the rectory was as pleasant a home as before : the red and pink peonies and hollyhocks had bloomed as well this year as last : the rector maintained his cheerful confidence in the good will of patrons , doing nothing with an eye to promotion except , perhaps , the writing of two ecclesiastical articles , which having no signature , were attributed to some one else , except by the patrons who had a special copy sent them , and these certainly knew the author but did not read the articles .