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

Ourexperiencewouldleadustoquiteanoppositeconclusion.Temper,indeed,isnotestoftruth;butwarmthandearnestnessareaproofatleastofamansownconvictionoftherectitudethatwhichhemaintains.Coolnessisasoftentheresultofunprincipledindifferencetotruthorfalsehood,asofasoberconfidenceinamansownsideinadispute.Nothingismoreinsultingsometimesthantheappearanceofthisphilosophictemper.ThereislittleTitubus,thestammeringlaw-stationerinLincolnsInn——wehaveseldomknownthisshrewdlittlefellowengagedinargumentwherewewerenotconvincedhehadthebestofit,iftonguewouldbutfairlyhavesecondedhim.Whenhehasbeensplutteringexcellentbrokensenseforanhourtogether,writhingandlabouringtobedeliveredofthepointofdispute——thevery[p257]gistofthecontroversyknockingathisteeth,whichlikesomeobstinateiron-gratingstillobstructeditsdeliverance——hispunyframeconvulsed,andfacereddeningalloveratanunfairnessinthelogicwhichhewantedarticulationtoexpose,ithasmovedourgalltoseeasmoothportlyfellowofanadversary,thatcarednotabuttonforthemeritsofthequestion,bymerelylayinghishandupontheheadofthestationer,anddesiringhimtohecalm(yourtalldisputantshavealwaystheadvantage),withaprovokingsneercarrytheargumentcleanfromhimintheopinionofallthebystanders,whohavegoneawayclearlyconvincedthatTitubusmusthavebeeninthewrong,becausehewasinapassion;andthatMr——,meaninghisopponent,isoneofthefairest,andatthesametimeoneofthemostdispassionatearguersbreathing.