WHYTE MELVILLE'S 

 SEEMON. 



When some terrible calamity has occurred — such as the 

 sinking of the Eurydice, the running down of the Princess 

 Alice, an explosion in a mine, the death of the late lamented 

 Princess— we hear that '' several ministers of all denomina- 

 tions improved the occasion, and addressed their congrega- 

 tions on the recent deplorable event." In other words, in 

 most cases vain-glorious men, who delight in their own 

 voices, indulged in rhapsodical utterances, and deduced 

 -absurd theories from events which had already made a 

 solemn impression on thinking men ; and they simply 

 disturbed sad pictures which were for the time indelibly 

 painted on the minds of their audience. 



Public bodies, as a duty, are bound to record certain 

 events, and from published accounts they have for the most 

 part — especially in both Houses of Parliament — done what 

 was right, simply and solemnly, and have communicated 

 their votes of sympathy kindly and delicately to the Queen. 

 When the Princess died every man said to his neighbour, 

 ^' The poor Princess is dead. What a trial for the Queen ; 

 and at this time too ! " So, when a terrible calamity 

 occurred in the hunting field a short time since, and the 

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