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talk of that subject, and observe it and keep it in memory or writing; by this mean you will glean up the worth and excellence of every person you meet with, and at an easy rate put together that which may be for your use upon

occasions.

all

13. Converse not with a liar or a swearer, or a man of obscene or wanton language; for either he will corrupt you, or at least it will hazard your reputation to be one of the like making. And if it doth neither, yet it will fill your memory with such discourses, that will be troublesome to you in after-time, and the returns of the remembrance of the passages which you long since heard of this nature, will haunt you, when your thoughts should be better employed.

14. Let your speech be true; never speak any thing for a truth which you know or believe to be false. It is a great sin against God who gave you a tongue, to speak your of fence against humanity itself; for where there is no truth, there can be no safe society between man and man.

15. As you must be careful not to lie, so you must avoid coming near to it: you must not equivocate, you must not speak that absolutely, which you have but by hearsay or relation; you must not speak that as upon knowledge which you have but by conjecture or opinion only.

16. Let your words be few, especially, when your betters or strangers, or men of experience or understanding are present; for you do yourself at once two great mischiefs. First, you betray and discover your own weakness and folly.Secondly, you rob yourself of that opportunity which you might otherwise have to gain knowledge, wisdom, and experience, by hearing those whom you silence by your impertinent talking.

17. Be not over earnest, loud or violent, in talking; for it is unseemly; and earnest and loud talking make you overshoot and lose your business. When you should be considering and pondering your thoughts, and how to express them significantly, and to the purpose, you are striving to keep your tongue going, and to silence an opponent not with reason, but with noise.

18. Be careful not to interrupt another in his talk; hear him out; you will understand him the better, and be able to give him the better answer. It may be, if you will give.

him leave, he will say something more than you have yet heard or well understood, or that which you did not expect.

19. Always before you speak, especially where the business is of moment, consider beforehand, weigh the sense of your mind, which you intend to utter; think upon the expressions you intend to use, that they may be significant, pertinent and inoffensive; and whereas it is the ordinary course of inconsiderate persons to speak their words, and then to think, or not to think till they speak; think first and speak after, if it be in any matter of moment or seriousness.

20. Be sure you give not an ill report to any that you are not sure deserves it. And in most cases, though a man deserve ill, yet you should be sparing to report him so. In some cases indeed you are bound, in honesty and justice, to give that account concerning the demerit or default of a person that he deserves.

21. Avoid scoffing, and bitter and biting jeering, and jesting, especially at the condition, credit, deformity, or natural defects of any person; for these leave a deep impression, and are most apparent injustice; for were you so used, you would take it amiss; and many times such an injury costs a man dear, when he little thinks of it.

22. Be very careful that you give no reproachful, bitter, menacing, or spitefu! words to any person; nay not to servants or other persons of an inferiour condition. There is no person so mean but that you may stand in need of him in one kind, or at some time or another. Good words make friends, bad words make enemies; it is the best prudence in the world to make as many friends as honestly you can.

23. If there be occasion for you to speak in any company, always be careful, if you speak at all, to speak latest, especially if strangers are in company; for by this mean you will have the advantage of knowing the sense, judgement, temper, and relations of others, which may be a great light and help to you in ordering your speech; and you will better know the inclination of the company, and speak with more advantage and acceptation, and with more security against giving offence.

24. Be careful that you commend not yourselves; it is the most useless thing that can be. You should avoid flattery from others, but especially decline flattering yoursel

It is a sign your reputation is small and sinking, if your own tongues must be your flatterers and commenders, and it is a fulsome and unpleasing thing for others to hear it.

25. Abhor all foul, unclean, and obscene speeches; it is a sign that the heart is corrupt; and such kind of speeches will make it worse; it will taint and corrupt yourselves and those who hear it, and bring disreputation on those who use it.

26. Never use any profane speeches, nor make jests of scripture expressions. When you use the name of God or Christ, or any passages or words of the holy scripture, use them with reverence and seriousness, and not lightly or scurrilously, for it is taking the name of God in vain.

27. If you hear any unseemly expressions used in religious exercises, you must be careful to forget and not to publish them; or if you at all mention them, let it be with pity and sorrow, not with derision or reproach.

BRUTUS' SPEECH ON THE DEATH OF CESAR.

ROMANS, COUNTRYMEN, AND LOVERS,

HEAR me, for my cause; and be silent, that

you may hear. Believe me, for mine honour; and have respect for mine honour, that you may believe. Censure me, in your wisdom; and awake your senses, that you may the better judge.

2. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Cesar, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Cesar was no less than his. If then, that friend demand, why Brutus rose against Cesar, this is my answer; not that I loved Cesar less, but that I love Rome more.

3. Had you rather Cesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Cesar were dead, to live all freemen? As Cesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him; but, as he was ambitious, I slew him.

4. There are tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honour for his valour, and death for his ambition. Who's here so base that he would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended.

5. Who's here so rude, that he would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who's here so vile, that he will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I offended. I pause for a reply.

6. None! Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Cesar, than you should do to Brutus. And as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I reserve the same dagger for myself, whenever it shall please my country to need my death.

ANTONY'S SPEECH OVER THE BODY OF CESAR.

FRIENDS, ROMANS, COUNTRYMEN,

LEND me your ears.

I come to bury Cesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do, lives after them :
The good is oft interred with their bones:
So let it be with Cesar!

2. Noble Brutus

Hath told you Cesar was ambitious;
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Cesar answer'd it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest,
(For Brutus is an honourable man,
So are they all, all honourable men)
Come I to speak in Cesar's funeral-

3. He was my friend, faithful and just to me :. But Brutus says he was ambitious;

And Brutus is an honourable man.

He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill :

Did this in Cesar seem ambitious?

4. When that the poor hath cried, Cesar hath wept! Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;

And Brutus is an honourable man.

5. You all did see, that on the Lupercal, I thrice presented him a kingly crown,

Which he did thrice refuse: Was this ambition?

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;

And sure he is an honourable man.

6. I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke; But here I am to speak what I do know.

You all did love him once; not without cause; What cause withholds you then to mourn for him? O judgement! Thou art fled to brutish beasts, And men have lost their reason.

7. Bear with me:

My heart is in the coffin there with Cesar;
And I must pause till it come back to me.
But yesterday, the word of Cesar might
Have stood against the world! now lies he there,
And none so poor to do him reverence.

8. O masters! If I were dispos'd to stir
Your hearts and minds to mutiny and rage,
I should do Brutus wrong, and Cassius wrong;
Who, you all know, are honourable men.
I will not do them wrong-I rather choose
To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you,
Than I will wrong such honourable men.

9. But here's a parchment, with the seal of Cesar I found it in his closet: 'tis his will.

Let but the commons hear this testament,
(Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read,)
And they would go and kiss dead Cesar's wounds,
And dip their napkins in his sacred blood-

Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,

And, dying, mention it within their wills,
Bequeathing it, as a rich legacy,

Unto their issue.

10. If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. You all do know this mantle: I remember

The first time ever Cesar put it on;

'Twas on a summer's evening, in his tent,

That day he overcame the Nervii

Look! in this place ran Cassius' dagger through
See what a rent the envious Casca made-
Through this the well beloved Brutus stabb'd;
And as he pluck'd his cursed steel away,
Mark how the blood of Cesar follow'd it!

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