there was certainly no one to whom I found it more pleasant
and more instructive to listen. Indeed, I soon came to the
conclusion that there was only one other member of our Society
who could be placed on a par with him as a debater, on the
subjects discussed at our meetings; and that was, curiously
enough, a man of the most diametrically opposed opinion--W. G.
Ward, the well-known advocate of Ultramontanism. Ward was by
training, and perhaps by nature, more of a dialectician;
but your father was unrivalled in the clearness, precision,
succinctness, and point of his statements, in his complete and
ready grasp of his own system of philosophical thought, and
the quickness and versatility with which his thought at once
assumed the right attitude of defence against any argument
coming from any quarter. I used to think that while others of
us could perhaps find, on the spur of the moment, _an_ answer
more or less effective to some unexpected attack, your father
seemed always able to find _the_ answer--I mean the answer
that it was reasonable to give, consistently with his general
view, and much the same answer that he would have given if he
had been allowed the fullest time for deliberation.

The general tone of the Metaphysical Society was one of
extreme consideration for the feelings of opponents, and your
father's speaking formed no exception to the general harmony.
At the same time, I seemed to remember him as the most
combative of all the speakers who took a leading part in
the debates. His habit of never wasting words, and the edge
naturally given to his remarks by his genius for clear and
effective statement, partly account for this impression;
still, I used to think that he liked fighting, and