"The Doctor and Mrs. Pringle giving a
guinea at the door of St. Paul's for the poor need not make folk
laugh," said Mrs. Glibbans; "for is it not written, that whosoever
giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord?" "True, my dear madam,"
replied Mr. Snodgrass, "but the Lord to whom our friends in this
case gave their money is the Lord Bishop of London; all the
collection made at the doors of St. Paul's Cathedral is, I
understand, a perquisite of the Bishop's." In this the reverend
gentleman was not very correctly informed, for, in the first place,
it is not a collection, but an exaction; and, in the second place,
it is only sanctioned by the Bishop, who allows the inferior clergy
to share the gains among themselves. Mrs. Glibbans, however, on
hearing his explanation, exclaimed, "Gude be about us!" and pushing
back her chair with a bounce, streaking down her gown at the same
time with both her hands, added, "No wonder that a judgment is upon
the land, when we hear of money-changers in the temple." Miss Mally
Glencairn, to appease her gathering wrath and holy indignation, said
facetiously, "Na, na, Mrs.
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