CHAPTER VI

ON HER MAJESTY’S SERVICE AND HIS OWN

Maternal influence in the Barchester novels--Trollope’s first literary success with _The Warden_--The Barchester cycle begun--Origin of the _Barchester Towers_ plot--The cleric in English fiction--Conservatism of Trollope’s novels--Typical scenes from _The Warden_--Hiram’s Hospital--Archdeacon Grantly’s soliloquy--Crushing the rebels--Position of the Barchester series in the national literature--Collecting the raw material of later novels--The author’s first meeting with Trollope--The novelist helped by the official--Defence of Mrs. Proudie as a realistic study--The Trollopian method of railway travelling--A daily programme of work and play 101