He is dressed in an elaborately
cut black coat, with sweeping skirts, a white vest, fancy-coloured
pantaloons, and bright boots. About his neck is an enormous shirt
collar, turned carelessly over, and secured with a plain black
ribbon. Elder Praiseworthy is of lean figure, with sharp, craven
features. The people of the parish have a doubtful opinion of him.
Some say he will preach sermons setting forth the divine right of
slavery, or any other institution that has freedom for its foe,
provided always there is no lack of pay. As a divine, he is
particularly sensitive lest anything should be said disparagingly
against the institution he lends his aid to protect. That all
institutions founded in patriarchal usage are of God's creation, he
holds to be indisputable; and that working for their overthrow is a
great crime, as well as an unpardonable sin, he never had the
slightest doubt. He is careful of his clerical dress, which is of
smoothest black; and remembering how essential are gold-framed
spectacles, arranges and re-arranges his with greatest care. He is a
great admirer of large books with gilt edges and very expensive
bindings. They show to best advantage in the southern parlour
library, where books are rarely opened. To say the Elder is not a
man of great parts, is to circulate a libel of the first magnitude.
Indeed, he liked big books for their solidity; they reminded him of
great thoughts well preserved, and sound principles more firmly
established.
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