happens unluckily to have to do with such a one, the best way is to make up to him boldly, and answer him with firmness; if you show the least sign of submission, he will take the advantage of it to use you ill.

A boaster is to be suspected in all he says. Such men have a natural infirmity, which makes them forget what they are about, and run into a thousand extravagances, which have no connection with truth. Their assertions, their professions of friendship, their promises, and their threatenings, go for nothing with men of understanding and knowledge of the world. They are by no means to be trusted with a secret. If they do not discover it from vanity, they will through levity. There is the same danger in trusting the man who loves his bottle, and is often disordered with liquor.

A meek tempered man is not the proper person to solicit business for you: his modesty will be easily confounded. Nor is the man of passion, nor the talkative man: the first will be apt to be put out of temper, and the other to forget himself, and blunder out somewhat that may be to the prejudice of the negociation. The fittest character to be concerned with, is that in which are united an inviolable integrity, founded upon rational principles of virtue and religion, a cool but daring temper, a friendly heart, a ready hand, long experience, and extensive knowledge of the world, with a solid reputation of many years standing, and easy circumstances.

A man's ruling passion is the key by which you may let yourself into his character, and may pretty nearly guess at his future conduct, if he be not a wit or a fool; for they act chiefly from caprice. There are likewise connections between the different parts of men's characters, which it will be useful for you to study. If you find a man to be cowardly, for example, you may suspect him to be cruel, deceitful, and sordid. If you know another to be hasty and passionate, you may generally take it for granted, he is open and artless; and so on. But these rules adinit of exceptions.

There are six sorts of people, at whose hands you need not expect much kindness. The sordid and narrow minded, think of nobody but their noble selves. The lazy will not take the trouble to serve you. The busy have not

time to think of you. The overgrown rich man is above minding any one who needs his assistance. The poor and unhappy, has neither spirit nor ability. The good natured fool, however willing, is not capable of serving

you.

In negociating, there are a number of circumstances to be considered, the neglect of any of which may defeat your whole scheme. First, the sex. Women, generally speaking, are naturally diffident and timorous; not admirers of plain undisguised truth, apt to be shocked at the least defect of delicacy in the address of those who approach them; fond of new schemes; if frugal, apt to deviate into sordid narrowness; almost universally given to show and finery; easily influenced by inconsiderable motives, if suitable to their humour; and not to be convinced of the propriety of your proposal, so much by solid reasoning, as by some witty or lively manner of offering it; once displeased and always cold; if wicked enough to be revengeful, will stick at nothing to accomplish it. But this last is an uncommon character.

The age of the person you are to deal with is also to be considered. Young people are easily drawn into any scheme, merely for its being new, especially if any circumstance in it suits their vanity or love of pleasure. They are as easily put out of conceit with a proposal by the next person they converse with. They are not good counsellors: but are very fit for action, where you prescribe them a track, from which they know they are not to vary, which ought always to be done. For youth is generally precipitate and thoughtless. Old age, on the contrary, is slow, but sure; cautious, generally, to a degree of suspi ciousness; averse to new schemes and ways of life; generally inclining towards covetousness; fitter to consult with, than to act for you; not to be won by fair speeches, or convinced by long reasonings; tenacious of old opinions, eustoms, and formalities; apt to be disobliged with those, especially younger people, who pretend to question their judgment; fond of deference, and of being listened to. Young people in their anger mean less than they say; old people more. You may make it up with most young men; old people are generally slow in forgiving.

The proper time of addressing a person, upon an affair

of any consequence, is to be carefully considered. Wait on a courtier, when he, or any friend, whose interest he espouses, is candidate for some place of preferment. He will not then venture to give you a flat denial (however he may gull you with promises) for fear you should have it in your power to traverse his design. Or when he has just had success in some of his schemes; for, being then in good humour, he may give you a more favourable reception. Do business with a phlegmatic, slow man, after he has drank his bottle; for then his heart is open. Treat with a gay man in the morning; for then, if ever, his head is clear.

SECTION. V.

Of the Regard due to the Opinion of others. Of Quarrels.

