our drawing-room-the scene of my discomfiture! our visitors admire two large picces in oils, being views on Ullswater and in the Valley of Chamouni; while my husband's office contains a beautiful mezzotinto of Lord Chancellor Cowper nodding to another of Lord Mansfield. These things will bear looking at again and again; and some of our guests to use a very original phrase find new beauties in them, the more they are examined. How different this from the languid look, and faint compliments bestowed upon baskets stuck over with rice, and washy sketches of Alnwick Castle, and the Banks of the Severn! There is an opportunity, even in decorations, for the exhibition of meaning and good sense; and so far our bazaar ladies' work would be useful, provided they would choose subjects of interest, and finish their performances with just attention to outline and colouring.

To obviate the accusation, that I am making things worse than they really are, I beg to offer to the incredulous, the following account of a bazaar, taken from a provincial newspaper, which I enclose; requesting the sagacious reader to supply, from his own observation of living manners, all necessary interpretation. I premise that it is only part of a brilliant statement. The journalist remarks:

"Immediately after the doors were thrown open, carriages commenced setting down, and the company poured in without intermission, for more than three hours, when upwards of one thousand persons must have been present, including some portion of almost every respectable family in this part of the county. Nor were the company numerous and respectable only, for it was speedily shewn they were also liberal; the sales proceeding with such readiness and rapidity, that by the time we have named, several well-stocked booths were cleared, and long before the hour of closing, every stall presented a

singular contrast of destitution to its previous splendour and richness. Both sellers and purchasers appeared to be mutually gratified; the former vying with each other, by the most winning and courteous attention, to recommend their wares, and the latter cheerfully and easily persuaded, nay, eager to part with their money to such applicants, and in such a cause. In every point of view, the scene was truly gratifying, and especially so by presenting elegant recreation, with harmony and goodwill in her train, as the handmaid of Charity. With lively and popular airs from the orchestra, in purchasing and promenading, in good humour, mirth, and cheerful conversation, the time passed rapidly, and the hour of closing found the room still crowded with visitors, reluctant to leave so novel and captivating a resort."-But there is a sequel to this account. The gentlemen who attended the splendid scene, were so overcome with gratitude to the managers, that they actually invited these ladies, and their assistants to a public ball and supper; which accordingly took place soon after, in obedience to an advertisement in the county paper! Whether the ladies of Lpect a similar compliment, remains to be seen.

-ex

But these extravagances, I shall be told, are not to be expected from the patronesses of Missionary and Bible Societies. I do not say that they are; but the danger is, lest some well-meaning persons should pass over the boundary line, which either divides, or ought to divide, the world of fashion from the friends of religion.

But with all my prejudices, which, I am conscious, are suspected to arise from the necessity of my recent retirement from the cabinet of Lilliput, I will allow, that, if we must have bazaars to fan the expiring embers of charity into a blaze, it is at least possible to do a bad thing well. If the experiment does not succeed, it should be con

sidered as an intimation that we had far better accomplish half the present apparent good by indisputably lawful means, than go as mendicants to the children of frivolity; and, by their aid, try to dazzle ourselves and our auxiliaries by the splendor of great achievements. The subject is serious; and I may have wandered too far into the playful, in a wish to shew the matter in all its lights. There are those possibly, on the other hand, who will condemn me for reminding such as it may concern, at the close of my remonstrance, of the rebuke given to Simon the sorcerer, "Thy money perish with thee." In their view, the suggestion may be too awful. It may however be pleaded, that the service of the temple should be celebrated, not by profane, but consecrated instruments.

My remarks have been perhaps too severe; but I have written with the hope that the system may recover its character, and be preserved from farther degeneracy. It is by no means too late to cure the alleged evils; and notwithstanding my present communication, I am most willing, not only to explain myself, in the event of any counter-statement in your pages, but to take an active share in contributing to any repository in my own district, if regulated on the principles implied in the foregoing paragraphs.

ANTI-BAZAARINA.

practice adopted by many persons in this country, of calling the Lord's Day by the name of the Sabbath. I fear, however, that he will not easily induce them to change their practice by the considerations which he has adduced from Acts of Parliament and university statutes. It is probable, that most of the persons who adopt that mode of expression, regard the law of the Sabbath as a law of perpetual obligation, and that consequently, if they did not think they were observing it by resting from all secular engagement on the first day of the week, they would hold themselves bound, in common with the Jews, to observe it on the seventh. In this sentiment they seem to have the sanction of our church, which requires the first day only to be kept holy, but yet directs her congregations, on every Lord's Day, to pray that their hearts may be inclined, through the Divine mercy, to keep the law of the Sabbath. D. D.

