' 'I know not whether you
rank in that class the audience you was haranguing in the court
at St. James's, but I should be glad to know what kind of powders
you was distributing; and whether you had a good sale' -- 'Sale,
sir! (cried Clinker) I hope I shall never be base enough to sell
for gold and silver, what freely comes of God's grace. I
distributed nothing, an like your honour, but a word of advice to
my fellows in servitude and sin.' 'Advice! concerning what?'
'Concerning profane swearing, an please your honour; so horrid
and shocking, that it made my hair stand on end.' 'Nay, if thou
can'st cure them Of that disease, I shall think thee a wonderful
doctor indeed' 'Why not cure them, my good master? the hearts of
those poor people are not so stubborn as your honour seems to
think -- Make them first sensible that you have nothing in view but
their good, then they will listen with patience, and easily be
convinced of the sin and folly of a practice that affords neither
profit nor pleasure -- At this remark, our uncle changed colour,
and looked round the company, conscious that his own withers were
not altogether unwrung. 'But, Clinker (said he) if you should
have eloquence enough to persuade the vulgar to resign those
tropes and figures of rhetoric, there will be little or nothing
left to distinguish their conversation from that of their
betters.
Pages:
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192