CHAPTER IX

edwiththebowling-greenandtheterrace.Theyallfelttherefreshmentofit,andforsometimecouldonlywalkandadmire.Atlength,afterashortpause,MissCrawfordbeganwith,“Soyouaretobeaclergyman,Mr.Bertram.Thisisratherasurprisetome.” “Whyshoulditsurpriseyou?Youmustsupposemedesignedforsomeprofession,andmightperceivethatIamneitheralawyer,norasoldier,norasailor.” “Verytruebut,inshort,ithadnotoccurredtome.Andyouknowthereisgenerallyanuncleoragrandfathertoleaveafortunetothesecondson.” “Averypraiseworthypractice,”saidEdmund,“butnotquiteuniversal.Iamoneoftheexceptions,andbeingone,mustdosomethingformyself.” “Butwhyareyoutobeaclergyman?Ithoughtthatwasalwaysthelotoftheyoungest,wherethereweremanytochusebeforehim.” “Doyouthinkthechurchitselfneverchosen,then?” “Neverisablackword.Butyes,intheneverofconversation,whichmeansnotveryoften,Idothinkit.Forwhatistobedoneinthechurch?Menlovetodistinguishthemselves,andineitheroftheotherlinesdistinctionmaybegained,butnotinthechurch.Aclergymanisnothing.” “Thenothingofconversationhasitsgradations,Ihope,aswellasthenever.Aclergymancannotbehighinstateorfashion.Hemustnotheadmobs,orsetthetonindress.ButIcannotcallthatsituationnothingwhichhasthechargeofallthatisofthefirstimportancetomankind,individuallyorcollectivelyconsidered,temporallyandeternally,whichhastheguardianshipofreligionandmorals,andconsequentlyofthemannerswhichresultfromtheirinfluence.Nooneherecancalltheofficenothing.Ifthemanwhoholdsitisso,itisbytheneglectofhisduty,byforegoingitsjustimportance,andsteppingoutofhisplacetoappearwhatheoughtnottoappear.” “Youassigngreaterconsequencetotheclergymanthanonehasbeenusedtoheargiven,orthanIcanquitecomprehend.Onedoesnotseemuchofthisinfluenceandimportanceinsociety,andhowcanitbeacquiredwheretheyaresoseldomseenthemselves?Howcantwosermonsaweek,evensupposingthemworthhearing,supposingthepreachertohavethesensetopreferBlair’stohisown,doallthatyouspeakof?governtheconductandfashionthemannersofalargecongregationfortherestoftheweek?Onescarcelyseesaclergymanoutofhispulpit.” “YouarespeakingofLondon,Iamspeakingofthenationatlarge.” “Themetropolis,Iimagine,isaprettyfairsampleoftherest.” “Not,Ishouldhope,oftheproportionofvirtuetovicethroughoutthekingdom.Wedonotlookingreatcitiesforourbestmorality.Itisnottherethatrespectablepeopleofanydenominationcandomostgoodanditcertainlyisnottherethattheinfluenceoftheclergycanbemostfelt.Afinepreacherisfollowedandadmiredbutitisnotinfinepreachingonlythatagoodclergymanwillbeusefulinhisparishandhisneighbourhood,wheretheparishandneighbourhoodareofasizecapableofknowinghisprivatecharacter,andobservinghisgeneralconduct,whichinLondoncanrarelybethecase.Theclergyarelostthereinthecrowdsoftheirparishioners.Theyareknowntothelargestpartonlyaspreachers.Andwithregardtotheirinfluencingpublicmanners,MissCrawfordmustnotmisunderstandme,orsupposeImeantocallthemthearbitersofgood-breeding,theregulatorsofrefinementandcourtesy,themastersoftheceremoniesoflife.ThemannersIspeakofmightratherbecalledconduct,perhaps,theresultofgoodprinciplestheeffect,inshort,ofthosedoctrineswhichitistheirdutytoteachandrecommendanditwill,Ibelieve,beeverywherefound,thatastheclergyare,orarenotwhattheyoughttobe,soaretherestofthenation.” “Certainly,”saidFanny,withgentleearnestness. “There,”criedMissCrawford,“youhavequiteconvincedMissPricealready.” “IwishIcouldconvinceMissCrawfordtoo.” “Idonotthinkyoueverwill,”saidshe,withanarchsmile“IamjustasmuchsurprisednowasIwasatfirstthatyoushouldintendtotakeorders.Youreallyarefitforsomethingbetter.Come,dochangeyourmind.Itisnottoolate.Gointothelaw.” “Gointothelaw!WithasmucheaseasIwastoldtogointothiswilderness.” “Nowyouaregoingtosaysomethingaboutlawbeingtheworstwildernessofthetwo,butIforestallyouremember,Ihaveforestalledyou.” “Youneednothurrywhentheobjectisonlytopreventmysayingabonmot,forthereisnottheleastwitinmynature.Iamaverymatter-of-fact,plain-spokenbeing,andmayblunderonthebordersofareparteeforhalfanhourtogetherwithoutstrikingitout.” Ageneralsilencesucceeded.Eachwasthoughtful.Fannymadethefirs