study for the best words and best expressions, even in
common conversation and the most familiar letters. This will prevent
your speaking in a hurry, than which nothing is more vulgar; though you
may be a little embarrassed at first, time and use will render it easy.
It is no such difficult thing to express ourselves well on subjects we
are thoroughly acquainted with, if we think before we speak; and no one
should presume to do otherwise.

32. When you have said a thing, if you did not reflect before, be sure
to do it after wards: consider with yourself whether you could not have
expressed yourself better; and if you are in doubt of the propriety or
elegancy of any word, search for it in some dictionary, or some good
author, while you remember it; never be sparing of your trouble while
you wish to improve, and my word for it, a very little time will make
this matter habitual.

33. In order to speak grammatically, and to express yourself pleasingly,
I would recommend it to you to translate often, any language you are
acquainted with, into English, and to correct such translation till the
words, their order, and the periods, are agreeable to your own ear.

Vulgarism in language is another distinguishing mark of bad company and
education. Expressions may be correct in themselves and yet be vulgar,
owing to their not being fashionable; for language as manners are both
established for the usage of people of fashion.

34. The conversation of a low-bred man is filled up with proverbs and
hackneyed sayings; instead of observing that tastes are different, and
that most men have one peculiar to themselves, he will give you--"What
is one man's meat is another man's poison;" or, "Every one to their
liking, as the old woman said, when she kissed her cow." He has ever
some favourite word, which he lugs in upon all occasions, right or
wrong; such as _vastly_ angry, _vastly_ kind; _devilish_ ugly,
_devilish_ handsome; _immensely_ great, _immensely_ little.

35. Even his pronunciation carries the mark of vulgarity along with it;
he calls the earth _yearth_; finan' ces, _fin' ances_, he goes _to
wards_, and not towards such a place. He affects to use hard words, to
give him the appearance of a man of learning, but frequently mistakes
their meaning, and seldom, if ever, pronounces them properly.

All this must be avoided, if you would not be supposed to have kept
company with foot-men and house-maids. Never have recourse to proverbi