brated in a tavern, amid drunkenness and disorder.

minds, and produced the most stupendous prodigies of holiness, virtue, and valour. Witness the atrocious persecutions which Christians of the first centuries endured, rather than apostatize the sanguinary wars waged by Protestants in the 16th century which failed to destroy the Catholic Church- and the vanity of the efforts of

Among the assaults which tend to destroy the Anglican liturgy and discipline must be reckoned a demand lately addressed by other members of the Broad Church to the pseudo-archbishops of Canterbury and and York for the suppression of the creed of St. Athanasius, or at least for the re-modern revolutionaries to strike Catholicity moval of those parts of it which openly condemn Broad Church Rationalism. The pseudo-archbishop of York not only listened favourably to this request of the Rationalists, but promised to be its advocate, defender, and champion, before the other pseudo-prelates. And in this way, through the instrumentality of its own chief dignitaries, seconded briskly by a band of its clergy, and a host of its laymen, the Anglican Church is rapidly hurried towards the abyss of its ruin. But the true faith is held dearer and more precious by Catholics than Anglicanism is by its votaries. It was the true faith which ever inflamed generous

from the heart of the people. In wise and brave England, however, such a decay has fallen upon heretical errors that their very advocates seem unable to retain them, and they seem on the point of vanishing without external opposition. And hence there arises a well-grounded hope that the final overthrow of Anglicanism may be near and facile, without bloodshed or harm to the erring, although with joy to the faithful, who will gladly witness the return to Catholicism of the brave people of England, who were styled in past ages the nation of saints, and may be destined, in the near future, to merit anew that glorious title.

THEN; AND NOW.
ONLY a year ago

I stood at our cottage-door,
Listlessly gazing across the moor

-

At the flakes of falling snow.
O, I was happy and strong-
Strong in my beauty and pride;
And I thought of myself as a joyous bride,
And of life as an endless song.

And my heart was as pure a year ago
As the smooth untrodden snow.

Hark to the dreary sound

Of the pitiless falling rain,

As it trickles adown the window-pane
And splashes upon the ground!

I strive in the bitter cold

To hush my baby's cry;

And I would to God that my baby and I
Were under the churchyard mould!
For my heart is sad in its ceaseless pain
As the sound of the falling rain.

Tinsley's Magazine.

I WISH I COULD DREAM.
NAY, do not wish it: tempting it may seem
To live old joys and pleasures past again;
To leave the fretting cares, the narrow round,
Over the dreamland's joyous realm to reign;
To soar aloft on Fancy's glittering wings,

By no stern law or freezing reason check'd;
To sweep with master's hand the mighty strings,
Or sway the age with noble intellect.

From The Pall Mall Gazette.

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young men have a third technicality for a pulpit. It is now and then applied for as

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seeking as a " sphere of usefulness; " while YOUNG SHEPHERDS IN SEARCH OF SHEEP. Mr. J. P.," who is ready to act "either ORDINARY Englishmen have no concep- as pastor, evangelist, or private chaplain," tion of the host of young men in every part asks for a sphere of Gospel labour," and of the country who are always on the look" G. M." wants a missionary sphere with out for an opening in the ministry,"- occasional preaching engagements." that is, an excuse for being pulpited. A In addition to supplies and spheres these study of the advertising columns of the Dissenting newspapers yields much knowledge about the young pastors who are continually piping for sheep to come and take them as their shepherds. The first most striking characteristic in such advertisements is the peculiar language in which they are written, and in which the authors appear to think; it is a combination of the Puritan theological style of the seventeenth century with the new-shop prospectus of the nineteenth. Out of some thirty advertisers in a single sheet, nearly half offer themselves to supply." One calls himself a supply." "Diaconos (whom externs will certainly suppose to be a cabinet-maker) offers to supply the pulpit of any Dissenting congregation" meaning, of course, to supply the pulpit with a preacher: he does not seem to care what the point is on which the congregation dissent so long as they have some point of dissent from somebody or something. "Omega" writes as if he were a manufacturer of iron churches and chapels; he says that he could supply a small independent village church for a period." G. E. B., a Brother " addressing himself to "Baptist churches not able to support a minister," undertakes to " supply, gratis, a full free-grace Gospel," which would probably prove worth the low figure (to use the phraseology proper to the advertiser) at which it is offered. "The Rev. S. W." is" desirous of supplying vacant pulpits ;" without stating how many he is ready to undertake at one time. "C. D."" is open to supply with a view to settlement," but he does not give us the least hint what the thing is which he can supply. The word "supply" in each of these advertisements is the leading word, and is invariably printed in capitals.

a cause." Thus "Gamma," who is "a young gentleman daily engaged in business in London, desires to undertake, without charge, a pastorate of a small cause (not pulpit) within twenty miles from town." Gamma has apparently spent his childhood in the pulpit, like the goslings whom the Welsh parish clerk nourished in that sphere of labour; for he goes on to say, Advertiser," ," "who is thoroughly evangelical and unsectarian, is considered an earnest speaker and of moderate ability, and has had some few years' experience in teaching and preaching." It appears that " causes are seldom big, or if there are any big ones they are not much coveted; for H. L." would also "undertake a small cause." "Spheres," on the other hand, must be of all sizes, since "C. D." "whose preaching has been blessed and rendered attractive, and whose earnest aim is the conversion of souls and Zion's prosperity," closes his advertisement with the words, "A large sphere preferred." The early age at which Gamma, a young gentleman," began to preach is by no means exceptional; for " Noncon," who describes himself as a young man," gives this fact as his leading recommendation that be has for some years been engaged in evangelistic work in London." We cannot help confusing these advertisers with The Young Raw Preacher" whom Bishop Earle two centuries ago characterized in his Micro-cosmography":"He is a bird not yet fledged, that hath hopped out of his nest to be chirping on a hedge, and will be straggling abroad at what peril soever. His small standing and time hath made him a proficient only in boldness, out of which and his table-book he is furnished for a preacher. The labour of his sermon is chiefly in the lungs, and the only thing he has made of it himself is the faces. He takes on against the Pope without mercy. The companion of his walk is some zealous tradesman whom he admonisheth with strange points, which they both understand

