recommending themſelves to the Widow, they apprehended one certain Method was, by giving her Son the conſtant Preference to the other Lad; and as they conceived the Kindneſs and Affection which Mr. Allworthy ſhewed the latter, muſt be highly diſagreeable to her, they doubted not but the laying hold on all Occaſions to degrade and villify him, would be highly pleaſing to her; who, as ſhe hated the Boy, muſt love all thoſe who did him any Hurt. In this, Thwackum had the Advantage; for while Square could only ſcarify the poor Lad’s Reputation, he could flea his Skin; and indeed he conſidered every Laſh he gave him as a Compliment paid to his Miſtreſs; ſo that he could with the utmoſt Propriety repeat this old flogging Line, “Caſtigo te non quod odio habeam, ſed quod, Amem; I chaſtize thee not out of Hatred, but out of Love.” And this indeed he often had in his Mouth, or rather, according to the old Phraſe, never more properly applied, at his Fingers Ends.
For this Reaſon principally, the two Gentlemen concurred, as we have ſeen above, in their Opinion concerning the two Lads; this being indeed almoſt the only Inſtance of their concurring on any Point:For
