316-- 
of which, however, goes to the paro- 
chial’ poor. On this aceount, most 
persons who marry by a magistrate are 
married afterwards also by their minis- 
ter, as it\is a work of supererogation, 
which is satisfactory to the kirk, and 
costs no additional expense. A license 
for marriage is unknown in the Scotch 
law. | Clerical marriages require that 
the parties shail be proclaimed three 
times inthe kirk, which may be done 
in one day, if the parties choose to pay 
for it; but in all cases of marriage, 
cither’ by a clergyman or magistrate, 
no oath is taken, noris there any for- 
mality necessary; but a third person 
attends,—the letter of the law requires 
two,—to say that, to the best of their 
belief, neither of the parties are at the 
time inarricd to any other person now 
alive. 
But the facility afforded to young 
persons for becoming ‘‘one flesh’ is 
not greater in Scotland than in Ire- 
land, where they are buckled by the 
priest often before they are full 
grown, and breed in the face of po- 
verty and misery. Whether the new 
law, preventing the marriages of mi- 
nors, will operate as a preventative 
check on them, otherwise than if they 
are very cager, may perhaps be doubt- 
ful. Ti however has not failed to make 
a greater impression on some classes 
of “the people than any piece of news 
they have for a long time heard, as any 
one who chooses may convince them- 
Selves. It is quite amusing to hear 
ihe sentiments of different persons on 
a question which is purely one of indi- 
vidual happiness, and is neither con- 
heeied much with religion nor polities. 
‘ PY 
—P 
To the Editor of the Mionthly Magazine. 
sm, 
E NOWING that your pages are 
always filled with some practi- 
cal hints for, the extension of know- 
ledge, and exposing tyranny and cor- 
ruption to the view of your intelligent 
readers, | have ventured to lay betore 
you a subject, which I irust you and 
your able correspondents will tho- 
roughly investigate; namely, that of 
Select Vestry Bills, which, if they 
are not opposed, are likely to lead to 
the mostinjurious consequences. 
In the House of Commons, on the 
10th of July last, Mr. Nolan gave,no- 
tice that he intended to bring in a 
Bill to amend the Poor Laws, and to 
introduce the general practice of Se- 
On the New. Marriage Act.—Select Vestry Bill. 
[Now 1, 
lect Vestry Bills; I quote his own 
words:—* But the greatest and most 
beneficial alteration was that of the 
Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Sturges 
Bourne), whose Bill introduced Select 
Vestries, and the appointment of assis- 
tant overseers, whose business it was 
to look after the condition of the poor 
in their districts, and to: ascertain 
what were their real wants. The first 
object of his (Mr.-Nolan’s) Bill, would 
be to improve the condition of. the 
assistant overseers, and render them 
more cflective in their respective dis- 
tricts, by a different arrangement of 
the duties which they had to discharge, 
and a proportionate increase of their 
Salary. He also wished that, instead 
of being appointed, as at present, by 
the Vestry at large, they should be 
nominated by the Sclect’ Vestry, who 
were also to have the arrangement of 
the suiz ns of money at the | assistant 
oversecr’s disposal.” 
This, sir, strikes at freedom boldly. 
It has been said. that “ taxation with- 
out representation is tyranny ;’—what 
else can this be,—for the assistant 
overseers and Select Vestry, by whom 
they are appointed, to levy rates on 
parishioners, and deny tliem the con- 
trol over the money so raised? Asithe 
Select Vestry are to have the arrango- 
ment of the sums of money,what sort 
.of an arrangement it may be, we can- 
not tell; but we cannot form avery 
favourable opinion of the proceedings 
of those who would stifle honest, in- 
quiry, crush all true principles into the 
earth, and substitute the wild theories 
of blundering economists. JULIUS. 
= —<—P— 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
AN IRISHMAN’S NOTES dwring a. VISIT 
to PARIS. 
NO. I. 
& ERE we are: three cheers for 
old ireland, and away,” was 
my cry, as [ran up:staivs at six on 
the morn fixed for our sail; and the 
exclamation brought me to my gran’s 
dressing-room. ‘The first glimpse: of 
it reduced my floating spirits: there 
began the trouble of the busine ess, as I 
endeavoured to make my way, harm- 
less and unharmed, through boxes 
on boxes, trunks upon trunks, pack- 
ages beside packages, writing-désks 
and dressing-desks, and many more 
boxes, and trunks, and desks, than I 
had before seen together. ‘* But we’re 
going to France,” thought I. ‘Then 
‘iuside all was cold and comfortless: 
the 
ee ee 
a 
= 
