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too fond
    of his own way, and not sufficiently scrupulous in his manner of
    achieving it, his best friends cannot deny.  That he is bigoted in
    favour, not so much of his doctrines as of his cloth, is also true:
    and it is true that the possession of a large income is a desire that
    sits near his heart.  Nevertheless, the archdeacon is a gentleman and
    a man of conscience; he spends his money liberally, and does the work
    he has to do with the best of his ability; he improves the tone of
    society of those among whom he lives.  His aspirations are of a
    healthy, if not of the highest, kind.  Though never an austere man,
    he upholds propriety of conduct both by example and precept. Er
    is generous to the poor, and hospitable to the rich; in matters of
    religion he is sincere, and yet no Pharisee; he is in earnest, and yet
    no fanatic.  On the whole, the Archdeacon of Barchester is a man doing
    more good than harm,—a man to be furthered and supported, though
    perhaps also to be controlled; and it is matter of regret to us that
    the course of our narrative has required that we should see more of
    his weakness than his strength.
     
    Mr Harding allowed himself no rest till everything was prepared for
    his departure from the hospital.  It may be as well to mention that he
    was not driven to the stern necessity of selling all his furniture: he
    had been quite in earnest in his intention to do so, but it was soon
    made known to him that the claims of Messrs Cox and Cummins made no
    such step obligatory.  The archdeacon had thought it wise to make use
    of the threat of the lawyer’s bill, to frighten his father-in-law into
    compliance; but he had no intention to saddle Mr Harding with costs,
    which had been incurred by no means exclusively for his benefit.
    The amount of the bill was added to the diocesan account, and was,
    in fact, paid out of the bishop’s pocket, without any consciousness
    on the part of his lordship.  A great part of his furniture he did
    resolve to sell, having no other means to dispose of it; and the
    ponies and carriage were transferred, by private contract, to the use
    of an old maiden lady in the city.
     
    For his present use Mr Harding took a lodging in Barchester, and
    thither were conveyed such articles as he wanted for daily use:—his
    music, books, and instruments, his own arm-chair, and Eleanor’s pet
    sofa; her teapoy and his cellaret, and also the slender but still
    sufficient contents of his wine-cellar.  Mrs Grantly had much wished
    that her sister would reside at Plumstead, till her father’s house
    at Crabtree should be ready for her; but Eleanor herself strongly
    resisted this proposal.  It was in vain urged upon her, that a lady
    in lodgings cost more than a gentleman; and that, under her father’s
    present circumstances, such an expense should be avoided.  Eleanor had
    not pressed her father to give up the hospital in order that she might
    live at Plumstead Rectory and he alone in his Barchester lodgings;
    nor did Eleanor think that she would be treating a certain gentleman
    very fairly, if she betook herself to the house which he would be the
    least desirous of entering of any in the county.  So she got a little
    bedroom for herself behind the sitting-room, and just over the little
    back parlour of the chemist, with whom they were to lodge. Es war
    somewhat of a savour of senna softened by peppermint about the place;
    but, on the whole, the lodgings were clean and comfortable.
     
    The day had been fixed for the migration of the ex-warden, and all
    Barchester were in a state of excitement on the subject.  Opinion
    was much divided as to the propriety of Mr Harding’s conduct. Die
    mercantile part of the community, the mayor and corporation, and
    council, also most of the ladies, were loud in his praise. Nichts
    could be more noble, nothing more generous, nothing more upright.
    But the gentry were of a different way of thinking,—especially the
    lawyers and the clergymen.  They said such conduct was very weak and
    undignified; that Mr Harding evinced a lamentable want of _esprit de
    corps_, as well as courage; and that such an abdication must do much
    harm, and could do but little good.
     
    On the evening before he left, he summoned all the bedesmen into his
    parlour to wish them good-bye.  With Bunce he had been in frequent
    communication since his return from London, and had been at much
    pains to explain to the old man the cause of his resignation,