CHARACTERS. 



781 



mired remarks on human happiness, 

 " who has inured himself to books 

 of science and argumentation, if 

 a novel, a well-written pamphlet, 

 an article of news, a narrative of a 

 curious voyage, or the journal of a 

 traveller, fall in his way, sits down 

 to the repast with relish ; enjoys 

 Jiis entertainment while it lasts, 

 and can return, when it is over, to 

 his graver reading without distaste. 

 Another, with whom nothing will 

 go down but works of humour and 

 pleasantry, or whose curiosity must 

 be interested by perpetual novelty, 

 will consume a bookseller's window 

 in half a forenoon ; during which 

 time he is rather in search of diver- 

 sion than diverted ; and as books to 

 his taste are few and short, and 

 rapidly read over, the stock is soon 

 exhausted, when he is left without 

 resource from this principal supply 

 of innocent amusement." 



By blending scientific inquiries, 

 therefore, with general literature, 

 Dr. Paley was never deprived of 

 this resource, but seems to have 

 continued anxious in the pursuit of 

 knowledge to the last. 



With the Dissenters at Bishop- 

 Wearmouth, Dr. Paley carefully 

 avoided every sort of altercation, 

 and with a few of their leaders as- 

 sociated upon friendly terms. He 

 entertained, indeed, a very favour- 

 able idea of their motives, and 

 readily acceded to the application 

 of Dr. Coke, one of their most 

 eminent preachers, for a contribu- 

 tion to the missionary society, and 

 civily invited him to drink tea at 

 the rectory. His allusions to this 

 society, both in his lectures, writ- 



ings and conversation, evinced his 

 candour and good sense ; discri- 

 minating accurately, as far as his 

 subject required, between what he 

 deemed objectionable and praise- 

 worthy. Their mode of life he 

 speaks of, as not unlike that of the 

 early Christians ; their preaching, 

 as too often transgressing the limits 

 of decorum and propriety, and 

 wounding the modesty of a cultivat- 

 ed ear. '• I feel a respect for Metho- 

 dists, " he again declares, " be- 

 cause I believe that there is to be 

 found amongst them much sincere 

 piety, and availing, though not al- 

 ways well-informed, Christianity ; 

 yet I never attended a meeting of 

 theirs, but I came away with the 

 reflection, how different what I 

 heard was from what I read ; I do 

 not mean in doctrine, with which 

 at present I have no concern, but 

 in manner ; how different from the 

 calmness, the sobriety, the good 

 sense, and, I may add, the strength 

 and authority of our Lord's dis- 

 courses. " Tlie ability of their two 

 great founders he was at all times 

 ready to admit ; and seems to 

 have estimated the character of 

 each with no small discernment ; 

 " Whitfield, " he said, " was a 

 lover of souls ; Wesley also, was a 

 lover of souls ; but he was a lover 

 of power. " 



Superior minds are ever con- 

 scious of each other's worth. Had 

 Mr. Fox succeeded sooner to that 

 situation in the government of his 

 country, which he held at the 

 time of his lamented death, Dr. 

 Paley might probably have attained 

 the iiighest dignities of his profes- 

 sion 



