The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-05-29 00:00:00

Vottrp.

THE PENNY ENVELOPE.

Speed ye, speed ye, leaves Sibylline,
East and west, and south and north !
Penny now, 'twas once a shilling ;
And the plate's a penny-worth !
See the pens and paper speeding
(Stationary now no more),
Letter-writing, letter reading,
Nothing else from shore to shore !
See a literary lion
Crouching at Britannia's feet,
Reindeer mails o'er deserts hieing,
Cherub postmen in the street !
Elephants—discreet beholders--
Spite of all their masters' care,
Read his letter o'er his shoulders
Till the jealous camels stare.
China turns her back towards us,
Home the empty vessels sail;
But the penny-post rewards us
With an Oriental Tail :
See the planters' puncheons filling !
Grinning negroes show their teeth !
See the sugar-casks distilling
Sweetness on the group beneath.
See the elder maidens sharing,
Sister like, their billet-doux
Younger sister cease your teazing,
'Twill not serve for more than two !
Of the postage emblematic
Deep-red Indians, copper men,
Hail the boon with joy ecstatic,
Stretch their hands to grasp a Penn
—John Bull.

LITERARY NOTICES.

The Political Works of Ebenezer Elliott, the Corn-Law
Rhymer. Edinburgh : William Tait. 1840.

Of this work, which has been lying on our desk for some
time, we find it extremely difficult to express a deliberate
opinion. We know not whether its beauties or its defects
are the more.nunaerous. Ebenezer Elliott is, undoubtedly,
a poet of the very highest order. He possesses the true
divinus afflatus. But, as has been well remarked, be is a
" poet of his own order"—the mechanics and artisans of his
fatherland. In describing their habits—their toils—their
trials—their privations—their sufferings-=he writes with a
force and eloquence which few have ever equalled, and none
surpassed. His pictures of domestic life among the humbler
classes are touchingly truthful and pathetic. Callous, in-
deed, must that heart be that is not deeply affected by his
recitals of " the poor man's woes." Here, however, we
must stop. Would that Ebenezer Elliott refrained from his
bitter invectives against the rich. With him every rich man
is a demon in human shape, to he denounced and loaded
with curses. We may add that on the subject of the corn-
laws he is almost, if not altogether, a monomaniac. How
true is it that there is no great mind without its failings I

Asmodeus; or the Devil on -Two Sticks. Newly translated
by Joseph Thomas, from the French of La Sage. Illus-
trated by Tony Johannot. Part 1. London : Joseph

Thomas.

The well known character of this exquisite satire on the
follies and vices of mankind cannot fail to procure for the
present edition an increased measure of popularity, The
illustrations are both numerous and exquisitly conceived
and executed. The frontispiece is a veritable portrait of the
mischief making imp.

The Illustrated Shakspere. Part 12. London : Robert

Tuns.

Each succeeding part of this truly splendid edition of the
works of our great dramatist seems to be an improvement on
its predecessors. Whether we consider the number—the
originality—the exquisite finish of its engravings, or the in-
trinsic value and extent of its annotations and introductory
remarks, we are constrained to acknowledge that this is the
best edition of Shakspere that has yet made its appearance.
When we say that it is worthy of the patronage of the whole
reading community of Great Britain, we only express what
we conscientiously believe.

Wilson's Historical, Traditionary, and Imaginative Tales
of the Borders, and of Scotland. Part 71. Edinburgh :
John Sutherland.

This series of tales appears to possess an inexhaustible
degree of interest. They are eminently adapted to the popu-
lar taste. Their morals are unobjectionable, their language
is simple and impressive, and their perusal is calculated to
foster and encourage, in an eminent degree, the domestic
virtues. We cordially wish them an extended circulation.

A Letter to the Farmers of England. By Edmund Ed-
munds. Liverpool: Davenport.

This plain-spoken epistle is from the pen of a farmer,
lately returned from that " land of promise," America. He
gives a faithful picture of the state of the country, especially
of its agriculture, and forcibly describes the nisappointtnents
which he met with, and the hardships to which he was sub-
jected. The perusal of this tract is calculated to effect much
good. It ought to he in the hands of every one who may
intend to emigrate to the United States.

