manshouldnotonlyhavehisownwayasfaraspossible，butheshouldonlyconsortwiththingsthataregettingtheirownwaysofarthattheyareatanyratecomfortable。Unlessforshorttimesunderexceptionalcircumstances，heshouldnotevenseethingsthathavebeenstuntedorstarved，muchlessshouldheeatmeatthathasbeenvexedbyhavingbeenover-drivenorunderfed，orafflictedwithanydisease；norshouldhetouchvegetablesthathavenotbeenwellgrown。Forallthesethingscrossaman；whateveramancomesincontactwithinanywayformsacrosswithhimwhichwillleavehimbetterorworse，andthebetterthingsheiscrossedwiththemorelikelyheistolivelongandhappily。Allthingsmustbecrossedalittleortheywouldceasetolive——butholythings，suchforexampleasGiovanniBellini’ssaints，havebeencrossedwithnothingbutwhatisgoodofitskind，CHAPTERXXIV
ThestormwhichIhavedescribedinthepreviouschapterwasasampleofthosethatoccurreddailyformanyyears。Nomatterhowclearthesky，itwasalwaysliabletocloudovernowinonequarternowinanother，andthethunderandlightningwereupontheyoungpeoplebeforetheyknewwheretheywere。
“Andthen，youknow。”saidErnesttome，whenIaskedhimnotlongsincetogivememoreofhischildishreminiscencesforthebenefitofmystory，“weusedtolearnMrsBarbauld’shymns；theywereinprose，andtherewasoneaboutthelionwhichbegan，’Come，andI
willshowyouwhatisstrong。Thelionisstrong；whenheraisethhimselffromhislair，whenheshakethhismane，whenthevoiceofhisroaringisheardthecattleofthefieldfly，andthebeastsofthedeserthidethemselves，forheisveryterrible。’IusedtosaythistoJoeyandCharlotteaboutmyfatherhimselfwhenIgotalittleolder，buttheywerealwaysdidactic，andsaiditwasnaughtyofme。
“Onegreatreasonwhyclergymen’shouseholdsaregenerallyunhappyisbecausetheclergymanissomuchathomeorcloseaboutthehouse。Thedoctorisoutvisitingpatientshalfhistime：thelawyerandthemerchanthaveofficesawayfromhome，buttheclergymanhasnoofficialplaceofbusinesswhichshallensurehisbeingawayfromhomeformanyhourstogetheratstatedtimes。Ourgreatdayswerewhenmyfatherwentforaday’sshoppingtoGildenham。Weweresomemilesfromthisplace，andcommissionsusedtoaccumulateonmyfather’slisttillhewouldmakeadayofitandgoanddothelot。Assoonashisbackwasturnedtheairfeltlighter；assoonasthehalldooropenedtolethiminagain，thelawwithitsall-reaching’touchnot，tastenot，handlenot’wasuponusagain。TheworstofitwasthatIcouldnevertrustJoeyandCharlotte；theywouldgoagoodwaywithmeandthenturnback，oreventhewholewayandthentheirconscienceswouldcompelthemtotellpapaandmamma。Theylikedrunningwiththehareuptoacertainpoint，buttheirinstinctwastowardsthehounds。