over the hearers.  Thus, though not a handsome man, he was more than commonly engaging, exciting the warmest affection in all who were concerned with him, and giving in return an immense amount of interest and sympathy, which only became intensified to old friends while it expanded towards new ones.  Here is a letter to his father, undated, but written not long after his settling down at Alfington.  After expressing his regret that his voice had been inaudible to his sister Joanna at a Friday evening service, he proceeds:—­

’I did not speak very loud, because I don’t think I could do so and at the same time keep my mind at work and thoughts collected.  Anything which is so unnatural and unusual as to make me conscious of myself in a peculiar manner would prevent, I fear, my getting on with my oration at all.

’I am glad you think I could not have acted otherwise with E—–.  I quite expect ere long to find something going on which may call for my interference, and I specially guarded myself on this point.  It is distinctly understood that I shall speak to him quite plainly whenever and wherever I think it necessary to do so.  I do not suppose it very likely that he can go on long without my being forced to take some step; but I really feel so very unequal to expressing a decided opinion upon the great question of Bible readers, that I am certainly glad I have not taken up a hostile position hastily.  As a matter of fact, he reads in very few cottages in my district; tracts he distributes almost everywhere.

’Now I see of course the distinction between a man making it his business to read the Bible and neighbours dropping in occasionally to read a chapter to one who is unable to read, but where you are distinctly told that the wish is most decidedly to support the clergyman, and answers not unsatisfactory are given upon main points, what difference remains between the two cases I have put that can furnish matter for fair argument, with a man from education, &c., disposed to take a different view of the whole question?  Add to this, that I cannot appeal to the universal practice of the clergy.  “Why,” might it be said, “do you, as a clergyman find a difficulty where Mr. H. finds none?  You are, after all, acting on your own private opinion, though you lay claim to authority for it.”  I cannot successfully appeal to the distinctive teaching of our Church, clear and manifest as it is, for the very words I think conclusive contain no such evidence for him, and so on ad infinitum.  Besides, to speak quite what I feel at present, though only so perhaps because my view is necessarily unformed, the natural order of things in such a district as this seems to be:  gain the affections of the people by gentleness and showing real interest in their welfare, spiritual and temporal; show them in the Bible such teaching as the Church considers necessary (but not as yet upon the authority of the Church, or at least not so expressed to them); lead them gradually to the