正文 VII. -- OF TWO DISPUTANTS, THE WARMEST IS GENERALL

Our experience would lead us to quite an opposite clusion. Temper, indeed, is of truth; but warmth and earness are a proof at least of a mans own vi of the rectitude that which he maintains. ess is as often the result of unprincipled indiffereo truth or falsehood, as of a sober fiden a mans own side in a dispute. Nothing is more insulting sometimes than the appearance of this philosophic temper. There is little Titubus, the stammering law-stationer in Lins Inn -- we have seldom known this shrewd little fellow engaged in argument where we were not vinced he had the best of it, if tongue would but fairly have seded him. When he has been spluttering excellent broken sense for an hether, writhing and lab to be delivered of the point of dispute -- the very [p 257] gist of the troversy knog at his teeth, which like some obstinate iron-grating still obstructed its deliverance -- his puny frame vulsed, and face reddening all over at an unfairness in the logic which he wanted articulation to expose, it has moved all to see a smooth portly fellow of an adversary, that cared not a button for the merits of the question, by merely laying his hand upon the head of the stationer, and desiring him to he calm (your tall disputants have always the advantage), with a provoking sneer carry the argument from him in the opinion of all the bystanders, who have gone away clearly vihat Titubus must have been in the wrong, because he was in a passion; and that Mr. -----, meaning his oppo, is one of the fairest, and at the same time one of the most dispassionate arguers breathing.

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