inction of which universal man is concerned--I
was contriving a scheme to extinguish the fires of the Inquisition."
"Why, man, they don't blaze that I know of," retorted Trueman. "I
own, that of all the abominable engines which the devil ever
invented to disgrace religion and plague mankind, that Inquisition
was the very worst. But I do not believe popery has ventured at
these diabolical tricks since the earthquake at Lisbon, so that a
bucket of real water, carried to the real fire at Jenkins's cottage,
would have done more good than a wild plan to put out an imaginary
flame which no longer burns. And let me tell you, sir, dreadful as
that evil was, God can send his judgments on other sins besides
superstition; so it behoves us to take heed of the other extreme or
we may have our earthquakes too." "The hand of God is not shortened,
sir, that it can not destroy, any more than it can not save. In the
meantime, I must repeat it; you and I are rather called upon to
serve a neighbor from perishing in the flames of his house, just
under our own window, than to write about the fires of the
Inquisition; which, if fear, or shame, or the restoration of common
sense had not already put out, would have hardly received a check
from such poor hands as you and I."

"Sir," said Fantom, "Jenkins is an impertinent fellow; and I owe him
a grudge, because he says he had rather forfeit the favor of the
best master in England than work in my garden on a Sunday. And when
I ordered him to read the Age of Reason, instead of going to church,
he refused to work for me at all, with some impertinent hint about
God and Mammon."

"Oh, did he so?" said Mr. Trueman. "Now I _will_ stand godfather to
his child, and made him a handsome present into the bargain. Indeed,
Mr. Fantom, a man must be a philosopher with a vengeance, if when he
sees a house on fire, he stays to consider whether the owner has
offended him. Oh, Mr. Fantom, I will forgive you still, if you will
produce me, out of all your philosophy, such a sentence as 'Love
your enemy--do good to them that hate you--if thine enemy hunger,
feed him; if he thirst, give him drink;' I will give up the blessed
gospel for the Age of Reason, if you will only bring me one
sentiment equivalent to this."

Next day Mr. Trueman was obliged to go to London on business, but
returned soon, as the time he had allotted to spend with Mr. Fantom
was not yet elapsed. He came down the sooner indeed, that he might