wars at the same time. Peace with Austria | although they have postponed, sine die, the had not been concluded; were we to im- fulfilment of an engagement solemnly conperil the fruits of our glorious campaign by tracted for a no less valid consideration plunging into hostilities with a new, a sec- than the acquiescence of France in their ond enemy? No one can question the German annexations, they will do well to prudence of the decision; all we desire is remember the warning of Count Bismarck, that it should be carried out in good faith. that "the Government cannot be released That, however, seems more than doubtful; by Parliament from obligations legitimately for, although Count Bismarck told the depu- entered into, and already sanctioned by the ties that he was always of opinion that peo- House." They may put off the disagreeple who have no wish to be Prussians, and able day as long as they please; they may who cannot be expected to alter their opin- even do all that in them lies to shuffle out of ions on this head people who declare their bargain, but after all they must in the themselves to be nationally connected with end reckon with the Emperor Napoleon. a neighbouring State do not add to the No doubt they think that he will never go power of the State from which they wish to war for so small a matter as this, and we to separate, he went on to point out that dare say that they are confident in their the treaty is so vaguely worded as to allow own power to hold their ground against Prussia a certain latitude in carrying it out. him even if he did. But for all that, it is Now, it certainly is not calculated to give imprudent, to say the least of it, to leave a us much confidence in the honour or hon- possible casus belli open between themselves esty of a party to an obligation when we and the ruler of France. It is all very well find him taking credit for having drawn it for Count Bismarck to argue at Berlin that up in such a way as to admit of evasion. France has rather gained than lost by the Still less when that is followed up by the increase of Prussia and the exclusion of declaration that "we shall so act that the Austria from Germany. But he must be votes to be given by the people of North quite aware that that is not the way in which Slesvig, the issue of which is to be the basis the subject is regarded either by the French of our future action, shall be the indubi- people or by their Sovereign. Both feel table expression of the uninfluenced and sorely the loss of weight and influence definitive will of those voting." Can any which they have sustained by changes which one who recollects that Slesvig is at present close Germany against their intrigues, and governed by Prussian officials, who exer- render infinitely difficult the acquisition of cise the most despotic authority, doubt what the Rhine frontier. The Emperor cannot this means? The only interpretation we be insensible to the loss of prestige he has can place upon it is, that the voting is to be incurred by allowing this to take place, put off until the voters have been seduced after he had expressly declared that noth or coerced into the mood most favourable to ing of the sort must happen without France the Power at whose mercy they are; that receiving a territorial compensation. Under then, but not until then, the farce of a these circumstances, it is in the highest deplebiscitum is to be gone through; and the gree foolish to add insult to injury, by fraud is thus to be worked as a sanction shamelessly violating a pledge like that in for the annexation which force has already respect to North Slesvig. Although it is effected. It is impossible to denounce in impossible to say how or when such outtoo strong terms the infamy of such a trans- rage may be resented, it will assuredly not action; but we cannot say that it takes us be forgotten, and will most likely in the end, by surprise. Throughout the whole of the if not just now, entail a just punishment. Slesvig-Holstein business the Germans have Moreover, even in this hour of their pride shown a grasping, unscrupulous greed of and their legitimate self-confidence, the territory, and a perfect insensibility to any- Germans would do well to remember that thing but the promptings of their own ambi- the public opinion of Europe has not tion, which has quite prepared us for any wholly lost its influence and power. To a amount of disregard of good.faith, honour, nation however strong, character is of some or justice. After all that has occurred, it value; and it is scarcely worth while to foris nothing more than might be expected, get the respect and to excite the disgust of that with the article of the Treaty of Nikols- other countries for the sake of acquiring, burg staring them in the face, the Prussian by flagrant fraud, a few additional square Chamber should vote the union to their own miles of territory inhabited by an alien country by a majority of 300 to 30. But population. No. 1188. Fourth Series, No. 44. 2 February, 1867, BOOKS PUBLISHED AT THIS OFFICE SENT FREE OF POSTAGE. MADONNA MARY, by MRS. OLIPHANT. 50 cents. B SIR BROOK FOSSBROOKE, by Charles Lever. 50 cents. hat s E MISS MARJORIBANKS, by Mrs. Oliphant. 75 cents. KATE COVENTRY, an Autobiography. 38 cents. Wholesale dealers supplied on liberal terms. In Press; BROWNLOW'S, by Mrs. Oliphant. PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY BY LITTELL SON, & CO., BOSTON. