butthathewasnowsoaccustomedtoithecouldnotleaveitoff。And，atthatverytime，hewastrappedstealingalady’srings，havingcomeintoherchamber，asshewasdressingwithseveralothers。HeputmeinmindofastoryIhadheardofanothergentleman，soperfectandaccomplishedinthisfinetradeinhisyouth，that，afterhecametohisestateandresolvedtogiveitover，hecouldnotholdhishands，nevertheless，ifhepassedbyashopwherehesawanythingheliked，fromcatchingitup，thoughitputhimtotheshameofsendingafterwardstopayforit。AndIhavemyselfseenseveralsohabituatedtothisqualitythatevenamongsttheircomradestheycouldnotforbearfilching，thoughwithintenttorestorewhattheyhadtaken。IamaGascon，andyetthereisnoviceIsolittleunderstandasthat;IhateitsomethingmorebydispositionthanIcondemnitbyreason;Idonotsomuchasdesireanythingofanotherman’s。Thisprovinceofoursis，inplaintruth，alittlemoredecriedthantheotherpartsofthekingdom;andyetwehaveseveraltimesseen，inourtimes，menofgoodfamiliesofotherprovinces，inthehandsofjustice，convictedofabominablethefts。I
fearthisviceis，insomesort，tobeattributedtothefore—mentionedviceofthefathers。
Andifamanshouldtellme，asalordofverygoodunderstandingoncedid，that\"hehoardedupwealth，nottoextractanyotherfruitandusefromhisparsimony，buttomakehimselfhonouredandsoughtafterbyhisrelations;andthatagehavingdeprivedhimofallotherpower，itwastheonlyremainingremedytomaintainhisauthorityinhisfamily，andtokeephimfrombeingneglectedanddespisedbyallaround，\"intruth，notonlyoldage，butallotherimbecility，accordingtoAristotle，isthepromoterofavarice;thatissomething，butitisphysicforadiseasethatamanshouldpreventthebirthof。Afatherisverymiserablewhohasnootherholdonhischildren’saffectionthantheneedtheyhaveofhisassistance，ifthatcanbecalledaffection;hemustrenderhimselfworthytoberespectedbyhisvirtueandwisdom，andbelovedbyhiskindnessandthesweetnessofhismanners;eventheveryashesofarichmatterhavetheirvalue;andwearewonttohavethebonesandrelicsofworthymeninregardandreverence。Nooldagecanbesodecrepidinamanwhohaspassedhislifeinhonour，butitmustbevenerable，especiallytohischildren，whosesoulhemusthavetraineduptotheirdutybyreason，notbynecessityandtheneedtheyhaveofhim，norbyharshnessandcompulsion:
\"EterratlongemeaquidemsententiaQuiimperiumcredatessegravius，autstabilius，Viquodfit，quamillud，quodamicitiaadjungitur。\"
[\"Hewandersfarfromthetruth，inmyopinion，whothinksthatgovernmentmoreabsoluteanddurablewhichisacquiredbyforcethanthatwhichisattachedtofriendship。——Terence，Adelph。，i。I，40。]