I have said St. Marylebone is a _peculiar_ Crown living; with a Baronet for a Crown Churchwarden. May I ask the reason why the Rector never takes the chair at Vestry Meetings? And if not in me too curious, does the Bishop of London approve of a Clerk in Orders being Preacher, Parish Clerk, and Sexton? And whether the Rev. official pockets the Surplice fees as parson, clerk, and sexton? This triple conjunction of offices is peculiar, and no doubt economic, but it wants reforming altogether. Such an industrious clerk as Mr. Braithwaite, might be supposed to have some influence. But he roughly tells me that he has not any, has never heard, nor wishes to know, anything of Mr. Ewart’s Act. I am surprised the District Rector of St. Mary, Mr. Gurney, and also the Incumbent of All Saints, Margaret Street, should have received a volunteer with so little courtesy. Had I been engaged in devising some evil, instead of an enduring benefit to their Parish, I could not have been more cavalierly treated. I do not say arrogance is confined to PRIESTS. I have met with POPES out of Rome, who in the garb of FRIENDS, or FREE TRADERS, have much Pride, but little Humility, and whose utter want of common courtesy is in strong contrast to our Old Nobility. Perhaps the most offensive display of intolerance was that of a Rt. Rev. Ratepayer, residing in Queen Ann St., whose Episcopal ire was roused on being asked to aid in setting forward the Libraries Act. {26a} Not a very unreasonable request. A Bishop who daily, I suppose, reads in his Prayer Book the Collect for PEACE, “Trusting in THY Defence, we may not fear the Power of ANY adversaries,” is so alarmed, or attaches so little meaning to the words of the Prayer, that he subscribes handsomely to the Chichester Rifle Corps, and yet betrays no fear of the invasion of an enemy, more dangerous and to be dreaded than the French, is certainly not an agreeable study: “tantæne animis cælestibus iræ?” Dwells such rancour in heavenly minds? Long years ago when: “My thoughts were happier oft than I,” Lord Grey warned the Bishops “to set their House in order.” If the Church is not reformed from WITHIN, she will be reformed from WITHOUT, with a vengeance. It cannot be denied the sentiments of FESTUS are held by attached members of the Church of England. “Let not a hundred humble pastors starve, In this or any land of Christendom, While one or two impalaced, mitred, throned, And banqueted, burlesque if not blaspheme The holy penury of the SON OF GOD.” {26b} The Rector of Christchurch, Lisson Grove, lately advocated the claims of the Diocesan Church Building Society. No doubt it is time that something should be done for the Poor of this District, but I am clearly of opinion that it would be wise to postpone any efforts in this direction, until the cheap experiment of Free Libraries had been tried in St. Marylebone.