aid the
other, "since you declared that a man was not to be punished for madness,
because it was a distemper. Now I will maintain that cowardice is a
distemper, as well as madness; for nobody would be afraid, if he could
help it." "There is more logic in that remark," resumed the knight,
"than I expected from your clod-pate, Crabshaw. But I must explain the
difference between cowardice and madness. Cowardice, though sometimes
the effect of natural imbecility, is generally a prejudice of education,
or bad habit contracted from misinformation, or misapprehension; and may
certainly be cured by experience, and the exercise of reason. But this
remedy cannot be applied in madness, which is a privation or disorder of
reason itself."

"So is cowardice, as I'm a living soul," exclaimed the squire; "don't you
say a man is frightened out of his senses? for my peart, measter, I can
neither see nor hear, much less argufy, when I'm in such a quandary.
Wherefore, I do believe, odds bodikins! that cowardice and madness are
both distempers, and differ no more than the hot and cold fits of an
ague. When it teakes your honour, you're all heat, and fire, and fury,
Lord bless us! but when it catches poor Tim, he's cold and dead-hearted,
he sheakes and shivers like an aspen leaf, that he does." "In that
case," answered the knight, "I shall not punish you for the distemper
which you cannot help, but for engaging in a service exposed to perils,
when you knew your own infirmity; in the same manner as a man deserves
punishment, who enlists himself for a soldier, while he labours under any
secret disease." "At that rate," said the squire, "my bread is like to
be rarely buttered o' both sides, i'faith. But, I hope, as by the
blessing of God I have run mad, so I shall in good time grow valiant,
under your honour's precept and example."

By this time a very disagreeable night was succeeded by a fair bright
morning, and a market-town appeared at the distance of three or four
miles, when Crabshaw, having no longer the fear of hobgoblins before his
eyes, and being moreover cheered by the sight of a place where he hoped
to meet with comfortable entertainment, began to talk big, to expatiate
on the folly of being afraid, and finally set all danger at defiance;
when all of a sudden he was presented with an opportunity of putting in
practice those new-adopted maxims. In an opening between two lanes, they
perceived a gentleman's coach stopped by