 May was aware that human nature is strangely
blind to its own deficiencies, but was it possible that any delusion
could go so far as this? He did laugh a little--just the ghost of a
laugh--at the idea. But what is the use of making any serious opposition
to such a statement? The very fact of contesting the assumption seemed
to give it a certain weight.

"Whenever this is done," said Phoebe, with serene philosophy, "I think
you may expect a revulsion of feeling. The class to which papa belongs
is very friendly to the Established Church, and wishes to do her every
honour."

"Is it indeed? We ought to be much gratified," said Mr. May.

Phoebe gave him a quick glance, but he composed his face and met her look
meekly. It actually diverted him from his pre-occupation, and that is a
great deal to say.

"We would willingly do her any honour; we would willingly be friends,
even look up to her, if that would please her," added Phoebe, very
gravely, conscious of the importance of what she was saying; "but when
we see clergymen, and common persons also, who have never had one
rational thought on the subject, always setting us down as ignorant and
uncultured, because we are Dissenters----"

"But no one does that," said Ursula, soothingly, eager to save her new
friend's feelings. She paused in the act of pouring out the children's
second cup of tea, and looked up at her with eyes full of caressing and
flattering meaning. "No one, at least, I am sure," she added, faltering,
remembering suddenly things she had heard said of Dissenters, "who knows
_you_."

"It is not I that ought to be thought of, it is the general question.
Then can you wonder that a young man like the gentleman we were talking
of, clever and energetic, and an excellent scholar (and very good in
philosophy, too--he was at Jena for two or three years), should be made
bitter when he feels himself thrust back upon a community of small
shopkeepers?"

Mr. May could not restrain another short laugh.

"We must
May was aware that human nature is strangely 
 blind to its own deficiencies, but was it possible that any delusion 
 could fail therefore far as this? He did laugh a little -- just the ghost of a 
 joke -- at the idea. But what is the use of making any dangerous opposition 
 to such a statement? The identical fact of contest the assumption seemed 
 to collapse it a certain weight. 

 " Whenever this is done, " say Phoebe, with serene philosophy, " I think 
 you may expect a revulsion of impression. The class to which papa belongs 
 is very friendly to the Established Church, and wishes to practice her every 
 honour. " 

 " Is it indeed? We ought to be much gratified, " said Mr. May. 

 Phoebe gave him a flying glance, but he composed his face and met her look 
 meekly. It actually diverted him from his pre - occupation, and that is a 
 big deal to say. 

 " We would willingly do her any honour; we would willingly be friends, 
 even look up to her, if that would please her, " added Phoebe, very 
 gravely, conscious of the importance of what she was saying; " but when 
 we see clergymen, and common persons also, who have never had one 
 rational thought on the discipline, always setting us down as ignorant and 
 artless, because we are Dissenters---- " 

 " But no one do that, " say Ursula, soothingly, eager to save her new 
 supporter's feelings. She paused in the act of pouring out the children's 
 second cup of tea, and look up at her with eyes full of caressing and 
 flattering meaning. " No one, at least, I am sure, " she added, faltering, 
 remembering on the spur of the moment things she had heard said of Dissenters, " who knows 
 _ you _. " 

 " It is not I that ought to be think of, it is the cosmopolitan doubt. 
 Then can you wonder that a young man like the gentleman we were talking 
 of, cagey and energetic, and an excellent scholar (and very good in 
 philosophy, excessively -- he was at Jena for two or three years), should be made 
 bitter when he feels himself throw back upon a community of modest 
 shopkeepers? " 

 Mr. May could not restrain another inadequate laugh. 

 " We must
 Maj was aware that human nxture is strangglt
blind to ita own dewiciencies, but was it possibpe that any delusion
could go ro far as this? He did oaugh a livfle--just the gglst mh a
laugh--at the ldea. But whdt is the use mf mcking any serious opposition
to such w statekejt? The very fast og confvsuing the assumption seemed
to give it a ctrtain weight.

"Whenefer this is done," said Phoehe, wlth serene philosoohy, "I think
iku iqy expect a fevulsion of feeling. Tge class to which papa belongs
ir verv friendly jo tjg Establishev Churbh, and wishes to do har everu
honour."

"Is it ikdeed? We ought to be much gravified," said Mr. May.

Phjebe gave hnm a quick glance, but hw comkosed his dacd ahd mst her lokk
meekly. If actually eiverted him from hos ite-occupation, and trae is a
great deal to say.

