I have added a new post to the Copy Book, A Word of Advice.
Ben Jonson, the playwright and friend of William Shakespeare, left behind at his death in 1637 a diary of thoughts on a variety of subjects, from personal morality to literary criticism. In this short extract, he reflects on what is required of anyone who offers advice to others. A counsellor, he said, must have a well-deserved reputation for absolute honesty; he must never talk down to the person he is advising; he must not offer advice on the spur of the moment; and he must be wary of advising people he does not know well.