LETTERS TO THE REV. CHARLES FUSTIAN, AN ANGLO-CATHOLIC. (From Blackwood's Magazine) LETTER SECOND. (Continued from the New Zealander. Nov. 10.)

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 381, 8 December 1849, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE REV. CHARLES FUSTIAN, AN ANGLO-CATHOLIC. (From Blackwood's Magazine) LETTER SECOND. (Continued from the New Zealander. Nov. 10.)

On Monday lust, our new curate came ; a most gentlemanly-mannered » young nnti, with dark eyes and very white teetli ; ami I whs pleased to observe, when I diucd with him the first day ut the parsonage, that hi; did not consider these advantages as merely ornamental, but made excellent use of both. He did yeomatiS service upon the fiili and mutton, and cast glances on Miss Christina Smiltr that made her at once give up the oppoiition sha had made to her father's proposal of keeping a curate, and proved, to his entire satisfaction, that it was (he best arrangement in the world. A pleasant good humoured companion,/! man of the world, and an unflinching son and seivant of the Church, gaining the nctoi's confidence by an attack on Popei y, and winning the ladips' allection by a spirited tiiade on the vulgarity of dissent. " The fact in," 6aid the Doctor, nfter the ladies had withdrawn, and we had filled our glasses with the first bumper of port, — "the fact is, my dear Mount lluxtable, that our parish is in a very curious condition. We are all devoted members of the Chunh, and yet we are very suspicious of each other. The inhnbitants, especial!) the younef lady part of them, li'ive taken such an interest lately in the affairs of the parish, and are so unanimous in enfoicing their own wishes, both on me and the thurchwaidcna — not to mention my staunch and kind friends Major M'Turk and Mr. Buddie — that we ft cl as if the revolutionary spirit had ex tended to this village, and the regular authorities had been deposed by a Committee of Public Snfeh." "Do they enforce their wishes? " inquiied ihe new curate, \\ iih a frown, and laying great emphasis on (he word cn f nice. " Well," leplied the Rector, a little puzzled, " that's rather a strong word. Do you think we can call it enforce, Mijor M'Turk ? " "They say they'll do it, and it's done," was the reply of the militury commander. •' And you, Buddie?" "No : you can't call it enforce, 1 ' said I ; " for they are the meekest, sweetest, and most submissive people I pve^met, with." "'lliui's right; I'm glad to hear it, " said Mount Iluxtable. " And do they really succeed in all the efforts they make ? " " Not a doubt of it, " said the Rector, looking lather confused. " The church is entirely d.ffeient from what it was a year ago ; even the teivin», by some means or other, has got into gui" j a deferent order; I find myself walking about in my sutpliee, and standing up at doxolog e>, and sometimes attempting to Mng the Jubilate after the second lesson, though I never had a voice, and it does not seem to be set to any paiticular tune. And in confidence between our" selves, I think they could make me of auy religion they chose." "They're the fittest missionaries for the Mahnm* ! medaii faith, ' said Major M'Tuik ; " such Houiia may always count on me for a convert." The Curate 6ank into silence. " You're not afraid of such antagonists Mount Iluxtable? inquiied the Rector. " I don't think they are at all to be feared as antagonists," he replied, with a Mtnle, as it assuicd of the victory. And when we looked at his hundsome f ice, nnd the glow of true orthodox detei initiation that bikjitcaecl in his eyes, we wu'o all ol the some opinion. "jjut we won't lot them see thu haUery we have prepaied against them," continued the jubilant Rector, " till we are in a position to tak^ the field. I have applied to the bishop for a liceme (or you for two years, so that, whatever complaints they make against your proceeding!, nothing can get you removed from the parish ; the whole 'onus, of the (i;ht will betluowii on your shoulders ; and all Icm say to them, when they come to me \vi h their giievaures, will ho, my dear Aiaminta, my dear Sophn ilia, my cluuming litilc Anastasia, Mr. Mount fluxtable is in tlie entire chatge of the parish, and from his decision the.c ia no appeal." The happiest man in England that night was the Reverend Doctor Smiler ot Girut Yawnham, for he had now ihe asiurance of pieserving the orthodoxy of his parish, without the pain of quurielliiig