WhenIwasasmallboyatthebeginningofthecenturyIrememberanoldmanwhoworeknee-breechesandworstedstockings，andwhousedtohobbleaboutthestreetofourvillagewiththehelpofastick。
Hemusthavebeengettingonforeightyintheyear1807，earlierthanwhichdateIsupposeIcanhardlyrememberhim，forIwasbornin1802。Afewwhitelockshungabouthisears，hisshoulderswerebentandhiskneesfeeble，buthewasstillhale，andwasmuchrespectedinourlittleworldofPaleham。HisnamewasPontifex。
Hiswifewassaidtobehismaster；Ihavebeentoldshebroughthimalittlemoney，butitcannothavebeenmuch。Shewasatall，square-shoulderedpersonIhaveheardmyfathercallheraGothicwomanwhohadinsistedonbeingmarriedtoMrPontifexwhenhewasyoungandtoogood-naturedtosaynaytoanywomanwhowooedhim。
Thepairhadlivednotunhappilytogether，forMrPontifex’stemperwaseasyandhesoonlearnedtobowbeforehiswife’smorestormymoods。
MrPontifexwasacarpenterbytrade；hewasalsoatonetimeparishclerk；whenIrememberhim，however，hehadsofarriseninlifeastobenolongercompelledtoworkwithhisownhands。Inhisearlierdayshehadtaughthimselftodraw。Idonotsayhedrewwell，butitwassurprisingheshoulddrawaswellashedid。Myfather，whotookthelivingofPalehamabouttheyear1797，becamepossessedofagoodmanyofoldMrPontifex’sdrawings，whichwerealwaysoflocalsubjects，andsounaffectedlypainstakingthattheymighthavepassedfortheworkofsomegoodearlymaster。I
rememberthemashangingupframedandglazedinthestudyattheRectory，andtinted，asallelseintheroomwastinted，withthegreenreflectedfromthefringeofivyleavesthatgrewaroundthewindows。Iwonderhowtheywillactuallyceaseandcometoanendasdrawings，andintowhatnewphasesofbeingtheywillthenenter。
Notcontentwithbeinganartist，MrPontifexmustneedsalsobeamusician。Hebuilttheorganinthechurchwithhisownhands，andmadeasmalleronewhichhekeptinhisownhouse。Hecouldplayasmuchashecoulddraw，notverywellaccordingtoprofessionalstandards，butmuchbetterthancouldhavebeenexpected。Imyselfshowedatasteformusicatanearlyage，andoldMrPontifexonfindingitout，ashesoondid，becamepartialtomeinconsequence。
Itmaybethoughtthatwithsomanyironsinthefirehecouldhardlybeaverythrivingman，butthiswasnotthecase。Hisfatherhadbeenadaylabourer，andhehadhimselfbegunlifewithnoothercapitalthanhisgoodsenseandgoodconstitution；now，however，therewasagoodlyshowoftimberabouthisyard，andalookofsolidcomfortoverhiswholeestablishment。TowardsthecloseoftheeighteenthcenturyandnotlongbeforemyfathercametoPaleham，hehadtakenafarmofaboutninetyacres，thusmakingaconsiderableriseinlife。Alongwiththefarmtherewentanold-
fashionedbutcomfortablehousewithacharminggardenandanorchard。Thecarpenter’sbusinesswasnowcarriedoninoneoftheouthousesthathadoncebeenpartofsomeconventualbuildings，theremainsofwhichcouldbeseeninwhatwascalledtheAbbeyClose。
Thehouseitself，embosomedinhoneysucklesandcreepingroses，wasanornamenttothewholevillage，norwereitsinternalarrangementslessexemplarythanitsoutsidewasornamental。ReportsaidthatMrsPontifexstarchedthesheetsforherbestbed，andIcanwellbelieveit。
HowwelldoIrememberherparlourhalffilledwiththeorganwhichherhusbandhadbuilt，andscentedwithawitheredappleortwofromthepyrusjaponicathatgrewoutsidethehouse；thepictureoftheprizeoxoverthechimney-piece，whichMrPontifexhimselfhadpainted；thetransparencyofthemancomingtoshowlighttoacoachuponasnowynight，alsobyMrPontifex；thelittleoldmanandlittleoldwomanwhotoldtheweather；thechinashepherdandshepherdess；thejarsoffeatheryfloweringgrasseswithapeacock’sfeatherortwoamongthemtosetthemoff，andthechinabowlsfullofdeadroseleavesdriedwithbaysalt。Allhaslongsincevanishedandbecomeamemory，fadedbutstillfragranttomyself。
