第1章

WhenIwasasmallboyatthebeginningofthecenturyIrememberanoldmanwhoworeknee-breechesandworstedstockings，andwhousedtohobbleaboutthestreetofourvillagewiththehelpofastick。

Hemusthavebeengettingonforeightyintheyear1807，earlierthanwhichdateIsupposeIcanhardlyrememberhim，forIwasbornin1802。Afewwhitelockshungabouthisears，hisshoulderswerebentandhiskneesfeeble，buthewasstillhale，andwasmuchrespectedinourlittleworldofPaleham。HisnamewasPontifex。

Hiswifewassaidtobehismaster；Ihavebeentoldshebroughthimalittlemoney，butitcannothavebeenmuch。Shewasatall，square-shoulderedperson(IhaveheardmyfathercallheraGothicwoman)whohadinsistedonbeingmarriedtoMrPontifexwhenhewasyoungandtoogood-naturedtosaynaytoanywomanwhowooedhim。

Thepairhadlivednotunhappilytogether，forMrPontifex’stemperwaseasyandhesoonlearnedtobowbeforehiswife’smorestormymoods。

MrPontifexwasacarpenterbytrade；hewasalsoatonetimeparishclerk；whenIrememberhim，however，hehadsofarriseninlifeastobenolongercompelledtoworkwithhisownhands。Inhisearlierdayshehadtaughthimselftodraw。Idonotsayhedrewwell，butitwassurprisingheshoulddrawaswellashedid。Myfather，whotookthelivingofPalehamabouttheyear1797，becamepossessedofagoodmanyofoldMrPontifex’sdrawings，whichwerealwaysoflocalsubjects，andsounaffectedlypainstakingthattheymighthavepassedfortheworkofsomegoodearlymaster。I

rememberthemashangingupframedandglazedinthestudyattheRectory，andtinted，asallelseintheroomwastinted，withthegreenreflectedfromthefringeofivyleavesthatgrewaroundthewindows。Iwonderhowtheywillactuallyceaseandcometoanendasdrawings，andintowhatnewphasesofbeingtheywillthenenter。

Notcontentwithbeinganartist，MrPontifexmustneedsalsobeamusician。Hebuilttheorganinthechurchwithhisownhands，andmadeasmalleronewhichhekeptinhisownhouse。Hecouldplayasmuchashecoulddraw，notverywellaccordingtoprofessionalstandards，butmuchbetterthancouldhavebeenexpected。Imyselfshowedatasteformusicatanearlyage，andoldMrPontifexonfindingitout，ashesoondid，becamepartialtomeinconsequence。

Itmaybethoughtthatwithsomanyironsinthefirehecouldhardlybeaverythrivingman，butthiswasnotthecase。Hisfatherhadbeenadaylabourer，andhehadhimselfbegunlifewithnoothercapitalthanhisgoodsenseandgoodconstitution；now，however，therewasagoodlyshowoftimberabouthisyard，andalookofsolidcomfortoverhiswholeestablishment。TowardsthecloseoftheeighteenthcenturyandnotlongbeforemyfathercametoPaleham，hehadtakenafarmofaboutninetyacres，thusmakingaconsiderableriseinlife。Alongwiththefarmtherewentanold-

fashionedbutcomfortablehousewithacharminggardenandanorchard。Thecarpenter’sbusinesswasnowcarriedoninoneoftheouthousesthathadoncebeenpartofsomeconventualbuildings，theremainsofwhichcouldbeseeninwhatwascalledtheAbbeyClose。

Thehouseitself，embosomedinhoneysucklesandcreepingroses，wasanornamenttothewholevillage，norwereitsinternalarrangementslessexemplarythanitsoutsidewasornamental。ReportsaidthatMrsPontifexstarchedthesheetsforherbestbed，andIcanwellbelieveit。

HowwelldoIrememberherparlourhalffilledwiththeorganwhichherhusbandhadbuilt，andscentedwithawitheredappleortwofromthepyrusjaponicathatgrewoutsidethehouse；thepictureoftheprizeoxoverthechimney-piece，whichMrPontifexhimselfhadpainted；thetransparencyofthemancomingtoshowlighttoacoachuponasnowynight，alsobyMrPontifex；thelittleoldmanandlittleoldwomanwhotoldtheweather；thechinashepherdandshepherdess；thejarsoffeatheryfloweringgrasseswithapeacock’sfeatherortwoamongthemtosetthemoff，andthechinabowlsfullofdeadroseleavesdriedwithbaysalt。Allhaslongsincevanishedandbecomeamemory，fadedbutstillfragranttomyself。

