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character of the Sacrament, which the tide of Protestantism mation regarding it? Probably, if it does exist, it is unique, as regards has been unable as yet to destroy. this country, and it would be interesting to know its history. Yours, &c., P.S.-I see that Isleworth is stated in the Clergy List to be united with Chalton, so it is probably one of those old places which have been deserted by the population, and have thus escaped destructive Restoration.

"some

The Pall Mall Gazette's way of stating the case is that "there is, in fact, no meaning or reason in maintaining the indelibility of the orders of any Christian Church, which does not hold the doctrine of Transubstantiation in the fullest Roman sense. The act of magic which the transmutation of the elements requires is of so astounding a nature that the power to perform it, once gained, may well be permanent." Setting aside the inaccuracy of our contemporary's theological language, he is perfectly right in the main. It used to be once believed among Churchmen that there was a thing" about preaching and reading prayers in public which it was unlawful for a layman to attempt, and that in some way there would be a virtue about the one that was not to be found in the other. Now we have learned that the saying of Mass and absolving the penitent are the only essential functions of the Priesthood, but that the power to perform these is of so high a nature that nothing but a special supernatural gift could make the words uttered anything but a blasphemous mockery. This, the Protestant when he is honest and unwarped by education and prejudice, admits, and conscientiously objects to use the words and perform the functions in question. The one Sacrament he never administers at all, and the other he divests of all its sacrificial character, and brings it down as nearly as he can to the initiative rite in vogue among those who are not in the Church at all. Modern interpreters of the law, hopelessly imbued with the same heresy, give him all the assistance they can in reading Catholic words in a Protestant sense, and so the mischief goes on.

Every now and then there arise men (all honour to them) too logical or too honest to endure the unreality any longer, either for position or for gain, and who, like the late Orator at Cambridge, abandon the life they entered under a mistaken view of its requirements and obligations. They feel it very hard that the profession they were allowed to enter with only a Protestant belief in it, should be erected into a barrier for life on principles which presupposes the faith of a Catholic; and they are right. The evil lies of course in the fact that unbelievers in the Sacrament of Order should be allowed to receive it, not that those who have once reeeived its awful gifts, should be forbidden to imagine themselves ordinary men again.

Meantime, where, in a country like this, any grievance can lie, is very incomprehensible. We have seen dozens of men of late years seceding to Rome, denying their orders, and taking to any secular profession that suits them even, as Mr. Ffoulkes has told us, to getting their living on the stage. What hinders them, if their own consciences do not? Or is it after all, that conscience cannot be completely deadened, or the sacred fire wholly be stamped out? and so they call for a legal support, which being the highest authority they acknowledge to exist upon earth, may persuade conscience to dispute no longer the conclusions at which their reason has arrived.

Correspondence.

(The Editor is not responsible for the opinions of his Correspondents.) THE USE OF THE MAGNIFICAT. SIR,-Will some learned in ancient Ritual tell me why some Priests who profess accuracy of Ritual do not use the Mognificat in Advent or Lent? I observe that they are also much given to the omission of the Benedictus at Matins. Is it a tinge of Modern Romanism which leads one to view the Benedictus and the Magnificat as being, so to speak, the key note of Matins and Evensong? I hope not. Surely Our Lady's Song can never be out of season in commemorating the Incarnation. Yours, &c., AN ENQUIRER.

FRESCO OF ST. HUBERT. SIE,I am told that in the Church at Isleworth in Hampshire, near Petersfield, there is a Fresco of St. Hubert, can you give me any infor

REPORTS AND ANECDOTES OF THE ECUMENICAL COUNCIL. (From the Vatican.)

additions. Canon Molitor, of Spire, has been summoned to Rome, and The number of the Fathers present at the Council continues to receive will sit in the Council as one of the Pope's Theologians. Mgr. Hefele, lately appointed Bishop of Rottenburg, has also arrived.

It is noticed as an indication that the repentance of Victor Emanuel is probably sincere, that the prefects and other magistrates of his kingdom were instructed to prohibit any public manifestations against the Vatican Council.

A telegram from Rome says that all the Prelates of the Curia Romana, the officers of the Council of State, and a number of the officials of Chancery, the Court of Canonical Law, and the Treasury, have resolved to protest against the dogma of Papal infallibility.

A Roman correspondent notes the exploit of two English "misses," who, mounted on the benches above the kneeling multitude, surveyed with their opera-glasses the Pope as he pronounced the benediction in the Council. The Pope, with a mild smile, pointed them out to some of the Cardinals.

The Advent Sermons to be preached to the Papal Zouaves were to be Stefano, near the Roman College. He was to be followed by the Bishop commenced by Mgr. Mermillod, Bishop of Hebron, in the Church of S. of Tulle and other Prelates. During the Octave of the Epiphany, Sermons in various languages are to be preached in St. Andrea delle Valle by the most eloquent Bishops of the different Catholic nations.

When M. Veuillot was admitted to an audience by the Holy Father,

from whom the illustrious journalist has so often heard words of encouragement, he is said to have been addressed as follows: "I am content with you, both with what you have said and the manner in which you have said it--et pour le fond et pour la forme-I give my blessing to you, to your family, and to all your readers."

