as the indifputable fact of his existence. I imagine that our way to please God is, to do all the good that is in our power to his creatures; never wilfully or wantonly to hurt or injure one of them; never, that we may gratify ourselves as individuals, violate that immutable law which he has given to every man-a fenfe of rectitude we have agreed to call confcience-Confcience, which till it is ftifled, and at length deftroyed by fophiftry and falfehood, is implanted in the breast every human being who has common fenfe."

of

Mrs. Crewkherne here teftified marks of extreme impatience, and Mr. Habbukkuk Cramp feemed very uneafy in his chair; but Armitage not appearing to notice their inquietude, proceeded.

"Now, Madam, I have really spoken more on this fubject than I fhould have thought worth my while, if this declaration of my opinion did not lead to an inference in regard to the perfon on whofe account I came hither. Thefe

being my fentiments, and these the maxims by which I govern myself, I am the laft man in the world who would rob another of his honour or his peace; I should most certainly confider it as a great crime to deprive a ftranger of the affection of the woman he loved, but to injure my friend, the friend who trufted me, who made me the temporary guardian of those who conftituted the fole happiness of his life! to become the bafeft of all traitors, to violate the facred charge he has given me! There have been, I believe, hypocrites, and even men profeffing unufual piety, who have committed fuch crimes. They are faid to have ways of appeafing this confcience, this internal monitor, and that fometimes the loud declamation of the pulpit, or the prescriptive clamour of the bar, are engaged to bribe it to filence--but I find nothing proceding from either, that would be capable of reconciling me to myself, if I broke through the fundamental rule of all religion and all morality-Do unto

others

others as thou would'ft they should do unto thee."

"Humph!" cried Mrs. Crewkherne, "I fee the wolf can put on fheep's clothing -I fpeak my mind, Sir. You can quote fcripture as well as plays. I am fure it's a fhame, if you don't follow it more, that you know it at all."

"I not only know it, Madam, but have ftudied it, as well as my time and means have permitted, and I dare venture to recommend fundry excellent maxims to you, particularly all that relates to lying. and flandering; to taking away the fair name of innocent and blameless perfons, and that merely to gratify a paltry defire of lowering them, which, if your pride was not fo remarkable a feature in your character, one might suppose to be, because you felt their fuperiority."

"There is no bearing this infolence!" exclaimed Mrs. Crewkherne, hardly able to restrain tears of malevolent rage, which might well have become the iron cheeks of Alecto." Mr. Cramp, I am at a loss.

to understand how you can fit filent, and fee me fo affronted."

Indeed, Mr. Archimage," fnuffled the preacher of the tabernacle-" Indeed, Sir, this is very odd behaviour-to a lady, fo refpectable and worthy a lady, in her own apartment and ous !-I don't, SirI fay, Sir, I don't, Sir, I can't, Sir, underftand why you pertend for to perfume on any fuch like freedom; and I begs. leave...."

"I have nothing to do with you, Doctor. Pray do not interpose. What I have to fay to this lady is for her good -you know that humility and charity. are among the virtues it is your practice to enforce.-Mrs. Crewkherne is not yet too old to listen to lectures on any of the cardinal virtues, and she will now be fo good as to hear me, remembering that fhe has been the aggreffor. Befides, Sir, the lady, as I recollect, has not heard. my vindication of the other charges fhe brought against me, and it is an equitable maxim, which you have undoubtedly been taught.

taught at school, to hear before you give judgment. I think, Madam, that besides the names I have disclaimed, you were pleased to say I was a freethinker, an illuminé-a fomething else which I had not the honour to understand, a jacobin and a republican-and firft of the first.

"If you mean by a freethinker, that I venture to think on every topic of human enquiry, and moft on thofe which feem moft to involve the happiness or mifery of my fpecies, I muft plead guilty to the charge; but I hope and. believe there is no turpitude annexed to the ufe of that faculty with which God has diftinguished man above the reft of his creatures. I claim the boundless use of this power of thinking, of this power of enquiry; but I by no means am offended at thofe who find more conve-nience and ease in letting their own fa-culties in this way lie dormant, and commiffion others to think for them; they may be very good fort of people, and fit: for five hundred excellent purposes.. Not a.fen-

B. 6,