There are
many, very many, unobtrusive, noiseless, laborious, practical duties
which clergymen have to perform; what a pity it is they won't occupy
themselves in discharging them, instead of entangling themselves in
controversies on subjects not necessary to salvation! But, alas! the
Evangelical divine, instead of combating the devil, occupies himself
in fighting his bishop, and the Newmanite, instead of striving to save
sinners, prefers to 'curse and quit' his church. Don't ask me
therefore which is right; I tell you, they are both wrong."
"Exactly," sais he.
"In medio tutissimus ibis."
"Doctor," sais I, "there are five languages spoke on the Nova Scotia
coast already: English, Yankee, Gaelic, French, and Indian; for
goodness gracious sake don't fly off the handle that way now and add
Latin to them! But, my friend, as I have said, you have waked up the
wrong passenger, if you think I am an ecclesiastical Bradshaw. I know
my own track. It is a broad gauge, and a straight line, and I never
travel by another, for fear of being put on a wrong one. Do you take?
But here is the boat alongside;" and I shook him by the hand, and
obtained his promise at parting that he and Jessie would visit me at
Slickville in the autumn.
And now, Squire, I must write finis to the cruise of the "Black Hawk,"
and close my remarks on "Nature and Human Nature," or, "Men and
Things," for I have brought it to a termination, though it is a hard
thing to do, I assure you, for I seem as if I couldn't say Farewell.
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