to the restraints which encumber realty. If they succeed in this, they will obtain the benedictions of the wicked, and profligates will be grateful to them for their work. The poor and the necessitous have the workhouse and the prison before them, and these places are more deserving of public support than almshouses and hospitals; convents and monasteries are of course pure abominations, which no enlightened government can tolerate, if it can suppress them.

The modern successors of Cardinal Langton have but one special object in view; but as privileges and burthens are odious in themselves, they are obliged to enunciate a general principle, in order to effectuate a special end. These excellent individuals hate the Church and her ministers, but have not the courage to say that legacies to Catholics, as such, shall be void. They proscribe, therefore, charity in general, in order to restrain its particular exercise. But as recent events have not tended to give us a favourable view of their proceedings, they are now disposed to give us a little protection, provided we give all publicity to our charitable arrangements. If we shall be fools enough to do this, no doubt, when the time shall have come, they will be ready to allow us to begin again, by robbing us of all we possess.

Secret trusts may be an evil, but they are not sins. They are unavoidable under the English government. They are happily beyond the reach of lawyers and of law, and will continue so long as the necessity for them exists. The Committee proposes to abolish the doctrine of "superstitious uses", as it stands defined at present, but it also proposes that it shall be established on another basis. This may be a gain, or it may be a loss. At any rate we must be prepared; and so long as there shall be lawyers who, for their fee, will help us to evade the law, so long, of course, we shall be able to do so. It will be a duty so to act, for a Cottenham or a Campbell may co-exist with the British constitution in Church and State.

"To allow a man", says the Times, "to dispose of his property for the benefit of his soul, and bribe the powers of the next world with that which he is unable any longer to enjoy in this, is a transaction too full of selfishness on one side, and imposture on the other, to be tolerated in any well-governed country."

The unconscious infidel who wrote this may, or may not, become a judge; and whether he does become one or not, matters but little, for he is not alone in his opinion. Others there are sufficiently numerous to annoy us, and against whose machinations we are bound to be on our guard. With a Catholic it is a duty to dispose of his property, both in life and on the point of death, "for the benefit of his soul";

for to him "the powers of the next world" are also the "powers" which he must propitiate, or "bribe", as the infidel has it, in this. If, then, a well-governed country cannot tolerate such a practice, we must evade the laws, and save our souls at the expense of our bodies. We must give up the notion of being good subjects or citizens, in order to become good Christians, which is, in truth, a matter of more consequence.

Parliament may pass laws against charitable bequests; but its laws will not hurt us, provided they are sufficiently oppressive. What we have to fear is apparent civility, and the pretence of doing us a service. Laws that invite us to declare trusts, and which promise security, are far more to be dreaded than the most stringent prohibitions. Against the former we have no weapons, but against the latter we shall be proof. A quasi recognition of Catholic trusts will end in confiscation, but a complete proscription of them will be a fountain from which they will spring forth, and out of which we shall maintain schools, priests, masses, and all other "superstitious uses", which the infidels so impotently hate.

SUPERIOR ADVANTAGES OF THE RELIGIOUS ORDERS.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF THE "TABLET."

Grove-end, St. John's Wood, London.
June 15th, 1852.

MY DEAR SIR,-As it is vitally important for us that our very limited charitable finances should be applied most efficiently to their respective objects, the following statement on economy in the education of the poor, must prove interesting and instructive to the readers of your valuable journal.

In May 1848, as it was clear that a great evil existed, we determined to apply to it the most efficacious remedy, by the erection of St. Edward's Convent of Mercy and Poor Schools in Blandford-square, situated in the centre of the parish. Here we have ample accommodation for thirty nuns, and 1,000 poor female children. The cost of these erections is £9,000. For this outlay a permanent provision is made for the education of 1,000 poor children, under the fostering care of a religious community of ladies, who not only provide means for their own support, but also have subscribed the sum of £2,000 towards the erections.

But, under a system of lay or secular education, our charitable

finances are burthened, not only with the erections, but also with the support of the teachers in the schools; so that the erection of such schoolrooms as the above, for the accommodation of 1,000 children, will cost £3,500. This number of children will require at least eight teachers, allowing 125 children to each. The erection of suitable residences for these teachers will cost not less than £2,000; the salaries of the teachers will average at least £35 each per annum. This will be an expenditure of £280 in wages alone per annum. The investment of money at the present rate (three per cent. interest), will require a sum of £9,333 6: 8 to realise an annual interest of £280. So that the general outlay for the permanent establishment would stand thus:

But in the case of Blandford-square, where the ladies have contributed towards the erections

Which reduces the burthen on the public charity from

Το

Compared with the above

Leaves in favour of the Nuns

Or less than half the expenses necessary for education by secular teachers.

In addition to these important pecuniary advantages, we have secured to our sick and poor, of every age and sex, the inestimable blessing of the tender care of these angelic dispensers of the choicest blessings of God, both corporal and spiritual. Clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, instructing the ignorant, soothing the sorrowful, and comforting the afflicted.

We regret to have to state that a debt of more than £2,000 still remains on the building account of this noble institution.

We have commenced the excavations for the erection of the House of Mercy for the reception of sixty poor servants of good character, out of employment. The munificent donation of one bountiful benefactor will nearly cover the whole outlay on this new erection; but this donation does not in any way affect the above-named debt on the existing erections.

We earnestly invite those charitable souls whom a bountiful Provi

T

dence has blessed with the means, to co-operate with the pious Nuns in their meritorious labours; and by their timely aid to relieve them from the embarrassment of this weighty debt which is now pressing upon them.

Contributions will be thankfully received by the Rev. Mother at the Convent, and by, dear Mr. Editor, yours, very truly, &c.,

JAMES O'NEAL.*

*The above letter of this valued and revered priest admirably shows the superiority in efficiency and economy of the religious system.

FINIS.

INDEX.

Act of George II, debates on in 1736, | Cox, Dr., his evidence, 194
68; principles and provisions of, 76; Cripps, Mr., his evidence, 188
cases on, 85

Alienation of land, anciently unrestrict-
ed, 17, 34; feudal restraints on, 26;
removed, 42

Ancient laws as to death-bed disposi-
tions, 18; as to provision for relations,
54; altered, 55