3 SEPTEMBER 1831, Page 14

The Bishop of LONDON vindicates himself from the charge of

cant, because he has preached against the pastimes of the rich as well as voted against the pastimes of the poor. Lord BROUGHAM, who passes more compliments than -any man in either House, very warmly concurred in the praise of' impartiality which the Bishop had bestowed upon himself. The Chancellor at the same time very peremptorily controverted every argument that the Bishop had endeavoured to urge against cheap beer, and even went so far as to doubt the policy of prohibiting skittles. Lord BROUGHAM *S reasoning on the subject of beer, we may well leave the Bishop to handle ; reasoning on the subject of skittles, we think it only fair to show that Dr. BLOMFIELD is neither the first clergy- man that has exhibited them in their proper light, nor are his de- nunciations of their fatal consequences by any means so strong as those of the worthy advocates for pauper purity, that have gone before him. The following quotation will show how pious men forty years ago regarded this unhallowed game, and fully exonerate the Bishop of London from the charge of cant on that head at least.

" Sir Harry, a high priest, and deep divine,

Ambitious much 'mid modern Saints to shine,

On a Good Friday evening took an airing :— Not far had he proceeded, ere a sound

Did the two ears of this good priest astound; Such as loud laughs, commix'd with some small swearing.

"Now in an orchard peep'd the Knight so sly,

With such a staring, rolling, frenzied eye; Where, lo I a band of rural swains were blest :— Too proud to join the crew, he wav'd his hand, Beck'ning to this unholy playful band— Forth came a boy, obedient to the Priest.

'1" What wicked things are ye all doing here,

On this most solemn day of all the year it

Playing to skittles,' said the simple lad.

• Playing at skittles 1—Devils, are ye mad For what?—' A Jack-ass, Sir,' the boy replies- ' A Jack-ass l' rears the Priest, with wolf-like eyes :

Run, run, and tell them Heav'n will not be shamm'd-

Tell them this instant, that they'll all be danad.' " well, Sir Harry—iss, I wall, Sir Harry '— Then off he set th' important news to carry To warn them what dread torments would ensue:

But suddenly the scamp'ringlad tuned round, And thus, with much simplicity of sound,

'Sir Harry, must the Jack-ass be thinned too ?'" Works of Peter Pindar, Esq. vol. iii. p. 187.

The Bishop of London's declamation is nothing to this.