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but , as straws in the wind , significant of Imperial ^ Tne Earl of Derby gave us a taste of his qualitv when as yet he only snuffed authority , on the first night of the session . He then told us that the preisdidnot represent England . ^ j In our turn , wehave now to ask Jaord Derby and his aide-de-GampIiprdMalmesbury , "the intimate Bersorial friend of Louis Bonaparte , " whether they and their foreign friends represent England better than the English press—and what they are going to do in the affair of Switzerland ?
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WHAT EUROPE KAY EXPECT FROM FREE ITALY . " It is a proud characteristic of the Italian mind , " said Mazzini , at the conversazione of theFriends of Italy last week , " that it naturally and continuously aims at the harmonizing of what we call synthesis and analysis—theory and practice , and ought to call heaven and earth . "It is a highly religious tendency—a lofty , instinctive aspiration towards the ideal , only coupled with a strong irresistible feeling that we ought to realize as much as we can of that ideal in our terrestrial concerns ; that every thought ought to be , as far as possible , embodied into act ion . From our Etruscan towns , built and ruled according to a certain heavenly scheme , down to the 16 th century—from the deep religious id « a with which the soldier of ancient fiome was identifying his duties towards the City , down to the religious symbol , the Carroccio , led in front of our national troops in the middle agesfrom the Italian school of philosophy , founded in the south of the Peninsula by Pythagoras , a religious and a political society at once , down to tmr irrftat nhilosoT > hV of the 17 th century , in each
of whom you will find a scientific ^ system and a political Utopia—every manifestation of the free , original , Italian genius has been the transformation of the social earthly medium under the conjunction of a religiousT ) elief . Our great Lombard league was planned in Pontidad , in an old monastery , the sacred ruins of which are still extant . Our republican parliaments in . the old Tuscan cities were often held in the temples of Gfod . We are th ^ children and inheritors of their glorious tradition . We feel that the final solution of the
great religious problem , emancipation of the soul , liberty of conscience , acknowledged throughout and for all mankind , is placed providentially in our hands ; that the world shall never be free from organized imposture before a flag of religious liberty waves high from the top of the Vatican ; that in such a mission to be fulfilled lies the genius of our initiative , the claim we have on the heart and sympathies of mankind . " This passage is , jperhaps , themostprofound expression that coukl be given of an Italian ' s view
of what constitutes the characteristic peculiarity of the development of the Italian mind . Some nations—as , for example , the Germans—are characterized by a devotion to abstract speculation for its own sake ; and this gives to their whole activity the appearance rather of a pure spiritual gymnastic than of energetic labour applied to real and tangible ends . Other nations , again , such as the French , are distinguished by an excessive tendency to political activity—a disposition to bo continually working at express social
probloms . In this respect , according to M . Mazzini , the Italian occupies a kind of mean . Less remorselessly speculative than the German , and hence , perhaps , content with , less magnificent and ex treme speculative results , yet , on the other hand , less bent on incessant political experiment than the Frenchman—the Italian , as M . Mazzini holds , is actuated , more than the man of any other nation , by the desire to wed speculation to social fact , thought to action , theory to practice ,
noavon to earth . Whatever thought ho has , and above all , whatever religious thought , it is his national habit not to rest until somehow ho has housed this thought in social forms and institutions adequate to retain and represent it . To establish a unity , in short , betwoon his spiritual aspirations and perceptions and his worldly cpnaition and environment—this , says M . Mazzini , « aa boon the characteristic of the Italian all along , as jnay bo proved by a reference to all ¦ Italian thinkors and systems , from the earliest times to this .
