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Show 332 BOOK VT. ~ H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. u reet thy fio·hs to him. Reverence and falJlte thy elders, and hold " no one in ~ontempt. To the poor and· the diftrelfed be not dumb, '' but rather ufe words of comfort. Honour all perfons, particularly " thy parents, to whom thou oweft obedience, .refpeCl, and fervi~e. " Guard againft imitating the example of thofe w1cked fons, who, ltke " brutes that ~re deprived of reafon, neither reverence their parents, ]if" ten to their inO:ruCtion, nor fubmit to their correction ; becaufe, who" ever follows their fieps will have an unhappy end, will die in a defpcrate " or fudden manner, or will be killed and devoured by wild beafts. " Mock not, my fon, the aged or the imperfeCt. Scorn not him " whom you fee fall into fome folly or tranfgreffion, nor make him re" preaches; but refl:r~in thyfelf, and beware left thou fall into the " fame error which ofrends thee in another. Go not where thou art " not called, nor interfere in that which doe~ not concern thee. En·" deavour to manifefr thy good breeding in all thy words and aCtions. " In conver.:fation do not lay thy hands upon another, nor fpeak too " much, nor interrupt or difiurb another's difcourfe. If thou heareil:. " any one talking foqliihly, and it is not thy bufinefs to correct him~ " keep filence; but if it does concern .thee, confider firft what thou art " to fay, and do not fpeak arrogantly, that thy correCtion may be weB '' received. " When any one difcourfes with thee, hear him attentively, and " hold thyfelf in an eafy attitude~ neither playing with thy feet, nor " putting thy mantle to thy mouth, nor fpitting too often,. nor look" ing about you here and there, nor rifing up frequently if thoLt art "fitting; for fuch actions are indications of levity and low-breeding. " When thou art at table do not eat voracioufly,. nor {hew thy dif" pleafure if any thing difpleafes thee. If any one comes unexpeCtedly " to dinner with thee, !hare with him what thou haft; and when any " perfon is entertained by thee,. do not fix thy looks upon him. " In walking_ look where thou goe.fl:, that thou mayil: not pu !h au g:Unft any one. If thou feeft another coming thy way, go a little " afide to give him room to pafs. N~ver ft.ep before thy elders, unu lefs it be neceffary, or that they order · thee to do fo. When thmt u fittefr at table with them, do not eat or drink before them, but attend • , to them in a becoming manner .. tha.t thou mayil: merit their favour. c..( When I-1 I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. 333 " When they give thee any thing, accept it with tokens of grati- BOOK vn .. ., tude: · if the prefcnt is great, do not become vain or fond of it. If ~ " the gift is fma11 do not delpi1e it, nor be provoked, nor occa.fion dif- " pleafure to them who favour thee. If thou bccomefr rich, do not " grow infolent, nor [corn the poor; for thofe very gods who deny " riches to others in order to give them to thee, oftcndcd by thy pride, " will take them from thee again to give to others. Support thy- " fdf by thy own labours; for then thy food will be fweeter. I, my " fon, have fupported thee hither~o with my fweat, and have omitted I " no duty of a father; I have provided thee with every thing necef" fary, without taking it from others. Do thou fo likewife. " Never tell a falfehood ;. becaufe a lie is a heinous fin. When it " is neceffary to communicate to another what has been imparted to 1 "' thee, tell the fimple truth without any addition. Speak ill of no- " body. Do not take notice of the failings which thou obfervefi in . " others, if thou art not called upon to correCt them . . Be not a newsi' carrier, nor a [ower of difcord. When thou bearcfr any embatry, and " he to whom it is borne is enraged, .and fpeaks contemptuoufly of thofe · " who fent thee, do not report fuch an anfwer, but endeavour to fofu ten him, aud diifemble as much as poffible that which thou heard{t~ . " that thou mayc.ft not raife di1cord and fpread calumny of . which ~ " thou mayefi: afterwards repent. " Stay no longer than is neceiiary in the market-pbce; .for in fuch , " places there is the grcatcll: danger of contraCting vices . . " \Vhen thou art oB.e red an employment, imagine that the propofa1 . " is made to t•·y thee; then accept it not haftily, although thou knoweil: " thyfelf more fit than others to exercife it; but excu{e thyfelf until ; 41 thou art obliged to accept it; . thus thou wilt be more ell:eemed. " Be not difiulute; becaufe thoL:t wilt thereby incenfe the gods, a11d , " they will cover thee with infiuny. Refi:rain thyfclf, my fon, ns thOLl " art yet young, and wait until the girl, whom the gods defl:ine foL· H thy wife, arrive at a fuitable age : leave that to their care, as they " know how to order every thing properly. When the time for thy " marriage i8 come, dare not to. make it without the canfent of thy 41 parents~ otherwifc it will have an unhappy i!fue • u Steal not, nor give ~hyfdf up to gaming; othcrwife thou wit:t be " a di(grace t? thy p .1rents, whom thou ought rather to honour for " the , |