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Another technicality, which is used in about one-third of the advertisements for the preaching-place, is the odd description of the coveted place as a " Sphere of Labour." That it is very laborious work for the throat and arms to preach as the majority of these young men do preach, we have no doubt; so that although a sphere of la-alike." bour is a queer name for a village pulpit, it There is something peculiar in the qualiis perhaps a very fair one, especially if the fications with which the advertisers tempt pulpit be round in shape. "Alay preacher," the sheep to take them as their shepherds. however, who addresses himself to Inde-" Alethia" confidently appends to his enpendent Churches," defines the pulpit he is treaty for a Nonconformist church in

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addresses.

London or its vicinity" -"no testimonials, to be affectionate; there are some who can no reference; his preaching is his only assist a minister in preaching." "W. recommendation." "P. H." has "good W., head master of a first-class school, a preaching talents." "Diaconos ".. has been gentleman, strong voice, first-class testimoeducated for the ministry of the Church of nials "— possibly testimonials from the boys England; but for obvious reasons he de- in the first-class-wishes to change teachclines to receive Episcopal ordination." ing for preaching. But the two best of the "Anti-Ritualist" extravagantly puts him- long series we have yet to produce. We self to the expense of eighteen lines to set give them in full, merely withholding the forth his opposition to symbolism, priestly names and To Baptist domination, State patronage and control, Churches. Have you heard him? If not, Papal aggression, the Mosaic economy, and he is now at liberty to supply with a view to a number of other bad things. "J." has the pastorate. Please address to -, Esq., been "partially educated for the ministry;" High-street, O." The other advertiser is Gentiles like ourselves would fancy that his not exactly a shepherd: too "'umble," perfirst duty, therefore, is not to advertize un-haps, to take that title, he takes the title til he has been completely educated for it. nearest to it. "The Shepherd's Dog"A Preacher " ** has raised feeble churches once a devouring wolf-endeavours to reand planted new ones; we should like to cover wandering souls, and to lead sinners see this gentleman at work. to the S-r, wherever a pulpit or a platThere are many who are " fair preachers," form is open to him. No remuneration faithful and affectionate pastors," or required. His past career free for six "faithful" without committing themselves stamps. Address -."

or

INFLUENCE OF WATER ON PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT. In a recent report Dr. Letheby says that he considers moderately hard water better suited for drinking than that which is very soft

EXPRESSION IN BALLET-DANCING. - Has it See Mdlle. Duguerret play the dumb boy in the never struck you, says Galignani, that the“ Abbe de l'Epee." There are mute animals meaningless mummeries of the mute ballet-girls, who show such sagacity that we are told, "Il and the still more senseless gestures of the male ne leur manque que la parole; yet words dancers who sprawl about the stage, are some- would fail to convey her meaning more forcibly what tiresome, and even insulting to the intelli- than the play of her features. M. Legouve gence of those who see them? The Germans fished out this old play from the provincial repare attempting to do away with the absurdity, ertoire, and brought it out the other day at a which they may perhaps increase, by mingling morning performance at the Gaite. dialogue with dancing. Melpomene and Terpsichore come hand in hand upon the stage at the Vienna Opera, and, as Thackeray has shown in his inimitable sketches, Zephir will pour forth his adoration to Flora, who will decline his addresses, whereunto he bounds off like a caoutchouc ball, and "d'un pas seul il exprime son extreme desespoir." Here is a startling innovation, a complete revolution in dumb show, and an opinion which is confirmed by that of the should the experiment succeed at Vienna it will French authorities, who took the Paris water not fail to be introduced in Paris; and then from chalk districts instead of from sandy strata. what pretty cajoleries the ghostly etherial balle-It appears that a larger percentage of French rene will chant into Robert's ear as they flit and dance around him; and how horribly the Corsair will howl out his orders as he pirouettes on the quarter-deck, and performs his jetees battues in the cross-trees. Mdle. Gandon, who seems to be a bright particular star of the St. Petersburg Opera, has got into a scrape for being too demonstrative in her dancing. She has been regularly tried for indecency, and the court fined her eighty roubles for gestures out of all bounds. Yet, in sneering down the nonsensicalities of the tallet, it must be admitted that Fanny Ellsler, Taglioni, and one or two others, infused wonderful expression into their parts. Fenella makes us all understand her meaning in " Masaniello.”

conscripts are rejected from soft-water districts than from neighbourhoods supplied with hard water; and Dr. Letheby adds to this generalization which may be of great importance if it is proved to depend on more than coincidencethat English towns supplied with water of more than ten degrees of hardness have a mortality of four per one thousand less than those whose inhabitants use softer water. Other kindred points of interest are raised by Dr. Letheby, the British Medical Journal remarks, such as the possibility of a connection between the prevailing diet of a country and the composition of its potable waters.

AN OLD-FASHIONED GIRL. By LOUISA M. ALCOTT.

Author of Little Women. With illustrations. Roberts Brothers. Boston. [May this volume have as large a sale, as the former work of the same author. More could hardly be desired.]

Some months ago we had ready for THE LIVING AGE, a translated article upon French Living Poets. In some mysterious way the manuscript has disappeared. It is possible that by mistake we sent it to some contributor, whose MS. was not suited to our pages. If it were so, he is respectfully requested to send it to this office at our expense.

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