Page:Hannah More (1887 Charlotte Mary Yonge British).djvu/164

152 much in the habit of reading aloud to his children the best parts of amusing authors whom he did not put into their hands. Day's Sandford and Merton, Berquin's Ami des Enfans, the English selection called The Looking-glass for the Mind, and the German tale translated by Mary Wollstonecraft under the title of Elements of Morality, and most powerfully illustrated by Blake, were probably in Mr. Stanley's mind when he complained that there was no intimation in them of the corruption of human nature, and thus that they contradict the Catechism when it speaks of being "born in sin and the children of wrath."

In fact, before Mr. and Mrs. Stanley have reformed many of their friends, and Cœlebs has fulfilled his destiny and resigned his title; there is a good deal of theological discussion, such as could not fail to bring the authoress into hot water; and first with the Pope's Vicar-General in England, Dr. Berrington, who took serious exception at her having said in the comment on Mrs. Fentham's formal observances, "Why, this is retaining all the worst part of Popery." One would think he might have been used to hearing harder things said of his Church! However, very courteous letters passed between them; Hannah professed her warm admiration for St. Francois de Sales, Bossuet, Massillon and Bourdaloue, and moreover for Pascal and Messieurs de Port Royal, and added, "I am too zealous in my own faith not to admire zeal in the