Though we are decidedly of opinion, that the mystical preacher is, in general, an useless one, let none imagine that in such he beholds the moral character of Mr. Trap; on the contrary, they will frequently be found men of sincerity and piety. Though they are mistaken in their views, let us not be illiberal in our strictures, or disposed to ascribe the errors in their judgments to depravity in their hearts.

CHAP. XX.

Sir Charles's Conduct criticised by a large Party assembled at Mr. Jolly's A Caution given, for the Benefit of those who may hear Opinions advanced upon eminently pious Characters. A brief Application of the History, and a Promise given, that it shall be concluded in the next Chapter.

HA

AVING traced the hero of the narrative through three stages of difierent views and sentiments, namely, boyish ignorance, and indifference to religious truth; youthful scepticism, arising from a perusal of deistical writers; and an honest candid inquiry at a more advanced age, we now present him in the fourth stage of alteration---a convinced and confirmed believer; or, in the emphatical language of Scripture, a new creature in Christ Jesus." It only now remains to state his conduct under this character; and we cannot exhibit it more concisely, than by taking our readers to a large party of the most genteel and opulent persons in his neighbourhood, assembled at Mr. Jolly's,

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where, for a full hour, he was the only theme of conversation. We premise, that every action they related of him was strictly true, a circumstance which is not always found in such conversations.

"I told you Mr. Jolly," said the sagacious old lady we mentioned in a former chapter (wiping her spectacles, in readiness to view a hand of cards, as she saw the tables preparing), "how it would end with Sir Charles. this now," lifting up her hands and eyes in imitation, as she imagined, of devout ejaculations.

It is all

Mr. Jolly smiled, and only answered by a shake of his head. His lady, whose person answered to her name, and her temper also to that usually ascribed to that description, immediately exclaimed so loudly, that all the company heard her. "O! the worthy creature, I will not have a word spoke against him. He is so kind, so polite, so handsome; I can pardon all his eccentricities."

This speech of Mrs. Jolly's raised a general smile, and an inquiry, who was the happy man who had thus engaged her affections? Being informed, the company all began, and gave their opinion.

"I could excuse his extravagant notions," says a dashing young officer in the volunteer corps, "if he would keep them to himself.

How do you think he served me the other day? I had given orders for a Sunday's drill, as I wanted to go out on the Monday following, which was appointed for the purpose. Post-haste he comes to my lodgings, and harangues for an hour on the duty of keeping holy the sabbath-day, as he puritannically termed it. We came to pretty high words, for I was resolved, if possible, to carry the point. At length off he went, saying, I should see he had influence in the town. I thought he looked knowing, but little thought how the job would end; for would you believe it, when I sent the drummers to call the men, they all to a man declared they were going to church, and were willing to pay any fine I should think proper. But this was not the worst of it, for I found I was forced to attend on the Monday, and by that means I lost the finest hunt a man could risk his neck for." We cannot sully our paper with certain emphatical words, used by the above-mentioned speaker, though they certainly will make his relation more characteristic, if the reader's imagination should supply them at the end of every sentence.

"Sir," said a gentleman with a very red face, who sat next him, "I don't condemn Sir Charles's conduct in this particular, I don't hold with Sunday drilling. There is, as Solomon says, a time for every thing.' Sunday is the

time for going to church, and thinking about religion, and it would be as improper to bring religion into the week as it is to exclude it from the Sunday. Every thing is beautiful in its season; but I am sorry to say this is a truth Sir Charles has yet to learn. I had an opportunity of observing this at our last annual dinner. Good things were, as usual, served up in a good style, as they ought to be; but we all remarked, that Sir Charles eat of two dishes only; when pressed to partake of others, he very gravely declared, loud enough to be heard by the whole table, that temperance was a Christian virtue, and that he never intended to violate its rules. Now this solemn speech from so young a man was ridiculous, and spoke completely out of season. subjected him to the private laugh of all of us, and we have it in debate, whether we shall ever invite him to another dinner. Well, after the cloth was removed, and the bottle went briskly round, our jocular friend here, Mr. Jolly, sung one of his merry songs, in which were a few things, our prim gentleman thought exceptionable, and certainly had there been ladies there, it would have been so; but as I said before, every thing is beautiful in its season. So to make short of the story, we were all glad to see him depart, which he did within one hour after dinner, with as sanctified a face as oid Warian himself."

It