Every day almost they saw their new acquaintance; and civility produced
intimacy. Mary sometimes left her friend with them; while she indulged
herself in viewing new modes of life, and searching out the causes which
produced them. She had a metaphysical turn, which inclined her to
reflect on every object that passed by her; and her mind was not like a
mirror, which receives every floating image, but does not retain them:
she had not any prejudices, for every opinion was examined before it was
adopted.
The Roman Catholic ceremonies attracted her attention, and gave rise to
conversations when they all met; and one of the gentlemen continually
introduced deistical notions, when he ridiculed the pageantry they all
were surprised at observing. Mary thought of both the subjects, the
Romish tenets, and the deistical doubts; and though not a sceptic,
thought it right to examine the evidence on which her faith was built.
She read Butler's Analogy, and some other authors: and these researches
made her a christian from conviction, and she learned charity,
particularly with respect to sectaries; saw that apparently good and
solid arguments might take their rise from different points of view; and
she rejoiced to find that those she should not concur with had some
reason on their side.