thing it is to die drunken. So it is teetotaller.
Then take care that you do not die with smoke and passion, drunken, and
with temperance language on your lips; that is, abuse and calumny against
all those who differ from you. One word of sense you have been heard to
say, which is, that spirits may be taken as a medicine. Now you are in a
fever of passion, teetotaller; so, pray take this tumbler of brandy; take
it on the homoeopathic principle, that heat is to be expelled by heat.
You are in a temperance fury, so swallow the contents of this tumbler,
and it will, perhaps, cure you. You look at the glass wistfully--you say
you occasionally take a glass medicinally, and it is probable you do.
Take one now. Consider what a dreadful thing it would be to die passion
drunk, to appear before your Maker with _in_temperate language on your
lips. That's right! You don't seem to wince at the brandy. That's
right--well done! All down in two pulls. Now you look like a reasonable
being!

If the conduct of Lavengro with regard to drink is open to little
censure, assuredly the use which he makes of his fists is entitled to
none at all. Because he has a pair of tolerably strong fists, and knows
to a certain extent how to use them, is he a swaggerer or oppressor? To
what ill account does he turn them? Who more quiet, gentle, and
inoffensive than he? He beats off a ruffian who attacks him in a dingle;
has a kind of friendly tuzzle with Mr. Petulengro, and behold the extent
of his fistic exploits.

Ay, but he associates with prize-fighters; and that very fellow,
Petulengro, is a prize-fighter, and has fought for a stake in a ring.
Well, and if he had not associated with prize-fighters, how could he have
used his fists? Oh, anybody can use his fists in his own defence,
without being taught by prize-fighters. Can they? Then why does not the
Italian, or Spaniard, or Affghan use his fists when insulted or outraged,
instead of having recourse to the weapons which he has recourse to?
Nobody can use his fists without being taught the use of them by those
who have themselves been taught, no more than anyone can 'whiffle' {355}
without being taught by a master of the art. Now let any man of the
present day try to whiffle. Would not anyone who wished to whiffle have
to go to a master of the art? Assuredly! but where would he find one at
the present day? The last of the whifflers hanged himself about a
fortnight ago on a bell-ro