by, of the manner in which it will be accepted.

In the first place, with regard to all which concerns religion in the
affair--though I perceive from a glow in my cheek, that I blush as
I begin to speak to thee upon the subject, as well knowing,
notwithstanding thy unaffected secrecy, how few of its offices thou
neglectest--yet I would remind thee of one (during the continuance of
thy courtship) in a particular manner, which I would not have omitted;
and that is, never to go forth upon the enterprize, whether it be in
the morning or the afternoon, without first recommending thyself to the
protection of Almighty God, that he may defend thee from the evil one.

Shave the whole top of thy crown clean once at least every four or five
days, but oftner if convenient; lest in taking off thy wig before her,
thro' absence of mind, she should be able to discover how much has been
cut away by Time--how much by Trim.

--'Twere better to keep ideas of baldness out of her fancy.

Always carry it in thy mind, and act upon it as a sure maxim, Toby--

'That women are timid:' And 'tis well they are--else there would be no
dealing with them.

Let not thy breeches be too tight, or hang too loose about thy thighs,
like the trunk-hose of our ancestors.

--A just medium prevents all conclusions.

Whatever thou hast to say, be it more or less, forget not to utter it
in a low soft tone of voice. Silence, and whatever approaches it, weaves
dreams of midnight secrecy into the brain: For this cause, if thou canst
help it, never throw down the tongs and poker.

Avoid all kinds of pleasantry and facetiousness in thy discourse with
her, and do whatever lies in thy power at the same time, to keep
her from all books and writings which tend thereto: there are some
devotional tracts, which if thou canst entice her to read over--it will
be well: but suffer her not to look into Rabelais, or Scarron, or Don
Quixote--

--They are all books which excite laughter; and thou knowest, dear Toby,
that there is no passion so serious as lust.

Stick a pin in the bosom of thy shirt, before thou enterest her parlour.

And if thou art permitted to sit upon the same sopha with her, and she
gives thee occasion to lay thy hand upon hers--beware of taking it--thou
canst not lay thy hand on hers, but she will feel the temper of thine.
Leave that and as many other things as thou canst, quite undetermined;
by so doing, thou wilt have her curiosity on thy side; an