Itttgro to tht thitor.
THE CHRISTIA.N SOCIALISTS.
.1ker8ky, 5th July 1852. &a—While I thank your correspondent "I Constant Reader" for the zeal with which he has defended the Christian. Socialists," I must say that the poor little True Briton is not as much in fault as he thinks ; and that Lord Shaftesbury, Mr. Gurney, and Mr. Jackson, are, as it seems to me, not in fault at all.
They do not append their names to the circular of the True Briton, wherein is contained that stage-thunder which has excited your correspond- ent's wrath, but only to a certificate setting forth the worthiness of the said True Briton,—to which I also heartily subscribe. Next, all that the True Briton alleges against Socialists of "the higher ranks," is unsettling the faith and opinions (well known to be at present rooted as the rocks) of the lower classes; an accusation which, considering its similarity to that on which a certain snub-nosed philosopher was con- demned to drink hemlock in Athens of old, is not, on the whole, important. It is for the "Socialists of the lower classes," (who, every one knows, are fair game for the world in general,) that the True Briton attributes those seven deadly sins, and a few over, which it quotes from the Times ; theugy the catalogue comes not from the Times, who, to give every one his due, is far too rational a man of the world to indulge in such rant, but from a well- known pen and a well-known periodical—de quibus muss silent. At this red rag of the Reviewer the turkey of the True Briton has fled, gobbling,— not uninfluenced, perhaps, by the desire of increasing its sale among respect- ability by the loudness of the said gobbles. Nevertheless, a man may be a very worthy man and yet wish to sell his paper; and a turkey a very good turkey, and yet afraid of red rags: and so is the True Briton; which I, as a subscriber, heartily recommend as a most worthy, genial, racy little paper, to all who wish to give pleasant and useful reading to their servants, parishioners, and workmen and as the very best antidote I have yet seen to the poison of Mr. Reynolds and the " Feloniets."
I have the honour to be, Sir, your faithful servant,
C. KINGSLEY.
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