The Press.
London, England, 1858-08-21 00:00:00

804

THE WEEK.

The blessing of GOD has once more endowed us with an abundant
harvest. The accounts daily received from all the districts of wide England
afford indubitable testimony of this most gratifying fact. Agriculture
generally, so far from being crushed under the weight of the undue
pressure which was forced upon it by the sudden relaxation of the Pro-
tection Laws, has sprung up more lifelike from its depression; and new
scientific principles, and wider and better plans for making the earth yield
forth her increase, have produced their natural and logical result. At the
same time the season of distrust and panic has happily passed away, and
the money which at such times is hoarded by timid and careful capitalists
'lbws once more freely in its accustomed channels. For some months past
Money stands at one-and-a-half to two per cent. at the Exchange.
Let us hope that the late insane thirst for undue gains and reckless
speculation has left many wiser, as it undoubtedly has sadder, men.
The Continent generally seems to have suffered severely from
inundations, from which we have happily been spared. The Rhine
and the Danube have ravaged many a fair acre that promised
a smiling return for the farmer's labour, and the stock of wheat from the
Continent is expected to be far below the average. Probably the general
price will not be much affected, but it is a subject of thankful gratu-
lation that we have been blessed with an abundant and excellent return,
both quantity and quality alike granted us. And with this staple in
our hands may we not fairly expect the gold which will purchase it ?
Trade, we trust, will revive, and the thousand and one arts which supply
the luxuries daily use has rendered necessaries, will flourish under the
cheering influence of plenty.

The question of the London Public Schools, which has this week
occupied so much space in the columns of the daily papers, divides itself
into two heads. First, the question of site ; and secondly, the question of
system. Under the first head may be classed these three evils-1. Insalu-
brity ; 2. The prevention of manly exercises ; 3. The removal of boys from
all the associations and usages of country life, which exert so wholesome
an influence on the formation of their habits and tastes during this suscep-
tible period. Under the head of system will come (4.) the extensive
intermixture of day-boys peculiar to the London public schools, which cer-
tainly interferes with the influences of the regular public-school system on
which English gentlemen set so high a value. But these objections are
of very unequal application. To such schools as King's College, the City
of London School, St. Saviour's School, together with the first-class
public schools, Merchant Taylors', St. Paul's, and Christ's Hospital, it
may be said that the three first apply to a very great extent. Merchant
Taylors, we believe, at one time used to have a boat upon the river, and, as
well as St. Paul's, still makes a spasmodic effort to maintain an eleven.
But they have perhaps to go two or three miles to practise, to
some of the suburban cricket-grounds, and can, consequently, do
so very rarely. Insalubrity and demoralization are, of course,
common to them all. Christ's Hospital, we believe, has no day-
boys, but two,thirds of the other schools are composed of such, where the
boarders affect to give themselves the airs of a little aristocracy. But, in
the case of Westminster and Charterhouse, the decay, if either be decay-
ing, can hardly be owing to anything but the one simple fact of their being
in London. Charterhouse has a very good cricket-ground, and West-
minster now has cricket, in addition to her ancient and celebrated aquatics.
Cricket, football, and boating, are exercise enough for the most rampant
young spirits, and not such a very bad substitute for birds-nesting,
poaching, and hare and hounds; though the latter, no doubt, are prefer-
able. Both schools discourage day-boys, and the regular esprit du corps
and discipline of a public school is as thoroughly maintained in each as at
Winchester and Eton. In the charge of insalubrity they, of course, par-
ticipate with the rest. Of our four main objections, therefore, it would
appear that Westminister and Charterhouse are open to the
first and third ; Christ's Hospital to the first and third, and
the second partially ; Merchant Taylors and St. Paul's to the first
and third, and the second and fourth partially ; and all the other London
schools to all four equally. The proposal to remove some of these schools
into the country is not altogether new. We know that in the case of
Merchant Taylors' it has been talked of more than once. But un-
doubtedly there are great obstacles in the way. We shall be curious to
see what the Times says in reply to the letter signed "J. J. G." in its
impression of Thursday. " Remove," says the writer, speaking of Mer-
chant Taylors', " our old school from Suffolk-lane to the country, and
" where would the sons of the numerous professional men struggling for an
" existence, and others living in the metropolis, and now receiving a sound
" classical education at Merchant Taylors', St. Paul's, and the Charter-
" house, fitting them for a professional career, obtain it ? For,
"of course, you are aware that a professional man making his
" 600/. or 8001. a year cannot afford to pay 2501. a year a piece for
" five sons at Harrow or Eton." In fact, one of the reasons adduced for
removing these schools from London is, viewed in this light, one of the
strongest reasons for keeping them where they are. We mean the
existence of day-boys. For people who can afford to pay for the benefits
of " association," plus Latin and Greek, there are Eton, and Winchester,
and Harrow, and Rugby, and Shrewsbury—in fact, even Charterhouse
and Westminster—for, as above stated, these two schools are not much
troubled with day scholars. For those who can only afford to pay for one
of these two luxuries, there are the remainder of the London public schools.
At a time when the growing indisposition of the trading classes to give
their sons a liberal education 19 a constant subject of complaint, we should
be cautious how we furnish them with fresh excuses for their conduct. It
seems to us, however, that one important cause of the decline of London
schools has been entirely overlooked in this discussion. We allude to the
resuscitation of so many country grammar-schools during the last twenty

THE PRESS, AUGUST 21, 1858.

years. At many such schools, which were but the other day inferior
the condition in which the Times describes Rugby to have been a cen-
tury and a half ago, as good scholarship can now be got as at any Public
school in England. They are cheaper than Eton and Harrow, and have
all the rural recommendations which are wanted in Suffolk-lane and
Smithfield. But, be this as it may. we are glad to see the subject renti.
lated ; for, whatever difficulties may exist in the way of its realization,
there is no doubt a world of truth in the opinion that the country is the
proper locale for educational institutions.

