case he should feel so disposed. Hence it follows that one must possess wit and a good conscience successfully to commit a knavery: this will almost reconcile the dupe to the dupery.
389
Somewhat too awkward.—Excellent people, who, however, are too awkward to be civil and amable, seek promptly to return an act of civility by a kind service or a contribution out of their store of faculties. It is touching to see them diffidently produce their gold coins when others have offered them their gilt pennies!
390
Concealing intellect—When we take somebody in the act of concealing his intellect from us, we call him evil: all the more so when we suspect that civility and humanity have prompted him to do so.
391
The evil moment.—Lively dispositions only lie on the spur of the moment: afterwards they have deceived themselves and are convinced and honest.
392
Stipulation of civility).—Civility is a very good thing, in fact, one of the four principal virtues (though the last): but lest it prove a means of boring me, the person with
