MR STEWART. 207 



barbarism. My master in the rudest stage of society 

 would have at least two of nature's advantages, he would 

 be brave and strong ; but in its present state, he may be 

 at once an idiot, coward, and knave/ 



Swanson had asked for information about the Rev. 

 Mr Stewart. The account of his relations with his 

 parishioners, and the estimate of his character, which 

 Miller gives in reply, are very different from what he 

 would subsequently have written. ' When, after leaving 

 Edinburgh, I returned to this place, I scarce met one of 

 my old acquaintances who did not tell me of the extra- 

 ordinary parts and merits of their new minister. He was 

 so humble, said his admirers, that he did not, like many 

 foolish parsons, speak of the priesthood as a body of good, 

 perfect men, who were sorely toiling to convert vile lay 

 sinners no, when he spoke of sinners, he said You and 

 I. His sermons too, with all the solidity of orthodoxy 

 itself, were so interesting and eloquent that no one could 

 sleep in his church. The very reserve of his character 

 was praised ; it was bashfulness, it was modesty. This 

 general opinion has now given place to another as general. 

 His humility, it is said, was affected, for his reserve is 

 not that of bashfulness but of pride. No one gives less 

 to the poor or is fonder of money. His very sermons are 

 now different from what they were once they still dis- 

 play talent, but they are cold and unanimated, and ill- 

 calculated to rouse or comfort his hearers. These two 

 contrary opinions were and are those entertained by the 

 middle class of Mr Stewart's parishioners ; do not im- 

 agine, however, that either of them in every particular 

 was or is mine. I know too little of his character as a 

 man to say whether he be generous or niggardly, proud 

 or humble ; but, as a minister, I believe I may dare de- 

 cide of his merits. His sermons are the offspring of 



