Itisonethinghowevertoresolvethatone’ssonshallwinsomeoflife’slargerprizes，andanothertosquarematterswithfortuneinthisrespect。GeorgePontifexmighthavebeenbroughtupasacarpenterandsucceededinnootherwaythanassucceedinghisfatherasoneoftheminormagnatesofPaleham，andyethavebeenamoretrulysuccessfulmanthanheactuallywas——forItakeitthereisnotmuchmoresolidsuccessinthisworldthanwhatfelltothelotofoldMrandMrsPontifex；ithappened，however，thatabouttheyear1780，whenGeorgewasaboyoffifteen，asisterofMrsPontifex’s，whohadmarriedaMrFairlie，cametopayafewdays’
　　visitatPaleham。MrFairliewasapublisher，chieflyofreligiousworks，andhadanestablishmentinPaternosterRow；hehadriseninlife，andhiswifehadrisenwithhim。Noverycloserelationshadbeenmaintainedbetweenthesistersforsomeyears，andIforgetexactlyhowitcameaboutthatMrandMrsFairliewereguestsinthequietbutexceedinglycomfortablehouseoftheirsisterandbrother-
　　in-law；butforsomereasonorotherthevisitwaspaid，andlittleGeorgesoonsucceededinmakinghiswayintohisuncleandaunt’sgoodgraces。Aquick，intelligentboywithagoodaddress，asoundconstitution，andcomingofrespectableparents，hasapotentialvaluewhichapractisedbusinessmanwhohasneedofmanysubordinatesislittlelikelytooverlook。BeforehisvisitwasoverMrFairlieproposedtothelad’sfatherandmotherthatheshouldputhimintohisownbusiness，atthesametimepromisingthatiftheboydidwellheshouldnotwantsomeonetobringhimforward。MrsPontifexhadherson’sinteresttoomuchathearttorefusesuchanoffer，sothematterwassoonarranged，andaboutafortnightaftertheFairlieshadleft，GeorgewassentupbycoachtoLondon，wherehewasmetbyhisuncleandaunt，withwhomitwasarrangedthatheshouldlive。
　　ThiswasGeorge’sgreatstartinlife。Henowworemorefashionableclothesthanhehadyetbeenaccustomedto，andanylittlerusticityofgaitorpronunciationwhichhehadbroughtfromPaleham，wassoquicklyandcompletelylostthatitwaserelongimpossibletodetectthathehadnotbeenbornandbredamongpeopleofwhatiscommonlycallededucation。Theboypaidgreatattentiontohiswork，andmorethanjustifiedthefavourableopinionwhichMrFairliehadformedconcerninghim。SometimesMrFairliewouldsendhimdowntoPalehamforafewdays’holiday，anderelonghisparentsperceivedthathehadacquiredanairandmanneroftalkingdifferentfromanythathehadtakenwithhimfromPaleham。Theywereproudofhim，andsoonfellintotheirproperplaces，resigningallappearanceofaparentalcontrol，forwhichindeedtherewasnokindofnecessity。Inreturn，Georgewasalwayskindlytothem，andtotheendofhisliferetainedamoreaffectionatefeelingtowardshisfatherandmotherthanIimaginehimevertohavefeltagainforman，woman，orchild。
　　George’svisitstoPalehamwereneverlong，forthedistancefromLondonwasunderfiftymilesandtherewasadirectcoach，sothatthejourneywaseasy；therewasnottime，therefore，forthenoveltytowearoffeitheronthepartoftheyoungmanorofhisparents。
　　GeorgelikedthefreshcountryairandgreenfieldsafterthedarknesstowhichhehadbeensolongaccustomedinPaternosterRow，whichthen，asnow，wasanarrowgloomylaneratherthanastreet。
　　Independentlyofthepleasureofseeingthefamiliarfacesofthefarmersandvillagers，helikedalsobeingseenandbeingcongratulatedongrowingupsuchafine-lookingandfortunateyoungfellow，forhewasnottheyouthtohidehislightunderabushel。
　　HisunclehadhadhimtaughtLatinandGreekofanevening；hehadtakenkindlytotheselanguagesandhadrapidlyandeasilymasteredwhatmanyboystakeyearsinacquiring。Isupposehisknowledgegavehimaself-confidencewhichmadeitselffeltwhetherheintendeditornot；atanyrate，hesoonbegantoposeasajudgeofliterature，andfromthistobeingajudgeofart，architecture，musicandeverythingelse，thepathwaseasy。Likehisfather，heknewthevalueofmoney，buthewasatoncemoreostentatiousandlessliberalthanhisfather；whileyetaboyhewasathoroughlittlemanoftheworld，anddidwellratheruponprincipleswhichhehadtestedbypersonalexperiment，andrecognisedasprinciples，thanfromthoseprofounderconvictionswhichinhisfatherweresoinstinctivethathecouldgivenoaccountconcerningthem。
