The Express. — London, England, 1851-05-10 00:00:00

LITERATURE. i movem itts of the time as he did; he would have Le•n more liberal often in his treatment of others, I than these volumes showed him to have been. Ills , egotism is certainly the best explanation, and the one I most honourable to him, of what he (and Coleridge likewise) was much reproached for--his change of opinion on the great French revolution ques tion. Isolated, meditative as he was, how could he endure the agonising strife of moving in tellectually with such a movement? \o; he required peace and rest—in them he felt he was most holy. Ile found them in old • English orthodoxy ; he lived with nature mid i in grand contemplation—a good and pure spirit. His 'action on England has been an influence on home. ! Ile is the poet of the Penatm His readers are among the tn...nithtful, the tender, and the pure. I That he narrowed s.unewhat we can see; that others `leaf higher, more self-sacrificing Eves in his time we t helieve. We think of him as a great tame eagle dwelling . at the house door to teach the children whin flying meant, and to remind them of heaven by the flutter of his wings. Keble's elegant inscription describes him well—ad sanrtiw•n would be an excel lent motto for him. And he certainly was the greatest and best conservative (in the high sense of ' I the word) who has lived since Dr. Johnson. Memoirs of William Wordsworth. By Citnivromirn 11.D.,C,1n0u of Wo.ttoinster. Mouri. Pr. Wordsworth is known to the public as an , accomplished scholar and divine, but the volumes before us will not do much for his reputation. In a word. they ure dull. The strain is monotonous and pondecam The reflection and sentiment are Word,a, , ithian, and necconpanv the narrative like the (Irma , of a bagpiper. And. alter all, the reve roue for the poet is soinewh it overdone—it actually gets ludicrous at times. He should have remem bered that Wordsworth was human, and given a dash of life to his story of a life. Besides, we all respect the poet heartily, without need of all this solemnity. It was right enough for the pious :Enema to shoulder his parent when he had to carry him out of a burning town, but to have carried the old gent), man about over the heads of old people on{ °Mimi ts isetisions would have made mankind at large roar lo :utile. One more objection and we have dune with fund[-finding —we think the doctor, in commenting on the treatment of the poet by critics (for the mo-t part bud). might have made thank ful mention of Professor Wilson. The vigorous and kindly critic surely fought well fur Wordsworth many a time, alien the mob sneered ; he long con secrated to his genius many pages of his most fresh, lively-. and vigorous pros:s. This book must be described certainly as a highly useful sine. It is excellent as a companion to the study of Wordswortles Poems—fixing the dates of many of them, giving their !wale, giving little facts about them. It helps you to understand the Word.sworthian coequogotty. It is a sort of guide book to Parnassus; a biography it can scarcely pre tend to he, but in the absence of one it is a valuable aid to readers. Notes on the Constrertion of Sherds)lds. By Jo nx Br, KIN M.A. London, Mil. This pamphlet, of which the contents were crigin ally intended by Mr. Ruskin to form part of the appendix to "The Stones of Venice," has created a considerable sensation, by its bold and novel proposi tions, as well as from the fact of its emanating from the pen of one who, by the thousands who know him only . by fame, and not from a careful perusal of his writings, has been regarded exclusively in the light of a critic on painting and architecture. Mr. Ituskin tells us that the sentiments contained by his pamphlet, though hastily written, have been well considered. Their principal drift is to repudiate the notion of the possibility of a separation Isitween church and btUte ; and, as his remarks are calculated to stir up a spirit of inquiry that may lead to good results, though hot, I perhaps, altogether to such us were t hereby intended ; and since the proposals made by Mr. Ruskin, us he sari, are " altogether new," most of our readers will Ile interested in a short account of the chief points insisted upon by him, which we give fur their in trinsic interest, as the views of Mr. Ruskin, without expressing any opinion of our own upon their merits. At the outset, Mr. Ruskin seeks to establish u clear definition of the word "charm." lle tells us that it occurs in the New Testament a ne hundred and four teen times; and that in all these cases it bears "one and the Name grand sense," that of an assembly or coupegation of men ; but under four modifications— I. lilt! elect, including the. faithful of all ages. burn ur unborn; 2. Professing believers, including false brethren ; 3. Professed believers, living in u certain city, place, or house—this is the most frequent sense in which the word occurs; and .1. Any assembly of men. Notwithstanding the undoubted meaning of the word " church" whenever it occurs, except in two eases only, where, if these had been the only times it was used, its meaning might have been equivocal, Mr. Ituskin complains that there is at present no general understanding of its significance, and that, though little harm is dune by saying u man "is going into the church," as if the clergy alone con stituted the church, yet much may arise from the same meaning being given to the word where Christ says. •• Tell it to t:e church." Wherefore, stns Mr. Ruskin, " Let it be declared plainly Ly all men, when they begin to state their opinions on mutters ecclesiastical, that they will use the word • church' in one sense or the other ; that they will accept the sense in which it is used by the apostles, or that they deny this sense, and propose a new definition of their own." Having established what he considers to Le the scriptural meaning of the word, Mr. Ruskin proceeds to CSallli Ile six points: I. 11'h at are the distinctive characters of the in ' visible church? llere he says all definitions are ambiguous, even the article of the English church in its first clause. " The visible church is a congrega tion of faithful men." "As if it had been possible, except for God, to see faith! or to know u faithful man by sight! . . . Nevertheliss, there arc certain signs by which Christ's sheep may be guessed at. Not by their being in any definite fold—fur many are lust sheep ut times; but by their meek her and a great multitude are indeed sheep who, on the far mountain side, in their peacefulness, we take for stones. To themselves, the hest proof of their being sheep is to find themselves on Christ's shoulders, and between them are certain sympathies (expresses! in the Apostles' Creed by the term • onn mullion of saints'), by which they may in a sort recognise each other, and so become very visible to each other for mutual comfort." The poet's external history is very easily summed up. lie was bunt at Cuekermouth, on the 7th April, 1770. In 1757 he went to St. John's Col lege, Cambridge. lie travelled in France and Gt•r amity, staved some time in Somemetshire, married, and settled for life in Westmoreland. In 1798 he published his "Lyrical Ballads," in conjunction with Coleridge. bin 180 he published Ids " Poems l l in Two Noluituw." How simple the story on the! surface of that life—what a world of thought tics below it Wordsworth was one of the earliest intellects of the re-action -the firsli mental awakening iu Eu rope