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An Introduction to Health Psychology 2nd Edition Val
Morrison Digital Instant Download
Author(s): Val Morrison, Paul Bennett
ISBN(s): 9780273718352, 0273718355
Edition: 2
File Details: PDF, 11.53 MB
Year: 2009
Language: english
 An Introduction to Health Psychology

An Introduction to Health Psychology

Val Morrison & Paul Bennett
Second Edition
“Thoroughly revised and updated to provide an excellent, in-depth coverage of a wide range of topics within health
psychology. The book is accessible and engaging and well grounded in theory and practice. It is highly recommended.”

Dr Gail Kinman, University of Bedfordshire

An Introduction to Health Psychology, Second Edition, provides a comprehensive and lively introduction to the field.

Retaining the highly praised approach of the first edition, each chapter outlines and describes the theory and research before
moving on to explore applications and intervention practice. Describing, predicting, and then intervening are primary goals of
health psychologists and this book reflects this process.
“strikes the perfect balance between
The new edition has been thoroughly updated to include topics such as death, dying and loss, ageing and lifespan, positive
breadth and depth of coverage”
psychology and a wider range of cross-cultural issues and policy information.
Dr Richard Trigg,
Core topics and current debates are supported by many useful pedagogical features to aid learning such as a research focus
box, an applications box, and new case studies.
Nottingham Trent University
Further key features include:

• Substantially revised chapters on The Body in Health and Illness and Pain
• An extended final chapter on Futures: including global comparisons and careers – ideal for students at level three and on
postgraduate courses
• More personal case studies, What do YOU think? boxes, issues boxes, and examples of illnesses
• Even greater reference to cutting-edge research material in key reading, references and research focus boxes

An Introduction to
A significantly extended companion website accompanies this book at www.pearsoned.co.uk/morrison. This provides a useful
self-testing facility, flash cards to aid revision and up-to-date web links

An Introduction to Health Psychology, Second Edition, is ideal for students taking a module in health psychology or studying in

Health Psychology
related fields such as health and social care or nursing.

Val Morrison is a Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology, and a chartered health psychologist, based at Bangor University. She
has taught health psychology since 1992, whilst maintaining a vibrant research group investigating psychosocial predictors of
patient and carer outcomes of chronic disease and cancer.

Paul Bennett is Research Professor in the Nursing, Health and Social Research Centre at the University of Cardiff. He has
published several books on health and clinical psychology as well as over 100 academic papers and chapters.
Second
Edition
Val Morrison
Paul Bennett

Morrison & Bennett

“The new edition provides updated and expanded content and includes a wealth of in-text pedagogic features, helping
students appreciate the ‘real-world’ applications and implications of issues and theories covered by the book.”

Dr Richard Trigg, Nottingham Trent University

“Up-to-date, highly readable and useful not only in the UK but also in mainland Europe. Several tools, including the
research highlights and spotlight boxes invite students to critically reflect on the material while at the same time
making the book easily accessible.”

Professor Adelita V. Ranchor, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen

Cover image © Getty Images

www.pearson-books.com
Second Edition

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ANIN_A01.qxd 2/10/09 10:45 AM Page i

An Introduction to Health Psychology

Visit the An Introduction to Health Psychology, 2nd Edition,

Companion Website at www.pearsoned.co.uk/morrison to
find valuable student learning material including:

n Multiple choice questions arranged by chapter to test your

learning
n Links to useful websites to extend your learning and to
provide a useful resource for further reading
n Glossary to explain key terms
n Flashcards to test your knowledge of key terms and
definitions
ANIN_A01.qxd 2/10/09 10:45 AM Page ii

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ANIN_A01.qxd 2/10/09 10:45 AM Page iii

An Introduction to
Health Psychology
Second edition

Val Morrison and Paul Bennett

ANIN_A01.qxd 2/10/09 10:45 AM Page iv

Pearson Education Limited

Edinburgh Gate
Harlow
Essex CM20 2JE
England
and Associated Companies throughout the world

Visit us on the World Wide Web at:

www.pearsoned.co.uk

First published 2006

Second edition published 2009

© Pearson Education Limited 2006, 2009

The rights of Val Morrison and Paul Bennett to be identified as authors of this work have
been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a

retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without either the prior written permission of the
publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying in the United Kingdom issued by the
Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS.

ISBN: 978-0-273-71835-2

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress

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11 10 09

Typeset in 10.25/12.5pt Sabon by 35

Printed and bound by Graficas Estella, Bilboa, Spain

The publisher’s policy is to use paper manufactured from sustainable forests.

ANIN_A01.qxd 2/10/09 10:45 AM Page v

CONTENTS

List of figures xii

List of tables xiv
List of plates xv
Preface xvii
Guided tour xxiv
Publisher’s acknowledgements xxvi

PART I BEING AND STAYING HEALTHY 1

1 What is health? 3

Learning outcomes 3
Chapter outline 4
What is health? Changing perspectives 4
Individual, cultural and lifespan perspectives
on health 11
What is health psychology? 26
Summary 31
Further reading 31
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vi CONTENTS

2 Health inequalities 33

Learning outcomes 33
Chapter outline 34
Health differentials 34
Minority status and health 45
Gender and health 48
Work and health 52

Summary 56
Further reading 57

3 Health-risk behaviour 59

Learning outcomes 59
Chapter outline 60
What is health behaviour? 60
Unhealthy diet 63
Obesity 65
Alcohol consumption 68
Smoking 76
Unprotected sexual behaviour 84

Summary 91
Further reading 92

4 Health-enhancing behaviour 93

Learning outcomes 93
Chapter outline 94
Healthy diet 94
Exercise 101
Health-screening behaviour 107
Immunisation behaviour 117

Summary 120
Further reading 121

5 Predicting health behaviour 122

Learning outcomes 122

Chapter outline 123
ANIN_A01.qxd 2/10/09 10:45 AM Page vii

CONTENTS vii

Influences on health behaviour 123

Models of health behaviour 133
Social cognitive models of behaviour change 133

Summary 158
Further reading 158

6 Reducing risk of disease – individual

approaches 159

Learning outcomes 159

Chapter outline 160
Promoting individual health 160
Screening programmes 161
Strategies for changing risk behaviour 170

Summary 184
Further reading 185

7 Population approaches to public health 187

Learning outcomes 187

Chapter outline 188
Promoting population health 188
Using the mass media 189
Environmental influences on health behaviour 196
Heath promotion programmes 201
Using the web 213

Summary 214
Further reading 215

PART II BECOMING ILL 217

8 The body in health and illness 219

Learning outcomes 219

Chapter outline 220
The behavioural anatomy of the brain 220
The autonomic nervous system 223
ANIN_A01.qxd 2/10/09 10:45 AM Page viii

viii CONTENTS

The immune system 226

The digestive system 234
The cardiovascular system 239
The respiratory system 247

Summary 250
Further reading 252

9 Symptom perception, interpretation

and response 253

Learning outcomes 253

Chapter outline 254
How do we become aware of the sensations of
illness? 254
Symptom perception 255
Symptom interpretation 262
Planning and taking action: responding to
symptoms 278

Summary 287
Further reading 288

10 The consultation and beyond 289

Learning outcomes 289

Chapter outline 290
The medical consultation 290
Factors that influence the process of consultation 295
Moving beyond the consultation 302

Summary 313
Further reading 314

11 Stress, health and illness: theory 316

Learning outcomes 316

Chapter outline 317
Concepts of stress 317
ANIN_A01.qxd 2/10/09 10:45 AM Page ix

CONTENTS ix

Types of stress 327

Stress as a physiological response 336
The stress and illness link 344

Summary 352
Further reading 352

12 Stress and illness moderators 354

Learning outcomes 354

Chapter outline 355
Coping defined 355
Stress, personality and illness 364
Stress and cognitions 375
Stress and emotions 379
Social support and stress 382

Summary 387
Further reading 387

13 Managing stress 389

Learning outcomes 389

Chapter outline 390
Stress theory: a quick review 390
Stress management training 392
Preventing stress 397
Helping people to cope with trauma 403
Minimising stress in hospital settings 408

Summary 412
Further reading 413

PART III BEING ILL 415

14 The impact of illness on quality of life 417

Learning outcomes 417

Chapter outline 418
ANIN_A01.qxd 2/10/09 10:45 AM Page x

x CONTENTS

Illness and quality of life 418

Measuring quality of life 432

Summary 442
Further reading 443

15 The impact of illness on patients and

their families 444

Learning outcomes 444

Chapter outline 445
Illness, emotions and adjustment 445
Illness: a family affair 458
Caring 462

Summary 476
Further reading 477

16 Pain 478

Learning outcomes 478

Chapter outline 479
The experience of pain 479
Biological models of pain 484
A psycho-biological theory of pain 492
Future understandings of pain: the neuromatrix 496
Helping people to cope with pain 497

Summary 509
Further reading 510

17 Improving health and quality of life 511

Learning outcomes 511

Chapter outline 512
Coping with chronic illness 512
Reducing distress 513
Managing illness 521
Preventing disease progression 530

Summary 536
Further reading 537
ANIN_A01.qxd 2/10/09 10:45 AM Page xi

CONTENTS xi

PART IV FUTURES 539

18 Futures 541

Learning outcomes 541

Chapter outline 542
The need for theory-driven practice 542
Getting evidence into practice 546

Summary 559
Further reading 559

Glossary 562
References 578
Index 656

Supporting resources
Visit www.pearsoned.co.uk / morrison to find valuable online resources

