[To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR."]
Sir,—A friend of mine, a botcher of old boots—a "snob," as cobblers are technically called in Bristol—was knocked down some time ago by a careless driver when spending a day at the seaside on the occasion of an annual outing. He was so much injured that he had to be detained some time at the cottage
hospital, where I went to visit him. Though anything but a religious man, and certainly not a churchgoer, he was a sound Protestant, as such people generally are. I found him un- easy under the impression that he. was in-the- hands of the Papists. I assured him that it was very unlikely that the only public hospital in the place should be in the hands of the Roman Catholics. " Well, anyhow," he said, unconvinced by my general line of argument, "when the sister comes into this ward to read prayers, she prays for the Catholics Church." May I add that the question of the proper definition of the word "Catholic" is not only of interest to "good Churchmen" ? There are many of those who used to designate themselves carefully as " Protestant Dissenters " who cherish the catholicity of their Churches as a dear heritage too, and find in Charles Wesley's noble, and, I am afraid, little known, hymn on " Catholic Love" something like a definition, at all events of the true Catholic temper.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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