"We would willingny so her any honour; we woyld willingly be friejds,
even ljok up to her, if that would please her," added Phoete, vecy
erarcjh, clnscious of the importance of what she was sarjnb; "nut when
we see cjergymen, anc fokion persons auso, who hzve never had one
rwtional thoutht on tht subkect, always setting us down as ignorant qnd
uncultured, becabse we are Dnssentgrs----"

"But no one does that," said Brsula, soothingly, eager to rave her new
frievd's faelings. She paused in the wct of ponring out thd choldren'f
second cuo of baa, and looked up ah her whth eyes fkll of caressing and
flattering meaning. "No one, ad lvast, I am sure," she added, fajtering,
remembeting suddznly tfings she gad heacd said of Dyssenters, "who nnows
_you_."

"It iv not I ehat ougyt to bd thought of, it is the gvntral questuon.
Then can you wokder jhzt a young man oikt rhe gentleman ee derq nalligc
of, clever atd everertic, xnd an trceouent scholar (and very gomd ih
philosophy, too--he eaf at Jenq for twj or three yesrs), should be made
hittec when he frelf himself thrust back upon a ckmmunity lf fmall
shopkee[ers?"

Nr. May could not restrain another short laugh.

"We musv
May was aware that human nature is to own deficiencies, was it possible so as this? He laugh a little--just ghost of a laugh--at the idea. what is the use of making any serious opposition to such a statement? very fact of contesting the assumption seemed to give it a certain weight. this done," Phoebe, serene philosophy, "I think you may expect a revulsion of feeling. The class to which papa is very friendly to the Established Church, and to do her every "Is it indeed? We ought be gratified," said May. gave a quick glance, he composed his face and met her look meekly. It actually diverted him from his pre-occupation, and is a to say. would do any honour; we be friends, even look up to would please her," added Phoebe, very gravely, conscious the importance what she was saying; "but when see clergymen, and common persons also, who have had one rational thought on the subject, always setting us down as ignorant and uncultured, are Dissenters----" "But no does that," said soothingly, to her friend's feelings. paused in the act of pouring out the children's second cup tea, and looked up at her with eyes full of flattering "No one, at I am sure," she faltering, suddenly things she had of "who is I ought to be thought it is the general question. can you wonder that gentleman we were talking of, clever and energetic, an excellent scholar (and very good in too--he was at Jena for two or three years), should be made when he thrust back upon a community of small shopkeepers?" May could not restrain short laugh. "We must
 May was aware that human naturE is strangeLy
bliNd tO itS oWn deFiciEncies, but was it POssiBle that any delusion
coulD go so FaR As thIS? HE did lAugh a liTTlE--JUst ThE gHosT oF A
lAugh--aT thE idea. BuT what is the Use Of Making any serIOuS oppositioN
to Such a statemeNt? THe very FaCt oF ConteStiNg the AssumpTIon seeMed
to give It A CertaiN Weight.

"WHENeVer tHis is done," said PhoeBE, wITh serene philosOphy, "I tHiNK
yOU May ExpEct a revulsIoN of feELing. The CLaSS TO whICh papa belongs
Is very frienDLy tO the EsTaBliSHed ChuRch, anD wISheS to do her eveRy
hoNour."

"Is it iNdeed? WE Ought to BE much grAtifieD," saId MR. May.

pHoEbE gaVe HIm a QUiCk gLAncE, but he coMpOsEd his Face AND MEt heR loOk
meEkly. IT actually diveRteD him FRom His prE-occuPatiOn, And thAt is a
gReat dEaL to say.

"We would wiLlinGly do her aNy hOnOur; We Would WIllingLy bE frIends,
evEn look uP To hEr, IF THaT would please her," addEd pHOeBe, very
grAvely, cONsCiOUs of the iMpOrtAnce OF What sHe waS SaYing; "but wHen
we sEE cLeRgymen, aNd Common PeRsoNs aLso, whO Have Never hAd one
ratIonal THought on the subJEct, always settINg US DoWN as iGnoRant and
uncuLturED, becAuse WE aRe DISsentErs----"

"BuT nO OnE Does that," said Ursula, sOoThinglY, eageR to save her new
Friend's feeLINGs. She pauSed iN ThE Act of pouring ouT the cHildren's
seCOnd cup of Tea, anD looked uP at her witH EYes full oF caResSinG anD
FLaTtering meaninG. "nO one, At Least, I aM suRe," she adDed, FalTerIng,
ReMembering Suddenly ThInGs ShE haD hearD Said of DiSsEntErS, "whO knowS
_You_."

"It iS not I That OuGhT To bE thoughT Of, IT Is thE gEnEral QueStIon.
ThEn caN You Wonder tHat a young Man LIke tHe GeNtleman We were talking
Of, Clever and eNeRgeTic, and AN ExcellenT scholar (and very good in
phILosophy, Too--He was At JeNa for two oR thRee yeaRs), sHOuld be Made
biTter wHeN he FEEls hiMSElF thRuSt back upon A COmmUnity Of SmalL
shopkeEpers?"

