general conversation.

Cyril was a little confused at the unexpected question.

"I think all persecutions for conscience' sake are wrong," he said,
after a moment's pause, "and generally recoil upon the persecutors.
Spain lost Holland owing to her persecution of the people. France
lost great numbers of her best citizens by her laws against the
Protestants. I agree with you thoroughly, that the persecution of the
Nonconformists at present is a grievous error, and a cruel injustice;
but, at the same time, if you will excuse my saying so, it is the
natural consequence of the persecution by the Nonconformists, when
they were in power, of the ministers of the Church of England. My
tutor in France was an English clergyman, who had been driven from
his living, like thousands of other ministers, because he would not
give up his opinions. Therefore, you see, I very early was imbued
with a hatred of persecution in any form. I trust that I have not
spoken too boldly; but you asked for my opinion, and I was forced to
give it."

"At any rate, young sir, you have spoken manfully, and I like you
none the worse for it. Nor can I altogether gainsay your words. But
you must remember that we had before been oppressed, and that we have
been engaged in a desperate struggle for liberty of conscience."

"Which, having won for ourselves, we proceeded to deny to others,"
Mr. Wallace said, with a smile. "Cyril has us fairly, Mr. Harvey. We
are reaping what our fathers sowed. They thought that the power they
had gained was to be theirs to hold always, and they used it
tyrannously, being thereby false to all their principles. It is ever