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Mr Dodd's curious Sermon on MALT.
Mr Dodd lived near Cambridge, and had offended some of the Cambridge scholars, by preaching against drunkenness. As some of them were walking out one day, and seeing the good old gentleman at some distance, said one to the other, there’s Father Dodd, we'll make him preach a sermon; when he drew near they saluted him with your servant Father Dodd. Your's Gentlemen, replied Mr Dodd. We have a favour to beg of you; what is it replied Mr Dodd; say they, to preach us a sermon; he tells them appoint the time and place I will; said they, the time is the present, and the place is yon hollow tree (pointing to one in the field) and your text shall be MALT; that is an imposition, replied Mr Dodd; for there shall be consideration before preaching: but said they, if you will not preach we will make you So when Mr Dodd got into the tree, he addressed them in the following manner:
Dearly beloved,
LET me crave your serious attention, for I am a little man come at a short warning, to preach a brief sermon to a thin audience, in an unworthy pulpit. Now beloved my tex is MALT; which I cannot divide into sentences, because it contains none, nor yet into words, it being but one nor into syllables, for it is upon the whole but one monosyllable: I must therefore, and necessity obliges me, divide into letters, which I find in my text to be four only, viz M, A, L, T. M, my beloved, is Moral; A is Allegorical; L is Literal; T is Theological The Moral is well set to teach you drunkards good manners; therefore, M, my Masters; A, All of you
