30 WOliCESTEi; COUiS'TY HOKTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. [1883. 



witli an open Biljle on it; an arm-chair in red roses; and an 

 elaborate carpet, as a ground work for the whole." " It is said," 

 — note his caution ! " that the Dahlias in it (the carpet ?) number 

 more than 4,000 ; " and he naively opines that " there are rather 

 more of every other flower than of Dahlias ! " Alas ! that it 

 should be left for your Secretary, at this distance, to detect a 

 fatal omission. The " counterfeit presentment " of the Rector! 

 Under what envious eclipse were hidden the moon-like features 

 of the Reverend Cream Cheese ! 



The period is not so very remote, — within the vigorous man- 

 hood of your Father and mine, Mr. President ! when the Town 

 and Parish were co-terminous and, as it were, identical ; when 

 every descendant from Adam became, whether of his own voli- 

 tion, or from compulsion by the tithingman, a regular attendant 

 upon public worship ; and necessarily, as inexorably, a child of 

 grace; and wlien tlie Meeting-House, for the Lord's Day, was 

 also held in common and legitimate use, by the whole people, at 

 the Election on the last Wednesday in May. But a single creed, 

 or protest,' term it which you will! being tolerated; since ortho- 

 doxy is my doxy, you know ! there could be no dissent to be 

 made, an ol)ject of invidious discrimination. A man was taxed, — 

 ' whether or no; and the density of his faith, the extravagance of 

 his heresy, or even the rank insolence of his atheism, availed 

 nothing to secure immunity. 



But we have changed all that^. — as they say in France : and 

 now enjoy our one gravy and forty-five religions* ! Is there not 

 a grim sarcasm in the practical operation of the law, that would 

 foster and disseminate a faith about which scarcely two men 

 think alike ? Foster, and spread it broadcast, not at their cost 

 by whom it is cherished ; but at the expense of schismatics ; and 

 by the imposition of burdens grievous to be borne, upon property 

 consecrated to such beneficent purposes as is this — our Hall of 

 Horticulture ! It is a difficult matter to redress a wrong, when 

 the only possible remedy involves the relinquishment, bj^ others, 

 of a pecuniary advantage. Nevertheless, the right is sure to 



* The Worcester City Directory, for the current year, recites the titles of 

 Forty-Five (45) distinct religious societies; and "the cry is — still, they 

 come !" 



