done. A person under the influence of the circumstances of his legitimate position in life, is from these very circumstances led into some sin; in such a case he may not or cannot leave that position; he must therefore use every other means of prayer and mortification to resist the temptation. Here is need of almost superhuman wisdom in the spiritual guide; and so with regard to habitual and relapsing sinners, it is a most difficult task so to temper zeal with discretion as to impose restraint on them, at the same time as not to alienate them from the rite. It may be well in some cases to defer the absolution, even where there are signs of contrition; but in most cases, even when the relapses are frequent, it is as well to absolve; for the fact of the return of the penitent is in most cases an earnest of some care for his soul. S. Philip once imposed upon a young relapsing sinner the duty of always confessing his relapse immediately, without any delay; by always imposing the same penance, and by the exercise of his moral influence, he cured him in a few months. The very use of this sacramental rite has its good effect, and frequent confession and communion are prescribed by the Roman Ritual itself, as the best cure for relapse into sin.

But

We have hitherto seen the French Priest in the confessional: let us now follow him to the bed of death. In cases where the Priest finds his penitent sinning up to the last, the Priest must not exact the same delays and proof of repentance, as if he were in health-delay of absolution may cause him to despair. It is a most difficult and unsatisfactory case, but still to absolve is the less evil of the two, at any rate, absolution should be administered sub conditione. The Priest who attends the sick bed should take heed that he find out previously from the physician the probable result of the disease, and that he learn from the relations as much as he can of the character and past actions of the dying man's life. He shall then talk to him about his disease, and pass on from that to religion, gradually disposing him to confession. He should incline him to make his will and to make restitution where necessary. The patient should not be fatigued with long prayers, and all objects of temptation, weapons, pictures, and above all, persons who have been occasions of sin to him must be carefully removed from his sight. he will now be assailed by Satan, by temptations to unbelief, despair, vain-glory, impatience, worldliness, or unforgivingness-to each of these the Priest must direct his attention. He must by short texts of Scripture suggest to him sentiments of hope, love, contrition, and resignation to the will of God. Even where death is not immediately apprehended, it is as well that the sick man should receive the Holy Communion, if not by way of viaticum at least as a protection and consolation. After the viaticum follows extreme unction, to be given in all cases where the person does not die in manifest mortal sin, and then the patient is never left by the Priest or his assistants till the death takes place. Thus far we have considered the exertions of the French Parish Priest as regards the individuals of his flock. It remains for us to say a few words on those means which he takes to act upon that flock collectively. The church is in the hands of the fabrique, but is entirely at his disposal for the use of services. Masses are said therein daily from five in the morning till noon or a little after, at which it is an act of religion for the faithful to assist. In addition to this the churches are open again in the afternoon for vespers, or for the benediction, or in some cases for

a service of evening prayers, in the French language. We recollect the beautiful effect of a congregation assembled about night-fall at this form of evening prayer, in the nave of the Cathedral of Rouen. It is sad to see how few men are present at these services of religion; but when we recollect what was the state in our own country twenty years ago, how few men used to think of attending Divine worship, we may hope that in France there will be an improvement in this respect.

Lastly, the great means by which the French Priest appeals to his people collectively, is by the sermon. As an assistance to more direct methods of dealing with the individual conscience, it is an admirable instrument as a substitute a most imperfect one. In no country has pulpit eloquence assumed so grand a position as in France-the language, not musical enough for prayer, is eminently suited to concise argument and energetic description; while those who are versed in the writings of this class in the best ages, can vouch for the surpassing pathos of some of them. The manner in which they master the difficulties of their own language is very remarkable, and the continual use they make of the coarse but sublime Latin of the Vulgate, is attended with the happiest effect. In no country have the glories of the pulpit been so great as in France, and La Cordaire, and Ravignan are no unworthy successors of Bourdaloue and Bossuet. The "conferences of the last mentioned of these, Father Ravignan, once an advocate, now a Jesuit, in Notre Dame, were attended with a wonderful success; the dissolute youth of Paris rushed to hear this ecclesiastical wonder, and many conversions were the happy result. Nor is this all-sometimes a concentrated effort is made on one district. One or two persons experienced in such things hold a mission: awakening and stirring sermons are preached twice a day during a week or nine days, confessions are heard in the intervals, and the whole concludes by the administration of the Holy Communion on the Sunday. This, which seems to bear some analogy to the American revivals, is supposed to have a good effect upon the present dead and cold state of religious feelings in France. They were attended, too, with some success in England in the days of Wesley; but the English Church has never known how to turn the self-will and lower nature of man to a good purpose, and so, many an excitable nature, for whom nevertheless CHRIST died, has, from want of sympathy and sustenance, been driven into the erring paths of dissent.