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Mgr. Grimardias, Bishop of Cahors writes to the Univers to disclaim the opposition" of which he had been represented as one of the chief instigators. Whatever private discussions have taken place, he says, had no other object but a legitimate and common agreement between the members of the Episcopate." As to the supposed intention of protesting against acts of the Sovereign Pontiff," the Bishop observes that he knows of nothing more than “humble supplications respectfully addressed to him whom we venerate as a chief and a father."

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The throne of the Holy Father in the Council Hall, which it will be remembered is in the right transept of the Basilica, almost touches the altar of SS. Processus and Martinian, who were the guards of S. Peter in the Mamertine prison. When they received their prisoner, they did not foresee what Divine grace was preparing for them, nor suspect that, after the lapse of eighteen centuries, the successor of the same St. Peter, surrounded by the Catholic Episcopate, would assist at the Christian Sacrifice offered upon an altar dedicated to themselves.

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The Correspondance de Rome, noticing the offering of 167,000 francs, collected by the Unita Cattolica of Turin, and lately presented to the Holy Father by the Chevalier Margotti, observes: Wherever an altar exists, wherever the Pure Oblation is daily offered to God, similar collection of such addresses, from all parts of the world, now forming several hundred volumes, preserved in the Archives of the Holy See, and the hundred million of francs which the Pontifical Treasury has received since the end of 1859, will be an evidence for all time of what his loving children could say and do to console and succour their Father." A general assembly of the Council, the fourth, was to be held on the 28th, when the members of the important Commission de Rebus ordinum Regularium were to be elected. After the scrutiny, the deliberations on the dogmatic questions submitted a fortnight ago to the examination of all the Fathers of the Council will commence. Each proposition will become the subject of a resolution, which will take the form of a decree, and be binding on the consciences of Catholics. As the Bishops are already fully acquainted with the matters to be submitted to them, it is hoped that several decrees will be promulgated in the next public Session, which will take place under the presidence of the Sovereign Pontiff.

testimonies of the piety of the faithful are offered to the Pope. The

ROME, Jan, 2.-In to-day's sitting of the Ecumenical Council the death of four Fathers was officially announced. Cardinal de Angelis was nominated Cardinal President of the Commission on questions of Dogma, and Cardinal Catterini President of the Commission on Ecclesiastical Discipline. Four Fathers subsequently spoke, and the discussion will be continued to-morrow. The Committee of

the Council upon affairs connected with the regular orders consists of one Portuguese, three Spanish, two German, two French, nine Italian, one Belgian, one Swiss, one Turkish, two English Bishops (Clifton and Clonfert), and two American Bishops (Buffalo and Quito).

The gentleman deputed from the Echo Office to report the doings of the Roman Council sends the following:-"The Pope is a good deal aged this year. He seems to have lost some teeth, and his mouth ceases to bear that stereotyped smile visible twenty ya ds off which one used to dislike so much, and has instead rather a discontented expression, owing, probably, to the corners of the lips drooping a little. He seems feeble in carriage, but his voice continues wonderfully clear and strong. You can hear it from his throne at the end of the Church quite plainly at the centre of the great nave. Cardinal Patrizi, who was. with him at the altar, also looks very old and feeble. Very fit representatveis the two of them seemed of worn-out faith and obsolete forms. The theatrical parts of the ceremony were very well done, and succeeded admirably, the crowd of foreign Bishops helping very much the mise en scene. To me the most interesting part of the affair was watching the procession of those Prolates defiling past us in their mitres and vestments, and showing their different nationalities unmistakably in their countenances. One looked like an Arab just taken from Algeria and put into ecclesiastical raiment; another from China appeared in robes of the most gorgeous hues of thick brocaded silk, with a mitre of similar bright tones. The majority, however, wore white linen ones, and nearly all had remarkable countenances, some intellectual, others quaint, while others again were of the true bigot type so common among Italian Priests and Monks. out I saw a Bishop in the portico tying up his mitre and his robe in a cotton pocket-handkerchief, and waiting apparently for some Cardinal to take him home in his carriage." We have atrocious weather.

As I came

Warning cries are again being raised as to the effect upon the safety of St. Paul's of the excavations on the south side for the construction of the low level main sewer and railway. In 1831 the walls of the south transept sunk and fractures appeared in many places from the attempted formation of a sewer, which was in consequence abandoned.

ENTHRONIZATION OF DR. TEMPLE.

could see little of the nave beyond a dim vista filled by an undistinguish-
able mass of heads, it seemed as if the procession would never come in
sight, but at length it filed under the screen, the Canons and Preben-
daries taking their seats; but the Dean and Chancellor, as installers,
attended by Mr. Force, ushering Dr. Temple to the Episcopal throne.
His Lordship having been duly enthroned, the Service proceeded. There
Nicene Creed. His text was taken from the 1st chapter of the Gospel
was a celebration of Holy Communion, the Bishop preaching after the
of St. John, v. 14-" And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among

us."

tianity, presented the following address:-
On Thursday morning the Rev. H. Bramley, Rural Dean of Chris-

