ing secret relief; he treats all his clergy, whether in private or public, with uniform urbanity: thus inspiring them with respect for themselves, and, by his example, teaching others to reverence the ministers of religion. He exhibits no petty, teasing exertions of power, but reserves his interference and authority for important occasions. He is not one of those, who annex excessive consequence to the cut of a clergyman's coat, or the curl of his hair; but he prevents, by the dread of utter dereliction from his favour, all approaches to the odious, disgraceful, contemptible, disgusting appearance of a buck-parson. He will never honour with his notice, or admit to his intimacy, clergymen, who are mere sycophants. Having formed a just and practical estimate of the duties of a parish minister, he cannot be imposed upon by plausible manners, or a specious appearance of zeal; nor will he be dazzled even by the display of brilliant talents. He will not prefer a man merely because he has preached an eloquent charity sermon, but will examine whether the preacher perform the offices of charity. He knows, that it is much more difficult and more meritorious to fulfil daily duties, than to perform works of supererogation .

In the following dialogue between M. Thiebauld and Frederic the Great, King of Prussia, it is curious to observe, that this monarch, though a professed lover of fine writing, and not supposed to be zealous in the cause of religion, was yet so fully aware of the importance of the superintendence of parish ministers over the morals of the people, that he preferred the exact performance of these daily duties to the exhibition of their talents as orators.

M. Thiebauld, apologizing for the incorrectness of style in some of the sermons of the Prussian clergy, says to the king:

"As to the preachers at Berlin, I must confess I am more inclined to admire "than to blame them. That we should have celebrated preachers in France, " is not at all surprising, where men of talents and ambition are in the habit of

The disposal of church preferments is the criterion of a good bishop's integrity and judgment, and of his true zeal for religion. Avoiding all partiality, and conscientiously examining the merits of the candidates, no recommendation, however powerful, no connexion, however dear, will prevail upon him to bestow a living upon an undeserving object.

As a member of the legislature, a good bishop knows it to be his peculiar duty, to attend to whatever concerns the church; but his views on this subject are not partial or confined. He is not ready on every trivial pretext to raise, or to join in the cry, that "the church is in danger." He is not bigotted to forms, nor does he annex exclusive merit to certain

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"devoting to study twelve or fourteen hours a day for ten years at least; and "after composing at leisure fifty or sixty sermons, go from cathedral to cathe"dral to preach them. Such men must be either very frigid, or very inept, if "they remain below mediocrity. On the contrary, parish ministers in this country are obliged to preach regularly two or three times a week, and al"ways in the same church; so that they cannot well repeat the same sermons, "and must therefore compose an infinite number. These same men are inces"santly employed visiting the sick, relieving the poor, and superintending the "schools and nurseries of orphans; so that I cannot find what moments re"main for the writing their sermons, or even for getting them by heart. If, "therefore, these sermons are feeble, and full of faults, I must excuse these " ecclesiastics the more readily, as I am convinced your majesty must be more 66 pleased with their fulfilling their active duties, than you could be with "the elegance of their style."-" Yes, Sir, you are right; I am better pleased, "that they should relieve and console the wretched, and preside over the edu"cation of youth, than that they should compose fine periods, which I value very little. On this condition, let them write miserable sermons, and let "their audience yawn or sleep. I shall forgive them."

SOUVENIRS DE FREDERIC LE GRAND.

phrases; yet, notwithstanding many redundancies, and expressions now grown obsolete, he is firm in resisting all attempts to introduce novelties, or specious improvements into the Liturgy. Such as the church establishment has stood for ages, such he endeavours to maintain it. Only forms of worship are here alluded to. Changes in the mode of collecting church revenues, and alteration in the stipends of curates, with other things of this sort, are merely temporal concerns, and must change with the times. But though a wise and good bishop will endeavour to prevent any rash alterations in the ceremonies of the established religion of his country, yet he encourages the free exercise of reason and of sane philosophy: he does not persecute, or despise, other sects, but admits the utmost liberty of opinions. In all his conversation, his writings, his sermons, his charges, his parliamentary speeches, in his whole conduct, in his inmost soul, he encourages toleration. When a foreign princess was asked, which she thought had done the greatest service to religion, Bossuet or Fenelon, she answered, “L'un prouve la religion, mais l'autre la fait aimer."

How to form clerical characters, such as have been described, is the important question. It may be observed, that there are qualities, which are essential to all clergymen in the different steps of their preferment; the advancement of a good clergyman only developes and extends his virtues and know

"The one proves the truth of religion; the other makes us love it."

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ledge, or exercises them on a more enlarged scale. The same education, therefore, which tends to make a good curate, will prepare him for becoming a worthy rector, or an exemplary bishop; and as the probationary state of a curate is that, by which all who go into the church ought to begin, preceptors must dwell with peculiar care on the qualities appropriate to that character: to the forming of these their efforts in education should principally be directed. The moral principles of men in other professions spring often from different sources; from interest, ambition, or honour: but the virtues of a clergyman ought not to be founded on any of these temporal passions or worldly systems. His virtues should be founded on religion. It is therefore to be considered, whether a private, or public education, be best suited to inspire youth with religious principles.

In our public schools, however well conducted they may be, masters have it in their power to give only general attention to the morals and religion of their numerous pupils. They can have prayers regularly attended; they can have portions of the Scriptures read, and can undertake, that boys shall be taught the church catechism: but this general instruction is not sufficient to form the character of a clergyman. At public schools, boys of different tempers, and destined for different professions, live together, and catch one another's notions and habits; they acquire, at best, but a mixed kind of morality, far inferior to that standard, which ought to distinguish ecclesiastical purity. Emulation is the universal motive in public seminaries; it is a powerful engine, but its basis is in this world: and it should not be the chief

instrument employed in education for the church. Those who are governed, when boys, by emulation, when men are apt to become slaves to ambition, and "fools to fame." The natural sympathy and social spirit, which prevail in a large society of young people, produce great virtues or great vices, according to the manner in which they are directed; their direction, however, is beyond the power of a schoolmaster: and therefore pupils should not be exposed to the hazard of receiving impressions, which perhaps may never be effaced. In the clerical profession, nothing should be left to accident. Natural sympathy ought to be early improved into rational benevolence; the social spirit should be early directed to proper objects, and not suffered to degenerate into mere gregarious habits, and convivial tastes: these would lead forcibly away from the virtues of retirement and economy, the first virtues, which most young clergymen are, or ought to be, called upon to exercise. A strong sense of duty, the power and the habit of preferring the future to the present, should be given as early, and enforced as uniformly, as possible in their education. But these are, of all others, the habits least congenial to schoolboys, and the principles which would be most exposed to ridicule amongst the majority, the ruling irresistible majority in public seminaries. None of the advantages of public education appear sufficient in the present case, to balance its dangers. Classical scholars are, it is said, made with more certainty and expedition by public discipline, than by private tuition granting this to be true, and acknowledging that classical learning is absolutely necessary, as well as ornamental, to a clergyman, yet not even for this advantage should the