C ompanion W ebsite for students

n Multiple choice questions for self-testing
n Links to useful, up-to-date websites
n Searchable glossary to explain key terms
n Flashcards to test knowledge of key terms and definitions

For instructors
n A printable testbank of multiple choice questions for use in a
classroom setting
n Tutorial ideas
n Downloadable PowerPoint slides
n Suggestions for essay questions to test deeper understanding of the
subject

Also: The Companion Website provides the following features:

n Search tool to help locate specific items of content
n E-mail results and profile tools to send results of quizzes to instructors
n Online help and support to assist with website usage and
troubleshooting

For more information please contact your local Pearson Education sales
representative or visit www.pearsoned.co.uk / morrison
ANIN_A01.qxd 2/10/09 10:45 AM Page xii

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1 Years of healthy life expectancy according to Carstair’s deprivation

scores in the UK 37
Figure 2.2 Health service use according to level of social deprivation in
Scotland in 1999 40
Figure 2.3 Some of the occupations that fit into the four quadrants of the
Karasek and Theorell model 53
Figure 3.1 The relationship between body mass index and mortality at 23-year
follow-up (Framingham heart study) 66
Figure 3.2 The particular consequences correlated with different levels of
alcohol in a person’s bloodstream 69
Figure 3.3 Cigarette smoking by gender and ethnic group, England, 1999 79
Figure 3.4 Prevalence trends for HIV infection (patients seen for care) by
probable route of infection: England, Wales and Northern Ireland,
1995–2001 86
Figure 3.5 Condom use by age and gender in the N ational Survey of Sexual
Attitudes and L ifestyles 88
Figure 4.1 Proportion of 15-year-olds across a selection of thirty-five countries
who engage in recommended exercise levels (at least one hour of
moderate or higher-intensity activity on five or more days per week) 106
Figure 4.2 A genetic family tree 110
Figure 5.1 The health belief model (original, plus additions in italics) 134
Figure 5.2 The theory of reasoned action and the theory of planned behaviour
(TPB additions in italics) 137
Figure 5.3 The health action process approach model 154
Figure 7.1 The elaboration likelihood model of persuasive communication 191
Figure 7.2 The S curve of diffusion, showing the rate of adoption of
innovations over time 196
Figure 8.1 A cross-section through the cerebral cortex of the human brain 221
Figure 8.2 A lateral view of the left side of a semi-transparent human brain
with the brainstem ‘ghosted’ in 221
Figure 8.3 The major components of the limbic system. All of the left
hemisphere apart from the limbic system has been removed 222
Figure 8.4 The autonomic nervous system, with the target organs and
functions served by the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches 224
Figure 8.5 The large and small intestine and related organs 234
Figure 8.6 The flow of blood through the heart 240
Figure 8.7 Electrical conduction and control of the heart rhythm 241
Figure 8.8 An electrocardiograph of the electrical activity of the heart (see text
for explanation) 242
Figure 8.9 Diagram of the lungs, showing the bronchi, bronchioles and alveoli 248
Figure 9.1 A simplified symptom perception model 257
ANIN_A01.qxd 2/10/09 10:45 AM Page xiii

LIST OF FIGURES xiii

Figure 9.2 Situational differences in the production and containment of

physical symptoms 259
Figure 9.3 The self-regulation model: the ‘common-sense model of illness’ 267
Figure 9.4 The delay behaviour model 281
Figure 10.1 The timescale of stress experienced by health-care professionals and
patients in relation to the bad news interview 302
Figure 11.1 Lazarus’s early transactional model of stress 322
Figure 11.2 The Yerkes–Dodson law 330
Figure 12.1 The coping process 359
Figure 12.2 The buffering effects of hardiness 370
Figure 12.3 Anger and health behaviour 372
Figure 13.1 A simplified representation of the event–stress process suggested by
Beck and other cognitive therapists 391
Figure 13.2 Excerpt from a stress diary noting stress triggers, levels of tension
and related behaviours and thoughts 395
Figure 14.1 The quality-of-life process prior to and subsequent to breast cancer.
Baseline QoL is changed by the impact of the disease and treatment
upon each of the domains. Changes in functioning post-disease are
weighted and will lead to changes in post-disease onset QoL 434
Figure 15.1 Perceived gains following breast cancer or a heart attack 454
Figure 15.2 The direct and indirect effects of internal (self-efficacy) and
external (social support) resources upon benefit finding in the
twelve months following cancer surgery 455
Figure 15.3 The interdependence model of couple adjustment 474
Figure 16.1 The transmission of information along the A and C fibres to the
gelatinosa substantia in the spinal cord and upwards to the brain 493
Figure 16.2 A schematic view of the gate control mechanism postulated by
Melzack and Wall 495
Figure 18.1 From theory to practice and back again 550
ANIN_A01.qxd 2/10/09 10:45 AM Page xiv

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1.1 Comparison of leading (physical) causes of death, 1900–2006

(England and Wales) 10
Table 2.1 The average years of ‘equivalent of full health’ for men in the top
and bottom 10 countries of the world in 2002 35
Table 2.2 Relative risk for men dying prematurely (before the age of 65)
from various illness in comparison with women 49
Table 3.1 Deaths in Europe from liver cirrhosis per 100,000 population,
ranked highest to lowest with age standardisation 70
Table 3.2 Deaths from selected alcohol-related causes per 100,000 (all ages)
for selected countries 71
Table 3.3 International definitions of what comprises a ‘standard’ drink
(alcohol in g) 72
Table 4.1 Immunisation policy in the United Kingdom 117
Table 5.1 Stages in the transtheoretical model and the precaution adoption
process model 152
Table 6.1 Some of the common types of screening programme 161
Table 6.2 Some strategies that smokers may use to help them to cope in the
period immediately following cessation 177
Table 7.1 The three levels of intervention in the Stanford Three Towns project 203
Table 8.1 Summary of responses of the autonomic nervous system to
sympathetic and parasympathetic activity 225
Table 8.2 Typical blood pressure readings in normal and hypertensive
individuals 243
Table 9.1 Disease prototypes 266
Table 9.2 Reasons consulters sought, and non-consulters did not seek,
a medical consultation 282
Table 11.1 Representative life event items from the social readjustment rating
scale and their LCUs 319
Table 11.2 Appraisal-related emotions 324
Table 11.3 Examples of items to assess work-related stress 332
Table 11.4 Specific immunity and cell types 340
Table 12.1 Coping dimensions 357
Table 12.2 Measuring optimism: the life orientation test 367
Table 12.3 Types and functions of social support 383
Table 13.1 Some of the sources of stress for hospital workers 400
Table 15.1 Potential causes of caregiver distress 471
Table 16.1 Outline of a typical pain management programme, in this case run
at the Gloucester Royal Hospital in the UK 508
ANIN_A01.qxd 2/10/09 10:45 AM Page xv

LIST OF PLATES

Plate 1.1 Having a disability does not equate with a lack of health and fitness
as Oscar Pistorius has shown the world 7
Plate 1.2 Hiking can be enjoyed by all age groups, including senior citizens 25
Plate 2.1 Just kids hanging around. But how will their life circumstances
affect their health (and perhaps that of others)? 43
Plate 3.1 The social context is a powerful inflence on our eating and drinking
behaviour 75
Plate 3.2 Young mother smoking with her baby sitting on her lap looking
at the cigarette. This is an emotive example of passive smoking 78
Plate 4.1 ‘We are what we eat?’ The importance of providing positive norms
for healthy eating in children 97
Plate 4.2 Immunisation behaviour is crucial to public health, yet is influenced
by many cultural, social, emotional and cognitive factors. Here,
a queue of mothers take up the first opportunity of vaccination for
their child against measles to be offered in their village 118
Plate 5.1 Social norms have been found to be important predictors of
whether or not a person initiates specific health behaviours,
in this instance smoking and drinking alcohol 129
Plate 5.2 Breast self-examination can detect early breast abnormalities,
which may be indicative of cancer. Early detection increases the
chance of successful treatment 162
Plate 6.1 The simple process of measuring, identifying and treating high
blood pressure can save thousands of lives a year 169
Plate 6.2 Both watching others, and practice, increases the chances of people
purchasing and using a condom 180
Plate 7.1 An example of a health promotion leaflet targeted at gay men
– with a sense of humour – encouraging them to have three
vaccinations against hepatitis, produced by the Terrence Higgins
Trust 195
Plate 7.2 For some, environmental interventions may be far from complex.
Simply providing clean water may prevent exposure to a variety of
pathogens in dirty water 202
Plates 8.1 and 8.2 Here we see two cells, a virus and cancer cell, being attacked
and either engulfed by B cells (8.1) or rendered inert by NK
cells (8.2) 228
Plate 9.1 This cash looks unpleasant, but is it a heat rash or something
more serious? 256
Plate 9.2 Making screening accessible by means of such mobile screening
units outside workplaces or supermarkets may increase the
likelihood of screening uptake. How would finding a lump be
interpreted? 279
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xvi LIST OF PLATES

