LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 39 



churches, to venture upon a work of so great 

 moment, without having prepared the diction 

 as well as the matter. He never thought he 

 could take too great precautions, or too much 

 pains, in composing his sermons, (some of which 

 he corrected and transcribed more than once). 

 He was careful and exact in the choice of his 

 words, and used to say, that the point which 

 put him most upon consideration in the making 

 his sermons, was oftentimes how to make things 

 plain enough, that is, to find out phrases suited 

 and levelled to the capacities of the vulgar, and 

 yet Jiot vulgar enough themselves to offend the 

 politest taste. He was not at a loss for words 

 significant and proper enough to express his 

 sentiments, (and which came from him with 

 as much ease and readiness as from any man 

 living,) but he wanted to be understood by 

 every body, even his meanest auditors, at 

 the first hearing, and to effect this, too, with- 

 out using low and creeping similies, rustic 

 phrases, or tedious repetitions, or, if possible, 

 without impairing either the force of his ar- 

 gument or the beauty of his stile. And who- 

 soever can compass thus much, without weigh- 

 ing and adjusting his expressions beforehand, 

 as well as his sentiments, has indeed a pecu- 

 liar talent, and such as Dr. Sharp never pre- 

 tended to. 



