cellent servants, there being more mutual confidence between masters and man, mistress and maid, than in England.

THERE are few poor, but those few are dependent on individual charity; they are not confined to the labouring classes; nay, I was assured that old officers of the royal household, and maids of honor were among the beggars whom I frequently met in the streets of Lisbon. One circumstance, however, is most disgraceful to the Portuguese nation; all the porters and water carriers, and most of the muleteers in Lisbon and Oporto, are Galicians; a set of quiet, honest, sober, and sturdy men, who thrive on the laziness of these cities, and prudently abstain from taking part in their civil commotions. The manufactories are making considerable progress; the colonies are sadly neglected, and were it not for the fleet, would, I suppose, revolt; with respect to religious disabilities, though no Nonconformist ought, by law, to hold office, there are numerous Protestants and Jews who do so; but I should imagine that they are, in some few cases, compromised by so doing; at least so far as to be obliged to join in procession and Church services. I understand the Portugueze minister, at St. Petersburgh, has recently embraced the Lutheran faith; that two Moors are just appointed to commissions in the navy, and a Jew to be a Knight of the Order of Christ!!! In the army, however, all parties agree in making the officers and soldiers confess, except the staff which contains several Protestants. The legislature and the newspapers are, however, guarded by religious tests, binding the members of the former, and the writers of the leading articles in the latter to the Romish faith. Capital punishments are rarely inflicted; but sentence of death is passed in cases of assassination, parricide, treason and blasphemy. Duelling is nominally forbidden to civilians; but an officer is broken for refusing a challenge!! This crime is very common; and, indeed, people do not seem to form a conception of its wickedness and brutality.

THE FUTURE prospects of Portugal are very gloomy. Exorbitant ill regulated taxation and general mal-administration cannot fail to cause a violent sensation which must shatter the

charter and endanger the throne, while the spread of education keeping pace with that of French novels is likely to occasion the spread of infidelity, I heartily wish that as the Bible, Prayer Book and such other books as we should most wish to be cirulated are checked by var.ous means, measures were taken to translate into Portuguese language some standard Works of Divinity, which could be read by Romanists, as "Paley's Evidences," the Apostolical Fathers, or such others as you and your learned readers are far more competent, than my self to name, together with good Childrens tales; and finally some standard harmless and improving English novels to drive this abominable and disgusting French rubbish out of the market This might be productive of effectual good; besides which I think we should not let the children of this world be wiser in their generation than the children of light by neglecting to translate such works as may without asserting Protestant Doctrines in such a manner as to contravene the laws, lead the reader to approve them in the same way as these “Natural brute beasts" spread St. Simonianism, anarchy, infidelity and blood, without runuing their noses against a penal, stutute. The English Church and Nation have, if they will fulfil their mission, sufficient power to take more active measures to improve the Spiritual as well as temporal condition of Portugal, without violating, laws of patrons or the canons of Ecumenical councils; and believing that you will raise your voice in favor of the good cause when you have leisure to breathe from other important occupations, which, however you will promote by assisting Church Emancipation abroad.

I remain,

Yours faithfully,

PEDRO TRAVASSOS VALDEZ.
Of the Inner Temple.

A WORD on the conduct of the English in Portugal, which is such as to fill the Portugueze nation with disgust. I am assured and I fear truly, that they are in the habit of desecrating the

Sunday, attending bull fights, which are by no means universally approved by the Natives; defying the National Religion while neglecting their own, so as to lead the people to suppose they have none at all. Of the large English population who might I suppose fill two Churches in Lisbon and one at Belim I never saw 200 at the morning Service at St George's Chapel, and in the afternoon scarcely fifty.

THE merchants make money their idol; while the sailors abandon themselves to drunkenness and profligacy. "If" I use the words of a nominal Romanist, "If they think their Religion is the true one, they ought for the sake of making proselytes, to conduct themselves in such a manner as to show that it improves them." You will not then be surprised at my adding there would seem to be more perverts from, than converts to, the Anglican communion, and that the English sailors are frequently thrown naked into the streets with their throats cut from houses to which they have resorted. Assassination, by the way, is still the order of the day, so much so that many leading Liberals are in fear of their lives. Even if the offender should be taken, the fear of transportation to Moçambique or Angola, though frequently fatal, has not the same power as that of immediate death.