Plate 10.1 Being a friendly face and expressing empathy can help patients
cope with bad news. Here an occupational therapist discusses
therapy options with someone with a progressive muscular disorder
in a completely informal and ‘non-medical’ manner 296
Plate 10.2 Some decision-making contexts are more difficult than others. Joint
decisions, particularly if led by a powerful consultant, may not
always be correct 305
Plate 11.1 Queueing as a potential stressor 324
Plate 11.2 Environmental events, such as the Asian tsunami, have devastating
short-term effects, as shown above, but also have serious long-term
effects on survivors, some of whom will experience post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) 329
Plate 12.1 How optimistic are you? Is this glass half-empty or half-full? 368
Plate 12.2 From an early age, social support is a powerful moderator of
stress response 385
Plate 13.1 The London Stock Exchange typifies an environment that
encourages stress and high levels of aggressive behaviour
and adrenaline 400
Plate 13.2 The calming presence of a parent can help children to relax and
cope better with any concerns they may have about their operation 409
Plate 14.1 Social isolation increases the risk of a reduced quality of life 424
Plate 15.1 Having more time to spend with a partner as a result of illness can
lead to sharing of activities previously lost to the other demands
of life. Spending ‘quality time’ together can strengthen some
relationships 469
Plate 16.1 The experience of pain differs according to context. Terry Butcher
(in photograph) probably experienced no pain when clearly injured
while playing football for England. After the match, it may have
been a different story 487
Plate 16.2 Biofeedback has proven to be an excellent treatment for specific
pain due to muscle tension. However, in many cases, simple
relaxation may prove as effective 507
Plate 17.1 The treadmill can provide a good test of cardiac fitness while in the
safety of a medical setting 527
Plate 17.2 Social support can help you keep healthy. Sometimes by just having
someone to talk to. Sometimes by supporting healthy behaviours
– even in difficult circumstances! 535
Plate 18.1 Psychologists have a lot to offer in terms of healthy eating
programmes for young children 547
Plate 18.2 To make an increasing difference to the health of our nations,
health psychologists need to disseminate their findings to a wide
audience, including health professionals, educators and policy
makers 554
ANIN_A01.qxd 2/10/09 10:45 AM Page xvii

CONTENTS xvii

PREFACE

Background to this book

Health psychology is a growth discipline at both undergraduate and post-

graduate level; it is also an exciting, challenging and rewarding subject to
study, with career opportunities developing within health care as well as
within academic settings. We wrote this book because we believed that a
comprehensive European-focused textbook was required that didn’t pre-
dominantly focus on health behaviours, but which gave equal attention to
issues in health, in illness, and in health-care practice and intervention.
Someone must have read our first edition because we have been asked to pro-
duce this second one! We have maintained our comprehensive coverage of
health, illness and health care, while updating and including reference to
significant new studies, refining some sections, restructuring others, and
basically we have worked towards making this new edition distinctive and
(even) stronger than the first!
At the outset of this venture in 2005, we believed that for psychologists
textbooks should be led by psychological theory and constructs, as opposed
to being led by behaviour or by disease. Diseases may vary clinically, but,
psychologically speaking, they share many things in common – for example,
potential for life or behaviour change, distress, challenges to coping, poten-
tial for recovery, involvement in health care and involvement with health
professionals. We still believe this, reviewers of the first edition seemed to
ANIN_A01.qxd 2/10/09 10:45 AM Page xviii

xviii P R E F A C E

concur, and so we have stuck to this format in this second edition. We very
much hope that you enjoy what we have put together.

Aims of this textbook

The overall aim of this textbook is to provide a balanced, informed and

comprehensive UK/European textbook with sufficient breadth of material
for introductory students, but which also provides sufficient research depth
to benefit final year students or those conducting a health psychology project.
In addition to covering mainstream health psychology topics such as health
and illness beliefs, behaviour and outcomes, we include topics such as socio-
economic influences on health, biological bases, individual and cultural
differences and psychological interventions in health, illness and health care,
as these are all essential to the study of health psychology.
In this edition, as in the first, we have constructed chapters which followed
the general principle of issue first, theory second, research evidence third, and
finally the application of that theory and, where appropriate, the effectiveness
of any intervention. We first examine factors that contribute to health, includ-
ing societal and behavioural factors, and how psychologists and others can
improve or maintain individuals’ health. We then examine the process of
becoming ill: the physiological systems that may fail in illness, psychological
factors that may contribute to the development of illness, how we cope with
illness, and how the medical system copes with us when we become ill. Fin-
ally, we examine a number of psychological interventions that can improve the
wellbeing and perhaps even health of those who experience health problems.
For example, in Chapter 3 we describe associations between illness and beha-
viour such as smoking; in Chapter 5 we examine the empirical evidence of psy-
chosocial explanations of smoking behaviour based on general theories such
as social learning theory and specific models such as the Theory of Planned
Behaviour, then in Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 we show how this evidence can
be put to use in both individual and group-targeted interventions. Describ-
ing, predicting and then intervening are primary goals of health psychologists.
This text is intended to provide comprehensive coverage of the core
themes in current health psychology but it also addresses the fact that many
individuals neither stay healthy, nor live with illness, in isolation. The role of
family is crucial and therefore while acknowledging the role of significant
others in many chapters, for example in relation to influencing dietary or
smoking behaviour, or in providing support during times of stress, we also
devote a large part of a specific chapter to the impact of illness on significant
others. Another goal of ours in writing this textbook was to acknowledge
that Western theorists should not assume cross-cultural similarity of health
and illness perceptions or behaviours. Therefore from the first edition to this
current edition we have integrated examples of theory and research from
non-Westernised countries wherever possible. Throughout this text runs the
theme of differentials, whether culture, gender, age/developmental stage, or
socio-economic, and as acknowledged by reviewers and readers of the first
edition, our commitment to this is clearly seen in the inclusion of a whole
chapter devoted to socio-economic differentials in health.
ANIN_A01.qxd 2/10/09 10:45 AM Page xix

PREFACE xix

Structure of this textbook

We have made no sweeping structural changes to this second edition. The

textbook continues to be structured into three broad sections. The first, Being
and Staying Healthy, contains seven chapters, which first examine factors
that contribute to health, including societal and behavioural factors, and
then describe how psychologists and others can improve or maintain
individuals’ health. Chapter 1 considers what we actually mean when we
talk about ‘health’ or ‘being healthy’ and presents a brief history to the
mind–body debate which underpins much of our research. In this edition we
consider more fully the influence of ageing and of culture on health, and in
doing so illustrate better the biopsychosocial model which underpins health
psychology. Chapter 2 describes how factors such as social class, income and
even postcode can affect one’s health, behaviour and access to health care.
Indeed, the health of the general population is influenced by the socio-
economic environment in which we live and which differs both within and
across countries and cultures. We have tried to reflect more of this diversity
in the present volume.
Many of today’s ‘killer’ illnesses, such as some cancers, heart disease and
stroke, have a behavioural component. Chapters 3 and 4 describe how certain
behaviours such as exercise have health-enhancing effects whereas others,
such as poor diet or smoking behaviour, have health-damaging effects.
Evidence of lifespan, cultural and gender differentials in health behaviours is
presented to an even greater degree than in our first edition. These behaviours
have been examined by health and social psychologists over several decades,
drawing on several key theories such as social learning theory and socio-
cognitive theory. In Chapter 5 we describe several models which have been
rigorously tested in an effort to identify which beliefs, expectancies, attitudes
and normative factors contribute to health or risk behaviour. This chapter
has been reworked for the second edition to include more consideration of
personality and its influence on behaviour, and on motivational theories
of health behaviour. This section, therefore, presents evidence of the link
between behaviour and health and illness, and highlights an area where
health psychologists have much to offer in terms of understanding or advis-
ing on individual factors to target in interventions. We therefore end with
two chapters on intervention. Chapter 6 presents evidence of successful and
less successful approaches to changing individual behaviours that increase
risk for disease, while Chapter 7 applies the same review and critique to
population approaches such as health education and promotion.
The second section, Becoming Ill, contains six chapters which take the
reader through the process of becoming ill: the physiological systems that
may fail in illness, the psychological factors that may contribute to the devel-
opment of illness, how we then cope with illness, and how the medical
system copes with us when we become ill. We start therefore with a whole
chapter dedicated to describing biological and bodily processes relevant to
the physical experience of health and illness (Chapter 8). In this second edi-
tion, this chapter covers a broader range of illnesses as well as some individual
case study examples and more signposts to relevant psychological content
to be found elsewhere in the book. Chapter 9 describes how we perceive,
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betimes, I have no temptation to curtail the Sunday by lying in bed;
nor is Phillis so overworked as to need, or even to wish for, an extra
hour’s sleep. I therefore hear her stirring as soon as the clock strikes
six; and, till she comes to afford me a little assistance at seven, I lie
tranquilly cogitating on God’s mercies, lifting up my heart to Him,
and almost invariably repeating that hymn of Hugh White’s, which so
fitly opens the invalid’s Sunday.
“Let me put on my fair attire,
My Sabbath robes of richest dress,
And tune my consecrated lyre,
Lord of the Sabbath! thee to bless.

“Oh, may no spot of sin to-day

My raiment, clean and white, defile!
And while I tune my heartfelt lay,
Bend down on me thy gracious smile.

“Let holy feelings, heavenly themes,

Raise, and refresh, and fill my mind;
And earth’s low vanities and schemes
No place nor entertainment find!

“The looks, the thoughts, the sweet employ

Of saints, whose treasure is above,
Be mine to-day! their zeal, their joy,
Their peace, and purity, and love.

“My spirit may with theirs unite,

My humble notes with theirs may blend,
Although denied the pure delight
Thy sacred courts with them to attend.

“The faith and patience of the saints,

These I may exercise each hour—
When, weak with pain, the body faints,
I best may exercise their power.

“O Saviour! with completion crown

Desires thou wakenest not in vain;
Stoop to thy lowly temple down,
Bring all these graces in thy train!

“This is thy day of bounty, Lord!

I ask no small, no stinted boon,
But showers, rich showers of blessing, poured
On me, though worthless and alone.

