TheBarchesterReformerMrHardinghasbeennowprecentorofBarchesterfortenyears；and，alas，themurmursrespectingtheproceedsofHiram’sestateareagainbecomingaudible。ItisnotthatanyonebegrudgestoMrHardingtheincomewhichheenjoys，andthecomfortableplacewhichsowellbecomeshim；
　　butsuchmattershavebeguntobetalkedofinvariouspartsofEngland。EagerpushingpoliticianshaveassertedintheHouseofCommons，withverytellingindignation，thatthegraspingpriestsoftheChurchofEnglandaregorgedwiththewealthwhichthecharityofformertimeshasleftforthesolaceoftheaged，ortheeducationoftheyoung。Thewell-knowncaseoftheHospitalofStCrosshasevencomebeforethelawcourtsofthecountry，andthestrugglesofMrWhiston，atRochester，havemetwithsympathyandsupport。Menarebeginningtosaythatthesethingsmustbelookedinto。
　　MrHarding，whoseconscienceinthematterisclear，andwhohasneverfeltthathehadreceivedapoundfromHiram’swilltowhichhewasnotentitled，hasnaturallytakenthepartofthechurchintalkingoverthesematterswithhisfriend，thebishop，andhisson-in-law，thearchdeacon。Thearchdeacon，indeed，DrGrantly，hasbeensomewhatloudinthematter。
　　HeisapersonalfriendofthedignitariesoftheRochesterChapter，andhaswrittenlettersinthepublicpressonthesubjectofthatturbulentDrWhiston，which，hisadmirersthink，mustwellnighsetthequestionatrest。ItisalsoknownatOxfordthatheistheauthorofthepamphletsigned’Sacerdos’onthesubjectoftheEarlofGuildfordandStCross，inwhichitissoclearlyarguedthatthemannersofthepresenttimesdonotadmitofaliteraladhesiontotheverywordsofthefounder’swill，butthattheinterestsofthechurchforwhichthefounderwassodeeplyconcernedarebestconsultedinenablingitsbishopstorewardthoseshininglightswhoseserviceshavebeenmostsignallyserviceabletoChristianity。
　　Inanswertothis，itisassertedthatHenrydeBlois，founderofStCross，wasnotgreatlyinterestedinthewelfareofthereformedchurch，andthatthemastersofStCross，formanyyearspast，cannotbecalledshininglightsintheserviceofChristianity；itis，however，stoutlymaintained，andnodoubtfelt，byallthearchdeacon’sfriends，thathislogicisconclusive，andhasnot，infact，beenanswered。
　　Withsuchatowerofstrengthtobackbothhisargumentsandhisconscience，itmaybeimaginedthatMrHardinghasneverfeltanycompunctionastoreceivinghisquarterlysumoftwohundredpounds。Indeed，thesubjecthasneverpresenteditselftohismindinthatshape。Hehastalkednotunfrequently，andheardverymuchaboutthewillsofoldfoundersandtheincomesarisingfromtheirestates，duringthelastyearortwo；hedideven，atonemoment，feeladoubtsinceexpelledbyhisson-in-law’slogicastowhetherLordGuildfordwasclearlyentitledtoreceivesoenormousanincomeashedoesfromtherevenuesofStCross；butthathehimselfwasoverpaidwithhismodesteighthundredpounds——hewho，outofthat，voluntarilygaveupsixty-twopoundselevenshillingsandfourpenceayeartohistwelveoldneighbours——hewho，forthemoney，doeshisprecentor’sworkasnoprecentorhasdoneitbefore，sinceBarchesterCathedralwasbuilt，——suchanideahasneversulliedhisquiet，ordisturbedhisconscience。