at the chose of the lust century. The century had been rotting slowly out in intellectual degrada tion. The tone of society was heartless, frivolous, and mean ; Ise-try MJS a kind of thing which ranked with old china and new fans. It was an age of witlingN and fops. By and by, however, Caine the French Revolution ; came Bunts, presently cante Scott, and Byron, and Shelley. It was truly like the awakt ling of a mall in as new world. Scutt re presentee: his healthy manly activity. Byron his deep sentimental disgust at the false. Shelley his 'pinned longings. Keats his perception of; and bud-like reselling in, the beauty of nature as a luxury ; now. philosophic poet was wanted to cont-1 pkte ie choir; and Wordsworth represents our awakciect!. man's poetic inte•iligence, reasoning, sys tematic, and st•ientilic. lle deliberately assumed pnetry as his vueution; organised his sensibilities' into a st stein. and resolved to sing that he might teat It. us take his own definition of his work and aim, and view him especially us a teacher. Brow.tht up in a mountainous country, the poet had been accustomed to the noblest forms of external nature. and from external Initiat to draw his chief inspiration. Systematic etch in his love, he observed with regularity; he honied from every thing—hills, yaks, trees, mists, mass, and Rowers. He was a kind, of moral wologer. Ile intensely loved the sweet acetic Is fore I . but was tt mild). intent on getting law I moral wisdom front it. All his flowers must yield homy. Every thing with him was un object of spiritual use poetry was always subncrvient to religious teueltMg: his 'flowers were employed in decorating churches and holy places. Nu monk ever' laboured mom constantly at dlue ting a missal' than Wordsworth at 011111111enting the sacred. The return to nature on the part of what were called the •• Luke Potts" caused a frightful hub bub among critics. •• Peter Bell," and the "Idiot Boy." wen- standing subjects of ridicule :—the Eilin earoh Rcrn ors notice of the ••• Excursion" began With '• This oral nrs-rr do."' There is an amusing story in I fr. Wordswoith's book how Michael Sadler, meeting the poet and not knowing hint at dinner, somewhere begun as commendation with a kind of apology fur 'oising him. Byron's lines in the •• English Bawds" we all have by heart. But " l'etcr MI" lus lived • and we can ad mit now that Wordsworth 's payfulness is a little heavy mid ludicrous sometimes. Hut look at the de licious morality the fresh manly sentiment of these early ballads, and one wonders that they attained so littli sitivess. However, like admires like. Reflec tion can only by appreciuted by reflection. And in Wordsworth. retketion predominates. Ile is appre• elated by individwds as he was IT the nation—lute; but he holds his place firmly. Certainly, it is reflection that predom ina tes in his works. His genius was not dramatic, nor has it what is called a "spirit-stirring" effect. The " White )foe of Itylitton," for installer, is a tale, but it wants movement : has it the stir, the throbbing, the banner-like napping motion of war ? No. The doe is as much a human person us one of the drama tit pers.im-. But the calm, solemn sanctity' the churchyard grave IT itself,—the Guilt which humbly would express Apc idiot loneliness, — all that is essentially Wordsworth. In what he has written there is always something positive to learn. His writings have the instruction of an orrery with the charm of the Mavens. What wise novel quota tions we owe to him- little sentences cherished in English homes like household gods. Have we an ode nobler than that on " Intmortalitv?" a didactic story equal to •• Resolution and Independence?" 'wetter. holier little 'titres than " We are Seven," and the s etwca on the lust girl of the •' untrodden was s ?- his natutv was that of a kindly hearted man ; he loved those alto were about him, and was essentially benevolent. 11r. Wordsworth prints a few lines from a still unpublished manuscript of his, where he says of his sister : Where'er me fisotstcps bier voice Wall like a hidden bird that sang ; TN: thought of her was like a Mush of light, Or an maven companionship—a breath Or fragrimix independent ash,: wind. 11. What are the distinctive characters of the visible church? This question, Mr. Ruskin says. is not so easy to be determined as the first. Sonic have ingeniously . and plausibly tried to make baptism a sign of admission into the visible church; but, .4 absurdly enough—for we know that half the bap tised pouf& in the world are very visible rogues, believing neither in God nor devil—and it is Mat blasphemy to call these visible Christians." It is also certain that the Holy Ghost was sometimes given before baptism. The only rational distinction is that we praeticully adopt; though a " mawkish charity" prevents one openly avowing it. It' a man professes himself to he a believer in God and in Christ, and we detect him in no glaring violation of the laws he thereby professes to obey, we conclude that he is a Christian; and if, on the other hand, we find him denying Christ in his words and conduct, we assume that he is not a member of the visible church. Of this " mawkish charity," Mr. Ruskin says: " This I hold to be one of the chiik sins of the church in the present day; for thus wicked 1111:11 are put to no shame; and better men are encouraged in their failings or caused to hesitate in their virtues, by the example of those whom, in false charity, we thus choose to call Christians. . . . We spend much time in discoursing about the efficacy of sacraments, and other such mysteries; but we du not act upon certain texts which arc very clear and visible. We know that Christ's people are not thieves—nut liars —not busy bodies—not dishonest, not cruel—not avaricious—not wasteful. Let us, then, get ourselves well clear of thieves, liars, wasteful people, avari cious people, cheating people, and pe o ple wh o d o not pay their debts. Let us assure them that they, at least, du not belong to the visible church; and, having thus got that church into decent shape and cohesion, it will be time to think of drawing the net-stakes closer." These are lines of fine elegant feeling. They meal to our memory the exquisite felicity of " The.Daftb ails," the gracious playfulness of the series on " Yarrow." While particularising, it is impossible to retrain from mentioning his sonnets, perhaps the works of his most likely to be familiarly read and remembered. It is pretty generally aamittcd that they rank with Milton s as the best in our language; many of them are delightful compendiums of wisdom in thennielies. For instance, there is more true pa thetic lamentation over the sorrows of the time in the famous one beginning The world too much with us, late and soon, Mr. Ruskin then goes on to declare his opinion of the necessity of revving the law of excommunica tion in the case of such black sheep ; but, to establish the grounds of his opiuioe, he proceeds to investigate the third and fourth questions: 111. What is the authority of the invisible church? There is no doubt of the fact that all the members of the invisible church have, at their deaths, been in pos t session of such points of doctrine as arc necessary Ito salvation ; but it is equally difficult to tell who arc these members, andto collect their death-bed evidences in any clear form, and, were such evidence carefully collected in all known cases, to get at any just pro portion of the whole body, from whose