an affront if you cannot be
justified in knocking the offender down, you must not notice the
offence; for in the eye of the world, taking an affront calmly is
considered as cowardice.

16. If fools should at any time attempt to be witty upon you, the best
way is not to know their witticisms are levelled at you, but to conceal
any uneasiness it may give you: but, should they be so plain that you
cannot be thought ignorant of their meaning, I would recommend, rather
than quarrel with the company, joining even in the laugh against
yourself: allow the jest to be a good one, and take it in seeming good
humour. Never attempt to retaliate the same way, as that would imply you
were hurt. Should what is said wound your honour or your moral
character, there is but one proper reply, which I hope you will never be
obliged to have recourse to.

17. Remember there are but two alternatives for a gentleman; extreme
politeness, or the sword. If a man openly and designedly affronts you,
call him oat; but if it does not amount to an open insult, be outwardly
civil; if this does not make him ashamed of his behaviour, it will
prejudice every by-stander in your favour, and instead of being
disgraced, you will come off with honour. Politeness to those we do not
respect, is no more a breach of faith than _your humble servant_ at the
bottom of a challenge; they are universally understood to be things of
course.

18. Wrangling and quarreling are characteristics of a weak mind: leave
that to the women, be _you_ always above it. Enter into no sharp
contest, and pride yourself in shewing, if possible, more civility to
your antagonist than to any other in the company; this will infallibly
bring over all the laughter to your side, and the person you are
contending with will be very likely to confess you have behaved very
handsomely throughout the whole affair.

19. Experience will teach us that though all men consist principally of
the same materials, as I before took notice, yet from a difference in
their proportion, no two men are uniformly the same: we differ from one
another, and we often differ from ourselves, that is, we sometimes do
things utterly inconsistent with the general tenor of our characters.
The wisest man will occasionally do a weak thing: the most honest man, a
wrong thing; the proudest man, a mean thing; and the worst of men will
sometimes do a good thing.

20. On this account, our study of mankind should not be general; we