THE WEAVER CHURCH BILL.
(Frorn'the Chester Courant.)
One of the errors into which Mr. E. J. Stanley, and
other opponents of this bill, have fallen, is this :—they
argue as if the county-rate was to be taxed for the
building L f churches for the use of persons in whom
the county has no interest; whereas the fact is, that
this navigation, employing a large body amen, brings
a very considerable revenue to the county, and it is
proposed to set apart a moderate sum out of that reve-
nue for the instruction of men who, by the " sweat of
their brow," assist in obtaining it. This makes all the
difference, and this, in the course of the debate, Mr.
Gaily Knight pointed out in a clear and forcible man-
ner; that hon. member very justly remarking, that
every ratepayer who shared in the advantage of being
eased from countv-rates by the profits derived from
the navigation, was bound to provide for the moral
and religious instruction of the people. The hon.
member concluded his sensible address by significantly
observing, that " the opponents of the bill had more
the fear of the ratepayers before their eyes, than the
fear of God."
As to Mr. Jervis's oft-refuted argument that there
was already ample church accommodation, it is not
worthy of a serious reply. We do not doubt there are
plenty of dissenting chapels to he found on the line;
but we deny that there is accommodation in the
churches for Batmen, and that the resident clergy can
devote the necessary time to their instruction. The
fact is, the lion. member, like many other opponents
of the bill, has derived all his information upon the
matter from the enemies of the Church of England,
who oppose the measure upon dissenting principles.
As to the insinuation thrown OM about the rejection
of Sir Philip Egerton and Mr. Tolemache, at a future
election, on account of acting honestly and uprightly
towards the fiatmen of the Weaver, we have no fears
on that point. The freeholders of the county of Ches-
ter are not the mercenary body some imagine them to
be : they can and will distinguish between empty de-
claimers and true patriots.
A reference has been made to the presentation of
two petitions from. Macclesfield, one signed by three
thousand persons against the bill, and the other in fa.
your of it by four hundred ; but nothing was said of
the fact, that the amount gr assessment was placed op-
posite the signatures of the latter, and omitted, for very
obvious reasons, in the former. The definition of cha-
racters, creeds, Sze., of these three thousand petitioners,
would, forsooth, furnish a notable and very curious
document. It will be recollected, too, that the larger
petition lay. for signature at Weston Point, and was
signed by liatmen, &c, trading from Northwich, and
other places, to Liverpool; Weston Point being at the
entrance of the Mersey—the precise point where the
• rivers Weaver and' Mersey join. To this petition also,
it will be borne in mind, the signatures of a:great num-
ber of children were appended.
There is one point to which we would request par-
ticular attention,--it is asserted that Sir Philip Egerton
intimated, that the Clergy did not consider the Flatnien
their parishioners, and, therefore neglected them. This
absurd declaration it is hardly necessary to refute. Sir
Philip thinks, and thinks rightly, that the clergy on the
line, being occupied by other pressing duties, conse-
quent on the increase of population, cannot May that
attention to this class, which is necessary, and which,
did circumstances admit, they would feel it their duty
to do.
We deprecate strongly the virulence with which some
of the opponents of the Weaver Church Bill attack the
measure and its supporters; but violence of language
and strength of argument are two widely different
things. We regret that so much malicious sort of
feeling should exist in some quarters, although we do
not accuse all who oppose the bill as liable to such a
charge.
In one place it is suggested that room should be ob-
tained in a church, for the flatmen, by turning out the
National School children, thus cutting off the rising
generation from public worship, so important-to be at-
tended by persons at all periods of life ; hut especially
as relates to the young, in these days when socialism
and chartism, and a variety of other isms are so rife.
We would just remark that in the report of the de-
bate upon this bill, given in the Chester Chronicle, four
cyphers, instead of three, are placed after the figure 7,
which might perhaps lead some to the supposition that
£70,000 instead of £7OOO was proposed for the build-
ing of the proposed churches. We, do not, however,
wish to insinuate that this is an intentional mistake,—
our friend's ;:rithinPtical powers, as evidenced in his
recent profound di,quisitions on the financial state of
the country, forbid us to entertain such an extravagant
idea for one moment !
As to the committee selected for the consideration of
the evidence to be adduced for and against the bill, we
are as ignorant of its composition as the Chronicle;
but if consisting of private men we have no apprehen-
sions as to the result.
Notwithstanding all the abuse that has been heaped
upon this measure, we are convinced that, if carried
into effect, it will be found gratifying as well as ho-
nourable to its promoters, and beneficial, through the
Divine blessing, to that class of men whose welfare is
consulted by its introduction into the House of Com-
mons.