of three, four, or more several qualities, and the lands be parcelled out among these according to their natural productiveness, situation, &c. This point does not directly affect the clergy, but, in order to the ultimate success of the measure, it will require the closest attention."

Now if there be good sense in these remarks, what are we to think of the "Amended Commutation Act," where we are told, that "apportionments and agreements may be confirmed, although the Commissioners are not satisfied of the accuracy of the maps;" that "the apportionment need not contain the several amounts of corn charged on each estate ;" and that "particulars of land are not necessary to be stated in instruments of voluntary apportionments, if three-fourths of the land-owners so request?" Are these what may properly be called Amendments of the Act, or are they further sacrifices of the Church?

It is advised that Commissioners be called in upon almost all occasions, and, among others, "for determining parochial boundaries." But why run ourselves to a world of expence for assistance which is not needed? Let the disputed boundaries of our parishes be determined among ourselves, and let common honesty be our chairman-honesty in this case will be found far cheaper than any round-about sorts of knavery. The Commissioners must be paid exorbitantly for every thing they do, and, after all, their 'judgment respecting boundaries may be removed by certiorari." The preponderating evidence of elderly and upright men will be, and will deserve to be final.

In fact, the II. and III. Clauses of this Amendment Act do little more than give us the opportunity, both land and tithe-holder, of increasing our expences to what extent we please; for we can never make certain that the determination of these Com

missioners shall, in any thing, be irreversible. One meeting of the principal land-owners of each parish might settle many of these disputed points without the expence of a penny. They would go straight forward in the business; the commissioners and lawyers turn, and turn, and look every way, until they find out the flowery path that leads to their dear devoted object—the most profit and the least trouble.

Mr. White characterizes these clauses as "giving facilities for determining the boundaries of parishes." I see them not in that light. His following remark is more to the purpose: "It should be a matter of inquiry at every parochial meeting, how far the neighbouring parishes may concur with them in the question of their boundaries; for unless the accuracy of the maps be ascertained, a parish which has commuted may vary in the description of its boundary from one of its neighbours; and in such a case the adjustment of the question may lead to much litigation, and by possibility to the alteration of the rent-charges of the parish, the inaccuracy of whose boundaries may not have been detected, until the more recent commutation of its neighbour."

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In the "Articles of Agreement for the Commutation of Tithes" forwarded with these forms by the commissioners, we are informed that the rent charge, whatever it may be, "shall be payable and paid to the said J. K., as rector of the said parish, and owner of the tithes thereof, and to his successors," &c. Here, then, I should say, is a powerful argument against the clergy engaging in any voluntary agreements." Formerly we could make these agreements with our parishioners, and, be they as improvident as they might, they merely affected ourselves, and that only for a time. But now we bind our successors as well as ourselves, so that on our judgment must rest all the responsibility of their future rights and revenues.

But as such a responsibility cannot be coveted. by any one, and as a lenient or unpractised clergyman may now injure others as well as himself by an injudicious and inadequate agreement, (and the more so, for our adversaries purpose, the better) it surely becomes a paramount duty to let the commissioners take this ungrateful responsibility upon themselves, and to await the "compulsory award." We might not please our successors by any agreement; to their agreement objections would be fruitless.

But, I fear, those of our clergy who will most be injured by voluntary agreements, will, generally speaking, soonest be led into them; men whose innocent and upright views will see no danger in such a proceeding from views less upright and innocent than their own. Their little knowledge in these matters will, they may be assured, be taken every advantage of. I know not how, with them, a voluntary agreement" can escape being an improvident one.

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I should say indeed to all the clergy, without exception, have nothing to do with "voluntary agreements." You will never see the hateful spirit of this Commutation Act, but by its operation under the "compulsory award." There we afford it its proper, natural field. There we shall best observe its proper, natural workings, and how, while it professes to be a great healing measure, it actually shews itself a measure of the most cruel injustice throughout; while it professes to give us an adequate remuneration, it so confines its scale as to make it but half a remuneration. They want you not to see the spirit of this Act. They want you, of your own accord, to infuse your own good, easy, mild spirit into it, and thus to allay the darkness of their object. But be upon your guard, I beseech

you.

Are we, my brethren, anxious to know the real nature of this Commutation Act, or not? If we are not, but would hoodwink ourselves, we deserve all the ills ready to fall upon us. If we are, let us instantly desist from "voluntary agreements." These will go as our own act and deed, and it will be said we had nobody to blame for our slender incomes, arising out of inadequate compositions, but ourselves; ourselves always miserable dupes in a tithe bargain. Whereas the compulsory agreement will give us just what the Act intended; will stretch out its claws just in its own rapacious whig manner; will, in fact, shew us its genuine, spoliative bearing.

But what, you may reply, would you hinder us from making the best terms we can under our hard circumstances? Believe me, I would. These men, reckless as they are, would yet tremble, if the clergy were left to the "compulsory award" alone. All the world would then see their good-will to the Church, by such a defalcation of its revenues as would astonish and alarm all the world. But as they are now managing matters, all the world does not see this. They merely see the clergy making their arrangements in an apparently quiet, peaceable manner, and the commissioners resting on their oars while this disgraceful and dangerous work is done for them. Well may these commissioners smile at our simplicity! well may they rejoice that we are so kind as to take the deadliest part of this business out of their hands, by carrying the wood for our own burnt-offering!

For my own part, so persuaded am I that we ought not to be partakers in this sacrilegious arrangement, that I would rather see my little preferment reduced to half its value than be found an accessory in any such a surrender of God's gifts. They shall never have it to say of me, that it was my own sad voice that was lifted up against the divine decree of

my Maker-my own recreant hand that, at once, pitifully sealed His dishonour and the disgrace of the Established Church.

CLAUSE XXIII.

Commissioner or Assistant Commissioner may attend to advise terms of Agreement.

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It seems here as if these Assistant Commissioners (for we shall probably have to do with no others) were to attend our meetings solely for the purpose of "advising terms of agreement." This, doubtless, will be one of their objects, and a most important one. But there is probably another, and a no less essential object, viz. to gather up at these meetings a few scraps of knowledge in rustic affairs-to find out here a little and there a little" of the tithe-law, and customs, and practices of the parish, and thus to make a sort of" Preparatory Academy for grown up gentlemen" of these parochial meetings. A mere scintillation of knowledge in such matters, where there was not a spark of knowledge before, may be no ill acquisition. These commissioners must be like your country apothecaries, who know all the complaints of our poor human nature, without ever looking into a symptomatology, ancient or modern. It would be the ruin of their characters for ever, if a single complaint came wafted upon the wings of the wind that they could not assign "a local habitation and a name" to, and prescribe an infallible remedy for immediately.

As for any benefit to the parties from their 66 advising terms of agreement," I confess I see none. Their instructions will probably be to drive on these voluntary compacts" through evil report and good report," fearful, as the sacrilegious contrivers of this Bill must be, of the "compulsory" system being resorted to, and of their thus actually forcing upon