"Sometimes the novice in crime thinks himself ready to act
when he is not; as appears from his hesitancy and reluctance
when the moment for action arrives. If, however, this unexpected
recoil of his nature does not induce him to change his purpose
altogether, he knows but too well how to supply the defect
in training for sin. If we could look into his heart, we
should find him at his accursed rehearsals again. A few more
lessons, and the blush and the shudder will pass away, never
to return."
This is tame enough in the recital. But I dare say there
are old men who will read these pages to whom it will bring
back the never-forgotten scenes of more than fifty years ago.
The Doctor had a great gift of sententious speech, not only
in his written discourses, but in his ordinary conversation or
his instruction from the professor's chair. He was speaking
one day of Combe and of something disrespectful he had said
about the English metaphysicians. "What does Mr. Combe mean?"
said the Doctor. "I make no apology for the English metaphysicians.
They have made their mistakes.
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