evidence to draw conclusions. Elijah's evidence, for instance, when he thought he was the sole representative of the invisible church in Isaiah, had it been sent to us from him in that character, would have been in reality but 1-7000th part of the evidence of the invisi ble church living on the earth at the time; " that is I to say, the seven millionth or trillionth of its col lective evidence." The church has been called infal lible ; and, if any church is infallible, it is, of course, the invisible church, or body of Christ ; if, therefore, we could get rid of its variable opinions, and collect the whole of its testimony, and separate from our mass of evidence the essential from the unessential points therein determined upon, our conclusions would be assuredly just ; but as insuperable difficul ties lie in the way of these proceedin it is of but little use to discourse of the church's gs, infallibility when endeavouring to settle doctrinal or practical questions. "There arc fifteen epistles expressly addressed to the members of the invisible church . . . in which we find direct injunctions not to be deceived.' So much for the infallibility of the church. Now one could put up with Poseyism, which advocates this doctrine, more patiently, if its fallacies arose from peculiar temperaments yielding to peoraliar temtta- Getting and spending, we lay waste our powen, than in half the Jeremiads of the age : How much preaching and raving against utilitarian meanness must be considered idle, compared w it h the concise and compact beauty of reproach in those fourteen lines! It is a perfect little sermon—containing wisdom in a poetic gem—a gem like one of those ecclesiastical phials of reverent ages, full of tears ! Many people find Wordsworth tedious; and that all his poems should be read with vivid de light is nut to be expected. 'Tis easy to note what makes this the case—always bearing in mind that he was essentially a teacher. In the first place, he has not the self-abandonment of many poets: he does not sing for the sake of the song, but of the hearer. His resolution to teach determines the bent of his flow of soul—colours it with sameness—cramps it within banks. Latterly this tendency grew stringer. From teacher, he pas;ted into the place of preacher. The teacher is open to new lights and impulses; the preacher works away at the old. One reflects ; the other repeats. One Is nibre natural, the other more egotistical. Indeed, Wordsworth wan—not using the word offensively—very much of an egotist. As he himself says of another : His seal was like a star and dwelt apart. -- But surely the soul is not tied to the fixed lot of • star. Had 'Wordsworth lived more among mankind he would not, we think, have written on certain 1 tions. But its bold refusal to read plain English; : who are convicted of faults decidedly denounced in I its elaborate adjustment of tight bandages over its scripture, until such faults shall be openly confessed I I ' t' - 1 own eyes, as wholesome preparations for walking and repented of. He recommend s an see colas on among trap! and pit-falls ; its daring trustfulness in code of laws on the subject , and that there should be its own clairvoyance all the time, and declarati o ns a trial, and th a t the jury should be comp:Ned of lay that every pit it falls into is a seventh heaven ; and , men, the him penalty being refusal of the sacra that it is pleasant and profitable to break its legs:— went to imwho is found guilty, for the certain with all this it is difficult to have patience. One observance of which his name shall be written up thinks of the highwayman with his eyes shut, in the f in f a public utr place as long as the punishment is iu ' Arabian Nights,' and wonders whether any kind I some remarks upon the scriptural ex scourging would prevail upon the Anglican highway- / urn ° pies of such punishment, we find some interest men to open first one eve and then the other." ling observations concerning the true position of the IV. What is the authority of the visible church ? , clergy, in the course of which Mr. ltuskin advises Mr. Ruskin tells us we must alloy the small weight that many more bishops—some hundreds—should be of invisible Christians with the large per t entage of appointed, wh o s h ou ld th us b e enabled to do undetected anti-Christians which help to form the twe what our present bishops do only in theory, that an overlook and visible church, d then proceeds to answer the pies- is, assist the clergy Itt all questions tion, which he does to this effect : and offices of difficulty. The present bishops, he "There is no authority iu doctrine. We might as says, might with advantage become archbishops, and well talk of the authority of a morning cloud ; thorn have general authority t o over l oo k th e res t. is light in it, but the light is not of it. The church • wconic We no to the lust question. is to be taught and fed, not to teach and t ied. VI. What i s th e connexion b etween t h e v i s ib le They arc a flock of sheep, who do little else but tire church and the s t a t e ? H ere M r . R us ki n o b serves themselves—getting perpetually in snows, brami i des, that there are th ree ki n d s o f c i v il governors. Th e and thickets; like to die there, but for their b i,. first merely executive, individual s wh o execu t e l aws herd, who is for ever finding them, and bearing them already established. Secondly, declarative, such back, with torn fleeces and eyes full of fear." as form laws, but, in doing so; echo the wishes and thoughts of the people, and. are liable to being But in matters of discipline the visible church's deposed, so soon a s th e y s h a ll cease t o d o so . . . . authority is very great. l'lle " sheep have power, deposed, third and hi g h es t ki n d i s d e lib erat i ve , " not however far they may be scattered from their prope; for the peopl e , but as c h osen fold, of getting together in orderly knots; follownu to taus representativeke separate counsel f o r th em , and h av i ng each other on trodden sheep-walks, and hohling thei r d ogs power committed to it to enforce upon them what heads all one way when they see strange.' ever resolution it may ndopt, whether consistent coining; as well as of casting out of their comistny : with their will or not. This ttovernment is pro any whom they see reason to suspect of not being rly to be called monarchical; and this, Mr. Ruskin right sheep, and of being among them for no good. Pe , sa , Ls : is undoubtedly the be s t kind o f government. All which things must be done a s the tim e a n d pl ace w hat is its best form is a totally diff eren t pies require, and by common consent. A p a th ma y b e good at one time of the day, w hich is bad at another, tion ; but unless it act for the people, and not as rc or after a change of wind; and n position that may presentative of thenh it is no government at all." . . Of these three states of government, the first is at be good for sudden defence, would be v er y s tiff an d once dismissed, us having no influence in ecclesiastical awkward for finding in ; and common consent mu s t matters. 