24 THE FLOWERS

for the lovely little Aimée—yet why do I
call the comparison high? Are not images,
however beautiful, however exalted, however
held in honour, but. blocks of wood and
stone, carved into the similitude of man by
the hand of man? and is not the body of
man the work of God himself, and in every
instance wonderful and past imitation, and
even past comprehension ? for what doth
David say on this subject? “I am fearfully
and wonderfully made; marvellous are thy
works; and that my soul knoweth right
well,” Ps. cxxxix. 14.

Nevertheless, I own that the time has
been, when I bowed with religious awe be-
fore the graven image, and poured forth my
soul thereunto in solemn prayer, without
considering any of those subtle distinctions
which the learned of the papal church pre-
tend to make respecting relative and inferior
honour; for the Roman Catholic church,
when making its comments on the first com-
mandment, uses the following expressions,
which I shall give in the form of question
and answer, as I found them in the authorized
catechism published in England :—