Tam Glen having, in consequence of the exhortations of Mr.Micklewham, and the earnest entreaties of Mr.Daff, backed by the pious animadversions of the rigidly righteous Mr.Craig, confessed a fault, and acknowledged an irregular marriage with Meg Milliken, their child was admitted to church privileges.But before the day of baptism, Mr.Daff, who thought Tam had given but sullen symptoms of penitence, said, to put him in better humour with his fate,-- "Noo, Tam, since ye hae beguiled us of the infare, we maun mak up for't at the christening; so I'll speak to Mr.Snodgrass to bid the Doctor's friens and acquaintance to the ploy, that we may get as meikle amang us as will pay for the bairn's baptismal frock."Mr.Craig, who was present, and who never lost an opportunity of testifying, as he said, his "discountenance of the crying iniquity," remonstrated with Mr.Daff on the unchristian nature of the proposal, stigmatising it with good emphasis "as a sinful nourishing of carnality in his day and generation." Mr.Micklewham, however, interfered, and said, "It was a matter of weight and concernment, and therefore it behoves you to consult Mr.Snodgrass on the fitness of the thing.For if the thing itself is not fit and proper, it cannot expect his countenance; and, on that account, before we reckon on his compliance with what Mr.Daff has propounded, we should first learn whether he approves of it at all." Whereupon the two elders and the session-clerk adjourned to the manse, in which Mr.Snodgrass, during the absence of the incumbent, had taken up his abode.
The heads of the previous conversation were recapitulated by Mr.Micklewham, with as much brevity as was consistent with perspicuity; and the matter being duly digested by Mr.Snodgrass, that orthodox young man--as Mrs.Glibbans denominated him, on hearing him for the first time--declared that the notion of a pay-christening was a benevolent and kind thought: "For, is not the order to increase and multiply one of thefirst commands in the Scriptures of truth?" said Mr.Snodgrass, addressing himself to Mr.Craig."Surely, then, when children are brought into the world, a great law of our nature has been fulfilled, and there is cause for rejoicing and gladness! And is it not an obligation imposed upon all Christians, to welcome the stranger, and to feed the hungry, and to clothe the naked; and what greater stranger can there be than a helpless babe? Who more in need of sustenance than the infant, that knows not the way even to its mother's bosom? And whom shall we clothe, if we do not the wailing innocent, that the hand of Providence places in poverty and nakedness before us, to try, as it were, the depth of our Christian principles, and to awaken the sympathy of our humane feelings?"Mr.Craig replied, "It's a' very true and sound what Mr.Snodgrass has observed; but Tam Glen's wean is neither a stranger, nor hungry, nor naked, but a sturdy brat, that has been rinning its lane for mair than sax weeks." "Ah!" said Mr.Snodgrass familiarly, "I fear, Mr.Craig, ye're a Malthusian in your heart." The sanctimonious elder was thunderstruck at the word.Of many a various shade and modification of sectarianism he had heard, but the Malthusian heresy was new to his ears, and awful to his conscience, and he begged Mr.Snodgrass to tell him in what it chiefly consisted, protesting his innocence of that, and of every erroneous doctrine.
Mr.Snodgrass happened to regard the opinions of Malthus on Population as equally contrary to religion and nature, and not at all founded in truth."It is evident, that the reproductive principle in the earth and vegetables, and all things and animals which constitute the means of subsistence, is much more vigorous than in man.It may be therefore affirmed, that the multiplication of the means of subsistence is an effect of the multiplication of population, for the one is augmented in quantity, by the skill and care of the other," said Mr.Snodgrass, seizing with avidity this opportunity of stating what he thought on the subject, although his auditors were but the session-clerk, and two elders of a country parish.We cannot pursue the train of his argument, but we should do injustice to the philosophy of Malthus, if we suppressed the observation which Mr.Daff made at the conclusion."Gude safe's!" said the good-natured elder, "if it's true that we breed faster than the Lordprovides for us, we maun drown the poor folks' weans like kittlings." "Na, na!" exclaimed Mr.Craig, "ye're a' out, neighbour; I see now the utility of church-censures." "True!" said Mr.Micklewham; "and the ordination of the stool of repentance, the horrors of which, in the opinion of the fifteen Lords at Edinburgh, palliated child-murder, is doubtless a Malthusian institution." But Mr.Snodgrass put an end to the controversy, by fixing a day for the christening, and telling he would do his best to procure a good collection, according to the benevolent suggestion of Mr.Daff.To this cause we are indebted for the next series of the Pringle correspondence; for, on the day appointed, Miss Mally Glencairn, Miss Isabella Tod, Mrs.Glibbans and her daughter Becky, with Miss Nanny Eydent, together with other friends of the minister's family, dined at the manse, and the conversation being chiefly about the concerns of the family, the letters were produced and read.
Andrew Pringle, Esq., to the Rev.Charles Snodgrass--WINDSOR, CASTLE-INN.
