think it convenient to hide the leaft Circum

ftance.

MERCHANTS and TRADESMEN.

Tradefman's Principle is too often his Intereft,

A and his Intereft his Principle.

He that keeps his Accounts will keep his Family, but he that keeps no Account may be kept by the Parish.

A Knave may get more than an honest Man for a Day; but the honest Man will get moft by the Year. A diligent careful Mafter makes a good Servant, but he that is careless makes all his People Part

ners.

Settle your Differences yourfelves, if you would make an End of them; but if you would have them endless, call in the Lawyers.

Every Man is honeft till he is found out, and when that happens every body knew it.

A Tradefman's Catechifm is contain'd in his Leidger, and his Alphabet is the Key to it."

The Parfon tells you the three beft Books are the Bible, the Common-Prayer, and the Whole Duty of Man; but the Tradefman refers you to his Walle Book, Journal, and Leidger.

WHE

YOUTH and EDUCATION.

HERE a Child finds his Parents his Perverters, fays Dr. South in one of his Sermons, he cannot fo properly be faid to be born, as to be dalin'd into the World; and better were it by for 10 be in•

born and unbegotten, than to come to ak a Bleiling of

thofe

thofe whofe Converfation breaths nothing but Contagion and a Curfe. So impoffible, and fo much a Paradox is it, for any Parent to impart to his Child his Bleifing and his Vice too.

Youth is a continual Drunkenness; 'tis the Fever of Reaton.

It is a real Hardship for a young Man to be trusted with himself and his Estate, before thofe Years that give Maturity to his Reafon and Judgment.

Learning is like Mercury, one of the most power ful and excellent Things in the World in skilful Hands, but in unfkilful the most mischievous.

What Sculpture is to a Block of Marble, Education is to a human Soul. The Philofopher, the Saint, and the Hero, the wife, the good, or the great Man, very often lie hid in a Plebeian, which a proper Education might have difinterred, and have brought to Light.

That Man must have a strange Value for Words, when he can think it worth while to hazard the Innocence and Virtue of his Son for a little Greek and Latin; whilft he should be laying the folid Foundations of Knowledge in his Mind, and furnishing it with juft Rules to direct his future Progrefs in Life.

To be prudent, honeft, and good, are infinitely higher Accomplishments than the being nice, florid, learned, or all that which the World calls great Scholars and fine Gentlemen.

Of CONVERSATION.

Efolve to speak and act well in Company, in fpite Rothofe that do ill; whofe Vice, let against thy

Virtue, will render it more confpicuous and excellent.

It is a fure Method of obliging in Conversation, to fhew a Pleafure in giving Attention.

F

The

The Wit of Converfation confifts more in finding it in others, than fhewing a great deal yourself.

There are braying Men in the World, as well as braying Alles; for what's loud and fenfelefs Talking Huffing, and Swearing, any other than a more fafhionable Way of Braying?

Converfation is generally confin'd to indifferent, low, or perhaps vicious Subjects; and all that is ferious or good is almost banifh'd the World.

Some

are fo black in the Mouth, as to utter nothing that is decent; fupplying Want of Wit with Want of Modefty, and Want of Reputation with Want of

Shame.

It is good not to conceive fuch a high Notion of People, as to become bashful in their Prefence.

A Jeft, told in a grave Manner, has the better EFfect but you extinguish the Appetite of Laughter in others, if you prevent them by your own.

Good-Nature (fays a polite Author) is more agreeable in Converfation than Wit, and gives a certain Air to the Countenance, which is more amiable than Beauty.

'Tis ungenerous to give a Man Occasion to blush at his own Ignorance in any one Thing, who perhaps may excel us in many.

Difcretion of Speech is more than Eloquence; and to fpeak agreeably to him with whom we converse, is more than to speak in exact Order.

Common Swearing in a Man fhews a perpetual Diftruft of his own Reputation, and is an AcknowJedgment that he thinks his bare Word not to be worthy of Credit.

Men are pleased with a Jefter, but never esteem him. A merry Fellow is the faddeft Fellow in the World.

He that hath a fatyrical Vein, as he maketh others afraid of his Wit, fo he had need be afraid of others Memory.

The Talent of turning Men into Ridicule, and exposing those we converfe with, is the Qualification of

little

Hittle ungenerous Tempers. The greatest Blemishes are often found in the most shining Characters: But what an abfurd Thing is it, to pafs over all the valuable Parts of a Man, and fix our Attention on his Infirmities; to obferve his Imperfections more than his Virtues !

In Company have due Regard to Ages, Sexes, Cha racters, Profeffions, Times and Places: Let nothing efcape you that may offend any of the Senfes.

Hold yourself in Restraint, without putting any Refraint upon others; and if any make a Step to oblige you, make two to acknowledge it.

Lolling, Drumming with the Fingers, Whistling, Laying up the Legs, Yawning, Sleeping, or any thing that implies Weariness or Difrefpect, is carefully to be avoided in all Companies.

The reciprocal Respect that is due from Man to Man ought always to appear in Company, and curb all the Irregularities of our Fancies and Humours, that hinder those we converfe with from being pleafed both with us and themselves.

Let a Man be never fo perfect, he fometimes ftands in Need of Counfel: He that will take none is an ins corrigible Fool. The most intelligent Perfon ought to make Room for good Advice.

If Judgment be neceffary in writing a Letter, which is premeditated Converfation by Paper, far more is it requir'd in ordinary Converfation, which brings the Merit of People under a fudden Test.

Take heed not to be vain in cenfuring of Words, left that make thee to be taken for a Pedant. To fpeak to the Purpofe is more neceffary, than to fpeak eloquently.

It is flattering fome Men to endure them: Present Punishment attendeth the Fault.

A following Wit will be welcome in moft Compa-nies; a leading one lieth too heavy for Envy to bear. Out-doing is fo near reproaching, that it will generally be thought very ill in Company: As any thing.

F 2

that.

that thineth doth in fome measure tarnish every thing that standeth next to it.

Endeavour to make Peace among thy Neighbours it is a worthy and reputable Action, and will bring greater and jufter Commendations to thee, and more Benefit to those with whom thou converfeft, than Wit or Learning, or any of those fo much admir'd Accomplishments.

All Societies of bad Men are Gangs of Confpira

tors.

Ill Company is like a Dog, who dirts thofe mot whom he loves best.

ARefolution never to deceive exposes a Man to be often deceiv'd.

Good Senfe fhould be the Teft of all Rules, both ancient and modern; whatever is incompatible therewith is falfe.

It is in Difputes as in Armies, where the weaker Side fets up falfe Lights, and makes a great Noife, 10 make the Enemy believe they are more numerous and strong than they really are.

The BUFFOON.

Uffoonry and Scurrility are the Corruption of Wir, as Knavery is of Wisdom.

Buffoons are a Sort of Infects. which breed in all Countries; we can scarce step for fear of treading on them.

Be not ingenious at the Cost of another Man which is more odious in you, than prejudicial to him.

There are Abundance of obfcene, a great many more railing and fatyrical Wits, but very few delicate. A Man must have Manners and Politenefs to trifle with good Grace, and a copious Fancy to play hand

fomely