understand that this extends even to communications which have already been opened by the person for whom they are intended. That is, that the fact of letters, etc., being un- sealed and open, does not by any means give you the right to read them. Not only must you not take letters from the trunks, desks, or boxes of their owners, in order to read them, but when you find letters lying open upon a table, for example, or the floor, you must scrupulously avoid satisfy- ing your curiosity as to their contents. If you want to find the owner of a letter thus found, you can generally do so by looking at the address or possibly the signature, but beyond that you must never permit yourself to go. This rule ap- plies also to unfinished letters which your companions may have left within your reach ; you must on no account read them, and furthermore, you must never look over the shoul- der of a person who is writing or reading a letter — this latter being, to say the least of it, an unpardonable rudeness. Another most contemptible habit is that of prying about among things of whatever kind which belong to other peo- ple. To open drawers, trunks, boxes, etc., to search in pock- ets, private books, or similar receptacles ; in short, to take any sly or unfair means to possess yourself of information to which you have no right, is so evidently wrong that I am sure it is only necessary to call your attention to it, for you can see, without any explanation from me, how ignoble such conduct is. 92 ON HABITS AND MANNERS Again, if by any chance you become the possessor of in- formation which was not intended for you, your only proper course is to keep scrupulously silent about it ; and in this connection I want to say something to you about the too common practice of reckless gossiping about other people's affairs. I have told you before that it is always best to be careful as to what you say, or listen to, about your neighbors, and again I must remind you that scandal (which usually means repeating unpleasant and harmful stories which may or may not be true, about your acquaintances) is always to be avoided, because it is almost inevitably injurious both to the subjects of it and to those who talk it. Try to think and speak well of your neighbors when- ever it is possible, dwelling always rather upon their virtues than their faults, for "charity covereth a multitude of sins," and charity means to love one's neighbor as one's self. Do not gossip or talk carelessly or much about other people's affairs, there are other subjects better worth talking and thinking of, and except in cases where you are able to give advice or assistance it is best for you to remember that usu- ally it is wise and kind to mind one's own business. You will understand that, used in this sense, "minding your own business" does not imply that you are to be selfishly wrapped up in your own affairs, but simply that you are to permit to others the same freedom from interference which you desire for yourself. ON HABITS AND MANNERS 93

AI-modernized reading of the original text

understand that this extends even to communications which have already been opened by the person for whom they are intended. That is, that the fact of letters, etc., being unsealed and open, does not by any means give you the right to read them. Not only must you not take letters from the trunks, desks, or boxes of their owners, in order to read them, but when you find letters lying open upon a table, for example, or the floor, you must scrupulously avoid satisfying your curiosity as to their contents. If you want to find the owner of a letter thus found, you can generally do so by looking at the address or possibly the signature, but beyond that you must never permit yourself to go. This rule applies also to unfinished letters which your companions may have left within your reach ; you must on no account read them, and furthermore, you must never look over the shoulder of a person who is writing or reading a letter — this latter being, to say the least of it, an unpardonable rudeness. Another most contemptible habit is that of prying about among things of whatever kind which belong to other people. To open drawers, trunks, boxes, etc., to search in pockets, private books, or similar receptacles ; in short, to take any sly or unfair means to possess yourself of information to which you have no right, is so evidently wrong that I am sure it is only necessary to call your attention to it, for you can see, without any explanation from me, how ignoble such conduct is. Again, if by any chance you become the possessor of information which was not intended for you, your only proper course is to keep scrupulously silent about it ; and in this connection I want to say something to you about the too common practice of reckless gossiping about other people's affairs. I have told you before that it is always best to be careful as to what you say, or listen to, about your neighbors, and again I must remind you that scandal (which usually means repeating unpleasant and harmful stories which may or may not be true, about your acquaintances) is always to be avoided, because it is almost inevitably injurious both to the subjects of it and to those who talk it. Try to think and speak well of your neighbors whenever it is possible, dwelling always rather upon their virtues than their faults, for "charity covereth a multitude of sins," and charity means to love one's neighbor as one's self. Do not gossip or talk carelessly or much about other people's affairs, there are other subjects better worth talking and thinking of, and except in cases where you are able to give advice or assistance it is best for you to remember that usually it is wise and kind to mind one's own business. You will understand that, used in this sense, "minding your own business" does not imply that you are to be selfishly wrapped up in your own affairs, but simply that you are to permit to others the same freedom from interference which you desire for yourself.

On habits and manners