The Sun.
London, England, 1830-07-27 00:00:00

CLERICAL CELIBACY.

The imposition of celibacy on the western
clergy, which was scarcely completed before the
ninth century, requires some attention, on ac.
count of its influence in England, and affords
general instruction, as an example of the extent
to which the effect of regulations disappoints
human expectation. The writings of the earliest
Christians contain general panegyrics on celibacy,
which cannot be reconciled to reason, though
they may be excused in.an age when the morel
relations of the sexes, of which the principle is
at this day little understood by many of those
who most feel the obligation, were so unsettled
as continually to vibrate between the most ex-
treme points of extravagant austerity and gross
licentiousness. The apostles naturally and
seasonably advised their brother missionaries,
and even their defenceless followers, to forbear
from giving such hostages as wives and children
to their merciless persecutors. In more secure
situations it was not without apparent reason
hoped, that an unmarried clergy would have
more means of succouring their brethren, more
leisure for their studies and their duties, a heart
less diverted from religious feeling by worldly
cares, and by holding out a signal example of
a constant victory over their passions, might add
force and weight to all their exhortations. The
peculiar repugnancy of the Christian morals to
sensuality, promoted the observance of celibacy,
and gave rise to dangerous exaggerations. Some
were so misguided as to interpret language in•
tended only to lift the soul from wallowing
amidst the senses, as a discouragement of those
unions which are " a discipline of humanity."
Celibacy was first celebrated as a virtue ; it was
afterwards enjoined on priests as a moral duty.
Before the end of the fourth century, some
churches enforced it as a rule of ecclesiastical
discipline. Some councils had forbidden the
ordination of men who were married ; and tear
riage after orders seems to have been generally
blamed from the middle of the fifth century.
The general practice of the West then resembled
the present practice of the Greeks, among
whom bishops were interdicted from wedlock,
and priests were allowed only to keep the wives
whom they had espoused before ordination. A
virtue prized so highly by the fathers of the
church—a duty of which the observance seemed
to add to the dignity and authority of religious
instruction, came to be esteemed one of the
snort sacred and venerable of ecclesiastical
usages, long before it was raised to the character
aim universal law of the Latin church.—Dr.
Laedner's Cabinet Cyclopedia, Vol. Vlll.

The emergency of the ease prevented ruritlisite
alterations of the Throne in the House of Lords; oo that
WILLLIM IV. est under the old initials of " a. nu."
teen the ancient ciashion—and it is tolerably worn, from
the circumstance of all the eight-seeing folks regularly taking
heir seat on it.—rovas retained.
When the Lancers were reviewed the other
day, on the 'Parade fronting the Horse Guards, his Me-
JriTY trade a present of that regiment to the Quxzw.—
On the occasion his MAJICATT severally introduced the
racers to the Quicxx. The regiment is henceforth to be
sailed "The Lancers; or, The Queen's Own."
Sir FitANcts LiwtnETT presides at the an-
nual meeting of the Birmingham Political Union, on
Monday next. The speakers will be E, Davaxerwr,
Lord Iht.Low, TUOMAS A'rrwoon, and inhere. A dinner
is to be given to Sir Fires/cis the same evening at the
Royal hotel.
litioxtrAvxmo--Ora Thursday, fifty-six boats
Left our shore for the different fishing places i.a the north,
it!Otakilling ilfrO Men, and estimated, with nets, provisions,
Cor the voyage to be upwards of 10,000!. in value. It
lea will " us mush pleasure to hear that they have been
more etteetssful tido season thanthe
,their were during
Tiia fixidrprisntytheil C rent.
consevence of the
ita:ikareolwnsnitalotrfinttrhtfte
otta:Yiiii!nrieeter height then it was
awry of any living Inhibitor. "Aih'lY) within the mes.
to the advantage of the salmon tloberas hlwpfy'PegralW much
are
caned the upper 'dation*, while the revenue Ms" bikewhriat
the
ease below. At the "Wag near the LiCathe:
longing to Mr, JAVIMIN, of this place, e satrzuttt killed which weighed the enormous weight at . pod
wao a Lettutiful welt-firmed Mai, The #tßiptide se1;,,„:(-
noticed in the &oilman newspaper, a few weeks ago
being sold in the Edinburgh market, and weighing $511,i),,
WAS 14)49 might at this stativibewritras Cowrim

PARIS, JULY 23.

