Abraham in Egypt.

Jacob's wrestling with the msels

The destruction of ICorah, So.

Moses smites the rock.

Jo.aeL..

i..fsr he Temple. demur to your statement that "the laity of 1904 are not children, whose reading must be supervised by the Church." at will not be disputed that the choice of the Lessons must be made by some public authority, whether of Church or State, and so far the modern laity stand where their more ignorant ancestors stood. Moreover, the masses of our con- gregations are not altogether inaptly described as "children." The cultivated laity, who form the readers of the Spectator, are not representative of the multitude of churchgoers. Lectionaries are not made for the learned, but for the ignorant. Sentimental considerations ought not to be allowed to induce a perpetuation of an intrinsically unedifying, and therefore indefensible, procedure; and such I venture to maintain is our present practice with respect to the public reading of the Scriptures. "Why do you go on reading it in church P' was the question put to me by an intelligent gas. worker, to whom I had expounded, not without difficulty, the position, universally accepted among educated folk, that the story of the creation of woman represented primitive and quite erroneous notions. What answer can be given to that question by a Church which, within living memory, has affirmed the principle of choosing for public use in the churches only such parts of the Bible as are edifying P- Apologising for such large demands on your courteous in- dulgence, I am, Sir, &c., H. HENSLEY REHEAR. Westminster Abbey.

[Though we think that the unedifying character of several of the chapters named by Canon Hensley Henson might easily Ac exaggerated, we are heartily at one with him in desiring a revision of the Lectionary, and especially in regard to the Sunday Lessons. Only those portions of Scripture should be read which are in full accord with the religion of Christ, or which deserve Milton's noble tribute to the Hebrew literature, and especially to the prophets, which he places in the Saviour's own mouth :—

"• - • Men divinely taught, and better teaching The solid rules of civil government

In their majestic unaffected style Than all the oratory of Greece and Rome.

them P—I am, Sir, &c., A. C. blicaoraox.

[To rue EDIT. OF eau ..Sexouuuoz."J

In them is plainest taught and easiest learnt.

What makes a nation happy, keeps it so, What ruins kingdoms and lays cities flat."

The Scriptures are a school of patriotism and civil conduct as well as of religion, and we meat therefore not neglect those portions of the Old Testament which go to the making of the good citizen,—those portions which did so much to build the characters of Cromwell and his Ironsides.—En. Spectator.] BRADFORD FABRICS.

Pro TIM EDITOR OF THZ "SPSOFATOS1

Sta,—In your issue of April 23rd some reference was made to Bradford fabrics, and the fact that many British-made goods have to be sent to Paris and thence reintroduced before their merits are appreciated in this country. As a sidelight on this subject the circular below may be interesting. It was issued by an old-established firm of French silk manufacturers to their wholesale customers some few years ago, and for its better understanding it should be explained that the said manufacturers had reproduced in facsimile certain styles of silk which had been invented by our company and made at Bradford and Macclesfield. It will be seen they subsequently became amusingly anxious lest the reputation of the French for good taste should suffer by reason of their own customers ticketing and selling the pirated goods as veritable" Liberty" productions • [Translation of Circular.]

"Gentlemen,—We beg to draw your attention to the fact that by naming and describing our materials manufactured in the new style by the name of 'Liberty' you gratuitously advertise—and without giving any credit to French taste—a name which stands for nothing in regard to these creations, which are specialities due to inspirations purely French, and interpreted by French artiste. The new style advances day by day by reason of its undoubted merits ; but this is due to the unremitting toil of French artists and manufacturers, and it is they who have the

&c., Lt.

HAWFINCHES.

[To THE Conan Sr en "SvecTAT0.1 Stn,—I am glad to say that, owing to your kind insertion of my letter in the Spectator of April 9th noting the visit of hawfinches to this neighbourhood, I have received intima- tions to the same effect from Windsor, Roehampton, Tedding- ton, Isleworth, Wimbledon, and Hounslow. Three of my correspondents state that these birds annually build in their gardens, and, curiously enough, record three deaths this spring from the same cause,—viz., flight against a window or conservatory. It is possible that such a coincidence may be due to mere impetuosity of flight in an easily startled and shy bird, but it is also a matter for speculation whether the anatomical relations of the eyes with the disproportion- ately large beak may not interfere to a certain extent with the forward line of vision.—Thanking you for the courtesy you have shown in aid of my inquiry, which, I hope, may further the observation and protection of these interesting

birds, I am, Sir, &c., JOHN A. HAYWARD. 23 The Grange, Wimbledon Common.