A rate at 1s. in the pound raises about 1001. It thus appears that an 1s. 6d. rate was saved in the year ending Michaelmas, 1831, and a 2s. 6d. rate in the following season, by the change from road work to spade husbandry.

Having said thus much in favour of spade-husbandry farms, I wish to mention one or two considerations which have occurred to me, and which lead me to suppose, not that such farms are unworthy of being adopted, but that the benefit derived from them will be found to be of a negative rather than of a positive kind; that is to say, that it will shew itself in the diminution of loss rather than in direct gain, and that we must not entertain too sanguine anticipations as to the degree even of this negative advantage.

First of all we must expect to find bad management as the rule, and good as the exception. For the managers must, in most cases, be farmers, who have their own business to attend to. They cannot, therefore, be expected to bestow more than a cursory and incidental notice on a concern which will yield but little direct advantage to themselves with any degree of care that they can reasonably hope to be able to betow upon it.

In the next place, there must be a very considerable difference between the ordinary mode of farming and spade cultivation; and it will require, not only some talent, but some time, to learn the most advantageous method of management. Again, the procuring of manure constitutes an inherent difficulty. To purchase all the stock which would be wanted to produce it on the farm would require a considerable capital-the very thing which is wanting in those parishes which have a large number of superfluous labourers. And it is not by any means universally the case that stock can be obtained to be turned into the straw yard at a weekly stipend. Lastly, the very time at which the parish farm is inundated with labourers is that at which the weather is unfavourable for working on the land, which circumstance constitutes the ordinary motive of their masters in turning them off. After harvest the farmers are busy in breaking up their own ground for the following season, and the weeds have time to grow up and shed their seeds on the parish farm before any considerable number of men are thrown upon the hands of the Overseers. And in the spring the crops are, from the same reason, too late in the ground. This was the occasion of the total failure of our barley crop in 1831.

I have sometimes thought, with reference to this last class of objections, that it would be wise to quarter a certain set of labourers (perhaps twelve) upon the parish farm, to the exclusion of all others. The result would be, I imagine, that those individuals and their families would be kept at a small expense, and the introduction of parish agreements would be much facilitated by the diminution of the number of hands which would remain to be divided amongst the occupiers. However, as I have never made any trial of this system I cannot speak of it with any confidence.

I am happy to say that the labour rate, which was adopted last winter on the principles described in my former letter, continues to work well. There is hardly a man unemployed; and I hope that in our next year's account we shall not see the rent stated as 617. 158., and the rates 60l. 10s. 3d.

I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, X.

SUBSCRIPTIONS TOWARD THE RE-CONSTRUCTION OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH OF ST. MICHAEL, STAMFORD, LINCOLNSHIRE.

(Sent for insertion.)

THE Church of St. Michael having been overthrown by a series of unforeseen and unfortunate occurrences, the parishioners feel themselves constrained to appeal to the sympathy of the wealthy and benevolent. The extreme poverty of a great part of the population, the heavy sums with which it is already burdened, and the comparatively large amount of the funds required (upwards of 40007.), involve it in difficulties, which, without adequate assistance, will be found insurmountable. Its humble and respectful plea therefore is, that in the present critical and perilous state of the times, the friends of the Established Church may be expected to do that which in other times, and under other circumstances, they might not consider it right or expedient to do.

THE gentleman who made the Index to the volume lately published by the Commissioners of Inquiry as to the Poor Law, has recorded it, as his opinion at least (if not that of the itinerant commissioners), that that portion of the country gentlemen of England who hold office as magistrates (i. e. the chief among the body) are liable to the trifling accusations of cowardice, ignorance, and selfishness at least. Now the writer of these lines does not concur in that verdict, but feels very considerable indignation at it; and yet he must say, that if the accused were to be judged by a considerable portion of those who represent the whole in a certain great assembly, the Index-maker might allege some strong arguments on his side of the question. What, for example, is to be said of the manliness and courage of a set of country gentlemen, who, night after night, get up in that assembly and rail against the church and the clergy whenever the church is mentioned, accusing the clergy of extortion, greediness, and everything which is base, to gratify their own spite and that of the worst part of their constituents, knowing that there is no clergyman present to reply? If any person did this in any other house, he would be despised as unmanly and ungenerous. But, in an honourable house, this, no doubt, is very honourable and manly conduct. At least, if the Index-maker should say otherwise, the writer will not. He has not the least inclination to be rebuked by a grave and dignified person, nor (like one who was so rebuked formerly) to be obliged to wipe his knees, after asking pardon (not of, of course, but) in a very dirty house indeed.