ON CUI-BONO MEN.

Tothe Editorofthe Christian Observer.

In your Number for last May, there occur some strictures, by F., on a saying of Dr. Shaw's, that he hated a cui-bono man. All pithy and short sentences require to be liberally interpreted, especially when they are quoted from familiar conversations; in which any phrase, which is sufficient to convey the meaning of one of the parties to the

other, is sufficient for all the purposes contemplated by the speaker. Now, there is a class of indolent and self-satisfied persons, who discourage all enterprise and adventure; who would even repress all activity of mind and energy of application, because they at least can live very comfortably without them. "Of what use are Captain Parry's exploits in the Arctic Seas? Why should men take so much pains as

they do in questions of minute philology, in abstruse mathematical calculations, or in various philosophical researches?" These questioners are probably the men to whom Dr. Shaw alludes: and if so, I agree with him in hating, not indeed the men, but their propensities; for the discoveries of which we avail ourselves unconsciously in almost every occurrence of daily life, are all the result of that generous spirit of inquiry, which these cold and miserable reasonings would tend to freeze and destroy. D. D.

ON FAMILY PRAYER AT INNS.

Tothe Editorofthe Christian Observer.

MAY I be allowed to add, to what your correspondent Is has so well written on family prayer at an inn, that the excellent Mr. Venn, of Huddersfield, once told me, that when he was a young man, which will bring us to the lapsed period of a century, night travelling being unusual in England, the principal inns on the road commonly closed their doors at ten o'clock; and it was a general practice, if a clergyman was in the house as a guest, to request him to conduct the evening family devotion. Mr.Venn mention ed, that this was a matter of course; and added, that he had himself frequently been applied to on such occasions, when on a journey. Most assuredly he had no idea that the compliance was any breach of the discipline of the church of which he was a most useful and attached member and minister.

An excellent London rector lately mentioned, that being at a stagecoach dinner at an inn a hundred miles from the metropolis, a passenger, who happened to have seen him at his church during a visit to London, exclaimed, "What, the Rev. Mr. here, and no grace!" The whole of the party felt the propriety of the appeal, and stood up

while the blessing was implored. Such a circumstance shews, that the laity justly consider that the clergy ought to be ever ready to exercise the duties of their sacred function, "in season and out of season;" not, indeed, really out of season, or in a disorderly manner, but often in a way which those would call out of season who would confine religion to Sundays and special occasions. E. M. B.

CONGREGATIONAL BOOK SOCIETIES

Tothe Editorofthe Christian Observer. AMONG the Dissenters it is very usual to form congregational libraries, under the management of the minister and a committee. The individual subscriptions of the members are very moderate, but collec lectively they enable the conductors to obtain a selection of the most valuable periodical works and other new publications, as well as a li brary of standard authors, which circulate rapidly, and add much to the instruction and recreation of the members. I heartily wish that all my clerical brethren would follow this plan; for wherever it has been adopted, it has been a source of much interest and advantage, both religious and intellectual. The books for this purpose should of course be of a higher range of literature than parochial libraries for the use of the poor. I would suggest to every clergyman who reads these lines, to ask himself, Have I a book society in my congregation? and if not, Why?

PASTOR.

MINOR MORALS-ANSWERING

LETTERS.

Tothe Editorofthe Christian Observer.

SOME of your correspondents once commenced a series of papers, to

be entitled " Minor Morals." I wish they had gone on with their communications, for which everyday life furnishes innumerable subjects. I will adduce the familiar example of answering letters. Write twenty letters, half of them on pressing business of your own, half on mere trifles concerning your correspondents: the result will be, that the latter half will be answered as nearly as possible by return of post; but the acknowledgment of the former will depend much upon the character of your correspondents. If they are statesmen, or men of business, or what is called highly-bred gentlemen, or persons who, if not highly bred as gentlemen, are instructed in the school of Christian courtesy, taught to feel for others, to weep with those that weep, and rejoice with those that rejoice; to sacrifice a little of their own ease, or time, or pleasure for the benefit or the gratification of others; these also will be duly answered. But not so if addressed to those who are neither governed by these worldly principles of good breeding, nor the higher principles of Christian sympathy; to a lady who is so busy with her new flounce, or a poet with his own verses, or a scholar with a Greek scholium, or a hobbyist with his hobby, or any man with his own schemes and projects, however good and important they may be, that he feels no interest in the concerns of others. In some of these cases, the letters will never be noticed at all, and in others only noticed some months afterwards, when your correspondent wishes to write to you on a trifling matter of his own, to which he demands an immediate reply; just adding, in a postscript, "I have three or four letters of yours which I ought to have answered, but have been much engaged; and I have only time at present to trouble you with the above inquiry. Excuse haste."

