letters to his son, 1750-第5章

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gland。　　Your　old　acquaintances；　the　Germans；　I　fear；　are　a　little　below　them；　and　your　new　acquaintances；　the　Italians；　are　a　great　deal　too　much　above　them。　　The　former；　I　doubt；　crawl　a　little；　the　latter；　I　am　sure；　very　often　fly　out　of　sight。

I　recommended　to　you　a　good　many　years　ago；　and　I　believe　you　then　read；　La　maniere　de　bien　penser　dans　les　ouvrages　d'esprit　par　le　Pere　Bouhours；　and　I　think　it　is　very　well　worth　your　reading　again；　now　that　you　can　judge　of　it　better。　　I　do　not　know　any　book　that　contributes　more　to　form　a　true　taste；　and　you　find　there；　into　the　bargain；　the　most　celebrated　passages；　both　of　the　ancients　and　the　moderns；　which　refresh　your　memory　with　what　you　have　formerly　read　in　them　separately。　　It　is　followed　by　a　book　much　of　the　same　size；　by　the　same　author；　entitled；　'Suite　des　Pensees　ingenieuses'。

To　do　justice　to　the　best　English　and　French　authors；　they　have　not　given　into　that　false　taste；　they　allow　no　thoughts　to　be　good；　that　are　not　just　and　founded　upon　truth。　　The　age　of　Lewis　XIV。　was　very　like　the　Augustan；　Boileau；　Moliere；　La　Fontaine；　Racine；；　etc。；　established　the　true；　and　exposed　the　false　taste。　　The　reign　of　King　Charles　II。　（meritorious　in　no　other　respect）　banished　false　taste　out　of　England；　and　proscribed　puns；　quibbles；　acrostics；　etc。　　Since　that；　false　wit　has　renewed　its　attacks；　and　endeavored　to　recover　its　lost　empire；　both　in　England　and　France；　but　without　success；　though；　I　must　say；　with　more　success　in　France　than　in　England。　　Addison；　Pope；　and　Swift；　have　vigorously　defended　the　rights　of　good　sense；　which　is　more　than　can　be　said　of　their　contemporary　French　authors；　who　have　of　late　had　a　great　tendency　to　'le　faux　brillant'；　'le　raffinement；　et　l'entortillement'。　And　Lord　Roscommon　would　be　more　in　the　right　now；　than　he　was　then；　in　saying；　that；

　　　　　　　　　　〃The　English　bullion　of　one　sterling　line；　　　　　　　　　　　Drawn　to　French　wire；　would　through　whole　pages　shine。〃

Lose　no　time；　my　dear　child；　I　conjure　you；　in　forming　your　taste；　your　manners；　your　mind；　your　everything；　you　have　but　two　years'　time　to　do　it　in；　for　whatever　you　are；　to　a　certain　degree；　at　twenty；　you　will　be；　more　or　less；　all　the　rest　of　your　life。　　May　it　be　a　long　and　happy　one。　Adieu。




LETTER　CVI

LONDON；　February　22；　O。　S。　　1750

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　If　the　Italian　of　your　letter　to　Lady　Chesterfield　was　all　your　own；　I　am　very　well　satisfied　with　the　progress　which　you　have　made　in　that　language　in　so　short　a　time；　according　to　that　gradation；　you　will；　in　a　very　little　time　more；　be　master　of　it。　　Except　at　the　French　Ambassador's；　I　believe　you　hear　only　Italian　spoke；　for　the　Italians　speak　very　little　French；　and　that　little　generally　very　ill。　The　French　are　even　with　them；　and　generally　speak　Italian　as　ill；　for　I　never　knew　a　Frenchman　in　my　life　who　could　pronounce　the　Italian　ce；　ci；　or　ge；　gi。　　Your　desire　of　pleasing　the　Roman　ladies　will　of　course　give　you　not　only　the　desire；　but　the　means　of　speaking　to　them　elegantly　in　their　own　language。　　The　Princess　Borghese；　I　am　told；　speaks　French　both　ill　and　unwillingly；　and　therefore　you　should　make　a　merit　to　her　of　your　application　to　her　language。　　She　is；　by　a　kind　of　prescription　（longer　than　she　would　probably　wish）；　at　the　head　of　the　'beau　monde'　at　Rome；　and　can；　consequently；　establish　or　destroy　a　young　fellow's　fashionable　character。　　If　she　declares　him　'amabile　e　leggiadro'；　others　will　think　him　so；　or　at　least　those　who　do　not　will　not　dare　to　say　so。　　There　are　in　every　great　town　some　such　women；　whose　rank；　beauty；　and　fortune　have　conspired　to　place　them　at　the　head　of　the　fashion。　　They　have　generally　been　gallant；　but　within　certain　decent　bounds。　　Their　gallantries　have　taught；　both　them　and　their　admirers；　good…breeding；　without　which　they　could　keep　up　no　dignity；　but　would　be　vilified　by　those　very　gallantries　which　put　them　in　vogue。　　It　is　with　these　women；　as　with　ministers　and　favorites　at　court；　they　decide　upon　fashion　and　characters；　as　these　do　of　fortunes　and　preferments。　　Pay　particular　court；　therefore；　wherever　you　are；　to　these　female　sovereigns　of　the　'beau　monde'；　their　recommendation　is　a　passport　through　all　the　realms　of　politeness。　But　then；　remember　that　they　require　minute　officious　attentions。　　You　should；　if　possible；　guess　at　and　anticipate　all　their　little　fancies　and　inclinations；　make　yourself　familiarly　and　domestically　useful　to　them；　by　offering　yourself　for　all　their　little　commissions；　and　assisting　in　doing　the　honors　of　their　houses；　and　entering　with　seeming　unction　into　all　their　little　grievances；　bustles；　and　views；　for　they　are　always　busy。　　If　you　are　once　'ben　ficcato'　at　the　Palazzo　Borghese；　you　twill　soon　be　in　fashion　at　Rome；　and　being　in　fashion　will　soon　fashion　you；　for　that　is　what　you　must　now　think　of　very　seriously。

