The Duke of Newcastlesaid, he was anxious to put a question to a noble Viscount (Lord Melbourne) whom he did not then see in his place, upon a subject, to his mind, of considerable interest. His question related to the approaching Musical Festival appointed to be holden in Westminster Abbey. He entertained a strong objection to the dedication of such a place to such a purpose. He had no doubt that the selection had been made inadvertently, but certainly he had no doubt as to the impropriety of devoting the Abbey to such a purpose. He was, therefore, anxious to call the attention of their Lordships to the subject, in the hope that a solemn place of worship might not be desecrated by such proceedings. Perhaps the noble Earl at the head of his Majesty's Government would say whether the Musical Festival was really appointed to be holden in Westminster Abbey, and whether it was intended to make any alteration in that respect?
§ Earl Greyassured the noble Duke that he knew no more than was known to all the world, viz. that a Musical Festival was to be held in Westminster Abbey, and that it was to be conducted upon precisely the same plan as the Festival and Commemoration in the reign of George the 3rd. It did not belong to him in his capacity as Minister of the Crown, as the noble Duke was probably aware, to interfere in such matters.
The Duke of Newcastlesaid, he had been present at the consecration of a Church, and he well remembered, that the canon strictly enjoined that the Church should be used for no other purpose than religious worship. Their Lordships were aware that he was not a fanatic, and had no other object in view but to preserve the sacred character of our religious edifices. He hoped some alteration would yet be made as to the place at which this Festival was to be held.
The Earl of Malmesburysaid, no one was more fully impressed with sentiments of proper reverence and respect for places 931 of worship than he was. Many things were permitted to go on in Churches in London, in parochial Churches, of which he highly disapproved, and which he thought it would be well to check; but when he knew, that King George the 3rd, of glorious memory, and Bishop Porteous, one of the greatest ornaments of the Episcopal Bench, had sanctioned such a Festival as that now proposed, he could not think that it was a desecration of the Church. If the ceremony of the Coronation was permitted in the Abbey, why not a Commemorative Musical Festival?
§ Subject dropped.