letters to his son, 1750-第4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！


oks　in　every　language；　the　celebrated　poets；　historians；　orators；　or　philosophers。　　By　these　means　（to　use　a　city　metaphor）　you　will　make　fifty　PER　CENT。　　Of　that　time；　of　which　others　do　not　make　above　three　or　four；　or　probably　nothing　at　all。

Many　people　lose　a　great　deal　of　their　time　by　laziness；　they　loll　and　yawn　in　a　great　chair；　tell　themselves　that　they　have　not　time　to　begin　anything　then；　and　that　it　will　do　as　well　another　time。　　This　is　a　most　unfortunate　disposition；　and　the　greatest　obstruction　to　both　knowledge　and　business。　　At　your　age；　you　have　no　right　nor　claim　to　laziness；　I　have；　if　I　please；　being　emeritus。　　You　are　but　just　listed　in　the　world；　and　must　be　active；　diligent；　indefatigable。　　If　ever　you　propose　commanding　with　dignity；　you　must　serve　up　to　it　with　diligence。　　Never　put　off　till　tomorrow　what　you　can　do　to…day。

Dispatch　is　the　soul　of　business；　and　nothing　contributes　more　to　dispatch　than　method。　　Lay　down　a　method　for　everything；　and　stick　to　it　inviolably；　as　far　as　unexpected　incidents　may　allow。　　Fix　one　certain　hour　and　day　in　the　week　for　your　accounts；　and　keep　them　together　in　their　proper　order；　by　which　means　they　will　require　very　little　time；　and　you　can　never　be　much　cheated。　　Whatever　letters　and　papers　you　keep；　docket　and　tie　them　up　in　their　respective　classes；　so　that　you　may　instantly　have　recourse　to　any　one。　　Lay　down　a　method　also　for　your　reading；　for　which　you　allot　a　certain　share　of　your　mornings；　let　it　be　in　a　consistent　and　consecutive　course；　and　not　in　that　desultory　and　unmethodical　manner；　in　which　many　people　read　scraps　of　different　authors；　upon　different　subjects。　　Keep　a　useful　and　short　commonplace　book　of　what　you　read；　to　help　your　memory　only；　and　not　for　pedantic　quotations。　　Never　read　history　without　having　maps　and　a　chronological　book；　or　tables；　lying　by　you；　and　constantly　recurred　to；　without　which　history　is　only　a　confused　heap　of　facts。　　One　method　more　I　recommend　to　you；　by　which　I　have　found　great　benefit；　even　in　the　most　dissipated　part　of　my　life；　that　is；　to　rise　early；　and　at　the　same　hour　every　morning；　how　late　soever　you　may　have　sat　up　the　night　before。　　This　secures　you　an　hour　or　two；　at　least；　of　reading　or　reflection　before　the　common　interruptions　of　the　morning　begin；　and　it　will　save　your　constitution；　by　forcing　you　to　go　to　bed　early；　at　least　one　night　in　three。

You　will　say；　it　may　be；　as　many　young　people　would；　that　all　this　order　and　method　is　very　troublesome；　only　fit　for　dull　people；　and　a　disagreeable　restraint　upon　the　noble　spirit　and　fire　of　youth。　　I　deny　it；　and　assert；　on　the　contrary；　that　it　will　procure　you　both　more　time　and　more　taste　for　your　pleasures；　and；　so　far　from　being　troublesome　to　you；　that　after　you　have　pursued　it　a　month；　it　would　be　troublesome　to　you　to　lay　it　aside。　　Business　whets　the　appetite；　and　gives　a　taste　to　pleasure；　as　exercise　does　to　food；　and　business　can　never　be　done　without　method；　it　raises　the　spirits　for　pleasures；　and　a　SPECTACLE；　a　ball；　an　assembly；　will　much　more　sensibly　affect　a　man　who　has　employed；　than　a　man　who　has　lost；　the　preceding　part　of　the　day；　nay；　I　will　venture　to　say；　that　a　fine　lady　will　seem　to　have　more　charms　to　a　man　of　study　or　business；　than　to　a　saunterer。　　The　same　listlessness　runs　through　his　whole　conduct；　and　he　is　as　insipid　in　his　pleasures；　as　inefficient　in　everything　else。

