Theobold had never liked children. He had always got away from them as soon as he could, and so had they from him; oh, why, he was inclined to ask himself, could not children be born into the world grown up? If Christina could have given birth to a few full-grown clergymen in priest’s ordersof moderate views, but inclining rather to Evangelicism, with comfortable livings and in all respects facsimiles of Theobold himselfwhy, there might have been more sense in it; or if people could buy ready-made children at a shop of whatever age and sex they liked, instead of always having to make them at home and to begin at the beginning with themthat might do better, but as it was he did not like it.
– Samuel Butler
The Way of All Flesh, Chapter 20.