Then the ill-disposed Index-maker might say (no doubt quite falsely) that it did not indicate a total absence of selfishness, to see persons trying, by every possible means, to bring the church property

more within their grasp, and resolutely determined, at the expence of clergy and tenants alike, if they possibly can, to get one-tenth which does not belong to them at all, because nine-tenths already do.

As to ignorance, it may be feared that the Index-maker would vapour very considerably indeed, and would really fancy (perverse and ill-conditioned man) that the speakers in this great assembly, the member for this Rape and that County, do give him ground for thinking that their views are not quite the widest, their reasonings the clearest, nor their information quite the most accurate in the world. He might ask, how it can happen that persons (very amiable, inoffensive gentlemen, no doubt, but still) who, in their own neighbourhood, would hardly be allowed to give an opinion (and certainly would never be asked for one) on cutting a ditch, or setting up a turnpike-gate, all of a sudden, make long speeches about translations of bishoprics, in this great assembly, and are listened to with great attention, unless their brethren (being in sufficient number to support them and obtain attention) were much delighted with their wisdom and eloquence?

A single word must be said on another subject. Lord Morpeth made a great virtue, the other day, of the support which he had given to the church, at a popular meeting, and said, that if bishops voted, as he did not approve, on political questions, he and others could not continue to do so. Now, every one felt respect for Lord Morpeth's manly and Christian avowal of his principles on the occasion alluded to. But why did he make it? Was it to do his duty to God and his own soul, or to plead as a merit with good churchmen? What can so excellent a man as Lord Morpeth mean by such language? If he supports the church from anything but a conscientious conviction that he is supporting the truth, how can he excuse himself? If he has that conscientious conviction, how can he excuse himself for boasting of having done what he was bound, as an immortal being, answerable to God, to do? Let no man, whatever be his station, think that he does the church honour, or confers obligation on it, by supporting it. The church of Christ confers obligations unspeakable on him, but can receive none from him. It demands support on grounds which are of the utmost importance, not to itself, but to the individual whom it addresses; and it is at his own peril that he refuses to consider the question, or to act, when he has considered, as conscience dictates.

One gets tired of noting all the attacks made by the courageous gentlemen of the House of Commons on the defenceless church and clergy. But, considering that Dr. Lushington holds high appointments from the clergy, it would be just as decent in him if he did not take every opportunity to vent the bitterness which he obviously feels towards the church. He wishes to press the Tithe Bill this Session because tithes are so detestable, and because a spirit of resisting tithes has arisen in England, His wish must have been father to the thought; for no one but himself has heard of it. And he had better consult the landholders, not landowners, on the subject. What right has a man who is profiting by the kindness of the church and its appointments thus to increase the difficulties which beset it, to

proclaim his conviction of the injustice of its mode of support, and thus call down fresh clamours from the disaffected?

Το pass to a different subject. One of the signs of the times is a Visitation Sermon, preached before an archdeacon, and published at his request, and that of the clergy, in which, not only is the present mode of receiving church revenue denounced as full of evil, but alterations in the Liturgy and Articles are called for. Archdeacon Bathurst was always a reformer, and it can be no charge against him that he adheres to his principles. But did a large body of clergy really hear this with approbation, and send it forth to the world? Alas! alas! for the church, if this is so. And on what grounds is the call for these changes made? Because there is a clamour-because, if we do not do it ourselves, it will be done in spite of us! Oh! worst of all grounds, most fatal, and lowering of all views! Will be done. What will be done? Shall I be compelled, by all the Parliaments which ever were, or will be, to adhere to a new liturgy and new articles, of which I do not approve? They may turn me out of my preferment, and set up Mahometanism, if they will, but the Liturgy and the Articles are existing things, which they cannot strip me of, nor prevent me from adhering to. If a man thinks the Liturgy and Articles bad, that is a reason for wishing them altered, but to say they should be altered by us, though we approve of no alterations, because others will make them, because the Liturgy is not comprehensive enough to take in those who do not agree with us, though very beautiful, and the Articles keep out some of our excellent brethren, is trifling with our own souls and those of our flocks. Do we believe that one single dissenter would be brought in by our altering those articles which we do not think vital? And if not, are we prepared to alter those which we do?

