rupted,
because he considers that those who hear him are the best judges whether
what he was saying would either divert or inform him.

A modest person seldom fails to gain the good will of those he converses
with, because nobody envies a man who does not appear to be pleased with
himself.

11. We should talk extremely little of ourselves. Indeed what can we
say? It would be as imprudent to discover faults, as ridiculous to count
over our fancied virtues. Our private and domestic affairs are no less
improper to be introduced in conversation. What does it concern the
company how many horses you keep in your stables? or whether your
servant is most knave or fool?

12. A man may equally affront the company he is in, by engrossing all
the talk, or observing a contemptuous silence.

Conform yourself to the taste, character, and present humours of the
persons you converse with; not but a person must follow his talent in
conversation. Do not force nature; no one ever did it with success.

If you have not a talent for humour, or raillery, or story-telling,
never attempt them.

13. Contain yourself also within the bounds of what you know; and never
talk of things you are ignorant of, unless it be with a view to inform
yourself. A person cannot fail in the observance of this rule, without
making himself ridiculous; and yet how often do we see it transgressed!
Some, who on war or politics could talk very well, will be perpetually
haranguing on works of genius and the belles letters; others who are
capable of reasoning, and would make a figure in grave discourse, will
yet constantly aim at humour and pleasantry, though with the worst grace
imaginable. Hence it is, that we see a man of merit sometimes appear
like a coxcomb, and hear a man of genius talk like a fool.

14. Before you tell a story, it may be generally not amiss to draw a
short character, and give the company a true idea of the principal
persons concerned in it; the beauty of most things consisting not so
much in their being said or done, as in their being said or done by
such a particular person; or on such a particular occasion.

15. Notwithstanding all the advantages of youth, few young people please
in conversation: the reason is, that want of experience makes them
positive, and what they say, is rather with a design to please
themselves, than any one else.

It is certain that age itself shall make many things pass well enough,
which would have been laugh