that you have mistaken the reverse of wrong for right, and that, alarmed and distressed,' as you express it, by protestant license of belief, you should feel a security in the opposite extreme of Popish dogmatism. But the moderate and judicious Church of England steers a middle course, and, with the revered Fathers of that Church for my fellow champions, I will engage to prove to you, with what judgment, with what wisdom, with what tempered zeal and solid piety our noble Church accomplished her reform, and in preserving her apostolic and transmitted authority, has power to lead her children in all matters both of faith and discipline. She was, at the Reformation, purified but not destroyed, and when thus she emancipated herself from the iron thraldom of Rome, she preserved, unimpaired, her succession of duly ordained ministers, who are the shepherds, not the tyrants, of the flock. Invested with full authority, they keep clear of all abuse, and, while the monopolizing power of the Papacy assails her on one side, and the lawless jealousy of the Dissenters on the other, the pure, holy, and majestic Church of England calmly pursues the middle path of truth! But this perfect Church is in danger," continued the Warden more warmly. "Yes! she is in danger, and her foes are within herself. These Jansenists of the Church of England will destroy her; and she would do well, perhaps, in this instance, to follow the stern example of Rome, and cast these domestic enemies from her bosom, even at the expense of some estimable individuals."

"Are you speaking of the Evangelical or Low Church party ?" said Geraldine.

"I am," replied the Warden. "This mistaken body, amongst which you have so unfortunately been thrown, would confound their catholic, apostolic, hierarchical Church, with all those various sects from which she stands aloof. She is peculiar, she is alone;

for, while all the Protestant communities on the Continent, and the dissenting tribes at home, send each individual to the Bible alone,' thence to collect, as it may chance to be, truth or error, by his correct or incorrect interpretation, the Church of England refers her sons to a standard of interpretation, collected from the authority of ages. The appeal is made to a pure and holy time in the Universal Christian Church, against this present brawling selfsufficient age. No true, faithful, and humble member of our judicious Church need ever hesitate or tremble on his path; for, while no tyranny compels his choice of belief, there is every possible guidance and assistance in his search for truth. The Holy Scriptures are open to him, the interpretation of the early Church is offered to him, and these united form his creed. Had this double reference been followed, we never should have witnessed the scandal of these latter times, these modern controversies, which tear the Protestant world to pieces, and justly draw on it the scorn of Rome."

"Tell me," inquired Geraldine, "to what extent the Church of England carries her respect for antiquity ?"

"She receives," replied her uncle, "all the primitive creeds, and the four first general councils; she submits to the common assent of the Fathers during the five first centuries of the Church catholic; and, with this preponderance of evidence, this glorious cloud of witnesses, how can a man err, but through his own presumption, or indolence, or love of notorious change?"

At this instant, the folding-doors were thrown open by the house steward, who announced the hour for the customary evening devotion in the library, where the domestics were already assembled; and Geraldine, greatly reassured and comforted by the promises given to her by her uncle, in the name of

his Church, arose with Miss Graham, and, shading with her dark ringlets her still tearful countenance, took her friend's arm into the further room. The Warden followed to his seat, at the library table, where, having read the second lesson and evening psalms appointed for the day, he led the devotions and prayers taken from the Liturgy of the Church of England, concluding with the collect of the Sunday preceding, which happened to be the seventh after Trinity. Often as Geraldine had listened to that exquisite prayer, never had she followed it with such wrapt devotion as now, when the deep and sonorous voice of the Warden began," Lord of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things, graft in our hearts the love of thy name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and, of thy great mercy, keep us in the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen." Then followed the blessing, after which the servants retired, and the Warden, instead of remaining, as was his custom, in the library, to read without interruption till the hour of repose, drew Geraldine's arm within his own, and, kindly pressing it, led her back to the saloon, and seated himself by her on the sofa she had before occupied. A long silence followed, but no longer an awful one to Geraldine, who, touched and encouraged by the unexpected indulgence of her uncle, felt her naturally buoyant spirits revive, and the confiding affection of her heart flowing with double tides towards him. Feeling that, perhaps, she had not sufficiently evinced her gratitude, and the silence continuing still unbroken, Geraldine gently took her uncle's hand, and pressed it to her lips, saying, "I do not intend, dear Sir, to give you only half my confidence, since you have so kindly invited me to trust you with all my doubts and fears. I am ready to reply to any question you may think proper to ask me."

"Tell me this, my dear," at length said the Warden, "for on this I have been pondering, are you perfectly sure that your late preference for the Romish Church has been a negative one only, not a positive one; that is, are you quite correct in supposing that your dissatisfaction with Protestantism would alone lead you to Catholicism?"

"Yes," replied Geraldine, "for excepting some few points, in which I think the Catholics have clearly the right on their side, I should be more inclined to agree with my own Protestant community, could I but find her firm in conscious truth. At present, I have only some vague yearnings towards a Church, which by some inexplicable secret seems to be never wavering, never weary-to have an elasticity, a strength, proceeding from some hidden principle, wanting in the Church of England; for this holy mother of ours seems to be struck by a moral palsy! Why is it that, at this present time, in the raging of this fatal disease, our clergy shrink from encountering its victims, while the Catholic priests are to be found in the midst of them, undertaking not only the priestly office, but that also of nurse and of physician, to which has often been added the burial of the corrupted corpse? Some invincible attraction seems to draw me towards those devoted Christians; but I cannot believe all they believe, unless, indeed, their apparent superstitions could be explained to me."

"Well, well!" said the Warden, "I do not wish, from party spirit, to refuse my meed of praise to the zeal of sincere and pious men, however mistaken in their creed but we are forgetting the question of Church authority, which, if I understand aright, you are anxious to establish, but which you cannot clearly perceive to be the lawful inheritance of the Church of England. Now, to-morrow, or at any time you like to appoint, I will give you my whole attention, stock VOL. I.-3

of learning, and powers of reasoning, on this point, and will engage to establish, beyond all doubt, that the Church of England has succeeded to the rights and privileges of apostate Rome, and is the catholic and apostolic Church of Christ on earth. But now," continued the Warden, rising and lighting a taper, as the chimes of the French clock announced the hour of eleven, "I would advise you to seek (after humble and earnest prayer) the repose you seem to need. Good night, Miss Graham; one might fancy you some devotee, worshipping the features you are delineating, so completely have your eyes been rivetted by the fine head you are copying so exactly."

"Not a single remark of yours has, however, escaped me, I assure you, Sir," returned Katherine, "and I beg leave to be present at the instructions you propose giving to your niece; for I own that, with my low church views and feelings, I am as curious as she can be, though not so painfully anxious, to hear the isolated position of the English Establishment, amidst the sister Protestant Churches, vindicated from tyranny and vain presumption !"

"Ah! young lady, those are bold words," said the warden.

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They are bold because they are true," returned the dauntless Katherine, and since I have listened to this evening's dialogue, I own myself to be less of a churchwoman than ever. I was not before aware of what the English Church assumed, but now I am perfectly astonished at her arrogance!"

Dr. Sinclair nearly dropped the taper he held, and stood perfectly astonished in his turn, that so young a woman should presume to declare, without compunction, her defalcation from the venerable establishment in which it had been her happy lot to be born. He did not, however, reply, but bidding