The babbler's audience

LOQUACITY is a looseness or intemperance of speech. A pratling fellow is he, who saith to him with whom he discourseth, whatsoever hee beginneth to say, anticipates him; That hee knoweth all already, and that the other saith nothing to purpose; and that if he will apply him sef to him, he shall understand somewhat: Then interrupting him, Take heed, saith he, that you forget not that you would say, etc. You do well that you have cald it to mind, etc. How necessary and usefull a thing confidence is! There's something that I have omitted now, etc. You apprehend it very readily, etc. I did expect that we should thus jump together, etc. And seeking the like occasions of pratling and verbosity, permitteth them no truce nor breathing time with whom he discourseth. And when he hath killed these, then he assaulteth fresh men in troops, when they are many assembled together. And those, being seriously imployed, he wearies, tires, and puts to flight. Coming into Plays, and wrestling places, he keepeth the boys from learning; pratling with their Masters: and if any offer to go away, he followeth them to their houses. If any thing done publickly be known to him, he will report as private. Then he will tell you of the warre, when Aristophanes that noble Orator lived: or he will tell you a long tedious tale of that battaile which was fought by the Lacedemonians under Lysander their Generall: and, if ever he spake well publickly himselfe, that must come in too. And thus speaking, he inveigheth against the giddy multitude; and that so lamely, and with such torment to the hearers; as that one desireth the art of oblivion; another sleeps; a third gives him over in the plain field. In conclusion, whether he sit in judgment (except he sit alone) or if he behold any sports, or if he sit at table; he vexeth his Pew-fellow with his vile, impertinent, importunate prattle: for it is a hell to him to be silent. A secret in his brest, is a cole in his mouth. A Swallow in a chimney makes not such a noise. And, so his humour be advanced, he's contented to be flouted by his very boyes, which jear him to his face; entreating him, when they goe to bed, to talk them asleep.