have recourse to other methods to impress her prodigious consequence upon her; and since she could not make her stare at her learning, she was resolved to make her wonder at her principles.

You know, lady D— (said she abruptly) I do not often go to church.

"I know it, and I am sorry for it," replied her ladyship.

Upon my word (said she) I have too much reverence for the Deity to go to a place where it is ten to one but I shall hear him blasphemed.


Henrietta now began to stare indeed. The wonderful lady proceeded,

I never pretend to deny that I am a deist.

"You must pardon me, Mrs. —," interrupted lady D—,
if I tell you that I really think you often declare that very improperly; I have heard you say so before your children and servants.

"Madam," replied Mrs. —
I take care that my servants shall not think me an atheist. They know my principles better: they know I am a deist; they have heard me declare that I believe there is an Intelligent cause which governs the world by physical rules. As for moral attributes, there is no such thing; it is impious and absurd to suppose it. The arbitrary constitution of things in the human system produces happiness and misery; that is to say, misery and happiness is productive of—Or rather, as I said before, the arbitrary constitution of things, vice and virtue, is necessarily produced by—that is, necessarily brings on happiness or misery.— Prayer, and such like artifices of religion, is foolish: for whatever is, is right. To talk of imitating God, is blasphemy. His Providence is extended to collective bodies only;

he has no regard to individuals: nor is the soul a distinct substance from the body. There is no future state; it is all a fiction. To argue from unequal distributions is absurd and blasphemous. Whatever is, is best. The law of nature is sufficiently clear; and there is no need of any supernatural revelation.

"I must intreat you, madam," interrupted lady D—, seeing her eldest daughter that moment enter the room,
to change the discourse now, miss has not been used to such deep reasoning on these aweful subjects, and may perhaps mistake what you are saying for blasphemy.


More absurd mistakes than that may be made, madam,
replied Mrs. —,
when persons are not allowed to exercise their mental faculties— but your ladyship is going to dress—I interrupt you.
Saying this, she rose "up, and