And you will not get nearer to the meaning
of one verse, if, as soon as you are puzzled by it, you escape to
another, introducing three new words--"law," "members," and
"mind"; not one of which you at present know the meaning of; and
respecting which, you probably never will be much wiser; since men
like Montesquieu and Locke have spent great part of their lives in
endeavoring to explain two of them.
LUCILLA. Oh! please, sir, ask somebody else.
L. If I thought any one else could answer better than you,
Lucilla, I would: but suppose I try, instead, myself, to explain
your feelings to you?
LUCILLA. Oh, yes; please do.
L. Mind, I say your "feelings," not your "belief." For I cannot
undertake to explain anybody's beliefs. Still I must try a little,
first, to explain the belief also, because I want to draw it to
some issue. As far as I understand what you say, or any one else,
taught as you have been taught, says, on this matter,--you think
that there is an external goodness, a whited-sepulcher kind of
goodness, which appears beautiful outwardly, but is within full of
uncleanness: a deep secret guilt, of which we ourselves are not
sensible; and which can only be seen by the Maker of us all.
(Approving murmurs from audience.
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