Advice to Girls

 　　Mark Twain delivered this speech on June 9, 1909, at the graduation ceremony of Misses Tewksbury's School in Baltimore, Maryland. Frances Nunnally was graduating and he had promised to attend her graduation. They met on board the Minneapolis during Twain's 1907 trip to England to receive an honorary degree from Oxford¹ University and she became a member of his Aquarium² Club. Twain's brief remarks at her graduation was his last public speech.

　　I don't know what to tell you girls to do. Mr. Martin has told you everything you ought to do, and now I must give you some don'ts.

　　There are three things which come to my mind which I consider excellent advice:

　　First, girls, don't smoke -- that is, don't smoke to excess³. I am seventy-three and a half years old, and have been smoking seventy-three of them. But I never smoke to excess -- that is, I smoke in moderation, only one cigar at a time.

　　Second, don't drink -- that is, don't drink to excess.

　　Third, don't marry -- I mean, to excess.

　　Honesty is the best policy. That is an old proverb; but you don't want ever to forget it in your journey through life.

1 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

2 aquarium   

n.水族馆，养鱼池，玻璃缸

参考例句：

• The first time I saw seals was in an aquarium.我第一次看见海豹是在水族馆里。
• I'm going to the aquarium with my parents this Sunday.这个星期天，我要和父母一起到水族馆去。

3 excess   

n.过量，过度；超越；adj.过量的，附加的

参考例句：

• He advised his son never to spend in excess of his income.他劝儿子开支不可超过收入。
• You're too fat;try and run off all those excess pounds.你太胖了，要跑跑步减肥。