And they will both of them go down to their graves without ever finding out that the life is more than meat or the body than raiment." Elisabeth was very hard on Christopher just then, and nothing that Felicia could say succeeded in softening her.

Women are apt to be hard when they are quite young--and sometimes even later.
Felicia Herbert was the eldest of a large family.

Her parents, though well-to-do, were not rich; and it was the dream of Mrs.Herbert's life that her daughter's beauty should bring about a great match.

She was a good woman according to her lights, and a most excellent wife and mother; but if she had a weakness--and who (except, of course, one's self) is without one ?--that weakness was social ambition.
"You will understand, my dear," she said confidentially to Elisabeth, "that it would be the greatest comfort to Mr.Herbert and myself to see Felicia married to a God-fearing man; and, of course, if he kept his own carriage as well we should be all the better satisfied." "I don't think that money really makes people happy," replied Elisabeth, strong in the unworldliness of those who have never known what it is to do without anything that money can buy.
"Of course not, my dear--of course not; nothing but religion can bring true happiness.

Whenever I am tempted to be anxious about my children's future, I always check myself by saying, 'The Lord will provide; though I can not sometimes help hoping that the provision will be an ample one as far as Felicia is concerned, because she is so extremely nice-looking." "She is perfectly lovely!" exclaimed Elisabeth enthusiastically; "and she gets lovelier and lovelier every time I see her.