(From a Morning Paper.)

Those who imagined that the spirit of Liberalism
was confined to Paris, or would be asserted here
exclusively, were very much mistaken. The strength
of the popular party in the departments has been de-
veloped by the late elections, and was proved to be
overwhelming. Still it is believed that the King
and Ministry will persevere in their determination
to stern what is called the tide of democracy; and
that measures have been resolved upon to crush the
very first attempt at resistance to the Royal proro•
gative. Various incidents give an appearance of
truth to this report. Among others, the attempt
making to divide the people of Paris. Of this I
was eye-witness to one of the proofs on Sunday
last, at St. Cloud.

I had gone there to see the play of the water-
works with the idea that the display was a mere
matter of course affair; but on my way I learned,
how true I know not, that the exhibition was in
compliment to certain deputations from Paris, ex-
pected, which did actually arrive, to congratulate
the King on the conquest of Algiers. Of these I
saw three; they were the representatives of the
corn-porters, the charcoal-porters, and the market-
women. The first were clean respectable-looking
men, dressed in black jackets, each wearing a white
hat, the crown or mold of which was little more
than an indentation, the leaf extending as wide as a
moderate sized umbrella. The charcoal-porters were
similarly dressed, except that their hats were black.
The market-women were richly dressed, and each
decorated with a bouquet ; they brought also enor-
mous nosegays as presents to the King and
Royal Family, which were graciously received, as
were the addresses of the porters.
It struck me that there was a great distinction
between the bearing of these men and those who, on
a certain occasion, formed processions in London.
They appeared to be principally " master porters,"
and certainly carried themselves with an air-of vast
importance. There was not visible in their counte-
nances a single trait of ease or pleasure—none of
that reckless gaiety to be seen among the marching
members of a mechanics' procession in London. Each
man seemed to be acting a part—to be aware that
he was doing that which might not be agreeable to
the spectators, but which he was determined, never-
theless, to go through with. I have rarely seen
more grim-looking fellows in my life, nor a more
unequivocal air of defiance than they individually
displayed.
The policy of this proceeding—for it is said to
have been gotten up—l am unwilling to discuss ;
but the language attributed to one of the Carbonari
(Churbotiniers), and said to have been applauded
by the King, is calculated to awaken grave reflec-
tions. The speech of that person is said to have
been to this effect :—" frhe Charbonnier, Sire, is
master in his own house—You ought to be masterin
your's," meaning that the King ought to controul
his refractory Chamber and dictate.
The first part of this much-applauded sally was
not original, as every man, woman, and child, in
Paris knows ; but the latter portion was really new,
whether the production of the coal-porter himself
or not l cannot say, every body in Paris, however,
believes that it was prepared for him. The words
lc eharbonnier at maitre chez soi, is the motto of a
.ipritit to be seen in all the shops, and is rather an as-
sertion of Republicanism and levelism, than a senti-
ment of Royalism or love of the Aristocracy. The
words are addressed by a retired coal-porter to an
old fool of' the old school, who seems to ask how he
dare interfere in the amusements of the Noblesse,
by presuming to carry a fowling-piece, and be at-
tended by dogs (not pointers, it is true, but a brace
of bull-dogs). The quotation was, therefore, not
happy,—thut its application, accompanied by the
other words I have given, was discreet or polite, ap-
pears very questionable.
Half-Rao Four.

The Funds are, as I expected, lower than yester-
day, but only a little; they would have gone down
muds more but for some large purchases of M.
Agrado.
The King is determined to dare the worst. Ile
is reminded of the saying of old Marshal Broglio to
Louis XVI. that he would put down the revolution
by his artillery.