—Præsens, absens ut sies.
Ter.
It [is] a hard and nice Subject for a Man to speak of himself,
says Cowley
;
it grates his own Heart to say anything of Disparagement, and the Reader's Ears to hear any thing of Praise from him.
Let the Tenour of his Discourse be what it will upon this Subject, it generally proceeds from
Vanity.
An ostentatious Man will rather relate a Blunder or an Absurdity he has committed, than be debarred from talking of his own dear Person.
Some very great Writers have been guilty of this Fault. It is observed of