ground is scarcely asserted by dissenters themselves: and facts prove that it is rather on the decline. We will submit a simple illustration of our position. Every one knows, that when once a church is built and opened for divine service, it is never closed but continues open. Can the same be said of dissenting chapels? By no means. We ourselves have known several that have been built, and after a few years they have been closed or devoted to some other purpose. Now in the statistics put forth by dissenters they take special care to enumerate in their lists every chapel that has been built whether it be used for worship at the time or the contrary. When, therefore, we are presented with an array of chapels erected within any given period, we would ask, how many of them are closed? how many are devoted to other purposes?

THE STATE OF OUR OLDER CHURCHES.

In connexion with the subject of church building, we would submit a few observations on the state of our old parochial edifices. It cannot be unknown to many of our readers, especially to clergymen, that various mutilations have been inflicted on some of our ancient churches, by churchwardens and vestries, under the name of repairs, or possibly for the sake of accommodating certain individuals with pews more agreeable to their wishes, than those in which their forefathers worshipped Almighty God. We are acquainted with a beautiful church in a country village, where are still to be seen the remains of an ancient stone screen

of most exquisite workmanship, which has been partly destroyed, and partly concealed by a staircase and a large pew, for the accommodation of the SQUIRE. Sometimes some of the most splendid specimens of ancient architecturee defaced, or altogether removed, by making some paltry alteration destitute of which is conducted under the superintendence of men who are knowledge and taste, and see, perhaps, nothing but do have eformity in the workmanship of the ancients. We remember to ost seen a most beautiful Saxon church, one, indeed, of the mal beautiful in the kingdom, in which the tracery and ornament work on the arches were completely hidden by the whitewash, which had been applied from generation to generation, under the direction of successive vestries and churchwardens. Not unfrequently windows are blocked up by the same authorities. Monuments are removed or mutilated, and various other depredations are committed under the plea or pretence of improvements. We have heard of one instance in which a beautiful window, at the west end of a parish church, was blocked up by the command of two farmers, who, at a vestry, illegally assem

bled, had passed a resolution to that effect: and the only object, which they wished to obtain was the accommodation of some of the parishioners in playing the game of FIVES in the churchyard!

There are two other points connected with this subject, respecting which a few words may not inappropriately be introduced. We allude to the baptismal fonts, and the screens which formerly separated the chancels from the body of the churches. In not a few cases even the fonts have disappeared, while a small bason, or another font of small dimensions, has been substituted, so that were a parent to demand that his child should be immersed, as by the rubric he may demand, it would be necessary to introduce some other vessel for the purpose. And with respect to the ancient screens, few, very few remain in any part of the kingdom. They have also disappeared before the demon of innovation under the name of improvements and necessary alterations. Many of these screens were of most exquisite workmanship; and surely they ought to be preserved as monuments of our forefather's taste, and as memorials of their piety. On one occasion we ourselves saw the ancient font of a parish church used by the incumbent as a trough for his pigs: and we have often seen portions of ancient screens exposed for sale at various shops in London.

THE MAYORALTY.

We cannot but congratulate the friends of order and religion, on the result of the late contest for the office of chief magistrate of the first city in the empire. Of Mr. ex-Alderman Harmer we know nothing: but we do know something of the principles advocated in the "Dispatch." Dispatch." In our opinion the opposition was not levelled against Mr. Harmer, but against the principles so prominently put forth in a newspaper, of which he was the chief proprietor, and over which he could exercise a control. It was not possible to separate the paper from the man; nor can all the sophistry in the world induce an honest Englishman to believe, that the ex-alderman repudiated the principles, while he was deriving large supplies from the sale of the paper. We rejoice, therefore, at the decision of the Livery. We feel that a great moral lesson has been taught in that decision, which will not be lost upon the country at large. There is a feeling in the country which may not be outraged with impunity. Our people are not prepared to receive infidel sentiments: they view the Bible as a revelation from God: and they will not support men who, in any way, whether directly or indirectly, pour contempt upon the sacred volume.

HER MAJESTY AND THE PRINCESS ROYAL.

It would be somewhat out of place not to notice in our summary of matters connected with the religious and moral condition of the country, an event which has filled a whole nation with gratitude. Our most gracious queen is now entered upon a new relationship, in which we sincerely hope she may become an example to all the mothers in the land. On the birth of a child, the people are naturally reminded of those great principles on which the House of Brunswick has ever acted since their accession to the throne of these kingdoms. In the year 1688 a prince was born, who, on account of his father's rashness, lost his title to the crown, which, in consequence, passed over to the next heir, being a Protestant. From that period a Protestant prince has always reigned over Great Britain; and the laws of the land secure to us that inestimable blessing. It must, therefore, be a matter of sincere joy to a Protestant people, that our gracious queen should have given birth to an infant, to whom, in the absence of male heirs, the crown of these realms must naturally descend. Our queen has been educated in Protestant principles: she is the temporal head of our Anglican Church her consort is a Protestant: and the infant princess must be trained up in the same principles. At a proper age she will be placed under the superintendence, with respect to education, of some prelate, who will instruct her in the doctrines and discipline of our Apostolical Church.

