projected for the morrow, the night is spent in considering, whether he may go to it consistently with his profession or not, and if he does, whether he may not lay himself open to the attacks of the Enemy. Love-making, however, is not practised on such strictly upright and conscientious principles as the unwary reader might be led to infer, and we remarked in one of these books, which lately came to our hand, that the heroine did not consider she violated propriety in going to visit her friend, while ostensibly nursing a sick sister. In justice, be it said, this was an American book attempting to pourtray English manners and customs. Most Englishmen would fail to recognise the resemblance, which however must be their own blindness. This same young lady is not content with the lover whom fortune and her parents had provided, but as soon as the clerical hero (with large blue eyes, which seemed to pierce into the very depths of the soul) appears on the scene, she immediately resolves to have two strings to her bow, and plays fast and loose with each accordingly. The old adage is certainly verified in her case, that it is good to be off with the old love, before you are on with the new, for she gets into trouble on all sides, viz., her irate parents, indignant partially-discarded lover, and spiritual adviser, alias new lover. Finally she travels out to some island in the Pacific (whither her clerical lover has gone as a missionary), and has there the ineffable satisfaction of performing the menial offices of the household, as female servants are somewhat scarce in that colony. Fag ends of sermons are interspersed bountifully throughout this work, and sermons "in extenso" promiscuously. The latter we confess ourselves unable to read, and certainly whoever has done so, deserves no small credit. In our opinion, these so-called religious novels (for we consider the term a misnomer) stand far lower in the scale of literature than sentimental novels. In endeavouring to obtrude on our notice the theological hobbies of the author, they simply disgust us with religious works altogether. What the New Zealander will say on reading such a book as this, and what his outraged feelings will lead him to do, is an interesting problem we will leave to the author to solve; meantime we can but warn them that far from inculcating any good whatever, they only incline people to ridicule things, which, in themselves, if not travestied in this absurd way, might be far more efficacious than is thought in giving a sound and healthy moral tone to the character of their life. (To be continued.) C.C.B.C. (Contributed.) ΟΝ N Whitsun Monday, the Boat Club, availing themselves of the holiday, made up two crews for the "eight-oars," for the purpose of enjoying the day by rowing to Worcester. Though the train started at 6.30 a.m., all the party were found in the Station (Railway, we mean) at the appointed hour. We cannot too highly praise the noble conduct of these self-denying heroes, in dragging themselves from their beds at such an hour on one of the finest and most beautiful days we have as yet experienced this year; though if on that morning, school had been at 8 a.m., most of these models of early rising would doubtless have been seen rushing frantically to College just as the "second bell" was ringing. After a halt had been made at Upton to partake of a good breakfast of chops, steaks, &c., the crews proceeded to turn into the boats, and business was resumed. The The row from Upton to Worcester, a distance of about 10 miles, was accomplished by the first boat in a little under an hour-and-a-half; the second boat arriving shortly after. effect produced on the rowers' arms was peculiarly pleasing-these engines of motive power presenting the appearance of boiled crabs, which may be partially accounted for by the number of those animals that were caught in the row by the aforementioned arms, and by the fact that the heat of the sun was rather intense than otherwise. The appearance of the crew in their boating costume occasioned considerable surprise and admiration among the natives of the ancient and loyal Wigornaceastre, who were keeping holiday, and executing with beautiful precision sundry reels (not Scottish), which they prolonged to a late hour. Several complaints were heard that cushioned chairs had not been provided for the poor fellows after their long and arduous row, but they were forced to put up with the wooden articles that are in general use at the establishment of mine host of the Hop Market Hotel; and it was truly touching to see the calm manner in which the noble youths resigned themselves to the decree of fate. Would that the Spartans of old might have witnessed this thrilling incident! After dinner the crews dispersed to examine the course for the "Shrewsbury Race." The starting place is near the Grand Stand