letters to his son, 1750-第11章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃To　this　whimsical　honor　it　is　owing　that　the　virtues　are　only　just　what　it　pleases；　it　adds　rules　of　its　own　invention　to　everything　prescribed　to　us；　it　extends　or　limits　our　duties　according　to　its　own　fancy；　whether　they　proceed　from　religion；　politics；　or　morality。

〃There　is　nothing　so　strongly　inculcated　in　monarchies；　by　the　laws；　by　religion；　and　honor；　as　submission　to　the　Prince's　will；　but　this　very　honor　tells　us；　that　the　Prince　never　ought　to　command　a　dishonorable　action；　because　this　would　render　us　incapable　of　serving　him。

〃Crillon　refused　to　assassinate　the　Duke　of　Guise；　but　offered　to　fight　him。　　After　the　massacre　of　St。　Bartholomew；　Charles　IX。；　having　sent　orders　to　the　governors　in　the　several　provinces　for　the　Huguenots　to　be　murdered；　Viscount　Dorte；　who　commanded　at　Bayonne；　wrote　thus　to　the　King：　'Sire；　Among　the　inhabitants　of　this　town；　and　your　Majesty's　troops；　I　could　not　find　so　much　as　one　executioner；　they　are　honest　citizens　and　brave　soldiers。　　We　jointly；　therefore；　beseech　your　Majesty　to　command　our　arms　and　lives　in　things　that　are　practicable。'　This　great　and　generous　soul　looked　upon　a　base　action　as　a　thing　impossible。

〃There　is　nothing　that　honor　more　strongly　recommends　to　the　nobility；　than　to　serve　their　Prince　in　a　military　capacity。　　And　indeed　this　is　their　favorite　profession；　because　its　dangers；　its　success；　and　even　its　miscarriages；　are　the　road　to　grandeur。　　Yet　this　very　law；　of　its　own　making；　honor　chooses　to　explain；　and　in　case　of　any　affront；　it　requires　or　permits　us　to　retire。

〃It　insists　also；　that　we　should　be　at　liberty　either　to　seek　or　to　reject　employments；　a　liberty　which　it　prefers　even　to　an　ample　fortune。

〃Honor；　therefore；　has　its　supreme　laws；　to　which　education　is　obliged　to　conform。　　The　chief　of　these　are；　that　we　are　permitted　to　set　a　value　upon　our　fortune；　but　are　absolutely　forbidden　to　set　any　upon　our　lives。

〃The　second　is；　that　when　we　are　raised　to　a　post　or　preferment；　we　should　never　do　or　permit　anything　which　may　seem　to　imply　that　we　look　upon　ourselves　as　inferior　to　the　rank　we　hold。

〃The　third　is；　that　those　things　which　honor　forbids　are　more　rigorously　forbidden；　when　the　laws　do　not　concur　in　the　prohibition；　and　those　it　commands　are　more　strongly　insisted　upon；　when　they　happen　not　to　be　commanded　by　law。〃


Though　our　government　differs　considerably　from　the　French；　inasmuch　as　we　have　fixed　laws　and　constitutional　barriers　for　the　security　of　our　liberties　and　properties；　yet　the　President's　observations　hold　pretty　near　as　true　in　England　as　in　France。　　Though　monarchies　may　differ　a　good　deal；　kings　differ　very　little。　　Those　who　are　absolute　desire　to　continue　so；　and　those　who　are　not；　endeavor　to　become　so；　hence　the　same　maxims　and　manners　almost　in　all　courts：　voluptuousness　and　profusion　encouraged；　the　one　to　sink　the　people　into　indolence；　the　other　into　povertyconsequently　into　dependence。　　The　court　is　called　the　world　here　as　well　as　at　Paris；　and　nothing　more　is　meant　by　saying　that　a　man　knows　the　world；　than　that　he　knows　courts。　　In　all　courts　you　must　expect　to　meet　with　connections　without　friendship；　enmities　without　hatred；　honor　without　virtue；　appearances　saved；　and　realities　sacrificed；　good　manners　with　bad　morals；　and　all　vice　and　virtues　so　disguised；　that　whoever　has　only　reasoned　upon　both　would　know　neither　when　he　first　met　them　at　court。　　It　is　well　that　you　should　know　the　map　of　that　country；　that　when　you　come　to　travel　in　it；　you　may　do　it　with　greater　safety。

