tempt." It
was impertinence on Mr. Rees's part, in both senses of the word, for the
merit of Mr. Bradlaugh's writing was not the point in consideration.

The point was this, Did the writing--the _last_ writing--of Mr.
Bradlaugh show the slightest change in his Atheism? Mr. Rees could
not see this point, or he would not see it; and either alternative is
discreditable to a man who sets himself up as a public teacher.

Mr. Rees did one right thing, however; he sent Mrs. Bonner a letter he
had received from Sir Isaac Holden, containing the following passage:--

"Your rendering of the story is a little different to what I spoke--'Mr.
Bradlaugh was affected to tears when I told him that his brother James
said to the Rev. Richard Allen that his brother Charles was too good a
man to die an Infidel, and he believed that before his death he would
become a Christian.' Tears started in his (Charles's) eyes, and he
simply replied: 'My brother James is a _good fellow_,' not 'I wish
I were half as good as my brother.' There was evidently a very kind
feeling in each of the brothers towards each other."

What _is_ clear is this--there is a very bad difference between Sir
Isaac Holden and the Rev. Allen Rees. "I wish I were half as good as my
brother" is a very definite expression, and not a bit like "My brother
James is a good fellow." Now if Sir Isaac Holden _did_ convey this
expression to the Rev. Allen Rees, the old gentleman has a treacherous
memory; if he _did not_, the expression must be ascribed to the reverend
gentleman's invention.

Mrs. Bonner replied sharply with "mixed feelings of surprise and
indignation." Her father had no brother named James. The only brother
he had was most distinctly not "a good fellow," which there was
"documentary evidence" to prove. There was also documentary evidence
to show that the feelings of the brothers towards each other was "the
reverse of kindly." Mr. Rees had chosen to ignore all this, and, in
consequence of his attitude, Mrs. Bonner intended to "give this matter
publicity"--which she has done by printing the whole correspondence and
sending copies to the press.

Mr. Rees wrote "surprised"--poor man! He thought it was a "private
correspondence." He could not understand why he was "personally
abused"--in fact, it was "vulgar personal abuse." "I entirely decline,"
he ended majestically, "to have any further correspondence with you."

What a sorry display of clerical temper! But it is t