In this diocese, however, I can, with confidence, affirm that it is without foundation. The few instances, to which it could ever apply, occurred many years ago, and in these the service of the church and the pastoral care of the parish are now as well provided for as if the incumbent were a native of the country. The spiritual interests of the parishioners, then, even in these cases, objectionable as they are, do not suffer. Upon the parishioners there is no grievance. The only grievance is (and I admit it to be one, and it has been, and ever shall be, my care to rectify it where I can, and to guard against its recurrence), that a stranger who cannot perform the requisite duty, and who must employ an assistant for this part of it, is permitted to hold preferment which properly belongs to the native clergy. The patron is in fault who makes such a nomination; the clergyman is in fault who accepts it; the diocesan is in fault who knowingly permits the abuse. It may be difficult, or even impossible, to draw the exact line in cases of this class, for the introduction of two or three settlers unacquainted with English into a parish where that language has long prevailed ought not to affect the rights of the patron or of the incumbent in possession. But it is wrong to press a doubtful case upon a bishop's acceptance, as if his want of vigilance or of local information could justify an appointment improper in itself. Still, even in these cases, the main charge is untrue that the spiritual care of the people is neglected-for the only remedy then open is resorted to, that of appointing an assistant competent to this part of the duty.

'It is necessary, however, in treating of this subject, to explain the matter somewhat more largely, for the artful representation of our enemies is calculated to mislead the public in a material point. They speak of a Welsh parish as if Welsh were the language of all its inhabitants, and as

if no other were in use or understood there. But the truth is (I speak now with confidence of my own diocese), that the description is not applicable to a single parish, that the language in a great many parishes, and particularly in almost the whole of Monmouthshire, is become entirely English; that where Welsh is still spoken, the two languages are both in use, mixed in every conceivable proportion-the English, sometimes even in Glamorganshire, preponderating greatly over the other, and being continually on the increase; and that the generality of those who speak Welsh among themselves are also well acquainted with English, and, although they prefer their own language, are quite capable of conversing in the other.

'Under such circumstances, it is often a perplexing question in which language the church service should be performed. It is easy to say, let there be a service in each language. So it often is. But there cannot be the full service of the Sunday in each language, and the alternation, either of the language or of the time of service, leads to inconvenience and to complaints, and still more frequently to the practice of resorting to that place of worship, whether in communion with the church or not, in which the time of attendance is unvaried, and the favourite language is alone used.

'It is easy, again, to say, let there be an entire church service for each portion of the population. But how can this be provided when it is notorious that not only is one parish seldom able to maintain two ministers, but that two parishes must often, by reason of the scantiness of their endowment, be served by one minister?

'In the case of a mixed population, too, the use of Welsh is a much greater bar to the attendance of the English, than that of English to the attendance of the Welsh, for it is seldom that those who have received the most elementary education are ignorant of English—a language in which all

the principal concerns of life are transacted. So entirely has it prevailed in all towns, and among all people of property of every description, that I do not recollect a single instance in the provincial papers of a notice relating to business of any kind being expressed in the Welsh language.

'Let some consideration, then, be had of the difficulties necessarily arising out of such a mingled usage. That the poor are entitled to our special care, I readily admit; and that where a compromise is necessary, the advantage ought always to be on their side; but be it also remembered that, even when the church service is in English, the few parishioners who cannot join in it have the personal and private attentions of their minister; and that, in a great number of cases, small congregations are formed by him for the express purpose of prayer and instruction out of the usual hours, either in the church, or in their own houses.

'This is a practice which cannot be too highly commended, when care is taken not to encourage enthusiasm, and to make the service always correspond in character with the service of the church.

'I hold it, therefore, to be indispensable, however small may be the proportion of those among whom the native language prevails, that the parochial minister should be well acquainted with it. Too little attention was paid to this in former times. I am happy to say that the duty is now universally recognised, and in the course of last year the rector of a parish in Glamorganshire, which had been usually called an English parish, after some experience resigned it much to his honour-because he felt that he could not adequately discharge the duty of a pastor to all his flock.'

"The variations in the comparative prevalence of the two languages are, as I before observed, endless, and these, again, are liable to continual change and fluctuation, so that it is

by his successor, for providing increased pastoral superintendence and church accommodation.

In reviewing the government of the diocese of Llandaff, under an episcopate longer in duration than that of any prelate, except one, who has been consecrated to the see since the revolution of 1688, the influence of the Welsh language upon the condition of the church, and the duties thence imposed upon the bishop, demand a careful consideration.

After Bishop Copleston had been called to his rest, it was charged against him that he had discouraged a native ministry, and had contributed, in a material degree, to weaken the church and extend dissent, by presenting to Welsh benefices persons who were incompetent to minister in the language of their flocks: and it has been frequently stated that he was influenced in his government of the church by hostility to the language, and a want of sympathy with the feelings of the native population.

Upon this difficult subject, intimately connected as it is with local passions, and, as many will think, with sectarian prejudices, it will be most satisfactory to allow the bishop's views and opinions to be stated in his own language, the more especially as it is one on which his sentiments were early and clearly expressed, and were maintained consistently to the close of his life.

The following passages are extracted from the Charge delivered by him to his clergy in 1836:

'It is sometimes insinuated, sometimes broadly asserted, that the native population of Wales have not the benefit of our ministration and instruction in their own language, and this fact is alleged as accounting, in great measure, for the prevalence of dissent and schism among them.

'Now I presume not to answer this charge except as far as it concerns my own diocese, believing, at the same time, that it is equally unjust as applied to other parts of Wales.

In this diocese, however, I can, with confidence, affirm that it is without foundation. The few instances, to which it could ever apply, occurred many years ago, and in these the service of the church and the pastoral care of the parish are now as well provided for as if the incumbent were a native of the country. The spiritual interests of the parishioners, then, even in these cases, objectionable as they are, do not suffer. Upon the parishioners there is no grievance. The only grievance is (and I admit it to be one, and it has been, and ever shall be, my care to rectify it where I can, and to guard against its recurrence), that a stranger who cannot perform the requisite duty, and who must employ an assistant for this part of it, is permitted to hold preferment which properly belongs to the native clergy. The patron is in fault who makes such a nomination; the clergyman is in fault who accepts it; the diocesan is in fault who knowingly permits the abuse. It may be difficult, or even impossible, to draw the exact line in cases of this class, for the introduction of two or three settlers unacquainted with English into a parish where that language has long prevailed ought not to affect the rights of the patron or of the incumbent in possession. But it is wrong to press a doubtful case upon a bishop's acceptance, as if his want of vigilance or of local information could justify an appointment improper in itself. Still, even in these cases, the main charge is untrue-that the spiritual care of the people is neglected-for the only remedy then open is resorted to, that of appointing an assistant competent to this part of the duty.

'It is necessary, however, in treating of this subject, to explain the matter somewhat more largely, for the artful representation of our enemies is calculated to mislead the public in a material point. They speak of a Welsh parish as if Welsh were the language of all its inhabitants, and as