The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-07-28


the preacher was bcIire'h he stood up /;
but your wonder will cease WHEN |
tell You, that in Scotland the good
old custom continues of having The
minister speak out of n deep box
4. misnamed a pulpit. Well. uprose
the tail. gaunt figure 81 the nav cecil
bfatcd Mr.. irvine. My di4apppint-
mept could plainly SEE was partici-
pated by many of the audience. But
| can plead 40 excuse for the "
breeding OF those ho Deliberately
rose up, aud'left the church on per-
celsins that the sp a>er VAS not DR..
Chalmers. Your inquiries about
Mr.. Irvine indicate IN uncommon
interest IN him shall therefore en-
deavor ~ give yon II full and fair
statement of the effect he produced
on my own feelings.
The Introductory prayer was stiff.
IilrIrss. aud uninteresling aud an
awkward imitation of the manner Of
DR.. Chalmers only made the bare
ness OF the SPEAKERS ideas more con-
spifuous. The national accent was
not 40 observable on his tongue |;
but the gesture and the general at
titudc be assumed, were a close im-
itation Of Or. Chalmers. lam told
that. after going to London, " lie
reformed ii altogether" and had the
good sense To make gesture study (;
80 that his majestic figure. aud his
bold commanding action, now lar-
monize finely in producing much of
the peculiar effect OF his cloquence.
The ideas Of the composition of
the discourse, we're somewhat pecu-
liar. In the first part ii the sermon,
there was nothing 10 distinguish
Mr.. IlAinC'a mind from that of the
common class of preachers IN Scot
land. The matter was efficiently
abstract, representative aud formal I;
aud the style had tho due degree OF
stiff and hookish phrasenlogy -
After dragging through a few
sentences Of this kind, he fling me
! back all NJ once, into the days of
/ Sprnser, by "A sAddcn and fantastic
attempt nj an imitation Of the style
Of the " olden time" After an aslt-
ward carlacole or two, he descend
ed from his borrowed Pegasus aud
for while, was content to tread the
vulgar earth once more. Again the
spi 1T of alleetaiion assaulted him; in
moment " black Surrey was sad
died for the field :" and 0ufe more
we were favored with Il display OF
the gallant and Anticipated horse
manship of The rider.
| returned To my 4" lodgings" in
that pcrplcXed and pcrplcNing mood
Of mind, in which we cannot tell
whether We arc pleased or dissatis-
fed. delighted or ,exed, or why we
should either be the one or the other.
Since Mr.. lrvinc'S " transporta-
ton" fas the Scotch call il to Lon
don, he is become an adept IN this
bnsines3 OF imitation 50 that his
DISCOURSE are now not unlike the
| immortal Baron Of BfaidWardin's
castle an odd picturesque. com
bilation OF ancient aud semi-no-
/ defn arts.
Daring my stay in Glasgow | eX-
erciscd truly American inqnisitive-
ness with regard 10 DR.. Chdlmera.
| bad the happiness Of becoming
somewhat acquainted with him; d
found that my Countrymcll have al
most universally fallen into n mistake
with respect To his genius Y character.
From vague report. and from pc.
rusal OF his sermons. many people
have imagined DR.. Chalmers peeu-
liar cast Of thought aud expression
to be all thing got up Oh purpose
to produce a certain effect. There
never was greater mistake. ne
We? in my life saw a man who had
more downright native simplicity OF
character. lie IL as incapable oi
doing any thing for effect, as Of a
Chewing mctcmpsycbOols. Hi-
broad dialect, his blunt manners. his
homcbrcd honesty OF heart, legiblt
in all his looks aud actions, are 81
many guarantees of his godly since.
rity. DR.. Chalmers composes and
breaches Just az hc talks to frien d
if the subject Of conversation is IN
teresting to his own feelings. Toncl
any department OF the cause OF chris
tian bencyolence or Of common phi.
Ianthropy, one, especially, on which
he has been contradicted or opposed
aud Immediately you kindie him ~
to the same sublnnity OF thought ant
ychemencc of emotion, which cha
racterixe him as speaker. IL Is