You in truth are all aware that, directly in the teeth of this calumny,
it is courage, it is desperadoes (provided they be not braggarts
and tumultuous persons), whom I chiefly venerate; for example, my
brother-in-law, the Dragoon, who never in his life bastinadoed one man,
but always a whole social circle at the same time. How truculent was my
fancy, even in childhood, when I, as the parson was toning away to the
silent congregation, used to take it into my head: "How now, if thou
shouldst start up from thy pew, and shout aloud, I am here too, Mr.
Parson!" and to paint out this thought in such glowing colors, that,
for very dread, I have often been obliged to leave the church! Anything
like Rugenda's battle-pieces; horrid murder-tumults, sea-fights or
Stormings of Toulon, exploding fleets; and, in my childhood, Battles of
Prague on the harpsichord; nay, in short, every map of any remarkable
scene of war; these are perhaps too much my favorite objects; and I
read--and purchase nothing sooner; and doubtless they might lead me
into many errors, were it not that my circumstances restrain me. Now,
if it be objected that true courage is something higher than mere
thinking and willing, then you, my worthy friends, will be the first to
recognize mine, when it shall break forth into not barren and empty,
but active and effective words, while I strengthen my future
Catechetical Pupils, as well as can be done in a course of College
Lectures, and steel them into Christian heroes.
------------------------
5. For a good Physician saves, if not always from the disease, at least
from a bad Physician.
------------------------
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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