The aristocratic front row felt itself to be too intimate with civilization to care much about it; and the three arm-chairs, or rather that special one which contained Mrs.
Proudie, considered that there was a certain heathenness, a pagan sentimentality almost amounting to infidelity, contained in the lecturer's remarks, with which she, a pillar of the Church, could not put up, seated as she was now in public conclave.
"It is to civilization that we must look," continued Mr.Harold Smith, descending from poetry to prose as a lecturer well knows how, and thereby showing the value of both--"for any material progress in these islands; and--" "And to Christianity," shouted Mrs.Proudie, to the great amazement of the assembled people, and to the thorough wakening of the bishop, who, jumping up in his chair at the sound of the well-known voice, exclaimed, "Certainly, certainly." "Hear, hear, hear," said those on the benches who particularly belonged to Mrs.Proudie's school of divinity in the city, and among the voices was distinctly heard that of a new verger in whose behalf she had greatly interested herself.
"Oh, yes, Christianity of course," said Harold Smith, upon whom the interruption did not seem to operate favourably.
"Christianity and Sabbath-day observance," exclaimed Mrs.Proudie, who, now that she had obtained the ear of the public, seemed well inclined to keep it.

"Let us never forget that these islanders can never prosper unless they keep the Sabbath holy." Poor Mr.Smith, having been so rudely dragged from his high horse, was never able to mount it again, and completed the lecture in a manner not at all comfortable to himself.

He had there, on the table before him, a huge bundle of statistics, with which he had meant to convince the reason of his hearers, after he had taken full possession of their feelings.
But they fell very dull and flat.

And at the moment when he was interrupted, he was about to explain that that material progress to which he had alluded could not be attained without money; and that it behoved them, the people of Barchester before him, to come forward with their purses like men and brothers.

He did also attempt this; but from the moment of that fatal onslaught from the arm-chair, it was clear to him, and to every one else, that Mrs.Proudie was now the hero of the hour.