CHAPTER XI

.” “ShallIaskyouhowthechurchistobefilled,ifamanisneithertotakeorderswithalivingnorwithout?Noforyoucertainlywouldnotknowwhattosay.ButImustbegsomeadvantagetotheclergymanfromyourownargument.Ashecannotbeinfluencedbythosefeelingswhichyourankhighlyastemptationandrewardtothesoldierandsailorintheirchoiceofaprofession,asheroism,andnoise,andfashion,areallagainsthim,heoughttobelessliabletothesuspicionofwantingsincerityorgoodintentionsinthechoiceofhis.” “Oh!nodoubtheisverysincereinpreferringanincomereadymade,tothetroubleofworkingforoneandhasthebestintentionsofdoingnothingalltherestofhisdaysbuteat,drink,andgrowfat.Itisindolence,Mr.Bertram,indeed.Indolenceandloveofeaseawantofalllaudableambition,oftasteforgoodcompany,orofinclinationtotakethetroubleofbeingagreeable,whichmakemenclergymen.Aclergymanhasnothingtodobutbeslovenlyandselfish—readthenewspaper,watchtheweather,andquarrelwithhiswife.Hiscuratedoesallthework,andthebusinessofhisownlifeistodine.” “Therearesuchclergymen,nodoubt,butIthinktheyarenotsocommonastojustifyMissCrawfordinesteemingittheirgeneralcharacter.Isuspectthatinthiscomprehensiveand(mayIsay)commonplacecensure,youarenotjudgingfromyourself,butfromprejudicedpersons,whoseopinionsyouhavebeeninthehabitofhearing.Itisimpossiblethatyourownobservationcanhavegivenyoumuchknowledgeoftheclergy.Youcanhavebeenpersonallyacquaintedwithveryfewofasetofmenyoucondemnsoconclusively.Youarespeakingwhatyouhavebeentoldatyouruncle’stable.” “Ispeakwhatappearstomethegeneralopinionandwhereanopinionisgeneral,itisusuallycorrect.ThoughIhavenotseenmuchofthedomesticlivesofclergymen,itisseenbytoomanytoleaveanydeficiencyofinformation.” “Whereanyonebodyofeducatedmen,ofwhateverdenomination,arecondemnedindiscriminately,theremustbeadeficiencyofinformation,or(smiling)ofsomethingelse.Youruncle,andhisbrotheradmirals,perhapsknewlittleofclergymenbeyondthechaplainswhom,goodorbad,theywerealwayswishingaway.” “PoorWilliam!HehasmetwithgreatkindnessfromthechaplainoftheAntwerp,”wasatenderapostropheofFanny’s,verymuchtothepurposeofherownfeelingsifnotoftheconversation. “Ihavebeensolittleaddictedtotakemyopinionsfrommyuncle,”saidMissCrawford,“thatIcanhardlysuppose—andsinceyoupushmesohard,Imustobserve,thatIamnotentirel