ouse is a widely different thing from
saying it in the dingle," said the man in black; "had the Church of
England been a persecuting Church, it would not stand in the position in
which it stands at present; it might, with its opportunities, have spread
itself over the greater part of the world. I was about to observe that,
instead of practising the indolent habits of his High Church brethren,
Platitude would be working for his money, preaching the proper use of
fire and fagot, or rather of the halter and the whipping-post,
encouraging mobs to attack the houses of Dissenters, employing spies to
collect the scandal of neighbourhoods, in order that he might use it for
sacerdotal purposes, and, in fact, endeavouring to turn an English parish
into something like a Jesuit benefice in the south of France."

"He tried that game," said I, "and the parish said 'Pooh, pooh,' and, for
the most part, went over to the Dissenters."

"Very true," said the man in black, taking a sip at his glass, "but why
were the Dissenters allowed to preach? why were they not beaten on the
lips till they spat out blood, with a dislodged tooth or two? Why, but
because the authority of the Church of England has, by its own fault,
become so circumscribed, that Mr. Platitude was not able to send a host
of beadles and sbirri to their chapel to bring them to reason, on which
account Mr. Platitude is very properly ashamed of his Church, and is
thinking of uniting himself with one which possesses more vigour and
authority."

"It may have vigour and authority," said I, "in foreign lands, but in
these kingdoms the day for practising its atrocities is gone by. It is
at present almost below contempt, and is obliged to sue for grace _in
forma paureris_."

"Very true," said the man in black; "but let it once obtain emancipation,
and it will cast its slough, put on its fine clothes, and make converts
by thousands. 'What a fine Church!' they'll say; 'with what authority it
speaks! no doubts, no hesitation, no sticking at trifles. What a
contrast to the sleepy English Church!' They'll go over to it by
millions, till it preponderates here over every other, when it will of
course be voted the dominant one; and then--and then . . . " and here the
man in black drank a considerable quantity of gin and water.

"What then?" said I.

"What then?" said the man in black; "why, she will be true to herself.
Let Dissenters, whether they be Church of England, as perhaps