the poet at the breakfast table-第41章

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for　it　is　not　a　little　one；and　write　out　the　title；　which；　I　dare
say；　you　remember；　and　very　likely　you　have　the　book。　　〃Discourse　of
the　Liberty　of　Prophesying；　showing　the　Unreasonableness　of
prescribing　to　other　Men's　Faith；　and　the　Iniquity　of　persecuting
Different　Opinions。〃

Now；　my　dear　sir；　I　am　sure　you　believe　that　I　want　to　be　liberal　and
reasonable；　and　not　to　act　like　those　weak　alarmists　who；　whenever
the　silly　sheep　begin　to　skip　as　if　something　was　after　them；　and
huddle　together　in　their　fright；　are　sure　there　must　be　a　bear　or　a
lion　coming　to　eat　them　up。　　But　for　all　that；　I　want　to　beg　you　to
handle　some　of　these　points；　which　are　so　involved　in　the　creed　of　a
good　many　well…intentioned　persons　that　you　cannot　separate　them　from
it　without　picking　their　whole　belief　to　pieces；　with　more　thought
for　them　than　you　might　think　at　first　they　were　entitled　to。　　I　have
no　doubt　you　gentlemen　are　as　wise　as　serpents；　and　I　want　you　to　be
as　harmless　as　doves。

The　Young　Girl　who　sits　by　me　has；　I　know；　strong　religious
instincts。　　Instead　of　setting　her　out　to　ask　all　sorts　of　questions；
I　would　rather；　if　I　had　my　way；　encourage　her　to　form　a　habit　of
attending　to　religious　duties；　and　make　the　most　of　the　simple　faith
in　which　she　was　bred。　　I　think　there　are　a　good　many　questions　young
persons　may　safely　postpone　to　a　more　convenient　season；　and　as　this
young　creature　is　overworked；　I　hate　to　have　her　excited　by　the　fever
of　doubt　which　it　cannot　be　denied　is　largely　prevailing　in　our　time。

I　know　you　must　have　looked　on　our　other　young　friend；　who　has
devoted　himself　to　the　sublimest　of　the　sciences；　with　as　much
interest　as　I　do。　　When　I　was　a　little　girl　I　used　to　write　out　a
line　of　Young's　as　a　copy　in　my　writing…book；

　　　　　〃An　undevout　astronomer　is　mad〃；

but　I　do　not　now　feel　quite　so　sure　that　the　contemplation　of　all　the
multitude　of　remote　worlds　does　not　tend　to　weaken　the　idea　of　a
personal　Deity。　　It　is　not　so　much　that　nebular　theory　which　worries
me；　when　I　think　about　this　subject；　as　a　kind　of　bewilderment　when　I
try　to　conceive　of　a　consciousness　filling　all　those　frightful　blanks
of　space　they　talk　about。　　I　sometimes　doubt　whether　that　young　man
worships　anything　but　the　stars。　　They　tell　me　that　many　young
students　of　science　like　him　never　see　the　inside　of　a　church。　　I
cannot　help　wishing　they　did。　　It　humanizes　people；　quite　apart　from
any　higher　influence　it　exerts　upon　them。　　One　reason；　perhaps；　why
they　do　not　care　to　go　to　places　of　worship　is　that　they　are　liable
to　hear　the　questions　they　know　something　about　handled　in　sermons　by
those　who　know　very　much　less　about　them。　　And　so　they　lose　a　great
deal。　　Almost　every　human　being；　however　vague　his　notions　of　the
Power　addressed；　is　capable　of　being　lifted　and　solemnized　by　the
exercise　of　public　prayer。　　When　I　was　a　young　girl　we　travelled　in
Europe；　and　I　visited　Ferney　with　my　parents；　and　I　remember　we　all
stopped　before　a　chapel；　and　I　read　upon　its　front；　I　knew　Latin
enough　to　understand　it；　I　am　pleased　to　say；Deo　erexit　Voltaire。
I　never　forgot　it；　and　knowing　what　a　sad　scoffer　he　was　at　most
sacred　things；　I　could　not　but　be　impressed　with　the　fact　that　even
he　was　not　satisfied　with　himself；　until　he　had　shown　his　devotion　in
a　public　and　lasting　form。

We　all　want　religion　sooner　or　later。　　I　am　afraid　there　are　some　who
have　no　natural　turn　for　it；　as　there　are　persons　without　an　ear　for
music；　to　which；　if　I　remember　right；　I　heard　one　of　you　comparing
what　you　called　religious　genius。　　But　sorrow　and　misery　bring　even
these　to　know　what　it　means；　in　a　great　many　instances。　　May　I　not
say　to　you；　my　friend；　that　I　am　one　who　has　learned　the　secret　of
the　inner　life　by　the　discipline　of　trials　in　the　life　of　outward
circumstance？　　I　can　remember　the　time　when　I　thought　more　about　the
shade　of　color　in　a　ribbon；　whether　it　matched　my　complexion　or　not；
than　I　did　about　my　spiritual　interests　in　this　world　or　the　next。
It　was　needful　that　I　should　learn　the　meaning　of　that　text；　〃Whom
the　Lord　loveth　he　chasteneth。〃

