116 Thoughts on the Exercises 



moral faculty," it will lead us to a knowledge of this 

 singular affection. A propensity to imitation, arising 

 from the sympathy of association, and the influence of 

 society, in exciting passion and emotion, so univer- 

 sally affect mankind, that " he must be more or less 

 than man, who kindles not in the common blaze" of 

 tumultuous excitement. 



The efforts of the clergy to excite and promote the 

 exercise are avowed by Mr. W., and their powers of 

 accomplishing the object must be admitted. Zeal, 

 somewhat fervent, is certainly laudable in the preachers 

 of the gospel, and the man of sensibility may not only 

 become excited in the pulpit, but, if eloquent, or even 

 declamatory, may impress the same sensations in his 

 audience. Such were the powers of eloquence pos- 

 sessed by the famous Massillon, notwithstanding he 

 read his sermons, "that he drew a whole audience, by 

 an instantaneous impulse, upon their feet," in terrific 

 expectation of the terrors of the last judgment being 

 about to fall upon them. If a Parisian audience could 

 be thus excited, how much more easily may the con- 

 gregated thousands of a western camp, predisposed by 

 the sympathies of association, be aroused to tumultu- 

 ous exercise. 



Declamation is considered an essential part of pulpit 

 oratorv, as the feelings and passions are the avenues to 

 the understanding; but whether it be useful, or lauda- 

 ble, to carry the work upon the passions so far as is 

 now practised, I presume not to determine, but leave 



