After this he never annoyed me much in that way
again. He did not allow me to rest altogether; that would have been too
much; but he was a vast deal better; and if he ever after this began to
be queer, I always felt greater confidence in refusing to talk to him,
and in letting him know that I expected to be allowed to have a little
of my own way.
I never could persuade myself but that this man was, after all, a good
man. I believe he really feared God and loved his fellow-men. I think he
was conscientious and benevolent. Among other proofs of his benevolence
I may mention, that he took an orphan family under his care, and reared
them. He made them _work_, it is true; he made _every_ one work that was
under _him_; but he fed them, and clothed them, and taught them in his
way. He acted, in short, like a father to them.
Again, when my mother came over to see me at Newcastle, he invited her
to his house. He showed her every possible attention. He was as kind as
it was possible for a man to be. And when she had to leave for Leeds, he
was up by four or five o'clock in the morning, to provide her a
comfortable breakfast, and take her to the coach. But I observed that he
was always kinder to old people than to young people. I suppose he
thought that old people had had trouble enough, and that he had
therefore no need to give them more; but that young people were in
danger of being too happy, of having too little trouble, and that it was
necessary therefore that he should be their tormentor.
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