e same chapter, though reproaching the
Protestants with having exaggerated the corruption of the confessors,
avows, "In the sixteenth century, the Inquisition had imposed upon
women the obligation of denouncing guilty confessors, but the
denunciations were found to be so numerous, that the penitents were
declared to be relieved from denouncing." Trials of this description
were conducted with closed doors, and condemnations were hushed up in
secret little _autodafes_. From the number of trials which Llorente
extracts from the registers, he compares the morals of the different
religious orders, and finds, in figures, a very natural result that
might be guessed without the help of arithmetic. They deceived their
penitents, just in proportion to the more or less money and liberty
they had to seduce others with. Poor and secluded monks were dangerous
confessors; friars, who had more liberty, and secular priests, seldom
made use of the hazardous means of the Confessional; because they found
favourable opportunities elsewhere. They who, as directors, see women
_tete-a-tete_ at home, or in their own houses, have no need to corrupt
them at the altar.

PART III.

FAMILIES.

CHAPTER I.

SCHISM IN FAMILIES.--THE DAUGHTER;--BY WHOM EDUCATED.--IMPORTANCE OF
EDUCATION, AND THE ADVANTAGE OF THE FIRST INSTRUCTOR.--INFLUENCE OF
PRIESTS UPON MARRIAGE, WHICH THEY OFTEN RETAIN AFTER THAT CEREMONY.

The drama which I have endeavoured to sketch does not always, thanks be
to God, go so far as the annihilation of the will and personality. One
cannot well discern where it stops, owing to the dark cloak of reserve,
discretion, and hypocrisy, with which this black community is
enveloped. Besides, the clergy have been doubly guarded in their
conduct during the present contentions.[1] It is out of the church, in
houses, and family circles, that we must seek for what will throw the
principal light upon what the Church conceals. Look well; there you
see a reflection, unfortunately too clear, of what is passing elsewhere.

We have already said, if you enter a house in the evening, and sit down
at the family table, one thing will almost always strike you; the
mother and daughters are together, of one and the same opinion, on one
side; whilst the father is on the other, and alone.

What does this mean? It means that there is some one more at this
table, whom you do not see, to contradict and give the lie to whatever
the fathe