cure myself, if I could, of
this vice or folly among the rest, and I added Humility to my list,
giving an extensive meaning to the word.

I cannot boast of much success in acquiring the reality of this virtue,
but I had a good deal with regard to the appearance of it. I made it a
rule to forbear all direct contradiction to the sentiments of others,
and all positive assertion of my own. I even forbid myself, agreeably
to the old laws of our Junto, the use of every word or expression in
the language that imported a fix'd opinion, such as certainly,
undoubtedly, etc., and I adopted, instead of them, I conceive, I
apprehend, or I imagine a thing to be so or so; or it so appears to me
at present. When another asserted something that I thought an error, I
deny'd myself the pleasure of contradicting him abruptly, and of
showing immediately some absurdity in his proposition; and in answering
I began by observing that in certain cases or circumstances his opinion
would be right, but in the present case there appear'd or seem'd to me
some difference, etc. I soon found the advantage of this change in my
manner; the conversations I engag'd in went on more pleasantly. The
modest way in which I propos'd my opinions procur'd them a readier
reception and less contradiction; I had less mortification when I was
found to be in the wrong, and I more easily prevail'd with others to
give up their mistakes and join with me when I happened to be in the
right.

And this mode, which I at first put on with some violence to natural
inclination, became at length so easy, and so habitual to me, that
perhaps for these fifty years past no one has ever heard a dogmatical
expression escape me. And to this habit (after my character of
integrity) I think it principally owing that I had early so much weight
with my fellow-citizens when I proposed new institutions, or
alterations in the old, and so much influence in public councils when I
became a member; for I was but a bad speaker, never eloquent, subject
to much hesitation in my choice of words, hardly correct in language,
and yet I generally carried my points.

In reality, there is, perhaps, no one of our natural passions so hard
to subdue as pride. Disguise it, struggle with it, beat it down,
stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive, and
will every now and then peep out and show itself; you will see it,
perhaps, often in this history; for, even if I could conceive that