George Washington's Rules Of Civility - free ebook by Moncure Daniel Conway

GEORGE WASHINGTON'S RULES OF CIVILITY

Traced to their Sources and Restored 1890 Inscribed Among the manuscript books of George Washington, preserved in the State Archives at Washington City, the earliest bears the date, written in it by himself, 1745. Washington was born February 11, 1731 O.S., so that while writing in this book he was either near the close of his fourteenth, or in his fifteenth, year. It is entitled "Forms of Writing," has thirty folio pages, and the contents, all in his boyish handwriting, are sufficiently curious

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NOTE.

There has been no alteration of the original French and English documents in the pages following. The spelling, punctuation, use of small or capital letters, italics, etc., whether faults or archaisms, are strictly preserved. The word 'Maxim' refers to the early French work (of the Jesuit Fathers). 'Rule' refers to Washington's MS. 'Hawkins' indicates the English version of the Maxims, chiefly the anonymous additions thereto. See p. 19. 'Walker' refers to Obadiah Walker's work on Education, spok

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Chapter vii. 13. Quand quelque autre parle, prenez garde de donner suiet à ses Auditeurs de s'en detourner; & pour vous, écoutez-le fauorablement & auec attention, sans destourner les yeux d'vn autre costé, ou vous arrester à quelqu'autre pensée. Si quelqu'vn a de la peine à tirer ses mots comme par force, ne vous amusez pas á luy en suggerer, pour faire paroistre quelque desir d'aider celuy qui parle, si'l ne vient à vous en prier, ou que le tout se passe dãs le particulier, & qu'encore cette persõne soit de vos plus intimes & familiers amis; & apres tout ne l'interrompez point, & ne luy repliquez en aucune maniere, iusques à ce que luy-mesme ait acheué.

[Sidenote: Hawkins: 'If any drawl forth his words, help him not'] [Sidenote: The later French book has: 'It is not Civil when a Person of Quality hesitates or stops in his discourse for you to strike in, though with pretence of helping his memory.'] When another person is speaking, beware of drawing off the attention of his hearers; and as for yourself, listen to him favourably and attentively, without turning your eyes aside or directing your thoughts elsewhere. If any one finds difficulty in e

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