I wanted arguments more palpable and less theoretic. Surely, said I to myself, if religion be a real principle, it must be an operative one, and I would rationally infer that Christianity were true, if the tone of Christian practice were high.

"I began to look clandestinely into Henrietta's Bible. There I indeed found that the spirit of religion was invested with just such a body as I had wished to see; that it exhibited actions as well as sentiments, characters as well as doctrines; the life pourtrayed evidently governed by the principle inculcated; the conduct and the doctrine in just correspondence. But if the Bible be true, thought I, may we not reasonably expect, that the principles which once produced the exalted practice which that Bible récords, will produce similar effects now?

"I put, rashly perhaps, the truth of Christianity on this issue, andsought society of a higher stamp. Fortunately, the increassing external decorum of my conduct, began to make my reception less difficult among good men than it had been. Hither

VOL. II.

E

to,

to, and that for the sake of my wife, my visits had rather been endured than.encouraged; nor was I myself forward to seek the society which shunned me. Even of those superior characters, with whom I did. occasionally associate, I had not come near enough to form an exact estimate.

"DISINTERESTEDNESS and CONSISTENcy had become with me a sort of touchstone, by which to try the characters I was investigating. My experiment was favourable. I had for some time observed my wife's conduct, with a mixture of admiration as to the act, and incredulity as to the motive. I had seen her foregoing her own indulgencies, that she might augment those of a husband whom she had so little reason to love. Here were the two qualities I required, with a renunciation of self without parade or profession. Still this was a solitary instance. When on a nearer survey, I beheld Dr. Barlow exhibiting by his exemplary conduct during the week, the best commentary on his Sunday's sermou: when I saw him refuse a living of

nearly

nearly twice the value of that he possessed, because the change would diminish his usefulness, I was staggered.

"When I saw Mr. and Mrs. Stanley spending their time and fortune as entirely in acts of beneficence, as if they had built their eternal hope on charity alone, and yet utterly renouncing any such confidence, and trusting entirely to another foundation; when I saw Lucilla, a girl of eighteen, refuse a young nobleman of a clear estate, and neither disagreeable in his person or manner, on the single avowed ground of his loose principles; when the noble rejection of the daughter was supported by the parents, whose principles no arguments drawn from rank or fortune could subvert or shake-I was convinced.

66 These, and some other instances of the same nature were exactly the test I had been seeking, Here was disinterestedness upon full proof. Here was consistency between practice and profession. By such examples, and by cordially adopting those principles

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principles which produced them, together with a daily increasing sense of my past enormities, I hope to become in time less unworthy of the wife to whom I owe my peace on earth, and my hope in heaven.”

The tears which had been collecting in Mrs. Carlton's eyes for some time, now silently stole down her cheeks. Sir John and myself were deeply affected with the frank and honest narrative to which we had been listening. It raised in us an esteem, and affection for the narrator which has since been continually augmenting. I do not think the worse of his state for the difficulties which impeded it, nor that his advancement will be less sure, because it has been gradual. His fear of delusion has been a salutary guard. The apparent slowness of his progress has arisen. from his dread of self-deception, and the diligence of his search is an indication of his sincerity.

"But did you not find," said I, "that the piety of these more correct Christians drew upon them nearly as much censure

and

and suspicion as the indiscretion of the enthusiasts ? And that the formal class who were nearly as far removed from effective piety as from wild fanaticism, ran away with all the credit of religion ?"

"With those," replied Mr. Carlton, "who are on the watch to discredit Christianity, no consistency can stand their determined opposition; but the fair and candid enquirer will not reject the truth, when it forces itself on the mind with a clear and convincing evidence.'

Though I had been joining in the general subject, yet my thoughts had wandered from it to Lucilla, ever since her noble rejection of Lord Staunton had been named by Mr. Carlton, as one of the causes which had strengthened his unsteady faith. And while he and Sir John were talking over their youthful connexions, I resumed with Mrs. Carlton, who sat next me, the interesting topic.

"Lord Staunton," said she, "is a relation, and not a very distant one, of ours. He used to take more delight in Mr. Carl