"To the Right Rev. Father in God, Frederick Temple, D.D.. by
Divine permission Lord Bishop of the Diocese of Exeter,-We, the Clergy
of the Deanery of Christianity, desire to approach your Lordship with
called in the Church of Christ, and with those feelings of respect and
the reverence due to the high and holy office to which you have been
duty which we would ever cherish to our Father in God. In the person
of your Lordship, who has now, in Divine providence, been called to the
chief rule over us in things spiritual, we recognise one in whom are
conspicuous earnestness in the service of God, and a hearty desire for the
well-being of his fellow-creatures. For ourselves, we would humbly
ourselves to the work of our Ministry; that you will find us faithful and
assure your Lordship that it will be our carnest desire to continue to give
willing labourers with you, and under you, in that portion of the Church
in your Lordship's Diocese in which our lot is cast. And. in conclusion,
the blessing and guidance of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and
we earnestly pray now, and shall ever offer up our fervent prayers, that
the Holy Ghost, may ever abundantly be with you, and that a rich
harvest of success may attend your Episcopate, and that when the Chief
Shepherd shall appear you may receive the crown of glory that fadeth
not away. Signed, H. BRAMLEY, Rural Dean of Christianity, &c."

The Bishop of Exeter having received the address, said-Mr. Dean and my Christian Brethren,-I look upon it as an act of very great kindness in taking this early opportunity of presenting me with an address. assuring ine of your desire to co-operate with me in the service of our Lord for the good of this Diocese. I feel it is a very great kindness, more especially because there are, I know perfectly, some among you who would have preferred to have some other person appointed as Bishop of the Diocese, and who feel not a little anxiety at the very time of presenting this address lest perchance the appointment should not be good for the Church. I feel it a very great kindness that you should be ready The last act of the series of placing Dr. Temple in possession of the to assure me that, at any rate, you are prepared to do your See of Exeter, took place on Wednesday, when there was a great crowd part, and that if there be any failure it shall not be for in the city and Cathedral. The Bishop passed the night at Sowton, at want of your hearty co-operation. and your earnest service Prebendary Sanders's, his old master. In the morning he drove into to our Lord. I have always felt from the beginning that Exeter with that gentleman and Mr. Sandford, his Chaplain, and robed those who differed from me, and who thought it their duty to express at the residence of the Headmaster of the Grammar School, where he that difference, doing all that in them lay to oppose both my election received the Mayor and Corporation. A procession was then formed to and my consecration, were actuated by nothing but a sense of duty and Broadgate, and the Bishop was cheered on the way. The Western a desire to fulfil God's will as far as their conscience showed it to them. Morning News says:- So accurate had been the punctuality, and so I felt quite sure that all your opposition to me was really honest, really great the despatch of the civic authorities, that the Bishop arrived at kind, and from a desire to serve our Lord. And as I feel in myself that Broadgate several minutes before the Dean and Chapter put in an I have no other wish on earth but to serve that Lord to the best of my appearance, and a couple of messengers were despatched to hurry them ability, so I have always felt certain that there was a tie between us very on, the crowd meantime cheering his Lordship, who subsequently passed much stronger than anything which could possibly keep us apart. I felt the waiting time in a little chat with the Mayor anent that quecrest of that your conscientiousness must be more to me than any difference of all Exonian institutions, the cap of maintenance. At length the staves opinion could possibly be, believing as I do that conscientiousness is the of the vergers were seen in the distance, and in another moment the very beginning of Christian duty, and that the service of the Lord starts Chapter came in view headed by the commanding presence of the Deau, with that in the first instance. It is impossible for me not to respect, closely following whom the dignified figure of the Bishop-Elect of Oxford, from the bottom of my heart, all those who have been trying to follow Prebendary Mackarness, was recognized. The other members of the their own consciences in this matter, whatever pain it may have given to Chapter present were Canon Cook, Archdeacons Downall and Woolcombe, me. There are, I know, some who have not taken any part in opposing Prebendaries Acland, Thynne, Smith, Sanders, Reginald Barnes, and me, and to them, of course, it is a double pleasure to me to say how I Hedgland. The Revs. W. David, J. Corfe. J. C. Rowlatt, F. H. Curgenven, count upon their joining with me in that service of the Lord, and how Priest Vicars; Mr. E. Force, Chapter Clerk; Mr. A. Burch, Bishop's confident I feel that they will not hereafter regret that they have reckoned Secretary; Mr. Angel, organist; the lay vicars, and secondaries and upon me as a fellow-servant who desires to be faithful to the best choristers, also took part in the procession, the rear of which was of his ability, I believe, my brethren, as times goes on, and we know brought up by a number of the Diocesan Clergy, surpliced. more of each other, although we may differ very much in opinion— Arrived at Broadgate formal introductions were made, and the Bishop which I look upon as unavoidable, considering how God has constituted shook hands with the Dean, the Chancellor, and others of the Chapter. our understandings-we shall be united in spirit, and shall at least know The usual address by a boy of the Cathedral Grammar School having each other as fellow servants of Christ, who care more for His Service been inade and answered, the procession moved into the Cathedral than for anything personal to ourselves, and we shall endeavour, knowing singing "Christ is made the sure foundation." The Bishop proceeded to each other's hearts, to work with each other as far as we conscientiously the Chapter House, where the formal proceedings took place. After the can. With this confidence believe me, Mr. Dean, I feel certain that those First Lesson the Chapter went to fetch the Bishop. During the absence who have been opposed to me will before long be in many instances of the Chapter the great Grandisson bell was tolled, and very soon the reckoned as my heartiest friends, because they will at least feel that if our organ striking up indicated to those who could not see down the nave understandings are apart, our hearts are together, and we shall be united that the Bishop, attended by the Chapter and choir was entering the by that which in the last resort is the one real tie which unites Christians great west door. The scene within the Cathedral as the white-robed the love and service of our common Master. cortége slowly paced up the nave, singing the Te Deum, was intensely impressive. The morning mist had found its way into the Cathedral, softening the shadows and deepening the customary gloom, and at the time the Service commenced imparting quite a weird aspect to the distances. But as the day wore on through the clerestory windows streamed broad rays of sunshine, illuminating the vaulting and arches with almost magical effect, but scarcely dispelling the shade which hung over the attentive multitude below. To those in the choir, who

