She could imagine no position more honourable than that
of a clergyman's wife unless indeed it were a bishop's. Considering
his father's influence it was not at all impossible that Theobald
might be a bishop some day- and then- then would occur to her that one
little flaw in the practice of the Church of England -a flaw not
indeed in its doctrine, but in its policy, which she believed on the
whole to be a mistaken one in this respect. I mean the fact that a
bishop's wife does not take the rank of her husband.
This had been the doing of Elizabeth, who had been a bad woman, of
exceedingly doubtful moral character, and at heart a Papist to the
last. Perhaps people ought to have been above mere considerations of
worldly dignity, but the world was as it was, and such things
carried weight with them, whether they ought to do so or no. Her
influence as plain Mrs. Pontifex, wife, we will say, of the Bishop
of Winchester, would no doubt be considerable. Such a character as
hers could not fail to carry weight if she were ever in a sufficiently
conspicuous sphere for its influence to be widely felt; but as Lady
Winchester- or the Bishopess- which would sound quite nicely- who
could doubt that her power for good would be enhanced? And it would be
all the nicer because if she had a daughter, the daughter would not be
a Bishopess unless indeed she were to marry a Bishop too, which
would not be likely.
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