DIVINE WORSHIP.
ITO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Allow me to supplement your correspondent's sug- gestions on divine worship by making two remarks,—one general, the other particular. It may not be generally known that the Bishop of London made the reading of the Liturgy the subject of his address to the clergy about two years ago, but whether his observations were published, I am not in a position to say. I happen to know also that the Principals of the various Theological Colleges are paying some attention to this important matter, and, I venture to think, not a moment too soon.
The particular remark has reference to the practice of some clergymen dwelling far too long on the last word of a sentence ; I mean in their monotoning the service. Musical people will know what I mean when I say that I have heard the word dwelt on to the length of a breve. And when the last word happens to be the second syllable of a word, as, for example, sinners, the effect is grotesque in the extreme. Another singular practice I have noticed,—viz., the priest dropping his voice quite a third on the last syllable but one in a collect ; not a cadence of a semi-tone or so, but a regular drop to a note even below the speaking one, from G to D, for instance. A little care, I am sure, would prevent such an anomaly.—I
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