“If the weak tendril round thee twine,

It ne’er is hidden from thine eye:
I cling to thee, life-giving Vine,
Strength verdure fruitfulness supply!”
 Strength, verdure, fruitfulness supply!

Hugh White, himself on the bed of sickness, used to send Mrs.

Hemans beautiful flowers in her last illness; and perhaps he may
have sent her this pretty hymn too. I should like to know that he did,
and that it comforted her with the comfort wherewith he himself was
comforted: one Christian poet should fitly thus console another.
Having chewed the cud awhile on this sweet hymn, and possibly
on one or two others, I begin my toilette with great deliberation. It
is indeed always a lengthy process; not on account of any special
self-decoration (of course, the “Sabbath robes of richest dress,” in
the hymn, have a purely figurative meaning, though I think respect
for the day may be shown in the outward garb too), not because I
delight in braiding of the hair and costly array; but on account of
downright bodily weakness, which necessitates frequent little rests
and intermissions: and as I have no one to hurry for, why should I
hurry?
However, by eight o’clock I find my way to my sofa in the
adjoining room, with the little breakfast table set near the fire in
winter, and near the open window in summer. I read a psalm,
collect, and the epistle and gospel of the day, to myself, while I
recover myself a little. I have no voice for reading aloud before
breakfast. My breakfast is no great matter; it does not take long,
neither do I hurry it; but when one has nothing to do but to eat and
drink, it cannot be a very tedious occupation. Phillis clears the table,
brings in her Bible, we read a portion, verse and verse alternately,
and then I offer a prayer, and she then goes to her breakfast. Then I
lie and meditate a little.
I have put secular books, newspapers, work-baskets, &c., out of
the way overnight; so that the room has an orderly, Sabbath-like
appearance. The large Bible and little Prayer-book are on the small
table beside me: some other book also at hand, in the course of
Sunday reading. My canary-bird must be attended to, Sunday as well
as week-day. I give him my attention as soon as I am a little rested;
and perhaps remain at the window a little, looking at the flowers in
the garden-borders, the little children from the hill trooping to the
school with their cold dinners in their bags, and the hill itself, girdling
in the prospect, and ever calling to mind the verse, “I will look unto
the hill from whence cometh my help.”
A widow woman, who nursed me during part of my illness, always
comes to cook my dinner, and take care of me while Phillis goes to
church. She gets her dinner for her pains, and sits placidly reading
while the meat is roasting, now and then with an eye to the spit.
Afterwards, she goes to afternoon service. She is too infirm, and too
far from the church to be able to go more than once in the day.
Of course, I always have a few pleasant words with Mrs. Goodey;
and sometimes she tells me of some case of distress among the
cottagers, which I make it my business to relieve, or get some one
to look into, the first opportunity. But punctually, as the clock strikes
eleven, I commence my solitary prayer service, feeling it a special
pleasure, as well as duty, to offer prayer and praise at the same time
that my fellow Christians pray and praise.
Now, as I do not slavishly go through those portions (they are but
few), which can only be appropriately used collectively (St.
Chrysostom’s prayer, for instance), one would think I should arrive at
the end of the morning service a good deal sooner than they do in
church. Sooner, certainly, but not so much so as one might suppose.
For, when thoughts wander, (and, alas! who is there among mortal
men, who, in this respect, sometimes sinneth not?) I feel it
incumbent on me to go over the ground again. Thus, if I repeat a
clause in the litany mechanically, I feel that the least I can do is to
repeat it with more attention, and something of contrition. Even the
wicked king in “Hamlet” said:

“My words fly up—my thoughts remain below:

Words, without thoughts, never to heaven go!”

Thus, of course, the more I detect inattention, the more I

lengthen the service. And then again, in the lessons, I frequently
read the consecutive chapters, perhaps two or three. So that,
sometimes, Mrs. Goodey comes in, to my surprise, to lay the cloth,
before I have finished. But, more generally, I have done earlier, and
lain back on my sofa-cushion, and taken a good rest, gazing on my
Sunday nosegay, and on my dear father’s portrait on the wall. I have
no likeness of my mother—not even a silhouette; she never would
have one taken: but her face is indelibly stamped on my memory
and heart.
Then Phillis bustles in with the one hot dish; and generally has
brought home some scrap of news, which she is in haste to impart.
“Master Frank preached to-day.” (The Rev. Francis Sidney is
always, with her, Master Frank). “How well he do speak up, to be
sure! The deafest in church might hear ’un. Well, I can’t justly mind
what ’twas about, but ’twas charity, I think, or else hope. No, ’twas
charity; because he brought in, ‘But the greatest of these is charity.’
Yes, I know he did. Yes, yes—’twas on charity.”
Then she adds that Mrs. Stowe’s twins are going to be christened
in the afternoon, by the names of Esau and Jacob. And then I
observe that Esau and Jacob indeed were twins, but that I hope the
little Stowes will love one another more than they did; adding that,
as if to show the universal sinfulness of the human heart, a
remarkable instance was given us in them, that even the proverbial
love of twins for one another was insufficient to prevent one from
over-reaching the other. To which Phillis, with a grunt, rejoins, “The
young Stowes ha’n’t got no birthright.”
In the afternoon Phillis generally comes in, and we read the
prayers, psalms, and lessons together; but sometimes Miss Secker
drops in, and then Phillis and I defer our reading till the evening,
unless she goes to church. Miss Secker brings a sermon with her,
and sometimes I speculate a little, beforehand, whether it will be by
Barrow, or Bishop Wilson, or Jeremy Taylor, or by Douglas Forsyth,
or Melville, or Henry Vaughan of Crickhowel. We generally talk it
over afterwards, and though our remarks may not be very original or
deep, they refresh and animate me, being my only intellectual
intercourse during the day.
Often our remarks make us turn to our Bibles to verify and
illustrate them; which sometimes unexpectedly opens up a new
subject fertile in interest. Thus, last Sunday, we lighted on that
wonderful statistical account of the ancient glory and wealth of Tyre,
as vivid and minute as if the details were of yesterday:—how that its
famous merchant-ships, the instruments of its mighty commerce,
were built of deal from Senir, i. e. Mount Hermon, and their masts
were of cedar from Lebanon, their oars of oak from Bashan, their
benches of ivory from Chittim, their sails manufactured in Egypt,
their awnings from the isles of Elishah; how that the mariners of
these ships were from Sidon, their pilots picked men of Tyre, their
caulkers the men of Gebal; and then the details of their armies, their
merchants, their great fairs and markets, and the endless variety of
merchandize brought to them from all parts of the civilised world. It
gave us a great deal to think of:—and very likely it seemed as
incredible to the Tyrians, that their proud city should ever become a
mere desolate rock, on which the lonely fisherman should dry his
nets, as it would to us that London should be reduced to its
condition before the days of Julius Cæsar, when old King Lud
changed its name from Trinovant to Lud-town.
Another time, finding that Nathanael was by some eminent
scholars supposed to be the same with the apostle Bartholomew, we
hunted up all we could on the question; and came to the conclusion
that, as he was supposed to be the son of Tholomai, or Ptolemy,
Bartholomew, or Bartholomai, might be the surname given him by
our Lord to signify the son of Tholomai; in like manner as he called
Peter, Bar-jona, or the son of Jona. Questions of this sort will
continually arise to interested readers of the Scriptures; for the more
we search them, the more do little twinkling lights disclose
themselves to us, reflecting light on one another.
I happened, unguardedly, to drop something about these pleasant
readings to Miss Burt, when she put me into a sad fright by
exclaiming, “Oh, I’ll come and read to you some day!” for I did not
like her reading, which is too much of the denunciatory sort.
However, happily for me, she found it would not consist with her
more important engagements; she therefore not only refrained, but
took some pains to prevent Miss Secker from coming to me too,
telling her that if she had any time to abstract from her own
devotional exercises between morning and evening services, she
thought she might just as well devote it to some of the poor, who
could neither read nor write, as on a friend who could do both, and
had every comfort around her. However, Miss Secker did not see it
exactly in the same light, and therefore has continued to drop in
once every two or three weeks, to my great comfort and obligation.
She rarely stays more than an hour; and when she does not come,
Phillis and I have our little service together, and then I read or
meditate in quiet till tea.
Mary Cole, a great favourite of Phillis’s, then drops in to have tea
in the kitchen, and take charge of the house while Phillis goes to
church. I can’t say Mary is quite as great a favourite of mine as she
is of Phillis’s; but that is no great matter, as she comes to see Phillis,
not me. Thus, Phillis has a companion at both her Sabbath meals: it
makes a little change for her, and prevents her hankering for more
holidays than I can grant. And the visitors, neither of whom are
capable of walking a second time to the distant church, get their
meal and a little variety in return for their charge. People of their
rank are seldom much of readers, and it is well to give them a little
sober intercourse in lieu of their falling asleep with their heads on
the kitchen-table. To whom little is given, of them will less be
required than of others more favoured.
Mary Cole, though a heavy girl, is gifted with a sweet voice and
correct ear for music; and as she sits all alone, she beguiles the
evening hours by singing hymns, often to my solace and delight.
Sometimes it is my favourite “Wiltshire,” sometimes “St. David’s,”
another time the plaintive penitential psalm,
 “From lowest depths of woe,”

to the rare old tune called Irish, which fills my eyes with quiet tears.

