despise the poor and poverty: a great number of domestics flatter human pride, which uses them like slaves and a high pedigree makes a man take up with the virtues of his ancestors, without endeavouring to acquire any himself.

He who treats men ingenuously, and converses kindly with them, gains a good esteem with a very easy expence.

Good-nature is more agreeable in conversation than wit; and gives a certain air to the countenance, which is more amiable than beauty.

There is no man but delights to be questioned in his own profession; when, moved by others, he may seem to publish his knowledge without ostentation.

It is ungenerous to give a man occasion to blush at his own ignorance in any one thing, who perhaps may excel us in many.

Superlative commendations, beside bringing in question the sincerity of the speaker, often gives

offence to the hearer, and do no credit to the person commended.

Instructions are entertained with better effect, when they are not too personally addressed. We may with civility glance at, but cannot without rudeness and ill manners stare upon, the faults and imperfections of any man.

Discretion of speech is more than eloquence; and to speak agreeable to him with whom we converse, is more than to speak in exact order.

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

The greatest wisdom of speech is to know when, and what, and where to speak; the time, matter manner the next to it, is silence.

Some are so slow of speech and so very dull, that their heads may be compared to an alembic, which gives you drop by drop an extract of the simples in it.

It is common with some men to swear, only to fill up the vacuities of their empty discourse.

Common swearing argues in a man a perpetual distrust of his own reputation; and is an acknowledgment, that he thinks his bare word not to be worthy of credit.

There are few persons to be found, but are more concerned for the reputation of wit and sense, than honesty and virtue.

He that sets no value upon a good repute, is as careless of the actions that produce it.

A man that is desirous to excel, should endeavour it in those things that are in themselves most excellent.

Fame is like a river, that bears up things light, and drowns those that are weighty and solid.

The coin that is most current among mankind, is flattery: the only benefit of which is, that by hearing what we ought not, we may be instructed what we ought to be.

We should be careful to deserve a good re

putation, by doing well; and, when that care is crce taken, not to be over anxious about the

success.

Princes are seldom dealt truly with, but when they are taught to ride the great horse; which knowing nothing of dissembling, will as soon throw an Emperor as a groom.

No man should be confident of his own merit. The best err, and the wisest are deceived.

Our good qualities often expose us to more hatred and persecution, than all the ill we do.

Praise from the common people is generally false, and rather follows vain persons than virtuous.

The common people are but ill judges of a

man's merits; they are slaves to fame; their eyes are dazzled with the pomp of titles, large retinue, &c., and then no wonder, if they bestow their honours on those who least deserve them.

Wherever there is flattery, there is always a fool in the case if the parasite be detected, it falls to his share; if he be not, to his whom he deludes.

It is frequent with many, upon every trivial matter, to pawn their reputation: a most inconsiderate thing! For what is so often lent, and passes so many hands upon every occasion, cannot but lose much of its value.

Great and good men will rather look for their characters in the writings and precepts of philosophers, than in the hyperboles of flatterers: for they know very well, that wise books are always true friends.

If we would perpetuate our fame or reputation, we must do things worth writing, or write things worth reading,

There are two sorts of enemies inseparable from almost all men, but altogether of men of great fortunes: the flatterer and the liar: one strikes before, the other behind; both insensibly, both dangerously.

No species of falsehood is more frequent than flattery, to which the coward is betrayed by fear, the dependent by interest, and the friend by tenderness.

Some men think they can never set a just value