I say no more: for (lo) it were in vaine
To praise good wine by hanging up a bushe,
The best will give (I hope) my friende his due.
As for the bad, I way them not a rushe.
Thomas Browne of L. I. Gent.
THE TREATISE OF
MASTER JHON DELLA CASA
Wherin under the person of an old unlearned man, instructing a youthe of his, he hath talke of the maners and fashions, it behoves a man to use or eschewe, in his familiar conversation: intituled Galateo, of fashions and maners.
For as muche as thou doste now enter the journy, wherof I have allredy ronne forth the better parte (as thou seest) I meane the transitorie waye of this mortall life: I have determined (such is the Love I beare thee) to shewe all the daungerous straights thou must passe: For my experience maketh me feare, yt walking that way thou mayst easily either fall, or by some meanes or other go astray. To the ende thou maist once, taughte both by my instructions and experience, be able to keepe the right waye, as well for the helthe of thy Soule, as the commendation and praise of the Honourable and Noble house thou doest come of. And bycause thy tender Age, is unfit (as yet) to receave more principall and higher precepts, reserving them for fitter time, I will beginn to discourse of such things as many men will deeme, perchaunce, but trifles: I meane what manner of Countenance and grace, behoveth a man to use, that hee may be able in Communication and familiar acquaintance with men, to shewe him selfe plesant, courteous, and gentle: which neverthelesse is either a vertue, or the thing that comes very nere to vertue. And albeit Liberalitie, or magnanimitie, of themselves beare a greater praise, then, to be a well taught or manored man: yet perchaunce, the courteous behaviour and entertainement with good maners and words, helpe no lesse, him that hath them: then the high minde and courage, advaunceth him in whome they be. For these be such things as a man shall neede alwayes at all hands to use, because a man must necessarily be familiar with men at all times, & ever have talk & communication with them: But justice, fortitude, and the other greater, and more noble vertues, are seldome put in uze. Neither is ye liberall and noble minded man, caused every hower to doe bountifull things: for to use it often, cannot any man beare the charge, by any meanes. And these valiant men yt be so full of highe minde and courage: are very seldome driven to trye their valour & vertue by their deeds. Then as muche as these last, doe passe those first, in greatnes (as it were) & in weight: so much do the other surmount these in number, & often occasion to use them. And, if I could wel intend it, I could name you many, whoe, (being otherwise of litle account) have ben & be still, muche estemed & made of, for their cherefull & plesaunt behaviour alone: which hath bin suche a helpe & advauncement unto them, that they have gotten greate preferments, leaving farre behinde them, such men as have bin endowed with those other noble and better vertues, spoken of before. And as these plesaunt & gentle behaviours, have power to draw their harts & minds unto us, with whome we live: so contrariwise, grosse and rude maners, procure men to hate and despise us. Wherby albeit the lawes, have injoined no paine for unmanerly & grose behaviours, as the fault that is thought but light (& to saye a trueth, it is not greate) yet we see notwithstanding, yt nature herselfe punisheth them wt sharpe & shrewde correction, putting them by this meanes, besydes ye companie & favour of men. And truly even as greate & foule faults, doe muche harme: so doe these light, much hurt, or hurte at least more often. For, as men doe commonly fere ye beasts yt be cruell & wild, & have no maner of feare of som litle ones, as ye gnats and the flies, & yet by ye continual noiaunce they find by them, complaine them selves more of thes then of ye other: so it chaunceth yt most men do hate in maner asmuche, ye unmanerly & untaught, as ye wicked, & more. So yt there is no doubte, but who so disposeth himselfe to live, not in solitarie and deserte places, as Heremites, but in fellowship with men, and in populous Cities, will think it a very necessarie thing, to have skill to put himselfe forth comely and seemely, in his fashions, gestures and maners: the lacke of which parts doth make those other vertues lame, and litle or nothing can they work to good effect, without other helpes: wheare this civilitie and courtesie, without other releefe or patrimonie, is riche of it selfe, & hath substance enough, as a thing yt standeth in speache and gestures alone.