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FIERCE AND HOPEFUL.

"O Lord! how terrible in thy judgments! At last thou hast struck down this colossal iniquity; this leviathan of sin; this incarnate devil!

"Our holy Society is rid of its most indefatigable enemy. We shall no longer walk in fear and trembling for where did we not meet this ubiquitous fiend? When did he not alight like the blighting locust on our fairest pastures?

"And now he is gone to punishment. Benedicamus Domino! Yes; God be praised! he is gone to punishment. Eternity will not be long enough to expiate his worse than diabolical atrocities. Periit memoria cum sonitu. He hath been snatched away by Satan, even as a fly by the spider. Thus perish all the enemies of our holy Society!

“For the last few days, we had lost all trace of the youth. That his ruin was thoroughly effected by the fiend above named, is but too certain. Still, let us hope-and we do hope-that his very profligacy, as in so many instances, will be the means of penetrating his young heart, not yet hardened in evil.

"He has left Paris.

"Father Laplace travels in his company, as an Austrian colonel. He could not be confided to a better guide and guardian.

"The Lord be blessed! All things prosper here with us; and now that the great enemy hath been cut down-the Lord be blessed!-we shall prosper

more.

"We have gained another friend at court, M.

BRIEF, BUT TO THE PURPOSE.

215

de ; and we have good hope that one of our holy Society will be appointed tutor to his son and heir. "We owe infinite obligations to Madame

by whose pious endeavours the Lord has extended his vineyard.

"We are eager to hear glad tidings of our dear English province; and in that hope, accept the assurance of our perfect esteem and brotherly love, whilst I remain, very rev. Father,

"Your humble brother in the Lord,
"ETIENNE MAUGRAS."

THE GENERAL OF THE JESUITS TO THE ENGLISH PROVINCIAL.

"TO OUR DEAR SON IN THE LORD,

"We have received from the hands of our dear son, Father Lovel,* your welcome despatches. "We approve all that you have done. We shall forward the holy work to the best of our power. "The family named in your letter is here. "And Father Fraser is their chaplain.

“We shall effect the desirable introduction.

Accept the assurance of our perfect esteem and paternal love.

"RETZ VON RETZ, P. G."

LEONARD DEVIGNE TO P. DEVIGNE, ESQ.

"MY DEAR FATHER,

Lyons.

"From your last kind letter, I concluded that your mind has been harassed by some unplea

* Otherwise, Mr. Bainbridge.

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THE NE PLUS ULTRA OF MERIT.

sant matter. May I hope that it has ceased to molest you?

"In obedience to your urgent wish, I have left Paris; and am now, as you perceive, hurrying to Rome.

"I continue to enjoy my travels; and feel happy in thinking that you will be glad to find that my health, and strength, and spirits, have all been benefited by the change.

"Your apprehensions respecting Count Emile de Valremy must have been suggested by some enemy of that gentleman.

"Poor fellow! he is dead. He fell in an unfortunate duel. My heart has bled, and bleeds over his fate. I shall regret it for ever; and for a thousand reasons. To me he was a devoted friend; and notwithstanding the misrepresentations made to you by a gentleman of your acquaintance, I think that had you known him, you would have considered him a good sort of a fellow. To be sure, he was a man of the world: but I know that you were always disposed to take men as they are, never insisting on their being as they ought to be. I remember when you spoke very forcibly on the subject, and how Mr. Bainbridge partly agreed with you, quoting the words, "simulacra virtutis," as the ne plus ultra of merit in men, generally speaking.

"I hope you do not think the worse of me for having been enabled to enter society under the auspices of a man of unbounded genius, perfect manners, and high honour. He was universally

esteemed, except by the Jesuits, whom he had ample reason to detest; for they blighted his happiness for life.

"I cannot imagine who can possibly be the "gentleman," your authority for the dark insinuations you make against the unfortunate count; and I feel resentment against the "gentleman," whoever he may be; for he has traduced an absent man, and insulted me through my friend. Can he be a "Jesuit in disguise?" one of those whom my aunt was constantly dreading? Excuse this remark, my dear father; but I have good reason to feel the greatest concern for my unfortunate friend, Count Emile de Valremy.

"I hope you continue to enjoy good health; and that you will soon regain your usual spirits; and that my dear aunt is well and happy. Tell her that I shall endeavour in all things to steer the right course; and hope that her anxious and most respected advice will prove profitable, as it must do, in the end.

"I am at a loss to guess your meaning in the 'bliss' you have in store for me. Whatever it is, I can assure you, my dear father, that it will only add to the many motives which will ever make me "Your most dutiful and affectionate son,

"LEONARD Devigne."

FATHER PERCIVAL TO THE PROVINCIAL.

"VERY REVEREND FATHER,

"I hasten to inform you that the inscrutable designs of Providence seem to forward our purpose

218

HOW VIRTUE DEPENDS ON

more effectually than we ourselves, its humble, unworthy instruments.

"Mr. Devigne has had an attack of palsy.

"The attack is not very severe: but the sudden visitation has brought about that happy state of mind when the stony heart is softened, and may be moistened by the grace of heaven.

“I visited him this morning. He was very glad to see me. I consoled him, endeavouring to give a right direction to his depression of spirits at the thought of his dreadful malady.

"He fears death.

"He spoke, with dread, of dying.

"I seized the opportunity to speak with unction of the pious death of his child. I dwelt upon all the circumstances, and brought home every leading point suggestive of the promise he made to his dying child. I suffered him to lead the topics, and expatiated on all with hearty solicitude for the great accomplishment.

"He told me, with tears in his eyes, that he felt all the better for my visit, and requested me to see him as often as possible.

"The only fear is, that his sister, Mrs. M., may hasten her return to Ringwood Hall, in consequence of her brother's illness. This would be, in the present state of matters, very unfortunate. Is there no means of detaining her in Scotland? But a few days may decide on the necessity. When we are sure of him, we shall have no fear of her. He will take his stand as usual, and set her at defiance.