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trees；〃 and describes the skeptic in the magic circle of spiritual
〃investigators〃 as the 〃guest without the wedding…garb； the doubting
Thomas。〃 Some one has taken the trouble to count five hundred Biblical
phrases or allusions in 〃The Ring and the Book。〃 Mrs。 Browning's
〃'Drama of Exile〃 is the woman's side of the fall of Adam and Eve。 Ruskin
thought her 〃Aurora Leigh〃 the greatest poem the century had produced at
that time。 It abounds in Scriptural allusions。 Browning came by all this
naturally。 Raised in the Church by a father who 〃delighted to surround him
with books； notably old and rare Bibles；〃 and a mother Carlyle called 〃a
true type of a Scottish gentlewoman；〃 with all the skill in the Bible that
that implies； he never lost his sense of the majesty of the movement of
Scripture ideas and phrases。
We need spend little time in discussing the influence of the English
Bible on Thomas Carlyle。 He does not often use the Scripture for his main
theme； but he is constantly making Biblical allusions。 On a railway
journey when I was rereading Carlyle's Historical Sketches； I found a
direct Biblical reference for every five pages； and almost numberless
allusions beside。
The 〃Everlasting Yea；〃 of which he says much； he gets； as you at once
recognize； from the Scripture。 His 〃Heroes and Hero Worship〃 is based on
an idea of heroism which he learned from the Bible。 He is an Old
Testament prophet of present times； and； while he degenerated into a scold
before he was through with it； he yet spoke with the thunderous voice of a
true prophet； and much of the time in the language of the prophets。 Some
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one said once that the only real reverence Carlyle ever had was for the
person of Christ。 Certainly there is no note of sneer； but of the profoundest
regard for the teaching； the ideas and the history of the Scripture。
The name of Charles Dickens suggests a different atmosphere。 He is a
New Testament prophet。 Where Carlyle has caught the spirit of rugged
power in the Old Testament； Dickens has caught the sense of kindly love
in the New Testament。 Dickens's love for the child； the fact that he could
draw children as he could draw no one else and make them lovable；
suggests the value to him of those frequent references which he makes to
Christ setting a child in the midst of the disciples。 It is notable； too； how
often Dickens uses the great Scripture phrases for his most dramatic
climaxes。 There are not in literature many finer uses of Scripture than the
scene in Bleak House； where the poor waif Joe is dying； and while his
friend teaches him the Lord's Prayer he sees the light coming。 A Christmas
season without Dickens's Christmas Carol would be incomplete； but there
again is the Scripture idea pressed forward。
George Eliot surely； if any writer； was under the spell of the Scripture。
One of her critics calls her the historian of conscience。 All of her heroes
and heroines know the lash of the law。 She knows very little about the
New Testament； one would judge； but the one thing about which she has
no doubt is certainly the reign of moral law。 If a man will not yield to its
power； it will break him。 There is no such thing as breaking the moral law；
there is nothing but being broken by it。 Her characters are always quoting
the Bible。 They preach a great deal。 She tells that she herself wrote Dinah
Morris's sermon on the green with tears in her eyes。 She meant it all。
While her own religious faith was clouded； her finest characters are never
clouded in their religious faith； and she grounds their faith quite invariably
on their early training in the Scripture。 It is an interesting fact that George
Eliot has no principal story which has not in it a church； and a priest or a
preacher； with all that they involve。
Charles Kingsley is grouped hardly fairly in this list； because he was
himself a preacher； and naturally all his work would feel the power of the
Book； which he chiefly studied。 Professor Masson says that 〃there is not
one of his novels which has not the power of Christianity for its theme。〃
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No voice was raised more effectively for the beginning of the new social
era in England than his。 Alton Locke and Yeast are epoch… making books
in the life of the common people of England。 Even Hypatia； which is
supposed to have been written to represent entirely pagan surroundings； is
full of Bible phrases and ideas。
Lord Macaulay had been held up for many a day as one of the masters
of style。 Such great writing is not to be traced to any one influence。 It
could not have been easy to write as Macaulay wrote。 Thackeray may
have exaggerated in saying that Macaulay read twenty books to write a
sentence； and traveled a hundred miles to make a description； but all his
writing shows the power of taking infinite pains。 It becomes the more
important； therefore； that Macaulay held the Bible in such estimate as he
did。 〃In calling upon Lady Holland one day； Lord Macaulay was led to
bring the attention of his fair hostess to the fact that the use of the word
'talent' to mean gifts or powers of the mind； as when we speak of men of
talent； came from the use of the word in Christ's parable of the talents。 In a
letter to his sister Hannah he describes the incident； and says that Lady
Holland was evidently ignorant of the parable。 'I did not tell her；' he adds；
'though I might have done so； that a person who professes to be a critic in
the delicacies of the English language ought to have the Bible at his
fingers' ends。' 〃 That Macaulay practised his own preaching you would
quickly find by referring to his essays。 Take three sentences from the
Essay on Milton： 〃The principles of liberty were the scoff of every
growing courtier； and the Anathema Maranatha of every fawning dean。 In
every high place worship was paid to Charles and James； Belial and
Moloch； and England propitiated these obscene and cruel idols with