When an awkward fellow first comes into a room, it is highly probable that his sword gets between his legs and throws him down, or makes him stumble at least; when he has recovered this accident, he goes and places himself in the very place of the whole room where he should not; there he soon lets his hat fall down, and in taking it up again, throws down his cane; in recovering his cane his hat falls the second time; so that he is a quarter of an hour before he is in order again. If he drinks tea or coffee, he certainly scalds his mouth, and lets either the cup or the saucer fall, and spills the tea or coffee in his breeches. At dinner his awkwardness distinguishes itself particularly, as he has more to do; there he holds his knife, fork, and spoon, differently from other people; eats with his knife to the great danger of his mouth, picks his teeth with his fork, and puts his spoon, which has been in his throat twenty times, into the dishes again. If he is to carve, he can never hit the joint: but in his vain efforts to cut through the bone, scatters the sauce in every body's face. He generally daubs himself with soup and grease, though his napkin is commonly stuck through a button-hole, and tickles his chin. When he drinks, he infallibly coughs in his glass, and besprinkles the company. Besides all this, he has strange tricks and gestures; such as snuffing up his nose, making faces, putting his fingers in his nose, or blowing it and looking afterward in his handkerchief, so as to make the company sick. His hands are troublesome to him when he has not something in them, and he does not know where to put them; but they are in perpetual motion between his bosom and his breech

es; he does not wear his clothes, and, in short, does nothing, like other people. All this, I own, is not in any degree criminal: but it is highly disagreeable and ridiculous in company, and ought most carefully to be avoided by whoever desires to please.

From this account of what you should not do, you may easily judge what you should do: and a due attention to the manners of people of fashion,

The habit which some people have got, of thrusting their hands into their bosoms, or handling any part of their persons which is usually covered, is an obvious instance of indecency, and very improper.

In like manner, it is very unbecoming a well-bred man, and a gentleman, to make any sort of preparation, in the presence of others, for complying with the necessities of nature; and much more so to return to his company before he has completely adjusted every part of his dress.

There is a set of people extremely odious and troublesome, who in their conversation with others, by their gestures and behaviour, are really guilty of a lie; for though, by the confession of every one, the first, or at least a more honourable, place is justly due to them, yet they perpetually seize upon the very lowest; and it is an intolerable plague to force them up higher; for, like a startlish or refractory horse, they are every moment running back; so that, in a genteel company, there is an infinite deal of trouble with such people, whenever they come to a door; for they will by no means in the world be prevailed upon to go first, but run, sometimes across you, sometimes quite backwards, and with their hands and arms defend themselves, and make such a bustle, that at every third stair you must enter into a regular contest with them; by which means all the pleasure of your visit, or sometimes even the most important business, must be necessarily interrupted.-Galateo.

and who have seen the world, will make it habitual and familiar to you.

There is, likewise, an awkwardness of expression and words most carefully to be avoided; such as false English, bad pronunciation, old sayings, and common proverbs; which are so many proofs of having kept bad and low company. For example: If, instead of saying that 'tastes are different, and that every man has his own peculiar one,' you should let off a proverb, and say, that 'What is one man's meat is another man's poison;' or else, "Every one as they like, as the good man said when he kissed his cow ;' every body would be persuaded that you had never kept company with any body above footmen and housemaids.

There is likewise an awkwardness of the mind that ought to be, and with care may be, avoided: as, for instance, to mistake or forget names. To speak of Mr. What-d'ye call Him, or Mrs. Thingum, or How-d'ye-call Her, is excessively awkward and ordinary. To call people by improper titles, and appellations is so too; as My Lord, for Sir; and Sir for my Lord. To begin a story or narration when you are not perfect in it, and cannot go through with it, but are forced, possibly, to say in the middle of it, I have forgot the rest,' is very unpleasant and bungling. One must be extremely exact, clear, and perspicuous, in every thing one says; otherwise, instead of entertaining or informing others, one only tires and puzzles them.

BASHFULNESS.

BASHFULNESS is the distinguishing character of an English booby, who appears frightened out of his

wits if people of fashion speak to him, and blushes and stammers without being able to give a proper answer; by which means he becomes truly ridiculous, from the groundless fear of being laughed at.

There is a very material difference between modesty and an awkward bashfulness, which is as ridiculous as true modesty is commendable: it is as absurd to be a simpleton as to be an impudent fellow; and we make ourselves contemptible if we cannot come into a room and speak to people without being out of countenance, or without embarrassment. A man who is really diffident, timid, and bashful, be his merit what it will, never can push himself in the world; his despondency throws him into inaction, and the forward, the bustling, and the petulant, will always precede him. The manner makes the whole difference. What would be impudence in one man, is only a proper and decent assurance in another. A man of sense, and of knowledge of the world, will assert his own rights and pursue his own objects, as steadily and intrepidly as the most impudent man living, and commonly more so; but then he has art enough to give an outward air of modesty to all he does. This engages and prevails, whilst the very same things shock and fail, from the overbearing or impudent manner only of doing them.

Englishmen, in general, are ashamed of going into company. When we avoid singularity, what should we be ashamed of? And why should not we go into a mixed company with as much ease, and as little concern, as we would go into our own room? Vice and ignorance are the only things we ought to be ashamed of: while we keep clear of

them, we may venture any where without fear or concern. Nothing sinks a young man into low company so surely as bashfulness. If he thinks that he shall not, he most surely will not, please.

Some, indeed, from feeling the pain and inconveniencies of bashfulness, have rushed into the other extreme, and turned impudent; as cowards sometimes grow desperate from excess of danger: but this is equally to be avoided, there being nothing more generally shocking than impudence. The medium between these two extremes points out the well-bred man, who always feels himself firm and easy in all companies; who is modest without being bashful, and steady without being impudent.

A mean fellow is ashamed and embarrassed when he comes into company, is disconcerted when spoken to, answers with difficulty, and does not know how to dispose of his hands: but a gentleman who is acquainted with the world appears in company with a graceful and proper assurance, and is perfectly easy and unembarrassed. He is not dazzled by superior rank; he pays all the respect that is due to it, without being disconcerted; and can converse as easily with a king as with any one of his subjects. This is the great advantage of being introduced young into good company, and of conversing with our superiors. A well-bred man will converse with his inferiors without insolence, and with his superiors with respect and with ease. Add to this, that a man of a gentleman-like behaviour, though of inferior parts, is better received than a man of superior abilities, who is unacquainted with the world. Modesty and a polite easy assurance should be united.