but slanderous attacks on their religion, surely the shafts would fall
harmless on the armor of truth. Why then so strenuously oppose their
reading such works? Florry, the trite adage, 'Truth is the hardest of
all to bear,' is applicable to these prelates of papacy; who, knowing
their danger, are fully resolved to guard the avenues of light and
knowledge. The Pope of imperial Rome, surrounded as he is with luxury,
magnificence, and hosts of scarlet-liveried cardinals, who stand in
readiness to convey his mandates to the remotest corners of the earth,
has been made to tremble on his throne by the pen of feeble woman. The
truthful delineations of Charlotte Elizabeth startled his Holiness
of the Vatican, and the assistant conclave of learned cardinals are
trembling lest their laity of the Green Isle should catch a glimpse
of light. A bull was quickly fulminated against her heretical
productions. Alas! when, when will the Romish Church burst the iron
bands which begirt her?

"The world at large--I mean the world as composed of Protestants,
latitudinarians, politicians, statesmen, and fashionable dunces,
are in a great measure acquainted with these facts; but knowing the
rapidly increasing power of papal Rome, and the vast influence already
wielded in this happy land by its priesthood, they prefer to float
along with the tide, rather than vigorously resist this blasting
system of ignorance, superstition, and crime which, stealthily
approaching from the east and from the west, will unite and crush the
liberties of our glorious Republic. As patriots, they are called on
to oppose strenuously its every encroachment--yet they dare not; for
should they venture to declaim against its errors, they endanger
their popularity and incur the risk of defeat at an ensuing election.
Florry, I was once conversing on this subject with a lady who had
recently visited Europe, and inquired of her if she had not marked the