GOOCH. 329 thought his child appeared, and told him, that al- though his prayers had been heard, and a spirit was allowed to visit him, still, that he would not be satisfied, but would consider it merely as a dream ; adding, he who will not believe Moses and the prophets, will not believe though one comes from the dead. Here he awoke, and afterwards related the dream to several of his friends. At this time Gooch read a good deal of theology, and his letters and conversation showed how much his mind was occupied with this subject. In one of his letters he gives an account of Dr. Chalmers. — " On Sunday I went to hear him preach at the Scotch church in Hatton Garden, and at the peril of my ribs succeeded in getting in ; and in the evening heard him again, at the Wesleyan chapel, where he preached to a con- gregation of four thousand. It was a striking sight, every pew full, the standing places crowded up to the very doors. It is difficult to compare strong impressions which we have received at dif- ferent periods of our life, but I think I may say, that I never heard so powerful a preacher ; a good deal of this power, however, depends on his manner — an earnestness of heart, a fiery vehe- mence, which occasionally would be rant, but that the vehemence of the manner never rises above the energy of the thought and expression. He has a curious, but very useful custom ; at the end of a passage, ornamented in the highest possible degree, and perfectly on fire with energy, he makes a dead pause, and then states the pith of the passage, with the calmness and familiarity of con- versation : thus sending his hearers away, not
