The Way of All Flesh

In 1750, John marries a strong-willed woman named Ruth; they remain childless until George’s surprising birth in 1765. George is an intelligent, self-absorbed child. In 1780, George’s aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Fairlie, take a liking to George during a visit to Paleham. Mr. Fairlie, a publisher of religious texts, offers George a position in his company. Two weeks later, George moves in with the Fairlies.

By age 25, George becomes a partner in the company. He continues to visit his parents occasionally; John finds the changes in George intimidating, while Ruth celebrates them. At age 30, George marries; his wife gives birth to five children before her death in 1805.

Following their mother’s death, George’s five children, Eliza, Maria, John, Theobald, and Alethea, regularly visit their grandparents, who treat them indulgently. Overton and his siblings enjoy their visits. He grows particularly fond of Alethea.

In 1811, Ruth dies. Following custom, John (the grandfather) sends small loaves of bread to each of the villagers, to the delight of Overton and the other children. A year later, John dies; Overton gets into a fight with John (the grandson) when he learns that no bread will be shared this time. He is later ashamed of himself. George puts up a monument recognizing his parents for “the discharge of their religious, moral, and social duties” (10).

During the next few years, George frequently travels in Europe. Overton quotes from and comments on George’s travel journals, making fun of George’s determination to be “properly impressed” (11) at each of the historical, artistic, or natural sites he visited. Overton suggests that George, like most critics, simply claimed to like what is popular to show off his supposed good taste.

George rises to success quickly, editing the firm’s advertising for concision. Within a few years, his aunt and uncle pass away, leaving their money and business to George. He accumulates money, supposedly for his children’s benefit, even as he treats his children harshly. Overton reflects that much of human behavior is driven by unconscious thoughts.

A heavy drinker, George takes out his anger on his children, whom he considers ungrateful and entitled. He grudgingly funds his sons’ educations. Overton sarcastically invites parents to treat their children harshly while claiming to be compassionate because children are too naïve to know the difference.

Eliza and Maria grow into obedient young women, while Alethea is livelier and more fun-loving. Handsome and diligent, John earns George’s approval, while Theobald transitions from a passionate child into a timid adolescent. Expecting that John will go into business, George plans for Theobald to become a clergyman in the Church of England, though he pretends to leave the choice to Theobald. Overton suggests that the catechism, or set of memorized and recited beliefs associated with the church, only harms the relationship between parents and children.

George sends Theobald to study at Cambridge, where he does well. After getting his degree, Theobald sends a letter to his father explaining that he does not feel a strong desire to become a clergyman. George responds with a letter explaining that Theobald can choose for himself but must not give into “foolish scruples” (26). Relieved, Theobald writes to George and explains that he intends not to be ordained. In his next letter, George threatens to cut off Theobald’s allowance. In fall of 1825, a few months after earning his degree, Theobald receives a fellowship, and he is ordained soon after.

Around that time, Mr. Allaby, a nearby rector with five unmarried daughters, decides to hire an assistant in the hopes of attracting a suitor for one of his daughters. His wife, Mrs. Allaby, confers with a friend, Mrs. Cowey. Mrs. Cowey, who is married to a professor who published through George’s firm, recommends Theobald.

After meeting with Mrs. Cowey, Theobald agrees to take on some of Mr. Allaby’s Sunday duties. After giving his first sermon, which seeks to reconcile geological findings with the Biblical account, Theobald dines with the Allabys, who compliment him. Not used to socializing with women, he feels shy at first. After Theobald leaves, the Allaby daughters argue about who should marry him; Mr. Allaby suggests they play cards to decide.

Christina, who is four years older than Theobald at age 27, wins the card game. Over the next few months, she shows special attention towards Theobald, while showing off her own qualities, including her singing voice. Theobald comes to believe that he loves Christina but hesitates to propose. After encouragement from Mr. and Mrs. Allaby, Theobald writes a letter to Christina in which he pretends to have been disappointed in love once before and asks Christina to marry him once he secures a living. She accepts. Overton suggests that Theobald did not mind the prospect of a long engagement.

