, have Art enough to conceal. It heightens and inflames our
Passions (generally indeed that Passion which is uppermost in our Mind) so that
the angry Temper, the amorous, the generous, the good-humoured, the avaricious,
and all other Dispositions of Men, are in their Cups heightened and exposed.
    And yet as no Nation produces so many drunken Quarrels, especially among the
lower People, as England; (for, indeed, with them, to drink and to fight
together are almost synonimous Terms) I would not, methinks, have it thence
concluded that the English are the worst-natured People alive. Perhaps the Love
of Glory only is at the Bottom of this; so that the fair Conclusion seems to be,
that our Countrymen have more of that Love, and more of Bravery, than any other
Plebeians. And this the rather, as there is seldom any thing ungenerous, unfair,
or ill-natured, exercised on those Occasions: Nay, it is common for the
Combatants to express Good-will for each other, even at the Time of the
Conflict; and as their drunken Mirth generally ends in a Battle, so do most of
their Battles end in Friendship.
    But to return to our History. Tho' Jones had shewn no Design of giving
Offence, yet Mr. Blifil was highly offended at a Behaviour which was so
inconsistent with the sober and prudent Reserve of his own Temper. He bore it
too with the greater Impatience, as it appeared to him very indecent at this
Season; »when,« as he said, »the House was a House of Mourning, on the Account
of his dear Mother; and if it had pleased Heaven to give them some Prospect of
Mr. Allworthy's Recovery, it would become them better to express the Exultations
of their Hearts in Thanksgiving than in Drunkenness and Riots; which were
properer Methods to encrease the divine Wrath, than to avert it.« Thwackum, who
had swallowed more Liquor than Jones, but without any ill Effect on his Brain,
seconded the pious Harangue of Blifil; but Square, for Reasons which the Reader
may probably guess, was totally silent.
    Wine had not so totally overpowered Jones, as to prevent his recollecting
Mr. Blifil's Loss, the Moment it was mentioned. As no Person, therefore, was
more ready to confess and condemn his own Errors, he offered to shake Mr. Blifil
by the Hand, and begged his Pardon, saying, »His excessive Joy for Mr.
Allworthy's Recovery had driven every other Thought out of his Mind.«