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. FOR EIGHT DOLLARS, remitted directly to the Publishers, the Living Age will be punctually forwarded for a year, free of postage. But we do not prepay postage on less than a year; nor where we have to pay commission for forwarding the money. Price of the First Series, in Cloth, 36 volumes, 90 dollars. Second 66 Third "6 The Complete work 20 "" 50 " 220 Any Volume Bound, 3 dollars; Unbound, 2 dollars. The sets, or volumes will be sent at the expense of the publishers. SIR LARK AND HIS WIFE. BY GEORGE MACDONALD. "Good morrow, my lord!" in the sky alone, Sang the lark, as the sun ascended his throne. AD "Shine on me, my lord; I only am come, Of all your servants, to welcome you home. I have flown for an hour, right up, I swear, To catch the first shine of your golden hair!" Thy mounds of dead, such ghastly ridges every-"Must I thank you, then," said the king, "Sir Lark, where, Wrapped in a soft white shroud which veils our For flying so high, and hating the dark? love's despair! You ask a full cup for half a thirst: And the king hid his head in a turban of cloud; ST 2 And the lark stopped singing, quite vexed ande cowed. But he flew up higher, and thought, Anon, t So he flew, with the strength of a lark he flew And he sank, and quivered, and dropped like stone. And there on his nest, where he left her, alone Did I say alone? Ah, no such thing! "Up is not always the best way to me. While you have been singing so high and away I have been shining to your little wife all day. He had set his crown all about the nest, And so glorious was she in russet gold, From the Saturday Review. the Catholic world is loud in saying that his Government ought to be supported. But the support which the Catholics give to the POPE is very different from what Protestants would give to any one who happened to represent a principle dear to Protestantism. Only let us suppose that it was a question of arms and men and money whether the Bible should or should not be freely circulated through the world. Protestants would fight for their favourite tenet with a spirit and a heartiness which Catholic temporal power. There must be something in Catholicism which in these days prevents it from affecting men powerfully in their political relations prevents it from being successful, and from being in harmony with the general current of modern thought; whereas Protestantism is evidently triumphant it warms the hearts and guides the actions of men; it wins great battles and influences great nations. It falls in with the new relations that are beginning everywhere in the civilized world to subsist between those who rule and those who are ruled. THE RISE OF THE PROTESTANT POWERS. A NOTED French preacher took occasion a few days ago to compare the position of the Protestant with that of the Catholic Powers; and he entreated his hearers on no account to neglect the solemn warning which the comparison suggested. Germany, he said, has just concluded a triumphant war, and in Germany every soldier carried his new Testament in his knapsack. Amer- countries do not show in fighting for the ica has passed victoriously through a terrible crisis, and America sees in every great event a cause of national humiliation or national thanksgiving. England is prosperous, and in command of unbounded reSources, and England keeps the Sabbath holy, and walks after her own fashion in the ways of righteousness. On the other hand, France alone of Catholic Powers is great; and France, the preacher thought, was in danger of losing her proud pre-emipance. The cause of this decay of strength in the Catholic world, so far as the preacher attempted to examine it, was scepticism; and he entreated his hearers to leave off being sceptical, both for their own sakes, and that France might again be great, and Catholic Powers again triumphant. We need not follow him into a discussion on the present state of French thought, but certainly he had invited the attention of his audience to one of the most important and striking facts of modern history. The Protestant Powers are in the ascendant, and their ascendency is clearly connected in some way with their religion. There is a definiteness of purpose, an energy of action, and a harmony between the governing and the governed, in Protestant nations, which there is not in Catholic nations. The only Sovereign who is acting thoroughly and honestly on Catholic principles is the Queen of SPAIN. She has got hold, as she thinks, of absolute truth, and to neglect to impose it on others is to peril her own soul. She is killing off people who are not of the right way of thinking, and imprisoning them, and sending them to die in misery in the uttermost parts of the earth as fast as she can, in order that Catholic truth may flourish in Spain, and that she may find favour in the eyes of her confessor. But Spain does not get on well under this system. There is a bitter hatred of the Government; it is powerless in Europe; it is insulted and despised by the Spaniards of South America. The POPE, again, governs, and very naturally governs, on ecclesiastical principles, and 200 Ling! 