70 LIFE OF 



hoped, be conceded that Mr. Knight's own family had far more 

 frequent and intimate opportunities of knowing his feelings and 

 principles, than any other persons could possess; and in finishing 

 what they are well aware is a feeble delineation of his character, 

 by touching on a few points not already noticed, they trust it 

 will be believed that they say no more than is the result of their 

 sincere convictions. 



Like other persons of ardent temperament, Mr. Knight felt 

 strongly on all occasions ; and his sense of honour was of a 

 nature, perhaps, almost too chivalrous for the every-day concerns 

 of life. He was slow to discover evil in others, but when he 

 had been once led to suspect a want of integrity and fairness, 

 he too hastily expressed such opinion ; and hence he sometimes 

 might have appeared to those who did not know the working 

 of his mind, to have been guided by feelings very opposite to 

 the true ones, for no heart ever more overflowed with kindness 

 and charity to all mankind than his, and no one was more 

 sincerely disposed to judge of others, " as he would himself be 

 judged." A more extended intercourse with mankind would 

 probably have had a beneficial influence on his mind on this 

 point, but it would perhaps have robbed it of somewhat of that 

 guilelessness and simplicity, which were among the most 

 engaging peculiarities of his character. 



In politics, the same apparent bitterness, but originating in 

 the same high feeling, was sometimes displayed. He was a 

 Whig of the old school, and though a strong advocate for refor- 

 mation of abuses, and an admirer of liberal measures, he was 

 decidedly opposed to more extended suffrage, vote by ballot, 

 triennial parliaments, and other schemes of the ultra Liberal 

 party : but, from having lived through the days when, owing to 

 the long continuance of one party in power, abuses had crept 

 into the administration of government, his prejudices had been 

 excited against the Tories ; ^nd truth demands the admission, 

 that he sometimes expressed himself of persons and measures 

 in terms which his best friends regretted ; but if convinced that 

 he had formed an erroneous judgment, no one was more ready 



