but goes straight forward, striving to regain their attention; if, on the other hand, he marks excited interest, his own feelings are sympathetically moved, and fresh force is given to his delivery. And, again, the extemporaneous preacher is often evidently embarrassed at the close of his sentences, in gathering what he is to say next. But when the sermon is written, the preacher continues confidently to the end of each paragraph; and can spare time to cast his eyes round to mark the impression, before he proceeds to another branch of his subject.

Such are the observations which I have to make

on delivery. Its real power depends, as you will have seen, not on any histrionic artifices of tone and posture, but on "the strong graphical expression of the feelings of the soul," pourtrayed by the tone, the manner, and expression-" the commanding mind becoming visible '," and the Christian spirit felt. To attain which, it is requisite that your hearers should be convinced, not only that you speak the genuine feelings of your own heart, but that you speak to them. Hence, highly important as are emphasis and pathos, and useful as gesture may be, there is something even beyond this in the searching and particularizing glance of countenance. This is the "caput artis ;" this is that which, beyond all other gifts, calls forth

1 See Christian Observer, vol. xiv. 523.

the sympathy of your hearers, and opens their heart to the reception of your words.

I cannot do better than close the subject of delivery with an account, given by Dr. Gregory, of the effect produced by the preaching of Robert Hall, who, by common consent of men of all opinions, possessed, in the highest excellence, the essential qualities of delivery. "From the commencement of his discourse an almost breathless anxiety prevailed, deeply impressive and solemnizing from its singular intenseness: not a sound was heard but that of the preacher's voice; scarcely an eye but was fixed upon him, not a countenance that he did not watch, and read, and interpret, as he surveyed them again and again with his ever excursive glance. As he advanced and increased in animation, five or six of his auditors would be seen to rise and lean forward over the front of their pews, still keeping their eyes fixed on him. Some new or striking sentiment or expression would, in a few moments, cause others to rise in like manner; shortly afterwards, still more; and so on, until long before the close of the sermon it often happened that a considerable portion of the congregation was seen standing; every eye directed to the preacher, yet, now and then, for a moment glancing from one to another; thus transmitting and reciprocating thought and feeling. Mr. Hall himself, though manifestly absorbed in his subject, conscious of the whole, receiving new animation from what he

thus witnessed, reflecting it back upon those who were already alive to the inspiration, until all that was susceptible of thought and emotion seemed wound up to the utmost elevation of thought upon earth, when he would close, and they reluctantly and slowly resume their seats."

LETTER XXXIII.

EXTEMPORANEOUS PREACHING.

WE shall not have fully considered the subject of Delivery without entering upon the question, whether it is best that sermons should be written or extemporaneous. There is a good deal of prejudice and difference of opinion abroad on this subject. Some persons will leave their own parish church, and travel all over town and country, to hear an extemporary preacher; while others, who happen to have one in their own parish, will be constantly complaining of his extravagance or shallowness, and wish he would take the trouble to write his sermons.

By the term "extemporary," we do not mean what Johnson says it is, "unpremeditated;" we only mean that the preacher has not his sermon written out. It is the custom of the French preachers to mandate their sermons, or preach memoriter. Indeed,

the excellent Massillon was in the pulpit nothing more than an accomplished actor; every sentence which he uttered was composed and practised beforehand. His most celebrated sermons are said to have been announced for repetition, like a theatrical performance, and persons would flock to hear him, and speculate in what manner he would pronounce certain well-known passages. Some there are in this country who follow the French fashion, notwithstanding its laboriousness and difficulty; others will get by heart the principal passages of their sermons; others will have the skeleton only before them. But, it is probable that no preachers in the present day ascend the pulpit without more or less preparation, not of the matter only, but of the language. The only essential for an extemporary sermon is that the preacher shall not have it set down on paper before him.

It has been generally asserted that written sermons came into use amongst the regular clergy about the time of the civil wars, in opposition to the violent extemporaneous harangues of the puritans. But Burnet, in his History of the Reformation, speaks of this practice having grown up in the time of Henry VIII., in consequence partly of the danger which preachers incurred, and partly of their ignorance'. "Those who were licensed to preach," he says, "being often ac

1 Christian Observer, vol. xxxix. 164. ·