ELEEMOSYNARY REVELS.
CHARITABLE festivals arc numerous this year, and successful. The Scottish charities were the object of a ball at the Guildhall this week, and a brilliant company enjoyed itself in the most charitable manner. Censure has been cast upon those who cannot administer the medicine of charity to others unless it is baited with a crust of sweet for themselves ; but we have already made the obvious re- 1 ply, that if the healthy vigour is gone for lighting " the Lamp of Sacrifice," the next best thing is to light the lamp of festive muni- ficence.
One does not see the connexion between the duty of helping the lowly and the pleasures of the dance. When the Scriptures ex- horted to almsgiving, they did not contemplate the polka, or in- culcate the schottische; but if the erring mortal cannot work him- self up to a fervour of munificence until he has had a good spin in a valse ii deux temps, he had better resort to that regimen for the strength to attain so good an object. Nay, if he cannot stir the soul without it, although it has gone quite out of fashion, we should not hesitate to prescribe the toe-and-heel step.
For the same reason, the promoters of these pious orgies are quite justified in setting forth the double kind of attraction—the forlorn state of orphan children and "the celebrated quadrille band," the suffering and disease of the hospitals and the charming programme, the desolate destitute condition of Highland kelp-gatherers and the splendid supper. People are getting used to killing several birds with one stone, and they will only be drawn by combined attractions. Reginald Tomkins does not mind giving his mite, if a champagne supper and a waltz with Julia So-and-so are thrown in ; and Mrs. So-and-so, the mamma, has no international scruples to alleviating the miseries of revolutionists, if she has a chance of pain.. Julia off her hands. Well, it ia something to have a cor- ner of charity; and if the pulpit cannot do it, or even extract enough to pay its own rent, let Weipperes band or Messrs. Bathe and Breach carry home the sacred appeal.
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