XXXIV

Let not thy breeches be too tight, or hang too loose about thy thighs, like the trunk-hose of our ancestors. ⸺⁠A just medium prevents all conclusions. Whatever thou hast to say, be it more or less, forget not to utter it in a low soft tone of voice. Silence, and whatever approaches it, weaves dreams of midnight secrecy into the brain: For this cause, if thou canst help it, never throw down the tongs and poker. Avoid all kinds of pleasantry and facetiousness in thy discourse with her, and do whatever lies in thy power at the same time, to keep from her all books and writings which tend thereto: there are some devotional tracts, which if thou canst entice her to read over⁠—it will be well: but suffer her not to look into Rabelais , or Scarron , or Don Quixote ⁠⸺⁠ ⸺⁠They are all books which excite laughter; and thou knowest, dear Toby , that there is no passion so serious as lust. Stick a pin in the bosom of thy shirt, before thou enterest her parlour. And if thou art permitted to sit upon the same sofa with her, and she gives thee occasion to lay thy hand upon hers⁠—beware of taking it⁠⸺⁠thou canst not lay thy hand on hers, but she will feel the temper of thine. Leave that and as many other things as thou canst, quite undetermined; by so doing, thou wilt have her curiosity on thy side; and if she is not conquered by that, and thy Asse continues still kicking, which there is great reason to