Part 15 (1/2)

Memory was taxed, my own manuscripts were examined, and authorities were consulted His lordshi+p's library abounded in political inforical, and I had recourse to that of the British Museum

I did not indeed compose with all the rapidity hich I wrote my first political effusion; for I had not only been rendered more cautious, but, exclusive of the conversations and eular attention was to be paid to the levees of the bishop

To these the sedulous Enoch carefully accompanied me; for no man pursued his own interest, as far as he understood it, with greater avidity Circumstances were unfavourable, or he would certainly have been a bishop hiht have been dispensed with, but not these and the total want of patronage

The bishop, finding us thus continually paired, one day gave lad to seethe motive, I was careful to coht reverend dignitary, no other person being present, gave me to understand that he had read my sermon with satisfaction

After this and various other circumlocutory efforts and hints, he at last spoke ood one, and he had an inclination to deliver it himself, at one of the cathedrals where he intended to preach But then it must be in consequence of a positive assurance, from me, that I should act with discretion He did not want serh, if it were known it were a borrowed discourse, especially borrowed froate fronity

Enraptured at the fund of self approbation which I collected from all this, I ardently replied, 'I knew not how to express my sense of the honour his lordshi+p did me; that I could neither be so absurd as to offend his lordshi+p nor so unjust as to be insensible of his favours; that I held the sacerdotal character to be too sacred to suffer any uilty of the criehis kind intention, my lips should be irrevocably and for ever closed The honour would be an aht be, it was reater perhaps than I deserved'

It e I should fall into a mistake common to mankind, and consider secrecy as a virtue; yet I think it strange that I did not soon detect the duplicity of ent of deceit

But this proves that idly to chastise myself into truth; nor had it been in the least aided by the exareeable Enoch Perhaps I did not even, at the eration

Notwithstanding the caution given overnor than I hastened to ht friend Tell him indeed I ood neholly secret would be to render the severe covenant cruel

What could be done?

Enoch perceived a part ofcalled to take him with me This was too fair an opportunity to miss I answered the bishop had desired to see

'Indeed!' said the suspicious pastor 'What could be his lordshi+p's reason for that? Have I given offence?' 'No, no,' answered I, with a condescending look to calm his fears; 'but I am not at liberty to tell you the reason There will be no breach of confidence however inyou that his lordshi+p is to preach, next Sunday sevennight, at--cathedral Many of the clergy, as I have gathered from him, are to be present; and he intends to make doctrinal points the subject of his discourse He expects the attendance of his friends, no doubt, and I shall be there' 'And I too,' said Enoch, 'though I should be obliged to pay a guinea at ained and my vanity thus disburthened, I left the divine man, and hastened to Bruton-street, to defend subscription with ten fold vigor My young laurels were ripening apace: they were already in bud, and were suddenly to bloouin was loaded with the naan to swell to a formidable size

Mean while the day of exultation came, and I and Enoch, with Miss and her Mamma, for I could not be satisfied with less than the whole faer, procured ourselves places, and rallied our devout emotions as stedfastly as we could, amid the indecent riot of boys, the monotony of the responses, and the apathy of the whole choir

In spite of all s, never was service th canificently toward the pulpit The lawn expanded, dignity was in every fold, and what had been great before seemed immeasurable! Mamma blessed herself, at the spectacle of power so spiritualized! Miss protested it was immense! Enoch was ready to fall down and worshi+p! I olden calf of ; it was the divine rhapsody that was iation

The right reverend father in God began, and with hian my dissatisfaction His voice was thick, his delivery spiritless, and his candences ridiculous His soul was so overlaid with brawn and dignity that, though it heaved, panted, and struggled, it could never once get vent Speaking through his apoplectic organs, I could not understand pipe, and the tantalizing struurdy! Never was hearer in; never was hearer better pleased to have it over! Every sentence did but increase the fever of h he could not discover the cause The orator indeed produced no emotion in hiood as he expected! He had never, I believe, been entertained at a sermon in his life; not even at his own He went to hear sermons sometimes, because it was decorous, because he was a parson, and because it was his trade to preach thee his mind or improve his morals

His lordshi+p however had no sooner descended than he was encircled by as ht to approach; a whom, to my shame be it spoken, I was one I did not indeed applaud either his discourse or his delivery; I was not quite so depraved, nor so wholly forgetful of the feelings he had excited! but I laboured out an aukward panegyric on the i it was to a nation, orthy persons were chosen to fill such high offices Thus endeavouring to quiet my conscience by a quibble, and with a half faced lie make him believe what it was impossible I could mean

The discourse too was praised abundantly It was divine! His lordshi+p had never delivered h no man could be better convinced that in reality this was all fact, yet co from them I knew it to be all falsehood They could not characterize what they could not hear; and the estive stoh it had yet but little influence upon my conduct

CHAPTER X

_The critic once more consulted in vain: The Bishop less fastidious: The playhouse: Elbows and knees or virtue in danger: Mrs Jordan_

It was possible I found, under the rose be it spoken, even for a bishop to be a blockhead: but, if that bishop had sense enough to discernof his censurers My defence of the articles would indeed do its own business: yet to coe by which it was perhaps my duty to profit

Politics necessarily had their interval; but, though this created delay, th finished, fairly recopied, and ihost of Turl haunted me Not with terror! No: I had prepared a charm, that could arrest or exorcise the evil spirit Let hiround and I would hurl defiance at him

Refrain I could not, and to hi! 'Does he,' said I, 'pretend to learning, taste, and genius, yet stoop to this drudgery?'

It was a good prefatory pretext to introducesuch an e, by ad as little as he could to the false wants and vices of men, and at the same time to pursue a plan, on which he was intent