hings which it pleases the Almighty to put within the
reach of His children during their sojourn upon earth.

CHAPTER II--ON PRIESTCRAFT

The writer will now say a few words about priestcraft and the
machinations of Rome, and will afterwards say something about himself and
his motives for writing against them.

With respect to Rome and her machinations, much valuable information can
be obtained from particular parts of Lavengro and its sequel. Shortly
before the time when the hero of the book is launched into the world the
Popish agitation in England had commenced. The Popish propaganda had
determined to make a grand attempt on England; Popish priests were
scattered over the land, doing the best they could to make converts to
the old superstition. With the plans of Rome, and her hopes, and the
reasons on which those hopes are grounded, the hero of the book becomes
acquainted during an expedition which he makes into the country, from
certain conversations which he holds with a priest in a dingle in which
the hero had taken up his residence; he likewise learns from the same
person much of the secret history of the Roman See and many matters
connected with the origin and progress of the Popish superstition. The
individual with whom he holds these conversations is a learned,
intelligent, but highly unprincipled person, of a character, however,
very common amongst the priests of Rome, who in general are people void
of all religion, and who, notwithstanding they are tied to Rome by a band
which they have neither the power nor wish to break, turn her and her
practices, over their cups with their confidential associates, to a
ridicule only exceeded by that to which they turn those who become the
dupes of their mistress and themselves.

It is now necessary that the writer should say something with respect to
himself and his motives for waging war against Rome. First of all, with
respect to himself, he wishes to state that, to the very last moment of
his life, he will do and say all that in his power may be to hold up to
contempt and execration the priestcraft and practices of Rome; there is,
perhaps, no person better acquainted than himself, not even among the
choicest spirits of the priesthood, with the origin and history of
Popery. From what he saw and heard of Popery in England at a very early
period of his life, his curiosity was aroused, and he spared himself no
trouble, either by travel or study, to make him