for the Steeple Chases, and the goal a little below the Cathedral, so that the race will be rowed right through the town, which will doubtless pay its tribute of friendship to the rival boats by bevies of fair maidens in gondolas, barges, &c. On starting back, the "second eight" showed off by persistently running and rubbing its nose against the bridge-a token of friendship generally indulged in by the inhabitants of Greenland, and other equally warm countries. At length a start was effected, and both boats rowed very fairly down to Upton, with a strong wind against them. Another halt was made at Upton, where the "Trierarch" secured the services of a nigger melodist, who, accompanying himself on an instrument vulgarly called the "banjo," melodiously warbled forth various strains of his native country, with the most perfect disregard for time, tune, or the ears of his hearers. Refreshed by this ambrosial food, the first "eight" rowed home in good style from Upton, accomplishing the distance in 45 min., and finally arrived in Cheltenham at about 10.30 p.m., after enjoying a very pleasant day. IN Apropos of the "Rinderpest." 'N the Year 1381 a Rinderpest broke out in a Part of Germany, now in Rhenish Prussia. This Pest, it is said, not only afflicted the Cattle, but their Owners, and in a Manner quite different to the present Plague. The Disease caused an incessant Leaping and Jumping, so that Cattle in the Fields, and Persons in the Streets and Roads, might be seen continually projected into the Air, and coming down again with great Violence. We must feel grateful that our Rinderpest has not yet taken this Form, and we must hope that it will never do so; for although since the Time of "Icarus," Men have sought to soar aloft on artificial Wings, yet probably no one cares to go through an involuntary Performance of this Nature, which would even excel the aërial Gestures of the chief jumping Dervish. After the Departure of this strange Affection, in thankful Remembrance of its Cessation, a Procession was instituted, which was to take place on Tuesday in Whitsun Week. At first the Processions were not confined to one Locality; but, in the course of Time, they dwindled in various Localities, and the only one now left is in the Village of Echternach, not far from Trêves. Here it is flourishing as in the Days of its earliest Institution. On Whitsun Tuesday, 5,000 or 6,000 Persons of every Age-Men, Women, and Children-proceed from various Stations in the Village to the Church. They jump three Steps forward, and then one Step backwards, and in this Manner, with infinite Fatigue and Pains, the Church is reached. Old People of Seventy-some actually lame, and falling every two or three Steps, with fearful spasmodic Struggles, keep on their Way, till they fall prostrate, and are lifted out of the Path, unable to continue their Journey; but these will offer eagerly a small Coin to anyone who will take up their Pilgrimage, and thus their Vow is paid by Proxy. Some there are, who either idle, or utterly unable to walk or to leap, pay a few Kreuzers to some Friend who does the Business for them, and then has to return and accomplish his own. Little Children of four and five Years of Age may be seen making their feeble Efforts among the Crowd, and when a set of Leapers reach at length the Door of the Church, with Eyes starting from the Socket, Mouths open, Breath entirely gone, and Limbs refusing all further Effort, some crawl into the Church on all fours, thankful it is all over, and others lie at the Door for some time before they can even perform so much. The Aspect of the Line of leaping Pilgrims is something more extraordinary and ludicrous than can be imagined. A strange rough barbarous Music accompanies it: without this Help it is thought the Penance could never be got through. The Music is traditional; and there can be little Doubt is as old as the Institution itself—as the Germans call it, the "Springende Procession." Equally singular with the Custom itself is the frantic Attachment of the People towards it. The Priests would fain get rid of it, but they cannot prevail on the country Folk to desist from it. They are quite aware of its ridiculous Nature; but it has been a cherished Penance, a Pastime, as it may be called, for nearly 500 Years, and nothing short of a Rescript from the Holy Father, and perhaps not even that, could put an end to this strange Memorial of the Rinderpest, A.D. 1381. On Whitsun Tuesday, 1854, 6,000 Persons made this Pilgrimage -three Steps forwards-one Step backwards. Translations. Into Latin Hexamiters. The key of this infernal pit by due And by command of Heav'n's all-powerful King These adamantine gates: against all force To sit in hateful office here confined, Inhabitant of Heav'n and heav'nly born, With terrors and with clamours compassed round Milton, Paradise Lost, Book II. |