The Rev. H. Bramley then addressed to his Lordship a few words of congratulation and welcome, after which there was a mutual shaking of hands and expressions of cordial feelings. The proceedings then terminated.

In reference to the above Mr. Bramley writes to the Times :-" In your report of the presentation of an address to the Bishop of Exeter from the Clergy of that city, you make me express my pleasure at his reception,' I think that this is scarcely a fair representation of what I

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said, which was, to thank the Bishop for the way in which he spoke of those who, like myself, had opposed his election, and to assure him, on the part of those who had not joined in that opposition, of their sympathy in the heartiness of the welcome which he had received."

And whereas eight Bishops of the Province did, previously to the day of consecration. signify their protests in writing to the Lord Bishop of London, the principal Commissary of the Archbishop of the Province, against the consecration of the said Dr. Temple.

And whereas, in virtue of such protests so signified and rejected, the consecration of the said Dr. Temple, on St. Thomas's Day last past, by

ARCHDEACON DENISON ON THE CONSECRATION OF THE the four consecrating Bishops, is an act contrary to the Canon law of the

BISHOP OF EXETER.

Church Catholic.

And whereas doubts are cast thereby upon all Ordinations and Confirmations to be held and done by the said Dr. Temple, as "Bishop of

The following letter has been addressed by the Archdeacon of Taunton Exeter." to the Prolucutor of the Lower House of Convocation :

East Brent, Dec. 22, 1869.

Mr. Prolocutor,-I take an unusual course in addressing this letter to you; but the time, and the distress, and the exigency, are unusual. My object is to make the notice of my proceeding as formal and distinct as possible.

In the face of the Declaration of the entire Home Episcopate in 1861; of the Synodical Judgment of the Synod of Canterbury in 1864; and, within the last few days, in the face of the Protests of eight Bishops of the Province, signified in writing to the Lord Bishop of London, principal Commissary of the Archbishop of the Province, previously to the day of consecration: in virtue of which Protests so signified and rejected, the consecration of Dr. Temple is a consecration contrary to the Canon Law of the Church Catholic; and doubts are cast thereby upon all Ordinations and Confirmations to be held and done by Dr. Temple, as Bishop of Exeter;" Dr. Temple has been nominated, elected, confirmed, and, on St. Thomas's Day last past, consecrated "Bishop of Exeter."

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It may be sufficient to say of these facts, that by them, not only Episcopal and Synodical authority and the Canon Law of the Church Catholic have been brought into contempt; but public sanction, civil and ecclesiastical, has been given in an especial manner to the "free handling" of the Bible, and to the despising of the Church.

All this has been done in the name of the Crown. The Crown has been made responsible for the act of the Minister. We are told that Dr. Temple must under any circumstances be elected, confirmed, consecrated, because the Crown, that is to say, the leader of the House of Commons, has nominated him. If this be the naked rule, the sooner such nomination ceases the better for us all.

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Archbishops, Bishops, and Clergy have been powerless to prevent the nomination of a free handler" of the Bible, and a despiser of the Church. But even this would, I believe, have gone no farther if Archbishops and Bishops had spoken as in 1861 and 1864. If Archbishops and Bishops had, six weeks ago, remembering 1861 and 1864, led the way in remonstrance with the Minister, thousands of us would have followed them thankfully, and, in God's mercy, a stain would not have come upon the Church of England which will, I believe, never be wholly cleansed away. But there is a further aspect of the case more painful still. For granting that Archbishops, Bishops and Clergy were powerless, not only to prevent the nomination, but to procure its recall, they were not powerless to prevent election, confirmation, consecration. All these were in their own hands.

They have, however, made their choice. They have chosen, de facto,

not to prevent any of these things; and, great as has been the "offence" of Dr. Temple and of the Minister of the Crown, I believe the "offence" of the Dean and Chapter of Exeter in electing, of the Archbishop of Can- | terbury in confirming, and of the Bishops of London, St. David's, Worcester, and Ely in consecrating, to have been greater still.

In this extremity one resource remains: one only: it remains that the Church of the Province protest by her Synod. In this way only is it possible for the Synod to maintain its own lawful position and authority, and the Canon law of the Church Catholic; and for the Church of the Province to be relieved from complicity in the sin which has been

done.

Such protest is then, I submit, a necessity, as it is a duty to the Church and to Christ.

I subjoin the resolution which I propose to introduce at our first Session of 1870, moving, in order to its introduction, the suspension of the standing orders.

Resolved. Whereas the book known as "Essays and Reviews," first published in 1860, and now in its twelfth edition, was declared, without exception of any one of such "Essays" or "Reviews," by the declaration of the Archbishops, and all the Bishops of both Provinces, in 1861, to be essentially at variance with many fundamental doctrines of the Church."

