and CONVERSATION._

His Wit consisted chiefly in the _Quickness_ of his _Apprehension_.
His Apprehension made him _find Faults_, and that led him to short
Sayings upon them, not always equal, but often very good.

By his being abroad, he contracted a Habit of conversing familiarly,
which added to his natural Genius, made him very _apt to talk_;
perhaps more than a very nice judgment would approve.

He was apter to make _broad Allusions_ upon any thing that gave
the least occasion, than was altogether suitable with the very
Good-breeding he shewed in most other things. The Company he kept
whilst abroad, had so used him to that sort of Dialect, that he was so
far from thinking it a Fault or an Indecency, that he made it a matter
of Rallery upon those who could not prevail upon themselves to join in
it. As a Man who hath a good Stomach loveth generally to talk of Meat,
so in the vigour of his Age, he began that style, which, by degrees
grew so natural to him, that after he ceased to do it out of Pleasure,
he continued to do it out of Custom. The Hypocrisy of the former Times
inclined Men to think they could not shew too great an Aversion to
it, and that helped to encourage this unbounded liberty of Talking,
without the Restraints of Decency which were before observed. In
his more familiar Conversations with the Ladies, even they must be
passive, if they would not enter into it. How far Sounds as well
as Objects may have their Effects to raise Inclination, might be an
Argument to him to use that Style; or whether using Liberty at its
full stretch, was not the general Inducement without any particular
Motives to it.

The manner of that time of _telling Stories_, had drawn him into it;
being commended at first for the Faculty of telling a Tale well, he
might insensibly be betrayed to exercise it too often. Stories are
dangerous in this, that the best expose a Man most, by being oftenest
repeated. It might pass for an Evidence for the Moderns against the
Ancients, that it is now wholly left off by all that have any pretence
to be distinguished by their good Sense.

He had the Improvements of _Wine, &c_. which made him _pleasant_ and
_easy in Company_; where he bore his part, and was acceptable even to
those who had no other Design than to be merry with him.

The Thing called _Wit_, a Prince may taste, but it is dangerous for
him to take too much of it; it hath Allurements which by refining his
Thoughts, take off from th