a common share of the "milk of human kindness" to endure. Here, however, the writer is kind enough not to abandon us to the misty light of our oldfashioned" abstract principles," nor to vague conjectures as to "circumstances which cannot be pointed out." His regret arises from a want of opportunity to establish "a mutual confidence between his clergy and himself," which, however, "he trusts may be hereafter furnished." Perhaps it may but, in the meanwhile, it has been his misfortune to be "brought to the alternative of opposing his own conscientious view of justice and expediency, or of voting in contradiction

to the sentiments of a large majority of the body over whom he had been called to preside." Mutual confidence of course must follow. The next passage we copy verbatim, because it speaks worthily of those whom we respect. "I have the greater reason to lament this, because my predecessors in the see, whose influence may well survive them, established as it is by the benefits which they conferred upon the diocese, have taken a different view of this question; so that the additional weight of their authority has been given to that scale towards which general opinion inclined."

"The weight of a Bishop's authority" being thrown into " the scale of opinion," is a somewhat startling expression, when used by a Bishop to his clergy. Let them, however, look to that, we are not disposed to be hypercritical. After these preliminary regrets, the "Letter" proceeds to state, that the writer did not choose "to encounter the heat of feeling which prevailed whilst the Act was in progress." Hot work seems to be parti cularly inimical to his "secret satisfactory" feelings; " but now," he says, that there is no longer any room for controversy," which is as much as to say, "I won't listen to any reply; I am one of Erasmus's bishops, "Non amo monachum respondentem:"-" Now," he proceeds, "we can calmly enquire whether either our religion, or our Protestant establishment, are brought into serious hazard by that change in our laws, in which so large a majority of the legislative body has concurred." Page 3.

The questions as to whether "the enactment was lawful or not," and "whether the step taken was inevitable or no," are immediately thrown overboard." It is unnecessary now," the right reverend prelate says, " to enquire." We have, however, a taste of the old dogma, that Ministers knew something that nobody else knew, dished up in a new style, thus:-" It is improbable that, except upon such conviction," (i. e. of its inevitability,) "they should have embarrassed themselves with a measure so arduous and unpopular." This is worthy the dominie of a village-school. "Take that, my lads," he says, when administering the cane; "you can't understand what it's for, but never mind, I know, and you'll be the better for it by

and by, depend upon it!" The worthy diocesan next affirms, that he "cer tainly could not have given a conscientious vote in favour of the bill, if he had believed that it would either weaken the Protestant establishment, or extend the influence of the Roman Catholic religion." In the capacity of merely verbal critics, we should have liked this sentence better, had the first part been more bluntly worded. The repetition of the epithet "conscientious," appears to be in what is now called "bad taste."

It must, however, be extremely satisfactory to the minds of the clergy, to learn, that a Bishop of the Established Church believes, that the influence of the Roman Catholic religion will not be extended by the admission of eight members of her communion into the House of Lords, and fifty in to the Commons! These are the numbers calculated in the "Letter." (Pp. 6 and 7.) For our own part, we were (perhaps) weak enough to imagine, that men, who have been prevented from taking their seats in Parliament solely on account of their religious and "conscientious" scruples, would, in all probability, feel it a duty to exert any influence which might fall to their share, in favour of such mea sures as were likely to increase the power of their Church. We confess this to have been our fear. We ima gined that, having gained a footing, they might advance gradually, step by step, until they could assume a more commanding position; but the "Let ter" goes at once to the question of ascendency. After briefly stating, that the Established Church of Ireland was in danger, before the passing of the bill, the writer says, "The only question is, whether that danger be in creased or diminished by the political influence which Roman Catholics are likely to enjoy, who, as many seem to believe, will value their newly obtained privilege only in proportion as it gives them the opportunity of enforcing the claim of their own Church to ascend ency. But, supposing them to enter tain this object, it can only be carried into effect in one of two ways,-by force, or by influence." This reads very strange, after the former passage! Here we find "political influence,"

"newly obtained privilege," " opportunity of enforcing," &c. all attributed to Roman Catholics; and yet the "influence" of their religion will not be "extended!" If such be the case, it clearly proves that the Roman Catholic religion can have no influence on the heart of its professors. All those doctrines, which the Bishop was wont to call "damnable," are but phantoms of the brain, if they influence not the mind and conduct of men. But let us seek in the Letter for a solution of this problem.We have it! page 13. "Why, in short, may we not be allowed to hope and believe, in the case of the Roman Catholics, what, in other cases, we are too often obliged to fear or to lament, that men do not always act, or speak, or think, in exact accordance with the articles to which they have assented, or the words and formularies which they recognise as their own?" Here is ground for hope, with a vengeance! With our nonsensical reasoning, upon " abstract principles," we should never have discovered it, but for the "Letter."

