letters to his son, 1750-第14章

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er　present　one's　self　well。　Whatever　is　done　under　concern　and　embarrassment；　must　be　ill　done；　and；　till　a　man　is　absolutely　easy　and　unconcerned　in　every　company；　he　will　never　be　thought　to　have　kept　good　company；　nor　be　very　welcome　in　it。　A　steady　assurance；　with　seeming　modesty；　is　possibly　the　most　useful　qualification　that　a　man　can　have　in　every　part　of　life。　　A　man　would　certainly　make　a　very　considerable　fortune　and　figure　in　the　world；　whose　modesty　and　timidity　should　often；　as　bashfulness　always　does　（put　him　in　the　deplorable　and　lamentable　situation　of　the　pious　AEneas；　when　'obstupuit；　steteruntque　comae；　et　vox　faucibus　haesit！）。　　Fortune　（as　well　as　women）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃…born　to　be　controlled；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Stoops　to　the　forward　and　the　bold。〃

Assurance　and　intrepidity；　under　the　white　banner　of　seeming　modesty；　clear　the　way　for　merit；　that　would　otherwise　be　discouraged　by　difficulties　in　its　journey；　whereas　barefaced　impudence　is　the　noisy　and　blustering　harbinger　of　a　worthless　and　senseless　usurper。

You　will　think　that　I　shall　never　have　done　recommending　to　you　these　exterior　worldly　accomplishments；　and　you　will　think　right；　for　I　never　shall；　they　are　of　too　great　consequence　to　you　for　me　to　be　indifferent　or　negligent　about　them：　the　shining　part　of　your　future　figure　and　fortune　depends　now　wholly　upon　them。　　These　are　the　acquisitions　which　must　give　efficacy　and　success　to　those　you　have　already　made。　　To　have　it　said　and　believed　that　you　are　the　most　learned　man　in　England；　would　be　no　more　than　was　said　and　believed　of　Dr。　Bentley；　but　to　have　it　said；　at　the　same　time；　that　you　are　also　the　best…bred；　most　polite；　and　agreeable　man　in　the　kingdom；　would　be　such　a　happy　composition　of　a　character　as　I　never　yet　knew　any　one　man　deserve；　and　which　I　will　endeavor；　as　well　as　ardently　wish；　that　you　may。　　Absolute　perfection　is；　I　well　know；　unattainable；　but　I　know　too；　that　a　man　of　parts　may　be　unweariedly　aiming　at　it；　and　arrive　pretty　near　it。　　Try；　labor；　persevere。　　Adieu。




