mixing with society, they rub off their hardness of manner, and
impracticable, offensive singularity, while they retain a greater depth
and coherence of understanding. There is more to be learnt from them
than from their books.

--_Hazlitt._

* * * * *

There are some people whose good manners will not suffer them to
interrupt you, but, what is almost as bad, will discover abundance of
impatience, and lie upon the watch until you have done, because they
have started something in their own thoughts, which they long to be
delivered of. Meantime, they are so far from regarding what passes, that
their imaginations are wholly turned upon what they have in reserve, for
fear it should slip out of their memory; and thus they confine their
invention, which might otherwise range over a hundred things full as
good, and that might be much more naturally introduced.

There is a sort of rude familiarity, which some people, by practising
among their intimates, have introduced into their general conversation,
and would have it pass for innocent freedom or humor; which is a
dangerous experiment in our northern climate, where all the little
decorum and politeness we have are purely forced by art, and are so
ready to lapse into barbarity. This, among the Romans, was the raillery
of slaves, of which we have many instances in Plautus. It seems to have
been introduced among us by Cromwell, who, by preferring the scum of the
people, made it a court entertainment, of which I have heard many
particulars; and, considering all things were turned upside down, it was
reasonable and judicious; although it was a piece of policy found out