It had never occurred to him that he should live in any other than what he would have called an ordinary way, with green glasses for hock, and excellent waiting at table. In warming himself at French social theories he had brought away no smell of scorching. We may handle even extreme opinions with impunity while our furniture, our dinner-giving, and preference for armorial bearings in our own ease, link us indissolubly with the established order.
In George Eliot's "Middlemarch," the character reflects on his life, revealing an acceptance of ordinary existence. He envisions a lifestyle marked by simple luxuries, like enjoying hock in green glasses and being served by attentive waitstaff. His immersion in French social theories has not fundamentally altered his perspective or disrupted his comfortable way of life, indicating a detachment from radical change.
This juxtaposition highlights the contrast between extreme ideas and the stability of established customs. The character’s preferences in lifestyle and social status assure his connection to traditional values, suggesting that one can entertain diverse opinions without being affected by them, as long as they adhere to the comforts of societal norms.