Nay，butherkitchen——andtheglimpsesintoacavernouscellarbeyondit，wherefromcamegleamsfromthepalesurfacesofmilkcans，oritmaybeofthearmsandfaceofamilkmaidskimmingthecream；oragainherstoreroom，whereamongothertreasuresshekeptthefamouslipsalvewhichwasoneofherespecialglories，andofwhichshewouldpresentashapeyearlytothosewhomshedelightedtohonour。Shewroteouttherecipeforthisandgaveittomymotherayearortwobeforeshedied，butwecouldnevermakeitasshedid。Whenwewerechildrensheusedsometimestosendherrespectstomymother，andaskleaveforustocomeandtaketeawithher。Rightwellsheusedtoplyus。Asforhertemper，wenevermetsuchadelightfuloldladyinourlives；whateverMrPontifexmayhavehadtoputupwith，wehadnocauseforcomplaint，andthenMrPontifexwouldplaytousupontheorgan，andwewouldstandroundhimopen-mouthedandthinkhimthemostwonderfullyclevermanthateverwasborn，exceptofcourseourpapa。

MrsPontifexhadnosenseofhumour，atleastIcancalltomindnosignsofthis，butherhusbandhadplentyoffuninhim，thoughfewwouldhaveguesseditfromhisappearance。Iremembermyfatheroncesentmedowntohisworkshiptogetsomeglue，andIhappenedtocomewhenoldPontifexwasintheactofscoldinghisboy。Hehadgotthelad——apudding-headedfellow——bytheearandwassaying，“What？Lostagain——smotheredo’wit。”(Ibelieveitwastheboywhowashimselfsupposedtobeawanderingsoul，andwhowasthusaddressedaslost。)“Now，lookhere，mylad。”hecontinued，“someboysarebornstupid，andthouartoneofthem；someachievestupidity——that’stheeagain，Jim——thouwastbothbornstupidandhastgreatlyincreasedthybirthright——andsome“(andherecameaclimaxduringwhichtheboy’sheadandearwereswayedfromsidetoside)“havestupiditythrustuponthem，which，ifitpleasetheLord，shallnotbethycase，mylad，forIwillthruststupidityfromthee，thoughIhavetoboxthineearsindoingso。”butIdidnotseethattheoldmanreallydidboxJim’sears，ordomorethanpretendtofrightenhim，forthetwounderstoodoneanotherperfectlywell。AnothertimeIrememberhearinghimcallthevillagerat-catcherbysaying，“Comehither，thouthree-days-and-

three-nights，thou。”alluding，asIafterwardslearned，totherat-

catcher’speriodsofintoxication；butIwilltellnomoreofsuchtrifles。Myfather’sfacewouldalwaysbrightenwhenoldPontifex’snamewasmentioned。“Itellyou，Edward。”hewouldsaytome，“oldPontifexwasnotonlyanableman，buthewasoneoftheveryablestmenthateverIknew。”

ThiswasmorethanIasayoungmanwaspreparedtostand。“Mydearfather。”Ianswered，“whatdidhedo？Hecoulddrawalittle，butcouldhetosavehislifehavegotapictureintotheRoyalAcademyexhibition？HebuilttwoorgansandcouldplaytheMinuetinSamsonononeandtheMarchinScipioontheother；hewasagoodcarpenterandabitofawag；hewasagoodoldfellowenough，butwhymakehimoutsomuchablerthanhewas？”

“Myboy。”returnedmyfather，“youmustnotjudgebythework，butbytheworkinconnectionwiththesurroundings。CouldGiottoorFilippoLippi，thinkyou，havegotapictureintotheExhibition？

WouldasingleoneofthosefrescoeswewenttoseewhenwewereatPaduahavetheremotestchanceofbeinghung，ifitweresentinforexhibitionnow？Why，theAcademypeoplewouldbesooutragedthattheywouldnotevenwritetopoorGiottototellhimtocomeandtakehisfrescoaway。Phew！”continuedhe，waxingwarm，“ifoldPontifexhadhadCromwell’schanceshewouldhavedoneallthatCromwelldid，andhavedoneitbetter；ifhehadhadGiotto’schanceshewouldhavedoneallthatGiottodid，anddoneitnoworse；asitwas，hewasavillagecarpenter，andIwillundertaketosayheneverscampedajobinthewholecourseofhislife。”

“But。”saidI，“wecannotjudgepeoplewithsomany’ifs。’IfoldPontifexhadlivedinGiotto’stimehemighthavebeenanotherGiotto，buthedidnotliveinGiotto’stime。”

