He accepted my
challenge to discuss personalities, but neither kept his engagement, nor
abated his efforts at misrepresentation during the remainder of the
debate.
He was not content with sober, sad, deliberate falsehood; he resorted to
ridicule. He pulled comical and ugly faces; put out his tongue; put his
thumb to his nose; threw orange peel at me; and said and did other
things which it is not lawful for me to utter.
He had thought, I suppose, to disgust me; to tire me out; to make me
withdraw from the debate, and give him the opportunity of saying he had
put me to flight. He was mistaken. I kept my ground. And I kept my
temper. And I kept my gravity. I rebuked him at times with becoming
sternness, and then went on with my task. It is probable that I spoke
more strongly against the Bible, and that I said harder things against
the church and the ministry, than I should have done, if he had
conducted himself with any regard to truth and decency; but I did not
raise my voice above its usual pitch, nor did I show any unusual signs
of indignation, disgust, or irritation. My feelings became more intense,
my language more cutting, and my style and logic more pointed and
forcible; but my manner was calm, and my behaviour guarded.
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