UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 71 



and, highly gratified with the whole scene, we 

 left her and her happy guests, in the midst of 

 their merriment. 



My uncle met there an old acquaintance, 

 whom he had not seen or heard of for several 

 years. When he knew him, this gentleman was 

 in the fashionable world, but now he seems com- 

 pletely a farmer. He is much altered : my 

 uncle did not recollect him; but he had so 

 much the look and language of a gentleman, 

 that my uncle's attention was attracted. His 

 manner, to the inferior society he was with, was 

 mild and good humoured, without any appear- 

 ance of proud condescension, or of too great 

 familiarity. My uncle spoke of him two or 

 three times on our way home, as if he was 

 surprised at finding him in his present situation. 



2Sth. Sunday. My uncle was speaking, 

 this mom ing, of the general character of the 

 Christian religion, as being so directly contrary 

 to fanaticism and imposture. This is particu- 

 larly marked, he says, by the manner in which it 

 explains the obligations that arise from the dif- 

 ferent relations of civil society. He remarked, 

 that " the chief object of every religious system, 

 founded on imposture, has been to use its spiri- 

 tual influence in acquiring political authority, 

 and to consecrate the legislator by investing him 

 with the sanctity of the priest or the prophet. 