　　Nevertheless，MrHardingisbecominguneasyattherumourwhichheknowstoprevailinBarchesteronthesubject。Heisawarethat，atanyrate，twoofhisoldmenhavebeenheardtosay，thatifeveryonehadhisown，theymighteachhavetheirhundredpoundsayear，andlivelikegentlemen，insteadofabeggarlyoneshillingandsixpenceaday；andthattheyhadslendercausetobethankfulforamiserabledoleoftwopence，whenMrHardingandMrChadwick，betweenthem，ranawaywiththousandsofpoundswhichgoodoldJohnHiramneverintendedforthelikeofthem。ItistheingratitudeofthiswhichstingsMrHarding。Oneofthisdiscontentedpair，AbelHandy，wasputintothehospitalbyhimself；hehadbeenastone-masoninBarchester，andhadbrokenhisthighbyafallfromascaffolding，whileemployedaboutthecathedral；
　　andMrHardinghadgivenhimthefirstvacancyinthehospitalaftertheoccurrence，althoughDrGrantlyhadbeenveryanxioustoputintoitaninsufferableclerkofhisatPlumsteadEpiscopi，whohadlostallhisteeth，andwhomthearchdeaconhardlyknewhowtogetridofbyothermeans。DrGrantlyhasnotforgottentoremindMrHardinghowwellsatisfiedwithhisone-and-sixpenceadayoldJoeMutterswouldhavebeen，andhowinjudiciousitwasonthepartofMrHardingtoallowaradicalfromthetowntogetintotheconcern。
　　ProbablyDrGrantlyforgotatthemoment，thatthecharitywasintendedforbroken-downjourneymenofBarchester。
　　ThereislivingatBarchester，ayoungman，asurgeon，namedJohnBold，andbothMrHardingandDrGrantlyarewellawarethattohimisowingthepestilentrebelliousfeelingwhichhasshownitselfinthehospital；yes，andtherenewal，too，ofthatdisagreeabletalkaboutHiram’sestateswhichisnowagainprevalentinBarchester。Nevertheless，MrHardingandMrBoldareacquaintedwitheachother；wemaysay，arefriends，consideringthegreatdisparityintheiryears。DrGrantly，however，hasaholyhorroroftheimpiousdemagogue，asononeoccasionhecalledBold，whenspeakingofhimtotheprecentor；andbeingamoreprudentfar-seeingmanthanMrHarding，andpossessedofastrongerhead，healreadyperceivesthatthisJohnBoldwillworkgreattroubleinBarchester。Heconsidersthatheistoberegardedasanenemy，andthinksthatheshouldnotbeadmittedintothecamponanythinglikefriendlyterms。AsJohnBoldwilloccupymuchofourattentionwemustendeavourtoexplainwhoheis，andwhyhetakesthepartofJohnHiram’sbedesmen。
　　JohnBoldisayoungsurgeon，whopassedmanyofhisboyishyearsatBarchester。HisfatherwasaphysicianinthecityofLondon，wherehemadeamoderatefortune，whichheinvestedinhousesinthatcity。TheDragonofWantlyinnandposting-
　　housebelongedtohim，alsofourshopsintheHighStreet，andamoietyofthenewrowofgenteelvillassocalledintheadvertisements，builtoutsidethetownjustbeyondHiram’sHospital。TooneoftheseDrBoldretiredtospendtheeveningofhislife，andtodie；andherehissonJohnspenthisholidays，andafterwardshisChristmasvacationwhenhewentfromschooltostudysurgeryintheLondonhospitals。
　　JustasJohnBoldwasentitledtowritehimselfsurgeonandapothecary，oldDrBolddied，leavinghisBarchesterpropertytohisson，andacertainsuminthethreepercents。tohisdaughterMary，whoissomefourorfiveyearsolderthanherbrother。
　　JohnBolddeterminedtosettlehimselfatBarchester，andlookafterhisownproperty，aswellasthebonesandbodiesofsuchofhisneighboursaswouldcalluponhimforassistanceintheirtroubles。Hethereforeputupalargebrassplatewith’JohnBold，Surgeon’onit，tothegreatdisgustoftheninepractitionerswhowerealreadytryingtogetalivingoutofthebishop，dean，andcanons；andbeganhouse-keepingwiththeaidofhissister。Atthistimehewasnotmorethantwenty-
　　fouryearsold；andthoughhehasnowbeenthreeyearsinBarchester，wehavenotheardthathehasdonemuchharmtothenineworthypractitioners。Indeed，theirdreadofhimhasdiedaway；forinthreeyearshehasnottakenthreefees。
