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    A. CITY REVIVAL.

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    are men of the highest order , the further they have thrown themselves into the past , the further will they ultimately throw them - selves into the future . As regards Gioberti , his final hopes , like hisfirstaffections , nerei * wandered beyond Italy . The triumph of Italy was not Tot hhn Italy ' s freedom alone- it was the bowing down once more of all European nations to Italian supremacy ; but IiAMENifAis had ascended through speechless tribulation to the idea of the universal people bound by universal sympathy and blessed of Heaven . jGreed and ceremonial and institution had ceased to be of any value in his eyes ; his faith was in the regenerating- potency of compassion . The sacrifice the most acceptable to God , was to , be offered —the sacrifice brought by the hand of courageous beneficence . When beneficence had done its best there -might- ' again be a religion .

    IiAMENNAis and Gioberti were not deep philosophers , though they wrote much on philosophical subjects ; they were tribunes , prophets , agitators . Their mission was not to speak the truth in any complete , organic sense ; they were not builders of systems , though they might try to be so . Their predecessors had been Ajrnold of Brescia , Saint Bernard , Jekqmie Savonarola , and men of the same stamp , who , whether fighting for authority , or against . , despised the poor commonplaces of earth , and urged their brethren to climb to the invisible city . Verily it is of small poncern' whether the real moral and religious reformer is the upholder of authority or not—whether he points to the future or to the past . In both cases there is the attempt to incarnate an ideal—to teach , to help mankind to incarnate it . If tliou purify thy abode , and teach those around tliee to - ' purify' their abodes , art thou riot serving thy race as nobly as if thou showed them how to build fresh abodes ? The main thing that thy brethren should leai'n is that their abodes and

    their hearts should be . temples where the Omnipotent may tabernacle : Let us not confound Lamennais and Giobeii . ti with sentimentalists lilie PiiEBEEiCK Schlegel , and Jesuits like Monta-IiEsibeet / . The Catholic Chiirch had been to Giobeeti and IiAME > NAis a living reality . Away from the horrible domain of sophistry and selfishness they beheld it through their own enthusiasm , beaming and : bounteous as in its primitive beauty ; stern to the evil-cjoer , but merciful to all the children of misfortune .- If , nevertheless , the Church of Home bad fallen into hopeless decrepitude and corruption , they had still the Church created by their own sacred fervors , and which they summoned . 1 who was bowed by sin and by sorrow to enter , iiet-swr ,. enter it-: faultless it may not be ; perchance it may shock our taste , bub if we deem it-a godlike labour to deliver men from materialism , to make them heroes , saints , ' martyrs , then let us . consult the writings and ponder on the lives of Giobeeti and Lamejnnais ; who loved much , and to whom , therefore , much must be forgiven .

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    riTHERE are doubtless many modern traders and ^ merchants who '•*¦ daily whirl up to London by the express morniug trains , ' and return at night to their villas , spending si few hours in their counting-houses , who know as little of the City of London , and its vast memorials of former times , as a Cherokee Indian . We very much question whether there are not many handsome halls and rich companies , which few but those specially connected with them know anything about ; and that there are hundreds of corporations and charities of which , many Englishmen are as ignorant as a Frenchman ; and we cannot give a stronger example of ignorance of English affairs . Yet in this sa ' nie City of London there lies , buried as it were

    under modem accumulations , a complete framework . of ancient society . Under the modern system of trading lies another , asunder St . Paul ' s we find St . Faith , . The in . ere visitor sees in the Royal Exchange , in the Bunk and its buildings ^—in Lombard Street and its baukera + r-in Grutcliedfrinrs and ita merchants—in Wood Street arid ' milling 1 Street , and Now Cannon Street , and-their grout manufacturing dealers-r- ^ the trade of London , and he little , imagines that out of the common , thoroughfares exist what nuiy be termed the fossil remains of its , former greatness and grandeur . In inconceivably narrow streets , in strange odd angles and corners * ore to be found houses tluit . might rival those of Grosvenor Square for sizo , and \ vhich , hiivo a substantial though old-fashioned appearance that inspires respect , and bespeaks former grandeur . In these buildings are preserved the Guilds and Corporations which were the bones

    and arteries of our tormor- trading society , a system wluon , tnongjh now fhllea into disuse and out of fashion , -has bad np small hand in ranking- us the nation wo lire * The- Guilds of the trader and the artisan werp the cradles of our liberty j and out of such associations gv $ vr our itepreaentativo' syatorn of government . They in the middle agios cheeked the tyranny of the feudal system , and gave to , England that middle class of sociofcy which has stood as a mole and a barrier against the tyranny and excesses of a proud mid powerful oligarchy . As , therefore , we , pwo to these antique institutions so muoh , it is but t \ matter of gratitude that we should regard thorn with re « peot , and inquire into them with interest * Nor , will it bo found that they are by , any means dead , though the great purposes for which they onoe existed have , from a variety of causes , flowed iato other ohaunels .

