1817 Oct 13

Not Paul

Period before Conversion

Cloven tongues

that on this occasion ‘they that gladly received his (Peter’s) word were baptized:’ and as to the number of the persons in whose instance this preparation to /for/ or substitute to an admission ticket is an entry in a register book was performed /had place/, though is such a case exaggeration is an incident altogether natural, yet no particular reason /ground/ for diminishing /defalcation/ the number presents itself.

Be the assembly what it may and be the occasion of it what it may, in the eyes of every man in whose instance it exceeds the number that had been expected by law, it will in proportion to the excess be the subject /an object/ of wonder.

In the instance in question so it really happened that in the instance of a portion more or less considerable of the company the enthusiasm had received assistance from the exciting powers of the intoxicating beverage, the intensity of the sentiment /passion/ of wonder would naturally receive a proportionable encrease. The fact that wine had been at work is not only directly asserted but indirectly admitted: the denial deduced /insinuated by a reference/ from the time of the day is but argumentative, and the argument seems to want much of being conclusive.

If at the time the wind happened to be higher than common, in this supposition by whatsoever in the degree of its velocity there was or appeared to be beyond the ordinary degree the aggregate sensation would naturally be excited.