THERE is a weakness very common among the best sort of people, which is very prejudicial, to wit; letting their happiness depend too much upon the opinion of others. It is certain there is nothing more contemptible than the good or bad opinion of the multitude. Other people lie under such disadvantages for coming at our true characters, and are so often misled by prejudice for or against us, that it is of very little consequence whether they approve our conduct, if our own conscience condemns us, or whether they find fault, if we are sure we acted from honest motives, and with a view to worthy ends. But indeed, if it were worth while to endeavour to please mankind, it is naturally impracticable; for the most part are so much governed by fancy, that what will win their hearts to-day, will disgust them to-morrow; and the humours and prejudices, which rule them, are so various, and so opposite, that what will please one sect or party, will thoroughly dissatisfy the contrary.

A wise man, when he hears of reflections made upon him, will consider if they are just or not. If they are, he will correct, the faults taken notice of publicly by an enemy, as carefully as if they had been hinted to him in private by a friend. He, who has in himself wherewith to correct his errors, has no reason to be uneasy at finding them out; but the contrary.

K

When one has had information of his being ill used by another behind his back, it is first of all, necessary to know with the utmost certainty, the exact truth of what was said, and the manner and probable design of the speaker. Otherwise the consequence may be, that, after you have expressed your resentment, you may find the whole was false, or not worth your notice, which last is generally the case. And then you are obliged to own you went too far, so that the other then thinks himself the offended person. And very few of mankind know what it is sincerely and from the heart to forgive, even after the most abject submission.

He who sets up for forgiving all injuries, will have nothing else to do. He who appears to be weak, will be often imposed on. And he who pretends to extraordinary shrewdness, invites deceivers to try their talent upon him. Therefore, a little spirit, as well as much sagacity, is necessary, to be upon even terms with the world.

If you can bring yourself either not to listen to slanders against yourself; not to believe that they were uttered; to persuade yourself that the person who uttered them, was out of humour at the time, or was drunk, or that he did not so much mean to prejudice you, as to divert the company; that he was imposed upon with respect to your character; or that he is to be pitied and forgiven; if you can bring yourself to any of these, you may make yourself easy, and rise above scandal and malice. And if you should make a matter of law, or of life and death, of every idle surmise against you, you will not be a whit the more secure from scandal; but the contrary. Nothing will so effectually keep you under cover from the strife of tongues, as a peaceable disposition, loving retirement and obscurity, and averse to meddling with the affairs of others.

It is very difficult to interfere in other people's quarrels or concerns of any kind, without suffering from it, one way or other. The wisest men are always the most cautious of such interpositions: well knowing how little good is to be done, and what a risk one runs. Even when advice is asked, it is very often without any intention of following it. And the only consequence of giving one's sentiments freely, is disobliging.

The proper temper of mind for accommodating a differ

ence, if one has any regard either to prudence or humanity, is by no means a spiteful, a revengeful, or a sour humour. For such a behaviour will only widen the breach, and inflame the quarrel.

At the same time, will it not be prudent to appear disposed to put up with any terms, or drop the affair in dispute at any rate, though that is often the best that is to be done.

When one has to do with a bad man he may think himself well off, if he suffers but a little by him, and be thankful that he has got clear of him. For such a one will go lengths against a conscientious person, which he dares not to go in his own defence.

It is vain to think of doing any thing by letters towards clearing up a point in dispute. One hour's conversation will do more than twenty letters. They are ticklish weapons, and require to be handled with the greatest caution.

On the present head of differences and quarrels, it may not be amiss just to touch upon the subject of duels, arising from a false notion of the point of honour. True honour does not consist in a waspish temper, or a disposition to make a matter of bloodshed of every trifle; but in an invincible attachment to truth and virtue, in spite of fear, shame, or death itself. And if it be better to flatter a fool, than fight him; if it be wisdom, of two evils to choose the least; and if the consideration of the atrocious wickedness of throwing away life, and rushing into the presence of our Almighty Judge in the very act of insulting him, without opportunity for repentance, had its due weight with people, one would think they would contrive any way of settling disputes, rather than with the sword. If a person has committed a slight injury against me, where lies the prudence, or the common sense, of giving him an opportunity of injuring me still worse; I mean by taking my life.

I greatly approve the conduct of an English officer in Flanders, whose example may serve as an universal model. That gentleman, having received a challenge from another, refused to be the cause of the shedding of either his own, or another's blood, cold. The challenger posted him for a coward: He posted the other for a liar. The challenger threatened to cane him. He told him he would