Lord Colambre
was much pleased with her, and very glad that she invited him to dinner.
Mr. Burke did not come in till late; for he had been detained portioning
out some meadows, which were of great consequence to the inhabitants of
the town. He brought home to dine with him the clergyman and the priest
of the parish, both of whom he had taken successful pains to accommodate
with the land which suited their respective convenience. The good terms
on which they seemed to be with each other, and with him, appeared to
Lord Colambre to do honour to Mr. Burke. All the favourable accounts his
lordship had received of this gentleman were confirmed by what he saw
and heard. After the clergyman and priest had taken leave, upon Lord
Colambre's expressing some surprise, mixed with satisfaction, at seeing
the harmony which subsisted between them, Mr. Burke assured him that
this was the same in many parts of Ireland. He observed, that 'as the
suspicion of ill-will never fails to produce it,' so he had often
found, that taking it for granted that no ill-will exists has the most
conciliating effect. He said, to please opposite parties, he used no
arts; but he tried to make all his neighbours live comfortably together,
by making them acquainted with each other's good qualities; by giving
them opportunities of meeting sociably, and, from time to time, of doing
each other little services and good offices.
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