A curious anecdote is related of Captain Kellet's ship, the
Resolute. When the last expedition in search of Franklin was going out, Captain Kellet dined with a distinguished friend,. and the lady of the house made him a present. The lady was no "Papist," any more than the captain; but the present was neither more nor less than a huge wax candle, six feet long, which had been duly blessed, and had been the gift of a Monsignore. The fair donor of course remarked that the candle would bring the vessel out of all her perils ; and accordingly it was swung in the captain's cabin. Alas for the palladium ! the Resolute was abandoned in the Arctic Seas. When anythmg went wrong, there is reason to believe that the sailors mut- tered "It is all owing to that damned Papist candle" ; and when the ship was abandoned, of course it was quite easy to understand the cause. Some, indeed, say that there was no need for Sir Edward Belcher's causing the ship to be abandoned : is it possible, then, that strong Protestant prejudices may have induced Sir Edward, in abandoning the ship, to confirm the futility of the Popish safeguard ? If so, again alas for the dogmatic Protestantism ! the Resolute after all is saved, and a grand reception is to be given to the Ame- rican officers who are bringing her home. But what has saved the Reso- lute, if it is not the candle ? Is it not as good a miracle as any emblazoned in the records of the Roman Church? One side can use the salvage, and the other side can use the abandonment; though our Romanist opponents may say, Let those laugh who win at last.—Front a Correspondent:
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