"
which had almost frightened the Government out of its wits; who, to get
rid of the cry, was going to grant all that was asked in the way of
toleration, instead of telling the people to "Hold their nonsense," and
cutting them down, provided they continued bawling longer.

I questioned the man in black with respect to the origin of this cry; but
he said to trace it to its origin would require a long history; that, at
any rate, such a cry was in existence, the chief raisers of it being
certain of the nobility, called Whigs, who hoped by means of it to get
into power, and to turn out certain ancient adversaries of theirs called
Tories, who were for letting things remain in _statu quo_; that these
Whigs were backed by a party amongst the people called Radicals, a
specimen of whom I had seen in the public-house; a set of fellows who
were always in the habit of bawling against those in place; "and so," he
added, "by means of these parties, and the hubbub which the papists and
other smaller sects are making, a general emancipation will be carried,
and the Church of England humbled, which is the principal thing which the
See of Rome cares for."

On my telling the man in black that I believed that even among the high
dignitaries of the English Church there were many who wished to grant
perfect freedom to religions of all descriptions, he said: "He was aware
that such was the fact, and that such a wish was anything but wise,
inasmuch as if they had any regard for the religion they professed, they
ought to stand by it through thick and thin, proclaiming it to be the
only true one, and denouncing all others, in an alliterative style, as
dangerous and damnable; whereas by their present conduct, they were
bringing their religion into contempt with the people at large, who would
never continue long attached to a church, the ministers of which did not
stand up for it, and likewise cause their own brethren, who had a clearer
notion of things, to be ashamed of belonging to it. I speak advisedly,"
said he, in continuation, "there is one Platitude."

"And I hope there is only one," said I; "you surely would not adduce the
likes and dislikes of that poor silly fellow as the criterions of the
opinions of any party?"

"You know him?" said the man in black; "nay, I heard you mention him in
the public-house; the fellow is not very wise, I admit, but he has sense
enough to know that unless a church can make people hold their tongues
when i