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 3. You must  abstain  from  certain  jests  and  jocose  remarks on  the  real  and  known  defects  of  others;  for  such jokes offend  the  persons  to  whom  they  are  applied.

4. You  must  never  utter  a  word  of  self-praise;  when you are  praised  by  others,  you  must  raise  your  heart  to God,  and  change  the  subject  of  conversation;  and  when you are  contradicted  or  ridiculed,  you  must  not  be  angry. Whenever the  companions  of  St.  John  Francis  Regis made him  the  subject  of  their  jests  at  recreation,  he  endeavored with  great  good-humor  to  keep  up  the  conversation, that,  by  being  the  object  of  their  laughter,  he might  contribute  to  their  amusement.

5. You  must  speak  always  in  a  low  tone,  and  never  in such  a  manner  as  to  offend  the  ears  of  others. " Let  no one,"  says  St. Ambrose, "offend  by  too  loud  a  voice."

6. You  must  observe  modesty  and  moderation  in laughter. St. Gregory  relates,  that  the  Mother  of  God appeared once  to  a  devout  virgin  called  Musa,  and  told her that,  if  she  wished  to  please  her,  she  must  restrain immoderate laughter. " They  who  seek  after  piety," says St.  Basil,  "must  take  care  not  to  pour  forth  their souls  in  laughter." All that  aspire  to  perfection  should avoid excessive  laughter. Moderate laughter,  which shows the  serenity  of  the  soul,  is  neither  a  violation  of decorum  nor  opposed  to  devotion. A religious  should always present  an  appearance  of  modesty  and  devotion, but not  of  sadness  and  melancholy. By appearing  sad and afflicted  she  dishonors  religion,  and  gives  all  who behold her  to  understand  that  sanctity,  instead  of  infusing peace  and  joy,  fills  the  soul  with  sorrow  and  melancholy. But by  a  cheerful  countenance  she  encourages others  to  the  practice  of  piety. Two courtiers  of  a certain  monarch,  having  witnessed  the  joy  with  which