'The second, as the voice of the people, and often be of such anicsuch a company, on this or that . particular hill-side, in this or that parti c ula r d anger; thus, in a certain degree, the v o i ce o f th e c h urc h, not of all the sheep in the world ; and th e consen t must affect the clergy ; and the thi r d, w hi c h s t an d s to the people in the relationship of a holm. to his may either he literally common, mid expr es s e d iu ass will have such authority over them as a hither embly, or it may be; . to appoint officers over the inn'ilvt has over the nut:sciences of his children. He rest, with such and such trusts of the common au- t- Ecannotn enforce their attendance ut any particular thority, to be used for the comm o n advanta ge ." communications, for instance, could not be elketed,date of worship, or their subscripti o n t o an y parti exceptl• . before, or by means of, officers of some ups creed; but he may undoubt e dly procure them pointed authority, - ( what religious instruction lie mar flunk best, mid This leads to the fifth question. establish such forms of worship and riles of disci pline as may please him iu his own house. But his V. What is the authority of the clergy over th e children have at the same time th e r i g ht o f 'c h as i ng visible church? First, it is considered who are the t clergy ? A certain class of iwople would say, the to comply with such forms, but should n o t u se thi s tight without the most positive conviction that the clergy are of three kinds: Bishops, who ov e rh xi k father is offering them a form of worship and in andthe church; priests, who sacrifice for the church ; struetion directly opposed to God' s writt en wor d. deacons, who minister to the church ; thus a s - Then follows the question, why s h ou ld no t th e stunting that the church is sacrificed for, and that clew, who stand still more in the relationship of peoplecannot overlook and minister to h e r at th e either* to the church, be permitt e d t o govern eiV il same time, " which," says Mr. Ruskin, elis g oin g officers? Because, Mr. Ruskin a nswers , we must • too fast." We, therefore, define the word clergy as Provide against the chances of getting bud the "spiritual_ officers of the church." as answering men into office. A wicked civilian wou ld h ave li tt l e with St. Paul's general expression of their functiin interest in overthrowing ecclesiastical authority ; it in Rom. xii. $, and 1 Thiess. v., 12. Mr. Ru s ki n desires his readers to prove from the Bibl e what often assists him, and presents hut little temptation of their giving no answer, that it is a question which in his cupidity; while the wi c k e d ecclesiastical offi should be the offices, and of what kind should be th e eve would gain much by getting the tolitical power authority of the clergy, and deduces from th e h ie t into his own liana', and woul have e v e ry ', temptation to overthrow civilians. T ere is no fear is ecessary, and, therefore, ridiculous to put. that the civil officer should underrate the dignity This he goes on to show, by pointing out that dif or shorten the serviceableness of the minister; but &rent times' and different circumstances require dif there is considerable danger that the enthusiasm of ferent offices. "Robinson Crusoe in his island wants the minister might diminish the st•rviceablettess of no bishop, and makes a thunder s torm d o f or nn the civilian. Aaron was alway s :w him t o M oses . Evangelist. The University of Oxford would b e ill Salomon thrusts out : thistl e's f rom b e i ng p r i est , an d off without its bishop, but wants an Evangelist be- Jehovah administers the funds of the Lord's hou se , sides ; and that forthwith. The auth o rity w hi c h th e though that money was a c t ua lly the atonement Vaudois shepherds need, is of Barnabas, the Son of (.'i insulation; the authority which the city o f London limner-, the ransom for soul s ." The last few 'rages of this r e m ar k a bl e p am phl e t needs is of James, the Son of Thunder." 'I I I I are occupied in calling f or grea t er un i t y b etween then rather ask of the Bible what ar e the I tWee c s•iesPi);ite's prottutants. Mr. Ruskin pr o p oses th a t hi g h an d must likely to mist in the church, and may tiny be low church, by making mutual concess i ons , s h ou ld best met by ditti•rent men, or in great part by the come to an agre e m e nt am ong th emse l ves , an d same men, acting in different capacities ? Then tlt answer stands thus: then listen to such obj ec ti ons as th e p res by ter i ans have to urge against their form of inuyer. These "The church is built upon the foundation of the objections should be carefully weighed by parties of apostles and prophets,Chnst himself being the corner- both churches ; some ought to be at ones forestalled, stone. Well, we cannot have two fienelations, so sash us those relating to the term "priest ," and the we can have no mere apostles or prophets. Them absolution passaws, excepting that in the with regard to the needs of the church, so built, morning Service, which is harmless. lite there are rebukes to be given ; scriptures to be ex- jpapijsinal question should then be settled plained ; waniings enforced; threate gs executed, i n ,rnod, those who have been refractory, and charities administered. And we find that the and have long been making curtsies alternately to men who is:dimmed these of in the apostolic Christ and anti-Christ, being suffered to go over to times called themselves, with perfect indifference, the latter if tiny chose. The concluding paragraphs deacons, bisheips, elders, evangelists, according to we give in Mr. huskin's own words: the part they were performing at tin time of speak " then, when the articles of faith and form of ing. "St. Paul almost always culls himsella deacon ; worship have been agreed upon between the English St. Peter calls himself an alder; and Tituothy, gene- and Scottish churches, the written forms and articles rally understood to be addressed as a bishop, is culled should be carefully translated into the European a ditaeon in 1 Tim. iv. 6. But there is one thing languages, and offered for acceptance to the 'notes which, as officers, or us separate from the flock, they tent churches inn the Continent, with; earliest en never call themselves; that is—Priests." treaties that they would receive them, and the en- Mr. Ruskin then goes on to show at some length, tertainment of all such objections as they should that the priest's office has for ever passed away . from reasonably allege, and thus the whole body of pro human officers, having been invested " on Chustin " testants, waited in one gnat fold, would indeed oo in morning" in the person of Him who is made a high priest for ever " after the order of Melehisedee." and out and find vasture, and the work appointed In fur them would be done quickly, and ant i -Christ this point of his argument, Mr. Ruskin calls for the overthrOWll. removal from our Book of COIIIIIIOII Prayer of the " Impossible: a thousand times impossible :—I hear term "priest," and certain passages in the "Order ing of Priests," and " Visitation of the Siek," which it exclaimed against me. No : not impossible: Christ does not order impassibilities, and Ile, has have reference to absolution, and " are," s ay s he-, ordered us to be at peace- one with another. Nay, it is I "evidently pure Romanist'', and might as we ll not be there, for any practical effect which they have on answered, He came not to send pram, but a sword.' Yes, verily; he sent a sword upon earth, but not the laity, and had much better not be Were, ns re trards their effect Olt the minds of the clergy. It is, within this thumb ; for to this church he said, ' My indeed true that Christ promised absolving powers pewce I leave with you.'" to his apostles. Ile also promised to those who be lieved that