whom it has been declared are bound to obey, my
consent to receive it for the rule of my actions is not material; for as
whoever lives in England must submit to the laws of the country, though
he may be ignorant of many of the particulars of them, so whoever lives
in a Christian land is obliged to obey the laws of the Gospel, or to
suffer for infringing them; in both cases, therefore, it is prudent for
every man to acquaint himself thoroughly with these ordinances, which he
cannot break with impunity.'

'If such obedience be necessary,' said Lamont, 'what do you imagine will
be the fate of most of the inhabitants of Christendom; for you will
allow that they do not regulate their conduct by such severe commands?'

'What will be their fate,' replied Miss Mancel, 'I do not pretend even
to suppose, my business is to take care of my own. The laws against
robbery are not rendered either less just or less binding by the numbers
that daily steal or who demand your purse on the highway. Laws are not
abrogated by being infringed, nor does the disobedience of others make
the observance of them less my duty. I am required to answer only for
myself, and it is not man whom I am ordered to imitate. His failings
will not excuse mine. Humility forbids me to censure others, and
prudence obliges me to avoid copying them.'

Lamont thought Miss Mancel too severe in her doctrine; but there was
something so respectable in her severity, that he forbore to contest it,
and owned to me afterwards that, while she spoke and he contemplated
that amiable society, his heart silently acquiesced in the justness of
her sentiments.

We parted at our usual hour; and at the same time the company in the
lower part of the house broke up, eleven o'clock being the stated hour
for them on those occasions to return to their respective homes.

The next morning, as I went downstairs, I met the housekeeper and
entered into conversation with her, for which the preceding night's
festivity furnished me with topics. From her I learnt that since the
ladies had been established in that house they had given fortunes from
twenty to a hundred pounds, as merit and occasion directed, to above
thirty young women, and that they had seldom celebrated fewer than two
marriages in a year, sometimes more. Nor does their bounty cease on the
wedding-day, for they are always ready to assist them on any emergency;
and watch with so careful an eye over the conduct of these young peop