The De Coverley Papers | Page 9

though he does not show it: I have
given him the parsonage of the parish; and because I know his value,
have settled upon him a good annuity for life. If he outlives me, he
shall find that he was higher in my esteem than perhaps he thinks he is.
He has now been with me thirty years; and though he does not know I
have taken notice of it, has never in all that time asked anything of me
for himself, though he is every day soliciting me for something in
behalf of one or other of my tenants, his parishioners. There has not
been a law-suit in the parish since he has lived among them: if any
dispute arises they apply themselves to him for the decision; if they do
not acquiesce in his judgment, which I think never happened above
once or twice at most, they appeal to me. At his first settling with me, I
made him a present of all the good sermons which have been printed in
English, and only begged of him that every Sunday he would
pronounce one of them in the pulpit. Accordingly, he has digested[39]
them into such a series, that they follow one another naturally, and
make a continued system of practical divinity.
As Sir Roger was going on in his story, the gentleman we were talking
of came up to us; and upon the Knight's asking him who preached
to-morrow (for it was Saturday night,) told us, the Bishop of St. Asaph
in the morning, and Dr. South in the afternoon. He then showed us his
list of preachers for the whole year, where I saw with a great deal of
pleasure Archbishop Tillotson, Bishop Saunderson, Dr. Barrow, Dr.
Calamy, with several living authors who have published discourses of

practical divinity. I no sooner saw this venerable man in the pulpit, but
I very much approved of my friend's insisting upon the qualifications of
a good aspect and a clear voice; for I was so charmed with the
gracefulness of his figure and delivery, as well as with the discourses
he pronounced, that I think I never passed any time more to my
satisfaction. A sermon repeated after this manner, is like the
composition of a poet in the mouth of a graceful actor.
I could heartily wish that more of our country clergy would follow this
example; and, instead of wasting their spirits in laborious compositions
of their own, would endeavour after a handsome elocution[40], and all
those other talents that are proper to enforce what has been penned by
greater masters. This would not only be more easy to themselves, but
more edifying to the people.
L.
FOOTNOTES:
[34] Humour. Disposition.
[35] Pad. Easy-paced horse.
[36] Is pleasant upon. Jokes with; chaffs.
[37] Conversation. Manner of conducting oneself in intercourse.
Compare note on p. 40.
[38] Humorist. Whimsical person.
[39] Digested. Arranged.
[40] Handsome elocution. Good style of delivery.

NO. 107. TUESDAY, JULY 3
Aesopo ingentem statuam posuere Attici, Servumque collocârunt

aeterna in basi, Patere honoris scirent ut cunctis viam.
PHÆDR. Epilog. l. 2.
The Athenians erected a large statue to Æsop, and placed him, though a
slave, on a lasting pedestal; to show, that the way to honour lies open
indifferently to all.
The reception, manner of attendance, undisturbed freedom and quiet,
which I meet with here in the country, has confirmed me in the opinion
I always had, that the general corruption of manners in servants is
owing to the conduct of masters. The aspect of every one in the
family[41] carries so much satisfaction, that it appears he knows the
happy lot which has befallen him in being a member of it. There is one
particular which I have seldom seen but at Sir Roger's; it is usual in all
other places, that servants fly from the parts of the house through which
their master is passing; on the contrary, here they industriously[42]
place themselves in his way; and it is on both sides, as it were,
understood as a visit when the servants appear without calling. This
proceeds from the humane and equal temper of the man of the house,
who also perfectly well knows how to enjoy a great estate, with such
economy as ever to be much beforehand[43]. This makes his own mind
untroubled, and consequently unapt to vent peevish expressions, or
give passionate or inconsistent orders to those about him. Thus respect
and love go together; and a certain cheerfulness in performance of their
duty is the particular distinction of the lower part of this family. When
a servant is called before his master, he does not come with an
expectation to hear himself rated for some trivial fault, threatened to be
stripped[44] or used with any other unbecoming language,