I have called this a point of "minor morals;" but in truth, as

respects the disposition of mind, nothing is trivial that indicates the unchristian predominance of self, and the feeble influence exerted by the love of our neighbour. A man cannot do every thing, write every thing, answer every thing; neither the Divine injunctions of Christ, nor the worldly maxims of Chesterfield, require this; but if your friend can write four sides of paper on six points which you adverted to respecting himself, he might have found time to add four words about the seventh, which concerned you. A statesman would have done so, if only to say, "I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter:" a busy merchant would have done it, if only to say yes or no: a polished gentleman would have done it from self-respect, and to satisfy your feelings: what then but sordid, vulgar selfishnesss, culpable indolence, or deplorable contractedness of mind, prevents a lady who has nothing to do, or a country curate, or a person in private life, devoting five minutes to your service? I shall have done good by this paper, if only among the many thousands of your readers, some half dozen should determine to rise an hour earlier than usual the morning after reading my paper, to discharge at once their writing-desk and their conscience of their culpable arrears.

URBANUS.

COURT-CALENDAR DIVINITY.

Tothe Editorofthe Christian Observer.

I COPY from the newspapers the following announcement, which even our religious journals, in quoting the article from their contemporaries, have not corrected:

"The Rev. Dr. Blomberg will perform Divine Service to his Majesty's suite in the King's closet to. morrow."

Is there no person who will take

the trouble to inform our court calendarians, that the clergy are not, or ought not to be, stageplayers; or that if they "perform Divine service," it is before God, and not before men; or, to stoop to the lowest argument, that if religion is to be thus made a puppet shew, our dignitaries must at least stipulate, as gentlemen, to "perform only before his Majesty in person, not before his housemaids and grooms. But the subject is too serious to trifle with. Such announcements shew too lamentably how common is the absurd opinion generated in the days of Popery, and not yet exploded, that "Divine service" is an affair of the clergy, in which the people have little share but as quiescent, well-behaved spectators; just like other audience witnessany ing a show, to criticize the professional abilities of the "performers," rather than to be spiritually edified by the sacred rites. They know not that "God is in that place;" they ask not, "Will God in very deed dwell with man upon the earth;" but they have been to church, and have done their duty: and now for the walk, the ride, the drive, the Sunday newspaper, the dinner-party, the drawing-room, the misnamed sacred music, if even the name be thought necessary;-and so concludes a well-spent Protestant Sunday!

PROH PUDOR!

death, to seal true religion upon the heart? Men may feel bodily pain, but that is not religion; and they may feel mental depression, but neither is that religion. I would rather invert the maxim, and say, Those who live fools, too oft like fools will die.

The same ignorance of themselves, of God, of Christ, of the way of salvation, the same self-righteousness, the same false hopes, the same clinging to the world, and dislike to the ways of heavenly wisdom, which marked their career in health, will too often follow them to the bed of sickness and death. The maxim therefore is fallacious; nay, it is worse than fallacious, for it is dangerous, because it leads to hopes which too probably may not be realized; it teaches men to expect a death-bed illumination and a death-bed repentance, the reliance upon which has allured thousands and millions of souls into a fatal security. Let us rather tell men, If you live fools, you have no scriptural reason to hope that you will die otherwise than as fools, and have for ever to lament the effects of your folly in not turning to God, and "laying hold of the hope set before you in the Gospel."

I wish some new Christian Sancho would take up Mr. Cunningham's idea of rectifying our common proverbs: there is scarcely one of them that is in all respects true and unexceptionable.

AN ANTI-PROVERBIALIST.

FALLACY OF COMMON PROVERBS.

Tothe Editorofthe Christian Observer.

DR. YOUNG says, and thousands have repeated after him, "Men may live fools, but fools they cannot die."

But why may they not? What is there to prevent it? What is there of native power, and separate from Christian instruction and the influences of the Holy Spirit, in the languors of sickness or the fears of

ON RELIGIOUS TESTS IN CHARITABLE SOCIETIES.

Tothe Editorofthe Christian Observer.

IN alluding, in your last Number, to a late unhappy occurrence, you incidentally mention the principle adopted by the Reformation Society and its auxiliaries, of imposing a religious test to ascertain the principles of those who wish to become