very little serenity in Michael's composition. He had been a wayward and
passionate boy. He was a restless and excitable man--full of generous
impulses, as I have hinted, but sudden and hasty in action--swift in
anger--impatient of restraint and government. His religious views were
somewhat dim and undistinguishable even to himself. He believed--as who
does not--in the great First Cause, and in the usefulness of religion as
an instrument of good in the hands of government. I do not think he
troubled himself any further with the subject. He sometimes on the Sabbath
went to church, but oftener stayed at home, or sought excitement with a
chosen friend or two abroad. He hated professing people, as they are
called, and would rather shake hands with a housebreaker than a saint. It
has been necessary to state these particulars, in order to show how
thoroughly he lived uninfluenced by the high motives which are at once the
inspiration and the happiness of all good men--how madly he rested on the
conviction that religion is an abstract matter, and has nothing more to do
with life and conduct than any other abstruse branch of metaphysics. But
in spite of this unsound state of things, the gentleman possessed all the
showy surface-virtues that go so very far towards eliciting the favourable
verdict of mankind. He prided himself upon a delicate, a surprising sense
of honour. He professed himself ready to part with his life rather than
permit a falsehood to escape his lips; he would have blushed to think
dishonestly--to _act_ so was impossible. Pride stood him here in the stead
of holiness; for the command which he refused to regard at the bidding of
the Almighty, he implicitly obeyed at the solicitation of the most ignoble
of his passions. It is difficult to imagine a more dangerous companion for
a young widow than Michael Allcraft was likely to prove. Manliness of
demeanour, and a handsome face and figure, have always their intrinsic
value. If you add to these a cultivated mind, a most expressive and
intellectual countenance, rich hazel eyes, as full of love as fire, a warm
impulsive nature, shrinking from oppression, active in kindness and deeds