The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-07-11 00:00:00

July 11, MIS.

would now inspect the tunnel works, they would have no
difficulty in reassuring the minds of those of the congre-
gation who may have felt some alarm at our operations
hitherto. The substantial character of the works cannot
but be satisfactory.—l am, dear Sir, yours truly,

(Signed)

H. BOOTH.

A MOST IRREVERENT JOURNALIST.

The London Times, of Wednesday, in describing the
ceremony of the consecration of St. George's Roman
Catholic Church, betrays a levity which, in the good old
times, before Popery was compelled to demean itself with
some show of humility, would have earned for him ex-
communication at the least, if not also the them-screws,
or an embrace of the scavenger's daughter. The ceremo-
nies, he says,—

" Commenced with a grand procession, composed of 2 arch-
bishops, 16 bishops, and 260 of the inferior clergy, the latter
giving their spiritual superiors a pontifical reception at the
entrance to the church. First in the procession came the Hon.
A. Petrie, thurifer ; Dr. Ferguson, cross-bearer; the Hon, F.
Stonor and Mr. W. Burke, accolites-. They were followed by
boys in white vestments, who, with demure faces and hands
clasped before them as if in devotion, paced slowly along
towards the altar. Then came the priests, to the number of
260, some with books, which they appeared to read in with a
a very sanctified air—others equally devout looking, and
and moving in- the attitude of prayer; some carrying brazen
vessels before them ; and all, or nearly all, covered with a black
cloth cap, very much in the shape of that which carpenters and
glaziers wear. (I) This part of the procession was quite re-
markable for the number of ugly faces it contained, an ugliness
which, even under the circumstances, could hardlybe considered
either picturesque or imposing."

_ -
The reference to the demure faces and hands clasped,
" as if in devotion," is very shocking, as is the doubt
implied of the devotion of the priests, in the assertion
that they "appeared to read" in the books they carried.
The comparison of the caps to those of carpenters and
glaziers is very profane and irreverent; but the climaiL is
the charge against them of ugliness? Why not for a
spectacle intended to be picturesque or imposing—to" make
us in love with the pomp and shew of Romish ceremonial
—to attract our fair to the mummery and the confessional
—have picked out of the ranks of their clergy a body not
quite remarkable for the number of ugly faces it con-
tained ?"

Perhaps however they were purposely intended to act
as foils for their superiors; for we are told that,—
_

"If the poor priests in their modest surplices and with their
devotional humility of aspect looked preternaturally ugly, the
superior clergy bore themselves with a port which was wonder-
fully imposing. Most of them were distinguished by the
intellectual beauty of their expression, and all by their pic-
turesque attire, which, risinc, from the coarse white gowns of
the Dominicans, culminated to the extreme point of magnifi-
cence in the jewelled mitres and the richly embroidered robes
of the bishops, stiff with brocade and blazing with purple and
gold."

If this has been the object in view the poor " preter-
naturally ugly" fellows have been very cruelly abased.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(BY EXPRESS.)

MONEY MARKET-YESTERDAY

We have some demand for money stock this morning, but
not, so far, to the extent reckoned upon. There is a fair regu-
lar market, but without any tendency to speculation, and the
funds are steady, at about present prices, with occasional
slight variations only. We quote Consols now at 87 to * for
money and the opening, which are * above the first-reported
prices of the morning. Reduced Threes, 87 to it. Three-and-
a-Quarter per Cents., 87* to f. Exchequer Bills, 495. to 435.,
prem. Bank Stock, 192 to 4. Money continues remarkably
easy, and some of the discount houses are so full, that not
only have they issued circulars requiring all parties who have
lodgments with them at 2* per cent. on call, to take back their
deposits, but they decline to name any lower terms on which
they would be willing to continue or receive other deposits.

LONDON CORN MARKET

.-YESTERDAY

The receipts of both English and foreign Wheat since this
day se'nnight have been but moderate, and this morning's
supply by land-carriage samples was far from large. The
weather proving fine to-day, the trade ruled dull at the rates
of Monday last. The receipts of foreign Barley have again
been considerable, and many of the cargoes come to hand in
very bad condition. Really sweet Barley can hardly be quoted
lower, but other sorts could certainly be bought on easier
terms. Our market is sparingly supplied with Oats of home
growth, but any deficiency therein is amply made good by Or
receipt of 35,000 qrs. from abroad during the past week. This
article met a dull sale at a decline of 6d. to Is. per qr. Beans
and Pease were in limited request, at barely previous rates.