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The New Zealand Evangelist

England.—The Pearl of Days.—the Labourer's Daughter

England.—The Pearl of Days.—the Labourer's Daughter.

In our last number we gave a brief account of the Prizes of £25, £15 and £10, offered, for the best three. Essays by “working men,” on the temporal advantage of the Sabbath. We have sines learned that owing to the great number, nearly a thousand, and the singular merit of a large portion of the Essays, a subscription has been commenced, under the immediate patronage of the Queen and Prince Albert, to raise funds sufficient to give a hundred additional prices of £5 each.

Another singular and interesting circumstance has occurred in connection with these Essays. One of them was ineligible for competition, the writer being a woman, and bearing the signature of “A labourer's daughter.” The Essay was found to be a very interesting and beautiful production, worthy of any daughter in the land, and deserving of publication. Lord Ashley showed it to the Queen, and obtained her Majesty's permission to have it dedicated to herself. It was published, beautifully printed, elegantly bound, and adorned with various appropriate illustrations, fit for the the tables of either royalty or nobility. It contains a sketch of the Author's life. The first edition was all sold in a fortnight, and a second was in the press. Its title is “The Pearl of Days,” an appropriate title. Well might the poet say.

“Hail! Sabbath, thee I hail, the poor man's day!