complex state of society that prevails in England, much more is required, both in large towns, and in many extensive districts of the country. A minister there should not only be irreproachable in manners and morals, but accomplished in learning, as far as is possible without sacrifice of the least of his pastoral duties. As necessary, perhaps more so, is it that he should be a citizen as well as a scholar; thoroughly acquainted with the structure of society, and the constitution of civil government, and able to reason upon both with the most expert; all ultimately in order to support the truths of Christianity, and to diffuse its blessings. A young man coming fresh from the place of his education, cannot have brought with him these accomplishments; and if the scheme of equalising church incomes, which many advisers are much bent upon, be realised, so that there should be little or no secular inducement for a clergyman to desire a removal from the spot where he may chance to have been first set down; surely not only opportunities for obtaining the requisite qualifications would be diminished, but the motives for desiring to obtain them would be proportionably weakened. And yet these qualifications are indispensable for the diffusion of that knowledge, by which alone the political philosophy of the New Testament can be rightly expounded, and its precepts adequately enforced. In these times, when the press is daily exercising so great a power over the minds of the people, for wrong or for right as may happen, that preacher ranks among the first of benefactors who, without stooping to the direct treatment of current politics and passing events, can furnish infallible guidance through the delusions that surround them; and who, appealing to the sanctions of Scripture, may place the grounds of its injunctions in so clear a light, that disaffection shall cease to be cultivated as a laudable propensity, and loyalty cleansed from the dishonour of a blind and prostrate obedience. thoroughly accomplished would be a standing restraint upon such presumptuousness of jungj ment, by impressing the truth that "In the unreasoning progress of the world A wiser spirit is at work for us, A better eye than ours."-MS. Revelation points to the purity and peace of a future world; but our sphere of duty is upon earth; and the relations of impure and conflicting things to each other must be understood, or we shall be perpetually going wrong, in all ha goodness of intention; and goodness of intention will itself relax through frequent disappointment How desirable, then, is it, that a minister of the Gospel should be versed in the knowledge d existing facts, and be accustomed to a wide range of social experience! Nor is it less desir able for the purpose of counterbalancing and tempering in his own mind that ambition with which spiritual power is as apt to be tainted as any other species of power which men covet or possess. It must be obvious that the scope of the are ment is to discourage an attempt which would introduce into the Church of England an equality of income, and station, upon the model of that off Scotland. The sounder part of the Scottish nation know what good their ancestors derived from their church, and feel how deeply the living generation is indebted to it. They respect and love it, as accommodated in so great a measure to a comparatively poor country, through the far greater portion of which prevails a uniformity of employment; but the acknowledged deficiency in of theological learning among the clergy of that church is easily accounted for by this very b equality. What else may be wanting there, would be unpleasant to inquire, and might prove i invidious to determine: one thing, however, is t clear; that in all countries the temporalities of the Church Establishment should bear an a logy to the state of society, otherwise it cannot It is not, however, in regard to civic duties diffuse its influence through the whole com alone, that this knowledge in a minister of the munity. In a country so rich and luxurious ag Gospel is important; it is still more so for soften- England, the character of its clergy must # ing and subduing private and personal discon- avoidably sink, and their influence be every p tents. In all places, and at all times, men have where impaired, if individuals from the uppe gratuitously troubled themselves, because their ranks, and men of leading talents, are to ba survey of the dispensations of Providence has no inducements to enter into that body but sud been partial and narrow; but now that readers as are purely spiritual. And this "tinge of sect are so greatly multiplied, men judge as they are larity" is no reproach to the clergy, nor does taught, and repinings are engendered every- it imply a deficiency of spiritual endowmers where, by imputations being cast upon the Parents and guardians, looking forward to sources government; and are prolonged or aggravated of honourable maintenance for their children) by being ascribed to misconduct or injustice in and wards, often direct their thoughts ear rulers, when the individual himself only is in towards the church, being determined partly fault. If a Christian pastor be competent to outward circumstances, and partly by inde deal with these humours, as they may be dealt tions of seriousness, or intellectual fitness. I with, and by no members of society so success- natural that a boy or youth, with such a prospect fully, both from more frequent and more favour-before him, should turn his attention to th able opportunities of intercourse, and by aid of the authority with which he speaks; he will be a teacher of moderation, a dispenser of the wisdom that blunts approaching distress by submission to God's will, and lightens, by patience, grievances which cannot be removed. We live in times when nothing, of public good at least, is generally acceptable, but what we believe can be traced to preconceived intention, and specific acts and formal contrivances of human understanding. A Christian instructor studies, and be led into those habits of refection which will in some degree tend to prepare for the duties he is hereafter to undertake M he draws nearer to the time when he will he called to these duties, he is both led and coh pelled