Vile and debauched expressions are the sure marks of an abject and grovelling mind, and the filthy overflowing of a vicious heart.

Speak always according to your conscience, but let it be done in terms of good nature, civility and good manners.

It is a sure method of obliging in conversation, to shew a pleasure in giving attention. As men of sense say much in few words; so the half witted have a talent of talking much, and yet say nothing. wisdom Some men are silent for want of matter, or assurance; and again some are talkative for want of sense.

Modesty in your discourse will give a lustre to truth, and an excuse to your errors.

Much tongue and much judgment seldom go together, for talking and thinking are two quite different faculties, and there is commonly more depth where there is less noise.

Buffoonery and scurrility are the corrupters of wit as knavery is of wisdom. Some are so black in the mouth, as,to utter scarce any thing that is decent; supplying want of sense with want of modesty, and want of reputation with want of shame.

It is a fair step towards happiness and virtue, to delight in the conversation of good and wise men; and where that cannot be had, the next point is, to keep no company at all.

Discretion of speech is more than all elo

quence; and to speak agreeably, is more than to speak in exact order.

The value of things are not in their size, but quality, and so of reason, which wrapped in few words, hath the greater weight.

A man may contemplate on virtue in solitude and retirement; but the practical part consists in its participation, and the society it hath with others; for whatever is good, is the better for being communicable.

The talent of turning men into ridicule, and exposing those we converse with, is the qualification of little ungenerous tempers.

In disputes, men should give soft words, and hard arguments, they should not so much strive to vex, as to convince an enemy.

Wherever the speech is corrupted so is the mind.

In heat of argument, men are commonly as though they were tied back to back, close joined, and yet they cannot see each other.

Familiar conversation ought to be the school of learning, and good breeding. A man ought to make his masters of his friends, seasoning the pleasure of converse, with the profit of instruction.

Pleasure given in society, like money lent to usury, returns with interest to those who disperse it.

Modesty should be distinguished from an awkward bashfulness, and silence should only be enjoined when it should be froward and in

pertinent to talk; if you speak without conceit or affectation, you will always be more pleasing than those who sit like statues without sense or motion. When you are silent, your looks should shew your attention and presence to the company. You must appear to be interested in what is said, and endeavor to improve yourself by it.

Conversation may be divided into two classes-the familiar and the sentimental.

It is the province of the familiar, to diffuse cheerfulness and ease to open the heart of man to man, and to beam a temperate sunshine upon the mind.

Nature and art must conspire to render us susceptible of the charms, and to qualify us for the practice of the second class of conversation, here termed sentimental.

To good sense, lively feeling, and natural delicacy of taste, must be united an expansion of mind, and refinement of thought, which is the result of high cultivation. To render this sort of conversation irresistibly attractive, a knowledge of the world is requisite, and that enchanting ease, that elegance of manner, which is to be acquired only by frequenting the higher circles of polished life. In sentimental conversation, subjects interesting to the heart, and to the imagination, are brought forward; they are discussed in a kind of sportive way, with animation and refinement, and are never continued longer than polite

E

ness allows. Her fancy flourishes, the sen sibilities expand,—and wit, guided by delica cy, and embellished by taste-points to the heart.

140

COVETOUSNESS.

LET the fruition of things bless the pos session, and think it more satisfaction to live richly, than to die rich; for since your good works, not your goods, will follow you; since wealth is an appurtenance of life, and no dead man rich to famish in plenty, and live poorly to die rich, were but a multiplying in madness, and use upon use in folly.

Covetousness never judges any thing unlawful, that is gainful.

Hence almost every crime, nor do we find
That any passion of the human mind,

So oft has plung'd the soul, or drench'd the bowl,

As avarice-that tyrant of the soul:

For he that would be rich, brooks no delay, But drives o'er all, and takes the shortest way: What law, or fear, or shame, can e'er restrain The greedy wretch in full pursuit of gain?

It is almost a wonder that covetousness, even in spite of itself, does not at the same

time argue a man into charity, by its own principle of looking forwards, and the firm expectation it would delight in, of receiving its own again with

usury.

Oh, impudence of wealth! with all thy store, How dar'st thou let one worthy man be poor?

It is a much easier task to dig metal out of its native mine, than to get it out of the covetous man's coffer. Death only has the key of the miser's chest. A miser, if honest, can be only honest bare-weight.

If wealth alone can make or keep us blest, Still, still be getting, never, never rest.

Conscience and covetousness are never to be reconciled; like fire and water, they always destroy each other, according to the predominancy of either.

The only gratification a covetous man gives his neighbors, is, to let them see that he himself is as little the better for what he has, as they are.

Avarice is the most opposite of all characters to that of God Almighty, whose alone it is, to give and not receive.

A miser grows rich by seeming poor; an extravagant man grows poor by seeming rich.