Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-08-24
A Character in Loihair.

Sheridan Knowles speaks OF " SOUND
so low there's nothing lives 'twixt it and
silence" | might say of Archbishop
Mannlng's figure that there is nothing
lives 'twixt it and skeleton He some
what resembles Stuart Mill in face and
figure, but Mill looks almost robust and
gorous in comparison. DR.. Manning's
style as a preacher CT speak now merely
Of his voice and diction), go as near to
my idea of perfection as any thing I can
well imagine. The voice is not powerful,
but it is wonderfully clear, penetrating
and sympathetic. Manning has, like the
famous tenor, Rubin, "a tear in his voice."
thrillingness and pathoes in every tone,
speaking with as much ease as John
Bright or Wendell Philips, and with
equal calmness or selfrestraint. He lets
his words fall slowly. He is fluent mas
much as he never stops merely for word
or makes a second attempt at word, but
his eloquence never runs away with him.
His language is admirably chosen, simple,
nervous. and commanding. He talks di-
rectly to his hearers, and it really is talk
ing rather than preaching. Each word
sinks down like the drip of falling water
The pronunciation is that of an exquisite
ly cultured scholar and gentleman. There
is no shooting forth of eloquent fire, but
there is cold and penetrating intensity.
Meanwhile look at the man. He is old,
weak and bald. His gesticulation is hard
and monotonous. 1t consists principally
Of the straightforward and almost menac-
ing extension Of the right arm over the
heads of the congregation, the thin fingers
crooked until they almost resemble the
talons of bird. The gestures, the wan
and cadaverous face, the strange costume
Of violet, all remind one of some magician
Of the middle ages. Nor does the dis
course, too, fail to bring up the merits Of
the middle ages. This sermon was de-
lverance urbi ct orbi. 1t was the chal-
lenge and defiance of the church of Rome
to all the combined powers of her enemies
education, freedom, progress. Dogmas
with which you would be reluctant tc
credit Roman Catholic, feeling least YOU
should offend and caluminate him, Arch
bishop Manning proclaimed and glorifet
as the essence and the privilege and thu
friends of the Roman Church. / never
before in all my life saw the bull of mod
ern progress so fairly and squarely taker
by the horns. AS an intellectual treat il
was to me, whose convictions it outraged
in every sentence, keenly interesting
and even absorbing performance. But
doubt it it equally absorbed the bulk O
the congregation, prepared to accept any.
thing and assent to anything. A gentle
man behind me slept during the whole
sermon. Two pretty young ladies neal
me giggled quietly at some fun Of then
own almost all the time while this gifted
earnest, sad, devoted man was striving
with all his soul and strength, to fight
ayainst the stars in their courses. 1t was
cutting blocks with razor, this preach
ing OF the scholar and priest to such a
congregation.
doubt if any among his own devotee'
followed him more closely, listened to hin
with a more profound and even respect
full interest than I-who objected with al
my heart and brain to every doctrine he
laid down-almost to every word he said
There was to me painful sort of facin-
alton about the whole affair-the shrunk-
en-, skeleton-like form, the pinched, mea
ger face, the presence which seemed moi
to belong to this world the exquisite
and thrilling voice which without the
slightest effort. and apparently in mono
tone, could ill the great chapel and pro.
duce such an effect; the pure and lofty
diction the easy, spontaneous evidences
of profound culture, and the doctrine Of
the dark ages the faith acknowledged as
frankly as Torquemada might have done
in the right of the church to rule all hu,
man affairs, of the priesthood as represent
atlves Of the supernatural to have full
dominion over the natural. 1 drove some
miles to hear the sermon, but it was il
one sense well repaid. | am not since
quite certain whether civilization is not q
failure, whether the Caucasian is not play
ed out. IF genius and the highest culture
and the noblest nature and the pures
heart may lead to this, why then-but
spare you my reflections, and like the
Venetian gentleman in Byron'S poem {" ]
do beseech you to suppose them."- Justin
McCafhy in Egening Mail.