V. -- THAT THE POOR COPY THE VICES OF THE RICH
"O,but(somewillsay)theforceofexampleisgreat."Weknewaladywhowassoscrupulousonthishead,thatshewouldputupwiththecallsofthemostimpertinentvisitor,ratherthanletherservantsayshewasnotathome,forfearofteachinghermaidtotellanuntruth;andthisintheveryfaceofthefact,whichsheknewwellenough,thatthewenchwasoneofthegreatestliarsupontheearthwithoutteaching;somuchso,thathermistresspossiblyneverheardtwowordsofconsecutivetruthfromherinherlife.Butnaturemustgofornothing:examplemustbeeverything.Thisliaringrain,whoneveropenedhermouthwithoutalie,mustbeguardedagainstaremoteinference,whichshe(prettycasuist!)mightpossiblydrawfromaformofwords——literallyfalse,butessentiallydeceivingnoone——thatundersomecircumstancesafibmightnotbesoexceedinglysinful——afiction,too,notatallinherownway,oronethatshecouldbesuspectedofadopting,forfewservant-wenchescaretobedeniedtovisitors.
Thiswordexampleremindsusofanotherfinewordwhichisinuseupontheseoccasions——encouragement."Peopleinourspheremustnotbethoughttogiveencouragementtosuchproceedings."Tosuchafranticheightisthisprinciplecapableofbeingcarried,thatwehaveknownindividualswhohavethoughtitwithinthescopeoftheirinfluencetosanctiondespair,andgiveeclatto——suicide.Adomesticinthefamilyofacountymemberlatelydeceased,forlove,orsomeunknowncause,cuthisthroat,butnotsuccessfully.Thepoorfellowwasotherwisemuchlovedandrespected;andgreatinterestwasusedinhisbehalf,uponhisrecovery,thathemightbepermittedtoretainhisplace;hiswordbeingfirstpledged,notwithoutsomesubstantialsponsorstopromiseforhim,thatthelikeshouldneverhappenagain.Hismasterwasinclinabletokeephim,buthismistressthoughtotherwise;andJohnintheendwasdismissed,herladyshipdeclaringthatshe"couldnotthinkofencouraginganysuchdoingsinthecounty."[p256]