The Sun.
London, England, 1837-11-25 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

THE PRESENT STATE of the CONTROVERSY
BETWEEN the CATHOLIC and PROTESTANT
CHURCHES. Br HUNTER GORDON, Esq., of Lin.
cola's Inn, Barrister at Law.
This is a work of great ability, on a subject of the
utmost importance to the peace of this nation in the
tha present state of civil and religious parties. It is
written with great force and elegance ; and, in those
parts in which the author treats of the history and
progress of religious opinion in general, with powers of
argumentation equally comprehensive and profound.
Though now and then marked by that tone of anxiety,
aml perhaps exaggeration, which distinguish the plead-
ings of a professional advocate, it treats the contro-
versy between the two great divisions of the Western
Church with perfect impartiality ; and is almost the
only work in which we have ever seen the peculiar
merits of the Catholic Church fairly and fully stated
by a dispassionate spectator of the contest.
If any of our readers labour under the dread of
Popery, or are infected with that Orange rage which
is the disgrace of the Protestant cause in this empire,
we recommend to their perusal this little work, as a
specific for their fears, and a sovereign antidote for
their theological rage.
Mr. Gordon proves that, so far from there being any
ground to apprehend, in the present age, an excess of
faith, or a disposition towards that implicit submission
which the It omish theology enjoins, the real danger
lies all on the other side : he places it beyond all
question, by facts as well as reasoning, that the current
of human opinion has long been running towards phi-
losophical scepticism, rather than reverence for sacred
authority ; that, instead of any tendency to extend the
province of faith, or multiply either objects of worship
or articles of belief, being the besetting sin of the age,
the only real danger and object of apprehension with
sincere believers in Christianity is the abuse of the
Protestant prin'ciple, and a license of disquisition on
the subject matter of revelation, subversive of the very
principle of religious belief ; and that, human reason
having been let loosely the Reformers, it is no longer
pessible to set bounds to the operations of that discur-
sive principle on the miracles and mysteries of Chris-
tianity.
Mr. Gordon's fundamental position is, that rational-
ism is a mortal distemper in the Protestant religion, of
which it must inevitably perish. His account, in con-
firmation of this view, of the state of religious opinion
in the Protestant Provinces of Germany, is one of the
most interesting parts of the volume, and will be, to
many, entirely new. It has always appeared to us
that the real gist of the perhaps interminable contro-
versy between the two Churches lies here; and although
O'Sullivan, M‘Ghee, and the other ignorant men who
go about as incendiaries, are wholly incapable of coping
with this view of the subject, we should be glad to see
the Romish theology taken up on this point by some
able English divine.
The following short extract is a specimen of the

author's manner :
" The Protestant Church, considering man rather as an
intellectual than an active being, attaches itself mainly to
points of doctrine, and endeavours to regulate his sentiments
through the medium of his understanding, rather than by
directly addressing his affections. It undertakes to satisfy
the jealous scrutiny of unbelief ; it sets before man, in a
systematic form, his relation to the Deity ; and by analogies
drawn from every part of creation, by appeals to his expe-
rience, by the analysis of his moral constitution, labours to
reconcile his judgment to that theological system which
revelation offers to his assent. It is rich, not only in con-
troversial- divinity, but in philosophical theology, illustrated
by the largest views of the Divine Administration, and by
the harmony of the whole scheme of the universe, as it lies
before us in thin risible world, or has been revealed by
miraculous attestation. As the subtilties into which it fre-
quently falls necessarily engender differences of opinion, and
schisms are unavoidable in such abstract reasonings, it has
not always been able to escape controversy, or maintain the
unity of spirit.
" The Roman Catholic religion regards man rather as
an active than a reasonable being; and applying itself
directly to his heart and affections, prefers practice to
speculation, and discipline to dogmatic theology. It is a
practical system of coutroul, rather than a scheme of theo-
retic principles ; and, far from undertaking to satisfy the
rational and philosophising sceptic, it stifles his inquiries in
their birth. It turns men's eyes to ?yards a future world,
not so much by a regard to their great interests, and by
maxims of a cautious prudence, as by alluring their imagi-
nation, and by so disposing the scenery (if I may be allowed
the expression) which revelation presents to the view, as to
break the fascination of temporal scenes. Penitence is ever
its frame, while it rebukes with indignation the wanton
triumph and security with which profane and presumptuous
mortals present themselves before the Moral Governor of
the world. But policy made it assume an austere mien in
many of its monastic orders ; superstition threw its ascetic
hue over all its renitential rites ; and its moral expression
is lost in that antique and almost barbaric air which it has
contracted in its exceedingly long transmission through so
rude ages."

