50 HUNTERIAN ORATION. 



Home informs us, that he would weep at 

 the recital of a generous action ; and when 

 shame cannot prevent us from doing this, 

 neither will fear deter us from expressing 

 our indignation at one of an opposite 

 nature. We are apt to misjudge one 

 another. Few have the penetration of Sterne, 

 and are capable of discerning how circum- 

 stances, trivial in themselves, bj links of con- 

 nection with the finer feelings of the mind, 

 may produce the extremes of pain or plea- 

 sure. Mr. Hunter had befriended and pro- 

 fessionally attended the family of a poor 

 man of much talent as a painter. He 

 afterwards requested him to paint the head 

 of an animal. When the portrait came 

 home, Mr. Hunter was delighted with it ; 

 but when he found it was accompanied 

 with a bill to a much greater amount than 

 would have been charged by any other 

 artist, he was highly incensed. Can it be 

 supposed, that it was the necessity for 

 paying so much money, that made Mr. 

 Hunter angry ? No ; it was ingratitude, 

 v/hich worse than the viper's fang had 

 wounded him, and produced this paroxysm 

 oi' irritation. 