And whereas the said book was condemned in like manner three years after by the synodical judgment of the Synod of Canterbury, June 21 and 24, 1864, as containing teaching contrary to the doctrine received by the United Church of England and Ireland in common with the whole Catholic Church of Christ."

And whereas, these things notwithstanding, Dr. Temple, the writer of the first Essay in the said book, has lately, upon the nomination of the Crown, been elected and confirmed Bishop of Exeter.

And whereas the said Dr. Temple, having been urgently entreated by the Lord Bishop of Lincoln and by others, his brethren, to make satisfaction to the Church previous to his consecration, touching his share in the said book, refused so to do.

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And whereas such nomination, election, confirmation, consecration, have not only brought into contempt Episcopal and Synodical authority, and the Canon law of the Church Catholic; but have given in an especial manner public sanction, civil and ecclesiastical, to the free handling" of the Bible, and to the despising of the Church. And whereas grievous and lasting injury has therein and thereby been done to the souls of Christ's people.

This House is constrained to express its deep regret that the said nomination, election, confirmation, consecration, have been judged to be things lawful to be done; and does hereby, on behalf of the Church of the Province, record its protest against such nomination, election, confirmation, and consecration. I am, Mr. Prolocutor, very faithfully yours,

GEORGE A. DENISON. The Venerable the Prolocutor of the Lower House of the Convocation of Canterbury.

Notes, Literary, Archæological, &c.

The first volume of Sir Henry L. Bulwer's "Life of Lord Palmerston " will be published immediately.

Light is the title of the new paper which is about to be edited by Mr W. Hepworth Dixon, the late editor of the Athenæum.

Sculptors are invited to send in proposals for the erection of a monument at Cracow in memory of the three great national poets of Poland. The Palestine and the Sinai Exploration Funds have become one. The next united report will be issued by Mr. Bentley.

An Education Conference for Wales will meet on the 25th and 26th of January, at Aberystwith.

Five musical instruments in an excellent state of preservation have just been dug up at Pompeii.

It is stated that a pupil of Baron Liebig has discovered certain ethers, which, when poured upon some chemical compounds, produces instantaneously precious stones of all kinds.

A new series of postage stamps is in course of issue in Belgium Blue stamps represent 20 centimes, violet 8 centimes, and blue (of another design) 2 centimes. Others will shortly be issued.

The Trustees of the British Museum have appointed Mr. William B. Rye, Senior Assistant-Keeper of Printed Books, to the Keepership of his department, in the place of the late Thomas Watts.

Since the discovery of silver in Neveda, in 1859, no less than 150 mills have been erected, and from the various mines an aggregate of 135,000,000 dollars been taken.

Dr. John Muir, the founder of the Sanscrit Chair, in the University of Edinburgh, has increased his original endowment of the Professorship by 1,000l.

There has been recently invented in Italy a process by which oil paintings can be copied in oils with wonderful faithfulness and despatch. This process is called the Telegraph.

Burmah, is a loss to science. Dr. Maingay had specially devoted himself The murder of Dr. Maingay by convicts in the gaol at Rangoon, in to the botany of English Burmah.

It is reported that in the cities of Prussia all buildings for any purpose whatever will have to be built in future "of solid masonry," excepting in cases in which it would be deemed detrimental for any special purpose.

The adjudicators of the Hulsean Prize give notice that a premium of about 80%. will this year be given for the best dissertation on the following subject:-"The Views of Inspiration which prevailed among Jews of different schools before the Destruction of Jerusalem."

The death is announced of the sculptor Baron Schmidt von der Launitz, a native of Courland, and long a resident at Frankfort, where he died at the age of seventy-four years. His most important work is the monument to the first printers, Guttenberg, Faust, and Schaefer, erected in Frankfort about thirteen years ago.

We see by the Italian journals it is intended to hold a great Industrial and Art Exhibition in the year 1872. We are not informed whether the rest of Europe will be invited, or whether the exhibits will be confined to

Italian products.

The completion of the Mont Cenis-Tunnel is also promised in the year 1872.

A correspondent of the Pall Mall Gazette states that one of the direct lineal descendants of Archbishop Parker, the second Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury, and for many years the personal friend and confidant of Queen Elizabeth, is now an applicant for admission into the almshouses at Croydon for decayed householders of the parish of Lambeth.

Some half-dozen figures have been placed in the vacant niches of the west front of Salisbury Cathedral during the past few days. The principal of them is that of the B.V.M. with the Child Jesus, an Angel being on either side. These are placed immediately over the great doors of the western entrance to the Cathedral.

Nature states that benzol has been applied to a somewhat novel purpose. If poured on a piece of ordinary paper, immediate transparency is produced, to such an extent as to enable one to dispense entirely with tracing-paper. On exposure to air, or better, a gentle heat, the liquid is entirely dissipated, the paper recovers its opacity, and the original design is found to be quite uninjured.

M. Madden has begun a series of "Lettres d'un Bibliographe,' which will be devoted to researches into the early history of printing. The first number is occupied with an examination of three copies of the letter of Pius the Second to Mahomet the Second. The questions of the date and place where each copy was printed, as well as the name of the printer, are discussed. Future numbers will be devoted to Ulric, Zell, Jenson, Caxton, &c.

