on.

There is, it appears, among the Sisters of Mercy, a lady who is also the
sister of MR. CHAMBERS. On her behalf MR. CHAMBERS writes a letter to
MR. PHINN, to demand whether he, in his place in Parliament, made
certain statements respecting the community to which she belongs,
imputing to them systematic fraud and hypocrisy, and the endeavour to
convert their institution into a Roman Catholic nunnery.

MR. PHINN replies that he might decline to answer MR. CHAMBERS, on the
ground of privilege, as well as on that of the intemperance and want of
courtesy displayed in MR. CHAMBERS'S letter--which rights, however, he
waives; says that he cannot reconcile newspaper reports of his words, nor
exactly remember those which he used; but denies that his language, as
reported by any of the papers, conveys the imputations alluded to by MR.
CHAMBERS, or that he made odious and unsupported accusations of fraud
and dishonesty against the ladies in question.

MR. PHINN then proceeds to remind his peppery correspondent that the
late QUEEN DOWAGER felt it her duty, after strict investigation, to
withdraw her support from the Society, on the ground that its doctrines
were at variance with those of the Established Church.

To this reply MR. CHAMBERS rejoins, reiterating his statements as to the
imputation of fraud and duplicity, and concluding in the following
polite terms:--

"My duty, therefore, as her (his sister's) protector, is simply to
tell you, in plain words, that as such your accusations are false."

Everybody, of course, knows that the Sisters of Mercy form that
celebrated community which rejoices under the superintendance of a
single lady, writing herself "Y^e Mother Sup^r;" not being a mother, or
even a mother-in-law, or a mother in any sense known to the law, or in
any sense whatever except a Roman Catholic one.

MR. PHINN merely expresses an opinion about the Sisters of Mercy, which
is entertained by most other people, saving Puseyites at a temperature
of red heat. The charge against him of making false accusations is
itself an accusation that is untrue.

The convent, or whatever it calls itself, of the Sisters of Mercy, is no
doubt a highly respectable, though a pseudo-Roman Catholic concern.
Before MR. CHAMBERS figures again as the "big brother," he should not
only make sure that the honour of his relative has been impugned, but it
will be well for him to consider whether he does her quasi-nunnery much
goo