Hawkins v. 11. Be not immodest in urging thy friend to discover his secrets; lest an accidentall discovery of them work a breach in your amitye.
61st. Utter not base and frivilous things amongst grave and Learn'd Men nor very Difficult Questions or Subjects, among the Ignorant or things hard to be believed, Stuff not your Discourse with Sentences amongst your Betters nor Equals
Chapter vii. 1. dans la conuersation de gents doctes & habiles ne debitez pas des bagatelles, & n'auancez pas des discours trop releuez parmy les ignorants, qu'ils ne soient po[note: word missing here] capables d'entendre, ou qu'ils ne puissent pas croire fort facilement. ne debutez pas toûjours par des prouerbes, particulierement parmy vos égaux, & bien moins auec vos superieurs. ne parlez point de choses à cõtr[~e]teps, ou qui puissent choquer les esprits de vos auditeurs. parmy les banquets, & dans les iours de resioüissance ne mettez point sur le tapis de tristes nouuelles, point de recits de rudes calamitez, point d'ordures, point de deshõnestetez, point d'afflictions. bien au cõtraire si tels discours se trouuent entamez par quelqu'autre, faites vostre possible pour en détourner adroictement la suitte. ne contez iamais vos songes qu'à de vos confidents, & encore que ce soit pour profiter de leur interpretation; vous gardant bien d'y donner aucune croyance.
[Sidenote: Walker says—'nor tell your dreams when perhaps your best waking actions are not worth the reciting.']
When talking with learned and clever men, do not introduce trifles, and do not bring forward too advanced conversation before ignorant people which they cannot understand nor easily believe. Do not always begin with proverbs, especially among your equals, and still less with your superiors. Do not speak of things out of place, or of such as may shock your hearers. At banquets and on days of rejoicing do not bring up sorrowful news or accounts of sad calamities, no filth, nothing improper, nothing afflicting. On the contrary, if such conversation is begun by any one else, do your best adroitly to turn the subject. Never relate your dreams except to your confidants, and then only to profit by their interpretation, taking care not to put the least belief in it.
62d. Speak not of doleful Things in a Time of Mirth or at the Table; Speak not of Melancholy Things as Death and Wounds, and if others Mention them Change if you can the Discourse tell not your Dreams, but to your intimate Friend
(The substance of Rule 62 is in the French Maxim quoted under the previous Rule (61), beginning with the third sentence, 'Ne parlez point, etc.') 63d. A Man ought not to value himself of his Atchievements or rare Qua[lities, his Riches, Tit]les Virtue or Kindred[; but he need not speak meanly of himself.]
Chapter vii. 2. Vne personne bien nourrie ne s'amuse iamais à faire parade de ses belles actions, de son esprit, de sa vertu, & de ses autres bonnes & loüables qualitez, au cõtraire il ne faut iamais s'entretenir auec les autres de sa haute naissance, ou de la Noblesse de ses parents, de ses richesses, ny de ses grandeurs, si l'on n'y est contrainct. II ne faut pas aussi se raualler entierement.
A well-bred person never makes parade of his good actions, wit, virtue, and other good and praiseworthy qualities; on the contrary, one ought never to speak with another about his high birth, the nobility of his parents, his wealth or dignities, unless obliged to do so. But one need not efface himself altogether.
64'th Break not a Jest where none take pleasure in mirth Laugh not aloud, nor at all without Occasion, deride no man's Misfortune, tho' there seem to be Some cause