815.

To endeavour to work on the vulgar with fine sense, is like attempting to hew blocks with a razor. -Pope.

816.

There never was any party, faction, sect, or cabal whatsoever, in which the most ignorant were not the most violent; for a bee is not a busier animal than a blockhead.-Ib.

817.

A man's genius is always in the beginning of life as much unknown to himself as to others; and it is only after frequent trials, attended with success, that he dares to think himself equal to those undertakings, in which those who have succeeded, have fixed the admiration of mankind.-Hume.

818.

The figure which a man makes in life, the reception which he meets with in company, the esteem paid him by his acquaintance; all these advantages depend as much upon his good sense and judgment, as upon any other part of his character. Had a man the best intentions in the world, and were the farthest removed from all injustice and violence, he would never be able to make himself be much regarded, without a moderate share at least of parts and understanding.-Ib.

819.

Whoever feels pain in hearing a good character of his neighbour, will feel a pleasure in the reverse. And those who despair to rise in distinction by their virtues, are happy if others can be depressed to a level with themselves.-Franklin.

820.

A proper secrecy is the only mystery of able men. Mystery is the only secrecy of weak and cunning ones.-Chesterfield.

821.

A spirit of innovation is generally the result of a selfish temper and confined views. People will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors.-Burke.

822.

Education begins the gentleman, but reading, good company, and reflection, must finish him.Locke.

823.

Spirit is now a very fashionable word; to act with spirit, to speak with spirit, means only to act rashly, and to talk indiscreetly. An able man shows his spirit by gentle words and resolute actions; he is neither hot nor timid.-Chesterfield.

824.

There is nothing makes a man suspect much more than to know little; and, therefore, men should remedy suspicion by procuring to know more and to not keep their suspicions in smother.-Bacon.

825.

There is nothing which we receive with so much reluctance as advice. We look upon the man who gives it as offering an affront to our understanding, and treating us like children or idiots. We consider the instruction an implicit censure, and the zeal which any one shows for our good on such an occasion as a piece of presumption or impertinence.

The truth of it is, the person who pretends to advise, does, in that particular, exercise a superiority over us, and can have no other reason for it but that, in comparing us with himself, he thinks us defective either in our conduct or understanding.—Addison.

826.

Ambition often puts men upon doing the meanest offices; so climbing is performed in the same posture as creeping.-Swift.

827.

The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think than what to think—rather to improve our minds so as to make us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with the thoughts of other men.-Beattie.

828.

A tyrant, with legions at his command, may say: Oderint modo timeant-though he is a fool if he says it, and a greater fool if he thinks it.-Chesterfield.

829.

A man who tells nothing or who tells all, will equally have nothing told him.—Ib.

830.

No man can possibly improve in any company, for which he has not respect enough to be under some degree of restraint.—Ib.

831.

Idleness is a disease that must be combated; but I would not advise a rigid adherence to a particular plan of study. I myself have never persisted in any plan for two days together. A man ought to read just as inclination leads him: for what he reads as a task will do him little good.-Johnson.

832.

People know very little of the world and talk nonsense when they talk of plainness and solidity unadorned. They will do nothing. Mankind has been too long out of a state of nature, and the golden age of native simplicity will never return. Whether for the better or for the worse, no matter: but we are refined! and plain manners, plain dress, and plain diction, would as little do in life as acorns, herbage, and the water of the neighbouring spring, would do at table.-Chesterfield.

833.

Whoever desires the character of a proud man, ought to conceal his vanity.-Swift.

834.

All ceremonies are in themselves very silly things; but yet a man of the world should know them. They are the outworks of manners and decency, which would be too often broken in upon if it were not for that defence, which keeps the enemy at a proper distance. It is for that reason that I always treat fools and coxcombs with great ceremony; true goodbreeding not being a sufficient barrier against them. -Chesterfield.

835.

A man's own good breeding is the best security against other people's ill-manners.-Ib.

836.

The art of being agreeable frequently miscarries through the ambition which accompanies it. Wit, learning, wisdom.-What can more effectually conduce to the profit and delight of society? Yet I am sensible that a man may be too invariably wise,

learned, or witty, to be agreeable: and I take the reason of this to be, that pleasure cannot be bestowed by the simple and unmixed exertion of any one faculty or accomplishment.-Cumberland.

837.

Politeness is nothing more than an elegant and concealed species of flattery, tending to put the person to whom it was addressed in good humour and respect with himself.—Ib.

838.

"Tis a certain truth, that a man is never so easy, or so little imposed upon, as among people of the best sense; it costs far more trouble to be admitted or continued in ill company than in good; as the former have less understanding to be employed, so they have more vanity to be pleased; and to keep a fool constantly in good humour with himself and with others, is no very easy task.-Pope.

839.

One may know a man that never conversed in the world, by his excess of good breeding.-Addison.

840.

Among well-bred people a mutual deference is affected, contempt of others is disguised: authority concealed; attention given to each in his turn: and an easy stream of conversation maintained without vehemence, without interruption, without eagerness for victory, and without any airs of superiority.— Hume.

841.

We never are satisfied with our opinions, whatever we may pretend, till they are ratified and confirmed by the suffrages of the rest of mankind. We