letters to his son, 1750-第15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！


ler；　you　had　a　friend　with　you。　　At　Paris；　you　will　not　only　be　unconfined；　but　unassisted。　　Your　own　good　sense　must　be　your　only　guide：　I　have　great　confidence　in　it；　and　am　convinced　that　I　shall　receive　just　such　accounts　of　your　conduct　at　Paris　as　I　could　wish；　for　I　tell　you　beforehand；　that　I　shall　be　most　minutely　informed　of　all　that　you　do；　and　almost　of　all　that　you　say　there。　　Enjoy　the　pleasures　of　youth；　you　cannot　do　better：　but　refine　and　dignify　them　like　a　man；　of　parts；　let　them　raise；　and　not　sink；　let　them　adorn　and　not　vilify　your　character；　let　them；　in　short；　be　the　pleasures　of　a　gentleman；　and　taken　with　your　equals　at　least；　but　rather　with　your　superiors；　and　those　chiefly　French。

Inquire　into　the　characters　of　the　several　Academicians；　before　you　form　a　connection　with　any　of　them；　and　be　most　upon　your　guard　against　those　who　make　the　most　court　to　you。

You　cannot　study　much　in　the　Academy；　but　you　may　study　usefully　there；　if　you　are　an　economist　of　your　time；　and　bestow　only　upon　good　books　those　quarters　and　halves　of　hours；　which　occur　to　everybody　in　the　course　of　almost　every　day；　and　which；　at　the　year's　end；　amount　to　a　very　considerable　sum　of　time。　　Let　Greek；　without　fail；　share　some　part　of　every　day；　I　do　not　mean　the　Greek　poets；　the　catches　of　Anacreon；　or　the　tender　complaints　of　Theocritus；　or　even　the　porter…like　language　of　Homer's　heroes；　of　whom　all　smatterers　in　Greek　know　a　little；　quote　often；　and　talk　of　always；　but　I　mean　Plato；　Aristoteles；　Demosthenes；　and　Thucydides；　whom　none　but　adepts　know。　　It　is　Greek　that　must　distinguish　you　in　the　learned　world；　Latin　alone　will　not：　and　Greek　must　be　sought　to　be　retained；　for　it　never　occurs　like　Latin。　　When　you　read　history　or　other　books　of　amusement；　let　every　language　you　are　master　of　have　its　turn；　so　that　you　may　not　only　retain；　but　improve　in　everyone。　　I　also　desire　that　you　will　converse　in　German　and　Italian；　with　all　the　Germans　and　the　Italians　with　whom　you　converse　at　all。　This　will　be　a　very　agreeable　and　flattering　thing　to　them；　and　a　very　useful　one　to　you。

Pray　apply　yourself　diligently　to　your　exercises；　for　though　the　doing　them　well　is　not　supremely　meritorious；　the　doing　them　ill　is　illiberal；　vulgar；　and　ridiculous。

I　recommend　theatrical　representations　to　you；　which　are　excellent　at　Paris。　　The　tragedies　of　Corneille　and　Racine；　and　the　comedies　of　Moliere；　well　attended　to；　are　admirable　lessons；　both　for　the　heart　and　the　head。　　There　is　not；　nor　ever　was；　any　theatre　comparable　to　the　French。　　If　the　music　of　the　French　operas　does　not　please　your　Italian　ear；　the　words　of　them；　at　least；　are　sense　and　poetry；　which　is　much　more　than　I　can；　say　of　any　Italian　opera　that　I　ever　read　or　heard　in　my　life。

I　send　you　the　inclosed　letter　of　recommendation　to　Marquis　Matignon；　which　I　would　have　you　deliver　to　him　as　soon　as　you　can；　you　will；　I　am　sure；　feel　the　good　effects　of　his　warm　friendship　for　me　and　Lord　Bolingbroke；　who　has　also　wrote　to　him　upon　your　subject。　　By　that；　and　by　the　other　letters　which　I　have　sent　you；　you　will　be　at　once　so　thoroughly　introduced　into　the　best　French　company；　that　you　must　take　some　pains　if　you　will　keep　bad；　but　that　is　what　I　do　not　suspect　you　of。　　You　have；　I　am　sure；　too　much　right　ambition　to　prefer　low　and　disgraceful　company　to　that　of　your　superiors；　both　in　rank　and　age。　Your　character；　and　consequently　your　fortune；　absolutely　depends　upon　the　company　you　keep；　and　the　turn　you　take　at　Paris。　　I　do　not　in　the　least　mean　a　grave　turn；　on　the　contrary；　a　gay；　a　sprightly；　but；　at　the　same　time；　an　elegant　and　liberal　one。

