carry the tastes and feelings and manners of gentlemen into the poorest and remotest districts. In our great towns, where human beings are congregated together as in a slave ship, and the unwise policy of the state refuses to add to the Establishment, the influence of the clergy is little felt; and the effects of heathen ignorance, slightly relieved by dissent, are seen in a rudeness and ferocity of manner, joined with the grossest moral degradation. But in our country villages, the beneficial influence of the resident clergy is plainly apparent. They are the representatives of the higher and educated classes, and, by their peculiar office, they continually bring the more refined and liberal ideas, which education confers, amongst their rustic neighbours. Their presence and example, in the vestry, or the board of guardians, or in their domestic visits, is a constant check upon that rude uncourteous tone which is too apt to show itself amongst the village aristocracy; they are often able to moderate the harshness of the law, and obtain a kinder consideration for the poor; they are the promoters of every scheme of charity, of every benevolent institution: the Savings Bank, the Dispensary, the National School, the Provident Club, fall generally to their ma

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nagement. They are ready always to receive the complaints of the afflicted, and hear their tale of distress; and are often able to render them services, which otherwise they could not have obtained. And in many rural districts, especially where there are no resident gentry, the clergyman's family is the centre of refinement, the model of a Christian household; affording to the neighbourhood an example of orderly, decent, and religious conduct. It is thus that through the means of the clergy, the high tone of English civilization is conveyed to every district of the land; and thus the endowments of the Church, which, if not so appropriated, would be in the hands of individuals, and applied to private purposes, are the means of securing to the public the talents and exertions of several thousands of the best educated men in England', and employing them, not only in the diffusion of pure religion, but of civilization, courteous man

1 The political value of a man of education and respectability in every parish, is shown by the constant application to him for information as to character and facts, both by government and private societies, and also by individuals. It has occured to me also, as I know it has to others, to have met with several cases in which poor persons would have lost legacies and other just rights, but for the friendly advice of the clergy

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ners, liberal and loyal sentiments, upright and honourable feelings throughout the length and breadth of the land. The national character is mainly attributable to the influence of our Church.

HERBERT.

Yes, our national character, in all its strength and nobleness, is the emanation of our national Church. The Church is the mould in which it has been cast; and no wonder that God's true Church should sanctify and elevate the people amongst whom it abides. The character of a people evidently depends on the moral principles in which they are trained; and the distinctive genius of the English is clearly traceable to their Church. There is a peculiarity in the Anglican Church which distinguishes it from all other Protestant communities. When God opened men's eyes to discern the errors of Romanism, the English reformers did not, like their continental brethren, cast aside the authority of ages, and reconstruct a Church for themselves; they simply repaired and cleansed their ancient temples: for though neglected and dilapidated, the framework was entire, the plan was perfect. They subjected her doctrine and discipline to the test of Scripture. What was con

trary to Scripture they at once discarded; what was agreeable to it, they retained and reve. renced as a sacred legacy from the Apostolic ages. Her outward form and structure, her threefold ministry, her dioceses and parishes, her Apostolic ordinations, her creeds, her very services, which had been handed down from age to age, all these they retained; only they removed from them whatsoever was contrary to the word of God; and the Church stood forth to the world fresh in the beauty of her intrinsic holiness, the exact model, nay rather the continued identification of the one Catholic and Apostolic Church.

On the same principle of deference to authority, but of appeal to Scripture as the sole standard of divine truth, our Church freely opens the Bible to all her children; not bidding them carve out of it a religion for themselves, but requiring them to reverence her ordinances and her ministers, and compare her doctrines with those of Scripture; being confident that Scripture will confirm them in her communion. Thus she encourages free enquiry, but at the same time represses rash enthusiasm; and unites a perfect liberty of thought with a due regard for authority. These are the principles which

have formed the English character; and have trained a race of men faithful but not bigoted, reverential but not superstitious. And these religious principles descending to the thoughts and actions of common life, and elevating and sanctifying, as they could not fail, the habitual tenor of our lives, have rendered us as a nation, independent yet not licentious, intellectual yet not arrogant, manly yet humble, loyal yet free '.

RIDLEY.

You give us an excellent character: I wish it were more generally applicable.

HERBERT.

It must be confessed that it belongs rather to former days than to the present. I have often thought that the germ of our national character may be traced to the time of Alfred, in whose reign the Church was comparatively uncorrupted, and the nation free. That monarch himself united in a remarkable degree a calm dignity and wisdom, with a vigorous activity of character; which could not fail to leave its impression on the nation which he governed. But then came the long night of Romanism, during which England was not distinguished above the continental

1 See this topic traced out more fully in a recent article in the Quarterly Review, on "Cathedrals."