It is very natural for young men to be vehement, acrimonious and severe. For as they seldom comprehend at once all the consequences of a position, or perceive the difficulties by which cooler and more experienced reasoners are restrained from confidence, they form their conclusions with great precipitance. Seeing nothing that can darken or embarrass the question, they expect to find their own opinion universally prevalent, and are inclined to impute uncertainty and hesitation to want of honesty, rather than of knowledge.

Summary

This quote suggests that young men have a tendency to be passionate, bitter, and harsh in their opinions. Due to their lack of experience and understanding of a complex issue, they quickly jump to conclusions without considering all the consequences or acknowledging the challenges that more mature and thoughtful individuals face. Young men expect their own views to be widely accepted, blaming any skepticism or hesitation on the dishonesty of others rather than acknowledging the limitations of their own knowledge. In essence, their confidence is often hasty and overly simplistic.