Neither Angel Clare nor his family had originally chosen farming as a profession for him．When he was a boy， people admired his great qualities．Now he was a man， something vague and undecided in his look showed that he had no particular purpose in life．He was the youngest son of a poor parson．One day when he was studying at home， his father discovered that Angel had ordered a book of philosophy， which questioned the Church's teaching．How could his son become a priest if he read such books？Angel explained that he did not in fact wish to enter the Church like his brothers，because the Church's views were too strict and did not allow free thinking．The simple parson was shocked．He was a man of fixed ideas and a firm believer．And if Angel did not want to become a priest， what was the use of sending him to study at Cambridge？For the parson the whole point of going to university was to become a minister of God．‘I want to use my mind，’Angel insisted．‘ I want to read philosophy．I want to question my belief，so that what is left after I have questioned it， will be even stronger．’‘But Angel，your mother and I have saved and saved to send you to university like your brothers．But how can we send you there if it is not in the service of God？’
