Page:The Cottagers of Glenburnie - Hamilton (1808).djvu/386

 to roar, and sing out what they read, in such an unnatural tone; but as the custom is so universal, I thought there surely must be some use in it; and indeed I know many people who think it would not be decent, nor proper, to read the Bible without something of the same tone."

"Nothing can be more absurd than such a notion," returned Mr Gourlay; "for if we sincerely respect the word of God, we ought to do all in our power to render it intelligible to ourselves and others. How else can we expect to profit by the instruction it conveys? The mere sound, without the sense, will do us no more good than a tune on the bagpipe. Yet if we are once taught at school to connect notions of piety with certain discordant accents, it is ten to one if we ever get so far quit of the impression, as to pay attention to the religious truths that are delivered with a natural and proper accent; while the greatest nonsense and absurdity, if conveyed to our ears in a