"Is it not much more consonant with the benevolence of the Deity, and much more simple and satisfactory, to get rid of the devil altogether?" said Mr. Mowbray.

"It is no such easy matter," replied Mr. Wentworth; "and, depend upon it, my good friend, you will find it one thing to disbelieve the devil, and another to get rid of him."

CHAPTER XXX.

THE disadvantages of a residence at Woodlands, in a religious point of view, were sufficiently formidable; but Geraldine's early impressions of piety were to be put to a still

severer test.

Mr. Mowbray, during his residence in France, had formed an intimacy with a French gentleman, who, at his death, had appointed him guardian to his only son. He felt some surprise at this arrangement; but having a very able and honourable coadjutor in Monsieur D'Erneville, a Frenchman of rank; he consigned the person and affairs of his ward entirely to his management, and considered his office of guardian as little more than nominal. But he soon found himself compelled to take a more active part. Intelligence of the sudden death of Monsieur D'Erneville obliged him again to

visit France. His ward had entered the last year of his minority, and there were many arrangements to be made, which rendered his presence absolutely necessary.

Mrs. Mowbray prepared to accompany him with the utmost alacrity; and as it was possible they might be detained some time, it was decided that Geraldine and Mademoiselle Dubourg should be of the party.

More than half the young ladies of her acquaintance congratulated Geraldine upon her happy lot. They protested that they were dying to go to France; that every body, at least, every body who was any body, now completed their education at Paris. Nor were these feelings confined to the young; the great advantages of such a finish, were gravely enumerated, and warmly expatiated upon, by their well-bred and fashionable mothers.

Now and then, indeed, a sober matron of the old English school, would shake her head, and deny the prudence of the measure; and Mr. Maitland, when appealed to as an umpire, took the liberty of questioning whether it was quite worth while to barter habits of piety, purity, and delicacy, for the talent of speaking French with Parisian grace and facility.

He thought the attainment dearly purchased by the sacrifice of that exquisite delicacy, so intimately connected with chastity of mind; and by the probable loss of those religious principles, which can alone guide the footsteps in the way of peace.

suits you to a tittle. It was remarked of Lord Bolingbroke, that his bad practices were greatly aggravated by those rare abilities of his, of which God gave him the use, and the devil the application."

"By the by," said Mr. Mowbray, without noticing this remark, "to revert to your protegé, the devil,-granting, for a moment, that he really exists, it is but fair to do him justice.

"Now, I recollect no part of the Scriptures, in which ubiquity is ascribed to the devil; and if all the evil thoughts of man are to be ascribed to his influence, he must, like the Deity, be omnipresent, if not omnipotent."

"God forbid that he should be either!" exclaimed Mr. Wentworth; "he does mischief enough already."

"But, my good sir, let me appeal to your candour," said Mr. Mowbray; "you know you ought to give even the devil his due: if he does exist, he certainly has been terribly slandered."

"Can any man in his senses think it worth while to defend the character of the devil?" said Mr. Wentworth, with uplifted hands.

"It is merely from a sense of justice," returned Mr. Mowbray, coolly; "Satan cannot be guilty of all the mischief imputed to him, unless, indeed, you believe him similar to the Creator in power and essence."

"I would believe nothing so blasphemous, for the world," said Mr. Wentworth.

"Then you agree with me, in thinking that the devil has been shamefully traduced," said Mr. Mowbray.

"Traduced;-no, indeed: I believe, to say the least, that he has been aiding and abetting in all the mischief that has happened since the day Adam ate of the forbidden fruit to this hour."

"Then he has had business enough upon his hands, to occupy twenty devils," said Mr. Mowbray. "Do you think it probable, continued he, after a pause, “that the wise and omniscient Maker of all things should create so mischievous a being; foreseeing, as he must assuredly have done, that he would oppose his beneficent intentions towards man, and lead millions to destruction?"

Mr. Wentworth paused in his turn, on hearing this question. His simplicity was a sure guide on this occasion; it led him instantly to the right conclusion. "To tell you the truth," said he, "I think you are now getting out of your own depth, as well as out of mine. Clever as you are, you might as well attempt to take the gauge of the ocean with a cockeshell, as to solve these sort of questions. It will be all clear enough by and by; but a child is as well able to act as a judge, in an affair of life and death, as you, or any other mortal man, to fathom the ways of his Maker, farther than He has chosen to reveal them.” 20 *

VOL. I.

The fashionable ladies did not attempt to reason either with the sober matron, or the grave Mr. Maitland; they only asked each other, what an antiquated dowager or a country curate could possibly know of fashionable edu

cation?

Mrs. Mowbray was received at Paris, by the circle in which she had before moved, with the most flattering empressement!-Every body was ravie, charmé, enchanté, and Mademoiselle sa niece shared in the rapturous welcome.

Geraldine contrasted this animated reception with the measured expressions that would have been employed in England, and felt that there was something peculiarly attractive in French manners. Mrs. Mowbray had told her, on their arrival, that she would escape all risk of being spoiled by flattery. It was the inevitable destiny of a very young lady, to be nothing and nobody, in France. She was privileged to wrap herself up in high dresses, and to be as mute and modest as she pleased.

Geraldine had professed herself well content to submit to this destiny; but she was not called upon to exercise any forbearance. The gentlemen, though they hovered about Mrs. Mowbray as the legitimate object of attention, cast many a furtive glance of admiration on her lovely piece; and the ladies openly complimented her on her beauté eclatante.

'Pleasure, that reeling goddess, with the zoneless waist,' was the presiding deity, at