day delivery of letters by the Post Office.
And I very much wonder that religious people support it as they do."

If any newspaper discusses the questions of the day generally in a
spirit of common sense, and this periodical treats them in the same
spirit, there must be a general coincidence of opinion between this
periodical and that newspaper, which MR. DIBDIN may call an echo if he
pleases. But he has no right to term _Punch_ a consistent enemy to true
piety, because we do not admit that a Christian is bound to keep Sunday
as a Jew is obliged to observe Saturday. And his wonder that religious
people support _Punch_ as they do may be abated by the consideration
that religion is not, in all people, allied with superstition, or with
cant and hypocrisy. Religion _Punch_ has always held, and hopes to hold,
inviolate; but the pretence of it, whether designed to restrict his
liberty, or impose upon his understanding, he has ever denounced and
ever will denounce. Withhold from the child the letter of the sick
parent; deny the fagged artisan his breath of fresh air and half-holyday
once a week, under a religious pretext, and _Punch_ will protest you a
Pharisee, and tell you that you might as well forbid him to extricate an
ox, or a MR. DIBDIN, from a pit into which, he might happen to tumble on
the Sabbath day. And if lies or delusions are propounded to his
credence, tales, whether of table-talking or picture-working, _Punch_
will not be hindered from laughing at them by the circumstance that they
are preached beneath the cover of religion.

_Punch_ never knowingly admits anything into his pages that could shock
the feelings of religious people. For that reason he forbears to quote
from MR. DIBDIN'S pamphlet an assertion that MR. DIBDIN professes to
quote from the devil; a piece of blasphemy too frightfully shocking to
be repeated. The following, however, may be cited as specimens of the
answers elicited by the Rev. gentleman and a MR. B. from a small,
square, three-legged table on casters, by lying their hands on it:--

"1. If there be a GOD, strike three with the leg next the
fire-place.--That leg was raised, and struck thrice.

"2. If there be a devil, strike so many times with this leg.--It did
so.

"3. If the POPE be the head of the Church, strike, &c.--It did so.

"4. If MARTIN LUTHER was a good man, strike, &c.--No reply.

"5. If EMANUEL SWEDENBORG was a good man, strike, &c.--It d