ossible to go to sleep. The next morning, therefore, Mr Cophagus
returned to Mr Temple, and stated his wish to be made acquainted with
the difference between the tenets of the Quaker persuasion and those of
the Established Church. Mr Temple gave him an outline, which appeared to
Mr Cophagus to be very satisfactory, and then referred him to his niece
for fuller particulars. When a man enters into an argument with a full
desire to be convinced, and with his future happiness perhaps depending
upon that conviction; and when, further, those arguments are brought
forward by one of the prettiest voices, and backed by the sweetest of
smiles, it is not to be wondered at his soon becoming a proselyte. Thus
it was with Mr Cophagus, who in a week, discovered that the peace,
humility, and good-will, upon which the Quaker tenets are founded, were
much more congenial to the true spirit of the Christian revelation than
the Athanasian Creed, to be sung or said in our Established Churches;
and with this conviction, Mr Cophagus requested admission into the
fraternity, and shortly after his admission, it was thought advisable by
the Friends that his faith should be confirmed and strengthened by his
espousal of Miss Judith Temple, with whom, at her request--and he could
refuse her nothing--he had repaired to the town of Reading, in which her
relations all resided; and Phineas Cophagus, of the Society of Friends,
declared himself to be as happy as a man could be. "Good people,
Japhet--um--honest people, Japhet--don't fight--little stiff--spirit
moves--and so on," said Mr Cophagus, as he concluded his narrative, and
then shaking me by the hand, retired to shave and dress.

Chapter LXII

I fall in love with religion when preached by one who has the
form of an angel.

In half an hour afterwards Ephraim came in with a draught, which I was
desired to take by Mr Cophagus, and then to try and sleep. This was good
advice, and I followed it. I awoke after a long, refreshing sleep, and
found Mr and Mrs Cophagus sitting in the room, she at work and he
occupied with a book. When I opened my eyes, and perceived a female, I
looked to ascertain if it was the young person whom Ephraim had stated
to be Susannah Temple; not that I recollected her features exactly, but
I did the contour of her person. Mrs Cophagus was taller, and I had a
fair scrutiny of her before they perceived that I was awake. Her face
was very pleasing, features small