I　hope　you　earn　your　pleasures；　and　consequently　taste　them；　for；　by　the　way；　I　know　a　great　many　men；　who　call　themselves　men　of　pleasure；　but　who；　in　truth；　have　none。　　They　adopt　other　people's　indiscriminately；　but　without　any　taste　of　their　own。　　I　have　known　them　often　inflict　excesses　upon　themselves　because　they　thought　them　genteel；　though　they　sat　as　awkwardly　upon　them　as　other　people's　clothes　would　have　done。　Have　no　pleasures　but　your　own；　and　then　you　will　shine　in　them。　　What　are　yours？　　Give　me　a　short　history　of　them。　　'Tenez…vous　votre　coin　a　table；　et　dans　les　bonnes　compagnies？　y　brillez…vous　du　cote　de　la　politesse；　de　d'enjouement；　du　badinage？　　Etes…vous　galant？　　Filex…vous　le　parfait　amour？　　Est…il　question　de　flechir　par　vos　soins　et　par　vos　attentions　les　rigueurs　de　quelque　fiere　Princesse'？　　You　may　safely　trust　me；　for　though　I　am　a　severe　censor　of　vice　and　folly；　I　am　a　friend　and　advocate　for　pleasures；　and　will　contribute　all　in　my　power　to　yours。

There　is　a　certain　dignity　to　be　kept　up　in　pleasures；　as　well　as　in　business。　　In　love；　a　man　may　lose　his　heart　with　dignity；　but　if　he　loses　his　nose；　he　loses　his　character　into　the　bargain。　　At　table；　a　man　may　with　decency　have　a　distinguishing　palate；　but　indiscriminate　voraciousness　degrades　him　to　a　glutton。　　A　man　may　play　with　decency；　but　if　he　games；　he　is　disgraced。　　Vivacity　and　wit　make　a　man　shine　in　company；　but　trite　jokes　and　loud　laughter　reduce　him　to　a　buffoon。　＇see　Mark　Twain's　identical　advice　in　his　'Speeches'　　D。W。＇　　Every　virtue；　they　say；　has　its　kindred　vice；　every　pleasure；　I　am　sure；　has　its　neighboring　disgrace。　　Mark　carefully；　therefore；　the　line　that　separates　them；　and　rather　stop　a　yard　short；　than　step　an　inch　beyond　it。

I　wish　to　God　that　you　had　as　much　pleasure　in　following　my　advice；　as　I　have　in　giving　it　you！　and　you　may　the　more　easily　have　it；　as　I　give　you　none　that　is　inconsistent　with　your　pleasure。　　In　all　that　I　say　to　you；　it　is　your　interest　alone　that　I　consider：　trust　to　my　experience；　you　know　you　may　to　my　affection。　　Adieu。

I　have　received　no　letter　yet　from　you　or　Mr。　Harte。




LETTER　CV

LONDON；　February　8；　O。　S。　　1750

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　You　have；　by　this　time；　I　hope　and　believe；　made　such　a　progress　in　the　Italian　language；　that　you　can　read　it　with　ease；　I　mean；　the　easy　books　in　it；　and　indeed；　in　that；　as　well　as　in　every　other　language；　the　easiest　books　are　generally　the　best；　for；　whatever　author　is　obscure　and　difficult　in　his　own　language；　certainly　does　not　think　clearly。　　This　is；　in　my　opinion；　the　case　of　a　celebrated　Italian　author；　to　whom　the　Italians；　from　the　admiration　they　have　of　him；　have　given　the　epithet　of　il　divino；　I　mean　Dante。　　Though　I　formerly　knew　Italian　extremely　well；　I　could　never　understand　him；　for　which　reason　I　had　done　with　him；　fully　convinced　that　he　was　not　worth　the　pains　necessary　to　understand　him。

The　good　Italian　authors　are；　in　my　mind；　but　few；　I　mean；　authors　of　invention；　for　there　are；　undoubtedly；　very　good　historians　and　excellent　translators。　　The　two　poets　worth　your　reading；　and；　I　was　going　to　say；　the　only　two；　are　Tasso　and　Ariosto。　　Tasso's　'Gierusalemme　Liberata'　is　altogether　unquestionably　a　fine　poem；　thoughit　has　some　low；　and　many　false　thoughts　in　it：　and　Boileau　very　justly　makes　it　the　mark　of　a　bad　taste；　to　compare　'le　Clinquant　Tasse　a　l'　Or　de　Virgile'。　　The　image；　with　which　he　adorns　the　introduction　of　his　epic　poem；　is　low　and　disgusting；　it　is　that　of　a　froward；　sick；　puking　child；　who　is　deceived　into　a　dose　of　necessary　physic　by　'du　bon…bon'。　　These　verses　are　these：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Cosi　all'egro　fanciul　porgiamo　aspersi　　　　　　　　　　　Di　soavi　licor　gli　orli　del　vaso：　　　　　　　　　　　Succhi　amari　ingannato　intanto　ei　beve；　　　　　　　　　　　E　dall'　inganno　suo　vita　riceve。〃

However；　the　poem；　with　all　its　faults　about　it；　may　justly　be　called　a　fine　one。

