gain to what they long to be at themselves; not confidering that to feek one's own Pleafure fo very paffionately, can never be the way either to please or perfwade others; and that diligent Attention, and proper Repartees, are the two Perfections, that accomplish a Man for Company.

In Converfation, he feldom pleases who is overconfident of Pleafing.

The Art of pleafing in Company, is, not to explain things too particularly, to exprefs only one half, and leave your Hearers to make out the reft: This argues you have a good Opinion of the Perfons you Converfe with; for nothing is more agreeable to Mens Love of themselves.

It is very hard to hit a certain Temper and Mediocrity of Freedom with Perfons above us, fo to be eafie and plain with them, as to become an Inftrument of their Diverfion and Entertainment, without being any way offenfive, or breaking in upon the Honour and Refpect due to their Quality.

We often brag of never being weary of any Body's Company, and are fo vain as not to own, that we can ever meet with any bad.

A Man is generally troublefom when he thinks moft he cannot be fo.

To fly from Company, is to act against the Intention of Nature; to live always in Solitude, one imust be fomething more than Man, or lefs than a Brute.

Formal Civilities and Ceremonies are a kind of Tyranny, which render Men unfociable, even in Society it felf.

It is with moft Men's Wit as it is with Countries, for as the moft fruitful of these are not always the pleasantest to walk in, fo the moft fertile Wits

are

た

are not always the most agreeable to converfe with.

"Tis the part of a Blockhead to be troublefom; a Man of Wit and Senfe is fenfible whether his Company is agreeable or no; and difappears a Moment before the time, when his Vifit might be accounted tedious.

The greatest Skill and Perfection in Converfati-on is not fo much to fhew a Man's one Wit, as to give other People the Opportunity of exerting theirs: He that parts from you pleafed and fatisfied with himself, is perfectly fo with you. Men do not love to admire; they have a mind to please, and feek lefs to be inftru&ted or diverted, than relish'd and applauded.

'Tis a great Misfortune for a Man either to want Wit to fpeak well, or Difcretion to hold his Tongue. This is the Spring of all Impertinence.

The pleasure of Society and Conversation betwixt Friends, is entertain'd by a Similitude of Manners, and a little difference of Opinions in the Sciences. By this it is that a Man either confirms and pleafes himself in his own Sentiments; or exercises, and inftructs himself by the Difpute.

*We meet with many dangerous Civilities in the World, wherein 'tis a hard matter for a Man to fave both his Skin and his Credit. 'Tis a difficult Point to hit the true Medium, betwixt Trufting too much and too little, for fear of incurring a Danger on the one hand, or giving a Scandal on the other. Complements are only words of Course and though one external Civility, may be current Payment for another, yet a Man would be loth to venture his All upon a Figure of Speech, where the meaning is fo nicely divided betwixt Jeft and

Earneft.

;

Earneft. "Tis a bafe thing to fufpect a Friend, or an Honeft Man: Nay, 'tis a bafe thing to fufpect any man that looks like one, fo as to wound him; that is, either in Word or in Thought. But then 'tis Death perhaps to be impos'd upon by an Hypocrite under that Mafque: So that the Character of a Wife Man lies at Stake upon matter of Judgment one way, and of a Good-natur'd Man the other. The middle Courfe is to hide our Diftruft where we are doubtful, and to be free and open where we may be fecure. There is no living without trufting fome body or other, in fome Cafes, or at fome time or other; but then if People be not Cautious whom, when or wherein they truft, the Miftake may be Mortal; for there must be fomewhat of a Truft to make way for a Treachery, since no Man can be betray'd, that does not either believe, or seem to believe.

Politeness, or Good-breeding, does not always infpire a Man with Humanity, Juftice, Complaifance and Gratitude, but yet it gives him the outfide of thofe Vertues, and makes him in appearance what he should be in reality.

Politeness may be defined a dextrous management of our Words and Actions, whereby we make other People have better Opinion of us and themselves.

As to the practice of this Accomplishment, it is not to be ftated or determined by Rules; for it wholly depends upon Ufage and Custom, and varies according to the difference of Place, Time, Perfons, Sex and Condition. Wit is not fufficient by it felf to bring us acquainted with it, but it may be a good help to us in the imitating and perfecting of the fame.

'Tis an unpardonable Solecifm in Good Breeding, for a Man when he defires fome of the Company he is in, either to Sing, or play on fome Mufical Inftrument, highly to commend another that has an excellent Talent that way; and likewife it is a kind of Side-wind Satyr, the talking too much to the Praife of Dryden, whilft R is a reading his Doggrel.

A Man of great Parts and Eminent Vertues, may fometimes be intolerably Naufeous; that is, if he neglects too much the outward Forms of Civility and Good Breeding; for tho' these be but Trifles, in comparison of his other Qualifications, yet they are fuch as make the World pass their final Verdict either Pro or Con, in the Character of a Man; a fmall application to the Study of them, will prepoffefs People in our Favour, for as a little matter ferves to make us pafs for Proud, Rude, Scornful, or Difobliging, fo a Cap, or a Smile, perhaps will ferve to gain us the Reputation of the oppofite Vertues.

The knowledge of Courtefie and good Manners, is a very neceffary Study; it is, like Grace and Beauty, that which begets liking and an inclination to love one another at the first fight, and in the beginning of an Acquaintance and Familiarity; and confequently that which first opens the door, and intromits us to better our felves by the Example of others, if there be any thing in their Society worth taking notice of. But we must take care not to be Rude and Troublesom by being over-Civil.

How comes it to pafs, that Alcippus Salutes me to day, Smiles upon me, and almost throws himfelf out of a Chariot, for fear of miffing me?

My

My Fortune is but indifferent, I trudge it on Foot,and fo according to the Rules of our Modern Breeding, he ought not to have feen me, but he did it perhaps, to be feen himself with a Lord.

It is one of the moft naufeous maukifh Mortifications under the Sun, for a Man of Senfe and Bufinefs, to have to do with a punctual finical Fop, that is too too Mannerly, and does every thing forfooth by Rule and Compafs, especially where his Quality, Relation, or Authority entitles him to Respect.

Of the Court, and Courtiers.

MAny Men at Court are like thofe Trees grown

up in fome obfcure Place, and thence transplanted into fine Gardens, where they furprize by their bignefs and height, thofe who who knew neither their firft Rife, nor Growth and Progrefs.

The People are often prefented with agreeable Entertainments, and fee upon the Stage of the World, thofe Men come to a Tragical End, who have been the odious Inftruments of their Miferies, in the feveral Parts they have acted.

"Tis in one fenfe the moft Honourable Fault we can find in a Man, his being a Stranger at Court: There are no Vertues that are not wrapt up in that Sentence.

A Man, tho' never fo Conceited, finds himself Little at Court: But it is one Comfort, that the Difeafe is general; and thofe who are Great in

other