-securing, in as many instances as may be, the perform ance of that article of ecclesiastical duty on the part of the Curate.

In regard to official aptitude, though in this as in other cases, it is not itself exactly the same thing as money,—yet, as hath been shewn already (App. No. IV. § 4. Pay),—according to his Lordship's theory, expounded by this his Lordship's practice, the degree of this aptitude being exactly as the quantity of money,—thus it is that, by seeing what he has done for securing the money, we shall see what he has done, and the whole of what he has either done or endeavoured to do, for securing the aptitude.

3. First then, in regard to the money: and thereupon as to the fund out of which it is to come. The pockets, those into which it is to come, being the pockets of Curates, those out of which it is to come are the pockets of Incumbents:-that is to say, of the future race: (for, as to the existing stock, much against the bent of his Lordship's stoicism, by some of his own friends (p. 18) they have been saved from his Lordship's gripe :) meantime, on the death or removal of each existing Incumbent, out of the pocket of the existing Patron, if then he be in existence :-for thereupon down falls the value of the Advowson, in a scale ending at 0, or somewhere thereabouts.

Without the aid of this, his Lordship's liberality,-money was all along finding its way, and would have continued to find its way, from the one pocket into the other: call this the free amount:the money which his Lordship provides is therefore not the whole amount in each instance paid and received, but the difference between the free amount and the whole amount: call it the forced addition.

Next as to the quantum of the whole amount.* In the

In the account of this profit are surplice fees to be comprized? No answer in the Act. Charming nest for doubts! Is it not, Lord Endless?

first place comes a lowest minimum: the least sum that, under the name of Curates' salary, is to be paid and received in any circumstances. This is 80l. a year: and, as in the instance of this lowest, so in the instance of each hereinafter mentioned minimum, the whole profit of the living, if it be less than the minimum, goes out of the pocket of the Incumbent into that of the Curate instead of it.

Above this comes a series of minimums, rising one above another according to circumstances. If the number of the parishioners amount to three hundred, the addition to the lowest minimum is 20.; total 100%. (Section 7): number five hundred, addition to minimum 40%.; total 1201.: number a thousand, addition to minimum 70%. ; total 1501,

Ipso facto fixations and augmentations, the above: to these (Section 13) succeed two discretionary ones; seat of the discretion, the holy bosom of the Bishop. Incumbent's profit, "exceeding" 4007., even though numbers fall short of the three hundred, discretionary addition as high as 201. (p. 10), total as high as 100: Incumbent's pay, as before, exceeding 4001. (p. 17); then, if numbers amount to five hundred, fixed addition, as above, 40%., total fixed salary 1201.; discretionary addition as far as 50l. more; total maximum 170l. Incumbent's profit, as before, 4007.; then, if numbers amount to one thousand, fixed addition, as above, 701,; total fixed salary (p. 10) 150l.; discretionary addition as high (p. 17) as 50%. more: maximum 2001. All this over and above the use of the parsonage, of which presently.

So much for additions, fixed and discretionary. Then came (Section 11, 12) certain discretionary deductions, for taxes, and repairs: seat of the discretion, Right Reverend bosom, as before.

At the same Right Reverend discretion (by Section 10) further deductions, where the Incumbent is "Non-Resi"dent, or incapable of performing the duties from age, "sickness, or other unavoidable cause," in the License, statement of the existence of "special reasons"-the reasons themselves consigned to a secret Register: a separate book not inspectable, but with leave of "Bishop, Ordinary, " or other proper authority."

At the same Right Reverend discretion, where a Curate is allowed to serve two parishes, or three parishes (by Section 9) deduction as far as 301. from each, but so that in no one the remaining salary shall be less than 50%. or the whole value of the benefice.*

To the above are added various provisions, adapted to particular cases, forming a body of detail which, for any

Suppose three livings, profit in each above 4001., population in each above a thousand: under this 9th section, coupled with sections 7 and 13, Curate may, if Bishop pleases, have out of each, 2001.; out of all together, 6007. the Incumbent in each being left with 2001. and a fraction. In the scale of absurdity this is the highest point, and this too high to be probable: —but, below it might be found no small number of probable ones.