From　all　this　you　will　of　yourself　draw　this　obvious　conclusion：　That　you　are　in　truth　but　now　going　to　the　great　and　important　school；　the　world；　to　which　Westminster　and　Leipsig　were　only　the　little　preparatory　schools；　as　Marylebone；　Windsor；　etc。；　are　to　them。　　What　you　have　already　acquired　will　only　place　you　in　the　second　form　of　this　new　school；　instead　of　the　first。　　But　if　you　intend；　as　I　suppose　you　do；　to　get　into　the　shell；　you　have　very　different　things　to　learn　from　Latin　and　Greek：　and　which　require　much　more　sagacity　and　attention　than　those　two　dead　languages；　the　language　of　pure　and　simple　nature；　the　language　of　nature　variously　modified　and　corrupted　by　passions；　prejudices；　and　habits；　the　language　of　simulation　and　dissimulation：　very　hard；　but　very　necessary　to　decipher。　　Homer　has　not　half　so　many；　nor　so　difficult　dialects；　as　the　great　book　of　the　school　you　are　now　going　to。　　Observe；　therefore；　progressively；　and　with　the　greatest　attention；　what　the　best　scholars　in　the　form　immediately　above　you　do；　and　so　on；　until　you　get　into　the　shell　yourself。　　Adieu。

Pray　tell　Mr。　Harte　that　I　have　received　his　letter　of　the　27th　May；　N。　S。；　and　that　I　advise　him　never　to　take　the　English　newswriters　literally；　who　never　yet　inserted　any　one　thing　quite　right。　　I　have　both　his　patent　and　his　mandamus；　in　both　which　he　is　Walter；　let　the　newspapers　call　him　what　they　please。




LETTER　CXVII

LONDON；　July　9；　O。　S。　　1750。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　I　should　not　deserve　that　appellation　in　return　from　you；　if　I　did　not　freely　and　explicitly　inform　you　of　every　corrigible　defect　which　I　may　either　hear　of；　suspect；　or　at　any　time　discover　in　you。　Those　who；　in　the　common　course　of　the　world；　will　call　themselves　your　friends；　or　whom；　according　to　the　common　notions　of　friendship；　you　may　possibly　think　such；　will　never　tell　you　of　your　faults；　still　less　of　your　weaknesses。　　But；　on　the　contrary；　more　desirous　to　make　you　their　friend；　than　to　prove　themselves　yours；　they　will　flatter　both；　and；　in　truth；　not　be　sorry　for　either。　　Interiorly；　most　people　enjoy　the　inferiority　of　their　best　friends。　　The　useful　and　essential　part　of　friendship；　to　you；　is　reserved　singly　for　Mr。　Harte　and　myself：　our　relations　to　you　stand　pure　and　unsuspected　of　all　private　views。　In　whatever　we　say　to　you；　we　can　have　no　interest　but　yours。　　We　are　therefore　authorized　to　represent；　advise；　and　remonstrate；　and　your　reason　must　tell　you　that　you　ought　to　attend　to　and　believe　us。

I　am　credibly　informed；　that　there　is　still　a　considerable　hitch　or　hobble　in　your　enunciation；　and　that　when　you　speak　fast　you　sometimes　speak　unintelligibly。　　I　have　formerly　and　frequently　laid　my　thoughts　before　you　so　fully　upon　this　subject；　that　I　can　say　nothing　new　upon　it　now。　　I　must　therefore　only　repeat；　that　your　whole　depends　upon　it。　Your　trade　is　to　speak　well；　both　in　public　and　in　private。　　The　manner　of　your　speaking　is　full　as　important　as　the　matter；　as　more　people　have　ears　to　be　tickled；　than　understandings　to　judge。　　Be　your　productions　ever　so　good；　they　will　be　of　no　use；　if　you　stifle　and　strangle　them　in　their　birth。　　The　best　compositions　of　Corelli；　if　ill　executed　and　played　out　of　tune；　instead　of　touching；　as　they　do　when　well　performed；　would　only　excite　the　indignation　of　the　hearer's；　when　murdered　by　an　unskillful　performer。　　But　to　murder　your　own　productions；　and　that　'coram　Populo'；　is　a　MEDEAN　CRUELTY；　which　Horace　absolutely　forbids。　Remember　of　what　importance　Demosthenes；　and　one　of　the　Gracchi；　thought　ENUNCIATION；　and　read　what　stress　Cicero　and　Quintilian　lay　upon　it；　even　the　herb…women　at　Athens　were　correct　judges　of　it。　　Oratory；　with　all　its　graces；　that　of　enunciation　in　particular；　is　full　as　necessary　in　our　government　as　it　ever　was　in　Greece　or　Rome。　　No　man　can　make　a　fortune　or　a　figure　in　this　country；　without　speaking；　and　speaking　well　in　public。　　If　you　will　persuade；　you　must　first　please；　and　if　you　will　please；　you　must　tune　your　voice　to　harmony；　you　must　articulate　every　syllable　distinctly；　your　emphasis　and　cadences　must　be　strongly　and　properly　marked；　and　the　whole　together　must　be　graceful　and　engaging：　If　you　do　not　speak　in　that　manner；　you　had　much　better　not　speak　at　all。　All　the　learning　you　have；　or　ever　can　have；　is　not　worth　one　groat　without　it。　　It　may　be　a　comfort　and　an　amusement　to　you　in　your　closet；　but　can　be　of　no　use　to　you　in　the　world。　　Let　me　conjure　you；　therefore；　to　make　this　your　only　object；　till　you　have　absolutely　conquered　it；　for　that　is　in　your　power；　think　of　nothing　else；　read　and　speak　for　nothing　else。　　Read　aloud；　though　alone；　and　read　articulately　and　distinctly；　as　if　you　were　reading　in　public；　and　on　the　most　important　occasion。　　Recite　pieces　of　eloquence；　declaim　scenes　of　tragedies　to　Mr。　Harte；　as　if　he　were　a　numerous　audience。　　If　there　is　any　particular　consonant　which　you　have　a　difficulty　in　articulating；　as　I　think　you　had　with　the　R；　utter　it　millions　and　millions　of　times；　till　you　have　uttered　it　right。　　Never　speak　quick；　till　you　have　first　learned　to　speak　well。　　In　short；　lay　aside　every　book；　and　every　thought；　that　does　not　directly　tend　to　this　great　object；　absolutely　decisive　of　your　future　fortune　and　figure。