But, in spite of all the sedatives applied, to benumb our feelings, in the varied forms of cant and expediency, our blood will rise occasionally. What! admit men into office, with the hope and belief that they will perjure themselves! Is this the language of a British legislator? Can these be the words of one who, but the other day, before the Archbishop, solemnly declared, that he was "ready, the Lord being his helper," "" with all faithful dili gence, to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange doctrine contrary to God's word, and, both privately and openly, to call upon and encou rage others to the same?" We have, indeed, "to lament," &c.but how to account for the thing, we are utterly at a loss, unless peradventure by again quoting the Bishop's own words: "In the course of social and political life, many circumstances occur which cannot, and need not, be pointed out, but which often lead men to act in a very different way from what, on abstract principles, might be expected." We vehemently deprecate the doctrine; and yet, coming from such a quarter, we dare not assert that it is without foundation. If" offences" of this sort

From the order of the consecration of bishops, in the Book of Common Prayer.

"will come," in political life, we most sincerely condole with the truly "conscientious" man who is exposed to such temptation; and not only "lament," &c. with the Bishop, in his own words, previously quoted, but deeply, bitterly "lament," that he is not now enjoying that" secret satisfaction" which might have been his lot, had he fortunately been exempted from any active concern" in the question. "Better," indeed, were it, for one who hath solemnly promised to " be diligent, to frame and fashion himself and his family according to the doctrine of Christ, and to make both himself and them, as much as in him lieth, wholesome examples and patterns to the flock of Christ:"* far "better" were it for him " to be a door-keeper in the house of his God, than to dwell in the tents of (such) unrighteous

ness!"

asser

After noticing this "hope and belief" that the Roman Catholics will not act according to their own " tions, words, and formularies," what shall we say of the following passage in page 11?

"There have long been Protestant members in the House, who are known to look with jealousy upon the Irish establishment; and they have not been bound, as the Roman Catholics who may succeed in their places will be, by a solemn engagement, to use none of the power which they possess, to disturb or weaken the Protestant religion, as by law established."

What can the Bishop suppose the heads of his clergy are made of, when he talks of a solemn engagement binding men, respecting whom such a hope and belief may be allowed as he has thought proper to sanction?

Perfectly free as we are from "the authority" of Episcopal "opinion," we cannot perceive any ground for consolation in this most unusual style of reasoning. We are unable to discern what degree of solemnity can be given to this new abjuration, in order to make it more binding than the "articles to which they have" already "assented, or the words and formularies which they recognise as their own;" but which, notwithstanding, we may be allowed to hope and believe" they will not "always act, or

speak, or think, in exact accordance with." Unwilling as we are to admit, for a moment, even with the sanction of this "rara avis" of a Bishop, that we, as Christians, may " be allowed to hope," that " eight" Peers of the realm, and "fifty" members of the House of Commons, will be guilty of such gross dereliction of all that is honourable; we will, notwithstanding, merely for argument's sake, suppose the thing correct. Common-sense, the experience we have had among mankind, and, perhaps, our notions of "abstract principles," all unite in telling us, that such individuals are far more likely to set at nought any engagements which they may have been, in a manner, compelled to make, by and with heretics, than those solemn "articles, words, and formularies, which they have recognised as their own," of the importance and truth of which they are fully persuaded, and for the profession and adherence to which they have been content, during the whole of their lives, hitherto, to endure the most painful privations.

We have a most orthodox antipathy against many of the doctrines of the Church of Rome, yet we are compelled to believe that her members are sincere in their credence thereof; since we have beheld the Peer renounce his birthright, and the ambitious man abandon his hopes of future eminence, rather than give their assent to "words" which they consider to be at variance with her "articles and formularies." Looking at the past lives of these men, we are bound to admit, that (however we may dislike their creed) they have, up to the present time, acted consistently, and like men of honour. We have considered them as our political enemies. We have done every thing in our power to prevent them from acquiring the influence which they are now likely to possess; and it is our intention (as far as, in these changing times, we can answer even for ourselves) to continue upon the alert, and to stand in the way of their acquiring more. We have endeavoured, according to our means, to preserve the partition wall, which was between us, uninjured; but it is now broken down, and they are among us. Yet we cannot believe, notwithstanding what we

• Ordering of Priests: Common Prayer-Book.

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