If this is a correct delineation , it certainly assures to the Italian nation a high function among othor nations . If the Italians aro tho nation whoso peculiarity it is that , on the one hand , tlioy limit tho ideal to tho possibilities of tho
actual , and , on . the other , drive the actual to the bounds of the ideal , —then they are precisely the nation from which the world should naturally expect the successive initiatives of civilization on the great scale . For what is civilization but the perpetual reconciliation of practice with new and ever-advancing thought ? If the Italian mind can do ifais best , then it is for the Italian mind to give , period after period , the new words or Ordinances which the nations require . And such , certainly , has been its function hitherto . Twice —first in old Rome , and then in the Papacy—has
the world received unity from an Italian source . Nay , as now , it would seem that Italy must either fulfil this function to the world at large , or be herself nothing , —alternating , as it were , between a state of personal death , and a state of such vitality , that the life will not be restrained within herself , but overflows all around . And all this , as M . Mazzini hints—even if we treat it merely as a vague semblance of a conclusion from the past—tends to a grand possibility in the Italian future . What if the solution of the religious , or , rather , the ecclesiastical
problem of the age ( ecclesiastical , we say , for this is the proper word to express the external embodiment of the religious sentiment , ; - ^ whafc if the solution of the ecelesiastical . problem of the age is to come anew from Italy P One negative contribution , at least , to the solution of this problem must come from Italy—the destruction of the Papacy . This , at least , the world must get from Italy , if it is to be obtained at all ; and it is the height of infatuation in our champions of Protestantism not to see that the grand aim of all their efforts is-irrevocably bound up with the question and
of Italian emancipation and unification , can never be attained independently . Italy , however , may have more to do with the solution of the ecclesiastical problem of the age , than this negative contribution would imply . The Protestantism of English dissent may not be the only form of outcome from the ecclesiastical system of Papal Rome ; and it may be for the Italian mind —Once more setting itself to its favourite exercise , the reconciliation of practice with thoughtto excogitate for the world , and deliver over to other nations a more universal and more positive attempt at a Church of the future . Well , then , may all the nations be interested in Italy .
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AN " INCUMBENT ; " ONE WHO ENCUMBERS . Assukedlt the Church of England will die of that sickly portion of it which is called " low . " There seems to be no end to the astounding revelations which daily come upon us , illustrative of the low church party . Nothing , in fact , is too low for them . Under the reign of phenomenal primates like " John Bird , " the most wonderful facts come to light : and we are bewildered when we reflect , that an institution of such moment can contain at once an Archdeacon Denison , a Henry of Exeter , a Gorham , and a D . F . Morgan ! " The last-named gentleman deserves , and shall have , a niche all to himself
by-But first let us look facts in the face . Here is a proposition to build a church at Paddington , costing ten thousand pounds . The district is chiefly notable for the poverty of its population ; the pretext for building the church is , that the gospel may be preached to these hard-lived people ; and—that we should live to write itthe source from whence the ten thousand pounds is to be repaid is—the pew-rents ! This church is to bo plain—less than plain , an ugly
composite ; for has not tho low church tho instincts without tho heroism of Puritanism P An ugly barn of brick and stucco , then , bo it—and paid for by pew-rents . Hence may we not fairly infer , that this low church has altogether givon up its mission to the poor , and intends henceforth to try and save only those souls who are capable of paying pow-rents P What an amazing " development" 1 _ .. . But is it only at Paddington that those things aro visible in open day , shaming tho sunP * Havo wo not bishops rich in purple and palaces , and
curatos whoso fortune is poverty P The church , as it goes with tho Queen to open Parliament , is dignified , solemn , venerable . Tho surface of things is fair to see . But underneath the lawn and tho mitre , whore tho works aro , what do wo behold P Poor curatos , poor incumbents , poverty of all kinds . Tho blood of tho church JUas , by good living , determined to its head , and must not apoplexy ensue P Lot " John Bird
and Thomas Miisgrave look to it while there is yet time . . We have mentioned a reverend gentleman named Morgan as deserving separate pinning out as a specimen . Lately he has been installed at Leamington as incumbent of St . Mary's , and it is he who has suggested to us the title of this article , " ' Incumbent , ' one who encumbers . " In the gay town of Leamington , long before the lived
shadow of Morgan darkened its pavement , a musician named Merridew , a lady who , in addit ion to her domestic and work-day duties , had played on Sundays the organ of St . Mary ' s for twelve years . She had also given an annual concert , engaging artists like Sontag , Ernst , Sivori , Lablache , Sims Reeves , and Bottesini ; and , in due course , one of these performances happened shortly after the arrival of Mr . Morgan . TTorrible offence ! He could not bear it . Friends
were consulted in London , and their convictions coinciding with his , he sat down and wrote the following epistle to the sinner : — IiANSDOTraE House , Leamington , Feb . 6 , 1852 . Mrs . MebRLDEW , —However painful and apparently hard to you , I think it highly desirable that your services , as organist to St . Mary ' s , should not continue any longer . My own deep convictions have been strengthened by the opinions of friends whom I have consulted , not only * here , but in London , of the extreme undesirableness of an organist of a church giving public concerts ; with these convictions , I feel I have no alternative left but to inform you , that your engagement as organist of St . Mary ' s will terminate at the end of the quarter , March 31 st , 1852 .