The number of new books and new editions issued in England during the past year was 4,569. They are classified as follows:-Theology, 1,047; education, philology, and classical literature, 478; juvenile works, 500; novels and other works of fiction, 461; law, 142; political and social economy and trade and commerce, 324; arts and sciences and fine art books, 341; travel and geographical research, 288; history and biography, 292; poetry and the drama, 274; year books and bound volumes of serials, 236; medicine and surgery, 160; miscellaneous, 402. Messrs. Bell and Daldy are about to issue a complete catalogue of the works of Mr. George Cruikshank. Mr. G. W. Reid, the compiler, has included in it descriptions of 4,618 works, comprising 2,657 etchings, 1, 693 woodcuts, 72 glyptographs, 60 lithographs, and lists of nearly 400 books, tracts, chap-books, &c., and of the various editions of the same, which this designer has illustrated. Mr. Reid has added to the above a list of 130 works which have been executed after the designs of his subject.

The school of Magdalen College, Oxford, had an unusual share of the honours awarded by University examiners last Term. Out of its five candidates for honours, Mr. Hill, scholar of Queen's, and Mr. Kendall, exhibitioner of Merton, were placed respectively in the first and second classes of the moderators' classical list; Mr. Hicks, Demy of Magdalen, gained a first class in natural science; Mr. Hill, exhibitioner of Exeter, a second class in law and modern history; Mr. Harrison, postmaster of Merton, a first class in the moderators' mathematical list. Earlier in the Term three open scholarships had fallen to the school, making a total of six in the year just ended.

The Catholic Directory gives a list of twenty-three R.C. Peers sitting in the House of Lords:-The Duke of Norfolk, the Marquis of Bute, the Earls of Denbigh, Fingall, Granard, Kenmare, Orford, Dunraven, Gainsborough, Gormanston; Lords Beaumont, Camoys, Stourton, Vaux of Harrowden, Petre, Arundell, Dormer, Stafford, Clifford, Lovat, Howden, Howard, Acton. Also thirty-six R.C. Members of the House of Commons:-Viscount Castlerosse, Sir H. W. Barron, Sir R. Blennerhassett, Sir J. Esmonde, Sir P. O'Brien, Sir C. O'Loghlen, Sir J. Simeon, Mr. Cogan, Mr. Monsell, the O'Connor Don, the O'Donoghue, Dr. Brady, Major Gavin, Captain Fagan, Messrs. Bryan, Callan, Corbally, D'Arcy, Dease, Delahunty, De la Poer, Devereux, Kenelm Digby, Downing, Ennis, M'Evoy, M'Mahon, Maguire, Matthews, Moore, Murphy, O'Conor, O'Reilly, Power, Sherlock, and Synan.

The National Portrait Gallery seems in the way of making a happy transit from Westminster to South Kensington. Its former abode in Great George-street gave satisfaction to nobody, least of all to the public. The rooms, of course, were too small, but the chief complaint has been that the doors were so frequently closed that students who took the trouble to walk to Westminster found themselves shut out by the directorate. In other national collections it is not usual to turn away from the door people who come for quiet study. Now all this will be changed, and ample opportunity will be afforded of seeing the pictures, which will be temporarily located in the upper arcade of the Horticultural Gardens, occupied in the years 1866-7-8, by the national portraits which were collected and exhibited at the suggestion of the late Lord Derby. The ultimate destination of the collection is Trafalgar-square, where provision will be made for "National Portraits' in the new National Gallery, about which we may hope shortly to receive some announcement, notwithstanding the rigid economy to which the present Commissioner of Works is committed.

WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL AND FARNHAM CASTLE.

There was silence deep and earnest

By the wond'ring people made,
Silence in the great Cathedral

As those thousands knelt and pray'd:
Pray'd, while he, in God their Father,
Rapt in adoration there,
Low before the holy altar

Made his off'ring and his prayer.
Years had past since at that altar
He, with youth's best joys replete,
All his life's most precious ointment
Pour'd out at his Saviour's feet:
Pour'd out of the broken vessel

Of a heart, bow'd down, but brave,
That henceforth its whole devotion

To a life of duty gave.

How that life hath kept the promise
Made in secret suffering there,
Witness now those kneeling thousands
In that fellowship of prayer:
Witness years of ceaseless toiling,
Weary ways unwearied trod,
Never resting, never tiring

In the endless work of God.
Silence in the great Cathedral

Not a breath of whisper stirr'd, Yet in heav'n the loud heart-voices Of those worshippers were heard: "Will to work "-and "strength to labour," "Souls to save,"--and Christ their plea, Giver of good gifts and perfect!

Say Amen-and it shall be.

Last of our Old Prince Bishops! Fare thee well!
'Twas a fair day, in fairer Advent-tide,
That gracious season when the wintry world
Brightening before the rising Sun of Christ
In blessings bourgeons. At his courteous call
From thorpe and hamlet many a mile around
Thronging to do him honour, and receive
His parting benediction, came a host
Of Winton's Clergy to the Castle-gates

Of him who had been long their Lord and Friend.
Years, and the whelming weight of sacred cares
(For love of God and man too long sustained),
Had well-nigh crushed him: and for months upborne
By loving prayer, that on his people's hearts
Lifted him God-ward, he entranced lay
Midway 'twixt earth and heaven. Till the Hand
That hurts to heal, and saddens but to save.
Gently to earth restoring, the full heart
Its first thank-off'ring on God's altar laid,
Self-sacrifice for Christ and for His Church.