　　Hisfather，asIhavesaid，wonderedathimandlethimalone。Hissonhadfairlydistancedhim，andinaninarticulatewaythefatherknewitperfectlywell。Afterafewyearshetooktowearinghisbestclotheswheneverhissoncametostaywithhim，norwouldhediscardthemforhisordinaryonestilltheyoungmanhadreturnedtoLondon。IbelieveoldMrPontifex，alongwithhisprideandaffection，feltalsoacertainfearofhisson，asthoughofsomethingwhichhecouldnotthoroughlyunderstand，andwhoseways，notwithstandingoutwardagreement，wereneverthelessnotashisways。MrsPontifexfeltnothingofthis；toherGeorgewaspureandabsoluteperfection，andshesaw，orthoughtshesaw，withpleasure，thatheresembledherandherfamilyinfeatureaswellasindispositionratherthanherhusbandandhis。
　　WhenGeorgewasabouttwenty-fiveyearsoldhisuncletookhimintopartnershiponveryliberalterms。Hehadlittlecausetoregretthisstep。Theyoungmaninfusedfreshvigourintoaconcernthatwasalreadyvigorous，andbythetimehewasthirtyfoundhimselfinthereceiptofnotlessthan1500poundsayearashisshareoftheprofits。Twoyearslaterhemarriedaladyaboutsevenyearsyoungerthanhimself，whobroughthimahandsomedowry。Shediedin1805，whenheryoungestchildAletheawasborn，andherhusbanddidnotmarryagain。
　　IntheearlyyearsofthecenturyfivelittlechildrenandacoupleofnursesbegantomakeperiodicalvisitstoPaleham。ItisneedlesstosaytheywerearisinggenerationofPontifexes，towardswhomtheoldcouple，theirgrandparents，wereastenderlydeferentialastheywouldhavebeentothechildrenoftheLordLieutenantoftheCounty。TheirnameswereEliza，Maria，John，Theobaldwholikemyselfwasbornin1802，andAlethea。MrPontifexalwaysputtheprefix“master“or“miss“beforethenamesofhisgrandchildren，exceptinthecaseofAlethea，whowashisfavourite。Tohaveresistedhisgrandchildrenwouldhavebeenasimpossibleforhimastohaveresistedhiswife；evenoldMrsPontifexyieldedbeforeherson’schildren，andgavethemallmanneroflicencewhichshewouldneverhaveallowedeventomysistersandmyself，whostoodnextinherregard。Tworegulationsonlytheymustattendto；theymustwipetheirshoeswelloncomingintothehouse，andtheymustnotoverfeedMrPontifex’sorganwithwind，nortakethepipesout。
　　ByusattheRectorytherewasnotimesomuchlookedforwardtoastheannualvisitofthelittlePontifexestoPaleham。Wecameinforsomeoftheprevailinglicence；wewenttoteawithMrsPontifextomeethergrandchildren，andthenouryoungfriendswereaskedtotheRectorytohaveteawithus，andwehadwhatweconsideredgreattimes。IfelldesperatelyinlovewithAlethea，indeedweallfellinlovewitheachother，pluralityandexchangewhetherofwivesorhusbandsbeingopenlyandunblushinglyadvocatedintheverypresenceofournurses。Wewereverymerry，butitissolongagothatIhaveforgottennearlyeverythingsavethatweWEREverymerry。AlmosttheonlythingthatremainswithmeasapermanentimpressionwasthefactthatTheobaldonedaybeathisnurseandteasedher，andwhenshesaidsheshouldgoawaycriedout，“Youshan’tgoaway——I’llkeepyouonpurposetotormentyou。”
