A Clergyman

A Clergyman (in Modern Essays )‘A CLERGYMAN’ 1918.Fragmentary, pale, momentary; almost nothing; glimpsed and gone; as itwere, a faint human hand thrust up, never to reappear, from beneath therolling waters of Time, he forever haunts my memory and solicits my weakimagination. Nothing is told of him but that once, abruptly, he asked aquestion, and received an answer.This was on the afternoon of April 7th, 1778, at Streatham, in thewell-appointed house of Mr. Thrale. Johnson, on the morning of that day,had entertained Boswell at breakfast in Bolt Court, and invited him todine at Thrale Hall. The two took coach and arrived early. It seems thatSir John Pringle had asked Boswell to ask Johnson ‘what were the bestEnglish sermons for style.’ In the interval before dinner, accordingly,Boswell reeled off the names of several divines whose prose might ormight not win commendation. ‘Atterbury?’ he suggested. ‘ Yes,Sir, one of the best. Tillotson? Why, not now. Ishould not advise any one to imitate Tillotson’s style; though I don’tknow; I should be cautious of censuring anything that has been applaudedby so many suffrages.--South is one of the best, if you excepthis peculiarities, and his violence, and sometimes coarseness oflanguage.--Seed has a very fine style; but he is not very theological.Jortin’s sermons are very elegant. Sherlock’s style, too, is veryelegant, though he has not made it his principal study.--And you may addSmalridge. I like Ogden’s Sermons on Prayer very much, both forneatness of style and subtility of reasoning. I should like toread all that Ogden has written. What I want to know is, whatsermons afford the best specimen of E