Profit of living, suppose 4491.: population more than 1000. Of Curate's salary, the minimum is 150l., Bishop may make it 2001.: by leaving in the pockets of the parishioners the odd 491. and thus reducing Curate's maximum to 1501., Incumbent may save 11.: regard for his own pecuniary interests, kindness towards his parishioners, desire of their esteem and goodwill, dislike towards the deputy thus forced upon him, indignation at the oppression to which he is subjected by this law-which is there of the above causes that might not of itself suffice to produce the effect? So far as concerns the easement thus given to the parishioners, here-thanks to the hus. bandman's sleep-here we have wheat springing up among the tares sown by him.

Endless would be the task of particularizing all the doubtful or indubitably incongruous cases, liable to spring out of the complicatedness of a mass of arrangement, the uselessness and mischievousness of which will be seen as we advance.

such purpose as the present, it seems needless to bring to view.

Anxious is the care taken to prevent the Curate from keeping out of his pocket any part of the salary which it is determined he shall have: agreement to any such effect (Section 15) declared void: to any part of the forced addition, not received by him, not only does the Curate himself remain, but moreover his personal "representatives" remain, entitled, with treble costs: debt and costs to be put into the respective pockets, in a summary way, by the Bishop. Along with "the gross value of the benefice," Incumbent applying for License is, among other things (Section 18), to state, "what salary he proposes to give to "his Curate." To Incumbent, no License for Non-Residence without such statement: to Curate (Section 19), no License to serve as Curate, till such statement has been given in by Incumbent.-For the concealment of these particulars, another secret Register.

To persons who, in virtue of Exemptions, stand ipso facto and without License, entitled to the indulgence of NonResidence, the above obligations are, in one way or other, extended, Howsoever entitled to this privilege, never by law has an Incumbent had it in his power to enjoy it without the existence of a Curate to do the duty :-No Curate, no Non-Residence. By the Act of 1796 (Section 6), power was given to the Bishop to deprive of his Curate any Incumbent, even though exempt by ipso facto exemption: first he was to force a License into the Curate's pocket: then, on his taking it out again (which he might do whenever he pleased) Incumbent, thus remaining without a Curate, remained without the benefit of the Exemption: bound thereupon either to give up the benefice, or to do the duty of it himself. Upon the back of this obligation, the imposition of which was thus left dependent

upon the discretion of the Bishop,-comes a clause in this
Act of 1813 (Section 19), forcing, or seeming to force, the
Bishop to impose it: "it shall not be lawful" (says the
Act) "to the Bishop to grant the requisite License to the

Curate, unless the Incumbent has given in to him the "statement required." And here we have a third secret Register.

So much for securing official aptitude: now as to the provision for insuring Residence. By the Act of 1796, power was given to the Bishop for allowing to the Curate the use of the Parsonage, if he chooses to have it to the same Right Reverend person, by this Act of 1813 (Section 3), power is given to make the man occupy it, when he does not choose it.

On a short view of this mass of complication, of which such features only as seemed most prominent could here be offered to the Reader's eye, several subjects for observation have been presented:-1. The elements of official aptitude in this case, according to his Lordship's view of them. 2. The principle of making agreements for other people. 3. The considerations on which the gradations in the amounts of forced salary have been grounded. 4. Under such a system as hath been seen in regard to service, the importance attached to Residence. 5. The confining of the indulgence to the richer benefices. 6. On the part of the whole system, the probability it presents of being efficient with reference to any of its professed purposes.

I. Elements of official Aptitude in this Case---what the

proper ones.

The situation of a Curate being the official situation in question, what in that situation, in his Lordship's conception, are the elements of official aptitude?-Answer. Liberality of education; liberality of views; and decency of