Chapter II. 7. C’est Vne Inciuilité Insupportable D’allonger Son Corps en Estendant les Bras, Ou de Faire Differents Postures
Chapter III 19. Il Ne Faut Iamais Rogner Ses Ongles Dans le Public, & Bien Moins les Prendre à Beiles Dents
It is insufferably impolite to stretch the body, extend the arms,
or to assume different postures.
Do not pare your nails in public, much less gnaw them.
12th. Shake not the head, Feet, or Legs rowl not the Eys, lift not one eyebrow higher than the other wry not the mouth, and bedew no mans face with your Spittle, by appr[oaching too nea]r [when] you Speak.
Chapter ii. 21. Vous ne hocherez la teste, vous ne remuerez point les jambes, ny ne roüillerez les yeux, ne froncerez point les sourcils, ou tordrez la bouche. Vous vous garderez de laisser aller auec vos paroles de la saliue, ou du crachat aux visages de ceux, auec qui vous conversez. Pour obvier à cét accident, vous ne vous en approcherez point si prés; mais vous les entretiendrez dans vne distãce raisonnable.
Shake not the head, nor fidget the legs, nor roll the eyes, nor frown, nor make mouths. Be careful not to let saliva escape with your words, nor any spittle fly into the faces of those with whom you converse. To avoid such accident do not approach them too near, but keep at a reasonable distance.
13th Kill no Vermin as Fleas, lice ticks &c in the Sight of Others, if you See any filth or thick Spittle put your foot Dexteriously upon it if it be upon the Cloths of your Companions, Put it off privately, and if it be upon your own Cloths return Thanks to him who puts it off
Chapter ii. 22. Gardez vous bié de vous arrester à tuër vne puce, ou quelque sale bestiole de cette espece, en presence de qui que a puisse estre. Que si quelque chose d’immòde vient à vous offenser la veuë, en regardant à terre, comme quelque crachat infect, ou quelque autre chose semblable, mettez le pied dessus. S’il en attache quelque’vne aux habits de celuy à qui vous parlez, ou voltige dessus, gardez vouz bien de la luy monstrer, ou à quelqu’autre personne; mais trauaillez autant que vous pourrez à l’oster adroitement. Et s’il arriue que quelqu’vn vous oblige tant que de vous défaire de quelque chose de semblable, faites luy paroistre vostre reconnoissance.
Do not stop to kill a flea, or other disgusting insect of the kind, in the presence of any one. If anything disgusting offends the sight on the ground, as phlegm, etc., put your foot on it. If it be on any garment of one to whom you are talking, do not show it to him or another, but do your best to remove it unobserved. If any one oblige you in a thing of that kind make him your acknowledgments.
14th. Turn not your Back to others especially in Speaking, Jog not the Table or Desk on which Another reads or writes lean not upon any one.
Chapter ii. 24. En la rencontre que l’on fait des personnes, quand on les entretient, c’est une chose malseante de leur tourner le dos & les épaules. C’est vne action impertinente de heurter la table ou d’ébranler le pupitre, dont vn autre se sert pour lire, ou pour écrire. C’est vne inciuilité de s’appuyer sur quelqu’vn, de tirer sa robbe, lors que l’on luy parle ou que l’on le peut entretenir.
When one meets people, it is very unbecoming in speaking to them to turn one’s back and shoulders to them. It is an impertinent action to knock against the table, or to shake the desk, which another person is using for reading or writing. It is uncivil to lean against any one, or to pluck his dress when speaking to him, or while entertaining him in conversation.
15th. Keep your Nails clean and Short, also your Hands and Teeth Clean, yet without Shewing any great Concern for them
Chapter ii. 25. Gardez vous bien de vous arrester en toute sorte de conuersation, à rajuster vostre rabat, ou à rehausser vos chausses pour les faire ioindre & en paroitre plus galaud. Que vos ongles ne soient point replis d’ordures, ny trop longs. Ayez grand soin de la netteté de vos mains; mais n’y recherchez point la volupté.
Hawkins: “without overmuch attendance thereon or curiosity.”
Take good care not to stop, in any sort of conversation, to adjust your bands, or to pull up your stockings to make them join so as to look more gallant. Do not let your nails be full of dirt or too long. Have a great regard for the cleanliness of your hands, but do not be finikin about it.
