Page:Works of the Late Doctor Benjamin Franklin (1793).djvu/190

180 whiſtle, nor look at your watch, nor take up a book to read, nor make a tapping with your feet on the floor, or with your fingers on the table, nor do any thing that may diſturb his attention. For all theſe things diſpleaſe; and they do not mew your ſkill in playing, but your craftineſs or your rudeneſs.

Fifthly, You ought not to endeavour to amuſe and deceive your adverſary, by pretending to have made bad moves, and ſaying that you have now loſt the game, in order to make him ſecure and careleſs, and inattentive to your ſchemes: for this is fraud and deceit, not ſkill in the game. Sixthly, You muſt not, when you have gained a victory, uſe any triumphing or inſulting expreſſion, nor ſhow too much pleaſure; but endeavour to conſole your adverſary, and make him leſs diſſatisfied with himſelf, by every kind of civil expreſſion that may be uſed with truth, ſuch as, "You underſtand the game better than I, but you are a little inattentive;" or, "you play too faſt;" or, "you had the beſt of the game, but ſomething happened to divert your thoughts, and that turned it in my favour."

Seventhly, If you are a ſpectator while others play, obſerve the moſt perfect ſilence. For if you give advice, you offend both parties; him againſt whom you give it, becauſe it may cauſe the loſs of his game; him in whoſe favour you give it, becauſe, though it be good, and he follows it, he loſes the pleaſure he might have had, if you had permitted him to think until it had occurred to himſelf. Even after a move, or moves, you muſt not, by replacing the pieces, ſhow how it might have been placed better: for that diſpleaſes, and may occaſion diſputes and doubts about their true ſituation. All talking to the players leſſens or diverts their attention, and