Selected quad for the lemma: master_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
master_n	lord_n	servant_n	service_n	5,597	5	7.0128	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64778	The art of pleasing in conversation written by the famous Abbott Richlieu ; translated out of French.; Art de plaire dans la conversation	Vaumorière, M. de (Pierre Ortigue), 1610-1693.	1691 (1691)	Wing V161A; ESTC R29410	102,997	386

the plural in speaking to a single person perhaps to signifie to him that we esteem him as much as many others Addressing our selves to a person of ordinary rank yet we accost him with I pray you Sir whereas the ancient Romans said I pray thee Which way of speaking is still amongst some Nations The Turks who are so submissive to their Soveraigns whose mean Slaves they term themselves yet use these kind of expressions when they speak to him If thy Highness commands it c. And heretofore in Spain Amirante used the word thou in speaking to the King of Arragon and we see that the Subjects of most Princes speak in a quite different manner Amirante followed the Custom of his Country and we ought to obey the Custom of ours Lisidor I have observ'd in a Relation of the Court of Spain that there is still practis'd a thing very strange which is That a Lover who finds his Mistress in the Queen's prefence may entertain her with the same liberty which he might elsewhere Nay he takes that of being covered without offence his passion excuses all it must be supposed to be too violent to permit him to think of good manners The more faults it makes him commit the more it appears obliging to the person he loves Dorante I know not whether you have observ'd in the same Book one thing which is no less surprising Which is That the young Gentleman who make love to the Queen's Maids send them openly dishes of meat and without any scruple at every meal But we shall go too far should we examine the difference there is betweenourmanner of carriage and those of other Nations Let it content us in saying that among us we must salute persons accost them or receive them in the manner in use A French man who would scruple to say I am your most humble Servant because he felt in his Soul that there was no such thing would pass for a ridiculous Misanthropes Men do not take these words strictly and we commonly use them without thinking on what they signifie and whatever harshness there is in them it is softned by long Custom The exactest probity permits us to use them and when a man asks me how I do I may answer That I am in good health and ready to do him service without being obliged to attend him at that very moment and follow him to his house like his Servant That which Reason enjoyns us in these occasions is to use distinctions in the Civilities which decency obliges us to pay We must have regard to the age and the condition of persons and the state wherein they are and if we find them sick or busie the more ceremonies we use the more incommodious we make our selves We must cut short and shew our sentiments rather by some respectful Action than by tedious Compliments This proceeding shews that we know the world and he that shall do otherwise will pass for an imprudent person Moreover our civilities ought to be different according to the difference of places and Persons We see in the Palace Royal a politeness not to be met with in St. Dennis-street and in St. Dennis-street we hear not the quodlibers with which the Lawyers offend our ears The Officers of an Army nor M●●●strates do not love we should 〈◊〉 'em lose time in fruitless 〈◊〉 ●●●nies and a great Lord would not much relish the compliments made him by a Tradesman no more than a Master would be pleased with his Servants offers of service to him Lisidor It seems that the instruction I may draw hence is That in matter of Ceremonies we must be neither sparing nor prodigal If we make too few we may pass for uncivil and we become troublesom if we fall into the contrary extream Dorante In the difficulty there is of observing always a just Medium I think we should do 〈◊〉 if Ceremonies were entirely supprest our Fathers passed well enough without them and so should we likewise but it is a contagious Distemper which our Neighbours have introduced among us as well as others We cannot as I have already said be dispens'd from being subject to them It 's true we must never pass the bounds prescribed by Custom This were to proceed to such a Superfluity as Reason forbids and which Persons will not endure that hate to be sed with smoke and appearances Lisidor Although Men take pleasure to receive Respects yet they would be without doubt disgusted at those paid them that savour'd of Design or Artisice I suppose likewise that excessive praises cannot please Those who give them us have a strange opinion of us They take us for vain or credulous Persons and easie to be deceived Dorante I now told you that Persons of great leisure made more Ceremonies than People who are busied So that you will not be surprised when you shall see Ladies knowing enough in this Art to read Lessons to others They make Reverences to certain Persons Smiles to others and make their Servants keep an exact Register of the different Seats they must offer high and low Seats Chairs with and without Arms. Dorante had no sooner ended these words but he was interrupted by the noise of a Coach which entred into his Court. Here 's Erastus said he with joy You have heard he is the dearest of my Friends for you know all my concerns as well as I know yours And therefore have I not asked you any Nows of your Family As for Esastus notwithstanding the inequality there is in our Age yet we are I say the best Friends in the World You 'll see a man of excellent humour and I can assure you he will be no small help to you in the Companies whereinto you will go with him Lisidor But how know you so precisely that it is Erastus Dorante Because he enters without any notice given me and it is only he that claims that priviledge of me Immediately Erastus appear'd at the Garden-door and addressing himself to Dorante said Reckon not said he to him this visit made to you it is wholly to Lisidor suffer me to embrace him and to demand his Friendship In ending these words he addrest himself to the young Gentleman who had advanc'd towards him and having held him some small time in his Arms they spake both of them in few words what Civility requires at a first enterview I doubt not said Erastus but that you were on some agreeable matter of Conversation pray take it up again I need it to cure me of the head-ach which a very different Entertainment has giv'n me I prepare my self to hearken to you Dorante How to hearken You shall speak more than we if you please and therein we shall find our advantage Erastus I know how I shall find mine I come to sup with Lisidor I shall leave him as little as possible and if it be not fair that I should take him from you to night I hope you 'll not deny me