George Washington's Rules of Civility: Traced to their Sources and Restored by Moncure D. ConwayWashington, George
History
George Washington's Rules of Civility: Traced to their Sources and Restored by Moncure D. Conway
Washington, George
Etiquette
Chapter vi. 7. Si vous promenez auec vne personne seule dans la
maison, & qu'il soil d'vne conditiõ qui luy fasse meriter quelque
deference, dés le premier pas de la promenade, ne manquez pas de
luy donner la droite: Ne cessez point de marcher, s'il ne vient à
s'arrester: Ne changez pas le premier le diuertissement, & en vous
tournant, ne luy montrez iamais les épaules; mais tousiours le
visage. Si elle est dans vne charge releuée, gardez bien de marcher
d'vn pas tout à fait égal; mais suiuez tant soit pen derriere, auec
tant de iustesse pourtant & de moderatiõ, qu'elle vous puisse bien
parler sans s'incõmoder. Si elle vous est égale allez d'un mesme
pas tout le long de la promenade, & ne tournez pas tovsiours le
premier, à chaque bout de champ; ne faites pas si souuent des
pauses au milieu du chemin sans suiet. Car cette liberté ressent
sa grandeur & donne du mécontentement. Celuy qui tient le milieu
dans vne compagnie dont il est enuironné, si ceux qui la composent,
sont égaux, ou presque égaux, il se doit tourner vne fois à droit
dans la promenade, & s'ils se rencontrent notablement inegaux, il
se doit plus souuent tourner vers le plus qualifié. Enfin que ceux
qui l'enuironnent, viennent tousiours à se détourner de son costé &
en mesme temps que luy, non point deuant ny apres; puis qu'il est
comme le but de la promenade.
If you are walking about the house alone with a person whose rank
demands some deference, at the very first step be sure and give him
the right hand: Do not stop walking if he does not wish to stop: Be
not the first to change the diversion, and, in turning, never show
him your shoulder but always your face. If he has a high public
appointment take care not to walk quite side by side with him but a
very little behind him with so much exactness and moderation that
he may be able to speak to you without inconvenience. If he is your
equal in rank, keep step with him during the whole walk, and do not
always turn first at every end of the walk. Do not stop often
midway without reason, such liberty touches his dignity and gives
dissatisfaction. He who is the centre of the company by whom he is
surrounded ought, if those of whom it consists are equal or nearly
equal in rank, always to turn to the right once during the walk,
and if they are manifestly unequal, he should oftenest turn towards
the most distinguished. Lastly those who are about him should
always turn round towards his side and at the same time as he,
neither before nor after, as he is, so to say, the object of the
walk.
58th. let your conversation be without malice or envy, for 'tis a sign
of a tractable and commendable nature: & in all causes of passion admit
reason to govern
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