A pendant to the auricular confession case in Pimlico has occurred ,
the diocese of Oxtbrd, where it seems there are clergymen who cultivate
the practice, and a bishop who will not condemn it. The circumstances
i
have given rise to a voluminous correspondence, and excited, very natl
rally, extraordinary interest. We have space but for a brief outline of t'
controversy, which involves not merely matters of fact, but also questions
of doctrine and discipline of the last importance to the Church. The
subject was first broached in a letter dated June the 16th, addressed
local contemporary, and signed, " A Protestant," but of which Mr. J
CLARKE, of Attwood-house, near Maidenhead, has acknowledged
authorship. The writer stated that a lady, on visiting some poor woman
at Boyn-hill, found her in a state of pitiable excitement—" quite upset,"
was her own expression. The poor woman, who was on the eve of her con
finement, and moreover dangerously ill besides, attributed her agitation'
the strange questions asked her by Mr. WEST, one of the curates of ,
parish, who had left her cottage but a few minutes before. In son
extracts from his cross-examination, as recorded on the spot, while'
facts were recent, there appear, among other interlocutories :—" He asks
"me about the First Commandment, and explained it. Second also.
" Third—l told him I had broken that. Fourth—Yes, I had, many
" times. Fifth—Yes, I had broken that with my father, but my mother
" died when I was very young. Sixth—No; I am sure I never
" murdered anybody. Seventh—Did you ever commit adultery ?
" sir; I was married too young for that."
CURATE : Yes, but recollect ; did you not before or after you were
married look on a man and lust after him or for him ?
WOMAN : And this upset me, ma'am, for he said, "Now, you
lying there, and hope to be delivered and live ; therefore you should con-
fess your sins to me."
CURATE: Have you ever been confirmed ?
WOMAN : No, sir.
CURATE: Then remember, if you die you can never enter the king.
dom of heaven.
The Curate closed his cross-examination, according to the witness',
own account, by enjoining her " to be sure and
not tell her husband" (
his inquiries.
Some days after this letter was published another appeared, signed
the Rev. Joint SHAW, Vicar of Stoke, near Slough, remarking upon t
extraordinary disclosures it contained, and marvelling that no reply
explanation had been attempted. The matter, said the writer, could not
allowed to pass away in silence. " Secret mischief is working in the bosom
" the Anglican Church, and it ought to be brought to light and corrected.
Following this letter, and in consequence of it, a requisition was drawn
to the Bishop of OXFORD from a large body of the inhabitants of Stoke
parish, recapitulating the circumstances and requesting a full inquir
into the charges they conveyed. The Bishop commences his long ay
elaborate reply by regretting that any minister of the Church shoujii
" spread scandal against a brother clergyman," and that the formality
requisition to himself should have been adopted without first applying ,
the incumbent of the parish where the alleged circumstances took place.
He then addresses himself to the question of fact, and upon the authorit
Mr. WEST himseK and his incumbent, Mr. GREsLEY, meets seriatim
allegations preferred by the requisitionists with a plump denial. For
charge that the Curate urged on the woman the duty of confession " there
is no foundation in fact ;" that he taught her that confirmation
necessary for her salvation "there is no foundation in fact that
urged her not to tell her husband " there is no foundation in fact;"
she was quite upset by his treatment " there is no foundation in fact,"
on the contrary, she expressed special gratitude for his treatment of
case. The real circumstances, pursues the Right Rev. Prelate, invol,
"no question of confession or absolution." It was simply a case where
parish priest Wass " visiting in dangerous sickness " a parishioner whose
life required, as he believed, that she should be (as the office for the V
Lion of the Sick directs) faithfully and earnestly " moved to examine
estate towards Goy and men." Having pronounced this decision upon
evidence he had himself collected—that of Mr. (i'r RESLEY and Mr. "%VEST—.
the Bishop declares that there is no need of further testimony. Indeed
any such " which might now be given by the woman in question.
" would not after the lapse of months and the rise of a popular outer
"on the subject be considered by any impartial man as of any weigh'
" when compared with the results of the Incumbent's examination into'
" case, while it was yet recent, fully confirmed as they are
"my own examination of the Curate." Afterwards Dr. Wruntitroi
enters at much length into the " general subject,"
alleged progress of Romish doctrines and practices in the
Church. On this point he expresses abstractedl the utmost horror
of all such practices, and especially of "enforced" auricular !.can
fession, as employed by Rome ; but proceeds to claim for the Angl.l.
Church not only the right but the duty of "addressing itself plaiolio'
touching..
" separate souls and to the particulars of their cases, so as to a"
" sleeping consciences. If in this process any sick persons amongt
" people cannot find rest for a burdened spirit without it, and desire I.
" 119, we are bound to admit them to confession of any special sin, and,
i
" they desire it, to give them absolution." Confession, in short, s
employed as a "reserve remedy for certain cases of spiritual disorder.
the course of his argument the Bishop cites the 113th Canon of 1,
recognizing the practice of men " confessing their secret and hidden