An American philosopher called, and told him that, having failed to find a new creed, he thought the old superstitions had better be kept up, Popery for choice.

"This," remarks Froude, "is what I call want of faith.

If you can believe that what you are convinced is a lie may nevertheless exert a wholesome moral influence on people, and that, whether true or not, or rather though certainly not true, it is good to be preserved and taken up with, you are to all practical purposes an atheist." While he was at Boston Froude saw a great fire, and his description of it is hardly inferior to the best things in his best books.

He was staying with George Peabody, equally well known in England and the United States as a philanthropist, "one of the sweetest and gentlest of beings." "As we were sitting after dinner, the children said there was a fire somewhere.

They heard the alarm bell, and saw a red light in the sky.