they should take up serpents, and if they ' touched tiny deadly thing it should not hurt them. His words were fulfilled literally • but those who would extend their offices beyond the apostolic times, must extend both promises, or neither.' This idea of superior holiness in the clergy, gives rise to many evils, of which not the least is a feeling of whoa -11048 in the laity, which induces a neglect of the duty which devolves on every member of Christ's church, and more especially of that of labouring for the saving of oilers by example and precept, the only mall difference between the duties of a clergyman and a layman consisting in the wider authority given to the'former as a wiser or better man. In addition to such offices _as the scam , Pitcairn's Isiand and the Islanders. By WALTEU BILODIE. Whittaker and Co. It hag sometimes been contended, with a certain' plausibility, that when an author chooses for any reason to print his work by subscription, instead of abiding by the elumees of the market, the general public, who have neglected to become parties to such un author's contract, have no claim to intertive with, any opinion nx to the manner of its fulfilment, the merits of the work being a matter concerning the subscribers alone. Whatever soundness then may be in this claim of subscription works to im munity from celibate, it is notorious that it is this very Class of books which will least bear the test of examination. Mr. Brodie relieves us, however, from all scruples in respect of his publication, since, con- 1 fident in the strength of a good list of subscribers, he has advanced from his entrenchments, and, not content with his guaranteed advantages, challenges the suffrages of all comers. The . public, then should know that the writer's pretensi xis to be an authority concerning l'iteuirn's Island and its inhabitants, are based on a casual re sidence of eighteen days. Accidental and unexpected as was the manner of his visit and stay there—he was left ashore, the vessel from which he landed having been blown off during the night—the idea of writing a book must have occurred very naturally and easily to him, as his diary informs us that before the vessel was well out of sight he was employed in " collecting information about the island.' The original data which he succeeded in obtaining are, first, a page of " hieroglyphics," being an exact copy of ducks and drakes, w hi c h some grown-up char!, probably a savage, long since cut in the rock of the Island; and also a narrative, occupying ten pages, taken down from the lips of a survivor of the original immigrants, relating to their quarrels with the Tahitians. Besides these, we have a list of the young women and lads who attended a singing class while Mr. Brodie remained on the island, discriminating the pitch and quality of their several voices ; a genealogy of all the inhabitants past and present; a list of all ships, barques, brigs, schooners, and cutters, that have touched at the island for provisions, water, &c., since 1808 ; and a register of events extending from 1790 to 1869, 1 being almost exclusively a record of births, deaths, and marriages, interspersed with minute de tails of the symptoms of various disorders with which the people have been afflicted. Having given all these, and compiled a meagre account of the island, of which more than one elegant des cription and history already exist, Mr. Brodie reprints sixty-two pages of despatches let ters, memoranda, and other official documents obtained from the Admiralty. After this, the reader will - - agree with the author that he has . - ing of tables by deacons, about which therCen n be no doubt, 311.. Ruskin divides the duties of clergy men under two heads. The first teaching, including doctrine, learning, and comfort ; and the second, discipline, including reproof and direct administra tion of punishment. Concerning teachers, he re marks that it is natural and wise that a certain clam of men should be set apart by the church to make theology the study of their lives, and as a means of diffusing the knowledge acquired, that they should preach to and visit the people. The truths of divinity can only be well learned as they are joined in practice; hence it is well that the same man should learn, act, and teach. " The unity of knowledge and love, both devoted altogether in the seniee of Christ and his church, marks the true Christian minister ; who ... whenever he has existed, has never failed to receive due and fitting reverence from all men .... If all those who profess to be such were such indeed, there would never be question of their authority more." But this authority extends to no man's conscience. Each man may, and indeed must, himself, dig for truth; the Christian minister may point out the field, and the best implements with which to dig, but he cannot find the treasure by his own labour, and present it to another. Valuable as may be the instructions of the ti ne Christian minister, it behoves the learner to listen to them with caution, and to judge by his own conscience and the Bible whether " these things are so," rather than blindly to follow the instructions of any one wearing the garb of the office, into whose hands he may full. In proof of this assertion Mr. Rus kin refers to several passages, both in the Old and New Testaments, in which wisdom is promised to those who seek it for themselves, and in which the apostles call upon their hearers to judge them, and whence it appears that it was the custom in the apostolic times for the churches to give letters of recommendation to ' such ministers as they thought worthy to teach, and that St. Paul dispensed with such letters, not on the grounds of his apostolic commission, but because his preaching was enough manifested in thaw to whom he wrote. It is in speaking more particularly of discipline that Mr. Ruskin enlarges upon his views concerning excommunication, which word, as he uses it, means simply banishment from the Lord's table of those fertile. soil and line climate of the small island, its residents already complain of over population. It is clear, however, even from the present work, that its resources have not been half brought out. The inhabitants seem to have found a patron in Mr. Brodie, who is open to receive contributions har their aid. Ile further proposes to assist them in the manlier indicated in the following paragraph : As the author intends to remit a portion of the profits arising from the sale of this work to the islanders, who are very scantily provided with clothing and other necessary comforts, parties who wish to give a small donation to this virtuous little community, may, by taking more co pies than they require for their own use, send the spare ones to the islanders themselves through the author. As every stranger calling at Pitcairn's Island is too glad to procure some memento of them, a hook containing a full descrip tion of these islanders would sell to strangers visiting the island to greater advantage than imything else; and it would not only do them much good in a pecuniary point of I view, but would place their present unfortunate condition more fully before the public, now more than ever needed. The italics me the author's. A considerable portion of the correspondence above referred to relates to the conduct of a certain Joshua Hill, who made his appearance in Pitcairies Island about thirteen years ago, without credentials of any kind, and in a short time had built a prison, become a magistrate and a minister, and taken to scolding and scourging the natives right royally. At length, called upon to give sonic account of himself and his pretensions to authority, he drew up the following carious statement, which we may call THE ArroMoOnAeliV OF A SNOB. I am aware that pedantry and egotism become no one, and myself perhaps less than any. (Pro. xxvii. 