In that twilight hour known as “blind man’s holiday,” I lay this

evening mentally colouring a picture of what I had just been
reading, till it became distinct and real.
A desert place, all sand and stones, with scattered tombs hewn
here and there in the rocks, or mere cairns heaped rudely over
human remains, gleaming white and ghastly in the fitful moonlight.
A single living figure, making night hideous by leaping among these
tombs—wildly shrieking as the moon drifts through the clouds and
casts strange shadows—yelling in ecstasy of fear, to the dismay of
far-off travellers, who hasten on their journey in dread of they know
not what. Can anything be more forlorn than the state of this poor
wretch? His fellow men, at a loss how to treat him, bound him with
strong chains, which he snapped in their faces, and then he fled.
And now, unless indeed, some fellow-sufferer be glaring at him,
silent and unseen, from among those tombs, he is alone—alone with
his tormentors, for he feels possessed by myriads of evil spirits,
whom he can no more cast out of his loathing self, than he can tear
out his brain. If he can frame a connected thought, it is of despair.
But three little boats are crossing that surging lake, in the
darkness of night. When they quitted the opposite shore, early in the
evening, the waters of that lake were still. The chief of the little
company lay down wearily to rest, and fell asleep, with his head on a
pillow. The others toiled at their oars, and looked anxiously about, as
clouds gathered, winds rose, and the waves became high and rough,
and threatened to engulf their little barks. The night wore on, and
became more and more tempestuous; they were, seemingly, in great
jeopardy: and all this peril and distress were being incurred that the
Son of God might, unsought, go and heal that one poor man.
He recognises the Lord at once. “Oh!” he says, in anguish, “have
you come to torment me before the time?” Torment you, poor man!
oh, how little you know! You are possessed, you say, by a legion.
Well, that legion shall, if you will, take visible possession of those
two thousand swine feeding on the mountains—swine, which, they
who keep shall deservedly lose, seeing that their own law prohibits
them as unclean. There!—the real Master of those swine has driven
them all, impetuously, into the sea: and you—feel yourself delivered.
Ah, well you may fall at His feet, and look up to Him so meekly,
gratefully, and lovingly; well you may suffer yourself to be clothed by
His compassionate disciples; and, while they who have lost their
swine roughly desire Him to depart out of their coasts, well may you,
fearing the evil ones may return unto you in His absence, and make
you seven-fold worse, beseech Him to let you ever abide with Him.
No safety, no sweetness, like that of being ever with Jesus.
But he mildly forbids, and charges you rather to go and declare to
others what great things He has done for you; and you cheerfully,
implicitly obey. Strange things have you to relate to those wondering
friends and kinsfolk, who lately thought the best thing they could do,
was to bind you with chains!

I have often thought how capitally I invested five shillings a few

years ago, in two apple-trees, which I gave to two poor women
living under the hill. One of the trees produced twelve fine apples
the second year; the year following, its owner sold a couple of
bushels of the fruit. In a cottage full of hungry children, where meat
is only tasted on Sundays, a good apple-pudding is no despicable
hot dish on the noon-day board. Blackberries, of the children’s
gathering, sometimes make a savoury addition to it.
 When my cook Hannah married and settled in a cottage of her
own, I gave her a few roots of Myatt’s Victoria rhubarb, and some
round, white, American early potatoes, with enough onion-seed for a
nice little square bed; a quart of peas, a quart of beans, a few early
horn carrots, and a little parsley-seed; also pennyworths of
canariensis, nasturtium, escolzia Californica, sweet-pea, candytuft,
and red and white malope. Her husband immediately dug, raked,
and planted the ground, and at once took to gardening after his
day’s work. I need not say they are a respectable couple. He cannot
read; but she reads The Leisure Hour and Sunday at Home to him.
Though we had a February of almost unprecedented warmth, I
am told the primrose is shyly and charily putting forth its blossoms.
But soon the warm banks will be gay with them, while the sweet
wood-violet will betray itself by its fragrant breath at the roots of old
trees. Among the earliest wayside productions is Jack-in-the-hedge,
or sauce-alone; as ugly a Jack as one need wish to see, breathing
odiously of garlic. Somewhat later, and rarer, is the perfoliate
shepherd’s-purse, with its miniature pouches, that remind one of the
scrip wherein a young shepherd, who lived to be a king, put five
smooth pebbles from the brook. Its leaves, as I lately showed the
little Prouts, are perfoliate, that is to say, they look as though the
stem runs through them—a very nice and singular distinction, never
to be forgotten after being once seen. A fortnight hence I expect to
hear the yellow celandine has made its appearance. Wordsworth,
who has immortalized it, as much as a poet can immortalize a flower,
says, at first his unaccustomed eye saw it nowhere; afterwards, he
saw it everywhere.
If the month be genial, we shall, towards its close, see “God’s
hand-writing on the wall” of our gardens, in the opening buds and
blossoms of our cherry-trees. Sheep are already turned out on the
fresh pasture-land: their bleatings and tinkling bells sound prettily.
Here and there may be seen a bee, a small fly, a gnat: how soon
shall we see the first butterfly?
 Toads are curious creatures: there was one that used to sit
watching Mr. Cheerlove at his gardening with its beautiful eyes, and
sometimes climb a little way up the paling to have a better view. I
suppose it varied the monotony of its life. ’Tis of no use to cart them
away in a flower-pot; they will return from a considerable distance to
their old quarters. If you hurt them, they will look at you very
viciously—and why should they not? We have no call to molest the
poor wretches; the world is wide enough for us all. Efts and newts
are objectionable: they haunt old drains, dust-holes, and any damp,
unaired corners. Moles loosen the soil, and make sad work
sometimes with the roots of one’s flowers; but yet, on the whole,
they are found to do more good than harm. They make themselves
subterranean galleries, and are very methodical, taking their walks
at stated times. Hence it is very easy to trap them; but if you take
one, you may take two, for they are so affectionate that the mate is
sure to follow the leader. Hence I always felt a sort of pang in having
them destroyed, especially as they have such human-like little hands
for paws; and I was glad to be told that the cruelty was
unnecessary, and that their loosening the soil did it good, though it
might injure particular plants. In moving a stack of firewood at
Nutfield, we found underneath it a rat’s nest, containing fifteen
partridges’ eggs. How did the rat convey them there? Did he roll
them, or carry them on his fore-paws, walking on his hind legs?
The starry heavens are now very glorious. Jupiter, bright,
untwinkling planet, is splendid to behold. There are many more stars
to be seen to the east than to the north; no human being knows
why. The naked eye beholds what are called stars of the sixth
magnitude, whose light left their surfaces a hundred and forty years
ago. It is very singular that numerous stars, beyond the range of any
but a very powerful telescope, prove to be placed in couples: they
are called binary stars. Before Sir William Herschell’s death, he had
completed a list of three thousand three hundred double stars. His
sister Caroline shared his watchings, and took down the result of his
observations in writing.
 My dear father gave me a taste for astronomy very early in life;
and in later years I have found star-gazing to have a strangely
calming effect under the pressure of great trouble. I have looked out
on the star-lit sky during Eugenia’s last illness, and after her death,
till I felt every grief silenced, if not allayed, and every feeling
steeped in submission. The stars make us feel so little! our lives so
fleeting to a better world! our souls so near to God! O Cassiopeia,
Andromeda, and Perseus, I owe to you many a consoling and
elevating thought of your Maker!

My chimney does not smoke once in six months; but to-day, as ill-
luck would have it, an unfortunate little puff came out in the
presence of Miss Burt, who immediately declared that my chimney
wanted sweeping shockingly; and that if I did not immediately put
the chimney-sweeper’s services in requisition, I should not only be
endangering my own life,—which I had no right to throw away,—but
that of my servant, who would not particularly relish being burnt in
her bed.
In vain I assured her that the chimney had not long been swept.
Miss Burt talked me down, utterly deaf to the reminder that, being
on the ground floor, we could easily walk out of the house in case of
any disaster.
“As if you could walk out of the house!” cried Miss Burt,
indignantly; and just then, Phillis coming in with coals, “Phillis,” cried
she, “have you any mind to be burnt in your bed?”
“I should think not, Miss Burt,” replies Phillis, brisking up, and
looking secure of some very entertaining rejoinder.
“You hear,” says Miss Burt, nodding triumphantly at me.
“You may go, Phillis,” said I, softly, which she did with some
reluctance.
 I was in nervous expectation of a fresh puff, when Miss Burt
luckily found herself a new subject.
“There goes Miss Sidney!” said she. “How she does poke to be
sure. Any one can see she has never had dancing-lessons. I think
Mr. Sidney much to blame. By the way, Frank gave us an excellent
sermon on Sunday. I wish you could have heard him.”
“I wish I could,” said I.
“Oh, I don’t suppose you care much about it, as you had Miss
Secker to read Jeremy Taylor. Doesn’t she read through her nose?”
“Dear me, no!”
“Well, I should have expected it. Young people waste hours on
their music now-a-days, but—commend me to a good reader.”
“Then,” said I, laughing, “I really can commend you to Miss
Secker, or at any rate, honestly commend her to you; for her reading
is neither too fast nor too slow, too loud nor too low; her voice is
pleasant and her manner reverent.”
“Ah, I like something earnest.”
“She is earnest too. What a favourite word that is now.”
“Is it? Then I’ll drop it! I hate words that are used up:—
suggestive, sensuous, subjective, objective. Bad as Shakspere, taste,
and the musical glasses!”
She started up, and was going to take leave, when she stopped
short and said—
“What do you think that absurd man, Mr. Hitchin, has done?
Painted his cypher on his wheel-barrow!”
“Well,” said I, amused, “I cannot emulate him very closely, as I
have no wheel-barrow, but I can put my crest on my watering-pot!”
She laughed rather grudgingly, and said, “I suppose you don’t
remember the tax on armorial bearings.”
 The chimney-sweeper has just called!—Miss Burt met him, and
told him there would be no harm in his just looking in, to know if he
were wanted!