Nay，butherkitchen——andtheglimpsesintoacavernouscellarbeyondit，wherefromcamegleamsfromthepalesurfacesofmilkcans，oritmaybeofthearmsandfaceofamilkmaidskimmingthecream；oragainherstoreroom，whereamongothertreasuresshekeptthefamouslipsalvewhichwasoneofherespecialglories，andofwhichshewouldpresentashapeyearlytothosewhomshedelightedtohonour。Shewroteouttherecipeforthisandgaveittomymotherayearortwobeforeshedied，butwecouldnevermakeitasshedid。Whenwewerechildrensheusedsometimestosendherrespectstomymother，andaskleaveforustocomeandtaketeawithher。Rightwellsheusedtoplyus。Asforhertemper，wenevermetsuchadelightfuloldladyinourlives；whateverMrPontifexmayhavehadtoputupwith，wehadnocauseforcomplaint，andthenMrPontifexwouldplaytousupontheorgan，andwewouldstandroundhimopen-mouthedandthinkhimthemostwonderfullyclevermanthateverwasborn，exceptofcourseourpapa。
MrsPontifexhadnosenseofhumour，atleastIcancalltomindnosignsofthis，butherhusbandhadplentyoffuninhim，thoughfewwouldhaveguesseditfromhisappearance。Iremembermyfatheroncesentmedowntohisworkshiptogetsomeglue，andIhappenedtocomewhenoldPontifexwasintheactofscoldinghisboy。Hehadgotthelad——apudding-headedfellow——bytheearandwassaying，“What？Lostagain——smotheredo’wit。”Ibelieveitwastheboywhowashimselfsupposedtobeawanderingsoul，andwhowasthusaddressedaslost。“Now，lookhere，mylad。”hecontinued，“someboysarebornstupid，andthouartoneofthem；someachievestupidity——that’stheeagain，Jim——thouwastbothbornstupidandhastgreatlyincreasedthybirthright——andsome“andherecameaclimaxduringwhichtheboy’sheadandearwereswayedfromsidetoside“havestupiditythrustuponthem，which，ifitpleasetheLord，shallnotbethycase，mylad，forIwillthruststupidityfromthee，thoughIhavetoboxthineearsindoingso。”butIdidnotseethattheoldmanreallydidboxJim’sears，ordomorethanpretendtofrightenhim，forthetwounderstoodoneanotherperfectlywell。AnothertimeIrememberhearinghimcallthevillagerat-catcherbysaying，“Comehither，thouthree-days-and-
three-nights，thou。”alluding，asIafterwardslearned，totherat-
catcher’speriodsofintoxication；butIwilltellnomoreofsuchtrifles。Myfather’sfacewouldalwaysbrightenwhenoldPontifex’snamewasmentioned。“Itellyou，Edward。”hewouldsaytome，“oldPontifexwasnotonlyanableman，buthewasoneoftheveryablestmenthateverIknew。”
ThiswasmorethanIasayoungmanwaspreparedtostand。“Mydearfather。”Ianswered，“whatdidhedo？Hecoulddrawalittle，butcouldhetosavehislifehavegotapictureintotheRoyalAcademyexhibition？HebuilttwoorgansandcouldplaytheMinuetinSamsonononeandtheMarchinScipioontheother；hewasagoodcarpenterandabitofawag；hewasagoodoldfellowenough，butwhymakehimoutsomuchablerthanhewas？”
“Myboy。”returnedmyfather，“youmustnotjudgebythework，butbytheworkinconnectionwiththesurroundings。CouldGiottoorFilippoLippi，thinkyou，havegotapictureintotheExhibition？
WouldasingleoneofthosefrescoeswewenttoseewhenwewereatPaduahavetheremotestchanceofbeinghung，ifitweresentinforexhibitionnow？Why，theAcademypeoplewouldbesooutragedthattheywouldnotevenwritetopoorGiottototellhimtocomeandtakehisfrescoaway。Phew！”continuedhe，waxingwarm，“ifoldPontifexhadhadCromwell’schanceshewouldhavedoneallthatCromwelldid，andhavedoneitbetter；ifhehadhadGiotto’schanceshewouldhavedoneallthatGiottodid，anddoneitnoworse；asitwas，hewasavillagecarpenter，andIwillundertaketosayheneverscampedajobinthewholecourseofhislife。”
“But。”saidI，“wecannotjudgepeoplewithsomany’ifs。’IfoldPontifexhadlivedinGiotto’stimehemighthavebeenanotherGiotto，buthedidnotliveinGiotto’stime。”