2.) But for certain reasons, the following credentials, as a memo ramlUM, I hope will be pardoned on the present occasion— they are truths. I observe, in limiter, that I hare visited the four quar ters of the globe, and it has ever been my desire to main tain, as far as lay in my power. the .Looting of an En g li s h gentleman. I have lived a considerable while in a palace, and bad my dinner parties with a print,. on my right, and a g eneral ' s lady upon lily le ft . I have had a French cook, a box at the opera. I have drove my dress carriage (thought the neatest then in Paris, where I spent five or six years; as well I have known Calcutta), nod the handsomest lady (said), Madame It , to grace my carriage. I have drooe a curriele with 111 V two outriders, and two saddle hones, besides a travelling-carriage. A valet, coachman, Ibutman, groom, and, Upoll extraordinary occasions, my ,na;tre dle4rl. I have (at her request) visited Madame, Bonaparte, at the Tuilt•nes, St. Cloud, and Nthlmaison. 1 might thus mention many others of now abroad. I have frequently dined with that remarkable woman, Madame Carlour3s, afterwanl. the Princess de C—. 1 bare had the honour of being in company, 1. e., at the same parties, with both his late Majesty (irorge then Prince Re gent, and his present Majesty William IV., then 11.11.11. Duke of Clarence, as well with their royal brother*. 1 pare ridden in a royal duke's carriage, with four horses and three footmen 1111 l re than olive, and have dined a t hi s t a bl e , an d drunk the old hock of his late father George 111. I have visited and diued with some of our tint !amities. and have Teen visiwal by a duke, and others of the first noblemen. I have known and dined with (abroad and in England) Madames Cataliati, Grusaiui, Georges, Ske. And I have given the arm to Lady Hamilton (of Naples renown\, whom the hero of the Nile has given his (one) to more than once. I have dine) with a viceroy-governor (who was a general and a count), and with admirals, both on board their ships and on shore. I have entertained governors, generals, captains (R.N.), on board my ship, more than once. And I have commanded several ships, mewl went to an at the beginning of the French Revolution. I have been acquainted with many military mil nasal officers. I have, since 18n7, my admittance, from the late President, Sir Joseph Bankeon to the sittings of the Royal Society. I have occasionally breakfasted with Sir Joseph, and visited, and even pre sented a friend to his evening parties. My admittanc.• to the Royal Soviety has always admitted me to similar institutions abroad. I received the dress sword, and nau tical instruments, of a noble lord (at has death), a vice-admiral of the red. I sailed from England (Portsmouth, May Ist, 1791) to the East Indies and China, in the largest fleet, possibly, that ever was; it was under Lord Howe, down the British Chu .1, just ru e month before his great victory. I have visited the Falls of Niagara and Montmorency, the natural bridge in Virginia, the great reciprocating fountain in East TVIIIICreite, the great Temple of Melo:meta at Bombay. I have dined with a prince, as well us with a princess; and with a count, a baron, an ambassador, a minister (ordinary and extraor dinary), and have travelled with one for some weeks. I have dined with a eharyt; d'ajlitirr, and lived with consuls, &c. I hare visited and conversed with lied Jacket," the 'great Indian warrior. I have visited and been visited by a bishop. I have frequently partook of the delicious Dua -1 garian wine (tokey). Prime Easterletey'a ; as also of Prince Swautzerburgh's old honk, said to hare been 73 years old ; and I was intimate with the brother-in-law of this last German nobleman. I have dined with it principal Dona l merchant at Canton. I have wit next to the beautiful Madame Recumier and Madame Carbanus, at the great dinner parties. I have written to the prime minister of England, and have received the (late Earl of Liverpaors) answer with his thanks, &e. I was at Paris when the allies were made there. I have visited and loreakfusted with the ; late Warren Hinting., Esq., at his seat in Gl ouces tershire. have 113.1 pertlli , e4,lll with a party of friends to hunt over his gran:eds. Entertained, &c., two or three days at the sport ing lodge of an earl, now u marquis. 1 have made a crimson silk nut fur a certain fashionable marybioness, which she actually wore at her next great party of five or six hundred persons. I have danced with the Countess Bertrand, i. e., Mademoisselle Fanny Dillon, before she married the mar shall. I was at Napoleon's coronation. I have been in vited to the lord mayor's, and no the dinner of an alth•rnian of London ; to time. also of the first merchants and hanker s , as the late Mr. Thelusson (afterwards Lord Rendlesham), the tionnerly rich Messrs. A. and 11. Goldsmiths, &c. And at Paris I have had a credit of 1000,018) francs at one time, on the house of Perregan, Latfitte, etiec., and other bankers at Paris for considerable smuts. Delment and th. fur 40,000 Dunes, and Meander's, at one 11m0,1100 francs. Latfitte** house at another time for 50,000 francs; again for 12,1)10 franca. I have had a time nearly -4,0011i. sterling at the Bank of 1:110,11111. I wmte and pub lisloal in the hoodoo Monthly l'att (7th March, 1811), on inaval power. I have Well the Vestrises, father, won, and grandson, at once (fli t' only time) dance on the stage at the opera at Paris. I •ve given a passage to many on board my ship, but never in my the received a farthing as passage money from any jx•rson. lam decidedly against the ow- of ardent spirit (malt liquor may do for those who like it) to bacco, &c. And as fur wine, that only at dimmer; it even then ought to be good, if not the wry best, as the Goole me( would have it, when speaking of ('lass-Vaugeat, and Romance, &c. I have had a tine hand of music on board my Aire, and my four kinds of wine on lily table. (I am not sleeping on a "led of rows" now, but in an humble hut or cabin.) After all, what dues the fore going amount to:—vanity of vanities. I will merely add, that 1 have had a year In the church of Christ, and that lam a life member of the Bible Society. That 1 am hooking with the blessed Lord's help to something of far no, re intrinsic worth and consideration—. the prim of our high calling "—the life to come. lam now in my sixty second year of age, and of course it is high time that I should look upon this world as nearly to close on me. I might perhapa say much more, but must stop. I have had a member of parliament, an East India director, call on me to ask a favour, which, indeed, no me else could grant. I have his note thus still. And I have had a beautiful Egyptian lady write to me (I have her note also still), the wife of one of Bunaparte's generals. lam now an humble teacher upon Pitcairn's Isle for the time being. SUICIDE or A LUNATIC IN liKrucEm lIOSPITAL —Yesterday, Mr. W. Payne held an inquest in the Board room of Bethletn Hospital, respecting the death of Thomas Ridley, a respeetale.c man of Paddington, a lunatic, and inmate of the Royal lkthlern Hospital, who