Can April indeed be here? Yes, the blackbird wakes me at six

o’clock, and the nightingale sings long after the sun has set.
The hedges are beginning to sprout, and the banks are decked
with primroses and celandine.

“Scant along the ridgy land,

The beans their new-born ranks expand;
The fresh-turned soil, with tender blades
Thinly the sprouting barley shades.”

So sings the sweet rural poet, Thomas Warton; of whom I suspect

Harry Prout knows as little as of Waller.

Poor Mr. Prout is dead! the father of eight children. Yesterday

morning, while it was yet dark, the turnpike-man heard a horse
galloping furiously down the hill. On going down, he found the horse
stopping at the gate, with Mr. Prout’s foot dangling in the stirrup,
and his bleeding body on the ground. His skull was fractured, and he
was quite dead. He was praising his new, showy, chestnut horse to
me only a few days ago, and saying it was well worth a hundred
guineas. It would have been worth a good many hundred guineas to
his family had he not bought it. Poor Mr. Prout!
The turnpike-man’s wife, it seems, immediately got up, assisted
her husband to carry him in and lay him on their bed, and then
washed his wounds; while the man, leading the vicious creature he
was afraid to mount, came into the town to tell the news and get
assistance. Poor Mrs. Prout and Harry were soon on the spot; Mr.
Cecil soon followed. He and Mr. Prout were rivals, and rather cool to
one another; but he looked very sorry as he hastened up the hill.
I cannot help constantly thinking of them all. Last night, I dreamt
I saw Mr. Prout galloping up the hill, all in the dark, along the edge
of that frightful chalk-pit, to the poor woman for whom he had been
sent; and then coming home, thinking of his snug house and warm
bed, when—off dashed the horse!
I have lost a kind doctor and friend; rich and poor deplore him, for
he was sociable, kind, and humane. Often in money difficulties, poor
man; though I believe his good wife made every shilling go twice as
far as most could. She always kept up appearances, too, so nicely!
No finery, no waste; but everything (whatever poor Harry might
think) suitable and appropriate.
Every one I have yet seen—not many, to be sure, but every one I
have seen—expresses regret, and is eager to show sympathy, and
wonders what the widow and children will do. Something for
themselves, that is certain—except the little ones, who cannot. Mrs.
Prout is hardly capable, I am afraid, of undertaking a school; or that
would keep them all nicely together. Therefore, Emily and Margaret
must go out as governesses or teachers; Harry must get a place in
some office; something must be found for James; Edward must be
put to school; and Fanny must make herself her mamma’s little
factotum, and look after the two youngest.
Easy to say “must” to all this!
What a change a few hours have made!

Harry has spent more than an hour with me this evening. I never
saw a poor lad so overwhelmed with grief. He, the rosy-cheeked
fellow! who would have you believe—in his verses—that his tears
were his meat day and night, is now positively ashamed of crying
bitterly over an irreparable loss. I honour him for so deeply
lamenting a good father; it raises him in the scale of human being—
as genuine, well-placed affection always does. He will now have to
exchange imaginary woes for stern realities.
He came quite at dusk. I did not think, at first, it was his voice,
asking if he might come in, it was so subdued. I said, “Ah, Harry!”
and held out my hand. He grasped it in his, and then sat down and
sobbed. I waited a little while in silence; then, when his emotion had
somewhat spent itself, I said—
“I thank you very much for coming—it is very kind of you, for I
was longing to hear many things that no one else could so well tell.”
“Oh!” said he, drying his eyes, “the kindness is to myself—I could
not stand it at home any longer!”
“How does your dear mother bear up?”
“Wonderfully!”—crying again. “But she quite broke down this
evening: so my sisters persuaded her to go to bed; and as they are
sitting with her, I was quite alone, and thought I would steal out to
you for a little while. What a shocking thing it is!”
I knew to what he referred, and said, “It is indeed, my dear Harry.
For your comfort, you must reflect that our heavenly Father is
peculiarly the God of the widow and orphan. He makes them his
special charge.”
“I can’t think what we shall do!”
“Do your best, my dear boy, and you will be sure to do well.”
“Uncle John will come to the funeral. And Uncle John will very
likely provide for James, and take him into his business, which is
that of a wholesale druggist; but what is to become of me, I can’t
think!”
“Should you be glad if your uncle took you instead of James?”
“Why no, not glad; because it is not a line of business that suits
my taste. You know, Mrs. Cheerlove,” said the poor boy, faltering, “I
always aspired to be something of a gentleman.”
“And is not your uncle one?”
“Hardly. But I would be anything just now, to be of service to
mamma—my mother!”
“That’s right. Perhaps you would like to be in a surveyor’s office.”
“That would be better—only, who is to place me in one?”
“Or should you like to be a medical man, like your father?”
“Ah, Mrs. Cheerlove, his was a hard life! And those hospitals! But
have you heard of Mr. Pevensey’s kindness?” cried he, suddenly
brightening.
“No!—in what?”
“Directly he heard of what had happened, he sent my mother a
note, to say how sorry he was; and that as he was sure she would
be glad to part with the horse that had occasioned such a terrible
calamity, and he heard my father valued it at a hundred guineas, he
inclosed a cheque for that amount, and would take it off her hands.”
“Excellent!” said I. “So opportune! so kindly thought of! And this is
the man whom so many think churlish!”
“Ah, he’s anything but that,” said Harry; “and quite the gentleman.
Of course mamma—my mother, I mean—was glad to get rid of the
brute, and would have been so for half the money. How strange it
seems! Only three days ago, my father was patting and praising that
animal, and calling him ‘Hotspur,’ little thinking he should so soon be
laid low! What an awful thing sudden death is, Mrs. Cheerlove!—
here one minute, and the next in the presence of God!”
“Are we not in His presence now, Harry? We cannot see Him, but
He sees and hears us. If a person is well prepared, a sudden death
is, in my opinion, a great mercy.”
“Oh, how can you think so!”
 “Well, I do. The shock is very great, doubtless, to the survivors;
but the sufferer is mercifully spared a great deal of painful discipline:
and if he be but about his Master’s work, ‘Blessed is that servant
whom his Lord, when He cometh, shall find so doing.’”
“My father was about his Master’s work, Mrs. Cheerlove.”
“Certainly he was. He was visiting the sick and needy, in the
exercise of his profession. It could never have been without self-
denial that he turned out of his bed into the dark, cold night, on
such an errand, whether to rich or poor.”
Harry seemed to dwell on the reflection with comfort; and I rang
for tea, and gave him a cup that was both hot and strong, which I
knew to be good for his poor aching head. We had a long talk
afterwards, and he left me in a composed and chastened frame of
mind. Certainly, a sudden death, like Mr. Prout’s, may be called a
leap in the dark; but the believer leaps into his Saviour’s arms.

This morning, to my great surprise and pleasure, Mrs. Pevensey

came in, bright with smiles, and said, “The weather is most lovely!
and you know you always promised that I should take you your first
drive. It shall be as short as you like; but, if you feel equal to the
effort, you cannot have a better opportunity. And as I am just going
on to inquire after poor Mrs. Prout, I will take you up on my return,
which will give you time to get ready without hurry.”
I felt quite bewildered, for I had not been out for more than two
years! If I had had time, I believe I should have said “No,” but as I
had not, I said “Yes,” and very thankfully too. All my nervous
misgivings about over-exertion and painful consequences were lost
sight of in the thought, how delightful it would be to breathe once
more the sweet, sweet open air!
Phillis did stare when she heard of the projected attempt. I think
her surprise vented itself in the ejaculation—
 “Well, I’m sure!——”
But there was no time to say more, for there was a grand hunt to
make for carriage-boots, and warm shawls, and gloves, and a
certain bonnet that would unquestionably require all Mrs. Pevensey’s
self-command not to laugh at—it was so sadly out of date. She did
give it one amused look, but that was all; for she is kindness itself,
and has too much real wit to depend for it on personal ridicules. She
knew she had taken me by surprise, and must make allowances. So,
having triumphantly got me into her most easy of close carriages—
“Where shall we go?” said she.
“Oh,” said I, “the turnpike will be quite far enough.”
“Very well. Then, to the turnpike, George,” said she, as the
footman shut us in. But the roguish woman must have glanced, I am
sure, to the left instead of to the right, as she spoke; for the
coachman, doubtless taking his instructions from George, drove us
to the farthest turnpike instead of the nearest.
Well, it was very pleasant! I had been so long pent up, that

“The common air, the earth, the skies,

To me were opening Paradise.”

