Thus much have I thought proper to premise. It is impossible to judge
correctly of the men of any age, without taking into consideration the
circumstances in which they were placed, and the opinions that
prevailed in their time. To apply the standard of this year of grace,
1856, to the religious enlightenment of more than two hundred years
ago, would be like measuring one of Gulliver's Lilliputians by
Gulliver himself. I trust that the world has since improved, and that
of whatever passing follies we may be guilty, we shall never
retrograde to the old narrow views of truth. If mankind are capable of
being taught any lesson, surely this is one--that persecution or
dislike for opinion sake is a folly and an evil, and that we best
perform the will of Him to whom we are commanded to be like, not by
contracting our affections into the narrow sphere of those whose
opinions harmonize with ours, but by diffusing our love over His
creation who pronounced it all "very good."




THE KNIGHT OF THE GOLDEN MELICE.




CHAPTER I.

Come on, Sir! now you set your foot on shore,
_In novo orbe_.