he had a great love of ships and
seaports, and yet, as your honour knows, there was ne'er a ship nor a
seaport in all his dominions.' Now this semi-Episcopalian class are
unfortunate after the manner of the king of Bohemia. The objects of
their desire lie far beyond the Presbyterian territories. They are
restricted to one pulpit, they are limited to one dress; they have
actually to read and preach from the same footboard; they are
prohibited the glories of white muslin; liturgy have they none. No
audible responses arise from the congregation; the precentor is
silent, save when he sings; their churches are organless; and though
they set themselves painfully to establish their claim to the
succession apostolical, the Hon. Mr. Percevals of the Church which
they love and admire see no proof in their evidence, and look down
upon them as the mere preaching laymen of a sectarian corporation.

Thrice unfortunate men! What were the unhappinesses of the king of
Bohemia, compared with the sorrows of these humble but rejected
followers of Episcopacy!

Now, among this highly respectable but unhappy class, the Rev. John
Cumming, of the Scotch Church, London, stands pre-eminent. So grieved
was Queen Mary of England by the loss of Calais, that she alleged the
very name of the place would be found written on her heart after her
death. The words that have the best chance of being found inscribed on
the heart of the Rev. Mr. Cumming are, bishop, liturgy, apostolical
succession, burial service, organ, and surplice. The ideas attached to
these vocables pervade his whole style, and form from their continual
recurrence a characteristic portion of it. They tumble up and down in
his mind like the pieces of painted glass in a kaleidoscope, and
present themselves in new combinations at every turn. His last
acknowledged composition was a wonderful tale which appeared in the
_Protestant Annual_ for the present year, and--strange subject for
such a writer--it purported to be a _Tale of the Covenant_. Honest
Peter Walker had told the same story, that of John Brown of
Priesthill, about a century and a half ago; but there had been much
left for Mr. Cumming to discover in it of which the poor pedlar does
not seem to have had the most distant conception.

Little did Peter know that John Brown's favourite minister 'held the
sacred and apostolical succession of the Scottish priesthood.' Little
would he have thought of apologizing to the English reader f