Why Is Judge Pyncheon Called Splendid Rubbish

In the excerpt from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The House of the Seven Gables. Hawthorne reveals character, Judge Pyncheon through a list of great qualities. In the excerpt, these qualities are labeled “splendid rubbish”. The phrase establishes that Hawthorne doesn’t think that the qualities are that great. He starts the section of the excerpt off by saying how the Judge has many great qualities such as the “purity of his judicial character”, “his faithfulness in public service,” “remarkable zeal," unimpeachable integrity," and "scrupulousness." there are other phrases that support the idea of "splendid rubbish." For example, the narrator includes somewhat important offering of the Judge, such as his production of "two much-esteemed varieties of the pear." He also mentions Pyncheon's handsome "gold-headed" cane, his polished boots. There is also

The author asks question of, "what room could possibly be found for darker traits, in a portrait made up of lineaments like these!" Hawthorne has revealed that he does not find the Judge as a great person. It also says that, the face that the Judge beholds in "the looking-glass" is far from pure. In the second column, Hawthorne explains that the Judge committed a wrong act. However, the socitey forgets this information and looks to his "good" deeds instead. Hawthorne has included, that the people have allowed themselves to be deceived by the Judge's open character. Hawthorne emphasizes the irony of the Judge's position and public consent with another exclamation: "would you characterize the Judge by that one necessary deed, and that half-forgotten act, and let it overshadow the fair aspect of a lifetime! What is there so ponderous in evil, that a thumb's bigness of it should outweigh the mass of things not evil, which were heaped into the other