there are male and female adult classes; and on week-days a number of earnest mothers meet therein for the purposes of instruction, consolation, and pious news-vending.  At the schools—­we shall get to the church and Mr. Alker by and by, so be patient, if possible—­there is a “Church of England Institute,” under whose auspices innocent games are indulged in, and periodicals, &c. read.  A Conservative association, established to guard the constitutional interests of Fishwick Ward, also holds its gatherings in one of the rooms.  The Rev. Robert Lamb, a very energetic man, and formerly incumbent of St. Mary’s, gave the first great impetus to the schools, which are the largest of their kind in Preston.  Mr. Lamb is now at St. Paul’s, Bennett-street, Manchester, and, singular to say, he has worked up the schools of that church until they have become the greatest in the city.  The late T. Miller, Esq., was a warm friend of St. Mary’s schools, and, whenever any extensions were made at them, he always, on having the plans and estimates submitted to him, defrayed one-third of the expenses.

St. Mary’s Church stands just at the rear of the Preston House of Correction.  That is better than standing inside such a grim establishment—­any site before the insite (oh) of a prison; and has for its south western support the store-house of the Third Royal Lancashire Militia.  It forms one of the churches erected mainly through the exertions of the late Rev. R. Carus Wilson; and like its brethren is built in the Norman style of architecture, the designer being Mr. John Latham.  The first stone of the edifice was laid in May, 1836; in 1838 the church was opened; and in 1853 it was enlarged by the erection of a transept at the northern end.  The late John Smith, Esq., gave the site for it.  The building is surrounded by a graveyard, which might be kept in better order than it is.  The Rev. R. Lamb considerably impoverished himself in enclosing the ground; and the Rev. H. R. Smith, one of the incumbents, afterwards spent a sum of money in ornamenting it with shrubs, &c.; but nobody cares much for it now, and Nature is permitted to follow her own unfettered way in it.  Formerly there was a road to the church from the west, through some land adjoining the House of Correction; and it was a great convenience to those living on that side of the town; but for some reason it was closed; and one of the most roundabout ways imaginable has been substituted for it.  St. Mary’s is one of those churches which can be felt rather than seen.  Until you get quite to it you hardly know you are at it.  Approaching it from the west the first glimmering of it you have is over one end of the House of Correction.  At this point you catch what seems to be a cluster of crosses—­the surmountings of the tower; visions of a ponderous cruet-stand, of five nine pins, and other cognate articles, then strike you; afterwards the body of the church broadens slowly into view, and having described