“Itellyou，Edward。”saidmyfatherwithsomeseverity，“wemustjudgemennotsomuchbywhattheydo，asbywhattheymakeusfeelthattheyhaveitinthemtodo。Ifamanhasdoneenougheitherinpainting，musicortheaffairsoflife，tomakemefeelthatImighttrusthiminanemergencyhehasdoneenough。Itisnotbywhatamanhasactuallyputuponhiscanvas，noryetbytheactswhichhehassetdown，sotospeak，uponthecanvasofhislifethatIwilljudgehim，butbywhathemakesmefeelthathefeltandaimedat。
IfhehasmademefeelthathefeltthosethingstobeloveablewhichIholdloveablemyselfIasknomore；hisgrammarmayhavebeenimperfect，butstillIhaveunderstoodhim；heandIareenrapport；andIsayagain，Edward，thatoldPontifexwasnotonlyanableman，butoneoftheveryablestmenIeverknew。
Againstthistherewasnomoretobesaid，andmysisterseyedmetosilence。SomehoworothermysistersalwaysdideyemetosilencewhenIdifferedfrommyfather。
“Talkofhissuccessfulson。”snortedmyfather，whomIhadfairlyroused。“Heisnotfittoblackhisfather’sboots。Hehashisthousandsofpoundsayear，whilehisfatherhadperhapsthreethousandshillingsayeartowardstheendofhislife。HeISasuccessfulman；buthisfather，hobblingaboutPalehamStreetinhisgreyworstedstockings，broadbrimmedhatandbrownswallow-tailedcoatwasworthahundredofGeorgePontifexes，forallhiscarriagesandhorsesandtheairshegiveshimself。”
“Butyet。”headded，“GeorgePontifexisnofooleither。”AndthisbringsustothesecondgenerationofthePontifexfamilywithwhomweneedconcernourselves。
OldMrPontifexhadmarriedintheyear1750，butforfifteenyearshiswifeborenochildren。AttheendofthattimeMrsPontifexastonishedthewholevillagebyshowingunmistakablesignsofadispositiontopresentherhusbandwithanheirorheiress。Hershadlongagobeenconsideredahopelesscase，andwhenonconsultingthedoctorconcerningthemeaningofcertainsymptomsshewasinformedoftheirsignificance，shebecameveryangryandabusedthedoctorroundlyfortalkingnonsense。Sherefusedtoputsomuchasapieceofthreadintoaneedleinanticipationofherconfinementandwouldhavebeenabsolutelyunprepared，ifherneighbourshadnotbeenbetterjudgesofherconditionthanshewas，andgotthingsreadywithouttellingheranythingaboutit。PerhapsshefearedNemesis，thoughassuredlysheknewnotwhoorwhatNemesiswas；
perhapsshefearedthedoctorhadmadeamistakeandsheshouldbelaughedat；fromwhatevercause，however，herrefusaltorecognisetheobviousarose，shecertainlyrefusedtorecogniseit，untilonesnowynightinJanuarythedoctorwassentforwithallurgentspeedacrosstheroughcountryroads。Whenhearrivedhefoundtwopatients，notone，inneedofhisassistance，foraboyhadbeenbornwhowasinduetimechristenedGeorge，inhonourofhisthenreigningmajesty。
TothebestofmybeliefGeorgePontifexgotthegreaterpartofhisnaturefromthisobstinateoldlady，hismother——amotherwhothoughshelovednooneelseintheworldexceptherhusbandandhimonlyafterafashionwasmosttenderlyattachedtotheunexpectedchildofheroldage；neverthelesssheshoweditlittle。
Theboygrewupintoasturdybright-eyedlittlefellow，withplentyofintelligence，andperhapsatrifletoogreatreadinessatbooklearning。Beingkindlytreatedathome，hewasasfondofhisfatherandmotherasitwasinhisnaturetobeofanyone，buthewasfondofnooneelse。Hehadagoodhealthysenseofmeum，andaslittleoftuumashecouldhelp。BroughtupmuchintheopenairinoneofthebestsituatedandhealthiestvillagesinEngland，hislittlelimbshadfairplay，andinthosedayschildren’sbrainswerenotovertaskedastheynoware；perhapsitwasforthisveryreasonthattheboyshowedanaviditytolearn。Atsevenoreightyearsoldhecouldread，writeandsumbetterthananyotherboyofhisageinthevillage。MyfatherwasnotyetrectorofPaleham，anddidnotrememberGeorgePontifex’schildhood，butIhaveheardneighbourstellhimthattheboywaslookeduponasunusuallyquickandforward。Hisfatherandmotherwerenaturallyproudoftheiroffspring，andhismotherwasdeterminedthatheshouldonedaybecomeoneofthekingsandcouncillorsoftheearth。