CURRENT LITERATURE.
Unorthodox London. Series II. By the Rev. C. Maurice Davies, D.D. (Tinsley.)—What a pity it is that subjects which the public will read about, and which newspapers will therefore pay for, come naturally to an end ! There is a limit even to the number of sects which the self- willed Angle-Saxon mind can wander into, and a limit, accordingly, to the articles with which an intelligent and impartial contributor can supply the Daily Telegraph ; but the paper still wants "copy," the public still like their supply of light literature, slightly flavoured with religion and personalities, and the intelligent and impartial contributor naturally likes his well-earned remuneration. So it comes to pass that, as the first articles of Unorthodox London, or "Phases of Religious Life in the Metro- polis," we have the "Westminster Council, held at St. Edmund's, Ware" —or rather, we have St. Edmund's, for of the Council Dr. Davies was not allowed, of course, to hear a word—and the "Pilgrimage to Pontigny." The same convenient geography includes Inverness in the metropolis, the "Cockney traveller carrying his nationality with him," as Dr. Davies airily explains. This paper, indeed, for another and far graver reason, might well have been omitted. It is an account of a Scotch Communion, and Dr. Davies describes himself as having communicated. Now, we have not the shadow of an objection to raise to an English clergyman communicating in a Scotch church ; they and he being willing, such an act would be a token of a charity and sympathy which we should be the first to commend ; but for a man to thrust himself into the celebra- tion of the holiest rite of the faith in following out the role of a reporter deserves the utmost blame. "I was rather dismayed," he says, "to find myself among the faithful." He offered to pass the elements, but "the civil pew-opener," who, of course, knew nothing about it, "would not hear of it." And then he goes to his friends, and "they laughed heartily over their toddy at the idea of "Unorthodox London" having been put into a pew and allowed to communicate—nay, invited to do so—by mistake." Surely Dr. Davies must see on reflection that, if he must make sport out of religious matters, there is a line which he must not pass. As for some of the persons, indeed, described in the book, all ridicule is quite fair. Dr. Davies does make fun, to some purpose, of a number of ignorant and empty-headed persons who take upon them- selves the monstrously inappropriate task of instructing their fellows. Mr. De Morgan declaring that he has "nothing to do with the woman who sits on the throne," cannot be made too ridiculous. Dr. Davies is certainly sometimes amusing, but his fun is getting to be very thin and fine-drawn indeed.
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