TheforegoinglettershowshowmuchgreaterwasChristina’sanxietyfortheeternalthanforthetemporalwelfareofhersons。Onewouldhavethoughtshehadsowedenoughofsuchreligiouswildoatsbythistime，butshehadplentystilltosow。Tomeitseemsthatthosewhoarehappyinthisworldarebetterandmorelovablepeoplethanthosewhoarenot，andthatthusintheeventofaResurrectionandDayofJudgement，theywillbethemostlikelytobedeemedworthyofaheavenlymansion。PerhapsadimunconsciousperceptionofthiswasthereasonwhyChristinawassoanxiousforTheobald’searthlyhappiness，orwasitmerelyduetoaconvictionthathiseternalwelfarewassomuchamatterofcourse，thatitonlyremainedtosecurehisearthlyhappiness？Hewasto“findhissonsobedient，affectionate，attentivetohiswishes，self-denyinganddiligent。”agoodlystringforsoothofallthevirtuesmostconvenienttoparents；hewasnevertohavetoblushforthefolliesofthose“whoowedhimsuchadebtofgratitude。”and“whosefirstdutyitwastostudyhishappiness。”Howlikematernalsolicitudeisthis！Solicitudeforthemostpartlesttheoffspringshouldcometohavewishesandfeelingsofitsown，whichmayoccasionmanydifficulties，fanciedorreal。Itisthisthatisatthebottomofthewholemischief；butwhetherthislastpropositionisgrantedorno，atanyrateweobservethatChristinahadasufficientlykeenappreciationofthedutiesofchildrentowardstheirparents，andfeltthetaskoffulfillingthemadequatelytobesodifficultthatshewasverydoubtfulhowfarErnestandJoeywouldsucceedinmasteringit。Itisplaininfactthathersupposedpartingglanceuponthemwasoneofsuspicion。ButtherewasnosuspicionofTheobald；thatheshouldhavedevotedhislifetohischildren——whythiswassuchamereplatitude，asalmosttogowithoutsaying。

　　How，letmeask，wasitpossiblethatachildonlyalittlepastfiveyearsold，trainedinsuchanatmosphereofprayersandhymnsandsumsandhappySundayevenings——tosaynothingofdailyrepeatedbeatingsoverthesaidprayersandhymns，etc。，aboutwhichourauthoressissilent——howwasitpossiblethataladsotrainedshouldgrowupinanyhealthyorvigorousdevelopment，eventhoughinherownwayhismotherwasundoubtedlyveryfondofhim，andsometimestoldhimstories？CantheeyeofanyreaderfailtodetectthecomingwrathofGodasabouttodescendupontheheadofhimwhoshouldbenurturedundertheshadowofsuchaletterastheforegoing？

　　IhaveoftenthoughtthattheChurchofRomedoeswiselyinnotallowingherprieststomarry。CertainlyitisamatterofcommonobservationinEnglandthatthesonsofclergymenarefrequentlyunsatisfactory。Theexplanationisverysimple，butissooftenlostsightofthatImayperhapsbepardonedforgivingithere。

　　TheclergymanisexpectedtobeakindofhumanSunday。Thingsmustnotbedoneinhimwhicharevenialintheweek-dayclasses。Heispaidforthisbusinessofleadingastricterlifethanotherpeople。

　　Itishisraisond’etre。Ifhisparishionersfeelthathedoesthis，theyapproveofhim，fortheylookuponhimastheirowncontributiontowardswhattheydeemaholylife。Thisiswhytheclergymanissooftencalledavicar——hebeingthepersonwhosevicariousgoodnessistostandforthatofthoseentrustedtohischarge。ButhishomeishiscastleasmuchasthatofanyotherEnglishman，andwithhim，aswithothers，unnaturaltensioninpublicisfollowedbyexhaustionwhentensionisnolongernecessary。Hischildrenarethemostdefencelessthingshecanreach，anditisontheminninecasesoutoftenthathewillrelievehismind。

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