I am very sensible, my lords, continued Miss Harris, that the foibles of those to whom we are indebted for our existence, though open to the attack of all the world beside, ought to be sacred to us. But it is incumbent on me to paint my father's character, in order to inform you of the origin of my misfortunes. He was the younger son of a family of distinction, had received every advantage of education, and had travelled all over the world; which he himself said had divested him of many narrow prejudices! But this was not sufficient for him--he must triumph over reason and nature. He was too wise to adopt the opinions of his fore-fathers, yet at the same time too indolent to establish any of his own; and as he lived without system, he made present convenience the rule of his conduct. His virtues consequently were _accidental_--but his vices _habitual_. A clergyman that kept him company countenanced _his errors_, and confirmed _my belief_, that religious duties were only an _imposition on the vulgar_. I am sure, my lord, you must agree with me in thinking that _immorality_ in a _clergyman_ is as unpardonable as _cowardice_ in a _soldier_. _One_ flies from the foes of his _king_ and _country_; the _other_ justifies the _enemies of his God_. My father married a young lady of large fortune. She had received a very religious education, and had too much sensibility not to be exceedingly wounded at his infidelity. He told her it was very well she thought as _she did_--that all capacities cannot command a sufficient degree of attention to pursue the intricacies of philosophical speculation; neither if they could, are they endowed with proper powers of perception to discern and judge for themselves. As these must necessarily be governed by prejudices, if you remove them, you leave such weak objects without any principle _whatever_.