90 A COMPARISON 



in modo, necessary to make what is called an amiable 

 man. 



"I do not know what this young man means," said 

 Sylla, putting his hand upon the head of Ca3sar ; " but 

 what he means he does with vehemence." ^ 



And this characteristic, if small men may be compared 

 with great, may justly be applied to my friend. His 

 manners were not so engaging as they were open and 

 ingenuous. In conversation, he was more dictatorial 

 than agreeable ; in argument, more dogmatic than con- 

 vincing ; and yet was not impatient of contradiction, and 

 would yield like a lamb to wliat he had contested for like 

 a lion, when he found his position no longer tenable ; 

 and, generally speaking, his information upon most 

 matters was good, and his observation just. 



He had an excellent taste for literature, thouiih it 

 l^artook more of the grave and instructive than the polite 

 and amusing. He had also imbibed a strong predilection 

 for the sweets of gastronomy, which gave a zest to his 

 hospitality ; and, among those who knew him, did not 

 detract from the pleasures of the table — in short, he had 

 all the peculiarities of a thorough-bred Englishman ; and 

 one of his j^articular though perhaps not the wisest of his 

 maxims was, that nothing should be done — no houses or 

 acres bouaht and sold — no barii'ain made — no election, 

 whether of mayor, members of Parliament, or church- 

 warden — no meeting, without a good dinner. With all 

 this he was a man of sterling merit, strict integrity, un- 

 doubted truthfulness, uncompromising rectitude, sturdy 



^ Plutarch's " Life of Julius Caesar." 



