Excuse me there. If you go upon arguments, they are never wanting, when a man has no constancy of mind. My father never changed, and he preached plain moral sermons without arguments, and was a good man-few better. When you get me a good man made out of arguments, I will get you a good dinner with reading you the cookery-book. That's my opinion, and I think anybody's stomach will bear me out.
The speaker emphasizes the futility of relying solely on arguments without a strong and constant moral character. They reflect on their father's unwavering integrity and straightforward preaching of moral values, suggesting that true goodness does not stem from persuasive debates but from solid principles. Their father is portrayed as a virtuous individual, contrasting with the notion that complex arguments can produce genuine virtue.
Furthermore, the speaker uses a culinary analogy to argue that just as a good meal cannot be created through mere recipes, a truly good person cannot be formed from arguments alone. This rhetoric underlines the belief that authenticity and moral strength are rooted in character rather than intellectual persuasion, highlighting the importance of being grounded in one's values.
