letters to his son, 1750-第12章

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elegance　of　their　language；　and　to　the　graces　of　their　enunciation：　they　would　even　call　the　understanding　of　a　man　in　question；　who　should　neglect　or　not　know　the　infinite　advantages　arising　from　them。　　'Narrer；　reciter；　declamer　bien'；　are　serious　studies　among　them；　and　well　deserve　to　be　so　everywhere。　The　conversations；　even　among　the　women；　frequently　turn　upon　the　elegancies　and　minutest　delicacies　of　the　French　language。　　An　'enjouement'；　a　gallant　turn；　prevails　in　all　their　companies；　to　women；　with　whom　they　neither　are；　nor　pretend　to　be；　in　love；　but　should　you　（as　may　very　possibly　happen）　fall　really　in　love　there　with　some　woman　of　fashion　and　sense　（for　I　do　not　suppose　you　capable　of　falling　in　love　with　a　strumpet）；　and　that　your　rival；　without　half　your　parts　or　knowledge；　should　get　the　better　of　you；　merely　by　dint　of　manners；　'enjouement；　badinage'；　etc。；　how　would　you　regret　not　having　sufficiently　attended　to　those　accomplishments　which　you　despised　as　superficial　and　trifling；　but　which　you　would　then　find　of　real　consequence　in　the　course　of　the　world！　　And　men；　as　well　as　women；　are　taken　by　those　external　graces。　　Shut　up　your　books；　then；　now　as　a　business；　and　open　them　only　as　a　pleasure；　but　let　the　great　book　of　the　world　be　your　serious　study；　read　it　over　and　over；　get　it　by　heart；　adopt　its　style；　and　make　it　your　own。

When　I　cast　up　your　account　as　it　now　stands；　I　rejoice　to　see　the　balance　so　much　in　your　favor；　and　that　the　items　per　contra　are　so　few；　and　of　such　a　nature；　that　they　may　be　very　easily　cancelled。　　By　way　of　debtor　and　creditor；　it　stands　thus：

Creditor。　　　By　French　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Debtor。　To　English　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　German　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Enunciation　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Italian　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Manners　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Latin　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Greek　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Logic　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Ethics　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　History　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　｜Naturae　　　　　　　　　　　　Jus　｜Gentium　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　｜Publicum

This；　my　dear　friend；　is　a　very　true　account；　and　a　very　encouraging　one　for　you。　　A　man　who　owes　so　little　can　clear　it　off　in　a　very　little　time；　and；　if　he　is　a　prudent　man；　will；　whereas　a　man　who；　by　long　negligence；　owes　a　great　deal；　despairs　of　ever　being　able　to　pay；　and　therefore　never　looks　into　his　account　at　all。

When　you　go　to　Genoa；　pray　observe　carefully　all　the　environs　of　it；　and　view　them　with　somebody　who　can　tell　you　all　the　situations　and　operations　of　the　Austrian　army；　during　that　famous　siege；　if　it　deserves　to　be　called　one；　for　in　reality　the　town　never　was　besieged；　nor　had　the　Austrians　any　one　thing　necessary　for　a　siege。　　If　Marquis　Centurioni；　who　was　last　winter　in　England；　should　happen　to　be　there；　go　to　him　with　my　compliments；　and　he　will　show　you　all　imaginable　civilities。

I　could　have　sent　you　some　letters　to　Florence；　but　that　I　knew　Mr。　Mann　would　be　of　more　use　to　you　than　all　of　them。　　Pray　make　him　my　compliments。　　Cultivate　your　Italian；　while　you　are　at　Florence；　where　it　is　spoken　in　its　utmost　purity；　but　ill　pronounced。

Pray　save　me　the　seed　of　some　of　the　best　melons　you　eat；　and　put　it　up　dry　in　paper。　　You　need　not　send　it　me；　but　Mr。　Harte　will　bring　it　in　his　pocket　when　he　comes　over。　　I　should　likewise　be　glad　of　some　cuttings　of　the　best　figs；　especially　la　Pica　gentile　and　the　Maltese；　but　as　this　is　not　the　season　for　them；　Mr。　Mann　will；　I　dare　say；　undertake　that　commission；　and　send　them　to　me　at　the　proper　time　by　Leghorn。　　Adieu。　　Endeavor　to　please　others；　and　divert　yourself　as　much　as　ever　you　can；　in　'honnete　et　galant　homme'。

P。　　S。　　I　send　you　the　inclosed　to　deliver　to　Lord　Rochford；　upon　your　arrival　at　Turin。




