and though he does not know I have taken notice of it, has
never in all that time asked anything of me for himself, though he is
every day soliciting me for something in behalf of one or other of my
tenants, his parishioners. There has not been a law-suit in the parish
since he has lived among them: if any dispute arises they apply
themselves to him for the decision; if they do not acquiesce in his
judgment, which I think never happened above once or twice at most, they
appeal to me. At his first settling with me, I made him a present of all
the good sermons which have been printed in English, and only begged of
him that every Sunday he would pronounce one of them in the pulpit.
Accordingly, he has digested[39] them into such a series, that they
follow one another naturally, and make a continued system of practical
divinity.

As Sir Roger was going on in his story, the gentleman we were talking of
came up to us; and upon the Knight's asking him who preached to-morrow
(for it was Saturday night,) told us, the Bishop of St. Asaph in the
morning, and Dr. South in the afternoon. He then showed us his list of
preachers for the whole year, where I saw with a great deal of pleasure
Archbishop Tillotson, Bishop Saunderson, Dr. Barrow, Dr. Calamy, with
several living authors who have published discourses of practical
divinity. I no sooner saw this venerable man in the pulpit, but I very
much approved of my friend's insisting upon the qualifications of a good
aspect and a clear voice; for I was so charmed with the gracefulness of
his figure and delivery, as well as with the discourses he pronounced,
that I think I never passed any time more to my satisfaction. A sermon
repeated after this manner, is like the composition of a poet in the
mouth of a graceful actor.

I could heartily wish that more of our country clergy would follow this
example; and, instead of wasting their spirits in laborious compositions
of their own, would endeavour after a handsome elocution[40], and all
those other talents that are proper to enforce what has been penned by
greater masters. This would not only be more easy to themselves, but more
edifying to the people.

L.

FOOTNOTES:

[34] _Humour._ Disposition.

[35] _Pad._ Easy-paced horse.

[36] _Is pleasant upon._ Jokes with; chaffs.

[37] _Conversation._ Manner of conducting oneself in intercourse.
Compare note on p. 40.

[38] _Humorist._ Whimsical person.

[39] _Digested._ Arranged.