　　Onewinter’smorning，however，intheyear1811，weheardthechurchbelltollingwhileweweredressinginthebacknurseryandweretolditwasforoldMrsPontifex。OurmanservantJohntoldusandaddedwithgrimlevitythattheywereringingthebelltocomeandtakeheraway。Shehadhadafitofparalysiswhichhadcarriedheroffquitesuddenly。Itwasveryshocking，themoresobecauseournurseassuredusthatifGodchosewemightallhavefitsofparalysisourselvesthatverydayandbetakenstraightofftotheDayofJudgement。TheDayofJudgementindeed，accordingtotheopinionofthosewhoweremostlikelytoknow，wouldnotunderanycircumstancesbedelayedmorethanafewyearslonger，andthenthewholeworldwouldbeburned，andweourselvesbeconsignedtoaneternityoftorture，unlesswemendedourwaysmorethanweatpresentseemedatalllikelytodo。Allthiswassoalarmingthatwefelltoscreamingandmadesuchahullabaloothatthenursewasobligedforherownpeacetoreassureus。Thenwewept，butmorecomposedly，aswerememberedthattherewouldbenomoreteaandcakesforusnowatoldMrsPontifex’s。
　　Onthedayofthefuneral，however，wehadagreatexcitement；oldMrPontifexsentroundapennyloaftoeveryinhabitantofthevillageaccordingtoacustomstillnotuncommonatthebeginningofthecentury；theloafwascalledadole。Wehadneverheardofthiscustombefore，besides，thoughwehadoftenheardofpennyloaves，wehadneverbeforeseenone；moreover，theywerepresentstousasinhabitantsofthevillage，andweweretreatedasgrownuppeople，forourfatherandmotherandtheservantshadeachoneloafsentthem，butonlyone。Wehadneveryetsuspectedthatwewereinhabitantsatall；finally，thelittleloaveswerenew，andwewerepassionatelyfondofnewbread，whichwewereseldomorneverallowedtohave，asitwassupposednottobegoodforus。Ouraffection，therefore，forouroldfriendhadtostandagainstthecombinedattacksofarchaeologicalinterest，therightsofcitizenshipandproperty，thepleasantnesstotheeyeandgoodnessforfoodofthelittleloavesthemselves，andthesenseofimportancewhichwasgivenusbyourhavingbeenintimatewithsomeonewhohadactuallydied。Itseemeduponfurtherinquirythattherewaslittlereasontoanticipateanearlydeathforanyoneofourselves，andthisbeingso，weratherlikedtheideaofsomeoneelse’sbeingputawayintothechurchyard；wepassed，therefore，inashorttimefromextremedepressiontoanolessextremeexultation；anewheavenandanewearthhadbeenrevealedtousinourperceptionofthepossibilityofbenefitingbythedeathofourfriends，andIfearthatforsometimewetookaninterestinthehealthofeveryoneinthevillagewhosepositionrenderedarepetitionofthedoleintheleastlikely。
　　Thosewerethedaysinwhichallgreatthingsseemedfaroff，andwewereastonishedtofindthatNapoleonBuonapartewasanactuallylivingperson。Wehadthoughtsuchagreatmancouldonlyhavelivedaverylongtimeago，andherehewasafterallalmostasitwereatourowndoors。ThislentcolourtotheviewthattheDayofJudgementmightindeedbenearerthanwehadthought，butnursesaidthatwasallrightnow，andsheknew。Inthosedaysthesnowlaylongeranddrifteddeeperinthelanesthanitdoesnow，andthemilkwassometimesbroughtinfrozeninwinter，andweweretakendownintothebackkitchentoseeit。Isupposetherearerectoriesupanddownthecountrynowwherethemilkcomesinfrozensometimesinwinter，andthechildrengodowntowonderatit，butIneverseeanyfrozenmilkinLondon，soIsupposethewintersarewarmerthantheyusedtobe。
　　Aboutoneyearafterhiswife’sdeathMrPontifexalsowasgatheredtohisfathers。Myfathersawhimthedaybeforehedied。Theoldmanhadatheoryaboutsunsets，andhadhadtwostepsbuiltupagainstawallinthekitchengardenonwhichheusedtostandandwatchthesungodownwheneveritwasclear。Myfathercameonhimintheafternoon，justasthesunwassetting，andsawhimwithhisarmsrestingonthetopofthewalllookingtowardsthesunoverafieldthroughwhichtherewasapathonwhichmyfatherwas。Myfatherheardhimsay“Good-bye，sun；good-bye，sun。”asthesunsank，andsawbyhistoneandmannerthathewasfeelingveryfeeble。Beforethenextsunsethewasgone。
　　Therewasnodole。Someofhisgrandchildrenwerebroughttothefuneralandweremonstratedwiththem，butdidnottakemuchbydoingso。JohnPontifex，whowasayearolderthanIwas，sneeredatpennyloaves，andintimatedthatifIwantedoneitmustbebecausemypapaandmammacouldnotaffordtobuymeone，whereonI