These are the things which will destroy the church, if anything will. These are the things which prevent men from joining it. When pastors and ministers are loud and foremost in pointing out faults, and calling for amendments and alterations, how can they ask men to join a church which they have just been denouncing? A well-known dissenting minister in the North said to a friend of the writer's, a short time ago, "If you knew our condition, you would know that you need have no fear from us. But you have reason to fear the meddlers and reformers among yourselves." How, indeed, can such persons complain (as the author of this sermon does in the first part of it) of the attacks on the church? Who invite them, who justify them, but persons who make such declarations as he does? The truth in this matter is very plain. If we are not satisfied that the church, on the vast majority of points, is not only defensible, but right, we had better leave it. If we are, it will not do for those who are entrusted with so glorious a

"The Wisdom of the Established Church, in the present Crisis, considered. A Sermon preached at Blofield, May 1, 1833, at the Visitation of Archdeacon Bathurst, and published by desire of himself and the clergy present. By the Rev. J. D. Borton, M.A., Rector of Blofield, and Vicar of Felmingham. Norwich. 1833." It is only due to Mr. Borton to say, that the language is very temperate, and the sermon very well written.

VOL. IV.-July, 1833.

M

cause to be perpetually calling out that they are quite sensible of this imperfection, and that trifling defect. They only shew that their heart is not in the cause for which they contend, and they supply every faint-hearted churchman with reasons for leaving the church, and every dissenter with reasons for remaining out of it.

The plain truth must be spoken. If this goes on, there must be the worst schism which has ever afflicted the church yet. For be it known to those who are so greedy for alterations, that there are men in the church, not few in number, not weak in power, who will leave them in a body to their new friends, their new opinions, and their old preferments, and will, without hesitation, choose poverty with a good conscience, instead of new opinions with a bad one. These men are the quiet party; they are not meddlers-not talkers-but their spirits are at length stirred within them; and (the writer knows what he is saying) they are preparing to take a very vigorous and a very decided part on the side of principle, come what may. The day when they do come forward (and if such tricks are played with them, and with all they reverence, they will assuredly do so) will shew that the true sons of the church of England are many and powerful, both among her ministers and her laity. They know well that nothing can excuse a schism but violation of principles, and they will continue to stand on their old ground. They will not change, but will leave those who love and desire change, to change as they list, and do what they will with their new sect, while the episcopal church, retaining its apostolical government, its scriptural articles and liturgy, though it may be cast off by the state, will rest fearless on its Divine Protector, and continue, under his blessing, to do his work in the world.

The reader's attention is claimed for the invaluable paper which follows.

WHAT ARE THE PROSPECTS OF BENEFIT FROM THE PROJECTED CHURCH REFORM?

So much already has been written, here and elsewhere, upon the subject of Church Reform, that it may be, perhaps, impossible to say any thing new respecting it. But in the mouths of many witnesses truth is established; and a new advocate, following on the same side with others who have led the defence against rash innovation, may, by taking a distinct and independent line of his own, equally unambitious of novelty, and unconscious of plagiarism, be still able either to gather up a few stray points deserving of attention, or to re-state some of the more practical bearings of the question in an useful manner. Allowance must be made for the consideration, that these, the practical bearings of the question, are often wearisome in their minuteness, and

Does the Bishop of Ely allow the intolerable presumption of a certain B.A., named Taylor, to go unpunished? This person had the decency to get up in the Cathedral of Ely, at the Assizes, abuse the church and its heads, and refer to their bad conduct all the sins of the people. Some men have no feeling and no decency, but they are the very persons who ought to be compelled into decency by the fear of punishment.