We are nearly through April; and the hedges are quite green,
though the oaks, ashes, and beeches are still leafless, and the
meadows are not yet sprinkled with buttercups. But the blackthorn is
in full flower. Besides, a great many alterations had been effected
since I was last out, which I noticed with surprise and interest; for
though hearing of alterations is one thing, seeing them is quite
another. My old favourite promenade, the elm-tree walk (sometimes
called the Queen’s Walk, though the queen’s name I never could
ascertain), was as yet unharmed amid the rage for letting ground on
building leases to freehold-land societies; but, beyond it, new houses
had sprung up in various directions. When I first came to live in the
neighbourhood of Elmsford, there were only four houses between
me and the town; and having for some few years been accustomed
to live in a street, I used occasionally, on dark nights, to feel rather
unprotected. If a dog barked at the moon, I used to think of thieves,
and remember that some suspicious-looking man had begged at the
door; or I thought of fire, and ruefully considered the scarcity of
water. Besides, where were we to get help?—Why, in heaven, where
I may ask for it at once, thought I, and for freedom from all
disquieting alarms. So I used to seek it, and then yield to the quiet,
dreamless sleep that was sent.
Now, in place of four houses, I saw a dozen, with stone porticoes
to the doors and heavy architraves to the windows, and very little
green about them higher than three-foot laurels, which the cows had
evidently nibbled, as they do mine, on their way to and from milking.
At one of these houses we stopped, while the footman carried a
beautiful basket of hothouse flowers to the door, and delivered a
message. While we waited, I heard the sound of a harp, and listened
to it with pleasure.
“How pretty!” said I.
“Ah, you may well say so,” said Mrs. Pevensey, with a sigh. “The
player is soothing a much afflicted father, who, in his day, was an
accomplished musician, and a man of fine intellectual taste. I shall
take her a drive to-morrow; it will make a little change for her, which
is better than none. ‘He that contemneth small things shall fall by
little and little.’”[1]
A door or two off, we left a little flat round basket, containing
about two dozen large hothouse strawberries—scarlet, ripe, and
tempting, as they peered out of their coverlet of dark green leaves.
Several such little baskets had, during two or three springs, found
their way to me.
“That is for poor Miss Peach, who is dying of consumption,” said
Mrs. Pevensey. “Arbell set them out so nicely. My dear Mrs.
Cheerlove, whatever you said to Arbell the other day, has had magic
effect! She has been quite a different girl ever since!”
 “That is more to her praise than mine,” said I. “What I said was
very little.”
“All the better, perhaps, since it was to the purpose. She is now
brisk, pleasant, and active—has found her way out of dreamland into
the affairs of daily life. Mademoiselle is highly satisfied with her; and
Mr. Pevensey, finding she was writing a little summary of Italian
middle-age history for her own amusement, was so pleased at it,
that he told her he would give her five sovereigns, if she did it well
by Christmas. So she is carrying it on with double spirit, ransacking
the library for materials about the Guelfs and Ghibelins, the Neri and
Bianchi, instead of moping; and is glad to refresh herself afterwards
with a good wholesome game of play with Rosaline and Floretta.”
“Ah, a golden spur sometimes pricks the best,” said I. “Small
premiums for small achievements are better than competitions for a
prize, which must disappoint one or many. A rivalry with one’s self is
the only safe rivalry.”
“I think so too. And five pounds is nothing, you know, to Mr.
Pevensey.”
“No, but a hundred pounds may be more so. Harry Prout gratefully
told me of his buying the horse.”
“Mr. Prout had over-estimated it,” said she, quietly smiling.
“I guessed as much.”
“In fact, if it cannot be thoroughly broken, by Rarey’s means or
others, Mr. Pevensey will have it shot; for he says it is better a
showy horse should be killed, than another father of a family.”
“Surely.”
“And the money, you see, won’t be wasted, because it was useful
where it was sent. There is some thought of quietly getting up a
subscription, under the name of a testimonial. Mr. Secker, the
suggestor, will acquaint Mrs. Prout with it, and ask whether she
would like a silver cup or the money; and of course she will prefer
the latter. Only half-sovereigns will be asked, but those who like to
give more may do so unknown to all but Mr. Secker, as there will be
no published subscription list.”
“All the better,” said I. “There are too few who—

“‘Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.’”

“More than you think, though, perhaps. There!—now you get a

glimpse of the church. Your next wish will be to be in it; but you
must not attempt too much at first. In a little while, I hope you may
manage it.”
Having nearly reached the turnpike, we turned about on our
homeward course. And thus ended my pleasant drive. Had I had my
choice, my frame of mind would have been serious; as it was, it was
cheerful. I felt tired and shaken, but less so than I expected. On
saying so to Phillis, she remarked—
“Said so—didn’t I? My ’pinion is, if you’d gone afore, it never
would have hurted ye.”
Kind words cost little: and I had had a good many. I could not
help thinking, had Eugenia been alive, how she would have sped me
forth with fond solicitude, and tenderly hailed my return!—with some
word of thankfulness, too, to Him in whose hand are the issues of
life and death—some cheery gratulation that we were to be spared
yet a little longer to each other.
But I called to mind the substance of a nice little tract called “The
Scales Adjusted.” Things are often equalized by roughs and smooths
being set against one another. And, though snubbed by my maid, I
felt that in this instance my good things predominated.

“So you’ve been and seen them big stone houses at last!” said
Phillis, as she wheeled my little tea-table up to my easy-chair. “They
do make ours look small, don’t they?”
Now this was a very disagreeable view of the subject. Of course, a
little house does look smaller than a large one, turn it which way you
will; but mine—Whiterose Cottage—was quite large enough for me,
and could not be turned in a prettier direction. As we lost sight of
the tall, shapeless stone houses, and came first to the graceful elm
avenue, and then to—

“Where my cottage-chimney smokes,

Fast between two aged oaks,”

I could not help thinking how snug and suitable for its mistress it
looked.
True, it has only one sitting-room, save a little snuggery eight feet
by ten; true, it is all built on one floor, and that on the ground: every
room in it, but the first and last, opening into a narrow matted
passage, or gallery. But to me this seems the very prettiest, most
convenient plan, for a single woman with one servant, that could
possibly be desired; and my only wonder is, that instead of there not
being such another, perhaps, in England, there are not dozens, or
hundreds. How many a rich man, now, might run up a little place
like this, on some corner of his estate, for a widowed aunt, or old
maiden sister or cousin, where she might be as happy as the day is
long, and live on next to nothing, quite respectably; and, when she
dropped off, like a ripe acorn from the oak, and almost as
noiselessly, the “Old Maid’s Home” might revert in perpetuity to a
succession of decayed gentlewomen, whose simple, yet genteel
tastes would thereby be met by their modest means.
Not that I would have them called old maids’ homes, for that
would stamp them at once, like a workhouse woollen waistcoat, or a
charity cloth cloak. No; they should be Sweet Homes, or have other
such pretty significatives; giving them rank with the best Rose
Cottages, Myrtle Cottages, and Laurel Cottages, in the land. They
might prettily be called after their fair owners—Julia’s Cottage,
Maria’s Cottage, Helen’s Cottage, and so forth. Mine is Whiterose
Cottage. It has not an exterior like a long, narrow knife-tray, or
candle-box: on the contrary, though its rooms lie parallel, they are
not of an uniform width or length; consequently, the walls have what
Mary Russell Mitford called “a charming in-and-outness;” and there
is not a straight line or “coign of vantage,” that is not draped by
some gay or graceful climbing plant—rose, jessamine,
lophospermum scandens, morandia Barclayana, ecremocarpus,
nasturtium, and callistegia, or Romeo’s ladder.
The dwelling was built by a retired tradesman of good taste, and
some originality as well as education. He was a widower, without
children, determined to have everything comfortable for his old
housekeeper as well as himself—consequently, the kitchen, though
small, is as complete in all its appointments, as can possibly be
wished; with water laid on, and a little oven in the kitchen-range—in
which, as the furnishing ironmonger triumphantly says, you may
bake a pie, a pudding, and a pig. Phillis, I believe, enjoys her kitchen
quite as much as I do my parlour. Kitchen and parlour stand
sentries, as it were, at each end of the house. There is hardly a hall
worth speaking of—only a little vestibule built on, that will just hold
a mat, a flower-stand, a hall-chair, and an umbrella-stand. Over the
threshold, the quaint old man has carved “parva, sed apta,” which, I
am sure, is true enough. And on one of the panes of the high lattice-
window, with its eight compartments, in the parlour, is written with a
diamond ring—

“True happiness is of a retired nature, and an enemy to pomp and noise.”

On another, “Know Thyself.” The good man, though much

respected, was accounted rather crotchety—and, perhaps, I am so
too; for, certainly, I no sooner saw these little whimseys, than I took
a fancy to the place, and was quite thankful to find the rent within
my means. It was not till I had taken it, that I remembered (towards
night) the possibility of alarms from thieves and sturdy beggars. A
kind friend suggested a fierce dog; but, to confess the truth, I am
also much afraid of fierce dogs. So then, the same kind friend
suggested a kennel without the dog, a man’s hat hung up in the hall,
and a large bell—adding, that, with these defences, I must be safe. I
trusted I might be so, even without them. So here I am thus far in
safety. And often, as I lean back to rest towards sunset, letting
harmless fancies have their course, I picture to myself the old
recluse, seated, like brave Miles Standish, with his Cæsar’s
“Commentaries,” at the lattice, poring over some huge old book—
Bunyan’s “Holy War,” suppose—

“Turning the well-worn leaves, where thumb-marks, thick on the margin,

Like the trample of feet, proclaimed where the battle was hottest.”

