But this is a digression. With regard to myself, a 215powerful conviction rested at this season on my mind, that I was not in the right path; but being shackled with the trammels of popery, which I surveyed with increasing suspicion, I scarcely knew how to proceed. During the time I was in Ireland, my besetments on this account were painfully distressing. ‘If the blind lead the blind, shall they not both fall into the ditch?’ and for some time my spiritual guides conducted me into many a miserable quagmire of superstition and absurdity. On complaining of uneasiness of mind, I was directed to proceed forthwith to the priest, in order to confess and receive absolution. My misgivings, as to the value of these services, grew stronger; but the importunity of friends prevailed, and away I went. On arriving at the chapel, which, in fact, was a barn, I found a crowd of persons, all waiting to be relieved of their respective moral burdens. His reverence at length appeared; and a haughtier figure I do not remember to have seen. On commencing the service, which to me was an intolerable jargon, a fierce rush was made by those without for admission. The reason for such haste did not consist in any specially devout desire first to catch the benedictions of the reverend gentleman. We had been informed that it was a deadly sin to eat before confession; so that hunger had nearly driven us to extremities; and an open door, leading to what it might, was hailed with delight, as the promise of relief of some sort. On pressing forward, I unfortunately broke my watch-glass, which by no means tended either to sweeten or equalize my feelings; and after a tremendous row, which had nearly ended in a fight, I was ushered into the presence of the priest. ‘Tell out your sins,’ said he. This was a terrific commencement; but there was no escape. I therefore related several particulars of my past life, not forgetting several occurrences that took place during my campaigns abroad. He then advised a course of penance, and ordered me to see him again, stating that 216on a future occasion he should administer the Eucharist, after which all would be well. I hope he obtained a forgiveness better than that he pretended to bestow.