Keep　carefully　out　of　all　scrapes　and　quarrels。　　They　lower　a　character　extremely；　and　are　particularly　dangerous　in　France；　where　a　man　is　dishonored　by　not　resenting　an　affront；　and　utterly　ruined　by　resenting　it。　　The　young　Frenchmen　are　hasty；　giddy；　and　petulant；　extremely　national；　and　'avantageux'。　　Forbear　from　any　national　jokes　or　reflections；　which　are　always　improper；　and　commonly　unjust。　　The　colder　northern　nations　generally　look　upon　France　as　a　whistling；　singing；　dancing；　frivolous　nation；　this　notion　is　very　far　from　being　a　true　one；　though　many　'Petits　maitres'　by　their　behavior　seem　to　justify　it；　but　those　very　'petits　maltres'；　when　mellowed　by　age　and　experience；　very　often　turn　out　very　able　men。　　The　number　of　great　generals　and　statesmen；　as　well　as　excellent　authors；　that　France　has　produced；　is　an　undeniable　proof；　that　it　is　not　that　frivolous；　unthinking；　empty　nation　that　northern　prejudices　suppose　it。　　Seem　to　like　and　approve　of　everything　at　first；　and　I　promise　you　that　you　will　like　and　approve　of　many　things　afterward。

I　expect　that　you　will　write　to　me　constantly；　once　every　week；　which　I　desire　may　be　every　Thursday；　and　that　your　letters　may　inform　me　of　your　personal　transactions：　not　of　what　you　see；　but　of　whom　you　see；　and　what　you　do。

Be　your　own　monitor；　now　that　you　will　have　no　other。　　As　to　enunciation；　I　must　repeat　it　to　you　again　and　again；　that　there　is　no　one　thing　so　necessary：　all　other　talents；　without　that；　are　absolutely　useless；　except　in　your　own　closet。

It　sounds　ridiculously　to　bid　you　study　with　your　dancing…master；　and　yet　I　do。　　The　bodily…carriage　and　graces　are　of　infinite　consequence　to　everybody；　and　more　particularly　to　you。

Adieu　for　this　time；　my　dear　child。　　Yours　tenderly。




LETTER　CXXIII

LONDON；　November　12；　O。　S。　　1750

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　You　will　possibly　think；　that　this　letter　turns　upon　strange；　little；　trifling　objects；　and　you　will　think　right；　if　you　consider　them　separately；　but　if　you　take　them　aggregately；　you　will　be　convinced　that　as　parts；　which　conspire　to　form　that　whole；　called　the　exterior　of　a　man　of　fashion；　they　are　of　importance。　　I　shall　not　dwell　now　upon　these　personal　graces；　that　liberal　air；　and　that　engaging　address；　which　I　have　so　often　recommended　to　you；　but　descend　still　lower；　to　your　dress；　cleanliness；　and　care　of　your　person。

