in itself,
and in its controversial force, but besides, I despised every rival
system of doctrine and its arguments. As to the high church and the
low church, I thought that the one had not much more of a logical
basis than the other; while I had a thorough contempt for the
evangelical. I had a real respect for the character of many of the
advocates of each party, but that did not give cogency to their
arguments; and I thought on the other hand that the apostolical form
of doctrine was essential and imperative, and its grounds of evidence
impregnable. Owing to this confidence, it came to pass at that time,
that there was a double aspect in my bearing towards others, which it
is necessary for me to enlarge upon. My behaviour had a mixture in it
both of fierceness and of sport; and on this account, I dare say, it
gave offence to many; nor am I here defending it.

I wished men to a agree with me, and I walked with them step by step,
as far as they would go; this I did sincerely; but if they would
stop, I did not much care about it, but walked on, with some
satisfaction that I had brought them so far. I liked to make them
preach the truth without knowing it, and encouraged them to do so. It
was a satisfaction to me that the _Record_ had allowed me to say so
much in its columns, without remonstrance. I was amused to hear of
one of the bishops, who, on reading an early Tract on the Apostolical
Succession, could not make up his mind whether he held the doctrine
or not. I was not distressed at the wonder or anger of dull and
self-conceited men, at propositions which they did not understand.
When a correspondent, in good faith, wrote to a newspaper, to say
that the "Sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist," spoken of in the Tract,
was a false print for "Sacrament," I thought the mistake too pleasant
to be corrected before I was asked about it. I was not unwilling to
draw an opponent on step by step to the brink of some intellectual
absurdity, and to leave him to get back as he could. I was not
unwilling to play with a man, who asked me impertinent questions. I
think I had in my mouth the words of the wise man, "Answer a fool
according to his folly," especially if he was prying or spiteful. I
was reckless of the gossip which was circulated about me; and, when I
might easily have set it right, did not deign to do so. Also I used
irony in conversation, when matter-of-fact men would not see what I
meant.

This kind of behaviour was a sor