The Sir Roger de Coverley PapersSteele, Richard, Sir
General
The Sir Roger de Coverley Papers
Steele, Richard, Sir
English essays
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 (79: 5)
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 (10)
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 (15)
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 endeavor
after a handsome elocution, and all those other (20)
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.
VII. THE COVERLEY HOUSEHOLD
[No. 107. Tuesday, July 3, 1711. STEELE.]
Æsopo ingentem statuam posuere Attici
Servumque collocarunt aeterna in basi,
Patere honoris scirent ut cuncti viam.
PHAED.
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