WHO COULD DESCRIBE IT.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 36, 3 January 1874, Page 13

WHO COULD DESCRIBE IT.

Speaking of the English pilgrimage, the London correspondent of theNew York 'Times' says: — " Occurring, as it will, at the dullest moment of the dull season, the proposed pilgrimage of British Catholics to some holy shrine near Paris, of which I at this moment forget the name, cannot fail to enlist a consideroble amount of attention. I already hear it aßked whether correspondents will be allowed to accompany the religious excursion r but it seems impossible that any direct encouragement will be given the scoffers. If Mrs Brown, will join the pilgrims, I think she might write an account of the journey as amusing as anything else that proceeds from that lady's prolific pen. But Mr Arthur Sketchley, to whom the said Mrs Brown owes her existence, is a devout Roman Catholic, and, in connection with religious matters, will hold no one up to scorn except the infidel. Who could produce a more thoroughly humorous description of a modern religious pilgrimage by express from London to Pari*, with fifteen minutes for lunch at Boulonge, and half an hour for dinner it Amiens, than Mr Burnand, the author of " Hippy Thoughts," and a constant contributor to 'Punch?' But Mr Burnand is as devout a Roman Catholic as Mr Arthur Sketchley— a pseuclomyn, by the way, which conceals the name of a former elergytnin of the Church <>f England. Mr Clement Scott, an excellent descriptive writer, an 1 accustomed to notice theatrical representation^ mij;ht be thought of as the historian of an event too remarkable to be allowed to pas* without record or comment ; but Mr Scott is also .t Roman Cithohe. Mr Gilbert a I eckett, ona of the authors of the " Hippy Land," ani editor at various times of vario is satiric d papers, has ple-ity of variety, and i»i<*ht be expected lo see the grotesque points which must be presented by so anachronatic a perform nice us a pilgrimage fro n London to m matter what shrine in the latter hilt' of the nineteenth century ; but Mr a Beckett is also a Roman Catho'ic."