Theobald and Christina write a letter to George explaining their intention to marry. George’s blunt response indicates his disapproval, given Theobald’s uncertain economic future. Christina offers to release Theobald from the engagement, but he remains, priding himself on his loyalty, although he doesn’t particularly love Christina. With her matter-of-fact religious faith, Christina hopes that a position might soon open up and entertains lofty aspirations, such as heroic martyrdom. In 1831, more than five years after Theobald’s first visit to the Allabys, Theobald secures a living, and he and Christina marry with George’s approval.

Following their wedding, Theobald and Christina take a carriage to a hotel. Determined to set the tone for their marriage, Theobald insists that Christina order their dinner, despite her fatigue. She resists, then cries and asks for forgiveness. The dinner is a success. Pleased with himself, Theobald believes that he can handle marriage after all.

Theobald takes his place as rector in the village of Battersby-on-the-Hill. Finding the church building in a state of disrepair, Theobald reconstructs it himself. Overton recalls visiting the village shortly after Theobald moved there; he was struck by the farmers and their families who attended the church service, as well as their boisterous music making. Looking back years later, Overton misses the charm and energy of the earlier service, which was replaced by tamer, more orthodox worship.

Overton recalls Christina confiding her wish for a prestigious appointment for Theobald. Theobald, meanwhile, visits and seeks to comfort a dying woman who repeatedly asks whether her sins are forgiven. On repeated visits, Theobald affirms the church’s stance that the wicked will go to hell but tells the woman that Jesus will cleanse her sins. Considering herself unworthy, she remains fearful until she dies.

Theobald comes to resent visits to the sick, but he continues out of a sense of duty. To fill his time, Theobald studies the Bible, collects plant specimens, and assists in the education of his and Christina’s children. Theobald develops a reputation for possessing a balance between maintaining faith and understanding worldly things. He appreciates Christina for adhering to the financial allowance he gives her. Only once, more than 20 years into their marriage, did she accumulate a running debt of seven or eight pounds. On their 25th anniversary, Theobald forgave the debt and begged Christina not to fall into debt again; she never did.

Christina dreams of the influence she would have if Theobald were to become a bishop. Seeking to increase her spirituality, she gives up eating black pudding, which contains blood and strangled animals, in accordance with the Bible.

In September 1835, five years into their marriage, Christina gives birth to a son. George is delighted because the boy is his first grandson and potential heir. In anticipation of the boy’s baptism, George retrieves a bottle of water from the Jordan River from his wine cellar, which he received from a well-travelled friend. As he does so, he trips, breaking the bottle, then blames his butler. The butler manages to collect half a pint of the spilled water.

George stops in London, where he meets with his solicitor, before proceeding to Battersby.

Overton quotes a letter George sent to Theobald after the child’s birth. In the letter, George offers instructions regarding the boy’s christening dinner and states that he left something for the boy in his will. A few days later, George arrives in Battersby with large containers of food, accompanied by his cook. John and his family, Eliza, Maria, and Alethea soon follow.

At George’s request, Theobald names the baby Ernest. Alethea becomes Ernest’s godmother, while Overton becomes his second godfather (after George). Overton is delighted to spend time with Alethea after a few years apart, though they remained in contact throughout. Overton explains that he and Alethea shared a close bond, though they never married for reasons difficult to explain.

The dinner party goes well, with George in high spirits, apart from momentary disappointment at Theobald for getting the wrong kind of lobster. A couple of days later, Overton returns to find George feeling much worse, and treating Christina unkindly, due to liver problems.

A year and a half later, John Pontifex has a son. A year after that, George dies. George’s will reveals that his allotment for Ernest was taken from the amount he left for Theobald and Christina. His epitaph ambiguously reads, “What manner of man he was that day will discover” (62), referring to judgment day in Christian theology.

Overton pauses to assess George’s life. If the purpose of life is to enjoy oneself, he reasons, George did well because he “never lacked anything he much cared about” (63). Virtue and vice, in Overton’s view, should be defined by their effects: Virtue includes things that bring pleasure and prosperity, while vices are actions that lead to suffering. Judging George by this “fair average standard” (66), Overton considers him reasonably successful.