led him to talk perpetually of himself, and as
often happens to vain men, he would rather talk of his own failings than
of any foreign subject."-- Hallam, Literature Of Europe.]

139.--One of the reasons that we find so few persons rational and
agreeable in conversation is there is hardly a person who does not think
more of what he wants to say than of his answer to what is said. The
most clever and polite are content with only seeming attentive while we
perceive in their mind and eyes that at the very time they are wandering
from what is said and desire to return to what they want to say. Instead
of considering that the worst way to persuade or please others is to try
thus strongly to please ourselves, and that to listen well and to answer
well are some of the greatest charms we can have in conversation.

["An absent man can make but few observations, he can pursue nothing
steadily because his absences make him lose his way. They are very
disagreeable and hardly to be tolerated in old age, but in youth they
cannot be forgiven." --Lord Chesterfield, Letter 195.]

140.--If it was not for the company of fools, a witty man would often be
greatly at a loss.

141.--We often boast that we are never bored, but yet we are so
conceited that we do not perceive how often we bore others.

142.--As it is the mark of great minds to say many things in a few
words, so it is that of little minds to use many words to say nothing.

["So much they talked, so very little said." Churchill, Rosciad, 550.

"Men who are unequal to the labour of discussing an argument or wish
to avoid it, are willing enough to suppose that much has been proved
because much has been said."-- Junius, Jan. 1769.]

143.--It is oftener by the estimation of our own feelings that we
exaggerate the good qualities of others than by their merit, and when we
praise them we wish to attract their praise.

144.--We do not like to praise, and we never praise without a
motive. Praise is flattery, artful, hidden, delicate, which gratifies
differently him who praises and him who is praised. The one takes it as
the reward of merit, the other bestows it to show his impartiality and
knowledge.

145.--We often select envenomed praise which, by a reaction upon those
we praise, shows faults we could not have shown by other means.

146.--Usually we only praise to be praised.

147.--Few are sufficiently wise to prefer censure which is useful to
praise whic