n; and the only thing I have ever regretted since I knew you is, that
I have not one of them here to comfort and bless us and our children."

* God.

Though I was sorry for the oddity of her conceptions, I was almost glad
to find her so ignorant, and pleased myself with thinking that as she
had already a confused notion of a Supreme Power, I should soon have the
satisfaction of bringing her to a more rational knowledge of Him.

"Pray, Youwee," says I, "what is your God made of?"--"Why of clay," says
she, "finely painted, and looks so terrible he would make you tremble to
behold him."--"Do you think," says I, "that is the true Collwar's real
shape, if you could see Himself?" She told me yes, for that some of His
best servants had seen him, and took the representation from Himself.
"And pray, do you think He loves His best servants, as you call them,
and is kind to them?"--"You need not doubt it," says she.--"Why, then,"
replied I, "how came He to look so terrible upon them when they saw Him,
as you say they did? for I can see no reason, how terrible soever He
looks to others, why He should show Himself so to those He loves. I
should rather think, as you say He is kind to them, that He should have
two images, a placid one for His good, and a terrible one for His bad
servants; or else, who by seeing Him can tell whether He is pleased or
angry? for even you yourself, Youwee, when anything pleases you, have a
different look from that you have when you are angry, and little Pedro
can tell whether he does well or ill by your countenance; whereas,
if you made no distinction, but looked with the same face on all his
actions, he would as readily think he did well as ill in committing
a bad action." Youwarkee could not tell what to say to this, the fact
seeming against her.

I then asked her if she thought the image itself could hear her
petitions. She replied, "Yes."--"And can he," says I, "return you an
answer?"--She told me he only did that to his best servants.--"Did you
ever hear him do it?" says I. "For unless he can speak too, I should
much suspect his hearing; and you being one of his best servants, seeing
you love him, and pray heartily to him, why should you not hear him as
soon as others?"--"No," says she, "there are a great number of glumms
on purpose to serve him, pray for us to him, and receive his
answers."--"But to what purpose then," says I, "is your praying to him,
if their prayers will serve your turn?"-