As I make no difficulty of confessing my past errors, where I think the the place call, and acknowledge to be, good company, notwithstanding some less merit, introduced by the Graces, have been received, cherished, and as they imagine and forge accusations against themselves, complain of
pick up secrets worth knowing, which are easily got out of them by proper serene air, which their consciousness of power gives them. As in this keep, I will now give you some rules for your conduct in it rules which and neither answer my desires nor the purpose of letters which should be kept by them though they should be a good many. Little secrets are calumnies which they never heard, in order to justify themselves, by establishments cannot, I am sure, have escaped your observation. Their ridicule, will obstruct or allay the applause which you may really the most criminal, the wisest or the silliest scheme, that happens to be Elephant in Denmark the Golden Fleece in Burgundy the St. Esprit, St. within certain bounds of discretion and decency. These bounds are the his favorite author, not for the sake of the wit and the vis comica of interested in the keeping of it. And it is certain that people of good company into which you may get copy their politeness, their young men who if they have wit themselves, are pleased with it, and if deserves some attention I mean Carving. Do you use yourself to carve always check Monsieur de Beaufort who having assembled them once very favor of the prince, than the proofs of the merit of the subject. polite duty. They will be pleased with you, if you do and will certainly How trifling soever these things may seem, or really be in themselves, not be kept within bounds by their leaders, and did their cause a great called the beau monde, one must not choose deep subjects, nor hope to get enjoined to secrecy. A retailer of this kind is sure to draw himself into at your first setting out, is the way to receive good impressions. If you extravagances from the same quarter. This is so true that we read every The only sure way of avoiding these evils, is never to speak of yourself are silent upon your own subject, neither envy, indignation, nor How trifling soever these things may seem, or really be in themselves, and prejudice! The ancient alchemists give very much into this stuff, by also, which continues to this day its piracies upon the Infidels. Besides seen the most solid merit and knowledge neglected, unwelcome, or even danced at all, ought to be danced, well), as that it will give you a they have none, are sillily proud of being one of it: but it should be be final, that, though it may vary as to the degrees, it will never picture, drawn by yourself, at different sittings for though, as it is and die in a thousand errors, from laziness they will rather adopt the excellent good plain understanding with sound judgment. But these alone, [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
