第23章

Quick glances of intelligence were exchanged by the three gentlemen.I had stumbled upon their shibboleth, and proclaimed myself an Ephraimite, and not of Gilead.I have no doubt that up to that moment they had considered me as one of themselves - a member, and perhaps a priest, of their own ancient, grand, and imposing religion, for such it is, I must confess - an error into which it was natural that they should fall.What motives could a Protestant have for intruding upon their privacy? What interest could he take in inspecting the economy of their establishment? So far, however, from relaxing in their attention after this discovery, their politeness visibly increased, though, perhaps, a scrutinizing observer might have detected a shade of less cordiality in their manner.

RECTOR.- Beneath the ceiling in every apartment? Ithink I understood you so.How delightful - how truly interesting; a picture of the BLESSED Virgin beneath the ceiling in every apartment of a Russian house! Truly, this intelligence is as unexpected as it is delightful.I shall from this moment entertain a much higher opinion of the Russians than hitherto - most truly an example worthy of imitation.I wish sincerely that it was our own practice to place an IMAGE of the BLESSED Virgin beneath the ceiling in every corner of our houses.What say you, our professor of humanity? What say you to the information so obligingly communicated to us by this excellent gentleman?

HUMANITY PROFESSOR.- It is, indeed, most delightful, most cheering, I may say; but I confess that I was not altogether unprepared for it.The adoration of the Blessed Virgin is becoming every day more extended in countries where it has hitherto been unknown or forgotten.Dr.W-, when he passed through Lisbon, gave me some most interesting details with respect to the labours of the propaganda in India.Even England, our own beloved country....

My obliging friends showed me all over their "poor house," it certainly did not appear a very rich one; it was spacious, and rather dilapidated.The library was small, and possessed nothing remarkable; the view, however, from the roof, over the greater part of Lisbon and the Tagus, was very grand and noble; but I did not visit this place in the hope of seeing busts, or books, or fine prospects, - I visited this strange old house to converse with its inmates, for my favourite, Imight say, my only study, is man.I found these gentlemen much what I had anticipated, for this was not the first time that Ihad visited an English - establishment in a foreign land.They were full of amiability and courtesy to their heretic countryman, and though the advancement of their religion was with them an object of paramount importance, I soon found that, with ludicrous inconsistency, they cherished, to a wonderful degree, national prejudices almost extinct in the mother land, even to the disparagement of those of their own darling faith.

I spoke of the English -, of their high respectability, and of the loyalty which they had uniformly displayed to their sovereign, though of a different religion, and by whom they had been not unfrequently subjected to much oppression and injustice.

RECTOR.- My dear Sir, I am rejoiced to hear you; I see that you are well acquainted with the great body of those of our faith in England.They are as you have well described them, a most respectable and loyal body; from loyalty, indeed, they never swerved, and though they have been accused of plots and conspiracies, it is now well known that such had no real existence, but were merely calumnies invented by their religious enemies.During the civil wars the English -cheerfully shed their blood and squandered their fortunes in the cause of the unfortunate martyr, notwithstanding that he never favoured them, and invariably looked upon them with suspicion.At present the English - are the most devoted subjects to our gracious sovereign.I should be happy if Icould say as much for our Irish brethren; but their conduct has been - oh! detestable.Yet what can you expect? The true -blush for them.A certain person is a disgrace to the church of which he pretends to be a servant.Where does he find in our canons sanction for his proceedings, his undutiful expressions towards one who is his sovereign by divine right, and who can do no wrong? And above all, where does he find authority for inflaming the passions of a vile mob against a nation intended by nature and by position to command them?

MYSELF.- I believe there is an Irish college in this city?

RECTOR.- I believe there is; but it does not flourish, there are few or no pupils.Oh!

I looked through a window, at a great height, and saw about twenty or thirty fine lads sporting in a court below.

"This is as it should be," said I; "those boys will not make worse priests from a little early devotion to trap-ball and cudgel playing.I dislike a staid, serious, puritanic education, as I firmly believe that it encourages vice and hypocrisy."We then went into the Rector's room, where, above a crucifix, was hanging a small portrait.

MYSELF.- That was a great and portentous man, honest withal.I believe the body of which he was the founder, and which has been so much decried, has effected infinitely more good than it has caused harm.

RECTOR.- What do I hear? You an Englishman, and a Protestant, and yet an admirer of Ignatius Loyola?

MYSELF.- I will say nothing with respect to the doctrine of the Jesuits, for, as you have observed, I am a Protestant: