enitents to speak on questions which even pagan savages would
blush to mention among themselves. Some persist in remaining silent on
those matters during the greatest part of their lives, and many prefer to
throw themselves into the hands of their merciful God and die without
submitting to the defiling ordeal, even after they have felt the poisonous
stings of the enemy, rather than receive their pardon from a man who, as
they feel, would have surely been scandalized by the recital of their human
frailties. All the priests of Rome are aware of this natural disposition of
their female penitents. There is not a single one--no, not a single one of
their moral theologians, who does not warn the confessors against that
stern and general determination of the girls and married women never to
speak in the confessional on matters which may, more or less, deal with
sins against the seventh commandment. Dens, Liguori, Debreyne, Bailly,
&c.--in a word, all the theologians of Rome--own that this is one of the
greatest difficulties which the confessors have to contend with in the
confessional-box.

Not a single Roman Catholic priest will dare to deny what I say on this
matter; for they know that it would be easy for me to overwhelm them with
such crowd of testimonies that their grand imposture would for ever be
unmasked.

I intend, some future day, if God spares me and gives me time for it, to
make known some of the innumerable things which the Roman Catholic
theologians and moralists have written on this question. It will form one
of the most curious books ever written; and it will give an unanswerable
evidence of the fact that, instinctively, without consulting each other,
with an unanimity which is almost marvellous, the Roman Catholic women,
guided by the honest instincts which God has given them, shrink from the
snares put before them in the confessional-box; and that everywhere they
struggle to nerve themselves with a superhuman courage against the torturer
who is sent by the Pope to finish their ruin and to make shipwreck of their
souls. Everywhere woman feels that there are things which ought never to be
told, as there are things which ought never to be done, in the presence of
the God of holiness. She understands that, to recite the history of certain
sins, even of thoughts, is not less shameful and criminal than to do them;
she hears the voice of God whispering into her ears, "Is it not enough that
thou hast been guilty once