The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-08 00:00:00

takes the Record for its organ ; and that, speaking of
the alienation of the working classes from ,public
worship, the Record declares its foremost cause to be
the vicious arrangement of nearly all our churches
and chapels." "It is important," (says the writer)
" when we speak of this, to bear in mind the real date
and origin of the evil of which we complain. The
pew-system, or rather the whole internal arrangement
of the churches and chapels of the metropolis, is not
ancient : it is not Roman Catholic, nor is it Protestant.
It took its rise nearly two centuries after the Reforma-
tion, in one of the darkest and most deplorable periods
of the whole British history. . . . The first half
of the last century, within which most of the present
churches and chapels were built, was a period in which
religion, morals, science, and literature were all at the
lowest ebb. Unblushing corruption in the govern-
ment, and vulgar selfishness among the people, cha-
racterised the age. Yet a traditional respect for the I
religion established by the law still existed. The
churches of the City were rebuilt; and, as the West-
minster parishes largely increased in population, new
churches were built for them. But, throughout the
whole, one principle of action is everywhere discernable.
The upper and middle classes built the churches for
themselves. Examine any of them, and see what pro-
vision is made for the largest class of all—the work-
ing men and their families. Enter St. Clement's
Church, or St. Martin's, St. Paul's, Covent-Garden,
St. George's, Bloomsbury, or St. John's Chapel, and
see what seats have been provided for those who form
two-thirds of the population. A few benches up the
middle aisle, or at the back of the galleries, constitute
nearly the whole accommodation set apart for those
whose numbers, in the immediate vicinity, must be
told by thousands. What wonder is it, then, if the
mechanic, entering such a church, and feeling himself
regarded as almost an intruder, resolves to go there
no more ? Is not the resolution, on the part of a man
not yet religious, a very natural one The truth is,
we have gone in the very teeth of St. James's injunc-
tions, and are now reaping that which we have
sown." The simple remedy is repentance, and imme-
diate restitution."

This, from cooh a quarter, is a hopeful sign ; and
we would earnestly commend it to the attention of all,
especially in Liverpool, who lament the Church's pre-
sent inefficiency, and wish to see it remedied.

FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.

MONDAY MORNING.

THE season of merriment and feasting is now coming ra-
pidly to a natural termination. The citizens having ex-
hausted the ordinary means of killing time during the holiday
season by endless rotations of visitings, inspections of the new
pantomimes, attendance at the exhibitions, and having greatly
pleased themselves without edifying others by criticisms on
the various amusements which form the staple topics of con-
versation and enjoyment during the good old Christmas pe-
riod, have begun once more to turn that ever-revolving wheel
of industry which plies its ceaseless rounds in the metropolis.
Conspicuous among the cheering events which render the fes-
tive season delightful, is the frequent exercise of that active
benevolence whose mission it is in so far to equalise the par-
tial gifts of fortune by making the poor participators in the
bounties of the rich. The example in this, as in most chari-
table deeds, was, as usual, taken by the QUEEN, whose New
Year's-day charities, to the extent of £550, were dispensed on
Tuesday forenoon to six hundred of the poor of the parishes
of Windsor and Clewer. The charity in this instance con-
sisted of food and articles of clothing, and they were distri-
bnted in the Riding-house of the Castle in presence of HER
MAJESTY, the PRINCE CONSORT, and the whole of the Royal
Family, together with the illustrious guests who were partici-
pating in the royal hospitalities. In the evening of the same
day, METHYL'S sacred drama of " Joseph," transformed into

an oratorio by the introduction of descriptive recitatives,
composed by Cusms, organist to the QUEEN'S private chapel,
was performed in St. George's Hall. The drama, in its
present form, has been translated into English by W.
BARTHOLO3LEW.

SIIAKSPEARE, who lets us into many other secrets, makes
us also acquainted with various cares affecting royalty, and
emphatically declares