We finish this paper with a few words about the general character of the French Clergy. The ancient days of that high-born Bishop, who addressed his diocese in cathedral assembled as canaille chrétiens, are happily gone. The days of the noble chapters who were too great men to kneel during mass have long been numbered. A very few of the nobles during Charles X.'s time took orders, but the great mass of the priesthood are now from the middle and lower classes. Hence, an absence of that high-bred manner which is the charm of the Italian Ecclesiastic. Hence the want of respect paid to them by the people— hence the want of moral influence over the higher orders. On the other hand, the humble position and miserable pay hold out no worldly motives for bad men to seek Orders. An identification with the interests of the lower part of the communion takes place, while a certain narrowness

of mind is produced, which makes them unfit to cope with the spirit of the age. In the towns, the Priests live almost entirely among themselves, and make for themselves a little world. In the country the Curé mixes generally in a very friendly way with his parishioners, and by all accounts his general conduct is most Apostolic. Even Parisians, lost to many better feelings, look back with an affectionate respect to the country Curé by whom they were brought up. Still the position of the Clergy, on the whole, as far as this world is concerned, is a painful and humiliating one. Watched and suspected by the people for whose souls he is answerable, curbed and thwarted by an infidel government, surrounded with a moral pestilence which he can neither cure nor stay: his is a self-denying and harassing life, and if he seek for happiness or satisfaction here, he will be disappointed: but surely, if we in England suffer from like misfortunes, though in infinitely less degrees; if we, the richest Church in the world, have our trials-alienated parishioners, rampant dissent, and a worldly spirit of gain-loving winning to itself more souls than we do ;-we must not withhold a genuine sympathy from our Gallic brother, who in poverty, and contempt, and sorrow, maintains the smouldering fire of the religion of CHRIST in the land of S. Remigius and S. German.

HINTS FOR PROVIDING AN INCREASED SUPPLY OF CLERGY.

THE great necessity which weighs down the English Church at this moment, is the incompetency of her existing institutions for providing an adequate supply of Parochial Clergy. The population of the empire has been increasing for a long period of time at the rate of 200,000 per annum; and yet matriculations at the two great nurseries of the Priesthood are not more numerous now than they were twenty years ago. An additional University has been founded at Durham, and may perhaps send forth as many as twenty Clergymen per annum. The other expedients which have been resorted to are of such a nature as to witness to the Church's wants, not to go any way towards supplying them. These are Lampeter and S. Bees' Colleges, which appear to be conducted on the most miserable starveling scale, and jealously to exclude the essential doctrines and discipline of the Church. Besides which we are favoured with the refuse of Trinity College, Dublin. It is the practice, we are informed publicly, by one of the authorities of that College, for students, who cannot procure the necessary Testimonium for ordination in their own country, to gain admission to the Ministry through the more lax examination of certain English Bishops, to whom their scant learning and Calvinistic sentiments are a sure passport to favour.

Within the last few months several schemes have been propounded for supplying the deficiency. A memorial has been presented to the Heads of Houses in Oxford by a party of influential persons, suggesting either the foundation of a College or Hall, exclusively Clerical, within that

University; or of a large number of Exhibitions for "Poor Scholars," in all or several of the existing Societies. This memorial, it is understood, is now under the consideration of a committee. Diocesan Colleges were recommended a long time since; and more recently a writer in the English Churchman has advocated the establishment of one Provincial College at York. Last of all, our "Ecclesiastical Record" of this month contains a notice (apparently official) of a plan which is actually to come into operation at Durham in October next. From the existence of this variety of projects then, we may assume that the want of some better provision on the part of the Church, for the training and creating of Clergy, is really making itself felt. And it may be serviceable, perhaps instead of claiming to originate a new scheme, if we state a few general principles which require to be borne in mind by those who shall undertake the construction of the necessary machinery.