TIIE QUEEN'S VISIT TO THE OPERA BUFFA.
—The Queen attended the Opera Buffs last Thursday night.
State on this occasion was dispensed with, and her Majesty came
in the most quiet and simple manner possible. She passed into
the house through a corridor on the stage, which has been
constructed solely for her accommodation ; and she entered
her box as if desirous not to create any embarrassment to the
audience. She slipped down instantly to her place, and drew
the curtain before her, to serve as a screen from general ob-
servation. The Duchess of Kent took a seat close to her
Majesty ; and the Duchess of Sutherland, who at fist
occupied one of the front chairs, retired behind the Queen,
where she was joined by the Marquis Conyngham, in at-
tendance on their Royal mistress. The Queen remained en-
sconced behind the curtain the greater part of the evening,
and it was only occasionally that she was observed taking
a sly peep at the audience. She preserved her incognito to
the last,.and left at the close of the opera with the same
noiseless forms as when she entered. The audience allowed
her Majesty to enter and depart without the usual denionEtra-
tion of recognition. There was no applause; her desire to
be unknown was respected, and it is to be hoped that the dis-
creet manner in which she was received will induce her to re-
peat the visit. ,The house was fully and fashionably attended.
The Duke of Wellington was present, and all the principal
Nobility now in London. The opera was Elixir d'Ainore, in
which Madame Franclieschini and M. Labl ache so lately
made their debut. The opera, on the whole, passed of well.

SHEFFIELD, ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE, AND MAN
eim,TER RAu.wAY.—We are authorised to state that the
above undertaking is in a progrsssive and daily-improving
state, and that operations will be commenced early in Spring.
Tho statement which appeared in several of the papers rela-
tive to its abandcnment is wholly without foundation.—Man-
chester Times.—We are authorized to state that a deputation
consisting of Robert Hunter, Esq. of Manchester, Messrs.
Thomas Wiley and John Haslehurst, of Sheffield, representing
proprietors of this Railway, holding in the aggregate 2.200
shares and upwards, waited upon Thomas Asline Ward, Esq.
the Secretary, on Saturday last, u ith a requisition, requiring
the Directors to call a special general meeting of the share-
holders to take into consideration the propriety of abandoning
the above undertaking, and dividing the assets rateably
amongst the proprietors. At the last meeting, held in
October, the balance in hand was stated to be about 12,0001.,
which would be rather more than 21. per share.—Sheffield Iris.
Yesterday morning, at a quarter past nine o'clock, an
accident occurred which might have been attended with loss of
life, and ought to be a caution to coachmen. As a gentleman
was handing in the third lady from No. 12, Pallmall- West—a
wedding party—the horses started off at full speed, the door
being open, which, with the steps, were dasheed
fortu nto pieces
against the lamp-post. A gig and waggon werately
standing opposite Forster's Rooms, and stopped their pro-
tilthe
fright. No person was at the horses' h,
pro-
gress. The ladies kept their seats,
aena4ds e‘svehaipleedthewi
coach-
man was holding the door.
MRs. GORE'S NEW WORK.--We have ever
thought that Mrs. Gore's short tales arc even more felicitous,
because more condensed in their aim, interest, and effect, than
her more extended and ambitious novels. The work now an-
nounced from her fertile and brilliant pen, consists, as we un-
derstand, of several talCs, in more than one of which (but.par-
ticularly the leading one, " Mary Raymond") she has exercised
y
that extraordinary power of pathos in which few, if any, modern
writers have exceeded her. The histor of Mary Raymond
offers, if we are not misinformed, one of the most touching and
impressive pictures ever
giveneiantoilit-haessworotreldd,rnoluthoseMany
terriblea
results which too often attend y
are the Mary Raymonds of real life, and especial), of high
life ; hot there is only one Mrs. Gore to set forth their history
in a point of view that brings it home to-the perception and the
heart of that society, from iJig Xll-constitution of which the evil
springs.
A CANARY.---A Canary bird, long appver;:4l
favourite, which had warbled its wood-notes wild fir the bepeat
of at least one generation, died at the Porter's Lodge, Jardine-
hall, in the beginning of the present month, at the advanced
age of 20 years.—Dun fries Courier,