all but his own defert; the other of that bafenefs, as to fet a very low value upon the greatest kindness.

2561 Converfation is the air of the foul, and if thou valueft the health and ease of thy mind, thou oughtest to choose fuch an element for it to breathe in, as is pure and ferene: but this is very difficult to find in any fociety.

2562 It will not be a mark of our affection to our friend, but only a discovery of our self-love, to condole the occafion of their happiness, because it has leffoned our's by robbing us of their beloved company and friendship.

2563 Thou oughteft to be master of a particular conduct in the intricacies of life, and to have the art of applying general precepts to thy own perfonal occafions and neceffities; for infinite difficulties arife in our daily affairs.

2564 When misfortunes befal thee, and thou accountest thyself miserable, think with thyself, and confider how many there are, who would think themselves advanced almoft as high as heaven, if they could have but a part of the remains of thy profperity.

2565 If thou art not naturally capable of difcerning the times, and confidering the variety of

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circumstances on all occafions and accidents, thou wilt never reap much fruit from history.

2566 Endeavour always to learn something from the information of those with whom thou conferreft (which is the best school of all), and to put thy company upon those subjects they are the best able to fpeak upon.

2567 Every man's experience perfects his fpeculations; and if thou traffickest in the mart of philosophy on the stock of thy own discoveries, thou art in a fairer way to improve thyself, than a man that trades altogether on the credit of other men's conceptions.

2568 Put not off the confideration of dying to the hour of death; that moment is not proper to fit thee for dying well. Thou oughteft to think seriously of it when thou art in the fullest health, and thy mind undisturbed.

2569 In bargaining with a servant, leave room for thyself to reward him beyond his contract, if he deserve thy goodness: this being voluntary may work him up to thankfulness and duty.

2570 It is good policy to speak often of, and to publish the favours thou haft received from perfons abfent; for it is to court the like from those that are prefent; and is a fort of bartering the credit of the one for the purchase of others.

: 2571 Be content to hear other men's sense and opinion of thy matters. If thou art inacceffible thou art incurable, and thou wilt precipitate thyself, if nobody dares come near thee to hinder thee.

2572 It is a greater concernment for the steering the course of thy life, to understand the genius of the age, and of the people thou liveft among, than to be acquainted with the mind of Plato, and the judgment of Aristotle.

2573 Go, though not gaudy, yet neat and clean; and fo order thy outfide and appearance, that the firft impreffion thou makeft on people may turn to thy advantage, and may difpofe them the better to relish thy fentiments.

2574 Avoid not only rufticity, but all roughnefs. Complaifance is fo amiable, that it obliges even where it reprehends; and if it strikes, it is but with a rod of rofes; where it ftrikes, it leaves a flower inftead of a wound.

2575 Do not use to make vifits to such as are always idle, and have never any thing to do: they will repeat one thing a hundred times over. The fubject of their difcourfe is either trifles or fcandals. All the time thou spendeft with them fet down for lofs.

2576 The

2576 The more thou neglectest the honours of the world, if fo be thou doft it not angrily, proudly, or fordidly, the more thou wilt be efteemed thy good actions will appear the finer, and the value men have for them will come from the heart.

2577 Set not up thyself for a railler or joker, much less for a jeerer and mocker: thou wilt thereby be an enemy to thy own reputation and quiet, wilt put arms into the hands of those thou divertest thyself with, and oftentimes fhalt receive more blows than thou giveft.

2578 Set a high value upon thy reputation among wife and good men. Do nothing unfeemly that may shame thee. Shun whatever is scandalous, or even but carries the face of evil. He that is fhameless is graceless.

2579 If thou findeft thou canst not fuffer the impertinencies, follies, and ill ufages of the world, withdraw from it; but first be fure thou canft bear with thyself.

2580 Endeavour to find out thy own weak side, and where thou canft make the leaft refiftance; and demean thyself fo, that others may not find it out for a town will be affaulted where it is known to be weakest.

2581 If

2581 If thou ever findeft what thou feekeft for, and retireft to thy houfe in great quietnefs, and after all this wilt return again to rub with the world, I will speak it, that either thou lackeft wit, or fortune owes thee a fpite.

2582 Be not proud of thy perfon. External beauty is but clay more refined, and set off with a better varnish; and having all on the outfide, lies more open and more obnoxious to weather, and confuming time, and very often to present misfortunes.

2583 Thou oughteft not only to forbear making ill reports, but alfo thou oughtest not to fuffer others to make them to thee. The maker of them is always looked upon with an evil eye, but the receiver of them is as bad as the maker.

2584 God and Nature have made us no more needs than they meant to fatisfy; and if thou thyfelf wilt make more, thou may'st look for fatisfaction e'en where thou canft get it.

2585 It were folly and madness in thee to fet thy heart upon, and closely join thyself to earthly things, which thou canst enjoy but a little while, although there were fomething here worth thy liking.