    The commerce of London , and indeed of the kingdom , waa once , » b it were , und « i « their control , and aided their revenue ; and wo all know how , in those palmy days , kings sued to them for money ; a , nd political parties wooed them for their interest ; It is a matter ot history to trace how this groat framework , embracing at one time all

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    occupations , and wielding and controlling , in a variety of ways , all the trade and operative proceedings of society , came to fall into decay , arid to become a mere skeleton of dead bones , held together by the ligaments of endowments and property bequeathed to them for various trusts . Many reasons , some physical and some moral , conduced to this decay . There were inherent defects in their constitution ; and the developments of society proceeded too fast for their slow and narrow system of internal government . Had they possessed men of superior intellect as their rulers , who could have expanded them to the wants of the progressive time , they might have grOWn with the age . But they were restrained by their narrow rulers within the literal and rigid bounds of their original constitutions ; and as they did not enlarge with the . enlarging ideas of each generation , they became fossilized , and to a great extent remain so .

    The principles of entire freedom for trade , which were so urgently promulgated in the middle of- 'the last century , and have been , increasing ever since , hastened their downfall , by bringing into contempt all notions of anything like association and legislation upon such points . Tlie apprenticeship principle was vigorously denounced by Adam Smith and Ins followers ; and all corporate bodies were decried as injurious monopolies . This , like all other new doctrines , was pursued with a species-of fanaticism , and carried to an extreme that it is beginning to be felt was unjust and unsound . noble institutions

    The great Guilds of the middle ages were very , and if like the Church and the Law they required reform , they did not deserve destruction . Had they been-judiciously-reformed * they would have been of vast advantage to modern society . They would have done much to mitigate the sufferings of the operative classes ; they would have prevented that alienation between the masses and their employers , which is found to be producing so : many sad . not to say dangerous ,. effects , Hitd every " Guild attended to its own craft , it must haye . resulted in jjbod .. . The very organization would have been . . beneficial , and the benefits to the arts and to manufactures great . They . mijfhthuve .. been the . . medium- for'tlwit communication between Masters Iind Men , which a special Committee of ¦ the-House of

    Commons is now seeking to promote . They might have effected , in fact , an amount of good , both of an artistic and a philanthropic lciifd , which , is now imperfectly performed by other means . _ Onefutal thing they thei-nseives ' rpevfortned ^ for their own destruction . They admitted , to tlie rights of their corporation , the son ' s . of freenien , disregai-dful of their not being , of ; the trade and craft of the Guild . This fatal , error rendered them a ; mass of . . individual atoms , having no interests , no pursuits , no -rights in common . From the time they did . this ,- they' became more formal associations , without any real vitality or use . Having abandoned the only bond that could hold them together , Uniformity of Trade imd occupation , they sub ± sis ted only-on-their accumulated property , ' and-have now become so many fanciful institutions .

    : There is , however , we firmly believe , yet-a real life in themif it could only he ingeniously brought forth . They have still left ; in them all the scaffolding of effective associations , and , skilfully treated , they yet might materially benefit the crafts they represent , and so society generally . It would seem- that such is the opinion of some of their more enlightened members ; and we have been carried into this train of thought and dissertation - » . V \ | v '» "& presented to our notice a very laudable , effort ; to revive the utility of the old corporations , and to adapt them to Hv-in'jr manners and circumstances . Tlie able and intelligent , master of the Painter-Stainors * Company , one of the most ancient of the city guilds , has put forth a plan which is certainly likely to arouse the attention and excite the efforts of the operatives engaged in lioiiso painting and decoration * which he very properly styles arts . He seems to have -thoroughlymastered his subject , and lias not sought , with -any antiquarian .

    usages , but . comes-at once to -utilising t » o powers and means of the Guild ' to modern requirements . We cannot belter show his plan t han by his circular addressed to his own trade : — " The powers of tlie various Guilds « ro not maintainable under theft' bylaws , and it must be acknowledged they have fallen into desuetude ; and operate in restraint of twide . I consider , however , by substituting 1 emulation for . coercion ; that the Guilds ( especially" those where skilful handicraft is required ) might yet maintain as bodies a firm and useful position in society ; and my suggestion for effecting tins , as relates to this company ,, consists in inviting 1 the workmen , artificers , and artists connected ' with , painting 1 and decoration , to submit their works annually to public inspection ; their merits to bo judged by competent persons . 'JWio public exhibition of such works to take place at the company ' s ancient hall . "

    This is ' ui-udiicious stop , nnd in the right direction , and is greatly to be commended and encouraged . It must delight Mr . Euskin , and all tlio tmo lovers of art , who know how much depends on tho importing an . intellectual and artistic feeling to the actual operothiff artisan . In no other way ban really flno work bo produced . Sh ° uldthis simple example take effect , an wo have no doubt but it will , it winy give a beneficial impetus to all other guilds , which , m the like way , may do much to improve art and elevate the inm" tno artisan , » m

    lead to " a city revival" which nvay oxcel other revivals , ot wluon we have hoai 4 so muoh in Amorion and elsewhoro ; and n . great sooial problem may be flolved—Hbhafc of bringing into ono foows wo interests of the Employers and the Employed .

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    304 , The Leader and Saturday Analyst . | March 31 , 1860 .

    A. City Revival.

    A . CITY -REVIVAL .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), March 31, 1860, page 304, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2340/page/12/