Page:TheYoungMansGuide.djvu/174

 it is  a  transient  kind  of  happiness,  which sooner or  later,  perhaps  not  until  this  brief span of  life  on  earth  is  ended,  must  be  changed into unhappiness.

I answer  in  the  second  place:  How  small, how very  small,  is  the  number  of  these  really and thoroughly  happy  mixed  marriages If a  census  were  taken  in  regard  to  this  point, the result  would  certainly  prove  anything  but satisfactory.

5. "  But  the  strict  regulations  of  the  Catholic Church  exercise  a  tyranny  over  man's conscience,"  this  is  put  forward  as  a  further objection. How perverse  and  stupid  this  is' Does the  Church  compel  any  one,  even  in the  least  degree,  to  become  a  Catholic,  or to  remain  one? But if  the  Church  declares to those  who  are  in  her  fold:  If  you  desire to  be  and  remain  a  Catholic,  I  require this and  this  of  you,  it  can  as  little  be  called tyranny, as  can  the  rules  and  regulations  for a rifle  corps,  which  its  members  have  to  observe. No! tyranny  over  men's  consciences was and  is  practised  in  quite  another  quarter. For example,  freedom  was  formerly  the  battle-cry  of  the  English,  when  they  threw  off  the ancient faith  of  their  fathers;  but  on  the Catholics of  England  and  Ireland  they  laid a heavy  yoke,  and  persecuted  them  with  a tyranny  and  ingenious  cruelty  which  have seldom been  equaled  in  the  annals  of  history.

Liberty and  equality  are  words  which