within the Bounds of what you know, and never talk upon Things you are ignorant of, unless it be with a View to inform yourself. A Perfon cannot fail in the Obfervance of this Rule without making himself ridiculous; and yet how often do we fee it tranfgreffed! Some who on War or Politics could talk very well, will be perpetually haranguing on Works of Genius and the Belles Lettres; others who are capable of Reafoning, and would make a Figure in grave Difcourfe, will yet conftantly aim at Humour and Pleafantry, tho' with the worft Grace imaginable. Hence it is, that we fee a Man of Merit fometimes appear like a Coxcomb, and hear a Man of Genius talk like a Fool.

Avoid Difputes as much as poffible. In order to appear eafy and well-bred in Converfation, you may affure yourself it requires more Wit, as well as more good Humour, to improve, than to contradict the Notions of another; but if you are at any time obliged to enter on an Argument, give your Reasons with the utmoft Coolness and Modefty, two Things which fcarce ever fail of making an Impreffion on the Hearers. Befides, if you are neither dogmatical, nor fhew either by your Actions or Words that you are full of yourself, all will the more heartily rejoice at your Victory; nay, fhould you be pinch'd in your Argument, you may make your Retreat with a very good Grace; you were never pofitive, and are now glad to be better inform'd. This has made fome approve the Socratical Way of Reafoning, where while you scarce affirm any thing, you can hardly be caught in an Abfurdity; and tho' poffibly you are endeavouring to bring over another to your Opinion, which is firmly fixed, you feem only to defire Information from him.

In order to keep that Temper which is fo difficult, and yet fo neceffary to preferve, you may pleafe to confider, that nothing can be more unjuft or ridiculous, than to be angry with another, becaufe he is not of your Opinion. The Intereft, Education, and Means by which Men attain their Knowledge, are so very different, that it is impoffible they fhould all think alike, and he has at least as much Reason to be angry with you, as you with him. Sometimes, to keep yourfelf cool, it may be of Service to afk yourself fairly, what might have been your Opinion, had you all the Biaffes of Education and Intereft your Adverfary may poffibly have? But if you contend for the Honour of Victory alone, you may lay down this as an infallible Maxim, that you cannot make a more falfe Step, or give your Antagonist a greater Advantage over you, than by falling into a Passion.

When

When an Argument is over, how many weighty Reasons does a Man recollect, which his Heat and Violence made him utterly forget?

It is yet more abfurd to be angry with a Man because he does not apprehend the Force of your Reasons, or give weak ones of his own. If you argue for Reputation, this makes your Victory the eafier; he is certainly in all Respects an Object of your Pity, rather than Anger; and if he cannot comprehend what you do, you ought to thank Nature for her Favours, who has given you fo much the clearer Understanding.

You may please to add this Confideration, that among your Equals no one values your Anger, which only preys upon its Mafter; and perhaps you may find it not very confiftent either with Prudence or your Eafe, to punish yourself whenever you meet with a Fool or a Knave.

Laftly, if you propose to yourself the true End of Argument, which is Information, it may be a seasonable Check to your Paffion; for if you fearch purely after Truth, 'twill be almost indifferent to you where you find it. I cannot in this Place omit an Obfervation which I have often made, namely, that nothing procures a Man more Efteem and lefs Envy from the whole Company, than if he chufes the Part of Moderator, without engaging directly on either Side in a Difpute. This gives him the Character of impartial, furnishes him with an Opportunity of fifting Things to the Bottom, of fhewing his Judgment, and of fometimes making handfome Compliments to each of the contending Parties. fhall close this Subject with giving you one Caution: When you have gain'd a Victory, do not push it too far; 'tis fufficient to let the Company and your Adversary see 'tis in your Power, but that you are too generous to make use of it.

LESSON IV.

On the fame Subject.

HE Faculty of interchanging our Thoughts with one another, or what we exprefs by the Word Converfation, has always been reprefented by moral Writers, as one of the nobleft Privileges of Reason, and which more particularly fets Mankind above the Brute Part of the Creation.

Though

Though nothing so much gains upon the Affections as this Extempore Eloquence, which we have conftantly Occafion for, and are obliged to practife every Day, we very rarely meet with any who excell it it.

The Converfation of moft Men is difagreeable, not fo much for want of Wit and Learning, as of good Breeding and Difcretion.

If you refolve to pleafe, never fpeak to gratify any particular Vanity or Paffion of your own, but always with a Defign either to divert or inform the Company. A Man who only aims at one of thefe, is always eafy in his Dif course; he is never out of Humour at being interrupted, because he confiders that those who hear him are the beft Judges, whether what he was faying could either divert or inform them.

A modest Person feldom fails to gain the good Will of those he converses with; because no body envies a Man who does not appear to be pleafed with himself.

Indeed

We should talk extremely little of ourselves. what can we say? It would be as imprudent to discover our Faults, as ridiculous to count over our fancied Virtues. Our private and domeftic Affairs are no lefs improper to be introduced into Conversation. What does it concern the Company how many Horfes you keep in your Stables? Or whether your Servant is moft Knave or Fool?

