704. Treat not of Matters above the Capacity of thy Auditors: If the Ignorant admire thee, the Wife will fcorn thee for it.

705 Thy Friend hath a Friend, and thy Friend's Friend hath a Friend; therefore what thou wouldeft have kept fecret, reveal not to thy Friend.

706 Seek not the Government of a Fool: Inftruction will but increase his Folly; and the richer he is, the verier Fool he becomes.

707 Take care of the firft ill Action, which may engage thee in a Course of them. It draws on Difguife: that comes to Lying; and after to Quarrels.

708 Whenever thou entreft upon Pleasure, thou fhalt do prudently, before thou proceedeft, to examine the Sequel.

709 Give every one the Honour or Respect that is due to his Place: But ever more for his Goodnefs, than for his Greatness.

710 Refuse not what thou canst not avoid: Defire not what thou canst not obtain: Repent not of what thou canst not amend.

711 Be not rude by overmuch Civility, nor troublesome by Excefs of Courtesy: It fhews want of Breeding, and brings Contempt.

712 Beware of Suretifhip. Rather lend a hunred Pounds, than be bound for twenty with thy riend; for thou knowest the worst of it.

713 When thou feeft a Man rife into a Paffion, Ppofe him not: thou canst not fet him right; and y meddling may't grow as angry as he.

714 The beft thing thou canft poffibly proound to thy felf for thy continual Study and Eneavour in this World is, a happy Departure out of it.

715 Enquire not how far thou may'st enjoy lawful Pleafures, and be fafe; but how far thou may'st deny thy felf, and be contented and wife.

716 It's no great Commendation to just forbear doing ill thou art bound moreover to do good to others; if thou doft not, thou art not good to thy felf.

717 When thou writeft, think not of Books, and of what thou haft read. That will but put by

thy own Senfe, and difturb thy Method.

718 Thou oughtest to be nice, even to Superftition, in keeping thy Promises; and therefore thou fhouldest be equally cautious in making them.

719 Do good principally for thy own Satisfaction; and then thou wilt not be much troubled to fee Men judge of thy Actions contrary to their Merit.

720 Thank a Friend that tells thee a Fault in Secret: it fhews he defires thou fhouldeft amend, before the World knows thou didst amifs.

721 Ask not too much of a yielding Friend: for though thou may'st have thy Wish for the prefent, yet perhaps thou wilt be a Lofer afterwards

722 Beware what thou askeft, and beware what thou denieft; for if Discretion guide thee not, there is a great deal of Danger in both.

723 Whatsoever is rational or pious in any Sect or Sort of Men, that embrace, without concerning thy felf with their Follies and Vices.

724 If when thou reprehendeft a Man, thou praisest some of his Virtues, thou may'ft the more eafily bring him to know and acknowledge his Vi

ces.

725 Let not thy Modesty be so much, as to make thee lofe manly Affurance; nor thy Boldness fo faucy, as to put by due Refpect.

726 Let

726 Let all the Keys hang at thy Wife's Girdle, that she may order thy Houfe; and the Purfe at thy own, that thou may'ft manage thy Eftate.

727 Appear not fierce, pert, or pofitive in Company; but give them Marks of Efteem and Submiffion, and fo thou canst not but be pleafing.

728 It's good to carry thy felf with that Deco. rum, as to gain Refpect: But I would not have thee pafs for a Master of Ceremonies.

729 Be not eafily and haftily acquainted; left finding Reasons to hold off, thou makest an Enemy instead of a good Neighbour.

730 When thou art in Company, let not miftaken Civility, nor good Nature, engage thee to drink hard, or to stay where there is danger of it.

731 Learn the Art of Silence. The wife Man while he holds his Tongue, fays more than the Fool while he speaks.

732 Give as much friendly civil Respect, and Honour to thy Company, as without unreasonable abufing thy felf, or flattering them, thou may'ft.

733 Watch thy felf carefully, when thou art moft flushed up with Jollity. A Fit of thoughtless Freedom hath fometimes brought Repentance for Life.

734 If thou wouldeft be happy, bring thy Mind to thy Condition; and get an Indifference for more than what is fufficient.

735 When thou understandeft not a Subject clearly, difpute not pofitively; but rather lie by upon the Catch, perhaps thou may'ft pick it out of the Company.

736 If thou art not in a Humour to be chearful, as the Company is, leave it for that time, and mar no Mufick: thou'lt be in tune another

737 Let

737 Let us ufe fometimes to ftop a little, and ask our felves, What we are about? Whither we are going? And where all will end at laft?

738 It's not prudent to be conftant in Gifts at fet times: for Cuftom ufually paffeth into a Law: and then they are not Gifts, but Debts.

739 Have a special Care to avoid Quarrels in France; Women in Spain; Religion in Italy; Wine in Germany; and Gaming every where.

740 Have a care of making any Man thy Friend twice; except the Rupture was by thy own Fault or Miftake, and thou haft made Satisfaction.

741 Have a moft particular Care of thy private Thoughts and Actions. Bear it always in Mind that God fees thee now, and thy Confcience will bear witness against thee afterwards.

742 Leave not off praying to God: for either praying will make thee leave off finning; or continuing in Sin. will make thee defift from praying.

743 Publifh not thy good Fortune: it draws thy Ill-willer to do thee a Mischief: 'tis flourishing thy Colours in the Face of thy envious Enemies.

744 Be not too pofitive in thy Predictions of Events. If thou wouldeft appear wifer than others, thy Miftakes will caufe them to fcorn thee.

745 When thou wouldest propofe a thing to any it may be not fo convenient to offer it bluntly thy felf, as to lay a Train for the Party to take it.

746 Dispense thy Kindness and Favours with Moderation and Temper: This will keep Perfons ftill in Appetite, and attending more.

747 In cafe of Enquiry, be not too inquifitive after that which thou wouldeft beloth to find. It's pursuing that which thou defireft to avoid.

748 Con

748 Throughout thy whole Life, learn to live; and every Hour of thy Life, learn to dye.

749 Do Injury to no Man, though never fo mean: for once in feven Years he may have an Opportunity to do the greateft Man much good

or harm.

750 Never talk that of others, which thou wouldeft be very unwilling they fhould hear of again; unless there be fome great Reafon for it.

751 Say not all thou canst fay upon a Subject, but referve a Corner to thy felf; elfe they will think thou art exhausted, and haft nothing else to fay.

752 If any commend in thee those good Qualities which thou hast not, or too much commend thofe thou haft; fet him down for an Enemy, that plotteth to enfnare thee.

753 Thou shouldest measure thy Expences, fo as to keep them fomewhat under thy annual Revenue: Otherwise thou canst not continue a fair Subfiftence.

754 Exprefs not Delight, Gaynefs, or Joy, before any that is Sick, in Pain, or in Trouble: 'twou'd look as though thou hadst no regard for him, and infultedft him in Mifery.

755 Whenever thou meetest with a great deal of Profeffion, Affiduity and Cringing, without any apparent Reason for it, thou haft a fure Ground of Diftruft.

756 In Company, exprefs not by Action or Words, any Injury, Difefteem, Offence, or Undervaluing towards any one. Contempt is never well taken.

757 Sing and hum not to thy felf, nor drum with thy Feet or Fingers in Company, as me

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