　　Nevertheless，JohnBoldisacleverman，andwould，withpractice，beacleversurgeon；buthehasgotquiteintoanotherlineoflife。Havingenoughtoliveon，hehasnotbeenforcedtoworkforbread；hehasdeclinedtosubjecthimselftowhathecallsthedrudgeryoftheprofession，bywhich，Ibelieve，hemeansthegeneralworkofapractisingsurgeon；andhasfoundotheremployment。Hefrequentlybindsupthebruisesandsetsthelimbsofsuchofthepoorerclassesasprofesshiswayofthinking——butthishedoesforlove。NowIwillnotsaythatthearchdeaconisstrictlycorrectinstigmatisingJohnBoldasademagogue，forIhardlyknowhowextrememustbeaman’sopinionsbeforehecanbejustlysocalled；butBoldisastrongreformer。Hispassionisthereformofallabuses；
　　stateabuses，churchabuses，corporationabuseshehasgothimselfelectedatowncouncillorofBarchester，andhassoworriedthreeconsecutivemayors，thatitbecamesomewhatdifficulttofindafourth，abusesinmedicalpractice，andgeneralabusesintheworldatlarge。Boldisthoroughlysincereinhispatrioticendeavourstomendmankind，andthereissomethingtobeadmiredintheenergywithwhichhedevoteshimselftoremedyingevilandstoppinginjustice；butIfearthatheistoomuchimbuedwiththeideathathehasaspecialmissionforreforming。Itwouldbewellifonesoyounghadalittlemorediffidencehimself，andmoretrustinthehonestpurposesofothers——ifhecouldbebroughttobelievethatoldcustomsneednotnecessarilybeevil，andthatchangesmaypossiblybedangerous；butno，Boldhasalltheardourandalltheself-assuranceofaDanton，andhurlshisanathemasagainsttime-honouredpracticeswiththeviolenceofaFrenchJacobin。
　　NowonderthatDrGrantlyshouldregardBoldasafirebrand，falling，ashehasdone，almostinthecentreofthequietancientcloseofBarchesterCathedral。DrGrantlywouldhavehimavoidedastheplague；buttheoldDoctorandMrHardingwerefastfriends。YoungJohnnyBoldusedtoplayasaboyonMrHarding’slawn；hehasmanyatimewontheprecentor’sheartbylisteningwithraptattentiontohissacredstrains；andsincethosedays，totellthetruthatonce，hehasnearlywonanotherheartwithinthesamewalls。
　　EleanorHardinghasnotplightedhertrothtoJohnBold，norhasshe，perhaps，ownedtoherselfhowdeartohertheyoungreformeris；butshecannotendurethatanyoneshouldspeakharshlyofhim。Shedoesnotdaretodefendhimwhenherbrother-in-lawissoloudagainsthim；forshe，likeherfather，issomewhatafraidofDrGrantly；butsheisbeginninggreatlytodislikethearchdeacon。Shepersuadesherfatherthatitwouldbebothunjustandinjudicioustobanishhisyoungfriendbecauseofhispolitics；shecareslittletogotohouseswhereshewillnotmeethim，and，infact，sheisinlove。
　　NoristhereanygoodreasonwhyEleanorHardingshouldnotloveJohnBold。Hehasallthosequalitieswhicharelikelytotouchagirl’sheart。Heisbrave，eager，andamusing；
　　well-madeandgood-looking；youngandenterprising；hischaracterisinallrespectsgood；hehassufficientincometosupportawife；heisherfather’sfriend；and，aboveall，heisinlovewithher:thenwhyshouldnotEleanorHardingbeattachedtoJohnBold？
　　DrGrantly，whohasasmanyeyesasArgus，andhaslongseenhowthewindblowsinthatdirection，thinkstherearevariousstrongreasonswhythisshouldnotbeso。Hehasnotthoughtitwiseasyettospeaktohisfather-in-lawonthesubject，forheknowshowfoolishlyindulgentisMrHardingineverythingthatconcernshisdaughter；buthehasdiscussedthematterwithhisall-trustedhelpmate，withinthatsacredrecessformedbytheclericalbed-curtainsatPlumsteadEpiscopi。