The　next　thing　necessary　in　your　destination；　is　writing　correctly；　elegantly；　and　in　a　good　hand　too；　in　which　three　particulars；　I　am　sorry　to　tell　you；　that　you　hitherto　fail。　　Your　handwriting　is　a　very　bad　one；　and　would　make　a　scurvy　figure　in　an　office…book　of　letters；　or　even　in　a　lady's　pocket…book。　　But　that　fault　is　easily　cured　by　care；　since　every　man；　who　has　the　use　of　his　eyes　and　of　his　right　hand；　can　write　whatever　hand　he　pleases。　　As　to　the　correctness　and　elegance　of　your　writing；　attention　to　grammar　does　the　one；　and　to　the　best　authors　the　other。　　In　your　letter　to　me　of　the　27th　June；　N。　S。；　you　omitted　the　date　of　the　place；　so　that　I　only　conjectured　from　the　contents　that　you　were　at　Rome。

Thus　I　have；　with　the　truth　and　freedom　of　the　tenderest　affection；　told　you　all　your　defects；　at　least　all　that　I　know　or　have　heard　of。　　Thank　God；　they　are　all　very　curable；　they　must　be　cured；　and　I　am　sure；　you　will　cure　them。　　That　once　done；　nothing　remains　for　you　to　acquire；　or　for　me　to　wish　you；　but　the　turn；　the　manners；　the　address；　and　the　GRACES；　of　the　polite　world；　which　experience；　observation；　and　good　company；　will　insensibly　give　you。　　Few　people　at　your　age　have　read；　seen；　and　known；　so　much　as　you　have；　and　consequently　few　are　so　near　as　yourself　to　what　I　call　perfection；　by　which　I　only；　mean　being　very　near　as　well　as　the　best。　　Far；　therefore；　from　being　discouraged　by　what　you　still　want；　what　you　already　have　should　encourage　you　to　attempt；　and　convince　you　that　by　attempting　you　will　inevitably　obtain　it。　　The　difficulties　which　you　have　surmounted　were　much　greater　than　any　you　have　now　to　encounter。　　Till　very　lately；　your　way　has　been　only　through　thorns　and　briars；　the　few　that　now　remain　are　mixed　with　roses。　Pleasure　is　now　the　principal　remaining　part　of　your　education。　　It　will　soften　and　polish　your　manners；　it　will　make　you　pursue　and　at　last　overtake　the　GRACES。　　Pleasure　is　necessarily　reciprocal；　no　one　feels；　who　does　not　at　the　same　time　give　it。　　To　be　pleased　one　must　please。　What　pleases　you　in　others；　will　in　general　please　them　in　you。　　Paris　is　indisputably　the　seat　of　the　GRACES；　they　will　even　court　you；　if　you　are　not　too　coy。　　Frequent　and　observe　the　best　companies　there；　and　you　will　soon　be　naturalized　among　them；　you　will　soon　find　how　particularly　attentive　they　are　to　the　correctness　and　elegance　of　their　language；