Note 28 — Part II.
Reading edition
This is one of the numerous points where the new man and the man of the stone age—now politely termed “fossil”—come into collision. “We do not think that a hard and fast rule, (the italics are mine) such as you propose, can be laid down.” Even if it were a hard and fast rule—which it is pre-eminently not—his objecting to it on that ground would be most inconsistent—
“And yet he thinks what’s pious in The one, in th’ other is a sin.”