APPENDIX. 41 



inoft odious and deteftable colours. Whatever he uttered was £ cc ° nn l of , 



Dr Drjfdale. 



natural, unaffected, and full of energy, always flowing from 

 the heart, and always difcovering a deep penetration into the 

 human mind. 



In entering upon his fubject, he feemed at once to feize upon 

 the moft proper and rational views of it ; and he carried his 

 liftening audience along with him, in a rapid and fervid train 

 of juft, pure and elevated fentiment, from the beginning to the 

 end of his difcourfe. His fermons by no means confifted, as 

 had been infinuated, of the mere doctrines of morality. Thefe 

 he certainly did moft ftrenuouily inculcate ; but, at the fame 

 time, no man ever brought home to the minds of his hearers, 

 with greater force and efficacy, the genuine fpirit of that reli- 

 gion which he preached. 



His mode of delivery, though by no means correct, was ex- 

 tremely animated and ftriking. His gefture was frequently ve- 

 hement ; and though not always graceful, becaufe not ftudied, 

 but produced by his real feelings, yet it had a moft powerful 

 effect. Nor were the elevations and depreflions of his voice by 

 any means confident with thofe rules .which profeffed teachers 

 of the art of elocution inculcate. Thefe too were entirely di- 

 rected by his own fenfations, and fuited to his own original 

 mode of fpeaking. But however irregular his tones and his 

 emphafis might fometimes be, ftill what he uttered came al- 

 ways home to the hearts, and effectually commanded the atten- 

 tion, of every audience. 



In that part of the fervice of the Church of Scotland which 

 confifts of a portion of fcripture read and explained from the 

 pulpit, and which is called the Lecture, Mr Drysdale difplay- 

 ed uncommon ability and fkill. He expounded the fcriptures in 

 a plain, fimple and connected manner, fo as to render the 

 meaning quite intelligible to ordinary capacities. But wherever 

 he found a paffage that he either did not clearly underftand 

 himfelf, or def paired of making edifying to his hearers, he 



Vol. III. (F) frankly 



