Jenkins, the clergyman, who was well acquainted
with the character of Mr. Johnson, and had a great respect for him,
accosted him with much civility; expressing his concern that he
could not enjoy just now so much of his conversation as he wished,
as he was obliged to visit a sick person at a distance, but hoped to
have a little talk with him before he left the village. As they
walked along together, Mr. Johnson made such inquiries about the
shepherd, as served to confirm him in the high opinion he
entertained of his piety, good sense, industry, and self-denial.
They parted; the clergyman promising to call in at the cottage in
his way home.

The shepherd, who took it for granted that Mr. Johnson was gone to
the parsonage, walked home with his wife and children, and was
beginning in his usual way to catechise and instruct his family,
when Mr. Johnson came in, and insisted that the shepherd should go
on with his instruction just as if he were not there. This
gentleman, who was very desirous of being useful to his own servants
and workmen in the way of instruction, was sometimes sorry to find
that though he took a good deal of pains, they now and then did not
quite understand him; for though his meaning was very good, his
language was not always very plain; and though the _things_ he said
were not hard to be understood, yet the _words_ were, especially to
such as were very ignorant. And he now began to find out that if
people were ever so wise and good, yet if they had not a simple,
agreeable, and familiar way of expressing themselves, some of their
plain hearers would not be much the better for them. For this reason
he was not above listening to the plain, humble way in which this
honest man taught his family; for though he knew that he himself had
many advantages over the shepherd, had more learning, and could
teach him many things, yet he was not too proud to learn even of so
poor a man, in any point where he thought the shepherd might have
the advantage of him.

This gentleman was much pleased with the knowledge and piety which
he discovered in the answers of the children: and desired the
shepherd to tell him how he contrived to keep up a sense of divine
things in his own mind, and in that of his family, with so little
leisure, and so little reading. "Oh! as to that, sir," said the
shepherd, "we do not read much except in one book, to be sure; but
with my hearty prayer for God's blessing on the use of that book,
wh