“Itellyou，Edward。”saidmyfatherwithsomeseverity，“wemustjudgemennotsomuchbywhattheydo，asbywhattheymakeusfeelthattheyhaveitinthemtodo。Ifamanhasdoneenougheitherinpainting，musicortheaffairsoflife，tomakemefeelthatImighttrusthiminanemergencyhehasdoneenough。Itisnotbywhatamanhasactuallyputuponhiscanvas，noryetbytheactswhichhehassetdown，sotospeak，uponthecanvasofhislifethatIwilljudgehim，butbywhathemakesmefeelthathefeltandaimedat。

IfhehasmademefeelthathefeltthosethingstobeloveablewhichIholdloveablemyselfIasknomore；hisgrammarmayhavebeenimperfect，butstillIhaveunderstoodhim；heandIareenrapport；andIsayagain，Edward，thatoldPontifexwasnotonlyanableman，butoneoftheveryablestmenIeverknew。

Againstthistherewasnomoretobesaid，andmysisterseyedmetosilence。SomehoworothermysistersalwaysdideyemetosilencewhenIdifferedfrommyfather。

“Talkofhissuccessfulson。”snortedmyfather，whomIhadfairlyroused。“Heisnotfittoblackhisfather’sboots。Hehashisthousandsofpoundsayear，whilehisfatherhadperhapsthreethousandshillingsayeartowardstheendofhislife。HeISasuccessfulman；buthisfather，hobblingaboutPalehamStreetinhisgreyworstedstockings，broadbrimmedhatandbrownswallow-tailedcoatwasworthahundredofGeorgePontifexes，forallhiscarriagesandhorsesandtheairshegiveshimself。”

“Butyet。”headded，“GeorgePontifexisnofooleither。”AndthisbringsustothesecondgenerationofthePontifexfamilywithwhomweneedconcernourselves。

OldMrPontifexhadmarriedintheyear1750，butforfifteenyearshiswifeborenochildren。AttheendofthattimeMrsPontifexastonishedthewholevillagebyshowingunmistakablesignsofadispositiontopresentherhusbandwithanheirorheiress。Hershadlongagobeenconsideredahopelesscase，andwhenonconsultingthedoctorconcerningthemeaningofcertainsymptomsshewasinformedoftheirsignificance，shebecameveryangryandabusedthedoctorroundlyfortalkingnonsense。Sherefusedtoputsomuchasapieceofthreadintoaneedleinanticipationofherconfinementandwouldhavebeenabsolutelyunprepared，ifherneighbourshadnotbeenbetterjudgesofherconditionthanshewas，andgotthingsreadywithouttellingheranythingaboutit。PerhapsshefearedNemesis，thoughassuredlysheknewnotwhoorwhatNemesiswas；

perhapsshefearedthedoctorhadmadeamistakeandsheshouldbelaughedat；fromwhatevercause，however，herrefusaltorecognisetheobviousarose，shecertainlyrefusedtorecogniseit，untilonesnowynightinJanuarythedoctorwassentforwithallurgentspeedacrosstheroughcountryroads。Whenhearrivedhefoundtwopatients，notone，inneedofhisassistance，foraboyhadbeenbornwhowasinduetimechristenedGeorge，inhonourofhisthenreigningmajesty。

TothebestofmybeliefGeorgePontifexgotthegreaterpartofhisnaturefromthisobstinateoldlady，hismother——amotherwhothoughshelovednooneelseintheworldexceptherhusband(andhimonlyafterafashion)wasmosttenderlyattachedtotheunexpectedchildofheroldage；neverthelesssheshoweditlittle。

Theboygrewupintoasturdybright-eyedlittlefellow，withplentyofintelligence，andperhapsatrifletoogreatreadinessatbooklearning。Beingkindlytreatedathome，hewasasfondofhisfatherandmotherasitwasinhisnaturetobeofanyone，buthewasfondofnooneelse。Hehadagoodhealthysenseofmeum，andaslittleoftuumashecouldhelp。BroughtupmuchintheopenairinoneofthebestsituatedandhealthiestvillagesinEngland，hislittlelimbshadfairplay，andinthosedayschildren’sbrainswerenotovertaskedastheynoware；perhapsitwasforthisveryreasonthattheboyshowedanaviditytolearn。Atsevenoreightyearsoldhecouldread，writeandsumbetterthananyotherboyofhisageinthevillage。MyfatherwasnotyetrectorofPaleham，anddidnotrememberGeorgePontifex’schildhood，butIhaveheardneighbourstellhimthattheboywaslookeduponasunusuallyquickandforward。Hisfatherandmotherwerenaturallyproudoftheiroffspring，andhismotherwasdeterminedthatheshouldonedaybecomeoneofthekingsandcouncillorsoftheearth。