The Wildfire Club - The Emma Hardinge Britten Archive

OR TORN LEAVEll I"'llox LIFE JlIS'tORY. 1.')1
sion to Omniscient Wudom. Remember, Gabrielle, there
are such things as evil promptings, as well as good; and
though these may appeiU to the leading characteristics
within, it were vain for us to be endowed with the PO'lDf!A"
of discriminating between good and e1il, if we are not to
use it; vain the knowledge, if not to apply it; vain the
possibility of improvement, if a blind fate governs us as
mere instrumentilities, either to be forced upward or
violently repelled backward. For my part, I deem the
faculty to improve, and the constant suggestion or attraction
to do so, constitutes the sovereignty of man, and de:.
fines the action of Omniscient Good. But enough of this;
you speak of inspiration and fate as one and the same. I
think them widely different - inspiration, as one of the
agents of man's improvement, being directly antagoDistic
to that fatality which mocks at the possibility of progression;
and by way of illustration I want you to tell me
what you have done with that wonderful singing beggar
you picked up some three weeks ago."
"Good Heavens! " cried the erratic beauty, clapping her
hands; .. why, I have forgot all about my poor improvvisatore.
I gave him in charge to Signor. Luigi to clothe,
board, educate, and civilize; and, in strict expectance that
he is to become the primo tenore of the whole world, I
persuaded the poor savage to apprentice himself to the
politic signor on the very night when we were all introduced
to each other, just three weeks ago this very day."
.. Gabrielle," replied her lover, .. do you remember that
my good uncle, General Kalozy, was wrecked in the Santa
Cecilia, and only rescued by the noble efforts of one of the
crew? He left the poor fellow sick at a fisherman's hut,
and when he returned to seek him, found he was gone.
Two days ago he told me, with unbounded joy, he had met