THE EPISTLE OF ST. PETER.

We now wish to direct your attention to the writings of S. Peter, as contained in the two Epistles general which bear his name. It is hardly necessary to enter minutely into the history of this Apostle, whom we find so frequently mentioned both in the Gospels and in the Acts of the Apostles; for the great events of his life are familiar to all devout readers of the Holy Scriptures.

St. Peter was led to the Saviour by his own Brother Andrew, who like himself was an humble Fisherman. At the miraculous draught of fishes at the Sea of Galilee, he with Andrew, were called by Jesus to abandon their former occupations, and

by following Him, become fishers, or teachers of men; and immediately forsaking their father, and all their hopes of worldly prosperity, they obeyed the Divine injunction.

After St. Peter entered on the duties of his Apostolic Office, we see him distinguished by ardent affection to Our Lord, and a natural forwardness to speak on behalf of the rest. He was on various occasions distinguished by Our Lord. He was one of the three Apostles admitted by Him to witness the raising of Jairus's daughter, the transfiguration, and the agony in Gethsemane. Passing by the History of S. Peter's fall and recovery, when His Divine Master was about to suffer shame and death for him, together with the rest of lost mankind, we read of St. Peter as earnestly ministering among his heathen countrymen proving by the miracles (See Acts, III. 1. v.) which he wrought in the name of Christ, that he spoke with authority, and could therefore claim a patient hearing; and when, having finished a long and useful career among the Jews who were scattered in Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia, Cappadocia and Proconsular Asia, He came at length to Rome about the year 66. He suffered Martyrdom there, and by His own desire, was crucified with his head downwards, not thinking himself worthy to die in the same manner as His Divine Master had died.

THE first Epistle of St. Peter was probably written to both Jewish and Gentile Converts, scattered throughout Asia Minor. It is said by the Apostle (chap. V. 13. v.) to have been written from Babylon; but it is generally supposed that Babylon is here used figuratively for Rome. Its general design is to animate Christians to walk worthy of their exalted privileges, by well doing to put to silence their adversaries; and also to suggest such considerations as would support them under those severe persecutions, to which they were becoming more and more subject. This design naturally introduces the great doctrines of the Gospel; as the motive and guide to their conduct he points out to them Christ, as the great foundation on which to build, His atonement foretold by prophets, the subject of the contemplation of Angels, ordained before the foundation of the

world, his glorious resurrection, ascension, and the gift of the Spirit; His continued care, as the shepherd and bishop of their souls; His example as a suffering Saviour, the obligations of their baptismal covenant, and the awful solemnity of the last judgment.

THESE are the great motives to patience and holiness which, like his beloved brother St. Paul, he continually urges; like him, also, he descends to the minute enforcement of every relative duty, while he gives the most exalted view of the privileges to which we are called as believers in Christ.

THE second Epistle of St. Peter was written when the Apostle knew himself to be drawing near to martyrdom; and it derives a solemn interest from that consideration. It is addressed to the same persons as the former Epistle was, and the design of it was to encourage them to adhere to the genuine faith and practice of the Gospel. After saluting the Christian converts, and representing the glorious promises of the Gospel dispensation, he exhorts them to cultivate those virtues and graces which would make their calling and election sure; he expresses his anxiety to remind them of their duty at a time when he was conscious of his approaching end; and he declares the divine origin of their Christian faith in the second coming of the Messiah, which was attested by a voice from Heaven, and by the sure word of prophecy. In chap. II. he foretells the rise of heresies and false doctrines, and denounces severe 'judgments against those who shall desert the truth, whilst those who adhere to it will be spared as Noah and Lot were in former times. Chapter III. contains an assurance to his Christian brethren that the object of this, and his former Epistle, was to urge them to observe the precepts which they had received; he cautions them against false teachers, represents the certainty of the day of judgment, reminds them of the doctrines which he and S. Paul had inculcated, and exhorts them to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

M.