rs explains, in a novel, all the advantage
there is in beginning gallantry by gallant devotion. The proceeding is
not new. All I wish is, that those who borrowed it from Tartuffe would
not give it to us, without its fair portion of wit and humour.

But they have no great need of it. Women listen to their disguised
declarations and ambiguous endearments, as a matter of conscience to
earn their salvation. The woman, who, with the most sober friend,
would be offended at the very first word of friendship, suffers
patiently this double-meaning language of the young Levite. The
intelligent woman of experience and the world, who has read and seen
much, shuts her eyes to the mischief. If he has but little talent, if
he is heavy and uninteresting, yet his intentions are so good! Father
[Transcriber's note: Rather?] such a one answers for him; he is an
excellent young man.

The fact is, that while he pretends devotion, he speaks of love; this
is his merit. Even though it be spoken of in a weak and insipid
manner, it is still a merit with her who is no longer young. The
husband, however distinguished he may be, has the fault of being a
_positive_ man, entirely taken up, as they say, with worldly interests.
It is very true he is working for the interest of his family; he
provides for the future welfare of his children; he consumes his life
to support the luxury in which his wife lives, and beyond his fortune.

Perhaps this husband would be justified in saying that all this,
however material may be the result, is also for him a moral interest,
_an interest of the heart_. Perhaps he might add, that in being
engaged with worldly interests in our assemblies and tribunals, besides
a thousand other different positions for the profit of others, we may
show ourselves to be more _disinterested_, and consequently more
spiritualised, than all those _brokers of spirituality_ who turn the
Church into an exchange.

Let us here point out a contrast which is not sufficiently noticed.

In the middle ages the _priest_ was the spiritual and _mortified man_.
By the studies to which he alone devoted himself, by nocturnal prayers
and vigils, by the excess of fasting, and by monastic flagellations, he
mortified his body. But in these days very little remains of all that;
the Church has softened down everything. The priests live as others
do: if many pass a mean and pitiful life, it is, at least, generally
unattended with risk. We see it