It tickled the Puritans, but
didn't injure the Papists, for there were none there at that time. For
three successive Sundays he expounded the text, 'And Peter's wife's
mother lay ill of a fever.'
"From which he inferred priests ought to marry. Shortly after that the
bell was tolling one day, and somebody asked Dr Byles who was dead.
"Says he, and he looked solemcoly, shut one eye and winked with the
other, as if he was trying to shut that also--'I rather think it is
Peter's wife's mother, for she has been ill of a fever for three
weeks.'"
There are charms in these little "home scenes," these little detached
sketches, which are wholly lost in a large landscape.
There is one very redeeming property about the people. Although they
differ widely in politics, I infer that they live in the greatest
possible harmony together, from the fact that they speak of each other
like members of the same family. The word Mr is laid aside as too cold
and formal, and the whole Christian name as too ceremonious. Their
most distinguished men speak of each other, and the public follow
their example, as Joe A, or Jim B, or Bill C, or Tom D, or Fitz this,
or Dick that. It sounds odd to strangers no doubt, but the inference
that may be drawn from it is one of great amiability.
Still, in holding up the mirror, hold it up fairly, and take in all
the groups, and not merely those that excite ridicule.
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