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knew the precise number of stones with which they had intended
to hit Farmer Britton’s ducks。 But for all who saw them through a
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less mythical medium； the Miss Irwines were quite superfluous
existences—inartistic figures crowding the canvas of life without
adequate effect。 Miss Anne； indeed； if her chronic headaches could
have been accounted for by a pathetic story of disappointed love；
might have had some romantic interest attached to her： but no
such story had either been known or invented concerning her； and
the general impression was quite in accordance with the fact； that
both the sisters were old maids for the prosaic reason that they
had never received an eligible offer。
Nevertheless； to speak paradoxically； the existence of
insignificant people has very important consequences in the
world。 It can be shown to affect the price of bread and the rate of
wages； to call forth many evil tempers from the selfish and many
heroisms from the sympathetic； and； in other ways； to play no
small part in the tragedy of life。 And if that handsome； generous…
blooded clergyman； the Rev。 Adolphus Irwine； had not had these
two hopelessly maiden sisters； his lot would have been shaped
quite differently： he would very likely have taken a comely wife in
his youth； and now； when his hair was getting grey under the
powder； would have had tall sons and blooming daughters—such
possessions； in short； as men commonly think will repay them for
all the labour they take under the sun。 As it was—having with all
his three livings no more than seven hundred a…year； and seeing
no way of keeping his splendid mother and his sickly sister； not to
reckon a second sister； who was usually spoken of without any
adjective； in such ladylike ease as became their birth and habits；
and at the same time providing for a family of his own—he
remained； you see； at the age of eight…and…forty； a bachelor； not
making any merit of that renunciation； but saying laughingly； if
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any one alluded to it； that he made it an excuse for many
indulgences which a wife would never have allowed him。 And
perhaps he was the only person in the world who did not think his
sisters uninteresting and superfluous； for his was one of those
large…hearted； sweet…blooded natures that never know a narrow or
a grudging thought； Epicurean； if you will； with no enthusiasm； no
self…scourging sense of duty； but yet； as you have seen； of a
sufficiently subtle moral fibre to have an unwearying tenderness
for obscure and monotonous suffering。 It was his large…hearted
indulgence that made him ignore his mother’s hardness towards
her daughters； which was the more striking from its contrast with
her doting fondness towards himself； he held it no virtue to frown
at irremediable faults。
See the difference between the impression a man makes on you
when you walk by his side in familiar talk； or look at him in his
home； and the figure he makes when seen from a lofty historical
level； or even in the eyes of a critical neighbour who thinks of him
as an embodied system or opinion rather than as a man。 Mr。 Roe；
the “travelling preacher” stationed at Treddleston； had included
Mr。 Irwine in a general statement concerning the Church clergy in
the surrounding district； whom he described as men given up to
the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life； hunting and shooting；
and adorning their own houses； asking what shall we eat； and
what shall we drink； and wherewithal shall we be clothed？—
careless of dispensing the bread of life to their flocks； preaching at
best but a carnal and soul…benumbing morality； and trafficking in
the souls of men by receiving money for discharging the pastoral
office in parishes where they did not so much as look on the faces
of the people more than once a…year。 The ecclesiastical historian；
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too； looking into parliamentary reports of that period； finds
honourable members zealous for the Church； and untainted with
any sympathy for the “tribe of canting Methodists；” making
statements scarcely less melancholy than that of Mr。 Roe。 And it is
impossible for me to say that Mr。 Irwine was altogether belied by
the generic classification assigned him。 He really had no very lofty
aims； no theological enthusiasm： if I were closely questioned； I
should be obliged to confess that he felt no serious alarms about
the souls of his parishioners； and would have thought it a mere
loss of time to talk in a doctrinal and awakening manner to old
“Feyther Taft；” or even to Chad Cranage the blacksmith。 If he had
been in the habit of speaking theoretically； he would perhaps have
said that the only healthy form religion could take in such minds
was that of certain dim but strong emotions； suffusing themselves
as a hallowing influence over the family affections and
neighbourly duties。 He thought the custom of baptism more
important than its doctrine； and that the religious benefits the
peasant drew from the church where his fathers worshipped and
the sacred piece of turf where they lay buried were but slightly
dependent on a clear understanding of the Liturgy or the sermon。
Clearly the rector was not what is called in these days an “earnest”
man： he was fonder of church history than of divinity； and had
much more insight into men’s characters than interest in their
opinions； he was neither laborious； nor obviously self…denying； nor
very copious in alms…giving； and his theology； you perceive； was
lax。 His mental palate； indeed； was rather pagan； and found a
savouriness in a quotation from Sophocles or Theocritus that was
quite absent from any text in Isaiah or Amos。 But if you feed your
young setter on raw flesh； how can you wonder at its retaining a
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relish for uncooked partridge in after…life？ And Mr。 Irwine’s
recollections of young enthusiasm and ambition were all
associated with poetry and ethics that lay aloof from the Bible。
On the other hand； I must plead； for I have an affectionate
partiality towards the rector’s memory； that he was not
vindictive—and some philanthropists have been so； that he was
not intolerant—and there is a rumour that some zealous
theologians have not been altogether free from that blemish； that
although he would probably have declined to give his body to be
burned in any public cause； and was far from bestowing all his
goods to feed the poor； he had that charity which has sometimes
been lacking to very illustrious virtue—he was tender to other
men’s failings； and unwilling to impute evil。 He was one of those
men； and they are not the commonest； of whom we can know the
best only by following them away from the marketplace； the
platform； and the pulpit； entering with them into their own homes；
hearing the voice with which they speak to the young and aged
about their own hearthstone； and witnessing their thoughtful care
for the everyday wants of everyday companions； who take all their
kindness as a matter of course； and not as a subj