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Lawyers and Physicians: and I have long been of the opinion that habits of more strict reserve than have commonly been thought needful, ought to be maintained by clergymen, with regard to all communications made to them, as such; whether formally confidential or not; and that even after an ordinary conversation on any delicate or important subject, it is always best to avoid repeating what has been communicated. No one can tell how may things may occur which may render it peculiarly important that he should have kept it to himself. You may publish your own secrets, if you choose to be weak enough to do so; but you have no right to publish those of others. In general, a publick man ought to rep at very little of what is communicated to him. It can do no harm, in common cases, to keep it secret, while the mischiefs of disclosing it may be endless.

42. It is the fault of many to be LOUD, AND EVEN BOISTEROUS, in conversation. If the company be ever so large, the moment they become a little engaged and animated, they speak loud enough not only to be heard in every part of the room, but so as to attract and even force the attention of the whole company; and that, perhaps, when eonversing on a subject which ought not to be matter of such publick proclamation. There is no little indelicacy in this. When you are publickly addressed, across a

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room, in such a manner as plainly evinces a desire that the whole company should hear your answer; let your reply be audible, but not loud. Let mildness and dignity mark every word you utter.

43. Guard against the TOO FREQUENT USE OF SUPERLATIVES in your social intercourse, Persons of ardent, impetuous minds, and especially the young, are apt to manifest an undue fondness for the superlative degree in conversation. If they praise any person or thing, they seem to think of using no epithets but those which indicate the highest grade of excellence. If they commend any one's talents, they are sure to represent them as of "the highest order." If they would speak well of a sermon, they pronounce it "incomparably excellent." On the contrary, if they undertake to express an unfavourable opinion, the terms, "contemptible," "execrable," "detestable," are the softest which they think of employing In short, the more high-wrought their figures, and the more intense and ardent their wh le style of expression, the more interesting they suppose their conversation to be. Let me entreat you to guard against the habitual use of this vehemence and intensity of language. It is seldom called for. Men of sense and good taste rarely permit themselves to employ it. A strict regard to truth generally forbids it.

And with

respect to those who are in the habit of employing it, both their praise and their blame soon become che p, and, at length worthless. He who wishes his approbation or his censure to go for much, must not be very lavish of either.

4+. Seek all convenient opportunities of

CONVERSING WITH THE EMINENTLY WISE AND GOOD, and OF LISTENING TO THEIR CONVERSATION. Especially when you are engaged in investigating an important subject, endeavour, if possible, to enjoy the privilege of conversing on tha' subject with some individual, and even with more than one, of profound views, and extensive reading. You may often learn more in an hour, by conversing with such an one, than by the solitary reading or meditation of a month. Dr. Franklin, once told a friend, that some of his most o iginal thoughts were suggested by the collision of conversation; and that, too, very often, upon subjects foreign to those on which he was conversing. And Mr. Fox, the far-famed parliamentary orator, declared in the British House of Commons, that he had learned more from Mr. Burke's conversation than from all the books he had ever read in his life.*

45. Finally; be CONSTANTLY AND VIGILANTLY OBSERVANT of the habits in conversa

*Rush's Introductory Lectures. p. 349.

tion of those persons who are considered as most pleasant and acceptable in this department of social intercourse. In every community there are those who are universally allowed to excel in colloquial accomplishments. Now it will be very unwise to be humble imitators of such persons; but it will, undoubtedly, be the part of wisdom to take notice of the means by which they attain success; and to make such use of what you see, as your own particular talents, habits, and character may render proper. I doubt whether any man ever acquired much excellence in this important art, without the happy talent of close observation, and, in this way, as well as by his own good sense, making himself master of the proprieties and delicacies which become the social circle.

LETTER V.

Let your speech be always with grace sea-
COLOSS. IV. 6.

soned with salt.

RELIGIOUS CONVERSATION.

MY DEAR YOUNG FRIEND,

To be able to introduce the great subject of Religion, in an easy, seasonable, and acceptable manner, in the daily intercourse of society, is a most precious talent, the uses of which are more various, more rich, more numerous, and more important, than almost any that can be mentioned.

That this ability, when it exists in a high degree, is, in part, a natural talent, cannot be doubted. The physical temperament of some men is much more favourable to the ready and unconstrained performance of the duty in question, than that of many others. More stress, however, I apprehend, has been sometimes laid on this fact, than there ought to have been Not a few allege that they have "no gift" of

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