Louisa. Oh, do tell me, dear mamma. I do love a mournful tale.
Mrs. B. But this was, in all probability, a fabricated story, to impose on the incautious: at least, I have every reason to consider it so. I found out so many untruths, that I was inclined to think the whole a complete falsehood. But we will not dwell longer upon this subject at present: at some future time, if we have nothing upon which we can more profitably employ our attention, I may perhaps give you a full account of the affair; but I have mentioned it to your father before, and will not, therefore, trouble him to listen to a repetition, as nothing is more tedious than a twice-told tale.
Ferdinand. I want to ask you a question, papa, before we begin our history. It is quite different from any thing we have been hitherto talking of, to be sure; but I was reading a book to-day, in which, speaking of some crime, it mentioned that it was punished by death, without benefit of clergy. Now I do not know what benefit of clergy means, and I thought you would be so good as to explain it to me.
Mr. B. That I shall most willingly, my dear boy. In order to encourage the art of reading in England, which formerly made but slow progress, the capital punishment for murder was remitted if the criminal could read; and this, in law-language, is termed benefit of clergy.
Edward. I should think the art must have made very rapid progress, when so highly favoured.
Mr. B. It does not appear that this was the case; for so small an edition of the Bible as six hundred copies, translated into English, in the reign of Henry the Eighth, was not completely sold in three years.
Emily. How different, my dear father, are the happy days in which we live. No family, however indigent, need now be without a Bible.
Edward. And almost every poor child has an opportunity, in some of the numerous charity-schools that are every where established, of learning to read it too, which is better still.
Mr. B. We do, indeed, my beloved children, live in very glorious times. The scriptural prophecy seems to be fast accomplishing, which declares, that "the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea." May we prize our high privilege, and may our more virtuous conduct bespeak our gratitude for the superior blessings we enjoy.
Louisa. In the days of the cruel Tarquin, papa, of whom we have been reading in our Roman history, the religion of Jesus Christ was not known. The wicked Tullia could not, I think, have acted so basely, had she been a Christian.