A clergyman has nothing to do but be slovenly and…
““A clergyman has nothing to do but be slovenly and selfish—read the newspaper, watch the weather, and quarrel with his wife. His curate does all the work, and the business of his own life is to dine.” “There are such clergymen, no doubt, but I think they are not so common as to justify Miss Crawford in esteeming it their general character. I suspect that in this comprehensive and (may I say) commonplace censure, you are not judging from yourself, but from prejudiced persons, whose opinions you have been in the habit of hearing. It is impossible that your own observation can have given you much knowledge of the clergy. You can have been personally acquainted with very few of a set of men you condemn so conclusively. You are speaking what you have been told at your uncle’s table.” “I speak what appears to me the general opinion; and where an opinion is general, it is usually correct. Though I have not seen much of the domestic lives of clergymen, it is seen by too many to leave any deficiency of information.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A critic unfairly generalizes clergymen based on limited observation and hearsay, ignoring individual variation.
In simple terms: People judge groups by stereotypes rather than personal experience.
Key Takeaway
Seek direct experience before forming judgments.
Themes
stereotyping
judgment
religion
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal relationships
- community observations
- reading criticism
Key Concepts
social bias
generalization
Questions to Reflect On
- How might personal interaction change your view?
- What sources shape your opinions?
A Different Perspective
Stereotypes can overlook nuanced reality.