church with a simple creed, and few rites, resembles a body of cavalry, or of light-armed infantry, who can act with rapidity and vigor, upon any assailable point, and have nothing to do but to wage a constant warfare with the enemy. In other words, there are in the Catholic church so many internal regulations, as to rites and ceremonies, which need to be explained and enforced, that the clergy have little or no time to spare for the purpose of defending the doctrines and truths of the Bible, and urging them home upon the hearts and consciences of their hearers. The Bible is also withheld from the people, and their catechisms and systems of theology are mostly occupied with explanations of the external rites of religion, and with discussions of mere questions of casuistry, showing what sins are mortal, and what are venial, and pointing out how far a man may go in the ways of transgression, and still receive the pardon of the church. Where such things take the place of the weightier matters of the law, and the mint, anise, and cummin of the self-righteous Pharisee, instead of judgment and mercy, instead of the claims of God, and the warnings and invitations of His Word, are presented to those who are hungering for the bread of life, the result must be, that religion, instead of that deep and abiding principle which it becomes where. the truth is given line upon line, and precept upon precept, will, if it exist at all, be a mere sentiment only, and not a living and efficient source of feeling and of action.

It has been my practice, at different ports which we have visited, to purchase copies of such almanacs as were to be met with, in order that I might correctly learn the number of saints' days, which the clergy require the people to keep, each year. Not but that each of the three hundred and sixty-five days is allotted to some saint, -—indeed, there are far more saints in the Calendar than there are days in the year, but in these almanacs the holydays on which the shops are to be shut, and the people are to abstain from all work, have opposite to them a cross, or some other distinctive mark. These days, in the Pope's dominions, amount to seventy, each year, besides Sabbaths. In addition to these, there are many other days, when it is a matter of choice whether people work or not, which the indolent will, of course, consider as holy time; and then there are the name-days, that is, the day of the saint whose name one may chance to bear, which are commonly kept by the whole family. Thus, if a child is

called Anthony, St. Anthony's day must be kept; and, as all the children are named after some saint, it gives the lucky urchins many a holyday. I hardly need allude to the effect of this, as in a great degree defeating all attempts at system, regularity, and improvement, in schools, -as checking honest industry, and introducing indolence, beggary, and crime, and destroying the personal independence of the lower classes, by compelling them to look up for their bread to the clergy, and others who have wealth. This evil is a subject of grievous complaint, among master mechanics, and other men of business. A Spanish merchant, while speaking to me one day about their numerous holydays, said, "You, in your country, follow the laws of God Almighty in this matter, but we, those of the friars."

But the main objection, which I would now urge against the Catholic system, is the high-toned and exclusive nature of its claims, both as to religious and political rights and powers. Men, especially the ignorant, are quite apt enough to be bigoted, without its being taught them as a duty; but where it is made an indispensable condition of salvation, and of freedom from the pains of purgatory, that they should pray for the extirpation of all heretics, including, of course, Lutherans, Calvinists, and others, then the poison enters the very soul. Leaving this general view, however, let us take their creed upon a particular point. Marriage with them is a sacrament, and therefore, to be valid, must be performed by a priest of the only true church. All other marriages not being valid, the children of them are illegitimate, and therefore not entitled to inherit property. All the world, then, belongs of course to the children of the Holy Catholic Church, and to them only. This has been avowed as sound doctrine, by a Pope, during the present century. Now we do not charge Catholics, as a body, with wishing to enforce this abominable dogma; still, the principle itself is extremely dangerous to civil liberty, and there are never wanting, in any party, corrupt and ambitious men, who will push their power as far as their creed will let them.

It has been shrewdly remarked, that it has ever been the policy of the Catholics never to persecute when they cannot, and always to do it when they can. Still, I have known one exception to this; that is, they tried to persecute where they could not well succeed. During Lent, last year, my friend, the Rev. Mr. R., of Gibraltar, attended the sermons in the

Catholic church there, and took notes of what was said, and delivered a course of evening lectures in Spanish, on the same subjects, in his own chapel. As these attracted some attention, the Pope's Vicar was highly incensed, and wrote him a threatening letter, telling him that if he did not desist, there was danger that the people would rise upon him. Mr. R. replied that he saw no indications of such a step, and that, as he was under the protection of British laws, he had no fears. The next sermon he attended, as he began to take notes, both his arms were seized by two men placed near him for the purpose, and thus he was held fast. Complaint of this outrage was made to the town major, who ordered some police officers to be present during the next sermon. The same scene was then repeated, save that the villains who seized Mr. R. were politely waited on by the police. The Pope's Vicar seeing his plans thus defeated, rose up while the preacher was in the midst of his sermon, and, with five or six priests at his heels, came down from the altar, and opening a pathway through the dense crowd until he came where Mr. R. stood, commenced a pompous and inflammatory harangue. Mr. R. replied, that he did not come there for a public dispute, and this was neither a proper time nor place for such an object. His Highness then lifting up his voice, cried, "Out with him;" whereupon some ruffians, armed with clubs, rushed upon him, but his friends surrounded him, and carried him safely off. A prosecution was commenced by Mr. R.; but, as much excitement resulted, it was withdrawn, and the Catholics made a law that none but their own people should enter the church.