Uneasy is.the head that wears a crown.
It so happens, however, that most of the difficulties with
which he surrounds his crowned heads are matters of serious
moment, and it is questionable if even his teeming invention
could have,realised so dire a mishap as that which has threat-
ened' to disturb the peaceful arrangements of Her Majesty
QUEEN VICTORIA. The Windsor Castle theatricals are to be
revived ; and, on the 10th of this month, one of the pieces se-
lected for representation was " A Nice Farm," Mrs. F.
MATTHEWS, Mr. CHARLES MATHEWS, and Mr. ROBERT
ROXBY being selected to perform the leading characters in the
comedietta. " One man may lead a horse to water, but
twenty shall not compel him to drink," says the proverb. Otte
sovereign may command the services of any one of her sub-
jects, but it requires the authority of another potentate to se-
cure the co-operation of " Her Majesty's faithful servants."
Our liege lady VICTORIA may have perfect sway at Windsor
Castle, and in all other portions of her dominions, but King
SMITH is head of the reigning dynasty at Drury-lane Theatre,
and it so happens, that, at the present conjuncture of affairs,
there has been a diplomatic arrangement between the wielder
of the real and of the mimic sceptre. His Smithian Majesty
refuses to allow his subjects to take service, even as volunteers,
in the theatric armies of the QUEEN of BRITAIN! "This is
the first time that our House has been embroiled with the
House of BovEzon," was the modest remark of VESTRIS, the
dancer, in reference to some cause of offence he had given to
the Court of Versailles. It has been reserved for the second
half of the nineteenth century to witness a similar embroil-
Ment between two great houses. The House of SMITH has
become embroiled n ith the House of BRUNSWICK. Flow
these rival houses are to be reconcile it is difficult to
conjecture. One thing only seems certain, the House of
SMITH will not give way. CHems MATunws is the
ambassador from Drury ; and he pleads as his reason for
not taking part in the Windsor theatricals, that King
SMITH, to whom he owes dramatic allegiance, has strictly
"forbidden him to perform at Windsor;" and in this
condition, with true diplomatic reserve, he leaves the cause of
this prohibition in the dark—or to be guessed at. The
Monarch of Drury Lana, however, has. another, and more.
communicative emissary in the Era, which unfolds the canna,
Belli : this it does in a style which would do credit to a negc.
tiator no less adroit than Lord JOHN himself, the newspaper
protocol having decidedly the advantage over his Lordshiis-
double-headed Vienna, interpellations, in so far as they are
comprehensible. It commences by an assurance that "the.
play-going mind'" has for some time past been puzzled to
find out "why HER MAJESTY does not visit Drury Lane
Theatre." With the true liberality of an envoy who has
made up his mind to uphold his position through good report
and through bad report, he admits that HER MA.TESTZ has an
undoubted right to please herself in bestowing her patronage ;
but dextrously adds, that the " exception of Drury Lane
creates perplexity in that portion of the public gifted with "a
play-going mind." He, with wonderful as well as. com-
mendable naivete, gives indications of the point at which
King SMITH'S shoe pinches : "the QUEEN'S box at Drury
Lane is a national custom almost amounting to.a right," says
the diplomatic Era. Whose right, however, he does not
state, but it also involves an annual payment of £2OO. In the
meantime matters are run to extremity by the House of
SMITH against the House of BRonswxes. Windsor Castle has
been put in a state of dramatic blockade. The QUEEN will
not go to Drury Lane, and, unlike the tactique of MAHOMKT,
Drury Lane cannot go to the QuEnsr. The potentate of
Drury makes reprisals, and will hot allow his histrionic trio
to convey their Nice Farm to Windsor, Such a state of
matters is indeed serious. Many well-meaning people, not so
well-gifted with prescience as the astronomers of Laputa, can
perceive no means of escaping from the difficulty so promising
as an Austrian intervention. The nature of the dispute seems

happily adapted to the genius of such a pacificator. How
beautifully the terms of amity could be arranged by such a
diplomatist, in some such terms as the following :—The
Royal box to be established at Drury Lane in all respects,
except the rent; the equivalent for which being the permis-
sion for MRS. F. MATTHEWS, ME. C. MA.THEWS, and ME.
R. ROXBY to play at Windsor Castle for the honour of the
, thing. Every one feels satisfied these would be terms on
which the individuals in question would be only too happy to
render their services.
While public attention has been somewhat rudely stirred
by such theatrical
and nncourtly strife, the general hum of
preparation, which is almost always expected as a prelude to
opening the parliamentary campaign, seems totally absent.
Frequent,indeed almost daily,meetings of ministers, give token
that the members of the government are not entirely oblivious
as to what the country expects from them when the opportu-
nity for asking questions shall arrive. In the meantime poli-
tical speculation of all kinds seems dead or dormant. The
leaders of all parties seem more intent on watching the move-
merits of their opponents, than desirous of revealing their
own plans of parliamentary strategy. Many topics for late-