The vote for the hospital chaplain (Middlemarch)

Chapter 18 about the meeting to select the chaplain for the new hospital was the stand out chapter of the book so far. I think Lydgate made the right decision to vote for Tyke rather than Farebrother. Myself, I think Farebrother should have got the post for the reason Mr Hawley stated: that Mr Farebrother had been doing the job for free up to then, so it was not right to appoint someone else after a salary became associated with the post. Another point in Farebrother's favour is that he is cheerier company for the patients than Tyke was reported to be. Like Mr Powderell says, the prime consideration of the post should be the saving of the patients' souls, but how do you judge which of the two candidates is better at that? However Lydgate could not afford to get on the wrong side of Mr Bulstrode at this early stage of his career. If he had, he might as well have packed up and moved his practice to another town.

The attendees seemed to be directors or trustees of the hospital. Four doctors, a lawyer, a banker, some of the local gentry were there, but so was a retired ironmonger, and a rich tanner. I was surprised people kept walking in during the meeting. Were some people late or did some start early? It seemed a lively meeting, with much frank speaking. It was a pity Lydgate was the last to arrive with the vote a draw, because he had to make the casting vote to let down his friend. Maybe that was a plan that backfired, because if he had arrived with one of the candidates having won by a margin of two, he could have voted for Tyke without letting down Farebrother.