LETTER　CXVIII。

LONDON；　August　6；　O。　S。　　1750

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　Since　your　letter　from　Sienna；　which　gave　me　a　very　imperfect　account　both　of　your　illness　and　your　recovery；　I　have　not　received　one　word　either　from　you　or　Mr。　Harte。　　I　impute　this　to　the　carelessness　of　the　post　simply：　and　the　great　distance　between　us　at　present　exposes　our　letters　to　those　accidents。　　But　when　you　come　to　Paris；　from　whence　the　letters　arrive　here　very　regularly；　I　shall　insist　upon　you　writing　to　me　constantly　once　a　week；　and　that　upon　the　same　day；　for　instance；　every　Thursday；　that　I　may　know　by　what　mail　to　expect　your　letter。　　I　shall　also　require　you　to　be　more　minute　in　your　account　of　yourself　than　you　have　hitherto　been；　or　than　I　have　required；　because　of　the　informations　which　I　receive　from　time　to　time　from　Mr。　Harte。　At　Paris　you　will　be　out　of　your　time；　and　must　set　up　for　yourself；　it　is　then　that　I　shall　be　very　solicitous　to　know　how　you　carry　on　your　business。　　While　Mr。　Harte　was　your　partner；　the　care　was　his　share；　and　the　profit　yours。　　But　at　Paris；　if　you　will　have　the　latter；　you　must　take　the　former　along　with　it。　　It　will　be　quite　a　new　world　to　you；　very　different　from　the　little　world　that　you　have　hitherto　seen；　and　you　will　have　much　more　to　do　in　it。　　You　must　keep　your　little　accounts　constantly　every　morning；　if　you　would　not　have　them　run　into　confusion；　and　swell　to　a　bulk　that　would　frighten　you　from　ever　looking　into　them　at　all。　　You　must　allow　some　time　for　learning　what　you　do　not　know；　and　some　for　keeping　what　you　do　know；　and　you　must　leave　a　great　deal　of　time　for　your　pleasures；　which　（I　repeat　it；　again）　are　now　become　the　most　necessary　part　of　your　education。　　It　is　by　conversations；　dinners；　suppers；　entertainments；　etc。；　in　the　best　companies；　that　you　must　be　formed　for　the　world。　　'Les　manieres　les　agremens；　les　graces'　cannot　be　learned　by　theory；　they　are　only　to　be　got　by　use　among　those　who　have　them；　and　they　are　now　the　main　object　of　your　life；　as　they　are　the　necessary　steps　to　your　fortune。　　A　man　of　the　best　parts；　and　the　greatest　learning；　if　he　does　not　know　the　world　by　his　own　experience　and　observation；　will　be　very　absurd；　and　consequently　very　unwelcome　in　company。　　He　may　say　very　good　things；　but　they　will　probably　be　so　ill…　timed；　misplaced；　or　improperly　addressed；　that　he　had　much　better　hold　his　tongue。　　Full　of　his　own　matter；　and　uninformed　of；　or　inattentive　to；　the　particular　circumstances　and　situations　of　the　company；　he　vents　it　indiscriminately；　he　puts　some　people　out　of　countenance；　he　shocks　others；　and　frightens　all；　who　dread　what　may　come　out　next。　　The　most　general　rule　that　I　can　give　you　for　the　world；　and　which　your　experience　will　convince　you　of　the　truth　of；　is；　Never　to　give　the　tone　to　the　company；　but　to　take　it　from　them；　and　to　labor　more　to　put　them　in　conceit　with　themselves；　than　to　make　them　admire　you。　　Those　whom　you　can　make　like　themselves　better；　will；　I　promise　you；　like　you　very　well。

A　system…monger；　who；　without　knowing　anything　of　the　world　by　experience；　has　formed　a　system；　of　it　in　his　dusty　cell；　lays　it　down；　for　example；　that　（from　the　general　nature　of　mankind）　flattery　is　pleasing。　　He　will　therefore　flatter。　　But　how？　　Why；　indiscriminately。　And　instead　of　repairing　and　heightening　the　piece　judiciously；　with　soft　colors　and　a　delicate　pencil；with　a　coarse　brush　and　a　great　deal　of　whitewash；　he　daubs　and　besmears　the　piece　he　means　to　adorn。　　His　flattery　offends　even　his　patron；　and　is　almost　too　gross　for　his　mistress。　　A　man　of　the　world　knows　the　force　of　flattery　as　well　as　he　does；　but　then　he　knows　how；　when；　and　where　to　give　it；　he　proportions　his　dose　to　the　constitution　of　the　patient。　　He　flatters　by　application；　by　inference；　by　comparison；　by　hint；　and　seldom　directly。　　In　the　course　of　the　world；　there　is　the　same　difference　in　everything　between　system　and　practice。

