5 AUGUST 1843, Page 1

Father MATHEW has invaded London, and the apostle of Tem-

perance is greeted by hosts of converts. Among the retinue of the Rornish philanthropist is the Protestant philanthropist Lord STAN HOPE ; who took the pledge in public, and witnessed the priest's blessing of the kneeling Protestants with unshaken faith in the sin- gleness of the purpose and the unsectarian Christianity of the benediction. In these days of theological party, the sight is as odd as it is pleasing. And the example appears to be effective : there are hopes that total abstinence may be inculcated to such an extent as to have a serious influence on the revenue ; in which case, a further move will be taught to shift taxation from the uncertain and unequal basis of consumption.