George Washington's Rules of Civility Traced to their Sources and Restored by Moncure D. Conway
Chapter vii. 35. Vostre maintien soit d'homme moderément graue,
posé, & attentif a ce qui se dit, afin de n'auoir pas à dire à tout propos: _Comment ditez-vous? comment se passe cela? je ne vous ay pas entendu_, & d'autres semblables niaiseries.
33. Ne contredictes pas a tout bout de champ, à ce que disent les autres, en contestant & disant: Il n'est pas ainsi, la chose est comme je la dy; mais rapportez-vous en à l'opinion des autres principalement dans les choses, qui sont de peu de consequence.
35. Let your bearing be that of a moderately grave, serious man, and attentive to what is said so as to avoid having to say every moment: _'How did that happen? I did not understand you,'_--and other similar foolish remarks.
33. Do not continually contradict what others say, by disputing and saying: 'That is not the case, it is as I say;' but defer to the opinion of others, especially in matters of small consequence.
88th. Be not tedious in Discourse, make not many Digressions, nor repeat often the Same manner of Discourse