"Here is," says he, "this day a thing started, which, I think, every whit as much concerns us all, and the body, and every member of the people to know, as it does Peter; and I am surprised, unless the present ragans believe what their predecessor would have taught to be better than what they now teach (for nothing else can make us consent to it), that they should scruple to let us know it, and keep us ignorant, who are worshippers as well as themselves, of any matter which so nearly concerns us to know. I am for obliging the ragans to declare the truth. If this be a true prediction, all the relatives to it are true, and I insist that we hear it."

This speech emboldened several others; and all the populace siding with the colambs out of curiosity, cried out to know it.

Perceiving the ragans still hush, I rose; and beckoning the populace to silence, "Mighty king—you, honourable colambs—and you, good people," says I—"for it is to you I now speak, hear me with attention. You think, perhaps, that the suppression of the truth by your ragans (charged to their teeth by the most reverend of their whole body, whose infirmities rendering him unable, though his will is good, to declare this secret to you) will prevent the knowledge of that truth your old ragan would have taught, but you are mistaken; and that you may know I don't come here at a venture to try if I can relieve you, but with an assurance of doing it if you consent, I must let you know from me what the ragan would have taught. The ragan would have demolished this trumpery piece of dirt, this grimalkin, set out with horrid face and colour to fright children; this," I say, "he would have demolished, being assured it could neither do good nor hurt, give joy or grief to any man, or serve any other purpose whatsoever, but to procure a maintenance to a set of men who know much better than they dare to tell you. Can any of you believe this stupid piece of earth hears me?" Some of the ragans cried, "Yes!"—"And that he can revenge any affront I shall give him?" Again, "Yes, to be sure!"—"Let him then, if he dare," says I, whipping out my cutlass, and with the backside of it striking his head off. "This," says I, "O glumms, is what the ragan knew, and what I defy them to deny. Now," says I, "I will further show you to whom the old ragan would have taught you to make your petitions and pay your adorations; and that is to the Supreme Being, Maker of heaven and earth, of us and all things; who provides for us meat and drink, and all things, by causing the earth, which He has made, to produce things necessary for our use; that Being, whom you have heard of by the name of Collwar, and are taught at present to be afraid to speak to. And I appeal to your own hearts if many of you have ever thought of him. Again," says I, "let anything in the shape of man, that gives himself leave to consider at all, only tell me if what he can make, and does make, with his own hands, hath not more occasion to depend on him as its maker than he on that? Why, then, should not we depend upon and pray to our Maker?

"You very greatly mistake me, O glumms," says I, "if you imagine I would have all those reverend men turned out of employment as useless. No, I find they know too much of what is valuable; and therefore those who are willing to continue in the service of the mouch, and faithfully to teach you the old ragan's doctrine, and such farther lights of the great Being as they shall hereafter receive, let them continue your ragans still, and let others be chosen and trained up in that doctrine."

Here the poor old man got up again with much difficulty. "Mr. Peter," says he, "you are the-man predicted of; you have declared the old ragan's mind, and all my brethren know it."

Finding I had the populace on my side (for I did not doubt the king and the colambs), I put the question to the ragans: "Reverend ragans," says I, "you see your prediction this day about to be fulfilled; for if it is a true one, no force of man can withstand it. You see your Image disgraced; you see, and I appeal to you all for the truth of it, that what the ragan would have taught has, without your assistance, been disclosed. I therefore would have you the first to break the bondage of idolatry and turn to the true Collwar, as it will be so much glory to you. Will you, and which of you, from henceforth serve Collwar, and no longer worship an idol? Such of you as will do so, let them continue in the mouch: if none of you will, it shall be my business to qualify a sufficient number of true ragans to form a succession for that purpose. The issue of this great affair depends upon your answers." They waited some time for a spokesman to begin, and so soon as he was able to get up, the poor old ragan said, "I will continue in it, and do all the good I can: and blessed be the day this prediction is fulfilled to succeeding generations! I have lived long enough to have seen this." Then the rest of the ragans, one by one, followed his example. And thus, with prodigious acclamations, both the ragans and people ended the great affair of religion.

I now more and more believed the truth of the prediction, and told them I should have occasion for seven hundred men before I set out against the rebels; and desired that they might be commanded by Nasgig. This was readily granted. I then told them, as I purposed to act nothing without their concurrence, I desired the colambs would remain in the city till I set out, that they might be readily called together.

I then desired I might be quite private from company till I departed.

I took Nasgig home with me; and when we came there, "My dear friend," says he, "what have you done to-day! You have crushed a power hitherto immovable; and I shall never more think anything too difficult for you to attempt."—"Nasgig," says I, "I am glad it is over. And now," says I, "you must enter on a new employ: but first, can you provide me fifty honest, faithful glumms for a particular expedition? they must be sensible, close, and temporising." He said he would, and come to me again.

I then desired a private audience with the king; who, on seeing me, began upon my success at the moucheratt. I told his majesty, if I alone, and a stranger, could gain such influence there, I might have had much more if he had joined me, especially as he had told me he gave no credit to the Image; and that I expected he would have appeared on my side. "Ah, Peter!" says he, "monarchs neither see, hear, nor perceive with their own eyes, ears, or understandings. I would willingly have done it; but Barbarsa prevented me, by assuring me it would be my ruin; and as he is my bosom friend, what reproaches must I have suffered if it had gone amiss! Nay, I will tell you that he and Nicor are of opinion that your coming hither, which is looked upon by us all as such a blessing, will one day undo me; 'for,' say they, 'though he may perform what you expect from him, it is not to be supposed he should suffer it to redound to you.' 'No,' say they, 'if he can do these great things, he can soon set you aside.' Thus, though I have no doubt of you, is my spirit wasting within me through perpetual fears and jealousies; and I cannot get these men, who, knowing all my secrets, are feared by me, into my own way of thinking."