in the exercise
of virtue, they are by no means universal and sure; that the good man
does not necessarily meet tyrants and tortures, and that, on the
contrary, a life of virtue is perfectly compatible with repose and
enjoyment. I can say with equal truth, that love is often accompanied
by content and happiness; and what makes another distinction of
infinite advantage to my argument, I may add that love, though it often
deludes, never holds out other than hopes of bliss and joy, whilst
religion exacts from her votaries mortification and sorrow.

"'Do not be alarmed,' said I, perceiving that I had almost offended his
zealous feelings of devotion. 'I only wish to say, that there is no
more unsuccessful method of weaning man's heart from love, than by
endeavouring to decry its enjoyments, and by promising him more
pleasure from the exercise of virtue. It is an inherent principle in
our nature, that our felicity consists only in pleasure. I defy you to
conceive any other notion of it; and it requires little time to arrive
at the conviction, that, of all pleasures, those of love are
immeasurably the most enchanting. A man quickly discerns the delusion,
when he hears the promise made of livelier enjoyment, and the effect of
such misrepresentation is only to make him doubt the truth of a more
solid promise.

"'Let the preacher who seeks the reformation of a sinner tell me that
virtue is indispensably necessary, but not disguise its difficulty and
its attendant denials. Say that the enjoyments of love are fleeting,
if you will, that they are rigidly forbidden, that they lead with
certainty to eternal suffering; and, what would assuredly make a deeper
impression upon me than any other argument, say that the more sweet and
delectable they are, the brighter will be the reward of Heaven for
giving them up in sacrifice; but do in the name of justice admit, that,
constituted as the heart of man is, they form here, on earth, our most
perfect happiness.'

"My last sentence restored to Tiberge his good humour. He allowed that
my ideas were not altogether so unreasonable. The only point he made,
was in asking me why I did not carry my own principle into operation,
by sacrificing my passion to the hope of that remuneration of which I
had drawn so brilliant a picture. 'Oh! my dear friend,' replied I;
'that it is which makes me conscious of my own misery and weakness:
true, alas! it is indeed my duty to act according to my argume