committed suicide by precipitating himself front one of the upper windows of that institution. Dr. William Wood, resident medical officer of the hospital, said that he knew the de ceased from the time of his admission to the hospital, on Saturday, the 26th ult. He was in a depreswd state; was very miserable in his mind, and had attempted to commit suicide on more than one occasion. He was also labouring under delusions, the principal of which were, that his wife was insane, and that her health was destroyed in ecn sequence; the real fact being, that his wife wash in good health, and there was nothing the matter with her. Ile was not violent, but feeble and childish. On the Friday following his admittance he wished to do sonic work, but as lie had been recently admitted he was nut allowed to do anything but what lie could amuse himself with in the gallery. lie was less oppressed on the Monday, and requested of the attendants that he might have some other employment, which was communicated to witness on the Tuesday. lie told deceased that he had a painter st his house employed in cleaning some paint, and asked him If he could du anything of the kind, and be appeared much pleased with the offer. Witness ordered the attendant to take him to his house and give him into the charge of the painter. Witness saw him occasionally during the day, when lie appeared to take an interest in his work, and was eery cheerful. In the evening he said he was better, and appeared very grateful. On the following morning, there being nothing for him to do, he sent him into the nursery with his own children, to amuse himself by rubbing some pictures. He took him himself among his own children, and told his little girl to talk to him for the pur pose of diverting his mind. Before he went out lk• gave instructions to the nurse never to lose eight of him. At dinner time the attendant came and took him away. As the steward would be from home in the afternoon, the attendant received orders that he should not some in again that day, In the afternoon, however, he expressed • wish to the attendant to g o in nsurn, and with- Lout out hospital he eh.rge witness of 's k a no p w ati le e d n g t e h w e h too o k h. h d ini bcc in n ag in ai t u h , and left him man yeah, named Drunker, who was employed in whites w the place. Having the range of the building, ho wank his ewe. This person left the room for • short tif• lo fetch IMO water, to a sink not more than five or . . probably —...' -- - -;ho t- -' - te -- ii - that " put together an account of these good reople unlike &ix rants distant , ' ho c ! durin g the In ee f cr ooned the melon,. y occurrence happened o the c ans' that he has before seen or heard of. ceased throwing himself from the window.—The jury eon- P fhe successors of the mutineer, of the Bounty stilted together for some time, and then returned a verdict & have multiplied so f as t s i nce th e i r di scovery b y S ir .. That the ewd destroyed himself while in a state of Thomas Staines, in 1814, that, notwithsta nd ing the bimait/'.. GAILDEND/G OPERATIONS FOR TILE ENSUING WEEK. (hen the /'.wiener's Chronicle.) PE %NT oremermENT. Az.tu:ts should be attended to US they go out of bloom, potted if they require it, and placed in a favourable situation fur forming their young growths. Many plants, particularly large ones, which received a liberal shaft last year, will not have filled their pot. MI full of roots us to render repotting necessary, and it is better to allow such to make their growth, mid set their flower buds without additional pot room. This growth will, of course be a moderate one, and when this is properly matured, and the danger of th e ir st ar ti ng aga i n i s paseed, we give them a slight shift, and place them in a cool house. In the new soil so supplied, they continue to produce roots during the rem:nailer of the autumn a nd winter, but without making progress in the tow, and the roots being thus in advance of the head, the plants are prepared to meet the flowering season with extra vigour; for in the size and colour of the flowers, Azaleas so treated far our pass those which have been treated in the ordinary way. Though these useful pduets succeed very well in common peat, to which n small portion of leaf-mould and sandy loam, with a liberal supply of mud, has been added, yet those who ran procure Witubleilon peat, at a mode rate expense, will find it answer their purpose to do so, as the high state of perfection to whirls the Azalea attains in that soil, is ample recompense. Supply alma dance of drainage to large specimens, and let the compost be rough in proportion to the size of the plants to he shifted. Ilarn-wooded plants, recently putted, should bo kept rather close till their new roots are in progress; and in fine afternoons they will be coneiderably benefited by a gentle syringing. During this season, when the greeter part of the plants are in active growth, and require more warmth and moisture, thoee which are in flower should be kept by themselves, where their blossoms can be preserved by shading, free iulmission of air, and a drier utmosphere. As the cooler pits and frames are set ut liberty, they may i.e made very useful during the summer by filling them with suitable composts, and turning out young greenhouse Vents into them, there to m a k e their einunwee growth. mated in this manner they make much greater pregrese during a season than when grown in pots. and are with less difficulty induced to form handsome plant.. Young Azaleas, camellias, &c., can by this treatment he induced to make double the I.rrowth, and thus acquire a vigour which will be maintained for year+, and whirli is no: so easily ob tained under any other course of management. The prin cipal points requiring attention are, to *mare a good drainage, to give each plant sufficient epee:, and to elevate the surface of the soil as near to the glaes es potsible, allow ing only sufficient height for the plants themselves, mill a vigorous summer's growth. The extent to which this plan is adopted should be regulated by the facilities at co and for preserving them after they are taken up in the autumn, and potted, as the frame* wall then be required fur other purposes. THJ EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 10, 1851. FORCINO I)EPAILTSIENT. riNEßtrs.—The increasing power of the sun's rays will now tend to raise the temperature of the pine-pit. consi derably higher; but care should he taken not to allow it to get :Owe ix) dig., as the leaves are very liable to be injured by excess of heat. If it caunot he kept down by a moderate increase of ventilation, recourse must be had to shading with thin bunting, which is pm frrablc to ope • g the sashes too much, and thus causing excessive evaporation Success in the cultivation of the pine &mild* in a urea measure upon the avoiditm of sudden changes, which ten t either to cheek their growth or to cause undue excitement, and the isonsunuence of which would be to throw the plaint prematurely into fruit, ut the expense of both size and quality. Cherries: Where the fruit is rip • g give abund ance of air, and maintain a drier atmosphere, hut let the trees on which the fruit is swelling have plenty of water, and syringe them freely in line weather, to keep the foliage awl fruit tree from insects. Strawberries should now be abundantly supplied with water, or they will change co lour before they have attained their full size. Melees: Keep up the heat in the beds by adding fresh linings as they require it. If plants on which the fruit is near ripen ing are in need of water, give it in the morning, that the vapour arising from the soil may jaws (lluring the day. Keep the shoots thin and regular, allowing not more than three or four fruits to swell on each plant. As it is not ne cessary that melon,' Mr preserving should be very large, those which are intended for this purpose may he left thicker ,uu the plants than those which are grown for table ; for, in the latter cam., :•ize la uhum.t as much an object as flavour. Endeavour by all means to ',swerve the foliage of early plants in a clean and healthy state, that they way produce a second crop. Frames, in which potatoes have been burred, should now be prepared fur late ntelon.. Let the soil ho good, IS or 21 inches deep; and if the frames are not fur ni•lied with hot-water pipe., a bottom heat of ell degrees should be sap plit d by means of lining. or fermenting mate rial between tile bem, motet:ft (1.