起 What is it that makes Protestants strong and Catholics weak? There can be no doubt as to the answer. Protestantism is the religion of the individual. He cannot take as much or as little of it as he likes. He is left alone with the New Testament, and has merely to ask himself the simple question whether he wishes to be damned or to be saved, whatever may be the meaning these words convey to him. But Ca tholicism is a great complex system, worked by other persons than the believer, imposed on him from without, and which must be accepted or rejected as a whole. The consequence is, that Catholics are either much more devout than Protestants, or much more sceptical. And unless Catholies shut their eyes to all the facts of the modern world, it is very hard for them to be devout. A Frenchman may be a very good sort of person, and anxious to do rightly, and believe rightly; but it is hard for him to persuade himself that the Queen of SPAIN is altogether in the right path, and that she has got hold of a creed which she ought to enforce by sending unbelievers or doubters to the Philippine Islands. Viewed on the side of religion, Catholicism has many advantages over Protestantism. It reflects more truly that spirit which, whether the real reflex of Christianity or not, has certainly been the spirit of Christendom for centuries. It develops more powerfully many of the Christian virtues; it inspires a much more complete abnegation of things perish unless the individual really believes temporal for things eternal. But viewed in it. Protestants have not a system that politically, and viewed in relation to modern goes on independently of them, and of the life, Catholicism does not nearly rival Prot- support of which they can at any time estantism. What the modern world seems avail themselves. Protestantism must conto want is a religion which men as well as tinually change and assume new forms, or women can believe in, which shall suit it will lose that hold on the individual mind active, busy people as well as recluses and which is its one great source of strength. hermits, and which may be the religion of It is an excellent theory that England prosperity as well as of adversity. Protes- should observe Sunday; but we are not tants have, in a rough way, got such a re- going to let fanatics dictate to us how we ligion, but, it must candidly be owned, with are to observe it, because the observance some rather violent twists of the language of Sunday and the prospects of England of the New Testament. And having got it, are, as we believe them to be, in some they are strengthened by it, and allow it to measure connected. No battles of Sadowa, colour all their thoughts, and affect all their no captures of Richmond, can make the actions. The individual does not cease to Scotch Sunday anything but nonsensical carry with him his religion into politics, and burdensome. Protestantism wants conbusiness, and even pleasure. Protestants tinually stirring up in order to keep it in are not better than Catholics; .very often vigour. Fools are sure to rush in where they are not so good as Catholics; but they angelic people fear to tread, and every idiot have got a more practicable religion. And is not to be expected to form the random we must frankly own that no difference is guesses, which he likes to call his opinions, to be traced among the various sects and on great theological questions. But there i shades of Protestants in respect of their must be some homage to truth, some spirit suitability to this modern world. The of inquiry kept up among Protestants, or il Protestant nations, and all the Protestant they will divorce their religion from the parts of those nations High Church and feelings and hearts of individuals. A theory Low Church, Lutherans, Unitarians, and has lately been started that the opinions of Calvinists are all alike in this. There is the clergy ought to be guided and settled by such a thing as a spirit of Protestantism the opinions of the ordinary well-to-do laywhich is common to them all, which gives men about them. No theory could be more them all life and strength in the contests of fatal to Protestantism, which lives and this world, and secures them that temporal thrives solely by men having a dim notion pre-eminence which the French preacher that truth on religious matters is attainable feared was fading away from the children of and desirable. A religion arrived at by a his own Church: sort of consensus of income-tax payersfor this is what the theory really amounts to-would be as un-Protestant as it would be absurd. The people who stir things up, and not the people who are all for peace, are the best friends of Protestantism and of Protestant churches. Bishop COLENSO and the Ritualists, for example, are among the greatest of the recent benefactors of the Church of England, for they have in their different ways forced a considerable number of income-tax payers to ask what they mean when they use familiar words, and to reflect what a great amount of learning and what a large range of thought men should have before they pretend to give an opinion on the questions at issue. In this way Prctestantism is carried forward and kept alive, and it is in this way that Protestantism wins those triumphs which have excited, the wonder and envy of Catholic observers. England may well be proud of being a Protestant country; and as the carnal nature is strong in man, and as modern nations, like the Jews of old, still look on outward prosperity as a sign of inward blessings, England may be strengthened in her Protestanism by observing that, in these days, Protestantism answers. Those who live in a Protestant country are often obliged to notice the weak points of the Protestantism they see around them, to exclaim against ats bigotry, to inveigh against its bitter pride, to remonstrate against its exclusive ness. But there are moments when it is well not to criticize, but to admire and be thankful, and to call to mind how indissolubly Protestantism is bound up with the greatness of England, and with the best parts of the English character. Still it must be remembered that Protestantism is nothing unless it is alive, and that it must |