Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/25

 FAMILIAB COLLOQUIES. FORMS OF SALUTATION. AT THE FIRST MEETING. A certain person teaches, and not without reason, that we should salute freely. For a courteous and kind salutation oftentimes engages friendship, and reconciles persons at vai'iance, and does undoubtedly nourish and increase a mutual benevolence. There are, indeed, some persons that are such churls, and of so clownish a disposition, that if you salute them, they will scarcely salute you again. But this vice is in some persons rather the effect of their education, than their natural disposition. It is a piece of civility to salute those that come in your way; either such as come to us, or those that we go to speak with. And in like manner such as are about any sort of work, either at supper, or that yawn, or hiccup, or sneeze, or cough. But it is the part of a man that is civil even to an extreme, to salute one that belches or breaks Avind backward. But he is uncivilly civil that salutes, one that is making water or easing nature. God save you, father ; God save you, little mother ; God save you, brother ; God save you, my worthy master ; God save you heartily, uncle ; God save you, sweet cousin. It is courteous to make use of a title of relation or affinity, unless when it carries something of a reflection along with it ; then indeed it is better not to use such titles, though proper, but rather some that are more engaging, as when we call a mother-in-law, mother ; a son- in-law, son ; a father-in-law, father ; a sister's husband, brother ; a brother's wife, sister. And the same we should do in titles, either of age or office. For it will be more acceptable to salute an ancient man by the name of father or venerable sir, than by the surname of age ; although in ancient times they used to make ise of Jj ytpov as an honourable title. God save you, lieutenant ; God save you, captain ; but not, God save you, hosier or shoemaker. God save you, youth, or young man. Old men salute young men that are strangers to them by the name of sons, and young men again salute them by the name of fathers or sirs. A MORE AFFECTIONATE SALUTATION BETWEEN LOVERS. God save you, my little Cornelia, my life, my light, my delight, my sweetheart, my only pleasure, my little heart, my hope, my comfort, my glory. EITHER FOR THE SAKE OF HONOUR, OR OTHERWISE. Sal. O master, God bless you. Ans. Oh ! good sir, I wish you the same. Sal. God bless you, most accomplished and most famous sir. God bless you again and again, thou glory of learning. God save you heartily, my very good friend. God save you, my Mecsenas. Ans. God save A