
secondly, that the preacher thereon could be seen from all adjacent points as
soon as he arrived at his post, the view of him being thus a convenient signal
to those stragglers who wished to draw near. The speaker was bareheaded, and the
breeze at each waft gently lifted and lowered his hair, somewhat too thin for a
man of his years, these still numbering less than thirty-three. He wore a shade
over his eyes, and his face was pensive and lined; but, though these bodily
features were marked with decay there was no defect in the tones of his voice,
which were rich, musical, and stirring. He stated that his discourses to people
were to be sometimes secular, and sometimes religious, but, never dogmatic; and
that his texts would be taken from all kinds of books. This afternoon the words
were as follows: -
    »And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down
on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on
his right hand. Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee
say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not
say thee nay.«
 
Yeobright had, in fact, found his vocation in the career of an itinerant
open-air preacher and lecturer on morally unimpeachable subjects; and from this
day he laboured incessantly in that office, speaking not only in simple language
on Rainbarrow and in the hamlets round, but in a more cultivated strain
elsewhere - from the steps and porticoes of town-halls, from market-crosses,
from conduits, on esplanades and on wharves, from the parapets of bridges, in
barns and outhouses, and all other such places in the neighbouring Wessex towns
and villages. He left alone creeds and systems of philosophy, finding enough and
more than enough to occupy his tongue in the opinions and actions common to all
good men. Some believed him, and some believed not; some said that his words
were commonplace, others complained of his want of theological doctrine; while
others again remarked that it was well enough for a man to take to preaching who
could not see to do anything else. But everywhere he was kindly received, for
the story of his life had become generally known.
 

                                     Notes

1 The inn which really bore this sign and legend stood some miles to the
north-west of the present scene, wherein the house more immediately referred to
is now no longer an inn; and the
