presumption and folly. I have tried it too much not to know this, and am very sorry for all those who may be led to such ostentatious exertions against their eternal existence itself; because it is a mental rebellion against the Holy Spirit, and fit only for a soldier of Satan to perform.
Though I hope in a morning or two to call on you in Cirencester Place, I feared you might be gone, or I might be too ill to let you know how I am, and what I wish.
Let us look over Mr. Crabb Robinson's shoulder again, and (with his courteous permission) glance at a few more entries: —
'Feb. 19, 1826,—It was this day, in connexion with the assertion that "the Bible is the Word of God, and all truth is to be found in it,"—he using language concerning men's reason being opposed to grace, very like that used by the orthodox Christian, that he qualified and, as the same orthodox would say, utterly nullified all he said, by declaring that he understood the Bible in a spiritual sense. As to the natural sense, " Voltaire was commissioned by God to expose that. I have had," he said, " much intercourse with Voltaire, and he said to me: I blasphemed the Son of Man, and it shall be forgiven me, but they (the enemies of Voltaire) blasphemed the Holy Ghost in me, and it shall not be forgiven the."'
All the Spirits, it is worth notice, talk in the Blake manner. To resume: —
'I asked in what language Voltaire spoke. His answer was ingenious, and gave no encouragement to cross-questioning: "To my sensations it was English. It was like the touch of a musical key: he touched it probably French, but to my ear it became English." I also inquired, as I had before, about the form of the persons who appeared to him, and asked why he did not draw them? "It is not worth while. Besides, there are so many, the labour would be too great; and there would be no use in it."'
