Quite early on we are told that the only problems the Primroses had were:

-the schoolboys who often robbed his orchards,
-the cats or children who plundered his wife's custard,
-or that the squire would fall asleep in the most pathetic parts of his sermon.

Well his experience in life wasn't much, and now he has suddenly faced a whole lot of them.
This wild goose chase in search of Olivia makes him:
- go through being ill all alone away from his family (an experience most sad for such a family man),
-travelling with a one-man theatre company only to realise he was being mistaken for one of them and lastly his experience discussing politics rather than 'philosophy' unless that is what he means by philosophy.

I am wondering if this is going to bring about a change in him.