...passage deserves generous quotation, for it set the pattern for many Victorian accounts of deconversion. All at once, there rose a Thought in me, and I asked myself: "What art thou afraid of? ... What is the sum-total of the worst that lies before thee? Death? Well, Death; and say the pangs...

...Fire . . . To me the Universe was all void of Life, of Purpose, of Volition, even of Hostility . . . at once, there rose a Thought in me, and I asked myself: 'What art thou afraid of? . . . Well, Death; and say the pangs of Tophet too, and all that the Devil and Man may, will or can...

...sultry Dogday, after much perambulation, toiling along the dirty little Rue Saint Thomas de l'Enfer, among civic rubbish enough, in a close atmosphere, and over pavements hot as Nehuchadnezzar's Furnace ; wherehy doubtless my spirits were little cheered ; when, all at once, there...

...was I one sultry dog-day, after much perambulation, toiling along the dirty little Leith walk among rubbish enough, in a close atmosphere, and over pavements hot as Nebuchadnezzar's ; whereby doubtless my spirits were little cheered, when all at once there arose a thought in me and...