reproach me with having facilitated his commission of crimes, or be able to say, my friend has ruined me by his kindness.”*

ON THE VANITY OF WOMEN, AND THEIR LOVE OF FINERY.

Or all the faults of the female character none is more common than an excessive fondness for dress, and a wish to be admired. These, by the confession of females themselves, constitute their predominant passion. What shall we say of Christian priests, styling themselves "the salt of the earth," who encourage in the sex a spirit ruinous to themselves, and causing them to be the instruments of corrupting and ruining others? This the Jesuits do.

"A woman may be permitted to hide any bodily deformity by means of the ornaments of dress," says the Father Immanuel Sa; "and supposing she adorn her person purely out of vanity, or from a wish to appear beautiful, not being so in reality, she commits no mortal sin in doing so." "The same liberty," he adds, "may be granted even to a Nun, provided she be moderate in her expenses;" that is, do not dis

* Senec. De Benef., 1. 2, tom. 1, p. 630.

pose of the money in dress which she ought to give to the poor*.

To the doctrine of Immanuel Sa, just cited, we will add that of Escobar. "Supposing a woman to be excited by no bad motive to dress extravagantly, but doing it from a natural inclination to appear fine, she commits only a venial sin, and in some cases no sin at all."+

"A female," remarks the Jesuit Lesseau, "commits no mortal sin in placing herself within the view of young men who, she well knows, will gaze upon her with lascivious eyes, admitting she has any reason of necessity or utility for doing so, or that she only wishes to enjoy the common liberty of going in and out of her own house, or standing at the door or window, &c." "Neither do women sin mortally in decking themselves with superfluous ornaments; in using habits so thin as to expose their bosoms, or even leaving their bosoms entirely bare, if they do

* Ornari potest femina ad tegendam turpitudinem, quod si fiat ad vanitatem, ad fingendam pulchritudinem, mortale non est, etiam in Religiosa, si moderate se ornet.-Sa, Word Orn., n. 1, p. 486.

† Ornatus corporis si fiat non malo fine, sed ob naturalem fastus inclinationem, veniale tantum erit, aut aliquando nullum.-Escob., tr. 1, ex. 8, c. 1, p. 181, n. 5.

Mortaliter non peccant mulieres, quæ se præbent conspiciendas adolescentibus, a quibus se credunt turpiter concupiscendas, si hoc faciant aliqua necessitate, aut utilitate, aut ne se privent sua libertate, vel jure exeundi domo, vel standi ad ostium vel fenestram domus.Lesseau, Professor in cases of Conscience, in his Sheets on the Decal., dictated at Amiens, art. 4.

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these things in conformity to the custom of the country, and not from any evil intention."*

The Jesuit, Father Stoz, says that "A female commits no mortal sin in using paint, perfume, or needless ornaments, from the sole motive of a little vain glory, and for the gratification of a wish to appear handsome, though at the same time she be persuaded that many of the other sex, seeing her thus adorned and embellished, will conceive a violent love for her."+

The last specimen I shall give is better adapted to the taste of the present day.

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Young people have always considered themselves at liberty to be gay and fine." (Thus the gallant Jesuit, Le Moine, addresses our young ladies.) “Every day, nature beautifies the young sunflower with new tints; youth should therefore," he adds, "be allowed to adorn themselves at an age which may be called the verdure and bloom of their days— the morning and spring of their lives." In another place he observes, "It is to the stars only that it is becoming to be always in company, and constantly at the ball, because they only possess the charms of perpetual youth."§

* See the Factum of the clergy of Amiens, July 5, 1685.

In his Trib. de la Penit., 1.1, part 3, ques. 7, art. 3, parag. 3, n. 312, p. 228, col. 2.

ON GLUTTONY AND DRUNKENNESS.

WE have now to add the sentiments of the Jesuits relative to excess in eating and drinking, to complete the doctrine of concupiscence.

And let it not be supposed that they are going to urge the necessity of being frugal, temperate, and sober. No, no; according to their morality it is right that Bacchus and Venus should wed. Those virtues would confine sensuality within a circle by far too narrow. No abstinence, no restraint, say

these amiable fathers. Eat and drink as much as you can, there is no harm in a man's gratifying his appetite and taste. For this we have the authority of Escobar, in the following words: "Is it," he asks, "sinful, for a person to eat and drink as much as he can?" Then, in his usual bold and imperative strain, he replies, "No; I assert, as Sanchius" my colleague "has done, that there is nothing sinful in such conduct, provided it be not hurtful to the individual's health."*

This is a decision which must certainly have been produced in the midst of flagons and glasses; and while I contemplate it, I cannot forbear exclaiming

* An comedere et bibere usque ad satietatem absque necessitate ob solam voluptatem sit peccatum ?

Cum Sanctio respondeo negative, modo non obsit valetudini.— Escob., tr. 2, ex. 2, n. 102, p. 304.

with Horace, “O charming bowls, what mind has not been raised, what tongue has not been rendered eloquent, by the liquor you contain."* Is it, indeed, possible to imagine anything more eloquent and sublime than the maxim just now cited? Hear it again, ye sons of Bacchus, and be careful never to forget it. No; you will remain perfectly innocent, though you eat and drink till you are ready to burst, without any necessity, and solely for your own pleasure: you have the vouchers of two noted Jesuits for this. Only take care not to injure your bodily health, for that is of more consequence to these good fathers than your consciences. That you may be prepared to answer the scruples of your own minds, and to silence every rigourist, especially St. Peter and St. Paul, who forbid our indulging in "rioting and drunkenness," 99 66 excess of wine, revellings, and banquetings," + let the words of Escobar be engraven on the memory: "It is right for a man to enjoy the pleasure of gratifying all the cravings of his natural appetite." Thus you may taste the pleasures of sensuality in every form and degree; and in doing this you will be guilty of no sin, if you have only the prudence not to injure your health.

Hasten, then, ye Jesuit fathers, to the most distant

* Facundi calices quem non facere disertum!-Horace, epis. 5. "Is there a wretch whom bumpers have not taught

A flow of words, and loftiness of thought?"-Francis. † Rom. xiii. 13, and 1 Pet. iv. 3. Escob., tr. 2, ex. 2, n. 102, p. 304.