The Vicar's talk was not always inspiriting: he had escaped being a Pharisee, but he had not escaped that low estimate of possibilities which we rather hastily arrive at as an inference from our own failure.
The Vicar's speeches often lacked inspiration; although he had managed to avoid being hypocritical like a Pharisee, he still held a pessimistic view of what could be achieved. This perspective seems to stem from his own experiences of failure and the way it shapes one’s outlook on potential.
His limited view of possibilities suggests that some individuals may extrapolate their shortcomings into a broader belief about what is attainable for themselves and others. This reflects a common struggle where one's personal failures lead to an underestimation of future opportunities and successes.