Mr。Knightverysoonbecameawarefirstthathisincomewasinsufficienttohisneeds，andsecondly，especiallynowwhenhishealthwasmuchimproved，thatafterabusyandhard-workinglife，timeatMonk’sAcrehungheavilyuponhishands。Thelattertroubletosomeextenthepalliatedbybeginningthegreatworkthathehadplannedeversincehebecameadeacon，forwhichhisundoubtedscholarshipgavehimcertainqualifications。Itsprovisionaltitlewas，“BabylonUnveiled“hewouldhavelikedtosubstitute“TheScarletWoman“forBabylonanditsapparentobjectanelaborateattackupontheRomanChurch，whichinfactwasbutacoverfortherealonslaught。WiththeRomans，althoughperhapshedidnotknowithimself，hehadcertainsympathies，forinstance，inthematterofcelibacy。Nordidheentirelydisapproveofthemonasticorders。ThenhefoundnothingshockinginthetenetsandmethodsoftheJesuitsworkingforwhattheyconceivedtobeagoodend。Therealtargetsofhisanimositywerehishigh-churchbrethrenoftheChurchofEngland，wretcheswho，whilstretainingalltheprivilegesoftheAnglicanEstablishment，suchasmarriage，didnothesitatetoadoptalmosteveryerrorofRomeandtomakeuseofhersecretpoweroverthesoulsofmenbythepracticeofConfessionandotherwise。
AsthismonumentaltreatisebeganinthetimesoftheEarlyFathersandwasplannedtofilltenvolumesofatleastahundredthousandwordsapiece，noonewillbesurprisedtolearnthatitneverreachedthestageofpublication，orindeed，tobeaccurate，thatitcametofinalstopsomewhereaboutthetimeofAthanasius。
RealizingthattheworkwaslikelytoequalthatofGibbonbothinlengthandtheyearsnecessarytoitscompletion；alsothatfromitcouldbeexpectednoimmediatepecuniaryprofits，Mr。Knightlookedroundtofindsomeotherwayofoccupyinghisleisure，andaddingtohisincome。Althoughareservedperson，onacertainSundaywhenhewenttolunchattheHall，intheabsenceofMr。Blakewhowasspendingtheweek-endsomewhereelse，heconfidedhisdifficultiestoLadyJanewhomhefelttobesympathetic。
“Thehouseissobig，“hecomplained。“Mrs。Parsons“Godfrey’soldnurseandhishousekeeper“andonegirlcannotevenkeepitclean。ItwasmostfoolishofmypredecessorinthelivingtorestorethatoldrefectoryandallthesoutherndormitoriesuponwhichIamtoldhespentnolessthan￡1，500ofhisownmoney，neverreflectingontheexpensewhichhissuccessorsmustincurmerelytokeeptheminorder，sincebeingoncetheretheyareliableforchargesfordilapidations。
Itwouldhavebeenbetter，afterpermissionobtained，toletthemgotoruin。“