12 DECEMBER 1874, Page 2

Mr. Gladstone seems to be earning a great popularity amongst

the Dissenters by his pamphlet on the Vatican decrees. The Nonconformist ministers of Launceston and its neighbourhood. have congratulated him on "the unanswerable logic and out- spoken manliness" of his reasoning ; they pray God long to spare him, "to become the fearless champion of that English Protestantism for the defence of which our fathers bled and died"—(why, by the way, "to become" such a champion, after such an accomplished fact as this ?)—and finally, to crown Mr. Gladstone's "useful life by the gift of heaven's glory." This looks like real popularity in the circles of Dissent. But for all that, we wish Mr. Gladstone had not sanctioned a "People's Edition," by that name, of his pamphlet. That looks a little too much like pride in the achievement,—, People's Editions' being usually peculiar to costly books which it is desirable to put within reach of small means. There is an ad captandum flavour about it.