The Express.
London, England, 1859-12-24 00:00:00

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RONDO". SATURDAY. D 1 24.

AT the !Ml4aas Refuge Meeting the other
evening, Lad 8147TISBURT pointed out in a
humorous way the dependence of metropolitan bents-
velem* on the state of the weather. As the glass
falls benevolent feelings rise, and the bitter frosts
that turn the earth to stone melt the human heart.
An active philanthropist like his lordship, there.
fore, naturally regards a thaw with very mingled
feelings; for, while it lessens to some extent the
sufferings of the homeless poor, it diminished
in a still greater proportion the contribution
for their relief. " Ile wan very much afraid,'
the noble lord said, " that the sudden change in the
weather might bring about a considerable abitt.
" mint in the charitable disposition of the public•
" He had generally found that when the glass sank
" to freezing point people began to feel very ohadta-
ble ; when it got a few degrees lower they were of
n opinion that something must be done ; and as it
" went lower and lower they got first to shillings and
" then to pounds." This is only a pointed way of
putting the familiar fact that every year about
Christmas time contributions flow in rapidly to
various well-known agencies for the relief of the
homeless and destitute poor. It is very natural and
very right so far as it goes. The bitter weather that
intensifies the privations of those who are without
food and shelter at the same time reminds us of
their existence. When, surrounded with every com-
fort, we still suffer from the severity of the weather,
we as scarcely help thinking of thine who
mast suffer • thousand times more. And the force
of this contrast is greatly heightened by the fades
character of the lemon. Christmas is sacred to friendly
gatherings and generous cheer. Kindly natures
instinctively respond to the genial influence of the
season, and even the hard and worldly, those most
unused to the melting mood, are touched by its
silent appeal, and taste for a moment the nun luxury
of something like benevolence. Only a grasping,
griping, covetous old sinner, like the unconverted
ilteneter Scrooge, sits in cynical and selfish isolation
over his lone fire, sad eats in wrath and bitterness of
soul his solitary meal. Everybody wishes his
Christman festivity to be flavoured with generous
thoughts and heightened by the remembrance of
some seasonable good deed. A subeaription to a
papaw charity is the readiest way of gratifying
this feeling. Hence contributions flow in, and for a
few days or weeks the better known relief funds
enjoy the sunshine of public favour.

This is of course very laudable and gratifying
while it lasts. But unfortunately it is wee over.
This annual concern for the poor and destitute ie a
mere momentary impulse, fitful and evaneseent,if not
capricious. It is gaits a mistake to suppose that
thew intermittent contributions at all mot the case.
They do very little indeed towards the systematic and
permanent relief of the destitute. Christmas-boxes are
very well, but they are Ile substitute, for regular
wages. And the misfortune is that this Christmas
doeation to useful and needy charities is very much
in Bee of regular support. In this way with much
good these contributions also do some harm. A
more profound apathy succeeds the momentary ex-
eitioneet. The contributions suddenly stop, while
the poor and destitute still remain. They are always
with us, and their necessities, though MOM
urgent at this particular time, require relief through
every swami of the year. Looked at closely, in-
deed, this annual outburst of public benevolence is at
once the symptom and practical though unconscious
confession of something radically wrong in the state
of public feeling and conduct on this subject. Those
who are conscious of regularly discharging the duties I
of active charity would hardly rush forward to mast
a sadden appeal of the kind. The hasty impales
betrays an obscure sense of neglected duty, and is
largely dashed with repentance wad remove.
It is scarcely possible to blame individuals,
or even the public generally, for this neglect.
It belooge to the system of modern society, and is one
of the many evils arising from a bustling, driving
life in overgrow, towns. Public life in some form
or other, of duty or pleasure, absorbs so much of
ear time that our private duties are to a great extent
delegated. The division of labour is carried to such
an extent that we can do good only by proxy. Public
agencies and pecuniary contributions take the plow
el personal sympathy and private help. And where
there is no personal knowledge of these agencies
sad dine so direct or constant interest in their
efforts, they ars soon neglected and forgotten.
Gentles sympathy is indeed necessarily an indivi-