The National Register. — London, England, 1808-12-04 00:00:00

NEC. 4. (15412661.7Jas in Josephs. Mrs. Powell s Marchioness employed 1 the voice of nature to express her feelings. The mus i c, by Mr. Kelly, was a good selection, rather than a good composition ; and Masters I)ouronset and Hackers vocal powers were once more called forth into in actiarming trio with Mr. Smith. The scenery is niost splendid : especially the scenes which repres.mt the garden of the convent, the lighted monastery, and the tomb of Josepha. The o pposition to this drama was great, but certainly . unjust. It could not be expected that the friends of the disappointed authors of 'I lw itlysterioas Bride and The ,cie,Te of M. Qaintin, would suffer a piece written, it is said. by Mr. Lewis, to receive the applause which it deserved, 'it hunt attempting to crush it at its first representation. We hope their envions designs will be disappointed, and that the Managers, by a few curtailments and alterations, will raise this interesting melo-drama so far above the reach of disapprobation as to secure its success. POPULAR PR EACH ERS, •.••111111.111M+ Who hath not heard it spoken, How deep you were within the Itookg of Heaven ? The very opener nod iotelligencer lletwcon the grace, the sanctities of heaven, And our dull workings.-- S(/ ARIN• ~ ~e ....Ndarip.m... t. , 1 . REV. BASIL WOOD, M. A. or RFCNTIAUI CHAPEL, LESSON GREEK. IT is not easy to explain the causes to which some cha racters owe their celebrity. Without any commanding claims on public atteu*on, without paramount preteasions to popularity, without the irresistabilityof superior genius, there are persons who, nevertheless, rise high into repu tition among their contemporaries, and consider them selves established in the estimation of mankind. Descrip tion. however, has anticipated this species of merit. Of the companions of this order of excellence, it may be as sameil, at least, that they are 44 giants among pigmies." and tt the one-eyed monarchs of the blind." They shine by contrast. if not by comparison. These constitute the s:ifter satellites, the lesser luminaries, of the intellectual hPinisphere. They serve us in the absence of ineriaian diligence. If they canna', challenge our admiration, still they are deserving of our gratitude. If they 410 not at tract our astonishment, they sometimes attach our atter t,on. While they fail to excite wonder, they may s!ill communicate delight. The Rev. BASIL WOOD, descended from respectable and religious parents, was by them sent to the University ('ONfortl, where he proceeded to the degree of A. M. He is now proprietor and Minister of Bentinck Chapel, on Limn Green, the Afternoon-Lecturer of St. Peter's, at. eornhill, Hector of Drayton, and Chaplain to the Most Noble the Marquis Townshend. The sphere of his duty H midently extensive, and he certainly tills it with fidelity. It i. something, then, to be accounted a faithful Minister of Christianity ; hut it is more, to be estimated as an able eud painb-taking Servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ ! o'l. for more of those " burning and shining lights," which, having " turned many to righteousness," shall shine for ever and ever, as fixed stars,. in the galaxy of an immortal glory ! Let us know to appreciate, and ear nestly implore, fresh examples of ecclesiastical excellence ; of that almost indescribable union, in the same individual, of divinity and Lumanity,—of solid learning with religious roar — o f th e d ee p es t inform Mimi of mind, with the lest enthusiasm of heart ! If an Agrippa is to be con it'ilida, if a Felix is to tremble, let 'hut a Paul appear. Oise " tervoar, without frenzy; boldness, without bi- Pir! . % reasoning, without presumption. Let Christian • 4.. k ! ~.;~ THE NATIONALIIEC 19 1 T ERY 761 inters devoutly aspire to adorn the great vocatisiii which they are called, and they will and that. the - eteioal Spirit of Truth is satiwithout its witness in 1 he consciences !of men ! I feel that it is impossible to insist too ineen on the necessity of cultivnting.ttiose qualities which atone rea der the pulpit invaluable. It is of the Rev. BASIL WOO I), however. that I have principally to speak. His out'. and appearance is gent le manly: Always remarkably clean mid neat, he, ie e dee:l4 ,uniformly reminds me of some lines in the ;stilts of the celebrated Dr. Donne. — go in immaculate clothes and symmetry, Perfect as circles, with .nea nicety As a young preacher; at his lira time, ;roes To preach, he With such commendable solicitude as to his iteStinenlii, it seems to me surprising how Mr. Wood can conceive himself at liberty to stop, while ascending the stairs of his pulpit, and chat, for Some seconds of time, with his Iteader in the desk below! This practice IA positively least repre hensible. I have since observed. es relating to this parti cular, one or the most distinguished of diyine%; and, lA stead of endeavouring, even by pompousness of ;sit, tit procure notoriety, he steals, as it were" info the pulpit, of which lie is so illustrious an ornament ! Not thns, how ever, Basil Wood. He, at present, goes to his pulpit inde corously i and he enters it with as flinch injudicious com placency. Scarcely has he condescendingly bowed his head down upon his cushion, when Net); abruptly As sumes an erect posture, and contempiates. with sutlicient sell-satisfaction, Iris assembled neditors,—soinetiow; ad justing his band, or, occasionally, strokim; his chin with his hands. Can I help it, if Mr. Wood, by his isishehs viour, compels me . to pursue this strain of criticism have nevertheless here to remark, and I remark it with sincerity" that his Prayers before his Sermon 4 tee coacise, appropriate, and generally excellent. 'Moe are of his (Mtn annposition. Mr. Wood is undoubtedly an instrnetive teacher, and a, correct speaker; but his sentiments exhibit little of the , profound or striking in theology, and his elocution is wit entitled to the praise of oratory. Ile is respectatAe, but tie is not eminent. He has nothing about him deserving the epithet of action ; his delivery Is formal and undistinwiish ing ; his cadences are measured and monotonoes, and, towards the conclusion of his sentences, he is coatinually inaudible. His magnificence is, therefore, without majes ty. His manner, on the whole, is not decisively impres sive; and his voice, which never rises into diguity, is sometimes painfully equable. He is also given to w though he appears anxious to be considered as pathetic. This preacher desires to be reputed as delivering his discourses extemporaneonsly ; and, because he manages to speak without incessantly consulting cep), he has ohtained the repotation to which lie aspired. He affords simile:B - of the defects incident to attesaplN at extempore eloquence, in verbal repetitions, and in sentences ititro duced with "l t, is worth our observation," or, 44 It is n or th yr observation ;" but he founds no truly legitimate right to the honors of extemporary oratory, since from his Doti -4, which are rather concealed between the leaves of his little bible, he may be perceived to read whole passages of his sermon, I think, also, his sermons are too long. Tie times are passed, when hearers estimated the value of reli gious haransnes by two or three turns of the hourglass; and, were it otherwise. Mr. Woind is not the preacher ho shonld venture wantonly to weary the patience of public audiences. Notwithstanding the observations here made on Mr. Wood, I am far from iinne;inini : r that he will he a! all at. fected by I hem in the opinions of those who co nstaioiy tend his chapel. Such persons have been so long aceestoie ed to his style of preachiug, and his }iris ate virtues have !ss 'ortitied him in their estimation, that they will, in all pr;)- bability, consider my present remarks as d ciatA Gel; I,y I ikt I 1 q. 441 ,1 r • • • • -L.A••••••