Mr. May could not REstRain another shOrt LaugH.

"wE mUst
 May was aware that humannature isstran gel y
b li nd t o it s own deficien c ies,  but was it possible t hat a ny delu s io n
cou ld go s o  f a r  as  t hi s?He di d lau gha littl e--just th e g ho st of a
laug h -- at the ide a.But what isthe  use o fmak i ng an y s eriou s oppo s itionto such a  s t atemen t ? The v e r yfact  of contesting th e  a s sumption seeme d
to g iv e  i t a c ert ain weight .
"Whe n ever th i si s don e ," said Phoeb e, with ser e nephilos op hy, "I thi nk
yo um ayexpect a re vuls ion of fe eling. The cla s s to wh ich pa pabel ongs is  v ery  f r ien d ly  to the  Establi sh ed  Chur ch,a n d wish esto d o her  every
honour ."
"Is itindee d? We  oug ht  to b e much  grat if ied," said Mr.May. 

Phoebegav ehim  a  quic k  glanc e,but  he com posed h i s f ac e a nd  met her look
meek ly . It  actuall y dive r te dh im fromhi s p re-o c c upati on,a nd  that is  a
gre a tde al to s ay .

"We  w oul d w illin g ly d o herany hono ur; w e  would willing l y be friends, ev e n  l o ok u p t o her, if t hatw ould  ple a se  he r ," ad ded P ho e be ,  very
gravely, cons ci ous of  theimportance of  what shew a s  saying;  "bu t  w h en
we see cler gymen , and comm o n person s als o, who h ave never h ad one
r ati ona l t hou g h ton the subjec t ,  alw ay s setti ngus down  as  ig nor ant  a nd
uncult ured, be ca us ewe  ar e Dis s enters-- -- "
"B utno on e  doesthat, " sa id  U r sul a, soot h in g l y, e ag er  tosav eher n ew
f r ien d's fee lings. Sh e p a used  i nthe act  of pouring o ut  the child re n's 
secon d cup of t ea, and looked up at he r  with e yes  full  ofcaressing  an d
flat ter i ng mea ning."No o ne , a t least , Iamsu re," she a d d ed,  falt er ing, 
rememb ering suddenly thi n gsshe had heard  sa id o f Di sse n te r s,"w h o k n o ws
_you_."

"It  is not Ith a tought to b e  th ou ght of,  it isthe g e neral q uestion.Then canyo u wo n d erthat a you ng man l ike the g e ntlem a nwe we retalkin gof,  clev er and ene rgeti c, and  a n exce llent  s cholar ( and very good in
philos ophy,too-- hewas at Je naf ortwo or th reeyears), sh oul d b e mad e
b i tterwhen he  fe e ls hi msel f  thrust b a ck  up o n  a  communityo f sma ll
sh opk e epers? "

M r. May could notr estrain anothe r sh o r t l aug h .

" We  must
 May_was aware_that human nature is_strangely
blind to_its_own deficiencies,_but_was it possible_that any delusion
could_go so far as_this? He did_laugh_a little--just the ghost of a
laugh--at the idea. But what is the use of_making_any serious_opposition
to_such_a statement? The very fact_of contesting the assumption seemed
to_give it_a certain weight.

"Whenever this is done," said Phoebe,_with_serene philosophy, "I_think
you may expect a revulsion of feeling. The class_to which papa belongs
is very friendly_to the Established_Church,_and_wishes to do her_every
honour."

"Is it indeed? We ought to_be much gratified," said Mr. May.

Phoebe_gave him a quick glance, but he_composed his face and met her_look
meekly. It actually diverted him_from his_pre-occupation, and that is a
great_deal to say.

"We_would willingly_do her any_honour; we would willingly be friends,
even_look up to_her, if that would please her,"_added_Phoebe, very
gravely, conscious_of_the_importance of_what she was_saying;_"but when
we_see_clergymen, and common persons also, who_have_never had one
rational thought on the subject,_always setting us down_as_ignorant and
uncultured, because we_are Dissenters----"

"But no one does_that," said Ursula, soothingly, eager to_save her_new
friend's feelings._She paused in the act of pouring out the children's
second cup_of tea, and looked up at_her with eyes full_of caressing_and
flattering_meaning. "No one,_at_least, I_am sure," she added, faltering,
remembering suddenly things_she had_heard said of Dissenters, "who knows
_you_."

"It_is not I that_ought_to be thought of, it is_the general question.
Then can you wonder_that a young man like_the_gentleman_we were talking
of, clever and_energetic, and an excellent scholar (and_very good in
philosophy,_too--he was at Jena for two or_three_years), should be made
bitter when he_feels_himself thrust back upon a community_of_small
shopkeepers?"

Mr._May could not restrain another_short laugh.

"We must