to examine the Scriptures. He becons more and more sensible of their truth. Devet grows in him; and what might begin in poral considerations, will end (as in a major y of instances we trust it does) in a spirit mindedness not unworthy of that Gospel, the " yield to alarms on account of the hostility of dissent, they should so much over-rate the danger to be apprehended from that quarter, and almost overlook the fact that hundreds of thousands of our fellow-countrymen, though formally and nominally of the Church of England, never enter her places of worship, neither have they commu essons of which he is to teach, and the faith of which he is to inculcate. Not inappositely may e here repeated an observation which, from its bviousness and importance, must have been requently made, viz. that the impoverishing of he clergy, and bringing their incomes much learer to a level, would not cause them to besome less worldly-minded: the emoluments, how-nication with her ministers! This deplorable oever reduced, would be as eagerly sought for, ut by men from lower classes in society; men sho, by their manners, habits, abilities, and the canty measure of their attainments, would unwoidably be less fitted for their station, and less ompetent to discharge its duties. Visionary notions have in all ages been afloat pon the subject of best providing for the clergy; otions which have been sincerely entertained by good men, with a view to the improvement of hat order, and eagerly caught at and dwelt upon, the designing, for its degradation and disaragement. Some are beguiled by what they all the voluntary system, not seeing (what tares one in the face at the very threshold) hat they who stand in most need of religious nstruction are unconscious of the want, and herefore cannot reasonably be expected to make my sacrifices in order to supply it. Will the icentious, the sensual, and the depraved, take rom the means of their gratifications and puruits, to support a discipline that cannot advance vithout uprooting the trees that bear the fruit which they devour so greedily? Will they pay he price of that seed whose harvest is to be eaped in an invisible world? A voluntary system or the religious exigencies of a people numerous and circumstanced as we are! Not more absurd would it be to expect that a knot of boys should raw upon the pittance of their pocket-money to uild schools, or out of the abundance of their liscretion be able to select fit masters to teach and keep them in order! Some, who clearly perceive the incompetence and folly of such a scheme for the agricultural part of the people, nevertheless think it feasible in large towns, where the rich might subscribe for the religious instruction of the poor. Alas! they know little of the thick darkness that spreads over the streets and alleys of our large towns. The parish of Lambeth, a few years since, contained not more than one church and three or four small proprietary chapels, while dissenting chapels, of every denomination were still more scantily found there; yet the inhabitants of the parish amounted at that time to upwards of 50,000. Were the parish church and the chapels of the Establishment existing there, an impediment to the spread of the Gospel among that mass of people? Who shall dare to say so? But if any one, in the face of the fact which has just been stated, and in opposition to authentic reports to the same effect from various other quarters, should still contend, that a voluntary system is sufficient for the spread and maintenance of religion, we would ask, what kind of religion? wherein would it differ, among the many, from deplorable fanaticism? For the preservation of the Church Establishment, all men, whether they belong to it or not, could they perceive their true interest, would be strenuous: but how inadequate are its provisions for the needs of the country! and how much is it to be regretted that, while its zealous friends state of things was partly produced by a decay of zeal among the rich and influential, and partly by a want of due expansive power in the constitution of the Establishment as regulated by law. Private benefactors, in their efforts to build and endow churches, have been frustrated, or too much impeded by legal obstacles: these, where they are unreasonable or unfitted for the times, ought to be removed; and, keeping clear of intolerance and injustice, means should be used to render the presence and powers of the church commensurate with the wants of a shifting and still-increasing population. This cannot be effected, unless the English Government vindicate the truth, that, as her church exists for the benefit of all (though not in equal degree), whether of her communion or not, all should be made to contribute to its support. If this ground be abandoned, cause will be given to fear that a moral wound may be inflicted upon the heart of the English people, for which a remedy cannot be speedily provided by the ut. most efforts which the members of the Church will themselves be able to make. But let the friends of the church be of good courage. Powers are at work, by which, under Divine Providence, she may be strengthened and the sphere of her usefulness extended; not by alterations in her Liturgy, accommodated to this or that demand of finical taste, nor by cutting off this or that from her articles or Canons, to which the scrupulous or the overweening may object. Covert schism, and open nonconformity, would survive after alterations, however promising in the eyes of those whose subtilty had been exercised in making them. Latitudinarianism is the parhelion of liberty of conscience, and will ever successfully lay claim to a divided worship. Among Presbyterians, Socinians, Baptists, and Independents, there will always be found numbers who will tire of their several creeds, and some will come over to the Church. Conventicles may disappear, congregations in each denomination may fall into decay or be broken up, but the conquests which the National Church ought chiefly to aim at, lie among the thousands and tens of thousands of the unhappy outcasts who grow up with no religion at all. The wants of these cannot but be feelingly remembered. Whatever may be the disposition of the new constituencies under the reformed parliament, and