LETTER　CXXI

LONDON；　November　8；　O。　S。　　1750

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　Before　you　get　to　Paris；　where　you　will　soon　be　left　to　your　own　discretion；　if　you　have　any；　it　is　necessary　that　we　should　understand　one　another　thoroughly；　which　is　the　most　probable　way　of　preventing　disputes。　　Money；　the　cause　of　much　mischief　in　the　world；　is　the　cause　of　most　quarrels　between　fathers　and　sons；　the　former　commonly　thinking　that　they　cannot　give　too　little；　and　the　latter；　that　they　cannot　have　enough；　both　equally　in　the　wrong。　　You　must　do　me　the　justice　to　acknowledge；　that　I　have　hitherto　neither　stinted　nor　grudged　any　expense　that　could　be　of　use　or　real　pleasure　to　you；　and　I　can　assure　you；　by　the　way；　that　you　have　traveled　at　a　much　more　considerable　expense　than　I　did　myself；　but　I　never　so　much　as　thought　of　that；　while　Mr。　Harte　was　at　the　head　of　your　finances；　being　very　sure　that　the　sums　granted　were　scrupulously　applied　to　the　uses　for　which　they　were　intended。　　But　the　case　will　soon　be　altered；　and　you　will　be　your　own　receiver　and　treasurer。　　However；　I　promise　you；　that　we　will　not　quarrel　singly　upon　the　quantum；　which　shall　be　cheerfully　and　freely　granted：　the　application　and　appropriation　of　it　will　be　the　material　point；　which　I　am　now　going　to　clear　up　and　finally　settle　with　you。　I　will　fix；　or　even　name；　no　settled　allowance；　though　I　well　know　in　my　own　mind　what　would　be　the　proper　one；　but　I　will　first　try　your　draughts；　by　which　I　can　in　a　good　degree　judge　of　your　conduct。　　This　only　I　tell　you　in　general；　that　if　the　channels　through　which　my　money　is　to　go　are　the　proper　ones；　the　source　shall　not　be　scanty；　but　should　it　deviate　into　dirty；　muddy；　and　obscure　ones　（which　by　the　bye；　it　cannot　do　for　a　week　without　my　knowing　it）；　I　give　you　fair　and　timely　notice；　that　the　source　will　instantly　be　dry。　　Mr。　Harte；　in　establishing　you　at　Paris；　will　point　out　to　you　those　proper　channels；　he　will　leave　you　there　upon　the　foot　of　a　man　of　fashion；　and　I　will　continue　you　upon　the　same；　you　will　have　your　coach；　your　valet　de　chambre；　your　own　footman；　and　a　valet　de　place；　which；　by　the　way；　is　one　servant　more　than　I　had。　　I　would　have　you　very　well　dressed；　by　which　I　mean　dressed　as　the　generality　of　people　of　fashion　are；　that　is；　not　to　be　taken　notice　of；　for　being　either　more　or　less　fine　than　other　people：　it　is　by　being　well　dressed；　not　finely　dressed；　that　a　gentleman　should　be　distinguished。　　You　must　frequent　'les　spectacles'；　which　expense　I　shall　willingly　supply。　　You　must　play　'a　des　petits　jeux　de　commerce'　in　mixed　companies；　that　article　is　trifling；　I　shall　pay　it　cheerfully。　　All　the　other　articles　of　pocket…money　are　very　inconsiderable　at　Paris；　in　comparison　of　what　they　are　here；　the　silly　custom　of　giving　money　wherever　one　dines　or　sups；　and　the　expensive　importunity　of　subscriptions；　not　being　yet　introduced　there。　　Having　thus　reckoned　up　all　the　decent　expenses　of　a　gentleman；　which　I　will　most　readily　defray；　I　come　now　to　those　which　I　will　neither　bear　nor　supply。　　The　first　of　these　is　gaming；　of　which；　though　I　have　not　the　least　reason　to　suspect　you；　I　think　it　necessary　eventually　to　assure　you；　that　no　consideration　in　the　world　shall　ever　make　me　pay　your　play　debts；　should　you　ever　urge　to　me　that　your　honor　is　pawned；　I　should　most　immovably　answer　you；　that　it　was　your　honor；　not　mine；　that　was　pawned；　and　that　your　creditor　might　e'en　take　the　pawn　for　the　debt。

Low　company；　and　low　pleasures；　are　always　much　more　costly　than　liberal　and　elegant　ones。　　The　disgraceful　riots　of　a　tavern　are　much　more　expensive；　as　well　as　dishonorable；　than　the　sometimes　pardonable　excesses　in　good　company。　　I　must　absolutely　hear　of　no　tavern　scrapes　and　squabbles。

I　come　now　to　another　and　very　material　point；　I　mean　women；　and　I　will　not　address　myself　to　you　upon　this　subject；　either　in　a　religious；　a　moral；　or　a　parental　style。　　I　will　even　lay　aside　my　age；　remember　yours；　and　speak　to　you　as　one　man　of　pleasure；　if　he　had　parts　too；　would　speak　to　another。　　I　will　by　no　means　pay　for　whores；　and　their　never…failing　consequences；　surgeons；　nor　will　I；　upon　any　account；　keep　singers；　dancers；　actresses；　and　'id　genus　omne'；　and；　independently　of　the　expense；　I　must　tell　you；　that　such　connections　would　give　me；　and　all　sensible　people；　the　utmost　contempt　for　your　parts　and　address；　a　young　fellow　must　have　as　little　sense　as　address；　to　venture；　or　more　properly　to　sacrifice；　his　health　and　ruin　his　fortune；　with　such　sort　of　creatures；　in　such　a　place　as　Paris　especially；　where　gallantry　is　both　the　profession　and　the　practice　of　every　woman　of　fashion。　　To　speak　plainly；　I　will　not　forgive　your　understanding　cs　and　p…s；　nor　will　your　constitution　forgive　them　you。　　These　distempers；　as　well　as　their　cures；　fall　nine　times　in　ten　upon　the　lungs。　　This　argument；　I　am　sure；　ought　to　have　weight　with　you：　for　I　protest　to　you；　that　if　you　meet　with　any　such　accident；　I　would　not　give　one　year's　purchase　for　your　life。　　Lastly；　there　is　another　sort　of　expense　that　I　will　not　allow；　only　because　it　is　a　silly　one；　I　mean　the　fooling　away　your　money　in　baubles　at　toy　shops。　　Have　one　handsome　snuff…box　（if　you　take　snuff）；　and　one　handsome　sword；　but　then　no　more　pretty　and　very　useless　things。

