THE NEW BISHOP.
THE ordinary process by which men climb to the Bishop's Bench, if not the most dignified, is upon the whole inoffensive. If a lord of powerful connexions, or a commoner of great influence, shall, instead of a pension from his own resources, impose the remunera- tion of his tutor on the country, whatever may be said of the lord Or the-commoner, this much may be pleaded for the object of their bounty'' that he had filled an humble but not an unimportant . station well' before he was called to fill a dignified station. Par Might have displayed his gratitude to his tutor in a way that would . have left the generosity of the pupil less open to question; still the tutor of such a man as PITT had, ex fame, softie claim to public respect as well as to private kindness. But when a Minister, instead Of choosing a man who has been known by his private worth, and by the honest and approved exercise of his talents in IFindred studies, picks out for a supporter of the Chureh a political . pamphleteer—a busy candidate for the species of notoriety which sits passing well on Mr. HUNT of Stamford Street, but which, if it do not disgrace, at least wofully sullies the candour of the. lawn —when such a 'rotten prop is selected to uphold the hierarchy of England, does not every man in his senses apprehend that the hierarchy is nodding to its fall? - Who Is Dr. PHILLPOTTS? We speak of that gentleman in his ,.public capacity—of his private character we profess to know no- thing—but who is the Dr. PHILLPOTTS of the public? And this is a most essential question ; for it is not enough that a Bishop "rule his house well," he must also" have a good report of them which are without." The Bishop of Exeter is the author of some tracts against the Edinburgh Review; he is known to have been long a bitter railer against Roman Catholic Emancipation; and he is known to have voted for and canvassed for Sir ROBERT PEEL, when anattempt was made to return him for Oxford for the pur- pose of supporting Catholic Emancipation ; in a word, he is a man who has travelled from party to party, zealous in turn for all, con- stant only to that in power. We object not to its fitting reward being given to such services, but assuredly the fitting reWard is not a bishoprick. If we were enemies of the Church of England, we should rejoice at such appointments as that of Dr. PHILLPOTTS. -Assailed from without by enemies numerous, zealous, resolute; sapped by corruption from within, her troops disorganized, her . captains faithless—how can she prevail? Will her tithes support her—will her lands—will her state connexion? We know that foolish and luxurious men will still imagine, that because all has .passed 'smoothly hitherto, to-morrow will be as to-day. There . are men among us who can discern the face of the sky, but can- not discern the signs of the times. . It is to 'be feared that the ..glory of a sacred establishment is departing, when its ministers are • chosen,.not for the services they have rendered to religion, but to • the passing politics of a civil faction.
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