CHAPTER XX. THE FAREWELL

AhouseinA——,thefashionablewatering-place,washiredforourseminaryandapromiseoftwoorthreepupilswasobtainedtocommencewith.IreturnedtoHortonLodgeaboutthemiddleofJuly,leavingmymothertoconcludethebargainforthehouse,toobtainmorepupils,toselloffthefurnitureofouroldabode,andtofitoutthenewone. Weoftenpitythepoor,becausetheyhavenoleisuretomourntheirdepartedrelatives,andnecessityobligesthemtolabourthroughtheirseverestafflictions:butisnotactiveemploymentthebestremedyforoverwhelmingsorrow—thesurestantidotefordespair?Itmaybearoughcomforter:itmayseemhardtobeharassedwiththecaresoflifewhenwehavenorelishforitsenjoymentstobegoadedtolabourwhentheheartisreadytobreak,andthevexedspiritimploresforrestonlytoweepinsilence:butisnotlabourbetterthantherestwecovet?andarenotthosepetty,tormentingcareslesshurtfulthanacontinualbroodingoverthegreatafflictionthatoppressesus?Besides,wecannothavecares,andanxieties,andtoil,withouthope—ifitbebutthehopeoffulfillingourjoylesstask,accomplishingsomeneedfulproject,orescapingsomefurtherannoyance.Atanyrate,Iwasgladmymotherhadsomuchemploymentforeveryfacultyofheraction-lovingframe.Ourkindneighbourslamentedthatshe,oncesoexaltedinwealthandstation,shouldbereducedtosuchextremityinhertimeofsorrowbutIampersuadedthatshewouldhavesufferedthriceasmuchhadshebeenleftinaffluence,withlibertytoremaininthathouse,thesceneofherearlyhappinessandlateaffliction,andnosternnecessitytopreventherfromincessantlybroodingoverandlamentingherbereavement. IwillnotdilateuponthefeelingswithwhichIlefttheoldhouse,thewell-knowngarden,thelittlevillagechurch—thendoublydeartome,becausemyfather,who,forthirtyyears,hadtaughtandprayedwithinitswalls,layslumberingnowbeneathitsflags—andtheoldbarehills,delightfulintheirverydesolation,withthenarrowvalesbetween,smilingingreenwooda