190 THE HYACINTH. 



The Reader willingly wrote out his petit/on, tor 

 Doghery was a better scholar in his native Irish 

 than in the English tongue ; and while he was so 

 employed, the young man took up the book which 

 the other had been reading — a book that I had given 

 him, containing some controversial tracts on the 

 leading errors of Popery. 



When the letter was completed. Doghery ex- 

 claimed, ' This book must be false, for it contra- 

 dicts my church ? here is the presence of Christ 

 in the sacrament of the mass denied. Why do 

 you read such books ?' 



' Because,' answered the other, ' they shew me 

 the errors of the church to which I also once be- 

 longed.' 



A very animated discussion ensued, which lasted 

 till after midnight ; while Doghery contended for 

 the orthodoxy of his church, with equal spirit and ; 

 ingenuity. The next day he returned with an an- 

 xious countenance : and on the Reader inquiring 

 the fate of his petition, he replied, he did not come 

 about that ; but to renew their discourse concern- 

 ing the book. 'For,' said he, ' you deny the power 

 of my church to forgive sins ; and if that be the 

 case I am in a bad way.' Again was the point 

 brought to the test of Scripture ; and Doghery 

 went away, deeply impressed, to return on the fol- 

 lowing day, more troubled than before, while he 

 frankly acknowledged that he could no longer place 



