Now shame on the coward soul, which wants the courage either to be a firm Friend or open Enemy!' 'To look upon guilt with horror, Matilda, is in itself a merit: In this respect I glory to confess myself a Coward.

Though my passions have made me deviate from her laws, I still feel in my heart an innate love of virtue.

But it ill becomes you to tax me with my perjury: You, who first seduced me to violate my vows; You, who first rouzed my sleeping vices, made me feel the weight of Religion's chains, and bad me be convinced that guilt had pleasures.

Yet though my principles have yielded to the force of temperament, I still have sufficient grace to shudder at Sorcery, and avoid a crime so monstrous, so unpardonable!' 'Unpardonable, say you?
Where then is your constant boast of the Almighty's infinite mercy?
Has He of late set bounds to it?
Receives He no longer a Sinner with joy?
You injure him, Ambrosio; You will always have time to repent, and He have goodness to forgive.

Afford him a glorious opportunity to exert that goodness: The greater your crime, the greater his merit in pardoning.