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 vii. 3.  Il ne faut pas se mettre sur la raillerie, quad il n’est point temps de solastrer.  Gardez-vous bien d’eclater en risees, d’y passer les bornes de la bienseance, & de le faire sans un suiet raisonnable, pour suiure l’inclinatio qui vous porte a rire.  Ne prenez iamais suiet de rire du malheur d’autruy, quoy qu’il semble en quelque facon digne de risee.
Jesting must be avoided when it is out of season.  Beware of bursting out into laughter, beyond the limits of decorum, and of doing so without reasonable cause, merely from an inclination to laugh.  Never laugh at the misfortunes of others, although they seem in some sort laughable

65th Speak not injurious Words neither in Jest nor Earnest Scoff at none although they give Occasion

Chapter vii. 4.  Ne donnez iamais de sobriquet, soit dans le jeu, ou bien hors du jeu.  Gardez vous bien de picquer qui que ce puisse estre; ne vous mocquez d’aucune personne, particulierement d’entre celles qui sont qualifiees, quoy qu’auec occasion.

     Never give nicknames, whether in fun or not.  Take care not to hurt
     anybody, whoever it may be; do not mock any one, especially persons
     of distinction, although there be occasion.

66th Be not forward but friendly and Courteous; the first to Salute hear and answer & be not Pensive when it’s a time to converse.

Chapter vii. 5.  Ne vous rendez point morne & de facheux abord; mais affable & prompt a rendre de bons offices, & soyez toujours le premier a saluer.  Entendez bien ce que l’on vous dit & y respondez; Ne vous retirez point a l’ecart, quand le deuoir vous engage a la conversation.
Do not be glum and unfriendly of approach; but affable, prompt in rendering kind offices, and always the first to salute.  Listen carefully to what is said and respond; do not keep aloof when duty requires you to take a share in the conversation.

67th.  Detract not from others neither be excessive in Commending.

     Chapter vii. 6.  Gardez vous bien de medire d’aucune personne ou de
     vous entretenir des affaires d’autruy.  Et mesme souuenez vous de
     garder la moderation dans vos loueanges.

[Sidenote:  Walker says:  ‘Carry even between adulation and soureness.’]

     Take care not to speak ill of any one or to gossip of other
     people’s affairs.  At the same time do not forget moderation in your
     praises.

(Dr. Toner thinks the last word of Rule 67 is written ‘Commanding.’  Sparks has ’commending.’) 68th.  Go not thither, where you know not, whether you Shall be Welcome or not.  Give not Advice whth being Ask’d & when desired do it briefly
Chapter vii. 7.  Ne vous ingerez pas dans les entretiens & les consultations, ou vous ne serez pas asseure d’estre le bien venu.  Ne dites iamais vostre aduis des affaires
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George Washington's Rules of Civility from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.