Lydgate, making a sort of background against which she saw Rosamond's figure presented to her without hindrances to her interest and compassion.
"You refer to the possible hindrances from want of health?
Suppose we turn from outside estimates of a man, to wonder, with keener interest, what is the report of his own consciousness about his doings or capacity: with what hindrances he is carrying on his daily labors; what fading of hopes, or what deeper fixity of self-delusion the years are marking off within him; and with what spirit he wrestles against universal pressure, which will one day be too heavy for him, and bring his heart to its final pause.
Pick your battles, and don't react to everything she does if they are just minor hindrances and annoyances.
But we do have very definite indications that this field of endeavor is being opened up for men to work freely and reduce gradually the hindrances preventing a general enlightenment and an escape from self-caused immaturity.