I　am　sorry　that　there　is　no　good　dancing…master　at　Rome；　to　form　your　exterior　air　and　carriage；　which；　I　doubt；　are　not　yet　the　genteelest　in　the　world。　　But　you　may；　and　I　hope　you　will；　in　the　meantime；　observe　the　air　and　carriage　of　those　who　are　reckoned　to　have　the　best；　and　form　your　own　upon　them。　　Ease；　gracefulness；　and　dignity；　compose　the　air　and　address　of　a　man　of　fashion；　which　is　as　unlike　the　affected　attitudes　and　motions　of　a　'petit　maitre'；　as　it　is　to　the　awkward；　negligent；　clumsy；　and　slouching　manner　of　a　booby。

I　am　extremely　pleased　with　the　account　Mr。　Harte　has　given　me　of　the　allotment　of　your　time　at　Rome。　　Those　five　hours　every　morning；　which　you　employ　in　serious　studies　with　Mr。　Harte；　are　laid　out　with　great　interest；　and　will　make　you　rich　all　the　rest　of　your　life。　　I　do　not　look　upon　the　subsequent　morning　hours；　which　you　pass　with　your　Ciceroni；　to　be　ill…disposed　of；　there　is　a　kind　of　connection　between　them；　and　your　evening　diversions　in　good　company　are；　in　their　way；　as　useful　and　necessary。　　This　is　the　way　for　you　to　have　both　weight　and　lustre　in　the　world；　and　this　is　the　object　which　I　always　had　in　view　in　your　education。

Adieu；　my　friend！　go　on　and　prosper。

Mr。　Grevenkop　has　just　received　Mr。　Harte's　letter　of　the　19th　N。　S。




LETTER　CVII

LONDON；　March　8；　O。　S。　　1750

Young　as　you　are；　I　hope　you　are　in　haste　to　live；　by　living；　I　mean　living　with　lustre　and　honor　to　yourself；　with　utility　to　society；　doing　what　may　deserve　to　be　written；　or　writing　what　may　deserve　to　be　read；　I　should　wish　both。　　Those　who　consider　life　in　that　light；　will　not　idly　lavish　one　moment。　　The　present　moments　are　the　only　ones　we　are　sure　of；　and　as　such　the　most　valuable；　but　yours　are　doubly　so　at　your　age；　for　the　credit；　the　dignity；　the　comfort；　and　the　pleasure　of　all　your　future　moments；　depend　upon　the　use　you　make　of　your　present　ones。

