Місіс Деллоуей

           Worshippingproportion,SirWilliamnotonlyprosperedhimselfbutmadeEnglandprosper,secludedherlunatics,forbadechildbirth,penaliseddespair,madeitimpossiblefortheunfittopropagatetheirviewsuntilthey,too,sharedhissenseofproportion—his,iftheyweremen,LadyBradshaw’siftheywerewomen(sheembroidered,knitted,spentfournightsoutofsevenathomewithherson),sothatnotonlydidhiscolleaguesrespecthim,hissubordinatesfearhim,butthefriendsandrelationsofhispatientsfeltforhimthekeenestgratitudeforinsistingthatthesepropheticChristsandChristesses,whoprophesiedtheendoftheworld,ortheadventofGod,shoulddrinkmilkinbed,asSirWilliamordered;SirWilliamwithhisthirtyyears’experienceofthesekindsofcases,andhisinfallibleinstinct,thisismadness,thissense;infact,hissenseofproportion.

           ButProportionhasasister,lesssmiling,moreformidable,aGoddessevennowengaged—intheheatandsandsofIndia,themudandswampofAfrica,thepurlieusofLondon,whereverinshorttheclimateorthedeviltemptsmentofallfromthetruebeliefwhichisherown—isevennowengagedindashingdownshrines,smashingidols,andsettingupintheirplaceherownsterncountenance.Conversionishernameandshefeastsonthewillsoftheweakly,lovingtoimpress,toimpose,adoringherownfeaturesstampedonthefaceofthepopulace.