following solemn declarations, from the mouth of a Catholic priest; but remember, that in hearing them, your plea of ignorance is over, and that, from this date, any misrepresentation of the faith of Catholics, is a deliberate breach of God's commandment, and a compact with the father of lies!

"Cursed is he, who commits idolatry, who prays to images or relics, or worships them for God.'" At the end of this, and each following anathema, Sir Eustace De Grey, in a loud and stern voice, answered, "Amen."

"Cursed is every goddess worshipper, who believes the Virgin Mary to be more than a creature, who adores her, or puts his trust in her equally to God; who believes her above her son, or that she can in anything command him :" " "Amen."

"Cursed is he, who believes the saints in heaven to be his redeemers: who prays to them as such, or who gives God's honour to them or to any creature whatsoever;' "Amen."

"Cursed is he who worships any bread in God, or makes God of the empty elements of bread and wine: ""Amen."

"Cursed is he who believes that priests can forgive sins, whether the sinner repent or not: or that there is any power on earth or heaven that can forgive sins without a hearty repentance, and serious purpose of amendment;'" "Amen."

"Cursed is he who believes that, independent of the merits and passion of Christ, he can obtain salvation by his own good works, or make condign satisfaction for the guilt of his sins, or the eternal pains due to them:"" "Amen.”

"Cursed is he who contemns the word of God, or who hides it from the people, in order to keep

*From Gother's Works.

them from the knowledge of their duty, and to preserve them in ignorance and error:'" "Amen." "Cursed is he who leaves the commandments of God, to observe the constitutions of men:" " "Amen."

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Cursed is he who omits any of the ten commandments, or keeps the people from the knowledge of any one of them, to the end that they may not discover the truth: ""Amen."

"Cursed is he who preaches to the people in an unknown tongue, such as they understand not, or uses any other means to keep them in ignorance:' "Amen."

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"Cursed is he who believes that the Pope can give to any one, upon any occasion whatever, dispensations to lie, or swear falsely; or that it is lawful for any one, at the last hour, to protest himself innocent, if he be guilty:" "Amen."

"Cursed is he who encourages sin, or teaches men to defer the amendment of their lives, on presumption of a death-bed repentance :" " "Amen."

"Cursed is he who places religion in nothing but pompous shows and ceremonies, and who teaches not the people to serve God in spirit and in truth: " "Amen."

"Cursed is he who loves or promotes cruelty; who teaches people to be bloody-minded, and to lay aside the meekness of Jesus Christ:"" "Amen." "Cursed is he who teaches it to be lawful to do any wicked thing, though it be for the interest and good of Mother Church, or that any evil action may be done, that good may ensue :""Amen."

"Cursed are we, if, in answering 'Amen' to any of these curses, we use any equivocations or mental reservations, or do not assent to them in the common and obvious sense of the words:"" "Amen."

"What!' my friends, I hear you ask,' Is it VOL. II.-8

possible that papists can seriously, and without check of conscience, say 'Amen' to all these curses?' Yes, they can, and are ready to do so, whensoever, and as often as shall be required of them. When Protestants, therefore find that Catholics utterly reject the doctrines imputed to them, and this, too, in the most solemn manner, ought they not to bring forward some documents equally solemn? (Hear!) And can they do so?-No! they cannot. (Hear! hear!) On you, my hitherto ignorant friends, I trust these solemn declarations, in the name of the Catholic priesthood and laity, which my honoured brother in the faith, and myself, have given you, will find some resting place in your hearts and consciences, and that on leaving this meeting you will own that Catholics are not such as you had supposed them to be: while we, on our part, being aware that the night of prejudice cannot pass away in an hour, will await, I trust, in patience and humility, the dawn of a new day, when it shall be said, as in early times, Behold how these Christians love one another."(Hear! hear!) Yes, my Protestant brethren, if you will now extend the right hand of fellowship towards us, it shall be accepted, not as the sign of a truce merely, but in token of an everlasting peace, worthy of that festival which is at hand, and on which we may together sing the glorious anthem of the angels Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace and goodwill to men.'" Mr. O'Neil here left the meeting, amidst loud and continued cheers.

*

* Several parts of this speech are taken from those at the Reformation Meeting at Torbay, 1833.

CHAPTER VII.

If thy heart were right, then every creature would be to thee a looking glass of life, and a book of holy devotion.

THOMAS A KEMP 18

THE clock of the town-hall struck four, as the last verse was intoned of the old hundredth psalm; and all were now eager to depart, although, as it was perfectly dark, excepting the scattered lights on the platform, the ladies of the Sedgemoor party had been charged not to move, till their escort should have joined them. Colonel Torrington was the first to free his impatient wife, and Lady Anne, from the bench on which they had stiffened and yawned; and Sir John Scotney overtaking them at the door, the quartett drove off as they came. Colonel Torrington, who had been rendered anxious and distressed by the address of the Catholic Priest, was but little disposed to converse; still he had to pacify his disappointed wife, for not having given his intended speech; while Sir John had to endure the extravagant admiration of De Grey's appearance and grace of manner, on which Lady Anne continued to expatiate with an irritation and peevishness to which poor Sir John had no clue, save in the consciousness of his own exterior deficiencies.

"I used to meet Sir Eustace De Grey for ever in Yorkshire, the winter before last," sighed her ladyship," and he used to admire me so much?"

"I cannot be surprised at that," replied the good

humoured husband, "for I admired you, Anne, not only the winter before last, but during many winters."

"But I had not an idea, at that time, that Sir Eustace could make such a speech. I am sure he always talked great nonsense to me at the balls. I wonder whether he and Miss Carrington are really engaged? As for her believing in the Roman Catholic religion, I do not credit a word of it, for really she is a very clever girl, though so dreadfully conceited, it is quite fatiguing: and I do not think she is at all the style of woman to attract Sir Eustace de Grey: but then her fortune is very convenient for him."

"Oh, there is nothing in that attachment," cried Mrs. Torrington: "I have reasons for knowing that Sir Eustace never thought of Miss Carrington, though she certainly did think of him, and therefore tried to admire all the absurdities of his creed: but Lord Hervey's attentions have given a marked turn to her theology."

"Yes, indeed," returned Lady Anne; I have seen enough to be aware that this far-famed heiress would have no objection to be a countess ?"

"I do not know the woman who would object, " observed Colonel Torrington.

"Well," continued his lady," at any rate, Miss Carrington seems to have decided in favour of the Protestant coronet, else why should she have conveyed Lord Hervey, in this public manner, to hear the Protestant cause defended, and have detained him so long, talking to her, that I thought he would never join you on the platform. You cannot think how the people round me were noticing and commenting upon this conduct."

"Do you know," said Lady Anne, "that I cannot help thinking; that Miss Carrington knew of the return of Sir Eustace de Grey, and that is the