24.  Dress yourself fine, then, if possible, or plain, agreeable to the company you are in; that is, conform to the dress of others, and avoid the appearance of being tumbled.  Imitate those reasonable people of your own age, whose dress is neither remarked as too neglected or too much studied.  Take care to have your clothes well made, in the fashion, and to fit you, or you will, after all, appear aukward.  When once dressed, think no more of it; shew no fear of discomposing your dress, but let all your motions be as easy and unembarrassed, as if you was at home in your dishabille.

Elegance of Expression.

25.  Having mentioned elegance of person, I will proceed to elegance of expression.

It is not one or two qualifications alone that will complete the gentleman; it must be an union of many; and graceful speaking is as essential as gracefulness of person.  Every man cannot be an harmonious speaker; a roughness or coarseness of voice may prevent it; but if there are no natural imperfections, if a man does not stammer or lisp, or has not lost his teeth, he may speak gracefully; nor will all these defects, if he has a mind to it, prevent him from speaking correctly.

26.  Nobody can attend with pleasure to a bad speaker.  One who tells his story ill, be it ever so important, will tire even the most patient.  If you have been present at the performance of a good tragedy, you have doubtless been sensible of the good effects of a speech well delivered; how much it has interested and affected you; and on the contrary, how much an ill-spoken one has disgusted you.

27.  ’Tis the same in common conversation; he who speaks deliberately, distinctly and correctly; he who makes use of the best words to express himself, and varies his voice according to the nature of the subject, will always please, while the thick or hasty speaker, he who mumbles out a set of ill-chosen words, utters them ungrammatically, or with a dull monotony, will tire and disgust.  Be assured then, the air, the gesture, the looks of a speaker, a proper accent, a just emphasis, and tuneful cadence, are full as necessary, to please and to be attended to, as the subject matter itself.

28.  People may talk what they will of solid reasoning and sound sense; without the graces and ornaments of language, they will neither please nor persuade.  In common discourse, even trifles elegantly expressed, will be better received, than the best of arguments homespun and unadorned.

29.  A good way to acquire a graceful utterance, is to read aloud to some friend every day, and beg of him to set you right, in case you read too fast, do not observe the proper stops, lay wrong emphasis, or utter your words indistinctly.  You may even read aloud to yourself where such a friend is not at hand, and you will find your own ear a good corrector.  Take care to open your teeth when you read or speak, and articulate every word distinctly; which last cannot be done but by sounding the final letter.  But above all, endeavour to vary your voice according to the matter, and avoid a monotony.  By a daily attention to this, it will in a little time become easy and habitual to you.