the course which the men of their choice may be inclined or compelled to follow, it may be confidently hoped that individuals acting in their private capacities, will endeavour to make up for the deficiencies of the legislature. Is it too much to expect that proprietors of large estates, where the inhabitants are without religious instruction, or where it is sparingly supplied, will deem it their duty to take part in this good work; and that thriving manufacturers and merchants will, in their several neighbourhoods, be sensible of the like obligation, and act upon it with generous rivalry? Moreover, the force of public opinion is rapidly increasing and some may bend to it, who are not so happy as to be swayed by a higher motive; especially they who derive large incomes from lay-impropriations, in tracts of country where ministers are few and meagrely provided for. A claim still stronger may be acknowledged by those who, round their superb habitations, or elsewhere, walk over vast estates which were lavished upon their ancestors by royal favouritism or purchased at insignificant prices after churchspoliation; such proprietors, though not conscience-stricken (there is no call for that) may be prompted to make a return for which their tenantry and dependents will learn to bless their names. An impulse has been given; an accession of means from these several sources, co-operating with a well-considered change in the distribution of some parts of the property at present possessed by the church, a change scrupulously founded upon due respect to law and justice, will, we trust, bring about so much of what her friends desire, that the rest may be calmly waited for, with thankfulness for what shall have been obtained. Let it not be thought unbecoming in a layman, to have treated at length a subject with which the clergy are more intimately conversant. All may, without impropriety, speak of what deeply concerns all; nor need an apology be offered for going over ground which has been trod before so ably and so often: without pretending, however, to anything of novelty, either in matter or manner, something may have been offered to view, which will save the writer from the imputation of having little to recommend his labour, but goodness of intention. It was with reference to thoughts and feelings expressed in verse, that I entered upon the above notices, and with verse I will conclude. The passage is extracted from my MSS. written above thirty years ago: it turns upon the individual dignity which humbleness of social condition does not preclude, but frequently promotes. It has no direct bearing upon clubs for the discussion of public affairs, nor upon political or trade-unions; but if a single workman-who, being a member of one of those clubs, runs the risk of becoming an agitator, or who, being enrolled in a union, must be left without a will of his own, and therefore a slave-should read these lines, and be touched by them, I should indeed rejoice, and little would I care for losing credit as a poet with intemperate critics, who think differer from me upon political philosophy or put measures, if the sober-minded admit that m general views, my affections have been moved and my imagination exercised, under and jar the guidance of reason. "Here might I pause, and bend in reverence Nor uninformed by books, good books, though few, INDEX OF TITLES 195 (WHERE THERE IS NO TITLE THE FIRST LINE IS GIVEN). Alfred, 425. Alfred: His descendants, 425. Alps, Descriptive Sketches taken during a Pedes- Altorf, Effusion in the Presence of the Painted America, Aspects of Christianity in, 443. Among all lovely things my Love had been, 622. Ancient History, On a celebrated Event in. (When, And is it among rude untutored dale s, 315. Anecdote for Fathers, 85. Animal Tranquillity and Decay, 572. Apology. (No more: the end), 394- April Mornings, The two, 486. Artegal and Elidure, 102. As faith thus sanctified the warrior's crest, 430. Author's Portrait, To the, 276. Avaunt all specious pliancy of mind, 319. B., To the Lady E., and the Hon. Miss P. (1 Bala-Sala, Isle of Man, At, 470. Baptist by Raphael, Before the Picture of the, 365. Beaumont, To Sir G. H., Bart, 521. Beaumont, To Sir G. H., Bart., thirty years after, Beaumont, Sir G. H., Elegiac Stanzas addressed Beaumont, Sir G., Bt., Inscriptions written in the Beggar, The old Cumberland, 566. Beggars. Sequel, 191. "Beloved Vale!" I said, "when I shall con," 250. Bird of Paradise, Suggested by a Picture of the, Blest Statesman He, whose Mind's unselfish will, Captivity. Mary Queen of Scots, 267. 514 Blind Highland Boy, The, 295. Boatmen, Hymn for the, 336. Casual Incitement, 421. Cathedrals, &C., 451. Bologna, At, in Remembrance of the late Insur- Catholic Cantons, Composed in one of the, 337- Celandine, The Small. (There is a flower), 5:1 160. Cenotaph in Memory of Frances Fermor, 576 Boulogne, On being Stranded near the Harbour of, Chamouny, Processions in the Vale of, 345 349- Bran, Effusion on the Banks of the, 300. "Change me, some God, into that breathing rose." 377- Brave Schill! by death delivered, take thy flight, Character A, 482. Chatsworth thy stately mansion, and the price br 275. Chaucer, Selections from, Modernised, 552. Child, Address to a. (What way does the win Child of the clouds! remote from every taint, Burial, A Place of, in the South of Scotland, 387. Childhood, Poems referring to the Period of, Burns, At the Grave of, 284. Burns, Thoughts on the Banks of Nith, 285. But here no cannon thunders to the gale, 384. C., To H. (0 thou! whose fancies), 88. Cintra, Composed while writing a Tract on the Clarkson, To Thomas, on the Abolition of the Calais, August 15, 1802. (Festivals have I seen), 304. | Clergy, Corruptions of the Higher, 433- Calais, Composed by the sea-side near, 303. Calais, Composed near, on the road to Ardres, 304. Clermont, The Council of, 426. Calais, On Landing at: Fish-women, 333. Camaldoli, At the Convent of. (The world for Camaldoli, At the Eremite or Upper Convent of, Cambridge, Ode on the Installation of Prince Albert Canute, 426. Canute and Alfred, 495. Clouds, To the, 229. Clyde, In the Frith of (Arran), 471. Cockermouth. In Sight of the Town of, 454- Collins, Remembrance of, 9. Cologne, In the Cathedral at, 335. |