The Twelve Good Rules

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIV, Issue 7, 15 February 1906, Page 27

The Twelve Good Rules

Do young folks nowadays read Goldsmith's 'Deserted Village ' ? (says the ' Aye Maria ') And if they do, are they as insistent in hunting up the explanation of unusual words and phrases, historical allusions illustrative figures, and other knotty matters, as were the boys and girls of a generation or two ago ? For instance, what did the poet mean by the first half of this line— The twelve good rules, the royal game of goose ? The second half was, of course, plain enough : ' fox and geese ' was a popular game half a century ago ■ but what were the l twelve good rules ' ? It took considerable tame and much searching to discover that the rules in question, ascribed to Charles I. of England, were : 1. Urge no health. 2. Profane no divine ordinances. 3. Touch no State matters. 4. Reveal no secrets. 5 Pick no quarrels. ,% Make no comparisons. 7. Maintain no ill opinions. 8. Keep no bad company. 9 Encourage no vice. 10. Make no long meals. 11. Repeat no grievances. 12. Lay no wagers.