*they are forgiven ; 
494 
ber of the ee of England, not as a 
trait peculiar to her alone (which Pres- 
byter Anglicanus infers), but as a prac- 
tice common, at that time, with members 
of that church. 
But, altogether, the information of 
Presbyter Anglicanus is so very general 
and unsatisfactory, that IT have for my- 
self made such inquiries as a poor li- 
brary and a retired situation will admit. 
I read in the Book of Common Prayer 
that, at the ordination of a priest, the 
bishop gives~ him authority. in these 
words, “ whose sins thou dost forgive, 
3’ and, in the exhor- 
tation by the priest to the people to 
attend the communion, he invites those 
“who cannot quiet their own con- 
sciences to coine to some minister of 
God’s word and open his grief, that by 
the ministry of God’s word he may 
receive the benefit of absolution, to- 
gether with ghostly counsel and ad- 
vice.’ In Dean Comber’s works is the 
following passage: “To confess our 
sins to a priest, even im health, is a 
pious and ancient custom, and not only 
a sign of repentance, but the dest means 
for obtaining pardon and for amend- 
ing oar lives, and (though greatly abused 
by papists) is but too much neglected.” 
To encourage the secret confession of 
sins, the Church of England has a ca- 
non requiring her ministers not to re+ 
veal the same: at least, so says one of 
her own ministers—I have not the 
canons. 
Reading the above quotations, and 
looking at the practical application of 
the doctrine in the instance recorded 
by Bishop Burnet, it is not going too 
far to say, that though the Church of 
England does not enforce secret con- 
fession by temporal penalties, she re- 
quires it as a duty; that particular 
absolution follows confession : the prae- 
tice has, perhaps, become obsolete, but 
it yet is a part of her doctrine. 
Wherein, then, on confession and ab- 
solution, do the churches of England 
and Rome differ? I find from “ Dr. 
Phillpot’s Letters to Charles Butler, 
Esq., “ on the Theological Parts of his 
Book of the Catholic Church,” ‘that 
the question is not a new one: Mr. 
Butler’s book F cannot procure. My 
own answer to the question is:—In 
the one church, confession is part of 
asacrament, and its performance en-- 
forced; in the other it is only a duty, 
and its performance reconimended :— 
in the one’ church; confession and! abso- 
lution are abused’; in the other dis- 
Sketches for Light Reading. 
used; both agree that without sincere- 
repentance a sinner obtains not pardon 
for the-past, or hope for the -future ;. 
though absolution is pronounced to | 
him by a priest. 
Dr. Phillpot, in a chapter “On the: 
supposed legal necessity of a minister 
of the Church of England giving evi- 
dence in a court of justice of what has 
been confided to him in confession,’’. 
uses these remarkable words: “ I trust, 
if such be the law, no-minister of the 
Church of England would feel himself 
bound to comply with it.” I believe 
the same principle is contended for by 
the catholic priest. ©, 
6th November, 1825. An Inquirer. 
—a— ‘ 
Sxurcues for Licur Reapixé. 
FASHION, - 
S mere persons of fashion are alto-- 
gether of a different species from 
those of the middle and trading ordéts, 
they have other views, other systems,’ 
other motives for action than those 
which actuate their less fashionable 
cotemporaries. Their existence is a 
whirl of occupations and exercises, -to« 
be performed as certainly as the sun 
rises: their virtues are mostly negative, 
and their vices positive ; but so long 
as they are fashionable vices, they are 
not thought shameful. Their acquain: 
tances are numerous, and they have 
more intimate friends than one can 
conceive; yet, withal, are ignorant] of 
the meaning of the word friendship. 
In striving to live entirely to and for 
themselves, they are more enslaved 
than the most dependent of creatures : 
for they must read a certain set - of 
books, or be deémed wanting—they 
must know such and such persons— 
they must admire such and such emi- 
nent characters—they must dress so 
many times a day, and never appear in 
the streets till the day is nearly half 
over: besides all these evils, their time 
is entirely disposed of by others, and 
their health sacrificed at the shrme of 
their folly. They have, indeed, one 
thing which their less modish neigh- 
bours cannot boast—which is, that in- . 
describable grace of manner which 
society alone can give: but for this 
they mostly pay richly, by the want of 
that high touch and finish in morals 
which is above price. Their women, 
when young, lost.in desire of admira- 
tion, dress, rouge, and. attract the 
eye successfully; but the fine polish 
and unpurchasable grace’ of modesty: 
fades before tle frequent glance of ad- 
miration, 
