[LAURENT BORDELON]. The Management of the Tongue. Under the Following Heads. 1. Of Conversation. 2. The Babbler. 3. The Silent Man. 4. The Witty Man. 5. The Droll. 6. The Jester. 7. The Disputer. 8. The Opiniater. 9. The Heedless and Inconsiderate Man. 10. The Complimenter. 11. The Man, who praises others. 12. The Flatterer. 13. The Lyar. 14. The Boaster. 15. The Ill Tongue. 16. The Swearer. 17. The Promiser. 18. The Novelist. 19. The Tale-Bearer. 20. The Adviser. 21. The Reprover. 22. The Instructer. 23. The Man, who trusts others, or is trusted with a Secret. 24. The Tongue of Women. 25. The Language of Love. 26. The Complainer. 27. The Comforter. Done out of French. London: Printed by D. L. for H. Rhodes, at the Star, the corner of Bride-Lane in Fleet Street, 1707.
THE SECOND EDITION, CORRECTED. Leather-bound; hardcover; octavo (20 x 12.5 x 2.5 cm); pp. [18], 272. English text. Bound in contemporary panelled calf; initial and terminal blanks; occasional printed footnotes. Condition: FAIR. Lacking three leaves of the table but otherwise complete. Binding secure with rubbing to the joints, spine ends, and points, resulting in losses. Interior lightly and variously toned, with some odd spots and light marginal stains. Inking to the endpapers, modern and old, with 18th-century ownership inscriptions to front endpaper and a5 verso.
Notes: A rare moral treatise on conversation etiquette and speech ethics, originally written in French by Laurent Bordelon. The work looks at twenty-seven types of speakers and behaviours - ranging from the witty to the malicious - to promote virtuous, prudent communication and warn against conversational vices, acting as a guide to social conduct, detailing specific archetypes such as the "Babbler," "Disputer," and "Flatterer," often providing advice on how to behave appropriately in conversation. It focuses on ethical communication, covering everything from managing flattery to the proper way to handle secrets and complaints. It also addresses interpersonal dynamics, such as the "Tale-Bearer" and "Comforter," examining how speech affects both the speaker and the listener. ESTC T120734.
