3021. In addition, then, to the ordinary routine of education, make yourself acquainted with the passing circumstances of the day - its politics, its parties, its amusements, its foibles, its customs, its literature, and at the present time I must also say its science. Some of these subjects may be the parent of much gossip and scandal; still, a man moving in society as a gentleman, must be ignorant of nothing which relates thereto, or if he is, he must not appear to be.

3022. Avoid a loud tone, particularly if speaking to ladies. By observing men of the world, you will perceive that their voices, as it were, involuntarily assume a softness as they address the sex; this is one of the most obvious proofs of an intimacy with good society.

3023. Never attempt to occupy the attention of a company for a long time; unless your conversation is very brilliant it must become very tiresome.

3024. The object of conversation is to entertain and amuse. To be agreeable, you must learn to be a good listener. A man who monopolizes a conversation is a bore, no matter how great his' knowledge.

3025. Never get into a dispute. State your opinions, but do not argue them. Do not contradict, and above all, never offend by correcting mistakes or inaccuracies of fact or expression.

3026. Never lose temper - never notice a slight - never 6eem conscious of an affront, unless it is of a gross character, and then punish it at once.

3027. You can never quarrel in the presence of ladies, but a personal in dignity may be avenged anywhere.

3028. Never talk of people by hints slurs, inuendoes, and such mean de vices. If you have anything to say out with it. Nothing charms mors than candor, when united with good breeding.

3029. Do not call people by their names, in speaking to them. In speak ing of your own children, never "Master" and "Miss" them - in speaking to other people of theirs, never neglect to do so.

3030. It is very vulgar to talk in a loud tone, and indulge in horse-laughs Be very careful in speaking of subjects upon which you are not acquainted. Much is to be learned by confessing your ignorance - nothing can be by pretending to knowledge which you do not possess.

3031. Never tell long stories. Avoid all common slang phrases and pet words.

3032. Of all things, don't attempt to be too fine. Use good honest English - and common words for common things. If you speak of breeches, shirts, or petticoats, call them by their right names. The vulgarity is in avoiding them.

3033. Be not partial to theorizing, or your conversation will assume the style of speech-making, which is intolerable.

3034. Badinage is pleasant, but it may be dangerous; stupid people may imagine you are ridiculing them, and the stupid are the most assiduous enemies.

3035. Abjure punning; it has been aptly designated "the wit of fools," gentlemen never pun. Punning is a sort of pot-house wit, which is quite incompatible with good manners. Bo not over-anxious to be considered a wit - recollect that in the society of wits, the wit of the company is likely to become the butt of the company.

3036. It is a common error, that of adapting your conversation to the occupation of the person with whom you are conversing and to some persons it is exceedingly offensive.

3037 Thus introducing the subject of theology to a clergyman - of law to a barrister, etc., etc., is in fact saying, "I have chosen the subject with which you are best acquainted - all are alike to me." This is an assumption of superiority which is highly indecorous, and will ultimately insure punishment. A man of the world might not be offended, but he would instantly attribute the inadvertence to ignorance; indeed, it generally arises from a desire to avoid the awkwardness of silence, and is a bungling way of throwing on another the onus of sustaining the conversation, and of confessing your own incompetence; but where one person will give you the benefit of this apology, a dozen will consider you impertinent.

3038. A tattler is a most contemptible character, uniting in person either excessive ignorance, folly, and vanity, or the extremes of meanness, mischief, and malignity.

3039. Women ordinarily slander more from vanity than vice - men, from jealousy than malignity.

3040. Without intending mischief, many persons do much by repeating conversation from one house to another. This gossiping is all but as injurious as scandal; for as you can never represent the exact circumstances under which a fact may have been related, your version may give a totally different meaning to that which was intended by the original speaker: as observation proves that, in relating an anecdote or conversation, we give our impression of the meaning of the speaker, not his words; thus, a misconception of our own may produce infinite mischief.

3041. A man should never permit himself to lose his temper in society, nor show that he has taken offence at any supposed slight - it places him in a disadvantageous position - betraying an absence of self-respect, or at the least of self- possession.

3042. If a "puppy" adopt a disa greeable tone of voice, or offensive manner toward you, never resent it an the time, and, above all, do not adopt the same style in your conversation with him; appear not to notice it, and generally it will be discontinued, as it will be 6een that it has failed in its object, besides which - you save your temper.

3043. If, upon the entrance of a vie itor, you continue a conversation begun before, you should always explain the subject to the new-comer.

3044. There cannot be a custom more vulgar or offensive than that of taking a person aside to whisper in a room with company, yet this rudeness is of frequent occurrence - and that with persons who ought to know better.

3045. Conversation should be studied as an art. Style in conversation is as important, and as capable of cultivation, as style in writing. The manner of saying things is what gives them their value.

3046. Avoid provincialisms in your language and pronunciation. Webster is the standard for pronouncing in the best society in the United States.

3047. Swearing, which formerly per vaded every rank of society, is now to be chiefly found in a very low and uninstructed class; it is, in fact, a vulvar and proscribed mode of speech. Nevertheless, it is still used occasionally by persons of no humble rank, especially by the young, though chiefly for the purpose of giving an emphasis to speech, or perhaps simply to give token of a redundancy of spirits, and a high state of excitement. To those who are guilty of it, for these reasons, it is only necessary to point out, that no well-informed person can be at the least loss, with the genuine words of the English language, to express all legitimate ideas and feelings; and that to use either profane or slang words is, at the least, the indioation of a low taste and inferior understanding. A direct, pure, manly use of our native language is an object which all may cultivate in a greater or less degree; and we have invariably observed, through life, that the most virtuous persons are the most exempt from the use of mean and ridiculous phraseology and monkey tricks of all kinds.

3048. Meeting an acquaintance among strangers - in the street, or a coffee-house - never address him by name. It is vulgar and annoying.

3049. Never tattle - nor repeat in one society any scandal or personal matter you hear in another. Give your own opinion of people if you please, but never repeat that of others.

3050. You are not required to defend your friends in company, unless the conversation is addressed to you; but you may correct a statement of fact, if you know it to be wrong.

3051. Do not call people by their names, in speaking to them. In speaking of your own children, never "Master" and "Miss" them - in speaking to other people of theirs, never neglect to do so. (See 1338.)