Puslapio vaizdai
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"certain evidence that the dead are

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permitted to become objects of our

fenfes, I have long rejoiced in the hope that our departed friends are "the agents employed by over-ruling "Providence to perform offices of care " and tenderness to their furviving con"nexions. This thought has most fre"C quently occured to me, as I have "bent over my fleeping children, and I "have fancied glorified beings watched

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our unconscious hours with fimilar "attention. When I was once threatened with the lofs of my eldest darling, "I found fenfible confolation in the idea "of its becoming a guardian cherub to "fuftain the innocence of its fifters "through a dangerous world, and to "receive my parting fpirit at the hour "of my diffolution."

While the countess spoke, her radiant eyes were fuffufed with tears. Fitzof

borne,

borne, checking fome unfubdued struggles of confcience, which almoft tempted him to wish he could enjoy fuch vifionary delights, coolly replied to her energetic fpeech: "I fhould be very forry, ma"dam, to interrupt thofe agreeable re"veries which in minds of your tem

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perature can rarely be prejudicial. 【 "fhall only ftate the dangerous confe

quences of fuch illusions becoming "general. What a tremendous fuper"structure of impofition might prieft"craft erect upon such a vifionary basis! "You do not pretend, madam, to fay,

that your hopes reft upon any real "foundation. The nature of the foul "has hitherto eluded inquiry. It may "in time become capable of abfolute "definition; and though the age is not "at prefent fufficiently enlightened to "afford abfolute proof of this fuppofed "immaterial fubftance being only 3

"more

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moreexquifite configuration of perish"able atoms, incapable of diftinct exift

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ence, the glorious epocha of truth and "reafon is too near to allow us to believe "the poffibility of spectral appearances, "or even of fpiritual agency, in the "manner your imagination prompts you "to wish."

Though lady Monteith was no deep theologian, fhe had heard of the millenium, and the fufpenfion of consciousness in the difembodied foul; and fhe concluded that Fitzofborné was a convert to thofe doctrines. She was by no means aware of the deeper tendency of his views; yet, as the thought there was fomething peculiar in his opinions, the wished to fathom him upon these fubjects. She knew enough of the world to be convinced, that divinity was not the favourite study of young men of fahion; but he knew too, that deep learning

learning was equally excluded from polite circles. Fitzofborne had been announced to her as the "mirror of information;" and the faw nothing ridiculous in the idea, that a man of reading fhould devote a part of his attention to the study of the nobleft truths. Indifference on ferious fubjects was, as far as her ob fervations extended, combined with ig norance and a general relaxation of mind. Fitzofborne's manner evinced energy and attention. She had often felt indignant at hearing the witling attempt to ridicule what he did not understand, or the libertine feek to invalidate what he feared to believe. But Fitzofborne poffeffed too much real talent to envy the wreath that fades upon the coxcomb's brow, and his conduct feemed too correct to fupply him with a motive for taking shelter in infidelity. His fentiments on every fubject were moral and liberal.

His felf-command was exemplary; his information general; his reafoning, though flowery, ingenious, and, in lady Monteith's opinion, judicious. I have already observed, that her parts were rather brilliant than profound. It will not therefore be furprifing, that the fhould be eafily entangled in the fnare of a fyllogifm, or that the unfufpecting fincerity of her heart fhould render her a dupe to any one who took the trouble to play the fpecious confummate hypocrite.

In forming her opinion of the dangerous character which was now expofed to her obfervation, fhe had fallen into the fame error of precipitate judgment which he had been guilty of in the cafe of Lord Monteith. She now fupplied talents with as much liberality as the formerly created virtues. Experience had convinced her, that love is

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