which my father, mother, brothers, and uncle, have made, have effected what opposition and cruelty, as you see, could not. So compassionate, so humane a man, as I think the Chevalier Grandison, and so steady as he is in his principles, so much, as you own, as he has to say for himself, joined with the sense I always had, from my

mother's example, of the duties of a good wife, will too probably stagger me in my faith: And if so, I shall be unhappy: I shall make my confessor so. I am determined, added she (as you, brother, have seen) in my own mind: But I ask your opinion, and yours, Father Marescotti. The Chevalier now is a favourite with you both. Religion only can now be the question—Is it not too probable that I shall be staggered in my own faith, were I to be his?
We gave her, continued the Bishop, our opinions freely, as religious men. Could we, Chevalier, do otherwise? And yet we are both ready to accuse ourselves of infringing conditions with you. Tell us, if n your opinion we have?
I cannot, my Lord, judge from this general account. If you did more than answer her questions; if you expatiated argumentatively on the subject; I must think you have: And your own doubts help to convince me, that you have; tho' I cannot but respect you greatly for the frankness of your application to me on this subject.
We were earnest, Chevalier; we were warm in what we said—
Well, my Lord, called upon as you both were, it would not have become your characters to be cool—For my own part, I have been recollecting the behaviour of your admirable sister throughout every stage of her delirium, respecting myself: And I have not been able to call to mind one instance in it of an attachment merely personal. I need not tell you, Father, nor you, my Lord, what a zealous Catholic she is, She early wished me to be one: And had I not thought myself obliged in honour, because of the confidence placed in me by the whole family, to decline the subject, our particular conversations, when she favoured me with the name of tutor, would have generally taken that turn. Her unhappy illness was owing to her zeal for religion, and to her concealing her struggles

on that account. She never hinted at marriage in her resveries. She was still solicitous for the SOUL of the man she wished