16th. Do not puff up the Cheeks, Loll not out the tongue rub the Hands, or beard, thrust out the lips, or bite them or keep the lips too open or too close.
Chapter ii. 26. C’est une vilainie de s’enfler les joües, de tirer la langue, de se manier la barbe, se frotter les mains, d’estendre ses levres ou les mordre, de les tenir trop serrées ou trop entrouuertes.
It is very low to puff out the cheeks, to put out the tongue, to pull one’s beard, rub one’s hands, poke out or bite the lips, or to keep them too tightly closed or too open.
17th. Be no Flatterer, neither Play with any that delights not to be Play’d Withal.
Chapter ii. 27. Ne flattez & n’amadoüez personne par belles paroles, car celui qui pretend d’en gagner un autre par les discours emmiellez, fait voir qu’il n’en a pas grande estime, & qu’il le tient pour peu sensé & adroit, dés qu’il le prend pour vn hõme que l’on peut ioüer en cette maniere: n’usez point de gausseries auprés d’vne personne qui s’en offense.
Do not flatter or wheedle any one with fair words, for he who aspires to gain another person by his honied words shows that he does not hold him in high esteem and that he deems him far from sensible or clever, in taking him for a man who may be tricked in this manner: do not play practical jokes on those who do not like it.
18th. Read no Letters, Books, or Papers in Company but when there is a Necessity for the doing of it you must ask leave: come not near the Books or Writings of Another so as to read them unless desired or give your opinion of them unask’d also look not nigh when another is writing a Letter
Chapter ii. 28. C’est vne action directement opposée à la bien-séance, de lire quelque livre, quelques lettres ou autres choses semblables dans vne conversation ordinaire, si ce n’est en vne affaire pressante, ou pour quelque peu de moments; & mesme encore en ce cas, est-il à propos d’en demander la permission, si vous n’estes, possible, le Superieur de la compagnie. C’est encore pis de manier les ouvrages des autres, leurs livres, & d’autres choses de cette nature, de s’y attacher, d’en approcher la veuë de plus prés, sans la permission de celuy à qui la chose appartient, aussi bien que de leur donner des loüanges, ou les censurer, auant que l’on vous en demande vostre sentiment; de s’approcher trop prés, & d’incommoder celuy de qui ou est voisin, lors qu’il prend la lecture de ses lettres ou de quelqu’-autre chose.
It is an act directly opposed to politeness to read a book, letters or anything else during ordinary conversation, if it be not a pressing matter, or only for a few moments, and even in that case it is proper to ask leave unless you are, possibly, the highest in rank of the company. It is even worse to handle other people’s work, their books or other things of that nature, to go close to them, to look at them closely without the permission of the owner, and also to praise or find fault with them before your opinion has been asked; to come too close to any one near by, when he is reading his letters or anything else.
19th let your Countenance be pleasant but in Serious Matters Somewhat grave
Chapter ii. 29. Que le visage ne paroisse point fantastique, changeant, égaré, rauy en admiration, couuert de tristesse, divers & volage, & ne fasse paroître aucun signe d’vn esprit inquiet: Au contraire, qu’il soil ouuert & tranquille, mais qu’il ne soit pas trop épanoüy de joye dans les affaires serieuses, ny trop retiré par vne grauité affectée dans la conversation ordinaire & familiere de la vie humaine.
The face should not look fantastic, changeable, absent, rapt in admiration, covered with sadness, various and volatile, and it should not show any signs of an unquiet mind. On the contrary, it should be open and tranquil, but not too expansive with joy in serious affairs, nor too self-contained by an affected gravity in the ordinary and familiar conversation of human life.
20th The Gestures of the Body must be Suited to the discourse you are upon
Hawkins i. 30. Let the gestures of thy body, be agreeable to the matter of thy discourse. For it hath been ever held a solaesime in oratory, to poynt to the Earth, when thou talkest of Heaven.
(The nearest Maxim to this is one directed against excessive and awkward gesticulation in speaking, in which it is said: “Parmy les discours regardez à mettre vostre corps en belle posture” (While speaking be careful to assume an elegant posture). 21st. Reproach none for the Infirmaties of Nature, nor Delight to Put them that have in mind thereof.)