cessfully veil the perverted bias of his intellect; but, whenever he thus inadvertently wandered into scepticism, if by so doing he lost ground with his adversary, he could skilfully adopt the other side of the question, in a manner so as to allow sensibility of feeling and goodness of heart so much to preponderate over his discourse, that the transient cloud of sophistry was either wholly unnoticed, or passed away in the admiration excited by the brilliant flashes of his fancy! Possessed of a memory the most retentive, it was not difficult for him to draw from the vast stores of intelligence he had treasured.
But when alone, and there was no longer occasion to have recourse to his memory, his thoughts sprung wholly from the innate bent of his depraved affections. Thus gifted with speech, how powerfully might he impose upon and blind the judgment! Under every flowing word, graceful utterance, and melodious accent, what defilement lay concealed!
Often in the conversations he held with Rosilia,—such as were calculated to encourage her confidence and flatter her understanding,—he designedly, but with the nicest caution, sought to infuse the poison of his pernicious sentiments; but more so, when his aim had been directed towards impressing her susceptible mind with ideas of the benevolence of his temper, unprejudiced opinions, and enlarged comprehension:—"Let us be guided by our feelings—they alone should influence us—the consciousness of what will best promote our pleasures, and fill with the
