Ican’trememberallandIthinkIscarcelyunderstandagreatdealofwhatIdoremember。ButitallcomesbacktomesofreshthatIcan’thelpcryingsometimestothinkIshallneverreadthemagainwithhim。“
Arthurhadneverspokenofhishomebefore，andTomhadn’tencouragedhimtodoso，ashisblunderingschoolboyreasoningmadehimthinkthatArthurwouldbesoftenedandlessmanlyforthinkingofhome。Butnowhewasfairlyinterested，andforgotallaboutchiselsandbottledbeer；whilewithverylittleencouragementArthurlaunchedintohishomehistory，andtheprayer-bellputthembothoutsadlywhenitrangtocallthemtothehall。
FromthistimeArthurconstantlyspokeofhishome，andaboveall，ofhisfather，whohadbeendeadaboutayear，andwhosememoryTomsoongottoloveandreverencealmostasmuchashisownsondid。
Arthur’sfatherhadbeentheclergymanofaparishintheMidlandcounties，whichhadrisenintoalargetownduringthewar，anduponwhichthehardyearswhichfollowedhadfallenwithfearfulweight。Thetradehadbeenhalfruined；andthencametheold，sadstory，ofmastersreducingtheirestablishments，menturnedoffandwanderingabout，hungryandwaninbody，andfierceinsoul，fromthethoughtofwivesandchildrenstarvingathome，andthelaststicksoffurnituregoingtothepawnshop；childrentakenfromschool，andloungingaboutthedirtystreetsandcourts，toolistlessalmosttoplay，andsqualidinragsandmisery；andthenthefearfulstrugglebetweentheemployersandmen——loweringsofwages，strikes，andthelongcourseofoft-repeatedcrime，endingeverynowandthenwithariot，afire，andthecountyyeomanry。Thereisnoneedheretodwelluponsuchtales:theEnglishmanintowhosesoultheyhavenotsunkdeepisnotworthythename。YouEnglishboys，forwhomthisbookismeantGodblessyourbrightfacesandkindhearts！，willlearnitallsoonenough。
IntosuchaparishandstateofsocietyArthur’sfatherhadbeenthrownattheageoftwenty-five——ayoungmarriedparson，fulloffaith，hope，andlove。Hehadbattledwithitlikeaman，andhadlotsoffineUtopianideasabouttheperfectibilityofmankind，glorioushumanity，andsuch-like，knockedoutofhishead，andareal，wholesomeChristianloveforthepoor，struggling，sinningmen，ofwhomhefelthimselfone，andwithandforwhomhespentfortune，andstrength，andlife，drivenintohisheart。Hehadbattledlikeaman，andgottenaman’sreward——nosilvertea-potsorsalvers，withfloweryinscriptionssettingforthhisvirtuesandtheappreciationofagenteelparish；nofatlivingorstall，forwhichheneverlooked，anddidn’tcare；nosighsandpraisesofcomfortabledowagersandwell-got-upyoungwomen，whoworkedhimslippers，sugaredhistea，andadoredhimas“adevotedman；“butamanlyrespect，wrungfromtheunwillingsoulsofmenwhofanciedhisordertheirnaturalenemies；thefearandhatredofeveryonewhowasfalseorunjustinthedistrict，werehemasterorman；