And I husbanded my strength. I let him explode, while I let off my steam
quietly, and in just measure only, making every particle do its proper
work. I wasted neither words, nor strength, nor time. In three or four
days my wicked opponent began to get weak and weary. He had tired
_himself_ instead of me. He had disgusted and put to shame many of his
friends. He had driven away several of his supporters. He had weakened
his party. He had strengthened his opponent. He had lost, he had
betrayed, his cause. He dragged on heavily. He was all but helpless. I
had every thing my own way. I had an easy fight, and a decisive victory.
I had the last speech; and when the battle was over, I felt free to deal
with my unprincipled opponent rather severely, and I said: "My opponent
has acted, from beginning to end of this debate, in anything but a noble
and manly way. I refer not merely to his personal abuse, his use of foul
names, his insolence of manner, his malignity of spirit; but to the way
in which he has misconducted the argument. He was pledged to prove the
Bible of Divine origin and authority. He was bound to bring out, as
early as possible, what he thought his strongest arguments, and afford
me an opportunity of meeting them. But he did not do this.
Pages:
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520