“As well be out of the world as out of the fashion,” said our
amusing friend Captain Pinkney; and, accordingly, I sent this
morning for little Miss Campanelle, to hold counsel with her about a
new bonnet. Mrs. Pevensey took me by surprise, and therefore made
allowances; but she will not take me by surprise next time, and
therefore I must not expect her to make allowances again. We owe
it to our richer friends not to neglect appearances consistent with
our means; on the other hand, the rich do us more harm than they
perhaps are aware of, when they avow a contempt for such
moderate efforts to keep pace with the times as we ought not to
exceed.
My bonnet was decidedly behind the times.
“Dear me, ma’am,” said Miss Campanelle, primming up her little
rosebud mouth, which showed a strong inclination to expand into a
laugh, “there is enough in this bonnet for two. Only, the shape is so
completely out of date, that it won’t bear altering: otherwise the
materials are quite fresh.”
 “They may well be,” said I, “for they were nearly new when I put
them away two years ago. However, I mean to have a new bonnet;
and I dare say I shall find some one who will be glad to have this.”
“Dear me, yes, ma’am; it will be quite a nice present,” said Miss
Campanelle, hastily. “There are many people who would be glad to
modernize it for themselves.”
Then, thought I to myself, why could not you modernize it for me?
Perhaps she read my thought in my face, for she added—
“There are some people who do not at all mind style, if they are
but respectable. Now, respectability depends upon the material; but
style on the making it up. And it’s style that shows the lady.”
“Yes,” said I; “one style shows the old lady, and one the young
lady; one the fashionable lady, and one the lady who does not care
for the fashion. It does not seem to me so very many years ago
since bonnets were worn so large that it was considered a very
severe, but not extravagant, remark, when some one said of
another,

“‘And all her soul is in her hat—

Quite large enough to hold it.’”

“Ah,” said Miss Campanelle, “that must have been before my

time.” And, as she still seemed inclined to ruminate on the future of
my bonnet, I nearly committed the unpardonable folly of asking her
whether she could make any use of it herself. Instead of which, I
very fortunately began by asking her whether she knew of any one
who would be glad of it.
“Why, since you are kind enough to ask me, ma’am,” said she,
quickly, “I do happen to know of some one for whom it would be the
very thing. Some one very respectable, and very poorly off,—a
widow, but no longer wearing widow’s mourning; only black, ma’am,
like you,—who seems quite overlooked, because she’s below the
genteel, and yet no one can class her among the poor—her manners
are above that; but yet I do assure you, she often dines on bread-
and-butter.”
It appeared she was the widow of a pianoforte-tuner, who lodged
with Miss Campanelle; and as I feared it might hurt her to receive
the bonnet from myself, I gave it to Miss Campanelle to give it in her
own person to her, which she was quite pleased to do. And she went
away with the Illustrated News and some black-currant jam for
herself.

The funeral is over. The house is re-opened, and the little

mourners go about the streets; while their widowed mother must do
many things besides sit at home and weep, for she has to provide
for their future and her own. Mr. John Prout is going to take James,
and get Edward into Christ’s Hospital. How strange the little flaxen-
headed fellow will look in his blue gown and yellow stockings! I hope
his round cheeks will not lose their fresh, rosy colour in London. The
subscription will enable Mrs. Prout to article Harry, and leave her
something over. How much better than spending it on a silver cup or
vase, for which she would have no use! She hopes some one will
buy the good-will of her husband’s business, and take the house,
and perhaps furniture, off her hands; otherwise there must be a
sale. At any rate, she must find cheaper quarters. Mr. John Prout
proposed her going to live cheaply in Yorkshire, with little Arthur and
Alice, while the two elder girls went into situations; but she naturally
shrank from going so far from them. Mr. Prout insured his life for a
small sum, so that she is not utterly destitute. I understand there is
a pretty little row of houses called Constantine Place, newly built at
the other end of the town, and that one is still vacant, and thought
to be just the size that will now suit Mrs. Prout.
Well—I have been to church once more!—on a week-day, not on a
Sunday; but I am deeply thankful for it. I went slowly crawling along
in the donkey-chair, the wheels of which would have creaked less
had they received a not very expensive greasing with a little
dripping. The ride shook me a good deal, and the boy kept worrying
the donkey with a little stick that did no good, and only made it
obstinate. They who would quicken a donkey’s paces must observe
the law of judicious kindness. I felt rather bewildered and scant of
breath when I was in church: there were not a dozen persons in it,
and the few voices sounded faint and hollow. I was hardly capable
of more than a general emotion of thankfulness; but the service was
very short; and by waiting till every one else had left the church, I
escaped salutations.
——Miss Burt has just looked in.
“I saw you!” said she. “You need not think to creep into any
corner where I shall not spy you out! Well, I congratulate you with
all my heart; and I hope that now you have once begun, you will
keep it up. Nothing worth doing, is to be done without a little effort;
and if I were never to go out but when I felt inclined, I might stay at
home all my life. Of course you saw the memorial window?”
“No, I did not look about—”
“Not see the window! Why, it was immediately in front of you! You
could not have helped seeing it!”
“Then of course I did see it; but I did not observe it.”
“My mother taught me at a very early age,” said Miss Burt dryly,
“to observe everything. So that now I never go into a church, or
room, or pantry, without seeing everything in it at a glance—and
remembering it too. It is a faculty that may be acquired: and
therefore should be. This was the way in which Robert Houdin
taught his son to exhibit what passed for second-sight. He used to
take the child up to a shop-window—the next minute take him away.
‘Now, Robert, what did you see?’—‘Two work-baskets, ten
penwipers, six whizzgigs.’—‘No, you didn’t.’—‘Yes, I did.’—They go
back again. The child proves right. The boy, by cultivating the
faculty, had become quicker than his father. He took in at a glance
the whole contents of a shop. And applied this habit so dextrously
before a crowded audience, that things which they did not believe
he saw, or had seen, he described accurately. The consequence was,
that his father realized immense profits.”
She paused to take breath.
“I think, however,” said I, “that there are times when such a
faculty may be supposed to lie dormant.”
“No, never. It becomes intuition.”
“I think there are times when feeling takes the place of
observation.”
“Oh, if you’re getting metaphysical, I’ve done with you! Never
would dabble in metaphysics! When people begin to talk of their
feelings—”
“I was not going to talk of my feelings,” said I, with a tear in my
eye.
“Fine feeling and I shook hands long ago,” said Miss Burt, rapidly.
“Deep feeling is quite another thing; and does not betray itself in
words. Deep feeling leads to action—fine feeling to inaction; deep
feeling is excited for others—fine feeling thinks of itself; deep feeling
says,

“‘Life is real, life is earnest’—

fine feeling is ready to lie down and die; deep feeling is a fine, manly
fellow—fine feeling is a poor, puling creature.”
“Very good,” said I, hardly knowing whether to laugh or cry; for it
really was clever, only I knew it was all meant for a hit at myself.
“Very good, only you won’t let it do you good, hey?” said Miss
Burt. “‘Excellent soup for the poor.’ You think the cap would fit Mrs.
A. or Mrs. B. very well.”
“No, I was not thinking of Mrs. A., B., or C.”
 “You were not, were you, Mrs. C.?” laughing. “No; that’s just what
I thought.

“‘General observation,
Without self-application,’

does little good that I know of. My plan always is to take a thing
home.”
“But, my dear Miss Burt, I laid no claim to deep feeling, that I can
remember; and surely you have hardly cause to charge me so very
plainly with fine feeling.”
“Now don’t get warm! There’s nothing that hurts me so much as
to see anything I have meant kindly, taken quite amiss. Do keep
your temper. I assure you I came into this house prepared for
nothing but kind words.”
“And I am sure I have spoken no unkind ones,” said I, the tears
rolling down my cheeks.
“Now you’ve upset yourself. This church-going has been too much
for you. Why didn’t you lie down the minute you came in?”
“I was going to do so, but——”
“Why didn’t you lie down? You should have lain down directly.
Phillis should have made you do so, and then have brought you a
glass of jelly, or a little good broth. Phillis was to blame for not
having it all ready for you against your return, without your knowing
anything about it. I shall speak to her.”
“Oh, pray don’t! Phillis’s place is to obey orders, and not to
prepare surprises. Surely I can direct her what I shall like her to
prepare, myself.”
“You are now making a matter of temper of it. I shall say not a
word. I am quite calm, but I feel I’d better go. If anything does
make me feel irritable, it is to see.... Well, well, I will look in another
time, when I hope we shall be in better tune. I’m sure I had not an
idea!—Good-by; good-by!”
As soon as I heard the little gate slam, I had a hearty cry. Mr.
Cheerlove used to speak of people making a storm in a saucer, and
surely this had been one, if ever there was such a thing.
On first coming in, my intention had been to lie down and rest
quietly till Phillis brought me a little arrow-root; but I had scarcely
untied my bonnet-strings when Miss Burt came in. Had I had time to
recover myself, I should not have been so weak as to let her upset
me; but, as the matter stood, she had done so completely, and I felt
utterly unable to resist shedding tears.
“Don’t come in, Phillis,” said I, hastily, as she opened the door; for
I thought I should have some observations, silent ones at any rate,
on my red eyes.
“Here’s Mr. Sidney,” said Phillis.
I looked up, quite ashamed. Kind Mr. Sidney it was, who had, like
Miss Burt, seen me in church, but who had come to congratulate me
in a very different manner.
“I am afraid you have done rather too much this morning,” said
he, very kindly. “I am not at all surprised to see you rather
overcome. It is a good way from this house to the church; and I
dare say the donkey-chair shook you a good deal. I wish there were
an easier one to be had. My aunt uses it sometimes, and says it
shakes her to pieces. Well, but my dear Mrs. Cheerlove, this is a
great step gained. I am sure we all have great reason to be thankful
that it has pleased the Lord to restore you to us. You have a great
deal of ground yet to gain, I can readily believe, before you are quite
one of us; but still, every step in advance is a mercy.”
He appeared not to notice my tears, and, though they still forced
their way, they had lost their bitterness.
“I went home,” continued he, “and said to my wife, ‘Mrs.
Cheerlove was in church this morning; I shall step down and wish
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