Genuine Devotion should never to be despised...

This is my June post for The Artful Readers Club, reviewing "Scenes of Clerical Life" by(Mary Ann Evans) George Eliot

(St John the Baptist church Throapham)

Where to begin.....after last months disappointment it was with a heavy heart that I started reading this classical piece, knowing it to be written in a similar style. Again it is a narrative piece, describing the lives of several clergymen and their associations with a rustic community during the early 1800's as Methodism and Evangelicalism are starting to get a proper foothold in English parishes.

But oh my...the difference I found reading this amazingly well balanced book!!! Not being a Christian you may think I would have found little to like about the stories it contains, but it seems to me the authoress(Mary Ann Evans) took great pains to show us that clergymen of good and strong faith are not always as grey and serious as we may think.

The book is broken down into 3 stories about Reverend Barton, Mr Gilfil and Mr Tryan...and the depth of emotion that their lives held, unseen by the majority of the people who thought they knew them.

The writing itself is very intense in some areas(in the Dickensian, Shakespearian way of wordiness), but just at those moments that you begin to feel like your trudging through mud the sun sparkles on a dewy leaf and you find yourself surrounded by a veritable oasis of fragrant imagery that leaves your mind in a whirl. I found myself agog, reading passages over to make sure I had the correct interpretation of the story as I was often led into a daydream of far off country gardens and ornate finery. The book is set in a time period when women wore lace caps indoors, never left the house without their bonnet, and "appearances" were all important...again not something I've ever been accused of lol

The best example I could think to show you of the subtle wit of the authoress, is when describing the attributes of one particular gentleman preacher, she says he is popular among the working men of the fields due to "...his ability to dispense with the exuberance of wordy frippery..." (we as a family have now adopted that phrase..wordy frippery..:D)

I don't, however, wish to give the impression that this is a humorous novel...I found the stories intensely moving, sometimes heartbreaking, but they way the whole subject was approached made them immensely enjoyable to read.

After reading "Young Enthusiasts"  last month I was left with no interest in any of the characters portrayed there...but with this collection of stories I came to truly care about each and every one involved. Theirs are stories of hope, love and faith, and the word "Devotion" was left in my heart with regard to each of them. It is not a clergyman's lot to be a burden to his parishioners, but to help them carry theirs, and these stories  so beautifully written are a reminder that they are human too, and suffer just as we do.....possibly even more so. I think this excerpt shows a sample of the humanity and faith portrayed...;

He came forward, and, putting out his hand, said, "I am glad you sent for me-I am so thankful you thought I could be of any comfort to you." Janet took his hand in silence. She was unable to utter any words of mere politeness, or even of gratitude; her heart was too full of other words that had welled up the moment she had met his pitying glance, and felt her doubts fall away.

Not a scene of bodice ripping romance, but the moment a tormented soul reached out, asked for help and was offered it freely.

My only difficulty with this book was choosing what to make from the huge catalogue of inspiration available...but one theme in particular kept recurring through all the different stories...sewing.
Many references are made to the general pastime of needlework by the ladies involved. Whether it be mending, darning, embroidery, knitting, crochet or tapestry work, at some point they all perform this necessary service. So I decided to do a little cross-stitch...

well actually it turned into two...one of field poppies(from an old Edwardian Lady's Diary project book) signifying remembrance, and one of a church window(from the block pattern book I posted about earlier)

Enjoy :D XXX