nt.

To what purpose, I pray, is God's name hooked and haled into our
idle talk? why should we so often mention Him, when we do not mean
anything about Him? would it not, into every sentence to foist a dog
or a horse, to intrude Turkish, or any barbarous gibberish, be
altogether as proper and pertinent?

What do these superfluities signify, but that the venter of them
doth little skill the use of speech, or the rule of conversation,
but meaneth to sputter and prate anything without judgment or wit;
that his invention is very barren, his fancy beggarly, craving the
aid of any stuff to relieve it? One would think a man of sense
should grudge to lend his ear, or incline his attention to such
motley ragged discourse; that without nauseating he scarce should
endure to observe men lavishing time, and squandering their breath
so frivolously. 'Tis an affront to good company to pester it with
such talk.

XI. But further, upon higher accounts this is a very uncivil and
unmannerly practice.

Some vain persons take it for a genteel and graceful thing; a
special accomplishment, a mark of fine breeding, a point of high
gallantry; for who, forsooth, is the brave spark, the complete
gentleman, the man of conversation and address, but he that hath the
skill and confidence (O heavens! how mean a skill! how mad a
confidence!) to lard every sentence with an oath or a curse, making
bold at every turn to salute his Maker, or to summon Him in
attestation of his tattle; not to say calling and challenging the
Almighty to damn and destroy him? Such a conceit, I say, too many
have of swearing, because a custom thereof, together with divers
other fond and base qualities, hath prevailed among some people,
bearing the name and garb of gentlemen.

But in truth, there is no practice more crossing the genuine nature
of genteelness, or misbecoming persons well born and well bred; who
should excel the rude vulgar in goodness, in courtesy, in nobleness
of heart, in unwillingness to offend, and readiness to oblige those
with whom they converse, in steady composedness of mind and manners,
in disdaining to say or do any unworthy, any unhandsome things.

For this practice is not only a gross rudeness toward the main body
of men, who justly reverence the name of God, and detest such an
abuse thereof; not only further an insolent defiance of the common
profession, the religion, the law of our country, which disallo