with his parisl loners. " Good night, pood nishl," he said, as M>Turk and I walked away, while Mount Iluxtahle go\ into his phaeton atul whisked his gieys very showily down the avenu", " I think that ewu-necked donkey, Charles Fu"liat), vvon't be quite so popular witl> ihe Blazers at Hellebore Park, in s>i ite ol Aiaminta'» udiniraiioa of his long back and white neckcloth.'' " Mount Hu&table will cut him out in every house in Ihe parish," replied Major M'Tuik ; and I said, " I know Charles veiy wtll, ami like him immensely ; he won't yield without a sti u^glc, and, in fact, I have no doubt he will pjorecd to excommunication." Pardon us all, my dear Climlce, for the free-and-easy way we speak ot you. I don't believe three old fellows in England an' fomh r of yr»u than we ; and no I wonder— for haven't we all known you from your cra- | die, and tiaced you all your career since you were hopelessly the booby of the dame's school, till you were twice plucked at Oxford, and pioved hos? absmd* ly the dons of that univeisity behaved, by obtaining your degree from Dublin by a special favour. Would a learned body huve treated a very decided fool wilh special favour ? No and theiefore I think Dr. Smiler and M'Turk are sometimes a great deal too strong in their language ; hut you must forgive them, for it proceeds fiom the fulness of their hearts The license auived next day, and a mighty teadrinking was held las,t night at the parsonage, to enable the Doctor to present his curate to the parish. The Blazers came in from Helleboie Paik, Araminta looking beautiful in a plain nuu»like white gown, with a cioss and rosary of jet falling tastefully over her breast. The Swainloves came fiom the Lodge, the spirited Tinderalla labouring under two prodigious folios of Gregorian chants. Sophionia and her giandmamma came up from the vale ; and, in shoit, the whole lank and biauty of the village assembled. The mknly dignity of that charming district was repiesented by mjselt and M'Tuik ; your father, who came down in his wheel -chaii ; Dr. Pulser and his son Aithur, who has lately settled down here, with a brass plate on the surgery door, announcing that he is attomey-at-law. Arthur, you remember, has a beautiful voice, and he entonei the responses like a nightingale. We were all assembled before the"guest of the evening arrived. For the thou-andth time we admired the garden and lawn, and heard how the Doctor had altered the house, and levelled the grounds, and thrown out bow- windows, and made the whole thing the perfect bijou it is. The fuchias were in full bloom, the grass nicely mown, and the windows being open we could sally forth on to the terruce walk, and admire the

Ingulpus of Doncastcr, and he won't give ua leave to ornament the altar with flowers." " And who in the world is St. Ingulpus of Doncastcr? aaid the Doctor. " A holy man, I don't in the least deny," said Mount Iluxtable, k ndly taking the answer on himself. " His acts and writings attest his virtues and power - hut I merely mentioned to the young ladies, as the easiest way of settling the affair, that St. Ingulpm though most justly canonised by the holy father in the thirteenth century, was not elevated to the decree of worship or veneration by the succeeding councils." " And you answered them veiy well, sir," said the Doctor. " And as to St. Ingulpus of Doncaster, I never heard of him, aud believe him to have been an impostor, like the holy father, as you ironically call him, who pretended to canonise Hm." " Oh, pupa ! said Christina, addressing her father, but looking looking all the time at the Curate, " Mr. Mount Iluxtable J himself confesses he was a holy man." 41 What ?— do you join in such follies? Go to bed or lenrn to bebave less like a child. Mr. Mount Hu - xinblc accommodates his language to the weakness of liia auditors ; but in reality he has as great a contempt for this Ingulpus, or any other popish swindler, aa j have." The Doctor was now so secure of sapport from hi» curate, that he felt bold enough to get into a passion. Ifhe had fiietl a pistol at his guests, he could scarcely have created a greater lensation. The effect on Chi istma was such that she clung for support to Mount Iluxtable, and rested her head on his «houlder. "Mr. Mount Huxtable," continued the Rector, 14 hns forbidden you to disfigure my church with floweis. Mr Mount Huxtable has the entire charge of this parish, and from his decision there is no appeal." This