The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-12 00:00:00

SCOTCH ENDURANCE.

(From the Spectator,)
" Isuhat is an ass crouching between two burdens."
They are a patient people the Scotch. It is not easy
at this distance to determine whether it is the apathy of
contempt or the acquiescence of fear that makes them
submit to the ratil Pry disposition of Spiritual reform-
ers ; but certainly that meddling class take liberties in
Scotland that would not be tolerated in any other coun-
try. A paper has been transmitted to us from Edin-
burgh, purporting to iv tiro Ikport of the St. George,
St. Luke's, :s.-11 'Dean Parishes Auxiliary Sabbath So-
ciety for 1840." We learn from this document that the
Society consists of thirty members, who have organized
themselves into three sub-Committees, with a view to
ferret out every instance of Sabbath-breaking in the
above.mettionea pafisheil. Their Inquisition has ex-
tended to the mal-practices of bakers, greensgrocers,
publicans, druggists, reading-rooms, mills, cowfeeders,
pawnbrokers. The bakers have been found guilty of
employing their journeymen for the space of half ar,
hour every Sunday evening. To obviate the necessity
of this awful profanity, the Society modestly propose
that " families Should get into the practice of taking no
bread at all. on Monday." This hint may be found
worth the attention of the supporters of the Corn-laws;
as a voluntary abstinence from bread one day in every
week by every inhabitant of Great Britain, might render
an inadequate supply of grain impossible even in the
vietirst harvests. A heavy complaint is made against
druggists, because their shops are all " open on the Sab-
bath, except during church hours, when the door
closed ; but on ringing a bell some one appears to dis-
pense the medicines niquired." We suppose it is deemed
sinful in Scotland to be suddenly taken ill on Sunday.
Cowfeeders, we learn, are guilty of carrying milk to
their customers twice a day on Sundays ; and, what is
worse, we are informed that this is unnecessary, inas-
much as " there might be a total discontinuance, by a
little arrangemen", without ileonvalience to families"
or loss to the dealers. We fear the comfort of the cows
has been overlooked ; an omission which may !ring our
zealous enforcers of Sabbath observance into collision
with the S ieiety for the--Prvent:on of Cruelty to Ani-
mals. Have the cows been consulted how far it may
consist with their comfort to be left unmilked for a whole
day once a week ? But perhaps milking may be winked
at, and the sour milk of Sunday disposed of on Mon-
day, with a slight reduction in price, to the poor. The
Society remark that " much effort, perseverance, and
prayer, are needed" to bring-about their object. They
seem, however, to place more reliance upon " effort"
than prayer ; for the active scrutiny which enabled them
in two brief months to acquire so much information re-
specting the private transactions of their neighbour:
must have left little room for devotional exercises. Be-
sides investigating the manner in which all " trades whc.
administer to domestic supplies" are conducted, they
have inquired into the amusements of the little children
seen playing in the streets on Sunday evenings, and the
domestic arrangements of their parents. The wealthier
classes seem to have been more chary of admitting them
within doors, and it has therefore been necessary to esta-
blish a system of out-door espionage. By this means
they have learned that " it is no uncommon thing for
gentlemen to walk from 14 church to the reading-
room," and that " the members of a club-house in
Prince's-street are not unfrequently seen at the window::
on the Sabbath reading the newspaperS." Where they
dare, the " inquisition of thirty" seem inclined to carry
matters with a high hand. In reference to a public gar-
den they say, " The proprietor seems disposed to pro-
mote the objects of our Society, but the tenant is re-
fractory."
Indeed the Scotch are a long-suffering people, who can
tolerate such meddling., prying, pestilent proceedings.
We abhor all violence • 'we never liked the American
process of tarring and feathering ; but we must admit
that desperate diseases require extreme remedies.