in the reading of the Old Testament--that as the
Evangelical Prophet he may be read at the Advent and Nativity of
Christ--that we dip promiscuously into the Apocrypha on Saints'
Days--because those books are read "for example of life and
instruction of manners"--and not to establish doctrine, etc., etc.
Somebody has compiled a straight ahead Prayer-book, and I fancy it
will be found very useful--about the same time that we get a royal
road to learning--or that services compiled on the most comprehensive
and comprehensible system by men of the highest and devoutest
intellect for every age, class, sex, and succeeding generations of the
Church of a whole country, can be made at the same time to fit the
case of every ignoramus who won't take the trouble to do more than
lick his thumb and turn over a page!!! If people would but understand
that the shortest way to anything is to get at the first principles!!
When one humbles oneself to learn those, the arrangement of the
Liturgy becomes as beautiful and lovable a piece of machinery as that
of Nature or God's Providence almost! and is just as provocative of
ignorant complaint and sarcasm if one doesn't.

Oh! Eleanora! What _will_ you say to this sermon!!--My "lastly"
is--teach your bairns the "why" their great-great-great-(very great!)
Grandfathers put all these glorious Prayers together in their present
order--and "when they are old they will not" ... need any modern
wiseacres to help them to get blindfold from the _Venite_ to the
Proper Psalms.

Adieu, beloved. Post time almost--and another letter to write. I have
had a sort of double quinsy--but am better, thank God.

Your devoted and prosy,

JULIANA HORATIA GATTY.

The Books I have used are _Wheatley on the Common Prayer_, Hook's
_Lives of the Archbishops_, and _Church Dictionary_, and anything I
could get hold of. Get any decent book on the Psalms--compare the two
versions--read the _prefaces_, _rubrics_, etc.--above all. Have you
the Parker Society edition of Edward VI. Prayer-book?

To H.K.F.G.

_Hotel de l'Europe, Anvers._
September 22, 1865.

MY DEAREST D----,

"Here we are again!" at the Hotel Dr. Harvey recommended. The Captain
of our boat said it was cheaper and better than S. Antoine. You must
excuse a not very lively letter, for I am still so ill from the
voyage. I can't get over it somehow at present, but shall be all right
to-morrow. We enjoyed our day in Hull immensely! you will be amused to