of the individual which are apt to be lost sight of in a collective capacity which regards only the rights of the majority.
The views of Ernest accorded generally with Mrs. Claremont, but he was more practical in his belief of the supremacy of conscience over all matters of opinion, never doubting that fidelity to it would eventually lead a person into the right path, whatever errors he might for a time embrace. He believed it to be a vital article of the Protestant faith, and a right which has existed from the foundation of the world, subject to no censorship from any human tribunal, and therefore amenable to God alone. His varied experience in contact with all classes of society, of every shade of opinion, and all creeds of religious faith, had taught him to search farther than mere professions for the true life of the soul; and he learned to regard every human being, however degraded in person or erroneous in theory, as a spark of the divine intelligence, whose absolute sovereignty in all matters of thought none can question. He had too much faith in Walter's moral perceptions and sound judgment to harbor any fear that he would embrace any serious fallacy of reasoning or unwise method of action, and never did he stand so high in his estimation as now. Knowing the sacrifice of feeling it must have cost him to adhere to his present convictions of right, he manifested all the sympathy in his power, which was deeply touching to Walter. Being a man of few words, it was very little he said upon the subject, as they did not agree, but his manner spoke louder than words.
