seems like the descendant of some festive abbot or blithesome friar; makes religion agree with him—­ some people are never happy unless they are being tortured by it; has hit upon the golden mean—­is neither too ascetical nor too jocund; is simply good and jolly; has ever so much vivacity, sprightliness, and poetic warmth in his constitution; can preach a lively, earnest, sermon; has a strong imitative faculty; is brisk in action; can tell a good tale; is fine company; would’nt hurt anybody; would step over a fly rather than kill it unkindly; and is just such a man as we should like for a confessor if we were a believer in his Church.  He has been succeeded by Father Pope, who is no relative of the old gentleman at Rome, but is we believe, a nephew of the celebrated Archbishop Whately.

All the priests at St. Ignatius’s avoid in their discourses that which is now-a-days very fashionable—­attacking other people’s creeds.  A person who has regularly attended the church for twenty years, said to us the other day that he had never heard one sermon wherein a single word against other folks creeds had been uttered.  The great object of the priests is to teach those who listen to them to mind their own business; and that isn’t a bad thing at any time.  The music at St. Ignatius’s is of a high order.  It is not nice and easy, but rich and vigorous—­fine and fierce, comes out warm, and has with it a strong compact harmony indicative of both ability and earnestness.  The conductor is energetic and efficient, wields his baton in a lively manner, but hits nobody with it.  There is a very fair organ in the church, and it is pleasantly played.  The blowers also do their duty commendably.

Adjoining the church there is the priests’ house—­a rather labrynthal, commodious place with plain, ancient furniture.  Beyond, is a very excellent school for girls as well as infants of the gentler sex.  It is supervised by nuns, some of whom are wonderfully clever.  They are “Sisters of the Holy Child;” are most painstaking, sincere, and useful; never dream about sweethearts; devote their whole time to religion and education.  All of them are well educated; two or three of them are smart.  The school, which has an average attendance of 550, is in a high state of efficiency; is, in fact, one of the best to the country.  The sceptical can refer to Government reports if they wish for absolute proof.  Still further on there is another school, set apart for the instruction of middle class boys, and in charge of three Xavierian brothers.  About 90 boys attend it, and they are well disciplined.  At the rear of the school there is a fine playground for the boys—­it is about the largest in Preston; and close to it we have the old graveyard of the church, which is in a tolerably fair state of order.  Brothers of the Xavierian type have been in charge of the school for about nine years.  The three now at it are mild, obliging, quiet-looking men.  They live in a house