on all
occasions.

As to the methods of the house, you have spirit enough, I fear, to be too
much above them: take care of that.--I don't so much fear your want of
good-manners. To men, you want no decency, if they don't provoke you: as
to that, I wish you would only learn to be as patient of contradiction
from others, as you would have other people be to you.

Although I would not have you to be a courtier; neither would I have you
to be a malcontent. I remember (for I have it down) what my old friend
Archibald Hutcheson said; and it was a very good saying--(to Mr.
Secretary Craggs, I think it was)--'I look upon an administration, as
entitled to every vote I can with good conscience give it; for a house of
commons should not needlessly put drags upon the wheels of government:
and when I have not given it my vote, it was with regret: and, for my
country's sake, I wished with all my heart the measure had been such as I
could have approved.'

And another saying he had, which was this: 'Neither can an opposition,
neither can a ministry, be always wrong. To be a plumb man therefore
with either, is an infallible mark, that that man must mean more and
worse than he will own he does mean.'

Are these sayings bad, Sir? are they to be despised?--Well, then, why
should I be despised for remembering them, and quoting them, as I love to
do? Let me tell you, if you loved my company more than you do, you would
not be the worse for it. I may say so without any vanity; since it is
other men's wisdom, and not my own, that I am so fond of.

But to add a word or two more on this occasion; and I may never have such
another; for you must read this through--Love honest men, and herd with
them, in the house and out of the house; by whatever names they be
dignified or distinguished: Keep good men company, and you shall be out
of their number. But did I, or did I not, write this before?--Writing,
at so many different times, and such a quantity, one may forget.

You may come in for the title when I am dead and gone--God help me!--So I
would have you keep an equilibrium. If once you get the name of being a
fine speaker, you may have any thing: and, to be sure, you have naturally
a great deal of elocution; a tongue that would delude an angel, as the
women say--to their sorrow, some of them, poor creatures!--A leading man
in the house of commons is a very important character; because that house
has the giving of money: and money makes