36 THEOPHOBIA AND NEMESIS 



when there was no money on the game. It was 

 a sin to go to the theatre, even to behold the most 

 inspiring and instructive plays. It was even held 

 by some, as we shall see, that the writing of stories 

 or works of imagination was sinful. I once heard 

 a professor of this creed express the doubt whether 

 Shakespeare had not, on the whole, done much 

 more harm than good, and state that he himself 

 would not allow the works of Dickens to occupy 

 a place in a hospital library, from which, as a 

 matter of fact for on this point the discussion 

 had arisen they had been excluded by the then 

 chaplain of the institution, a man of like views. 

 In fact, the idea of God which was presented to 

 the youth of that period and brought up under 

 such influences was I do not say wilfully that 

 of a kind of super-policeman : a hard-hearted 

 policeman, with an exaggerated code of mis- 

 doings, forever waiting round a corner to pounce 

 on evil-doers, and, one was obliged to think, 

 apparently almost pleased at the opportunity of 

 catching them. It need not be said that no 

 disrespect is intended in this. It is a simple and 

 truthful statement of the kind of impression 

 made upon one person by the teachings of that 

 age and school. Is it any wonder that persons 

 brought up in such a creed should experience a 

 feeling of relief on learning that there was no 

 God, no sin, no punishment ? Add to this the 

 terrors of the exaggerated Sabbatarianism of the 

 period. What was the Sunday programme ? 

 Two lengthy sessions of Family Prayers ; two 

 attendances each lasting at least an hour and a 



