The New Vicar of Wakefield #245553

"Good-bye, and may God bless you in your new sphere of work," said the kind-hearted bishop, as he handed the new vicar his license.<br><br>"Thank you very much, my lord, for all your kindness," returned the young clergyman.<br><br>"I think," continued the bishop, "that I have given you all the information I can about your parish; you will find the Wakefield people kind and generous, though somewhat careless, and indifferent to the claims of the Church and religion; it is the same in all country parishes in Australia. Our young colonials have plenty of go in them, plenty of pluck and enthusiasm; but, unfortunately," added the bishop, with a sigh, "it is expended on trifles, mere trifles, such as horse racing and cricket, the acquisition of wealth, and - ah! the development of the material resources of this great colony. Not that such things are not right enough in their way; but one sometimes wishes that Australians had the capacity to appreciate something nobler than a sheep or better than a horse.