Among such a population as there is in the south of Europe, it is always pleasant to meet an intelligent and welleducated Englishman. This is not merely owing to the fact, that he has a common language and a common origin with ourselves, but it is because he has a character so prominent and so strongly marked, and is comparatively so noble and independent a being, and, withal, so different in every respect from the conceited and revengeful, and at the same time mean, cringing, and hollow-hearted race, who in many places vegetate around you. True, he has his failings. He is often proud and self-willed, but then there is commonly no deceit about it, and you know where to find him. As to his pride, too, there is some reason in that, for there is much in the history and character of his nation, and in the efforts

which they make for the good of mankind, of which he may justly be proud. But what I would mainly speak of now, is the marked nationality of character which the English show in religious matters. Though as an American directly opposed to a union of church and state, as an unholy alliance, which has inflicted untold evils upon mankind, and covered Christianity with shame and disgrace, still much may be said in its favor. With the Englishman, his religion is a component part, not only of his education, but also of his character as an individual, and a citizen or officer of the British Empire. Now, although the signing of religious tests may lead to much hypocrisy, still, in the army and navy, and elsewhere, the fact, that a national faith exists, leads to a much more respectful and rigid observance of those outward forms of religion which the law requires, than there is with us. So, too, where Englishmen settle in foreign countries, they are commonly as jealous of their religious as of their civil rights; and, where their numbers will warrant it, they almost uniformly establish their national forms of worship. This fact, together with the wealth and independence of character of the English, have done much to give Protestantism a foothold, and to gain for it no small degree of respect in many of the cities of southern Europe.

Among those who were often on board our ship while lying at Naples, was Lord W., a pious Irish nobleman. He recognised one of the crew as a former tenant of his; and, in addition to other acts of kindness, he furnished us with a supply of religious tracts, for distribution among the men. Another of our visitors was Mr. F., a pious and wealthy Englishman, who resides at Naples. He is a man of remarkably fine address and personal appearance, and fully devoted to the work of doing good. He was formerly a resident of Sienna, in Tuscany; where, in opposition to the wishes of his friends, he acted as Consul, because a wider field of usefulness was thus opened to him. While there, he used to open his house for divine service regularly every Sabbath, and for two years the Rev. Dr. Jarvis, formerly of Boston, Massachusetts, officiated. This was indeed directly opposed to the law, but Mr. F. was on good terms with the Archbishop and Governor, and told them that as long as he continued there, he should on the Sabbath keep open doors for all who would come, but that they knew his character as a citizen, and that, whenever they wished him to do so, he would leave

the kingdom. About one hundred English residents, and a number of the natives used to attend this service.

On one occasion, a Jew brought a quantity of Bibles to Sienna for sale, which were purchased by the citizens and the English residents. The Governor compelled the citi zens to give up those which they had bought, and then went to Mr. F., and told him that he did not like to interfere with the affairs of the English, but wished him to use his influence with them, to give up the Bibles which they had. Mr. F. told him that he would go to each one of them and state the case, and then report their answers. Some said that, if the Governor wished their Bibles, he must come and take them by force; others said, that sooner than give them up they would leave the kingdom. These answers were faithfully reported by Mr. F., who said for himself that, whenever his religious rights were interfered with, he should seek a residence elsewhere. At his request, a full account of the matter was forwarded to the government of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, at Florence, and thus the matter ended. When about leaving the country, however, after a residence there of nine years, the government sent him a highly compli mentary certificate, as to his character and conduct while resident there.

At Naples there is a chaplain connected with the English Embassy, but he was on a visit to England when we were there. Service is held in a private room, which will accommodate about three hundred. But in the winter there would be twice that number, were there room for them. During the last year, the English residents obtained, through their minister at this Court, verbal permission of the king of Naples to build a chapel, provided there should be nothing in its outward appearance to designate it as a church, and also that the citizens of Naples should not be permitted to enter it. The ground for this purpose was bought, the English minister laid the corner-stone himself, and the work was going on well, when, in an evil hour, some friars visited the spot, surveyed the ground, — and, going to those who pull the wires, the king's permission was withdrawn, and there the matter rests. It is thought that, if the minister were a man of more energy of character, the affair might yet be favorably adjusted.

At Rome the English have a chapel just without the walls, and a chaplain officiates there, from October to May, to a