Now in any contemplated arrangement the first thing for which we would plead, is the conservation of Oxford and Cambridge (abuses excepted) in their present state. They, let it be remembered, are Universities, not Clerical Seminaries; nor an incorporation of such. We are anxious particularly to point attention to this fact, because there are two opposite errors into either of which there is danger of the present movement falling. It might be that Clerical Colleges should be founded on the model of the Universities; or, vice versa, there might be a disposition to assimilate the Universities to the model of Clerical Colleges. Against both of these projects we plead for the preservation of the Universities as they are, with slight exceptions; or rather, as under men like the late lamented Mr. Whytehead they would be. Let us not be misunderstood we are no advocates of luxury, or indolence, or unfaithfulness; neither have we any sympathy with those who would dethrone Theology from her position as Queen of Sciences, and make education secular. But neither would we disturb the balance that now exists, by rendering the University system less agreeable to its name; that is, less universal. It is most needful, indeed, that the religious element should leaven the whole character of the education imparted at the Universities; but it is not their business to give a Clerical education. The entire range of the sciences should find a place in the ample bosom of Alma Mater, and from her should each liberal profession derive their students. The University, as such, is not charged with the training of Priests; but with providing a liberal and religious education for all who are willing to receive it. To establish Clerical Colleges in the University, or Clerical Scholarships in Colleges, would be to destroy, in some degree, the idea of a University. Already the education at Oxford and Cambridge is more limited than their best friends could desire; Mathematical Science in the former, and Classical learning in the latter being but very partially studied. Moreover, if it is thought that the Universities, without detriment to their internal discipline, can admit of enlargement, we should be glad to see them enlarged upon their present constitution. It is greatly to be desired, that more of the laity should enjoy the benefit of an academical education. It is calculated that at least two-thirds of those who enter at the Universities are intended for Holy Orders. Thus the proportion of members of the liberal professions who have graduated at the Universities must be very much

smaller than it should be. These have the first claims upon the Universities, as well as upon most of the Colleges; and if the Universities, as we hope, are to be enlarged, let care be had in the first place for the extension of a liberal education among our future legislators and lawyers, medical men and merchants; for all, in fact, who are destined to move in the circle of gentlemen. Should the time ever arrive that those who have received a University education in any of the professions or upper ranks of society, are either numerically fewer or intellectually inferior, there will be an end of the prestige which at present attaches itself to those seats of learning, and they will cease to attract men in the way even that they do now. We profess ourselves therefore jealous in the highest degree of the classical and scientific reputation of our Universities we should deem it a short-sighted policy to sacrifice or endanger that reputation by making them more directly Seminaries of the Priesthood. We want to educate more Priests it is true. But we must also educate more Laity. And it is for the benefit of the latter rather than of the former, that we are anxious to see Academical education extended.

Do we then undervalue the importance of a liberal education, and the other collateral benefits of a residence at the Universities? Far otherwise. The great majority of the English Clergy, we trust may ever be taken from the Alumni of Oxford and Cambridge. The country Parson in England has impressed upon him a peculiar type, which is associated with many time-honoured feelings, and has been productive of great moral results in its influence upon society at large. To this system, independently of its abstract merits, whatever they may be, the English Church is committed to an extent that would render any violent departure from it exceedingly dangerous. At the same time it does not follow that because we have twenty thousand Clergy of this type, that the ten thousand more who are required, and whom the Church must have, should be formed in precisely the same mould. Doubtless, good has resulted from the Church possessing a body of Clergy who, by birth and education, are fitted to take their place beside the Peer or the Squire. Doubtless, the general admixture of the Clergy in society has imparted to it a decency and moderation which it might not otherwise have attained. Doubtless, Clergymen have done good while acting in the capacity of Magistrates, Chairmen of Sessions, of Boards of Guardians, and Turnpike Trusts. But might it not be well also to have some who would leaven society among the middle classes, or by a stricter mode of life would set an example of self-denial in that quarter. This would come home to the poorer classes; it would be to them better than a sermon on strictness in religion; it would win their hearts.

But in point of fact, whatever we might be disposed to wish, the question seems so far settled for us, that if we are to have more Clergy, they must be of a humbler extraction, and trained to habits of greater simplicity of living than now commonly prevail. They must be content to live all their lives on £100 a year; to forego the ambition of wives and poney-carriages, and visits to watering-places. Is it wise then, we ask, to think of sending them to the Universities, where expensive habits and aristocratic connexions are likely to be formed? The most ordinary prudence seems to forbid the idea.