Since　I　have　been　taught　in　the　school　of　trial　I　have　felt；　as　I
never　could　before；　how　precious　an　inheritance　is　the　smallest
patrimony　of　faith。　　When　everything　seemed　gone　from　me；　I　found　I
had　still　one　possession。　　The　bruised　reed　that　I　had　never　leaned
on　became　my　staff。　　The　smoking　flax　which　had　been　a　worry　to　my
eyes　burst　into　flame；　and　I　lighted　the　taper　at　it　which　has　since
guided　all　my　footsteps。　　And　I　am　but　one　of　the　thousands　who　have
had　the　same　experience。　　They　have　been　through　the　depths　of
affliction；　and　know　the　needs　of　the　human　soul。　　It　will　find　its
God　in　the　unseen；Father；　Saviour；　Divine　Spirit；　Virgin　Mother；　it
must　and　will　breathe　its　longings　and　its　griefs　into　the　heart　of　a
Being　capable　of　understanding　all　its　necessities　and　sympathizing
with　all　its　woes。

I　am　jealous；　yes；　I　own　I　am　jealous　of　any　word；　spoken　or　written；
that　would　tend　to　impair　that　birthright　of　reverence　which　becomes
for　so　many　in　after　years　the　basis　of　a　deeper　religious　sentiment。
And　yet；　as　I　have　said；　I　cannot　and　will　not　shut　my　eyes　to　the
problems　which　may　seriously　affect　our　modes　of　conceiving　the
eternal　truths　on　which；　and　by　which；　our　souls　must　live。　　What　a
fearful　time　is　this　into　which　we　poor　sensitive　and　timid　creatures
are　born！　　I　suppose　the　life　of　every　century　has　more　or　less
special　resemblance　to　that　of　some　particular　Apostle。　　I　cannot
help　thinking　this　century　has　Thomas　for　its　model。　　How　do　you
suppose　the　other　Apostles　felt　when　that　experimental　philosopher
explored　the　wounds　of　the　Being　who　to　them　was　divine　with　his
inquisitive　forefinger？　　In　our　time　that　finger　has　multiplied
itself　into　ten　thousand　thousand　implements　of　research；　challenging
all　mysteries；　weighing　the　world　as　in　a　balance；　and　sifting
through　its　prisms　and　spectroscopes　the　light　that　comes　from　the
throne　of　the　Eternal。

Pity　us；　dear　Lord；　pity　us！　　The　peace　in　believing　which　belonged
to　other　ages　is　not　for　us。　　Again　Thy　wounds　are　opened　that　we　may
know　whether　it　is　the　blood　of　one　like　ourselves　which　flows　from
them；　or　whether　it　is　a　Divinity　that　is　bleeding　for　His　creatures。
Wilt　Thou　not　take　the　doubt　of　Thy　children　whom　the　time　commands
to　try　all　things　in　the　place　of　the　unquestioning　faith　of　earlier
and　simpler…hearted　generations？　　We　too　have　need　of　Thee。　　Thy
martyrs　in　other　ages　were　cast　into　the　flames；　but　no　fire　could
touch　their　immortal　and　indestructible　faith。　　We　sit　in　safety　and
in　peace；　so　far　as　these　poor　bodies　are　concerned；　but　our
cherished　beliefs；　the　hopes；　the　trust　that　stayed　the　hearts　of
those　we　loved　who　have　gone　before　us；　are　cast　into　the　fiery
furnace　of　an　age　which　is　fast　turning　to　dross　the　certainties　and
the　sanctities　once　prized　as　our　most　precious　inheritance。
You　will　understand　me；　my　dear　sir；　and　all　my　solicitudes　and
apprehensions。　　Had　I　never　been　assailed　by　the　questions　that　meet
all　thinking　persons　in　our　time；　I　might　not　have　thought　so
anxiously　about　the　risk　of　perplexing　others。　　I　know　as　well　as　you
must　that　there　are　many　articles　of　belief　clinging　to　the　skirts　of
our　time　which　are　the　bequests　of　the　ages　of　ignorance　that　God
winked　at。　　But　for　all　that　I　would　train　a　child　in　the　nurture　and
admonition　of　the　Lord；　according　to　the　simplest　and　best　creed　I
could　disentangle　from　those　barbarisms；　and　I　would　in　every　way　try
to　keep　up　in　young　persons　that　standard　of　reverence　for　all　sacred
subjects　which　may；　without　any　violent　transition；　grow　and　ripen
into　the　devotion　of　later　years。　　Believe　me；

Very　sincerely　yours；


I　have　thought　a　good　deal　about　this　letter　and　the　writer　of　it
lately。　　She　seemed　at　first　removed　to　a　distance　from　all　of　us；
but　here　I　find　myself　in　somewhat　near　relations　with　her。　　What　has
surprised　me　more　than　that；　however；　is　to　find　that　she　is　becoming
so　much　acquainted　with　the　Register　of　Deeds。　　Of　all　persons　in　the
world；　I　should　least　have　thoug