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Chapter 22 - (VERSO)

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and was vaguely troubled over it, realizing that the ups and downs of existence would probably bear hardly on this impulsive soul (begin subscript)^(end subscript)I(begin superscript)13(end superscript) Therefore Marilla conceived it to be her duty to drill Anne into a tranquil uniformity of disposition as impossible and alien to her as to a dancing sunbeam in one of the brook shallows. She did not make much headway as she sorrowfully admitted to herself. The downfall of some dear hope (begin subscript)^(end subscript)(begin superscript)or plan(end superscript) plunged Anne into “deeps of affliction.” The fulfilment thereof exalted her to dizzy realms of delight. Marilla had almost given up begun to despair of ever fashioning Anne this waif of the world into her model little girl of demure

 

LMM Notes

LMM Note I13
and not sufficiently understanding that the equally great capacity for delight might more than compensate.


TEXT ANNOTATION

"The deeps of affliction": This phrase could be another Montgomery take on the "depths of despair," but it can also be found in a few sermons and texts in the 19(begin superscript)th(end superscript) century, some discussing Psalm 42:7: "Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me." In "An Exposition Upon Psalm CXXX," John Owen wrote that, "The deeps of affliction, awaken conscience to a deep sense of sin" (1826).