His figure was diminutive and insignificant; his shoulders
were round, and his movements excessively awkward; his face was thin and
sallow, his eyes dull and inexpressive, and too small seemingly for
command. A too-frequent habit of closing them in prayer contributed, no
doubt, greatly to this appearance. A redeeming expression in the high
forehead, conically rising, and the strong character exhibited in his
nose, neutralized in some sort the generally-unattractive outline. His
hair, which was of a deep black, was extremely coarse, and closely
cropped: it gave to his look that general expression which associated
him at once in the mind of Ralph, whose reading in those matters was
fresh, with the commonwealth history of England--with the puritans, and
those diseased fanatics of the Cromwell dynasty, not omitting that
profound hypocrite himself. What, then, was the surprise of the youth,
having such impressions, to hear a discourse unassuming in its dictates,
mild in its requisitions, and of a style and temper the most soothing
and persuasive!
The devotions commenced with a hymn, two lines of which, at a time,
having been read and repeated by the preacher, furnished a guide to the
congregation; the female portion of which generally united to sing, and
in a style the sweetness of which was doubly effective from the utter
absence of all ornament in the music.
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