hews that a
man has not the command of himself, every one who would with to appear
sensible, must abhor it.

A man's going to set down, on a supposition that he has a chair behind
him, and falling for want of one, occasions a general laugh, when the
best piece of wit would not do it: a sufficient proof how low and
unbecoming laughter is.

3. Besides, could the immoderate laugher hear his own noise, or see the
face he makes, he would despise himself for his folly. Laughter being
generally supposed to be the effect of gaity, its absurdity is not
properly attended to; but a little reflection will easily restrain it,
and when you are told it is a mark of low-breeding, I persuade myself
you will endeavour to avoid it.

4. Some people have a silly trick of laughing whenever they speak, so
that they are always on the grin, and their faces are ever distorted.
This and a thousand other tricks, such as scratching their heads,
twirling their hats, fumbling with their button, playing with their
fingers, &c. are acquired from a false modesty at their first out-set in
life. Being shame-faced in company, they try a variety of ways to keep
themselves in countenance; thus, they fall into those awkward habits I
have mentioned, which grow upon them, and in time become habitual.

Nothing is more repugnant likewise to good-breeding than horse-play of
any sort, romping, throwing things at one another's heads, and so on.
They may pass well enough with the mob; but they lessen and degrade the
gentleman.

_Sundry little Accomplishments._

1. I have had reason to observe before, that various little matters,
apparently trifling in themselves, conspire to form the _whole_ of
pleasing, as in a well-finished portrait, a variety of colours combine
to complete the piece. It not being necessary to dwell much upon them, I
shall content myself with just mentioning them as they occur.

2. To do the honours of a table gracefully, is one of the outlines of a
well-bred man; and to carve well, is an article, little as it may seem,
that is useful twice every day, and the doing of which ill is not only
troublesome to one's self, but renders us disagreeable and ridiculous to
others. We are always in pain for a man who, instead of cutting up a
fowl genteelly, is hacking for half an hour across the bone, greasing
himself, and bespattering the company with the sauce. Use, with a little
attention, is all that is requisite to acquit yourself well in t