His mind was not sufficiently prepared for lessons of wisdom; had Egremont witnessed this scene, he might well have groaned in spirit over the ineffectualness of his prophesying.
Gilbert spoke with earnestness.

To him his friend's teaching had come as true and refreshing, and he could not lose such an opportunity as this of pushing on the work.

He insisted on the beauty there was in the Christian legend, on its profound spiritual significance, on the poverty of all religious schemes which man had devised to replace it.
'We want no religion!' cried Bunce angrily.

'It's been the curse of the world.

Look at the Inquisition! Look at the religious wars! Look at the Jesuits!' He was primed with such historic instances out of books and pamphlets spread broadcast by the contemporary apostles of 'free thought.' Of history proper he of course knew nothing, but these splinters of quasi-historic evidence had run deep into his flesh.