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

THE NATIONALIIEC 191 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, ieedee: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 constaioiy
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