YE FATHERS OF YE CHURCHE GYVING JUDGMENTE UPON YE KNOTTYE POYNT.
Saturday, March 9, 1850.
To the Judicial Committee of Privy Council to hear Judgment delivered in the great Gorham Case, the Reverend Mr. Gorham against the Bishop of Exeter for refusing to institute him to the Living of Bramford Speke, which the Bishop refuse because Mr. Gorham deny Baptismal Regeneration. The Court of Arches gave sentence for the Bishop, and Gorham then appeal to the Privy Council. A great Commotion among the Clergy, and not a little among the People also. The High Church hold, with the Bishop of Exeter, the same Opinion of Baptism as the Catholiques, and the Low do side with Gorham and the Baptists and most other Dissenters. To the Council Chamber betimes, and did get a good Place and hear very well. The Chamber all the public Part of it crammed with as many People as could well get in. Lack, to see what Numbers of the Clergy here, both High Church and Low, and distinguish them by their Looks, and their Dress, and particularly by their Ties and Waistcoats. Also present many Dissenters and Roman Catholiques, and among the Catholiques I did note Bishop Wiseman the Catholique Bishop of Melipotamus, and Vicar Apostolique of the London District in the front Row next my Lord the President's Chair, pricking up his Ears. By and by in come the Lords of the Council and take their places, mighty Grave, yet as they sit do seem to take it easy. They sit at a Table in the midst of the Chamber, where, among them, Lords Brougham and Campbell look mighty ill-favoured and droll. Behind, towards the Bookshelves, the Lay Lords, but with them a Bishop in his Knee Breeches and Apron, and a Shovel Hat in his Hand. Among the Lay Lords the Earl of Carlisle, a Great Nobleman, and do look noble, and very much like Liston the Player. Hush, and Silence, even the Ladies, of whom some present in the Crowd, when my Lord Langdale rise to deliver Judgment, which he did mighty clever, and lay down the Law, but no theological Argument, which I expected to hear, but did not. For he said the Committee have no Authority to determine Points of Doctrine, and whether Baptismal Regeneration were true or false, but only whether the Clergy were bound to hold it, or free to deny it, by the Thirty-nine Articles. And by that Rule he gave Judgment for Gorham against the Bishop, and I see not how he could have done otherwise, nor why the High Church should be so aghast and angry, nor Wiseman smile and look so merry and scornful as he did, and seem so mightily diverted. So the Bishop will have to submit, and institute Gorham, or else resign his Bishoprick, which I dare swear he will not. Nor do I much fear that many of the High Church Clergy will leave the Church, as some prophesy, and turn Catholiques, and relinquish the Loaves and Fishes. Methinks it is a mighty good Thing that both High Church Clergy and Low are bound only by the Articles as interpreted by the Law Lords in the Judicial Committee, and not by themselves on either one Side or the other, for of all Men methinks the Clergy of every Sect have less than any of a Judicial Mind.
A JUVENILE PARTYE.
Wednesday, April 24, 1850.
With my Wife this Evening to Mr. Hartley's to a Children's Party, but some grown up, and among them me and my Wife, though we have no Children, which vex me, but not much, for Children mighty expensive and cost money, and, if I had them, would only force me to deny myself a great many Pleasures I now enjoy, and could not then afford. A large Drawing Room very fine, and well lighted up, and so many Children of all Ages down to Babies almost as I think I did never before, altogether in one room, see. Pretty to see how the little Boys and Girls dance when Mynheer Schlamm thump and bang the Piano, and some of the very smallest taught to dance nearly as soon as they could walk, and how they stand in Position and point their Toes with heels close together, and arms hanging down, as they do when the Dancing-Master teach them their dancing Lessons. And to see how pleased all the Girls to dance, but not all the Boys, but a good many of them look unhappy, yet pretty to observe how a few little Boys make love to the little Girls, and one little Boy offer a little Girl a Nosegay, like a young Gallant, and she take it with the Air of a Coquette mighty pretty. But most of the Boys make a great deal more Love to the good Things on the Tables; the Sweets and Pastry, Jelly, Blanc-Mange, Tarts, Pies, Tipsy-Cake, Trifle, and Ice-creams, and good Lack how they push, and scramble, and hold out their plates, to get slices of Cake, while Hartley cut up a great rich Cake like a Twelfth-cake and share it between them, and they eat and stuff all they can, and I fear me some of them ill to-morrow if not before. Droll to see a little Boy stand astride stuffing into his Mouth a Pie whole like a Pantomime Clown. Another small Boy sitting down upon a Pile of Plates set by on the Floor, they having been eaten from, in the Remains of Trifle, cause great Laughter. So did a fat Dame with her little Boy and Girl, and an Arm round each, like a great plump Fowl, a Gizzard under one Wing and Liver beneath the other. Droll to see Hartley's little girl sit in her Grandmother's Chair beside her Crutch, where her Grandmother hobbling in did find her, and to think that she too will be such another old Woman, one of these Days, if she live. Some of the bigger Boys public School Boys, mighty grand, and a few wearing Spectacles like young Owls. Mrs. Hartley's Brother, Mr. St. Leger, dress himself like a Conjuror, in a conjuring Cap with magick Characters on it, and conjure with Cards, and Oranges, and little Images, and Dolls, mighty clever, and I do mean to get him if I can to teach me. One Thing made me laugh heartily was to see the Page they call Buttons stand behind him while he conjure, Buttons with his Eyes staring wide open, and he grinning with his Mouth from Ear to Ear. The young Folk after Supper to dance again, and romp, and play at Blindman's Buff, and meanwhile the elder sup too, and I and my Wife on cold Fowl and Ham, and Lobster Salad, and Champagne, mighty merry, and so Home betimes mighty comfortable, and methinks I do like a Children's more than any other Evening Party, to see the Children and their Elders also, play the Fool, and to break up, and get Home early, and so with Content and Comfort to Bed.