When these tumults were over, the parson, taking Joseph
aside, proceeded thus—“No, Joseph,
do not give too much way to thy passions, if thou
dost expect happiness.” The patience of
Joseph, nor perhaps of Job, could bear no longer;
he interrupted the parson, saying, “It was easier
to give advice than take it; nor did he perceive he
could so entirely conquer himself, when he apprehended
he had lost his son, or when he found him recovered.”—“Boy,”
replied Adams, raising his voice, “it doth not
become green heads to advise grey hairs.—Thou
art ignorant of the tenderness of fatherly affection;
when thou art a father thou wilt be capable then only
of knowing what a father can feel. No man is obliged
to impossibilities; and the loss of a child is one
of those great trials where our grief may be allowed
to become immoderate.”—“Well,
sir,” cries Joseph, “and if I love a mistress
as well as you your child, surely her loss would grieve
me equally.”—“Yes, but such
love is foolishness and wrong in itself, and ought
to be conquered,” answered Adams; “it
savours too much of the flesh.”—“Sure,
sir,” says Joseph, “it is not sinful to
love my wife, no, not even to doat on her to distraction!”—“Indeed
but it is,” says Adams. “Every man
ought to love his wife, no doubt; we are commanded
so to do; but we ought to love her with moderation
and discretion.”—“I am afraid
I shall be guilty of some sin in spite of all my endeavours,”
says Joseph; “for I shall love without any moderation,
I am sure.”—“You talk foolishly
and childishly,” cries Adams.—“Indeed,”
says Mrs Adams, who had listened to the latter part
of their conversation, “you talk more foolishly
yourself. I hope, my dear, you will never preach
any such doctrine as that husbands can love their
wives too well. If I knew you had such a sermon
in the house I am sure I would burn it, and I declare,
if I had not been convinced you had loved me as well
as you could, I can answer for myself, I should have
hated and despised you. Marry come up! Fine
doctrine, indeed! A wife hath a right to insist
on her husband’s loving her as much as ever
he can; and he is a sinful villain who doth not.
Doth he not promise to love her, and to comfort her,
and to cherish her, and all that? I am sure I
remember it all as well as if I had repeated it over
but yesterday, and shall never forget it. Besides,
I am certain you do not preach as you practise; for
you have been a loving and a cherishing husband to
me; that’s the truth on’t; and why you
should endeavour to put such wicked nonsense into
this young man’s head I cannot devise.
Don’t hearken to him, Mr Joseph; be as good a
husband as you are able, and love your wife with all
your body and soul too.” Here a violent
rap at the door put an end to their discourse, and
produced a scene which the reader will find in the
next chapter.
A visit which the polite Lady Booby and her polite
friend paid to the parson.
