A distinguished publisher of
Philadelphia told me that no comic publication had ever yet been
found to answer in America.
We arrived at Baltimore at the season of the "Conference." I
must be excused from giving any very distinct explanation of
this term, as I did not receive any. From what I could learn,
it much resembles a Revival. We entered many churches, and
heard much preaching, and not one of the reverend orators could
utter the reproach,
"Peut-on si bien precher qu'elle ne dorme au sermon?"
for I never even dosed at any. There was one preacher whose
manner and matter were so peculiar, that I took the liberty of
immediately writing down a part of his discourse as a specimen.
I confess I began writing in the middle of a sentence, for I
waited in vain for a beginning. It was as follows:-
"Nevertheless, we must not lose sight of the one important,
great, and only object; for the Lord is mighty, his works are
great, likewise wonderful, likewise wise, likewise merciful; and,
moreover, we must ever keep in mind, and close to our hearts, all
his precious blessings, and unspeakable mercies, and
overflowings; and moreover we must never lose sight of, no, never
lose sight of, nor ever cease to remember, nor ever let our souls
forget, nor ever cease to dwell upon, and to reverence, and to
welcome, and to bless, and to give thanks, and to sing hosanna,
and give praise,"--and here my fragment of paper failed, but
this strain continued, without a shadow of meaning that I could
trace, and in a voice inconceivably loud, for more than an hour.
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