By　what　goes　before；　you　will　easily　perceive　that　I　mean　to　allow　you　whatever　is　necessary；　not　only　for　the　figure；　but　for　the　pleasures　of　a　gentleman；　and　not　to　supply　the　profusion　of　a　rake。　　This；　you　must　confess；　does　not　savor　of　either　the　severity　or　parsimony　of　old　age。　I　consider　this　agreement　between　us；　as　a　subsidiary　treaty　on　my　part；　for　services　to　be　performed　on　yours。　　I　promise　you；　that　I　will　be　as　punctual　in　the　payment　of　the　subsidies；　as　England　has　been　during　the　last　war；　but　then　I　give　you　notice　at　the　same　time；　that　I　require　a　much　more　scrupulous　execution　of　the　treaty　on　your　part；　than　we　met　with　on　that　of　our　allies；　or　else　that　payment　will　be　stopped。　　I　hope　all　that　I　have　now　said　was　absolutely　unnecessary；　and　that　sentiments　more　worthy　and　more　noble　than　pecuniary　ones；　would　of　themselves　have　pointed　out　to　you　the　conduct　I　recommend；　but；　at　all　events；　I　resolved　to　be　once　for　all　explicit　with　you；　that；　in　the　worst　that　can　happen；　you　may　not　plead　ignorance；　and　complain　that　I　had　not　sufficiently　explained　to　you　my　intentions。

Having　mentioned　the　word　rake；　I　must　say　a　word　or　two　more　on　that　subject；　because　young　people　too　frequently；　and　always　fatally；　are　apt　to　mistake　that　character　for　that　of　a　man　of　pleasure；　whereas；　there　are　not　in　the　world　two　characters　more　different。　　A　rake　is　a　composition　of　all　the　lowest；　most　ignoble；　degrading；　and　shameful　vices；　they　all　conspire　to　disgrace　his　character；　and　to　ruin　his　fortune；　while　wine　and　the　p…s　contend　which　shall　soonest　and　most　effectually　destroy　his　constitution。　　A　dissolute；　flagitious　footman；　or　porter；　makes　full　as　good　a　rake　as　a　man　of　the　first　quality。　　By　the　bye；　let　me　tell　you；　that　in　the　wildest　part　of　my　youth；　I　never　was　a　rake；　but；　on　the　contrary；　always　detested　and　despised　that　character。

A　man　of　pleasure；　though　not　always　so　scrupulous　as　he　should　be；　and　as　one　day　he　will　wish　he　had　been；　refines　at　least　his　pleasures　by　taste；　accompanies　them　with　decency；　and　enjoys　them　with　dignity。　Few　men　can　be　men　of　pleasure；　every　man　may　be　a　rake。　　Remember　that　I　shall　know　everything　you　say　or　do　at　Paris；　as　exactly　as　if；　by　the　force　of　magic；　I　could　follow　you　everywhere；　like　a　sylph　or　a　gnome；　invisible　myself。　　Seneca　says；　very　prettily；　that　one　should　ask　nothing　of　God；　but　what　one　should　be　willing　that　men　should　know；　nor　of　men；　but　what　one　should　be　willing　that　God　should　know。　　I　advise　you　to　say　and　do　nothing　at　Paris；　but　what　you　would　be　willing　that　I　should　know。　　I　hope；　nay；　I　believe；　that　will　be　the　case。　　Sense；　I　dare　say；　you　do　not　want；　instruction；　I　am　sure；　you　have　never　wanted：　experience　you　are　daily　gaining：　all　which　together　must　inevitably　（I　should　think）　make　you　both　'respectable　et　aimable'；　the　perfection　of　a　human　character。　　In　that　case　nothing　shall　be　wanting　on　my　part；　and　you　shall　solidly　experience　all　the　extent　and　tenderness　of　my　affection　for　you；　but　dread　the　reverse　of　both！　Adieu！

P。　S。　　When　you　get　to　Paris；　after　you　have　been　to　wait　on　Lord　Albemarle；　go　to　see　Mr。　Yorke；　whom　I　have　particular　reasons　for　desiring　that　you　should　be　well　with；　as　I　shall　hereafter　explain　to　you。　　Let　him　know　that　my　orders；　and　your　own　inclinations；　conspired　to　make　you　desire　his　friendship　and　protection。




LETTER　CXXII


MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　I　have　sent　you　so　many　preparatory　letters　for　Paris；　that　this；　which　will　meet　you　there；　shall　only　be　a　summary　of　them　all。

You　have　hitherto　had　more　liberty　than　anybody　of　your　age　ever　had；　and　I　must　do　you　the　justice　to　own；　that　you　have　made　a　better　use　of　it　than　most　people　of　your　age　would　have　done；　but　then；　though　you　had　not　a　jailer；　you　had　a　friend　with　you。　　At　Paris；　you　will　not　only　be　unconfined；　but　unassisted。　　Your　ow