those instances of untruth which are not lies,
as for instance, untruths in war; and then there could be no danger
in them to the individual Catholic, for he would be acting under a
rule.

Thirdly, as to playing upon words, or equivocation, I suppose it is
from the English habit, but, without meaning any disrespect to a
great Saint, or wishing to set myself up, or taking my conscience for
more than it is worth, I can only say as a fact, that I admit it as
little as the rest of my countrymen: and, without any reference to
the right and the wrong of the matter, of this I am sure, that, if
there is one thing more than another which prejudices Englishmen
against the Catholic Church, it is the doctrine of great authorities
on the subject of equivocation. For myself, I can fancy myself
thinking it was allowable in extreme cases for me to lie, but never
to equivocate. Luther said, "Pecca fortiter." I anathematise the
formal sentiment, but there is a truth in it, when spoken of material
acts.

Fourthly, I think _evasion_, as I have described it, to be perfectly
allowable; indeed, I do not know, who does not use it, under
circumstances; but that a good deal of moral danger is attached to
its use; and that, the cleverer a man is, the more likely he is to
pass the line of Christian duty.

But it may be said, that such decisions do not meet the particular
difficulties for which provision is required; let us then take some
instances.

1. I do not think it right to tell lies to children, even on this
account, that they are sharper than we think them, and will soon find
out what we are doing; and our example will be a very bad training
for them. And so of equivocation: it is easy of imitation, and we
ourselves shall be sure to get the worst of it in the end.

2. If an early Father defends the patriarch Jacob in his mode of
gaining his father's blessing, on the ground that the blessing was
divinely pledged to him already, that it was his, and that his father
and brother were acting at once against his own rights and the divine
will, it does not follow from this that such conduct is a pattern to
us, who have no supernatural means of determining _when_ an untruth
becomes a _material_ and not a _formal_ lie. It seems to me very
dangerous, be it allowable or not, to lie or equivocate in order to
preserve some great temporal or spiritual benefit, nor does St.
Alfonso here say anything to the contrary, for he is not discussing
the