ABSTRACT
The friendship of Charles for Vaurien had become indissoluble. Some opinions, which the Gaul had at first thrown out, alarmed him; but he considered them only as those dangerous paradoxes, peculiar to the intemperate philosophers of his country; nor was Charles a little delighted, by perceiving the energy of his own eloquence, operating on the superior intellect of Vaurien, who had gradually relinquished his own notions, one by one, and, at present, seemed only a mere reflection of the pure and honest Charles. He reposed on the bosom of this cherished friend; his virtues daily excited / admiration; and none so much as his extraordinary liberalities, since his late remittances from France, which, as he informed his friends, he had been so fortunate as to receive. To Vaur-ien, Charles poured his secret sorrows; he touched mournfully on the dissipations of Lady Belfield, and lamented the contempt he hourly received from his former gentle patroness. ‘As for my Lord, you acknowledge,’ said he, ‘that he is obstinately lost to reason, and an enemy to that constitution which protects his person and his property; which must be slowly reformed, not rapidly destroyed; united closer, not disorganised. In vain I willingly yield some principles, which I deem political superstitions; but, in return, he yields me not one opinion, however fantastic, however destructive. He and his party would innovate all things; but my Lord does not agree with Mr. Subtile, Mr. Subtile with Mr. Dragon, nor Mr. / Sympathy with Dr. Bounce. Philosophy has it’s prejudices, not less pernicious, not less inhuman, than the popular prejudices of the most intolerant people. And at what aims this philosophy? In forming a man without a heart! It is of no consequence to me, whether a persecuting religion burns me in an auto-da-fe, or whether a persecuting philosophy conducts me to the guillotine; it is always the same thing for my neck.’
