Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-12-17
gflistellamtous.
The Young Country Clergyman.-A
Scottish Story.

"a Iub i OluE OOuhbIJ SlCl by Z,
Scottish Story.
A The young clergyman of the parish of -
N had been married three months. 1t had beer
noted by all who had opportunities of obsery-
tos him that very great change had of late
rOme over his manners. Before his mar
ragp he had been remarkable for certain
wild buoyancy of spirits, which the more Sc
late and censorious of his critics did not fail to
find fault with as unbecoming in clergyman,
aud which was all the more suspected by them,
that il was coupled in his case with bold and
mustlal mode of expressing himself on relig-
ons subjects. Not that there was anything
which they could complain of as positively un-
orthodox in his sentiments on the contrary, it
was observed that in his sermon he used to be
mwn, as if by natural tendency, to those
pccnl and inner doctrines, in fondness for
which orthodoxy was conceived to consist
His Representations in particular, of the Incl
icuts of Gospel hsory were marked, when
iOntrasted with those of other clcrgymen, with
freshness and power that were quite surpri-
ing Still even here there was something
lssuiisfying TO one portion of his critics. lie
aimed, they said, at making Scriptura scenes
Too vivid. II was rcmembcredagainst him, for
Instance, that he had once spoken Of Christ
Walking on the green grass and, that on an
tlcr occasion, not in the pulpit, but in con-
wrsation, he had described with great enthu-
,asni, the effect produced on his mind by u
Tough engraving of Albert Durcr, representing
Christ driving the money-changers out of the
Temple. The vague sensation Of uncasincss
which these little ecccntricites of speech, as
they were considered to be, produced in the
minds of those critics. was complicated, as we
have mentioned, with a fcclngof alarm, caused
iy the amazing flow of animal spirits which
every one remarked in the young clergyman.
Other critics there were, however, who be-
ing less consciously disposed, or more clear
sighted and penetrating, were very hopeful of
his future career His faults they regarded as
those natural to young man distinguished for
what they called highly imaginative turn of
mind and they trusted that these would dis
appear ms he became older, and the various
elements Of his character became more thor
onghly interwrought. This view was adopted,
particular, by the clergyman of one of the
adjoining parishes, n man already past the
prime of life, and in whose heavy brows was
Indicated sort of moral sternness, which, con-
lolncd us il was with an intellect of no COM
mon order, made him the rnling mind Of the
district The opinion of such man, very de-
cllcdly expressed in favor of his young col
league, had the effect, to some extent, of hush
lhg the remarks of the inferior critics. This
man, however, held an opinion of his own re-
'pccling his young friend, which, although he
had never made it public, he had not failed Sc
ronsly to hint to the youth himself. any dear
boy he had once said to him, grasping his
hand, and speaking in tone of tenderness
which both surprised and affected :he young
man, there is great difference between po-
etlcal fcrvor on Christian topics and the piety
which clergyman ought to have"
There was yet another class of critics with
whom the young clergyman f formed
subject of discussion. These were his most
intimate acquaintance; young men who had
formerly been his class fellows, and who, from
their residenccsat greater orless distances from
'lc remote part of the country where he was
se'tledi still kept up correspondence with
MN. With these he was not only q fayorite,
nut An object of quite peculiar kind of inter-
rst. They knew him better than those among
whom he was now cast; and in some of the
most pleasant and enduring recollections of
Their lives he was principal figure. Evenings
lhey had spent in his lodging when they were
Students together at college, walks they had in
MS company, little humorous eXtravagancies,
ana riotOus outbreaks, of which on such occa-
slons he used to be guilty, and which, in fact,
gave such occasions their peculiar stamp and
invariably rehearsed when afew of them chanc-
cd to meet and talk over their college days.
lhcy understood better that superabundant
Mlrlfilness which so perplexed the new ac-
lllaiutances of their friend; indeed, this was
Sca'ccly the aspect of him which they remem-
b'Tcd best They had seen him in moods more
Profound, and as they thought, more charac-
ierstic; when, that exterior coat of mirthtul-
ness thrown off, he would be all intense, ener-
Eetic, and scornful when, awakened by some
sublime thought, his eye would open calm
and full, and every line of humor would
vanish from his countenance or, as was more
common still, when he would thrill them by
some low note OF sadness, the oyer-sobbingi as