If　fancy；　imagination；　invention；　description；　etc。；　constitute　a　poet；　Ariosto　is；　unquestionably；　a　great　one。　　His　〃Orlando；〃　it　is　true；　is　a　medley　of　lies　and　truthssacred　and　profanewars；　loves；　enchantments；　giants；　madheroes；　and　adventurous　damsels；　but　then；　he　gives　it　you　very　fairly　for　what　it　is；　and　does　not　pretend　to　put　it　upon　you　for　the　true　'epopee'；　or　epic　poem。　　He　says：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Le　Donne；　i　Cavalier；　l'arme；　gli　amori　　　　　　　　　　　Le　cortesie；　l'audaci　imprese；　io　canto。〃

The　connections　of　his　stories　are　admirable；　his　reflections　just；　his　sneers　and　ironies　incomparable；　and　his　painting　excellent。　　When　Angelica；　after　having　wandered　over　half　the　world　alone　with　Orlando；　pretends；　notwithstanding；

　　　　　　　　　　〃…　ch'el　fior　virginal　cosi　avea　salvo；　　　　　　　　　　　Come　selo　porto　dal　matern'　alvo。〃

The　author　adds；　very　gravely；　

　　　　　　　　　　〃Forse　era　ver；　ma　non　pero　credibile　　　　　　　　　　　A　chi　del　senso　suo　fosse　Signore。〃

Astolpho's　being　carried　to　the　moon　by　St。　John；　in　order　to　look　for　Orlando's　lost　wits；　at　the　end　of　the　34th　book；　and　the　many　lost　things　that　he　finds　there；　is　a　most　happy　extravagancy；　and　contains；　at　the　same　time；　a　great　deal　of　sense。　　I　would　advise　you　to　read　this　poem　with　attention。　　It　is；　also；　the　source　of　half　the　tales；　novels；　and　plays；　that　have　been　written　since。

The　'Pastor　Fido'　of　Guarini　is　so　celebrated；　that　you　should　read　it；　but　in　reading　it；　you　will　judge　of　the　great　propriety　of　the　characters。　　A　parcel　of　shepherds　and　shepherdesses；　with　the　TRUE　PASTORAL'　SIMPLICITY；　talk　metaphysics；　epigrams；　'concetti'；　and　quibbles；　by　the　hour　to　each　other。

The　Aminto　del　Tasso；　is　much　more　what　it　is　intended　to　be；　a　pastoral：　the　shepherds；　indeed；　have　their　'concetti'　and　their　antitheses；　but　are　not　quite　so　sublime　and　abstracted　as　those　in　Pastor　Fido。　　I　think　that　you　will　like　it　much　the　best　of　the　two。

Petrarca　is；　in　my　mind；　a　sing…song；　love…sick　poet；　much　admired；　however；　by　the　Italians：　but　an　Italian　who　should　think　no　better　of　him　than　I　do；　would　certainly　say　that　he　deserved　his　'Laura'　better　than　his　'Lauro'；　and　that　wretched　quibble　would　be　reckoned　an　excellent　piece　of　Italian　wit。

The　Italian　prose…writers　（of　invention　I　mean）　which　I　would　recommend　to　your　acquaintance；　are　Machiavello　and　Boccacio；　the　former；　for　the　established　reputation　which　he　has　acquired；　of　a　consummate　politician　（whatever　my　own　private　sentiments　may　be　of　either　his　politics　or　his　morality）：　the　latter；　for　his　great　invention；　and　for　his　natural　and　agreeable　manner　of　telling　his　stories。

Guicciardini；　Bentivoglio；　Davila；　etc。；　are　excellent　historians；　and　deserved　being　read　with　attention。　　The　nature　of　history　checks；　a　little；　the　flights　of　Italian　imaginations；　which；　in　works　of　invention；　are　very　high　indeed。　　Translations　curb　them　still　more：　and　their　translations　of　the　classics　are　incomparable；　particularly　the　first　ten；　translated　in　the　time　of　Leo　the　Tenth；　and　inscribed　to　him；　under　the　title　of　Collana。　　That　original　Collana　has　been　lengthened　since；　and　if　I　mistake　not；　consist　now　of　one　hundred　and　ten　volumes。

From　what　I　have　said；　you　will　easily　guess　that　I　meant　to　put　you　upon　your　guard；　and　not　let　your　fancy　be　dazzled　and　your　taste　corrupted　by　the　concetti；　the　quaintnesses；　and　false　thoughts；　which　are　too　much　the　characteristics　of　the　Italian　and　Spanish　authors。　　I　think　you　are　in　no　great　danger；　as　your　taste　has　been　formed　upon　the　best　ancient　models；　the　Greek　and　Latin　authors　of　the　best　ages；　who　indulge　themselves　in　none　of　the　puerilities　I　have　hinted　at。　　I　think　I　may　say；　with　truth；　that　true　wit；　sound　taste；　and　good　sense；　are　now；　as　it　were；　engrossed　by　France　and　England。　　Your　old　acquaintances；　the　Germans；　I　fear；　are　a　little　below　them；　and　your　new　acquainta