282 FISHES AKD FISHING. 



demned to the same labour, privations, and want 'of 

 fresh air, to which they would condemn the labour- 

 ing population ; the miseries of which they never 

 knew. IS'o ! no ! They enjoy the luxuries of life ; 

 they take their pleasure in riding, walking, or sport- 

 ing, six days of the week, and have nothing to think 

 of but their pleasures and comforts. 



It cannot be supposed, in this enlightened age, that 

 any attempt could be entertained by the Houses of 

 Parliament to interfere with the innocent amuse- 

 ments of a large proportion of the community. Mo- 

 nomaniacs may propose very unwise laws, and have 

 done so : but the good sense of our legislators have 

 hitherto repelled the^propositions. The human mind 

 cannot be coerced, as to its religious feelings ; and the 

 endeavour to do so, by the hand of power, is sure to 

 prove abortive. Puritans have subverted the throne, 

 and killed their king in this island ; beware of ever 

 letting them be in the ascendant again. Are not the 

 horrible scenes now progressing in India, attribut- 

 able, whatever may be said to the contrary, to the 

 well-intentioned endeavours to make proselytes to the 

 Christian religion ? 



I overheard a short time ago, a boy of a respect- 

 able family of the middle class, about ten years old, 

 talking to another, about how his Sunday was spent ; 

 he said, he " went three times in the day to chapel. 



