mility, to the rest of his brethren throughout Europe.

We neither find him a libertine in one parish, nor a fanatic in the other. Sedulous in the maintenance and propagation of his own faith, he does not predict the fall of his country because an equal aid and protection is afforded to the religion of his catholic fellow-citizen.

In the organization of his church he is not subjected to the dominion of a religious hierarchy, named by court favour; the rule over him is that of the elders of his faith, consecrated by age and a long character of piety for their sacred office. Neither is he alien to the flock whose spiritual guidance he undertakes.

Paid by the state, but chosen by the congregation, he is the faithful subject of the one, and the beloved guide and father of the other.

He does not receive a splendid income in order that his duty should be performed, by another, for a beggarly stipend; and, instead of disputing the quarta pars with the pauper, he contrives, out of his pinching income, to provide for the wants of charity, and to dedicate part of his time to the administration of the poor.

In short, the protestant French clergyman resembles the protestant English curate, and

would be worthy ten times what he receives, if the honor, in which he is held by his humble followers, did not almost as much proceed from his contempt of the wealth of this world, as from his pious covetousness after the riches of another.

NEW PHILOSOPHIES.

CHAPTER VIII.

The Trial of Enfantin-The Creed of the St. SimoniansPicturesque Apostle-Life and Doctrine of St. Simon himself-Comparison between St. Simon and his followers-Enfantin's departure for the East.

On the 8th of April, 1833, "the Father Enfantin" and Michel Chevalier were brought to the bar.

The first appeared remarkable for the elegance of his costume, and the gravity of his

countenance.

Over his shoulders was thrown a rich velvet mantle, fringed with ermine; boots of a singular and graceful shape covered his leg as far as the knee; a beautiful cachemire twisted round

his neck, fell over his breast; and his long beard was arranged with the sacred care that should preside over the toilet of an apostle.

And lo! upon his fantastic followers,* polished and brilliant, glitters the mysterious collar, formed of steel, and composed of rings, triangular, oval or round, according to the ideas of the wearer; for each ring is a token and a sign; -and in the midst of such strange cabala shines the spheric symbol, representing the Father, inscribed

TO THE MOTHER.†

Such is the description of one of those singular spectacles which took place in Paris during the years 1832, 1833, at which period figured a set of men, not such fools as in England they were supposed to be, not such philosophers as they ridiculously described them

* As for Michel Chevalier, he was shaved and dressed like a plain Parisian.

† Un autre signe brille au milieu de plusieurs autresc'est celui qui représente le Père Enfantin. Ce signe est d'une demi-sphère, dont la face porte ces mots gravés en relief:

A LA MÈRE.

selves to be. These visionaries preached a religion peculiarly adapted, as they dreamt, to their country and their time, but which was, in fact, opposed to all the deep seated and eternal principles which in every time and in every country are at the head, and at the root, and in the vigor, and in the mystery of human

nature.

It was in the year previous to the trial I have quoted from, that the law first took notice of these theatrical Theosophists.

"It is some time," said the advocate-general, in opening his case, "since there has been formed at Paris a sect calling itself St. Simonian. Its chiefs have announced the intention to create a new religion, and to change the first principles on which society now reposes.*

* I continue the procureur général's act of accusation in a note, since it explains the views of the Government in respect to the persons in question.

According to them property is an evil which it has become a duty to extirpate-a privilege which should disappear as slavery, serfship, and feudal rights have disappeared before it.

Property is no longer to follow the course of descent, from father to son, but to be held in common, and distributed to each individual according to his merit. The sovereign distributors of all wealth are to be the minis