as being proper for rustic boors, or men of coarsest education and
employment; who, having their minds debased by being conversant in
meanest affairs, do vent their sorry passions, and bicker about
their petty concernments, in such strains; who also, being not
capable of a fair reputation, or sensible of disgrace to themselves,
do little value the credit of others, or care for aspersing it. But
such language is unworthy of those persons, and cannot easily be
drawn from them, who are wont to exercise their thoughts about
nobler matters, who are versed in affairs manageable only by calm
deliberation and fair persuasion, not by impetuous and provocative
rudeness; which do never work otherwise upon masculine souls than so
as to procure disdain and resistance. Such persons, knowing the
benefit of a good name, being wont to possess a good repute, prizing
their own credit as a considerable good, will never be prone to
bereave others of the like by opprobrious speech. A noble enemy
will never speak of his enemy in bad terms.

We may further consider that all wise, all honest, all ingenuous
persons have an aversion from ill-speaking, and cannot entertain it
with any acceptance or complacence; that only ill-natured, unworthy,
and naughty people are its willing auditors, or do abet it with
applause. The good man, in Psalm xv., non accipit opprobrium, doth
not take up, or accept, a reproach against his neighbour: "but a
wicked doer," saith the wise man, "giveth heed to false lips, and a
liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue." And what reasonable man will
do that which is disgustful to the wise and good, is grateful only
to the foolish and baser sort of men? I pretermit that using this
sort of language doth incapacitate a man for benefiting his
neighbour, and defeateth his endeavours for his edification,
disparaging a good cause, prejudicing the defence of truth,