COMMUNION SER VICE. 137 



I remained in company with a large proportion of the women 

 present, and half a dozen men, at the communion service. The 

 Church of England service, which has always seemed to me more 

 effective than most others to the practical end of the ceremony, 

 never was so solemn, impressive, and affecting. It was adminis- 

 tered by the bishop, unassisted, with great feeling and simplicity. 

 There was not the least unnecessary parade or affectation of 

 sanctity ; but a low, earnest voice, and a quiet, unprofessional 

 manner, that betokened a sense of the common brotherhood of us 

 all " united by God in Christ." The singing was " congregation- 

 al," the choristers having left, and without assistance from the 

 organ. 



A considerable proportion of the congregation were servants 

 in livery ; and besides these and the soldiers and clergy, the men 

 present were generally plainly, and many shabbily, dressed. The 

 women, many of them, seemed of a higher class, but were also 

 simply dressed, generally in dark calicoes. 



In the south transept (or short arm of the cross) of the cathe- 

 dral another congregation were assembling as I came out. I 

 followed in a company of boys, marching like soldiers, dressed in 

 long-skirted blue coats, long waistcoats, breeches, and stockings, 

 and with the clerical bands from their cravats. Within were 

 several other such companies boys and girls in uniform, from 

 charity schools, I suppose. The girls were dressed in the fashion 

 of Goody Two-Shoes, with high-backed white caps, and white 

 "pinafores" over blue check gowns. 



This transept is a large place of worship in itself, though but a 

 small part of the cathedral, and is occupied by the parish of St. 

 Oswald morning and evening service being held in it immedi- 

 ately after that of the cathedral church. On the doors were 

 notices, posted in placards, addressed to persons in certain cir- 

 cumstances among others, to all who used hair-powder to give 



