George Washington's Rules of Civility eBook

Moncure Daniel Conway
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 98 pages of information about George Washington's Rules of Civility.

George Washington's Rules of Civility eBook

Moncure Daniel Conway
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 98 pages of information about George Washington's Rules of Civility.
Chapter ii. 25.  Gardez vous bien de vous arrester en toute sorte de conuersation, a rajuster vostre rabat, ou a rehausser vos chausses pour les faire ioindre & en paroitre plus galaud.  Que vos ongles ne soient point replis d’ordures, ny trop longs.  Ayez grand soin de la nettete de vos mains; mais n’y recherchez point la volupte.

[Sidenote:  Hawkins:  “without overmuch attendance thereon or curiosity.”]

Take good care not to stop, in any sort of conversation, to adjust your bands, or to pull up your stockings to make them join so as to look more gallant.  Do not let your nails be full of dirt or too long.  Have a great regard for the cleanliness of your hands, but do not be finikin about it.

16th.  Do not puff up the Cheeks, Loll not out the tongue rub the Hands, or beard, thrust out the lips, or bite them or keep the lips too open or too close.

Chapter ii. 26.  C’est une vilainie de s’enfler les jouees, de tirer la langue, de se manier la barbe, se frotter les mains, d’estendre ses levres ou les mordre, de les tenir trop serrees ou trop entrouuertes.

     It is very low to puff out the cheeks, to put out the tongue, to
     pull one’s beard, rub one’s hands, poke out or bite the lips, or to
     keep them too tightly closed or too open.

17th.  Be no Flatterer, neither Play with any that delights not to be Play’d Withal.

Chapter ii. 27.  Ne flattez & n’amadoueez personne par belles paroles, car celui qui pretend d’en gagner un autre par les discours emmiellez, fait voir qu’il n’en a pas grande estime, & qu’il le tient pour peu sense & adroit, des qu’il le prend pour vn home que l’on peut ioueer en cette maniere:  n’usez point de gausseries aupres d’vne personne qui s’en offense.
Do not flatter or wheedle any one with fair words, for he who aspires to gain another person by his honied words shows that he does not hold him in high esteem and that he deems him far from sensible or clever, in taking him for a man who may be tricked in this manner:  do not play practical jokes on those who do not like it.

18th.  Read no Letters, Books, or Papers in Company but when there is a Necessity for the doing of it you must ask leave:  come not near the Books or Writings of Another so as to read them unless desired or give your opinion of them unask’d also look not nigh when another is writing a Letter

Chapter ii. 28.  C’est vne action directement opposee a la bien-seance, de lire quelque livre, quelques lettres ou autres choses semblables dans vne conversation ordinaire, si ce n’est en vne affaire pressante, ou pour quelque peu de moments; & mesme encore en ce cas, est-il a propos d’en demander la permission, si vous n’estes, possible, le Superieur de la compagnie.  C’est encore pis de manier les ouvrages des autres, leurs livres, & d’autres choses de cette nature, de s’y
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George Washington's Rules of Civility from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.