THE PASSION-FLOWER. 257 



cd miracle, performed by some relic, failed to con- 

 vert, though it staggered her : and they then had 

 recourse to one of the foul stratagems, so common 

 in gaining proselytes from among the young and 

 imaginative. They contrived that, in the dead of 

 night, a figure resembling her deceased father, of 

 whom she was very fond, should appear to her, 

 stating that he had obtained permission to re-visit 

 the earth, for the sacred purpose of solemnly as- 

 suring her, that the faith in which he died, was the 

 only passport to heaven. This succeeded — she 

 never recovered from the shock : but she renounc- 

 ed her religion, and took the veil. 



Had I known this at the time, I cannot say to 

 what lengths my indignation might have carried 

 me : but the bare fact of her having apostatized 

 was sufficient to rouse my zeal. I soon repeated 

 my visit; and faithfully told her how very far I 

 was from agreeing in her views ; while the good 

 nuns, on their part, had, as I found, already engaged 

 the help of a seminary of Jesuits, not far off, to 

 proselytize me; and poor E. was permitted to fol- 

 low her affectionate inclination for my society, 

 under the charitable hope that she might save my 

 soul. I look back with emotions of trembling 

 thankfulness to that time : for I was very young 

 indeed in the faith, and totally ignorant of contro- 

 versy. I knew that popery was idolatry ; and 1 

 knew that idolatry was a damnable sin ; but be- 

 22* 