SOCIALISM AND CHARTISM.

Though Socialism and Chartism received a most serious check, in consequence of the efforts of the Bishop of Exeter, yet, in many parts of the kingdom, the emissaries of both the parties are actively employed in disseminating principles destructive to all moral and social relationships, and subversive of all order and government. We trust, therefore, that the attention of the public will be directed to the subject during the parliamentary recess, in order that they may be prepared to express their opinions to the legislature, if necessary, as soon as Parliament assembles. Meetings are held in most of our large towns, at which infidel principles are openly avowed. It is a fact, too, that these misguided men are endeavouring to train up the rising generation in the same pernicious views. Let, then, the respectable members of the community be on their guard: let all the lovers of social order watch the proceedings of the parties alluded to; and it will be competent for any persons who have obtained any knowledge on the subject, to petition the

Parliament, who may be called upon to apply a remedy to a disease, which, unless arrested in its progress, must issue in the ruin of all our settled institutions. We sound the alarm: let every man do his duty.

Ere we again make our appearance before the public, Parliament will undoubtedly have assembled, and in all probability we shall have occasion, in our next number, to dwell upon matters of the utmost importance, which will have been introduced to the notice of the legislature.

General Literature.

Tracts of the Anglican Fathers. Vol. I. London: Painter. 1840. We are pleased, very pleased, to see this admirable series progressing, as our transatlantic friends have it. Many and many are the applications which have been made for these tracts: and we can assure the publisher that the patience of the public has been all but worn out. Now, however, we have a volume, a handsome volume, an orthodox volume, and a promise that every month we shall have a part containing four sheets. This will answer. We observed, a long time since, that had these Tracts appeared in 1833, the "TRACTS FOR THE TIMES" would never have appeared. The good which they have done would have been accomplished by the "Tracts of the Anglican Fathers," while the heart-burnings which have been occasioned in the Church would have been avoided. How many are there who condemn, without reading, the former series, who would have been afraid to condemn the latter; how many, who willingly vituperate Dr. Pusey, and think with a writer, of whom, however, they scarcely know the name, that

"Cortesia gli fu esser villano,"

who would never dare to call Cranmer popish, or Latimer unevangelical. Much as we differ from the Oxford Tractarians, we abominate the unchristian abuse which has been heaped upon them; and we think with that great and good man, George Stanley Faber, that the term "Puseyite" is an instance of the working of "unsanctified human nature."

But our present business is neither with the good qualities, nor the dangerous and, sometimes, heretical tenets of Dr. Pusey. We have now to speak of the "Tracts of the Anglican Fathers." The first volume consists of Tracts concerning the Prayer Book and on the Authority and Commission of the

Church. The names of Cranmer, Nowell, Jewell, Lancelot Andrews, Bancroft, Laud, Charles I., Sanderson, Cosin, and Sparrow will sufficiently evidence both the kind of matter and the quality of style which we are to expect. The student of Anglican Ecclesiastical History and Antiquities will not be surprised to find Laud the antagonist of Popery, and King Charles the Martyr the advocate of the Church's rights; to find Cranmer advocating high church, though evangelical views, and the great lights among the Reformers supporting the same principles. But these things will occasion no surprise to him. They must necessarily startle the adherent of vulgar prejudices, who has been taught to believe that the Reformation was a renunciation of Church authority, that Laud was a papist in disguise, and Charles I. an arbitrary tyrant; who looks upon it as "a matter of opinion" whether he be a Churchman or a Dissenter, and conceives the sin of schism an imaginary offence, an ecclesiastical bugbear, raised up by a cunning priesthood to frighten fools withal. Such persons may be startled at this resuscitation of old and sound principles, but though startled, we trust that they may read and be convinced.

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The object proposed by the conductors is to give four volumes of Tracts; and we perceive that the idea thrown out in the July number of this Review, as to the four-fold office of the Episcopate, has struck their minds. The first volume now completed, treats, as we have seen, on the Authority and Commission of the Church; the second volume will contain Tracts on Doctrine; the third on Discipline; and the fourth Practical Tracts thus shall we have a very complete body of English theology, drawn from the most unsuspected sources, and exemplifying, with more or less minuteness, all the most important points of divinity.

There is one hint thrown out in the Preface, which we hope will not be allowed to evaporate in a mere half promise. It refers to the tracts of the ante-Lutheran Fathers of the English Church; and it is observed that a fifth volume of the series will give a few tracts from Elfric (or earlier) to Anselm, from Anselm to Bradwardine, and from Bradwardine to Tunstall of Durham. Most important would such a series be, though we opine it would require a hydraulic press to get it into one volume. It (the series, not the press) would prove a fact too often lost sight of in these days of liberal interpretation and private judgment, viz., that the Church of which we are members is not a new but a reformed Church; and that even at the time of her greatest darkness she was not distinctively Romish, when we see the contests carried on not only between the An