I am , your obedient servant , Mrs . Merridew . D . F . MORGUE" . Did Maw worm or Tartufe ever speak more to the purpose ? Note the exquisite vagueness of the language—the air of injured innocence it wears — perfumed with pity , as the cambric " front" of the writer when he ascends the pulpit is probably perfumed with musk—how gently it cuts off the resources of ar « industrious woman , whose earnings partly supported a large family ;
and how gracefully the writer bears the pain Seeing such facts as these , _ how can we help asking , What are the rules , the beliefs , the heavenly message of the Church of England ? That in Oxford they are interpreted one way , a , nd in Leamington in another—nay , that in Leamington alone a new policy begins with a new incumbent But why persecute music P Simply because High Church wishes to spiritualize art , and Low Church cannot tolerate any rival attraction to the " discourse" beloved of the " better half" of
the congregation . Farewell to Morgan ! Let tho dews of Warwickshire fall lightly on-kirn . Let not ^ iair of his sanctimonious head be ruffled , not a plait of his unexceptionable shirt be disturbed by monitions of ours . Let his effigy be set up in the market-place , so that even the fowls ot the air may know who has the monopoly of holiness . Great is he—in the eyes ot the " unco guid ;" tolerant is he—in the eyes of St . Dominic ; but small is he , and bigoted is he , in tho oyes of heartwhole and generous men .
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HINT TO LOUIS ITAPOI / EON . We regret to see tho vast number of decrees which emanate , directly or indirectly , from tho P rosidont of tho French ltopuhlic . Merely different versions of tho same idea , tho absolute power whic h ho possesses , thoy aro a grievous waste of invontivo energy on his part . In tho East , thoy havo managed tha t sort of thing bettor : the power of tho S ultan is simply absoluto ; decrees , edicts , and all othor laws boing surplusage . Wo recommend Louia Napoleon to take a holiday on the strength of that hint .
In tho East , indood , thoy find tho nocossity of some code for tho many occasions of doubt in daily life , and thoy use tho KorAn for that purpose : Islam is governed by tho Sultan and tho Kor / ln . There would , howovor , bo a difficulty jn applying tho eamo rule to tho French Sultan , since tho volumo which would bo hold sacred by tho clergy on whom ho relics , is full of passages that wpuld rofuto and rebuke his every act . How could ho tolerate any limitation of Buch precept aa tho recognition of a rulor ' s rig ht to « ' tho things which aro , Croaar ' s , " wl » on ho accounts all things to bo Cnosar's , and will mako good that protohsion by spoiling Soizor in tho English way .
No ; ho must bo absoluto , without any rival authority , howovor sacrod . Any othor authority in incompatible with his . His aubjcctB aro learning tho practico of con-Bulting him directly , and will Boon have to ask his permission for marrying or giving in marriago , for transacting
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' ' ' . ¦ ¦ ' - . ¦' . ' ¦¦ ¦ ; ' ¦ ' ¦ . "¦' . ¦ v ' ¦ . March 6 , 1852 . ] THE LEADER , 227
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), March 6, 1852, page 227, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1925/page/15/
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