When　you　come　to　Paris；　you　may　take　care　to　be　extremely　well　dressed；　that　is；　as　the　fashionable　people　are；　this　does　by　no　means　consist　in　the　finery；　but　in　the　taste；　fitness；　and　manner　of　wearing　your　clothes；　a　fine　suit　ill…made；　and　slatternly　or　stiffly　worn；　far　from　adorning；　only　exposes　the　awkwardness　of　the　wearer。　　Get　the　best　French　tailor　to　make　your　clothes；　whatever　they　are；　in　the　fashion；　and　to　fit　you：　and　then　wear　them；　button　them；　or　unbutton　them；　as　the　genteelest　people　you　see　do。　　Let　your　man　learn　of　the　best　friseur　to　do　your　hair　well；　for　that　is　a　very　material　part　of　your　dress。　　Take　care　to　have　your　stockings　well　gartered　up；　and　your　shoes　well　buckled；　for　nothing　gives　a　more　slovenly　air　to　a　man　than　ill…dressed　legs。　　In　your　person　you　must　be　accurately　clean；　and　your　teeth；　hands；　and　nails；　should　be　superlatively　so；　a　dirty　mouth　has　real　ill　consequences　to　the　owner；　for　it　infallibly　causes　the　decay；　as　well　as　the　intolerable　pain　of　the　teeth；　and　it　is　very　offensive　to　his　acquaintance；　for　it　will　most　inevitably　stink。　　I　insist；　therefore；　that　you　wash　your　teeth　the　first　thing　you　do　every　morning；　with　a　soft　sponge　and　swarm　water；　for　four　or　five　minutes；　and　then　wash　your　mouth　five　or　six　times。　　Mouton；　whom　I　desire　you　will　send　for　upon　your　arrival　at　Paris；　will　give　you　an　opiate；　and　a　liquor　to　be　used　sometimes。　　Nothing　looks　more　ordinary；　vulgar；　and　illiberal；　than　dirty　hands；　and　ugly；　uneven；　and　ragged　nails：　I　do　not　suspect　you　of　that　shocking；　awkward　trick；　of　biting　yours；　but　that　is　not　enough：　you　must　keep　the　ends　of　them　smooth　and　clean；　not　tipped　with　black；　as　the　ordinary　people's　always　are。　　The　ends　of　your　nails　should　be　small　segments　of　circles；　which；　by　a　very　little　care　in　the　cutting；　they　are　very　easily　brought　to；　every　time　that　you　wipe　your　hands；　rub　the　skin　round　your　nails　backward；　that　it　may　not　grow　up；　and　shorten　your　nails　too　much。　　The　cleanliness　of　the　rest　of　your　person；　which；　by　the　way；　will　conduce　greatly　to　your　health；　I　refer　from　time　to　time　to　the　bagnio。　　My　mentioning　these　particulars　arises　（I　freely　own）　from　some　suspicion　that　the　hints　are　not　unnecessary；　for；　when　you　were　a　schoolboy；　you　were　slovenly　and　dirty　above　your　fellows。　I　must　add　another　caution；　which　is　that　upon　no　account　whatever；　you　put　your　fingers；　as　too　many　people　are　apt　to　do；　in　your　nose　or　ears。　It　is　the　most　shocking；　nasty；　vulgar　rudeness；　that　can　be　offered　to　company；　it　disgusts　one；　it　turns　one's　stomach；　and；　for　my　own　part；　I　would　much　rather　know　that　a　man's　fingers　were　actually　in　his　breech；　than　see　them　in　his　nose。　　Wash　your　ears　well　every　morning；　and　blow　your　nose　in　your　handkerchief　whenever　you　have　occasion；　but；　by　the　way；　without　looking　at　it　；　afterward。　　There　should　be　in　the　least；　as　well　as　in　the　greatest　parts　of　a　gentleman；　'les　manieres　nobles'。　　Sense　will　teach　you　some；　observation　others；　attend　carefully　to　the　manners；　the　diction；　the　motions；　of　people　of　the　first　fashion；　and　form　your　own　upon　them。　　On　the　other　hand；　observe　a　little　those　of　the　vulgar；　in　order　to　avoid　them：　for　though　the　things　which　they　say　or　do　may　be　the　same；　the　manner　is　always　totally　different：　and　in　that；　and　nothing　else；　consists　the　characteristic　of　a　man　of　fashion。　The　lowest　peasant　speaks；　moves；　dresses；　eats；　and　drinks；　as　much　as　a　man　of　the　first　fashion；　but　does　them　all　quite　differently；　so　that　by　doing　and　saying　most　things　in　a　manner　opposite　to　that　of　the　vulgar；　you　have　a　great　chance　of　doing　and　saying　them　right。　　There　are　gradations　in　awkwardness　and　vulgarism；　as　there　are　in　everything　else。　'Les　manieres　de　robe'；　though　not　quite　right；　are　still　better　than　'les　manieres　bourgeoises'；　and　these；　though　bad；　are　still　better　than　'les　manieres　de　campagne'。　　But　the　language；　the　air；　the　dress；　and　the　manners　of　the　court；　are　the　only　true　standard　'des　manieres　nobles；　et　d'un　honnete　homme。　　Ex　pede　Herculem'　is　an　old　and　true　saying；　and　very　applicable　to　our　present　subject；　for　a　man　of　parts；　who　has　been　bred　at　courts；　and　used　to　keep　the　best　company；　will　distinguish　himself；　and　is　to　be　known　from　the　vulgar　by　every　word；　attitude；　gesture；　and　even　look。　　I　cannot　leave　these　seeming　'minutiae'；　without　repeating　to　you　the　necessity　of　your　carving　well；　which　is　an　article；　little　as　it　is；　that　is　useful　twice　every　day　of　one's　life；　and　the　doing　it　ill　is　very　troublesome　to　one's　self；　and　very　disagreeable；　often　ridiculous；　to　others。

Having　said　all　this；　I　cannot　help　reflecting；　what　a　formal　dull　fellow；　or　a　cloistered　pedant；　would　say；　if　they　were　to　see　this　letter：　they　would　look　upon　it　with　the　utmost　contempt；　and　say　that　surely　a　father　might　find　much　better　topics　for　advice　to　a　son。　I　would　admit　it；　if　I　had　given　you；　or　that　you　were　capable　of　receiving；　no　better；　but　if　sufficient　pains　have　been　taken　to　form　your　heart　and　improve　your　mind；　and；　as　I　hope；　not　without　success；　I　will　tell　those　solid　gentlemen；　that　all　these　trifling　things；　as　they　think　them；　collectively；　for