perfons entertain themselves and others at the expence of their wisdom and their virtue, and to the injury or offence of their neighbour. If they will obferve and keep clear of these, they may be as free, and eafy, and unreserved, as they can defire.

The cautions to be given for avoiding these dangers, and to render conversation innocent and agreeable, fall under the following particulars: filence; talking of indifferent things; and, which makes up too great a part of conversation, giving of characters, speaking well -or evil of others.

The Wife Man observes, that there is a time to Speak, and a time to keep filence. One meets with people in the world, who feem never to have made the last of these observations. And yet these great talkers do not at all speak from their having any thing to say, as every sentence fhows, but only from their inclination to be talking. Their conversation is merely an exercise of the tongue: no other human faculty has any fhare in it. It is ftrange these perfons can help reflecting, that unless they have in truth a fuperior capacity, and are in an extraordinary manner furnished for conversation; if they are entertaining, it is at their own expence. Is it poffible, that it should never come into people's thoughts to suspect, whether or no it be to their ad

vantage

vantage to show fo very much of themselves? O that you would altogether hold your peace, and it should be your wifdom3. Remember likewise there are perfons who love fewer words, an inoffenfive fort of people, and who deserve some regard, though of too ftill and compofed tempers for you. Of this number was the son of Sirach: for he plainly fpeaks from experience, when he says, As hills of fand are to the steps of the aged, fo is one of many words to a quiet man. But one would think it should be obvious to every one, that when they are in company with their fuperiors of any kind, in years, knowledge, and experience; when proper and useful fubjects are difcourfed of, which they cannot bear a part in; that these are times for filence: when they should learn to hear, and be attentive; at least in their turn. It is indeed a very unhappy way these people are in: they in a manner cut themselves out from all advantage of conversation, except that of being entertained with their own talk: their business in coming into company not being at all to be informed, to hear, to learn; but to display themselves; or rather to exert their faculty, and talk without any defign at all. And if we confider conversation as an entertainment,

*Job xiii.

as

as fomewhat to unbend the mind; as a diverfion from the cares, the business, and the forrows of life; it is of the very nature of it, that the discourse be mutual. This, I fay, is implied in the very notion of what we distinguish by conversation, or being in company. Attention to the continued difcourfe of one alone grows more painful often, than the cares and business we come to be diverted from. He therefore who impofes this upon us is guilty of a double offence; arbitrarily enjoining filence upon all the reft, and likewife obliging them to this painful attention.

I am fenfible these things are apt to be paffed over, as too little to come into a serious discourse: but in reality men are obliged, even in point of morality and virtue, to obferve all the decencies of behaviour. The greatest evils in life have had their rife from fomewhat, which was thought of too little importance to be attended to. And as to the matter we are now upon, it is absolutely necessary to be confidered. For if people will not maintain a due government over themselves, in regarding proper times and feafons for filence, but will be talking; they certainly, whether they defign it or not at first, will go on to fcandal and evil-speaking, and divulging secrets.

If it were needful to fay any thing further, to perfuade men to learn this leffon of filence;

one

one might put them in mind, how infignificant they render themselves by this exceffive talkativeness: infomuch that, if they do chance to say any thing which deserves to be attended to and regarded, it is lost in the variety and abundance which they utter of another fort.

The occafions of filence then are obvious, and one would think fhould be easily distinguished by every body: namely, when a man has nothing to fay; or nothing, but what is better unfaid: better, either in regard to the particular perfons he is prefent with; or from its being an interruption to converfation itself; or to conversation of a more agreeable kind; or better, lastly, with regard to himself. I will end this particular with two reflections of the Wife Man: one of which, in the strongest manner, exposes the ridiculous part of this licentiousness of the tongue; and the other, the great danger and viciousness of it. When he that is a fool walketh by the way fide, his wifdom faileth him, and he faith to every one that he is a fool b. The other is, In the multitude of words there wanteth not fin c.

As to the government of the tongue in respect to talking upon indifferent fubjects: after what has been said concerning the due government of it in respect to the occafions

Ecclef. x. 3.

c Prov. x. 19.

and

and times for filence, there is little more neceffary, than only to caution men to be fully fatisfied, that the subjects are indeed of an indifferent nature; and not to spend too much time in conversation of this kind. But perfons must be sure to take heed, that the subject of their discourse be at least of an indifferent nature that it be no way offenfive to virtue, religion, or good manners; that it be not of a licentious diffolute fort, this leaving always ill impreffions upon the mind; that it be no way injurious or vexatious to others; and that too much time be not spent this way, to the neglect of thofe duties and offices of life which belong to their ftation and condition in the world. However, though there is not any neceffity that men fhould aim at being important and weighty in every fentence they fpeak yet fince useful fubjects, at least of fome kinds, are as entertaining as others; a wife man, even when he defires to unbend his mind from business, would choose that the converfation might turn upon fomewhat inftructive.

The last thing is, the government of the tongue as relating to difcourfe of the affairs of others, and giving of characters. These are in a manner the fame and one can scarce call it an indifferent fubject, because difcourfe upon it almost perpetually runs into fomewhat criminal.

And