And now, his pow'r pass'd on to other hands,
He, with that life-long gracefulness of thought
Which never failed him, by a twofold act
Of farewell and of welcome, into one
Wedded together two Episcopates,
The Old in parting ushering in the New.
Last of our Grand Prince Bishops; in whom met
In perfect harmony the functions rare

Of Prelate, Pastor, Noble, Father, Friend!
Lord of the Castle, and its broad domains,
Its old seigneurial rights, and dignities,
Within whose hall, and at whose board he made
His humblest brother welcome as his peer.
Lord of the Castle-by the cottage hearth
Familiar found in sickness, want, or care,
Lord of the poor man's heart-a prouder home!
Last of our Old Prince Bishops! Fare thee well!
Tho' Throne and Crosier to another pass,
Enthroned still art thou in every heart
That once obeyed thee. Ana in future years
(Which may God lengthen long as He see good)
Oft will men pause before thy Castle-gates
And thinking of thy long day-work for God,
And thinking of thine evening calm and clear,
And thinking of thy coming endless rest,
Will talk as if we ne'er shall see again
Such days in England, as the days of old,
In which the good Old Lord of Winton reign'd.
But one in England could thy Crosier wield,
And he with thy good will thy work prolongs.

J. S. B. M. (in the Guardian).

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Miscellaneous.

Mr. S. R. Townshend Mayer, F.R.S.L., has been appointed secretary pro tem. of the Junior Conservative Club, now in course of formation. During 1869, the number of emigrants who left Liverpool was 172,731, a larger total than had been witnessed since 1852.

Garibaldi has written a letter in which he denounces in very strong terms the closing by the authorities of the Anti-Council in Naples.

Sir C. W. Dilke addressed his constituents at Chelsea on Monday evening, and informed them that there was every reason to believe in the preparation of a measure to remove the exemption of Government property from rating.

We learn that, in reply to a deputation from the Edinburgh Town Council, the Lord Advocate did not give any strong hope that an Education Bill for Scotland would be introduced next Session. He did not see his way to an application of the compulsory system, and he suggested that it might be better to try a Bill for the towns only at first.

In consequence of the disappointment caused to a vast number of visitors, owing to the Houses of Parliament being closed on Boxing-day, it is understood that by order of the Lord Great Chamberlain for the future the new Palace at Westminster shall be open to the public on Boxing-day, on Easter Monday and Tuesday, and also on Whit-Monday and Tuesday.

The revenue returns for the year do not appear very satisfactory. For the whole twelve months the receipts amount to 70,715,3747, against 71,860,6777 for the previous year. In the receipts from property tax there is a decline of 883,000.; taxes, 703,000l.; and customs, 413,0007. On the other hand, there is an increase of 525,000, in excise; 191,0007. in stamps; and 140,000/, upon the Post-office.

A late librarian, at Lambeth Palace, used to tell. with great glee, of a pretentious gentleman, who, consulting an ancient MS., declined all help towards its interpretation. After half-an-hour's apparently intense application, he stated, in answer to a query, that he was getting on exceed ingly well. "I the more wonder at that," said the librarian, "as you have got the manuscript before you upside down." And this student was an historical writer!

The Belfast News Letter reports the death in that town of a woman named Ellen Croghan at the age of 109 years. Her remains were followed to the grave by six of her children-James, Pat, John, Winnefred, Bridget, and Mary-the eldest of the boys, who is a great grandfather, being about ninety, and the eldest girl about two years younger. Besides this family, the deceased left behind her forty-one grandchildren, thirtytwo great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

We earnestly trust the Government will not neglect an appeal which the Cologne Gazette has just made to it, on behalf of M. Munzinger late British Consul at Massowah. All who know anything about the Abyssinian Expedition know how invaluable were the Services he rendered to it. It would not be easy to name any one subordinate officer in Lord Napier's force to whom a greater share in its success could justly be assigned than to M. Munzinger. He is now lying, wounded and seriously ill, at Keren, and the Cologne Gazette declares that, in consequence of the insufficiency of the reward which the English Government made him for his services in Abyssinia, and which consisted partly in depriving him of his Consulship, he has hardly money enough to procure food for the next three months. A vast deal has been said and written about the prestige which our management of the Abyssinian Expedition has acquired for us in the eyes of foreigners, and which has been declared "cheap at ten millions." Will not this prestige somewhat suffer if such an appeal by the foreign press on behalf of a foreigner is made to the English Government in vain.-Times.

AUSTRIAN CHARITY.-Before the children's party to which all the great world of Paris was invited, in honour of Christmas, at the hotel of the Austrian embassy, the Princess of Metternich caused a hundred young persons of the poorer classes to be assembled at a hearty luncheon, after which they were desired to plunder of its toys and sweetmeats a gigantic Christmas-tree, and were finally dismissed with supplies of warm clothing for the winter. The enjoyment of the aristocratic evening party must have been more than doubled to the Princess by the recollection of the afternoon of rare happiness thus given to the poor.

