Now，formypart，Ihadratherbetroublesomeandindiscreetthanaflattererandadissembler。IconfessthattheremaybesomemixtureofprideandobstinacyinkeepingmyselfsouprightandopenasIdo，withoutanyconsiderationofothers;andmethinksIamalittletoofree，whereIoughtleasttobeso，andthatIgrowhotbytheoppositionofrespect;anditmaybealso，thatIsuffermyselftofollowthepropensionofmyownnatureforwantofart;usingthesameliberty，speech，andcountenancetowardsgreatpersons，thatIbringwithmefrommyownhouse:Iamsensiblehowmuchitdeclinestowardsincivilityandindiscretionbut，besidesthatIamsobred，Ihavenotawitsuppleenoughtoevadeasuddenquestion，andtoescapebysomeevasion，nortofeignatruth，normemoryenoughtoretainitsofeigned;nor，truly，assuranceenoughtomaintainit，andsoplaythebraveoutofweakness。
AndthereforeitisthatIabandonmyselftocandour，alwaystospeakasIthink，bothbycomplexionanddesign，leavingtheeventtofortune。
Aristippuswaswonttosay，thattheprincipalbenefithehadextractedfromphilosophywasthathespokefreelyandopenlytoall。
Memoryisafacultyofwonderfuluse，andwithoutwhichthejudgmentcanveryhardlyperformitsoffice:formypartIhavenoneatall。Whatanyonewillpropoundtome，hemustdoitpiecemeal，fortoansweraspeechconsistingofseveralheadsIamnotable。Icouldnotreceiveacommissionbywordofmouthwithoutanote—book。AndwhenIhaveaspeechofconsequencetomake，ifitbelong，Iamreducedtothemiserablenecessityofgettingbyheartwordforword，whatIamtosay;
Ishouldotherwisehaveneithermethodnorassurance，beinginfearthatmymemorywouldplaymeaslipperytrick。Butthiswayisnolessdifficulttomethantheother;Imusthavethreehourstolearnthreeverses。Andbesides，inaworkofaman’sown，thelibertyandauthorityofalteringtheorder，ofchangingaword，incessantlyvaryingthematter，makesithardertostickinthememoryoftheauthor。ThemoreImistrustittheworseitis;itservesmebestbychance;Imustsolicititnegligently;forifIpressit，’tisconfused，andafteritoncebeginstostagger，themoreIsoundit，themoreitisperplexed;