I　long　to　have　you　at　Paris；　which　is　to　be　your　great　school；　you　will　be　then　in　a　manner　within　reach　of　me。

Tell　me；　are　you　perfectly　recovered；　or　do　you　still　find　any　remaining　complaint　upon　your　lungs？　　Your　diet　should　be　cooling；　and　at　the　same　time　nourishing。　　Milks　of　all　kinds　are　proper　for　you；　wines　of　all　kinds　bad。　　A　great　deal　of　gentle；　and　no　violent　exercise；　is　good　for　you。　　Adieu。　　'Gratia；　fama；　et　valetudo；　contingat；　abunde！'




LETTER　CXIX

LONDON；　October　22；　O。　S。　　1750

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　This　letter　will；　I　am　persuaded；　find　you；　and　I　hope　safely；　arrived　at　Montpelier；　　from　whence　I　trust　that　Mr。　Harte's　indisposition　will；　by　being　totally　removed；　allow　you　to　get　to　Paris　before　Christmas。　　You　will　there　find　two　people　who；　though　both　English；　I　recommend　in　the　strongest　manner　possible　to　your　attention；　and　advise　you　to　form　the　most　intimate　connections　with　them　both；　in　their；　different　ways。　　The　one　is　a　man　whom　you　already　know　something　of；　but　not　near　enough：　it　is　the　Earl　of　Huntingdon；　who；　next　to　you；　is　the　truest　object　of　my　affection　and　esteem；　and　who　（I　am　proud　to　say　it）　calls　me；　and　considers　me　as　his　adopted　father。　　His　parts　are　as　quick　as　his　knowledge　is　extensive；　and　if　quality　were　worth　putting　into　an　account；　where　every　other　item　is　so　much　more　valuable；　he　is　the　first　almost　in　this　country：　the　figure　he　will　make　in　it；　soon　after　he　returns　to　it；　will；　if　I　am　not　more　mistaken　than　ever　I　was　in　my　life；　equal　his　birth　and　my　hopes。　　Such　a　connection　will　be　of　infinite　advantage　to　you；　and；　I　can　assure　you；　that　he　is　extremely　disposed　to　form　it　upon　my　account；　and　will；　I　hope　and　believe；　desire　to　improve　and　cement　it　upon　your　own。

In　our　parliamentary　government；　connections　are　absolutely　necessary；　and；　if　prudently　formed　and　ably　maintained；　the　success　of　them　is　infallible。　　There　are　two　sorts　of　connections；　which　I　would　always　advise　you　to　have　in　view。　　The　first　I　will　call　equal　ones；　by　which　I　mean　those；　where　the　two　connecting　parties　reciprocally　find　their　account；　from　pretty　near　an　equal　degree　of　parts　and　abilities。　　In　those；　there　must　be　a　freer　communication；　each　must　see　that　the　other　is　able；　and　be　convinced　that　he　is　willing　to　be　of　use　to　him。　　Honor　must　be　the　principle　of　such　connections；　and　there　must　be　a　mutual　dependence；　that　present　and　separate　interest　shall　not　be　able　to　break　them。　　There　must　be　a　joint　system　of　action；　and；　in　case　of　different　opinions；　each　must　recede　a　little；　in　order　at　last　to　form　an　unanimous　one。　　Such；　I　hope；　will　be　your　connection　with　Lord　Huntingdon。　　You　will　both　come　into　parliament　at　the　same　time；　and　if　you　have　an　equal　share　of　abilities　and　application；　you　and　he；　with　other　young　people；　with　whom　you　will　naturally　associate；　may　form　a　band　which　will　be　respected　by　any　administration；　and　make　a　figure　in　the　public。　　The　other　sort　of　connections　I　call　unequal　ones；　that　is；　where　the　parts　are　all　on　one　side；　and　the　rank　and　fortune　on　the　other。　　Here；　the　advantage　is　all　on　one　side；　but　that　advantage　must　be　ably　and　artfully　concealed。　　Complaisance；　an　engaging　manner；　and　a　patient　toleration　of　certain　airs　of　superiority；　must　cement　them。　The　weaker　party　must　be　taken　by　the　heart；　his　head　giving　no　hold；　and　he　must　be　governed　by　being　made　to　believe　that　he　governs。　These　people；　skillfully　led；　give　great　weight　to　their　leader。　I　have　formerly　pointed　out　to　you　a　couple　that　I　take　to　be　proper　objects　for　your　skill；　and　you　will