A Man may equally affront the Company he is in, by engroffing all the Talk, or obferving a contemptuous Silence.

Before you tell a Story, it may be generally not amifs to draw a fhort Character, and give the Company a true Idea of the principal Perfons concerned in it. The Beauty of moft Things confifting not fo much in their being faid or done, as in their being faid or done by fuch a particular Perfon, or on fuch a particular Occafion.

Notwithstanding all the Advantages of Youth, few young People please in Converfation; the Reafon is, that want of Experience makes them pofitive, and what they fay is rather with a Defign to pleafe themfelves, than any one elfe.

It is certain, that Age itself fhall make many Things pafs well enough, which would have been laugh'd at in the Mouth of one much younger.

Nothing, however, is more infupportable to Men of Senfe, than an empty formal Man who fpeaks in Proverbs, and decides all Controverfies with a fhort Sentence. This Piece of Stupidity is the more infufferable, as it puts on the Air of Wisdom.

A

A prudent Man will avoid talking much of any particular Science for which he is remarkably famous. There is not methinks an handfomer Thing faid of Mr. Cowley in his whole Life, than that none but his intimate Friends ever difcover'd he was a great Poet by his Difcourfe. Befides the Decency of this Rule, it is certainly founded in good Policy. A Man who talks of any thing he is already famous for, has little to get, but a great deal to lofe. I might add, that he who is fometimes filent on a Subject where every, one is fatiffied he could speak well, will often be thought no less knowing in other Matters, where perhaps he is wholly ignorant.

Whenever you command, add your Reasons for doing fo; it is this which diftinguishes the Approbation of a Man of Senfe from the Flattery of Sycophants, and Admiration of Fools.

Raillery is no longer agreeable than while the whole Company is pleased with it. I would leaft of all be understood to except the Perfon rallied,

Though good Humour, Senfe and Discretion, feldom fail to make a Man agreeable, it may be no ill Policy fometimes to prepare yourself in a particular Manner for Converfation, by looking a little farther than your Neighbours into whatever is become a reigning Subject. If our Armies are befieging a Place of Importance Abroad, or our House of Commons debating a Bill of Confequence at Home, you can hardly fail of being heard with Pleasure, if you have nicely inform'd yourself of the Strength, Situation and History of the firft, or of the Reasons for and against the latter. It will have the fame Effect, if when any fingle Perfon begins to make a Noife in the World, you can learn fome of the fmalleft Accidents in his Life or Converfation, which though they are too fine for the Obfervation of the Vulgar, give more Satisfaction to Men of Senfe, (as they are the beft Opening to a real Character) than the Recital of his moft glaring Actions. I know but one ill Confequence to be fear'd from this Method, namely, that coming full charg'dinto Company, you fhould refolve to unload, whether an handsome Opportunity offers itself or no.

Though the afking of Queftions may plead for itself the fpecious Name of Modefty, and a Defire of Information, it affords little Pleasure to the reft of the Company, who are not troubled with the fame Doubts; befides which, he who afks a Question would do well to confider, that he lies wholly at the Mercy of another, before he receives an Answer.

Nothing

Nothing is more filly than the Pleasure fome People take in what they call speaking their Minds. A Man of this Make will fay a rude Thing for the mere Pleasure of faying it; when an oppofite Behaviour, full as innocent, might have preferv'd his Friend, or made his Fortune.

It is not impoffible for a Man to form to himself as exquifite a Pleasure in complying with the Humour and Sentiments of others, as of bringing others over to his own; fince 'tis the certain Sign of a fuperior Genius, that can take and become whatever Drefs it pleases.

I fhall only add, that befides what I have here faid, there is fomething that can never be learnt, but in the Company of the Polite. The Virtues of Men are catching as well as their Vices, and your own Observations added to thefe, will foon discover what it is that commands Attention in one Man, and makes you tir'd and displeased with the Discourse of another.

TH

LESSON V.

On POETRY.

HO' Invention be the Mother of Poetry, yet this Child is like all others, born naked, and must be nourifhed with Care, cloath'd with Exactnefs and Elegance, educated with Industry, inftructed with Art improved by Application, corrected with Severity, and accomplished with Labour and with Time, before it arrives at any great Perfection or Growth. 'Tis certain, that no Compofition requires fo many feveral Ingredients, or of more different Sorts, than this; nor that to excel in any Qualities, there are neceffary fo many Gifts of Nature, and fo many Improvements of Learning and of Art, For there must be an univerfal Genius, of great Compass, as well as great Elevation. There must be a fprightly Imagination or Fancy, fertile in a thoufand Productions, ranging over infinite Ground, piercing into every Corner, and by the Light of that true poetical Fire, discovering a thoufand little Bodies or Images in the World, and Similitudes among them, unfeen to common Eyes, and which could not be difcover'd without the Rays of that Sun. Befides the Heat of Invention and Liveliness of Wit, there must be the Coldnefs of good Senfe, and Sound

nefs