Taking Him At His Word

There is a story of Bishop Barrington and Philpotts, afterward Bishop of Exeter, who was at the time Barrington's secretary. The bishop said. "I wish you to select for publication twelve of my sermons that you think will do me least discredit." Shortly after, when the sermons had been chosen, the bishop asked: "Do you think that these will do me credit?" "I prefer, my lord," answered Philpotts, "to adhere to your lordship's former expression." The sermons were not published.-