knock-down blow he had kept for the last ; and it had all the effect he expected. They were silent for a low? time. " That has settled them I think," be whispered to rae ; " they know me to be such a good* natnred old fool and so fond of them all, that in time they might have turned me round their thumbs ; but Mount Iluxtable r- a different man. At the fcame time I musn't have the darl'ng* too harshly used. I daresay I w,\s a littls too bitter in the wuy I spoke ; I can't bear to see any of them unhappy,— something muit be <lono to amuse them." Il the Doctor had done them all some serious injury, lie coull not have been more anxious to atone for it. lie. spoke to each of them, patied them on the head, told them they were good giils, and that he loved them, a I like his own children ; and even went so far as to s.»y that, if the matter was entirely in his hands, he didn't know but that he might have allowed them to make what wreaths and posies they liked onThmsday. 14 And as to your friend Ingulpus," he concluded, " I hope and trust he was a good man according to his lights, and probably had no intention to deceive. So, my deac Mount Iluxtable, as your uncompromising Protestantism is the cause of disappointment to my young flock, I must punish you by insisting on your immediately singing them a song." 44 The young ladies, sir, shall find I am not so uncompromising a Protestant as they fear, for jou see I don't even protest against the justice of your sentence ;" and with this he look his scat at the piani. " The song I shall attempt is not a very new one," he said, " for it was written in the year a thousi nd and forty by a monk of Cluny. The Benedictines, you will remember, have at all times been devoted to music." So saying, he threw his hand over ihe keys, aud after a pi elude, sang in a fine manly voice— " Horn, novissima, tcmpoiapessimasunt; vigilsmus ! Ecec: ! rainaciter imminct ' arbiter ille supremus,- - Imminet! imminct! ut niaU toiminet, Epqua coronet, Itectaiemuneret, auxia libciet, cotheia rtonet, Auferat aspcia duiaquc pondeui mentis oiuutas; Sobiia muniat, imp) oba puniat, utraque juste." Astonishment und delight- kept the company silent for a while after he h><l finished, and theu the repressed feelings of the audience burst out with tenfold force. <c Oh, Mr. Mount Huxlable ! " said they all, y<»u must attend our Thursday practicing- in the church. It will be so delightful now, for all we required was a fine man's voics. How beautiful the words are, and how well adapted for tinging ! And the music, how splendid ! — pray whose is the music ? " " I nin afiaid I must confess mystlf the culprit in that respect," replied the curate very modestly. " I have been an enthusiast in music all my life, and have n peculiar delight in composing melodies to the old Catholic hymns." "After this no more was said of flowers on Sfc In* gnlput's day ; and it was very evident that our new ally was carrying the war into the enemy's country, and, in fact, was turning their artilli-iy against themselves. " If you are pleased w th this simple tong, 1 am sure that you will all be enchanted next weak with two frien Is who h»ve promined to visit me — both exquisite musicians, and very clever men." 14 Clergymen ? " inquired two or three of the ladies. "Of course. I ba\e very few lay acquaintance. You perhaps have jheml "their names, — the Reverend Luanton Swallowtics, and the Reverend Iscariot Row.'y, both of Oxford" 41 No we don't know their names, but shall be delig'ited to see any friends of youis." And so the party hioke up with universal satisfaction. There was a biilliant moon, and Mount Huxtuble sent away hJ3 phaeton and two beautiful prey ponies' and walked to Hellebore gate with the Blazers. Christina Smiler would rather have him drive home, and looked a little sad as they went oil : but we heard happy \oices all the way down the avenue ; snatches of psalm-music, even, rose up from the shruba that line the walk ; and it appears that the whole group kad stopped short on the little knoll that tiscs just witkinjthe parsonage gate, and sung the Sicilian Mariner 1 * Hymn. So I think, my dear Charles, you may give up any farther attempts on our good old Church principlei ; the Doctor is dotermiued not to turn round to the communion-table oven at the creed, and I will beat you j£2O that the congregation will all come back again ana we shall once more be a happy and united parish. Yours, Sic. T. BODDLE.