He was a minister of the Scotch Church, and before he came to
England had acted as an assistant preacher to Dr. Chalmers. In one of
Charles's letters (in 1835) to Bernard Barton (who had evidently been
measuring Irving by a low Quaker standard), he takes the opportunity of
speaking of the great respect that he entertained for the Scotch minister.
"Let me adjure you" (writes Charles), "have no doubt of Irving. Let Mr.
----[?] drop his disrespect." "Irving has prefixed a dedication, of a
missionary character, to Coleridge--most beautiful, cordial, and sincere.
He there acknowledges his obligations to S. T. C., at whose Gamaliel feet
he sits weekly, rather than to all men living." Again he writes, "Some
friend said to Irving, 'This will do you no good' (no good in worldly
repute). '_That is a reason for doing it_,' quoth Irving. I am thoroughly
pleased with him. He is firm, out-speaking, intrepid, and docile as a
pupil of Pythagoras. "In April, 1825, Lamb writes to Wordsworth to the
same effect. "Have you read the noble dedication of Irving's Missionary
Sermons?" he inquires; and then he repeats Irving's fine answer to the
suggested impolicy of publishing his book with its sincere prefix.
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