The
fact is worth considering. A puff of secular air, to blow away the vapor
of sanctity in which the clergy envelop themselves, might be salutary at
intervals. All fresh air is a tonic."
Mr. Jones repeated his slight grimace, and said, "Will Miss Hague be so
kind as to tell me what a sermon ought to be? I will sit at her feet
with all humility."
"With arrogant humility!--with the pride that apes humility," cried Miss
Hague with cheerful irreverence. "I don't pretend to teach you
sermon-making: I only tell you that, such as sermons mostly are,
precious little help or comfort can be derived from them."
Mr. Jones again made his characteristic grimace, expressive of the
contempt for secular opinion with which he was morally so well
cushioned, but he had a kind heart and refrained from crushing his poor
old opponent with too severe a rejoinder. He granted that some novels
might be harmless, and such as he would not object to see in the hands
of his daughters; but as a general rule he had a prejudice against
fiction; and as for theatres, he would have them all shut up, for he
was convinced that thousands of young men and women might date their
ruin from their first visit to a theatre: he could tell them many
anecdotes in support of his assertions. Fortunately, it was three
o'clock. The butler brought in letters by the afternoon post, and the
anecdotes had to be deferred to a more convenient season.
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