I　am　extremely　satisfied　with　your　present　manner　of　employing　your　time；　but　will　you　always　employ　it　as　well？　　I　am　far　from　meaning　always　in　the　same　way；　but　I　mean　as　well　in　proportion；　in　the　variation　of　age　and　circumstances。　　You　now；　study　five　hours　every　morning；　I　neither　suppose　that　you　will；　nor　desire　that　you　should　do　so　for　the　rest　of　your　life。　　Both　business　and　pleasure　will　justly　and　equally　break　in　upon　those　hours。　　But　then；　will　you　always　employ　the　leisure　they　leave　you　in　useful　studies？　　If　you　have　but　an　hour；　will　you　improve　that　hour；　instead　of　idling　it　away？　　While　you　have　such　a　friend　and　monitor　with　you　as　Mr。　Harte；　I　am　sure　you　will。　　But　suppose　that　business　and　situations　should；　in　six　or　seen　months；　call　Mr。　Harte　away　from　you；　tell　me　truly；　what　may　I　expect　and　depend　upon　from　you；　when　left　to　yourself　？　　May　I　be　sure　that　you　will　employ　some　part　of　every　day；　in　adding　something　to　that　stock　of　knowledge　which　he　will　have　left　you？　　May　I　hope　that　you　will　allot　one　hour　in　the　week　to　the　care　of　your　own　affairs；　to　keep　them　in　that　order　and　method　which　every　prudent　man　does？　　But；　above　all；　may　I　be　convinced　that　your　pleasures；　whatever　they　may　be；　will　be　confined　within　the　circle　of　good　company；　and　people　of　fashion？　　Those　pleasures　I　recommend　to　you；　I　will　promote　them　I　will　pay　for　them；　but　I　will　neither　pay　for；　nor　suffer；　the　unbecoming；　disgraceful；　and　degrading　pleasures　（they　should　not　be　called　pleasures）；　of　low　and　profligate　company。　　I　confess　the　pleasures　of　high　life　are　not　always　strictly　philosophical；　and　I　believe　a　Stoic　would　blame；　my　indulgence；　but　I　am　yet　no　Stoic；　though　turned　of　five…and…fifty；　and　I　am　apt　to　think　that　you　are　rather　less　so；　at　eighteen。　　The　pleasures　of　the　table；　among　people　of　the　first　fashion；　may　indeed　sometimes；　by　accident；　run　into　excesses：　but　they　will　never　sink　into　a　continued　course　of　gluttony　and　drunkenness。　The　gallantry　of　high　life；　though　not　strictly　justifiable；　carries；　at　least；　no　external　marks　of　infamy　about　it。　　Neither　the　heart　nor　the　constitution　is　corrupted　by　it；　neither　nose　nor　character　lost　by　it；　manners；　possibly；　improved。　　Play；　in　good　company；　is　only　play；　and　not　gaming；　not　deep；　and　consequently　not　dangerous　nor　dishonorable。　　It　is　only　the　interacts　of　other　amusements。

This；　I　am　sure；　is　not　talking　to　you　like　an　old　man；　though　it　is　talking　to　you　like　an　old　friend；　these　are　not　hard　conditions　to　ask　of　you。　　I　am　certain　you　have　sense　enough　to　know　how　reasonable　they　are　on　my　part；　how　advantageous　they　are　on　yours：　but　have　you　resolution　enough　to　perform　them？　　Can　you　withstand　the　examples；　and　the　invitations；　of　the　profligate；　and　their　infamous　missionaries？　For　I　have　known　many　a　young　fellow　seduced　by　a　'mauvaise　honte'；　that　made　him　ashamed　to　refuse。　　These　are　resolutions　which　you　must　form；　and　steadily　execute　for　yourself；　whenever　you　lose　the　friendly　care　and　assistance　of　your　Mentor。　　In　the　meantime；　make　a　greedy　use　of　him；　exhaust　him；　if　you　can；　of　all　his　knowledge；　and　get　the　prophet's　mantle　from　him；　before　he　is　taken　away　himself。

You　seem　to　like　Rome。　　How　do　you　go　on　there？　　Are　you　got　into　the　inside　of　that　extraordinary　government？　　Has　your　Abbate　Foggini　discovered　many　of　those　mysteries　to　you？　　Have　you　made　an　acquaintance　with　some　eminent　Jesuits？　　I　know　no　people　in　the　world　more　instructive。　　You　would　do　very　well　to　take　one　or　two　such　sort　of　people　home　with　you　to　dinner　every　day。　　It　would　be　only　a　little　'minestra'　and　'macaroni'　the　more；　and　a　three　or　four　hours'　conversation　'de　suite'　produces　a　thousand　useful　informations；　which　short　meetings　and　snatches　at　third　places　do　not　admit　of；　and　many　of　those　gentlemen　are　by　no　means　unwilling　to　dine　'gratis'。　　Whenever　you　meet　with　a　man　eminent　in　any　way；　feed　him；　and　feed　upon　him　at　the　same　time；　it　will　not　only　improve　you；　but　give　you　a　reputation　of　knowledge；　and　of　loving　it　in　others。

I　have　been　lately　informed　of　an　Italian　book；　which　I　believe　may　be　of　use　to　you；　and　which；　I　dare　say；　you　may　get　at　Rome；　written　by　one　Alberti；　about　fourscore　or　a　hundred　years　ago；　a　thick　quarto。　　It　is　a　classical　description　of　Italy；　from　whence；　I　am　assured；　that　Mr。　Addison；　to　save　himself　trouble；　has　taken　most　of　his　remarks　and　classical　references。　　I　a