%1C1 PN ANII out;, IlltElttES. The newly 'planted falls in the flower garden will require watchful attention lest any of tit.• plants suffer from drought; and the watering should be dime in the early in the afternoon; fur if done late, and there should happen to be :I frost during the night, they would sutler. I would still recommit nd the use of evergreen pruning. a ,, a protection against scorching Mt and cold cutting winds. lite surface of the ground may be lett very rough, to pre vent evaporation, until the plants are sufficiently established Ito admit of the branches being removed; after whirh, if the ground he dry, it should receive a good watering, and then, for appearance sake, should be made smooth with a small rake: or, if this course be nut approved of, it may be made aunooth at once ; and, to prevent the escape of moisture, it may be covertil over with a thin layer of short grass front the lawn, which the extending foliage will soon conceal. In either case the plants should la: well watered immediately. After planting, taking care to moisten the plants thoroughly, WI plants turned out of pots I an• liable to sutkor much if not well attended to, until they make new roots into the soil. Many late spring propagated plants will he better if they remain a little longer in the frames, as, unless fairly established previous to being planted mod, they will la. ot :long time before they start into growth in a satisfactory manner. Where they plants have been pricked out into frames of soil, attention should be ' paid to lifting them with a sufficient bull of earth and roots, and also to conveying them to their destination, and plant ' int; them :is quickly and with us little injury as pssible. Those frames which have loom emptied will he useful to put the autumn-struck roses into, from the north wall, where they have been all the winter. If carefully lilted, mated, and put into the now empty pits and frames, they will in a new weeks be ready for planting out perm neatly ; and many of them will Hower lute in the autumn. 1 . 1.01115 T W rum, The late sad ungenial weather has made havoc with tulips, where our repeated caution to keep them protected has turn neghtted. find-storm and frost have done their work, :mil lally bed* will Ice f I sadly 'outdated. Those, then, who hare taken the necessary care will hr triumphant at the forthcoming exhibition+. 'I his sitcom will, we think, prove to managers the impropriety of fixing the day of chow toi long bctiirehand, which very often results in disapoint mem. The side beds, and where breeder tulips are grown, should be examined, and any promising buds covered, even it' with a piece of board, having a hole through it, so that by introducing a carnation or other stick, it may ha' kept the requisite height above the flower.—Dahlias in pots should be kept growing, so that robust, healthy plant s m a y lie insured when the time comes for planting out. Sec that the manure is well incorporated in the soil where they are to be plated.—ltanunculuses are generally looking well ; kee:i seedlings from too much sun, and quicken their growth by all available means. Shade acriculas, and us the pips area,' extract them front the calyx, so that the eIVII may bane every passible chance of ripening. Stake carnations and picotees, and keep the surface of both pink and pansy beds loose and friable. 17,11 EN GARDEN. Beds should now be prepared fur vegetable marrows and ridge cucumbers, by taking out a trench in one ul the quar ters, 4 feet wide and 1.1 inches deep, throwing the soil to the two sides to raise them higher. The trench should he tilled to the top with rotten dung, from the surface of the earliest vine borders, or from any other convenient source ; this should be trodden solid, and covered to the depth of lli inches with part of the soil taken out in running the trench mix.' with some fresh soil and a little manure. This should be dune inane/Lately, that the bed may have tins to settle be fore the plants are put out. Let old mu s hroom b e d s b e ex amined, by nmoving the soil as soon so they go out of bear ing. If the dung appears decayed or cxhawaed, the bed should be immediately renovated ; but if, as it often hap pens, the beds are found in good order, solid, and teeming with spawn, they should be watered moderately with tepid water, if they require it, and covered in a day or two after wards with 2or 3 inches of fresh loamy soil. In hot wea ther, the house should be kept as osd as possible, and a moist atmosphere obtained by sprinkling the paths and walls with cold water; allowing excessive evaporation to escape by means of a top ventilator. Let all the horse drop pings produced be carefully collected and stored up, to re innate exhausted beds. SALE OF ThE METROPOLIS ROADS.—Yesterday the coouoiusioneru of the metropolis roods hull uoteeting ut the offices of the commiss....__‘, No. 9, Whitehall-place, to let by auction, for the term of one yearfrom the I.t of July next, the tolls payable during the year at the gates and bars t u ro po p ? „l.6 and b il y th here e w sits a of re th ly e a se r ‘ t . i i , •ra o l c rmil ix , o the wf noesen the roads abutting on the line from the suburbs leading to the Great Exhibition, in llyde-park. The following were the roads put up to auction, with the prices they produced and the sums they fetched the previous year:—'fair Ken sington, Brentlurd, and lsleworth roads were put up at 14 ; 5004 and sold to Mr. Taylor, the f o rm er lessee, for 13,8901; the Highgate and Hampstead, or Islington, roads were offered at 17,4001., said produced 18,1301.; and the Tyburn and Uxbridge roads, which were put up at 8,8101., went for 9,1101. These tolls were bought by Mr. Levy. In referei.ce to the Tyburn and Uxbridge roads, in answer to • question as to the receipt from the tolls by Mr. Levy daring the first eleven weeks of the year, it was stated by the noble chairman that they realised 3531. ss. A FRY-Nell Itomigg'f.—A robbery of unhoard-of audacity, it is stated, took place on Wednesday evening at the Jardin des Plantes, Paris. The thieves, who were pro bably concealed at the moment when the gates were closed, earned off one of the lions of the menagerie. The police only became aware of the fact the next morning and enter tained hopes of discovering the thieves, whose course has been tracked as far as the (lulu by stains of blood on the ground. A handkerchief covered with blood has also been dpcovered near the animal's lair; it bears the initials 'C. V.