dont vous receuerez de mesme les tesmoignages.  Vous voyez donc icy les advis de la ciuilite que nous auons entrepris de vous donner, pour vous servir d’vn fructueux divertissement.  Nous les finissons donc si vous le trouuiez agreable, pour nous porter auec plus de zele aux autres deuoirs qui contribueront a vostre satisfaction, & qui seront agreables a touts les veritables estimateurs de la bien-seance & de l’honnestete de la conuersation commune, comme nous le soutraitions auec passion.

“Loueange a Dieu & a la glorieuse Vierge.”]

The earlier editions of the book do not appear to have been published for the outer world, but were printed in the various colleges where they were used.  Another French work on the same subject, but including much about ladies, published about the year 1773, plagiarises largely from the Jesuit manual, but does not mention it.  It is probable therefore that the Perin volume was not then known to the general public.  The anonymous book just mentioned was translated into English.[1] Some of the phraseology of the Perin book, and many of its ideas, appear in a work of Obadiah Walker, Master of University College, Oxford, on Education, but it is not mentioned.[2] Eighteen of the Washington Rules, and an important addition to another, are not among the French Maxims.  Two of these Rules, 24 and 42, are more damaged than any others in the Washington Ms., and I had despaired of discovering their meaning.  But after my translations were in press I learned from Dr. W.C.  Minor that an early English version of the Maxims existed, and in this I have found additions to the French, work which substantially include those of the Washington Ms. Through this fortunate discovery the Rules of Civility are now completely restored.

[Footnote 1:  “The Rules of Civility, or Certain Ways of Deportment observed amongst all persons of Quality upon seueral Occasions.”  The earliest edition I have found is that of 1678 (in the British Museum Library), which is said to be “Newly revised and much Enlarged.”  The work is assigned a French origin on internal evidence,—­e.g., other nations than France are referred to as “foreign,” and “Monsieur” is used in examples of conversation.  The date is approximately fixed as 1673, because it is said that while it was in press there had appeared “The Education of a Young Prince.”  The latter work was a translation of “De I’education d’un Prince.  Par le Sieur de Chanteresne” [P.  Nicole], by Pierre du Moulin, the Younger, and published in London, 1673.]

[Footnote 2:  Of Education.  Especially of Young Gentlemen.  In two Parts.  The Fifth Impression.  Oxford:  Published at the Theatre for Amos Custeyne. 1887. [It was anonymous, but is known to be by Obadiah Walker, Master of University College, Oxford.]]