A man finds another act towards him with unconscious impudence or arrogance, and at once flies into a rage; there is a fierce wrangle, and at the end he finds no purpose served, for nothing was at stake.

He has lost his temper for nothing.

In his heat he may tell you "he wouldn't let so-and-so do so-and-so," but on the same principle he should hold a street-argument with every fish-wife who might call him a name.

He may tell you "he will make so-and-so respect him," but he offends his own self-respect if he cannot consider some things beneath him.

One must have a sense of proportion and not elevate every little act of impudence into a challenge of life to be fought over as for life and death.