THE liberal Arts, though they may poffibly have lefs Effect on our external Mein and Behaviour, make fo deep an Impreffion on the Mind, as is very apt to bend it wholly one Way.

THE Mathematician will take little lefs than Demonstration in the most common Difcourfe, and the Schoolman is as great a Friend to Definitions and Syllogifms. The Phyfician and Divine are often heard to dietate in private Companies with the fame Authority which they exercife over their Patients and Difciples; while the Lawyer is putting Cafes, and raifing Matter for Difputation out of every Thing that occurs.

I may poffibly fome Time or other animadvert more at large on the particular Fault each Profeffion is most infeated with; but fhall at prefent wholly apply my felf to the Cure of what I last mentioned, namely, That Spirit of Strife and Contention in the Converfations of Gentlemen of the long Robe,

THIS is the more ordinary, because these Gentlemen regarding Argument as their own proper Province, and very often making ready Money of it, think it unfafe to yield before Company. They are fhewing in common Talk how zealoufly they could defend a Caufe in Court, and therefore frequently forget to keep that Temper which is abfolutely requifite to render Converfation pleasant and inftructive,

CAPTAIN SENTRY pufhes this Matter fo far, that I have heard him fay, He has known but few Pleaders that were tolerable Company.

THE Captain, who is a Man of good Senfe, but dry Converfation, was laft Night giving me an Account of a Difcourfe, in which he had lately been engaged with a young Wrangler in the Law. I was giving my Opinion, fays the Captain, without apprehending any Debate that might arife from it, of a General's Behaviour in a Battel that was fought fome Years before either the Templer or my felf were born. The young Lawyer immediately took me up, and by reafoning above a Quarter of an Hour upon a Subject which I faw he understood nothing of, endeavoured to fhew me that my Opinions were I grounded. Upon which, fays the Captain, to avoid any further Contests, I told him, That truly I had not confi

der'd

der'd thofe feveral Arguments which he had brought against me, and that there might be a great deal in them. Ay, but fays my Antagonist, who would not let me efcape fo, there are feveral Things to be urged in favour of your Opinion which you have omitted; and thereupon begun to fhine on the other Side of the Question: Upon this, fays the Captain, I came over to my first Sentiments, and entirely acquiefced in his Reasons for my fo doing. Upon which the Templer again recovered his former Pofture, and confuted both himself and me a third Time. In fhort, fays my Friend, I found he was refolved to keep me at Sword's Length, and never let me close with him, fo that I had nothing left but to hold my Tongue, and give my Antagonist free Leave to fmile at his Victories, who I found, like Hudibras, could fill change Sides, and fill confute.

FOR my own Part, I have ever regarded our Inns of Court as Nurferies of Statefmen and Law-givers, which makes me often frequent that Part of the Town with great Pleafure.

UPON my calling in lately at one of the most noted Temple Coffee-houfes, I found the whole Room, which was full of young Students, divided into feveral Parties, each of which was deeply engaged in fome Controverfy. The Management of the late Miniftry was attacked and defended with great Vigour; and feveral Preliminaries to the Peace were propofed by fome, and rejected by others; the demolishing of Dunkirk was fo eagerly infifted on, and fo warmly controverted, as had like to have produced a Challenge. In fhort, Iobferved that the Defire of Victory, whetted with the little Prejudices of Party and Intereft, generally carried the Argument to fuch an Height, as made the Disputants infenfibly conceive an Averfion towards each o ther, and part with the highest Diffatisfaction on both Sides.

THE managing an Argument handfomely being fo nice a Point, and what I have feen fo very few excel in, I fhall here fet down a few Rules on that Head, which, among other Things, I gave in Writing to a young Kinfman of mine, who had made fo great a Proficiency in the Law, that he began to plead in Company upon every Subeft that was started.

HAV.

HAVING the entire Manuscript by me, I may, perhaps, from Time to Time, publifh fuch Parts of it as I fhall think requifite for the Inftruction of the British Youth. What regards my prefent Purpofe is as follows:

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AVOID Difputes as much as poffible. In order to appear eafy and well-bred in Conversation, you may affure your felf that 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 ut moft Coolness and Modefty, two Things which fcarce ever fail of making an Impreffion on the Hearers. Be fides, if you are neither dogmatical, nor fhew either by your Actions or Words, that you are full of your felf, all will the more heartily rejoyice at your Victory, Nay, fhould you be pinched in your Argument, you may make your Retreat with a very good Grace: You were never pofitive, and are now glad to be better informed. This has made fome approve the Socratical Way of Reafoning, where while you fearce affirm any Thing, you can hardly be caught in an Abfurdity, and tho' poffibly you are endeavouring to bring over another to your Opi nion, which is firmly fix'd, 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 because he is not of your Opinion. The Interefts, Education, and Means by which Men attain their Knowledge, are fo very different, that it is impoffible they fhould all think alike; and he has at leaft as much Reason to be angry with you, as you with him. Sometimes to keep your felf cool, it may be of Service to ask your felf fairly, What might have been your Opinion, had you all the Biaffes of Education and Interest your Adversary 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 Antagonists a greater Advantage over you, than by falling into a Paffion,

WHEN

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

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IT is yet more abfurd to be angry with a Man because he does not apprehend the Force of your Reafons, or gives weak ones of his own. If you argue for Reputation, this makes your Victory the eafter, he is certainly in all Refpects 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 pleafe 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 your felf whenever you meet with a Fool or a Knave.

LASTLY, If you propofe to your felf the true End of Argument, which is Information, it may be a feafonable Check to your Paffion; for if you fearch purely after Truth, 'twill be almoft indifferent to you where you find it. I cannot in this Place emit 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 Opportu nity of fifting Things to the Bottom, fhewing his Judgment, and of fometimes making handfome Compliments to each of the contending Parties.

I fhall clofe this Subject with giving you one Caution: When you have gained a Victory, do not push it too far ; 'tis fufficient to let the Company and your Adverfary fee 'tis in your Power, but that you are too generous to make use of it.

X

Wednesday

N° 198. Wednesday, October 17.

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Cerva luporum pradà rapacium
Sectamur ultro, quos opimus
Fallere effugere eft triumphus.

Hor.

HERE is a Speices of Women, whom I shall diftinguish by the Name of Salamanders. Now a Salamander is a Kind of Heroine in Chafticy, that treads upon Fire, and lives in the midft of Flames without being hurt. A Salamander knows no Distinction of Sex in those the converfes with, grows familiar with a Stranger at first Sight, and is not fo narrow-fpirited as to obferve whether the Perfon fhe talks to, be in Breeches or in Petticoats. She admits a Male Vifitant to her Bed-fide, plays with him a whole Afternoon at Pickette, walks with him two or three Hours by Moon-light; -and is extreamly fcandalized at the Unreafonableness of an Husband, or the Severity of a Parent, that would debar the Sex from such innocent Liberties. Your Salamander is therefore a perpetual Declaimer against Jealoufy, an Admirer of the French Good-breeding, and a great Stickler for Freedom in Conversation. In fhort, the Salamander lives in an invincible State of Simplicity and Innocence: Her Constitution is preferv'd in a kind of natural Froft, fhe wonders what People mean by Temptations, and defies Mankind to do their worst. Her Chastity is engaged in a conftant Ordeat, or fiery Tryal: (Like good Queen Emma) the pretty Innocent walks blindfold among burning Plow-fhares, without being fcorched or finged by them.

IT is not therefore for the Ufe of the Salamander, whether in a married or fingle State of Life, that I defign the following Paper; but for fuch Females only as are made of Flesh and Blood, and find themselves fubject to buman Frailties.

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