§ MR. HORSMANasked whether Mr. Bower, who had been made Dean of Manchester, was still to retain the living of St. Paul's, Covent Garden?
§ LORD JOHN RUSSELLregretted that he had only heard an hour previously of the intention of the hon. Gentleman to put the question. Had he received sufficiently early previous intimation, he should have been enable to give a direct answer. He would, however, state, that when he informed the Duke of Bedford that he had recommended Mr. Bower to Her Majesty 331 as a fit and proper person to be raised to the dignity of Dean of Manchester, the Duke replied that he (Lord J. Russell) had certainly recommended a highly proper and very worthy person, but that he should miss the services of the reverend gentleman in Covent Garden so very much that he was desirous of knowing whether it was necessary for him at once to fill the vacancy by the appointment of a successor, or whether the rev. gentleman could hold the living a little longer so as to afford time to him (the Duke of Bedford) to find a suitable successor for him. He said that there was no immediate hurry about the filling up of so important a parish; and he did not think it necessary that Mr. Bower should leave it at once. He had subsequently seen Mr. Bower, and that gentleman had spoken to him about the difficulties his successor would have to contend with in St. Paul's, Covent Garden, giving him thereby plainly to understand that there was no intention of his holding the living much longer. He had heard no more about it since; but he had no doubt that Mr. Bower would give up his parish as soon as, or probably even before, the Duke of Bedford should have appointed his successor.