A striking instance of this occurs in the laboured assertion that poets make but sorry domestic characters.

What! because Lord Byron is said to have been a bad husband, was (to go no further back for examples)--was Walter Scott a bad husband, or was Campbell, or is Mr.Moore himself?
why, in the name of justice, should it be insinuated that Milton was a bad husband, when, as far as any one can judge of the matter, it was Mrs.Milton who was the bad wife?
And why, oh! why should we be told by Mr.Moore,--a man who, to judge by Captain Rock and the Epicurean, wants neither learning nor diligence,--why are we to be told, with peculiar emphasis, that Lord Bacon never married, when Lord Bacon not only married, but his marriage was so advantageous as to be an absolute epoch in his career?
Really, really, one begins to believe that there is not such a thing as a fact in the world!] "Now for the hedge!" cried Lovett, unheeding his comrades; and his horse sprang into the road.
The three men now were drawn up quite still and motionless by the side of the hedge.

The broad road lay before them, curving out of sight on either side; the ground was hardening under an early tendency to frost, and the clear ring of approaching hoofs sounded on the ear of the robbers, ominous, haply, of the chinks of "more attractive metal" about, if Hope told no flattering tale, to be their own.
Presently the long-expected vehicle made its appearance at the turn of the road, and it rolled rapidly on behind four fleet post-horses.
"You, Ned, with your large steed, stop the horses; you, Augustus, bully the post-boys; leave me to do the rest," said the captain.
"As agreed," returned Ned, laconically.

"Now, look at me!" and the horse of the vain highwayman sprang from its shelter.

So instantaneous were the operations of these experienced tacticians, that Lovett's orders were almost executed in a briefer time than it had cost him to give them.
The carriage being stopped, and the post-boys white and trembling, with two pistols (levelled by Augustus and Pepper) cocked at their heads, Lovett, dismounting, threw open the door of the carriage, and in a very civil tone and with a very bland address accosted the inmate.
"Do not be alarmed, my lord, you are perfectly safe; we only require your watch and purse." "Really," answered a voice still softer than that of the robber, while a marked and somewhat French countenance, crowned with a fur cap, peered forth at the arrester,--"Really, sir, your request is so modest that I were worse than cruel to refuse you.