DISPUTE AND DISPUTATION.

NE

EVER difpute with a man in his profeffion to which you do not belong; a victory on your fide cannot be of any advantage to you, and may be a real injury to him. It is an infult of the Higheft nature, and makes an irreconcileable enemy.

Beware of long and obftinate disputes; it is much eafier not to begin them, than to put an end to them.

Generally in difputation, what men want of reason for their opinions, they ufually fupply with rage. He who loves difputation lives in trouble.

There are but few cafes, where a victory in difputation will make amends, either for the lofing of a friend, or the making of an enemy.

In controversy, fay not all thou canst fay, but all that is neceffary.

Answer arguments with reafon; if reafon be not heard, or approved, then anfwer with filence.

In debates, let truth be your aim, not victory; and endeavour rather to gain, than expofe your antagonist.

He that in debate rather takes to pieces the arguments of his opponent, than offers any of his own, acts prudently; he fights him in his own country.

Strive not with contentious words; it is better to turn your eye from what displeaseth you, and leave every one to his own opinion and party.

To dispute againft common cuftom, is to fight against the whole world.

To

To give no advantage in any argument, nor to lofe any that is offered, is a benefit which arifes from temper.

Truth often fuffers more from the heat of its defenders, than from the arguments of its oppofers; and nothing does reafon more right, than the coolness of those that offer it.

What makes fo many go aftray in their arguments is, that they would fain think beyond the extent of their intellects.

He only employs his paffion in disputation, who can make no use of his reafon.

Disputes may fometimes do well between lovers, but feldom between friends.

In disputations, the parties are generally more intent on confidering, what they fhall themselves utter, than the force of their adverfary's argument; this in the general, is the cause of their confufion and conti

Dispute is feldom managed without paffion, and yet there is scarce any dispute worth a passion.

It is better, by yielding to Truth, to conquer Opinion; than by yielding to Opinion, to be defeated by Truth.

He that feeks Truth, will not feek to conquer by all poffible means; and he that finds Truth, will have a fecurity against being conquered.

Truth conquers by itfelf; opinion by foreign aids. Argument feldom convinces any man contrary to his inclination.

Contradiction should waken attention, not paffion. Difputation generally leaves Truth in the middle, and Party at both ends.

F 2

Never

Never be ashamed of being convinced; for he that is confuted, is wiser than he was, and therefore ought to return thanks instead of refentment.

Affection is a conftant briber of the judgment; and it is hard for a man to admit a reason against the thing he loves, or to confefs the force of an argument against an interest.

In holding an argument, neither be too cholerick, nor too opinionated; the one diftempers your understanding, the other abuseth your judgment.

See OBSTINACY and PERVERSENESS.

DISSIMULATION.

See DECEIT.

DISTRUST.

See DIFFIDENCE. See SUSPICION.

DROL L ER Y.

See RAILLERY.

DRUNKEN NESS.

A

MAN may lofe more reputation in one day of liberty and jollity, than he can gain in a long course of seriousness.

If we make BACCHUS our chief deity, APOLLO will never keep us company.

Three

Three things may greatly contribute to discover to us the heart of man, wine, love, and play.

It is a piece of arrogance to dare to be drunk, because a man fheweth himself without a veil.

He that is a drunkard is qualified for all vice. Other vices make their own way, drunkenness makes way for all vices.

SILENUS, the fofter-father of BACCHUS, is always carried by an Ass, and hath horns on his head; the moral is, that drunkards are led by fools, and have a great chance to be cuckolds.

As fuck is to infants, fo is wine, moderately drank, to the aged, and is therefore called old men's milk.

Drunkenness turns a man out of himself, and leaves a beaft in his room.

He who premeditately refigns his reafon, is actually guilty of all that he is liable to from the want of reason.

E BRIETY.

See DRUNKENNESS.

EDUCA

A

TION.

N uncultivated mind, like unmanured ground, will foon be over-run with weeds.

An induftrious and virtuous education of children, is a better inheritance for them, than a great eftate.

What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the human foul.

Choose

Choose rather to leave your children well instructed, than rich, for the hopes of the learned, are better than the riches of the ignorant.

Severity in the education of youth, which is often revenge under the cloak of juft correction, rather confirms than reforms an evil difpofition, by producing a hatred of the inftructor.

There are fome delicate minds that can hardly ever get over the effect of being difgraced by a public chastisement.

Some geniuffes, like fome fruits, ripen not till late.

Neither a learned, nor a fine education is of any value, than as it tends to improve the morals of men, and to make them wife and gocd.

The benefits of a good education, are of fuch a nature, that they cannot be recalled.

Education correct eth good natures, and polifheth bad ones.

A private education promises virtue and good breeding; a public one, a manly affurance, and an early knowledge of the world; the first generally makes an honest man, the latter, a man of business,

Education is a fecond felf-love; the taste of books is neceffary to our behaviour in the best company, and the knowledge of men is required for the true knowledge of books.

Good education is the caufe of a refined difpofition.

The pursuit of good education, is better than the pursuit of riches.

See KNOWLEDGE, See LEARNING.

ELEVATION.