The Virginia Gazette

BOSTON, January 5.

The following extract of a letter from QUEBEC, dated Nov. 18th, giving an account of the christening of the great bell there, will serve to convey some idea of the ceremonial nature of that religion which is more established there by an act of the British Parliament.

An altar, which was hung up in the broad aisle, opposite the new bell arrived with Governor Carlton, for the cathedral, but near the great door at the entrance. Pere Montgolfier came down from Montreal to stand godfather, and Mademoiselle Delary stood godmother; the coadjutor, or Deputy Bishop, performed the ceremony of christening, and very awkwardly indeed: However, after saying mass, and playing several tricks with the candles, the young lads holding up the tail of the gown, putting on and pulling off the cap, holding it, &c. he was introduced to the bell, which was at a small distance from him, preceded by two Priests, who brought the eau benite (holy water) and two small brooms made of twigs, who fell to washing the bell like mad, outside and in, then to wiping it with two very fine white napkins, which were made black enough before they had done cleaning of it from the impurity of heretical hands; after this it was well smoked with incense, then followed the ceremony of the oil, salt, &c. as to infants, only they marked or crossed it in three different places, and went three times round it at each ceremony of the oil, salts, &c. They then wrapped round it a piece of fine new linen, which they called a shirt, then over it a piece of crimson damask, by way of waistcoat, and after this a piece of light blue damask, to serve as a coat. After its being thus dressed, and a few more capers, it was then undressed, and by a great number of people conveyed under the belfry and hung up, in doing which one man was killed by a fall from the top, who was pronounced to have gone immediately to Heaven, without stopping at Purgatory, as he was serving the Lord."

The above-mentioned bell, which was a present from the Bishop of Quebec, weighed 2500 lb. and was baptised by the name of LOUISA.