1R31.] ' Affairs i?i General. 79 



land was carried to its perfection. Tliere the Avife of every man in 

 office, down to the lowest grade, affixed the name of his employ to her 

 own, and plumed herself upon taking rank accordingly. They had 

 Madame la Fermiere Generale, and Madame la Geoliere. The vil- 

 lage attorney reflected honour on his lady's virtues j and M. le Pro- 

 cureur was accompanied on the path of public distinction by Madame la 

 Procuresse. 



Whatever becomes of Lords and Commons, the sinecures must go. 

 We point out one, which the public feeling will, we presume, forbid to 

 survive : — 



" Comptrollership of the First Fruits and Tenths. — The valuable sinecure of 

 Comptrollership of the First Fruits, held by the late Lord Walsingham, is 

 vacant by his lordship's melancholy death ; the office has been long known to 

 be one of the useless ones. It was bestowed on the noble father of the late 

 and present peer during the time he filled the lucrative post of chairman of 

 the committees of the House of Lords. Upon his lordship's retirement from 

 that situation, his late majesty granted him a pension of 2,000^. per annum, 

 the noble ex-chairman retaining the comptrollership of the first fruits, in 

 which the late peer succeeded him. 



A fierce fight is going on in Ireland between the newspapers and the 

 defenders of the episcopal church. Dr. Ebrington has written a pam- 

 phlet, or sermon, or some such thing, which has brought up a whole 

 host of bitter stories on the opposite side. The Evening Post — a clever 

 paper, and always the chief opponent — gives an anecdote, which we 

 hope is much exaggerated : — 



" Church Building in Monaghan. — The Protestants of Monaghan wished to 

 have a church ; but the board of first fruits were not forthcoming. Being a 

 pious people, however, a church they resolved to have, and a subscription 

 was set on foot. Lord Rossmore's family subscribed 100/., and Mr. Henry 

 Westenra, the member for the county, promised to be forthcoming with the 

 music, and to present the church with an organ of 200/. value. We have not 

 heard whether the other Protestants of Monaghan were so religiously inclined 

 as our Lord Rossmore, and we cannot, therefore, state the amount of lay 

 contributions. But we certainly expected to hear that the dignitaries and 

 beneficed clergymen subscribed. Did Mr. R. Robinson, the rector, give 

 anything ? Nothing. The Bishop of Kilmore, who lives within ten or twelve 

 miles of the place.'' No. The primate, who is archbishop of the see, and 

 has 25,000/. to 30,000/. a-year — did he subscribe } Not a peimy. But surely 

 the bishop of the diocese, of which Monaghan is the capital. Doctor or Lord 

 Tottenham, as we believe he is called. Bishop of Clogher, and who takes 

 It, 000/. a-year from the place, himself having 17,000/. a-year in another 

 county, and living in a third — surely this right reverend lord did something 

 towards the erection of a temple on his little Zion ? Not a halfpenny. 



On this subject we shall only say, that we are convinced the primate, 

 at least, is not in fault. Ireland has had no better nor more generous 

 prelate for centuries. He is a Christian, and makes a Christian use of 

 his power and his income. As for the others, let them put down tlie 

 accuser by shewing evidence. It is indisputable that the Irish bishops 

 possess very large incomes, and it lies upon their own shoulders to shew 

 what they do with them — what monuments of their piety, benevolence, 

 or j)ublic spirit they leave behind them. Let Lord Robert Tottenham 

 shew us any church, or set of alms-houses, or hospital, or anything built 



