I
am not very timid; and the proverb says, you know, a faint heart never
won a fair lady."
Our readers may perceive, from the spirit of the above conversation,
that the son was worthy of the mother, and the mother of the son. The
latter, however, had, at least, some command over his temper, and a
great deal of dexterity and penetration besides; whilst the mother,
though violent, was clumsy in her resentments, and transparent in her
motives. Short as Woodward's residence in the family was, he saw at
a glance that the abuse she heaped upon her husband and children was
nothing more nor less than deliberate falsehood. This, however, to him
was a matter of perfect indifference. He was no great advocate of truth
himself, whenever he found that his interests or his passions could be
more effectually promoted by falsehood; although he did not disdain even
truth whenever it equally served his purpose. In such a case it gave him
a reputation for candor under which he could, with more safety, avail
himself of his disingenuity and prevarication. He knew, as we said, that
his mother's description of the family contained not one atom of truth;
and yet he was too dastardly and cunning to defend them against her
calumny.
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