"THE TRUE CATHOLIC."-For some weeks the walls and railway stations of the metropolis have borne conspicuously upon them, in large letters, the announcement that The True Catholic would appear on the 1st January, 1870. The Guardian says of it :-"We have received the prospectus of the new penny paper, The True Catholic. With a waggishness and a disregard of grammar which are equally amusing, its promoter writes to us as follows:- You will observe from the prospectus and the contents, that it cannot clash with your excellent (sic), or any other existing newspaper, or magazine. As the times require every variety of effort to secure the people from the attractive delusions of Ritualism and Romanism, I trust that it will meet with an approving

notice in your columns.-I remain, dear Sir, yours faithfully, C. H. DAVIS, LL.D.'

THE POST OFFICE AND THE TELEGRAPHS.-The Post Office authorities to be used when the whole system of inland telegraphs is acquired by the have prepared for the use of the public forms for telegraphic messages

Government on the 29th of this month. The form differs from those hitherto employed by the companies. A separate space in lines is allotted to each word, and the corresponding charge is printed clearly on the margin, so that the sender can see at a glance how much he has to pay, and the receiving clerk need be at no trouble in calculating how much he has to charge. Each of the forms thus divided into spaces is prepared for a message of 50 words, which is assumed to be sufficient in the great majority of instances. In the right hand upper corner of the page a blank space is left for the stamps, which will probably be almost exclusively used to cover the charges of transmission. Attached to the form full information as to the arrangements for porterage. are directions for the guidance of the sender, with a tariff of charges and

BALLET GIRLS.-Doubtless many of our readers will consider this a the Times, we consider, is well worthy serious consideration:-" strange topic for a Church paper to notice, but the following letter from Sir,I am only a ballet girl, and, having avowed the fact, I dare say many of your readers will not think my appeal worthy of another look. But I have no means of making our nightly terror' known unless you kindly put this letter in your paper. When the Lord Chamberlain, who, I believe, is supposed to look after the stage in all its branches, ordered the managers to lengthen our skirts an inch on the score of morality, had he sometimes attended a theatre himself instead of leaving it to his subordinates, he would have seen that it would have been more to the point had he interfered a little on the score of humanity. Night after night we are, during the run of the pantomimes, strapped to an iron bar and hoisted up into the air, sometimes as much as fifty feet from the stage. The fright some of us undergo is not very conducive to our health, as you may imagine, and as we are ordered to smile during the whole of the terrible ten minutes,' it is, indeed, a horrid mockery of fun. The fearful hardships and trials that poor ballet girls go through have been so often written about that I won't reiterate them, merely stating that their labours for the greater part of the year are incessant, their average salary 18s. a-week. Many may ask why do they adopt the profession? True; but when one has been brought up at and among it, what is one to do? If we refuse to do anything we are told we are dismissed, and I leave you to guess what chance a starving (I speak advisedly) girl with a pretty face has then. What we want is that the Lord Chamb rlain should forbid the managers to send us up on those dreadful irons. Only last Wednesday a poor girl at Astley's was nearly crushed to death by the carpenters having omitted to open the trap through which she had to pass on her way towards the flies. She was strapped to the iron, the machinery was set in motion; she could not free herself in time, and it is useless going into details. The managers always tell us that no accidents ever happen at their theatres; but we know too well how many are hushed up. If our kind audiences will but lift up their voices for us we will dance for them with all our strength and bless them with all our hearts."

A CHINESE FUNERAL AT SAN FRANCISCO.-A Chinese merchant named Ah Poy, having died at San Francisco on the 1st of last month, and the rooms of his house being found too small to permit of the funeral sacrificial rites being properly performed, leave was obtained from the authorities of the city to celebrate them on the side-walk of the street. The ceremonies thus solemnised were not a little curious. At an early hour in the morning a man, dressed in priestly robes, came out of the house, holding in one hand a large ox-horn, which he blew shrill and sharp, turning successively to each quarter of the heavens. He was followed by men ringing bells as loud as they could, and after these came the mourners, about half-a-dozen in number, there being only one man among them. They were dressed in white, with white cowls on their heads and the women's hair was dishevelled. The coffin was then brought out and placed on the side-walk, draped with red, white, and green cloths, and the mourners filed round it several times, weeping, wailing, and throwing up their hands. After that they bowed themselves with their faces on the ground, in which position they remained for several hours. On the side-walk, below the coffin, were ranged three or four wide tables, on which were deposited the sacrificial offerings. There were four hogs roasted whole, with tips of tinsel on their ears and round their snouts; three sheep. skinned and laid on large pans; chickens with many-coloured candles melted and run over them in imitation of robes. Their claws were made to grasp spears, darts, and exorcising wands, and several of them, though roasted quite brown, had the feathers on the wings and the crests on their heads unsinged. There were also several large crabs, ornamented like all the rest of the offerings with tinsel and paper; pyramids of fruit and cakes; imitations in bread of poultry and animals; piles of joss-sticks, and several tapers; strips of red, white, and yellow paper, bearing mysterious characters; doll-like images at several points; and everywhere "tinsel, paper, smoke, fumes, and intolerable stench." At noon a white-haired old woman came out of the house bearing a huge load of tinselled paper, which she threw on the pavement, and taking a lighted joss-stick, set the mass on fire. Three other women brought out some curious-looking images and cast them into the flames, after which the funeral procession set out.

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