tion. But how shall I proceed, in order to promote the object nearest my heart? I will not stay a moment longer in England: will you accompany me? Are you ready to set out for Holyhead, by the mail to-morrow." "Gently, gently, my good friend, said the captain, smiling. If you return in such haste, it is more than probable, that you will spoil the whole business. It is a delicate matter, I assure you; and you must not even write, either to my mother or sister, for the present; the one is in too delicate

a state of health to bear agitation; the other is -; but I no more." "This mys

say

tery will drive me mad," said I impatiently..." I shall be sorry for you," said the captain, still smiling, "but I am not at liberty to say more. All I can add is this: if you love Rose, you must not disturb her for some time. I hear you were going to Rome. Why, man, I have been told, that you have become a first rate divine. Stop, stop, did I not hear also, that you were going to take orders. How is this? Surely do not expect to be allowed to marry, after

you

they have shaved the crown of your

head at

But

Rome." "Oh no; (I replied in some confusion.) Despair made that notion cross my mind.

if there is hope, I would not take orders, were

I assured of the popedom the

"Well, now I understand you.

year after."

But tell me ;

"No, my

would you have me for a travelling companion ?" "To Ireland of course," I said. friend," replied the captain. "There is nothing for you to do in Ireland at present, and there is no reason why we should not visit Rome together. We shall be back in good time, for your chance of Rose's hand.” I should have been infinitely more glad of going immediately to Ireland, but I trusted my friend's judgment. Besides, a visit to Rome, in his company, held out to me such a prospect of pleasure, that I now began to look forward to the day when we should set out for Calais. But Captain Cusiack had business to transact at the Admiralty, which would detain him some weeks. I therefore resolved to find how to employ the interval with some profit, in connection with my theological studies.

CHAPTER VII.

A second Manuscript.-Contents of the Manuscript.—The Fathers and Tradition.-Who and what are the Fathers?— Does the authority of Tradition rest upon the Fathers, or the authority of the Fathers upon Tradition?-Liberal grant to the Traveller, on the score of passages from the Fathers.Rome, the great receptacle of Superstition.-Destruction of books by the Orthodox, a source of Rome's apparent Unity of Doctrine.-Persecuting zeal of Theodosius the Great.His Inquisitors.-Conscience perverted by zeal.- Ancient Protestants.-Simplicity of Christianity, an indirect cause of human additions.-Sources of Papal Tradition.—Mistaken reverence for the Fathers.

As Captain Cusiack could not conveniently come to dine with me, I accepted his invitation to take my dinner with him at his hotel. I left him to continue the examination of some accounts, for the sake of which he had stayed at home, and returned early to my lodgings. The first look I cast upon my table, made me discover a parcel, similar to that which contained the first manuscript. I did not, as before, stop to examine the envelope, and to form conjec

The

tures. The seal was broken in a moment, and the imaginary resistance of the cover was punished by tearing it in every direction. contents were such as I had hoped ;—a manuscript in the same hand as the former, and a note, in which I thought I could evidently see marks of a lady's penmanship. I will not, however, stop to state the ideas which came into my head; they seemed too absurd to be entertained for a The note was reduced to these words. "The Irish Gentleman has conferred a great favour by noticing the preceding manuscript. The enclosed applies to an important branch of his argument. The question which he proposed, as to the rise of Roman authority, among Christians, will be answered at a future period." Such was the note. In justice to my unknown correspondent, I subjoin the second manuscript.

moment.

THE FATHERS AND TRADITIONS.

The Fathers!—Who and what are the Fathers? is a question which would be re-echoed by thousands, if men were more in the habit of

enquiring into the sense of words, to which their ears are accustomed. A few writers ventured to put this natural and simple question, during the great struggle which originated in Luther's opposition to the Pope. But an outcry was raised both by Catholics and Protestants! "What horrible boldness! cried the Catholics"Where shall this end! Has not enough been done?" said most of the Protestants. The Fathers?-the Fathers are on our side, said the divines of the Church of England: How indeed could it be otherwise? For the Church must have been pure, at least till the time of Constantine. Perhaps it will be necessary to add a few years. We must not leave out of

the period of purity those luminaries, Ambrose, Jerom, and Augustin. We want a portion of the fifth century." "Well then, said the Catholics, let us carry on our contest on that ground." What was the consequence? The ground thus chosen for the theological battle, was one full of rocks, hollows, bushy spots, bogs and fens. The troops were scattered in all di