letters to his son, 1750-第7章

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or　make　them　feel　your　superiority。　　It　is　not　their　faults；　they　are　all　bred　up　for　the　army；　but；　on　the　other；　hand；　do　not　allow　their　ignorance　and　idleness　to　break　in　upon　those　morning　hours　which　you　may　be　able　to　allot　to　your　serious；　studies。　　No　breakfastings　with　them；　which　consume　a　great　deal　of　time；　but　tell　them　（not　magisterially　and　sententiously）　that　you　will　read　two　or　three　hours　in　the　morning；　and　that　for　the　rest　of　the　day　you　are　very　much　at　their　service。　　Though；　by　the　way；　I　hope　you　will　keep　wiser　company　in　the　evenings。

I　must　insist　upon　your　never　going　to　what　is　called　the　English　coffee…　house　at　Paris；　which　is　the　resort　of　all　the　scrub　English；　and　also　of　the　fugitive　and　attainted　Scotch　and　Irish；　party　quarrels　and　drunken　squabbles　are　very　frequent　there；　and　I　do　not　know　a　more　degrading　place　in　all　Paris。　　Coffee…houses　and　taverns　are　by　no　means　creditable　at　Paris。　　Be　cautiously　upon　your　guard　against　the　infinite　number　of　fine…dressed　and　fine…spoken　'chevaliers　d'industrie'　and　'avanturiers'　which　swarm　at　Paris：　and　keep　everybody　civilly　at　arm's　length；　of　whose　real　character　or　rank　you　are　not　previously　informed。　　Monsieur　le　Comte　or　Monsieur　le　Chevalier；　in　a　handsome　laced　coat；　'et　tres　bien　mis'；　accosts　you　at　the　play；　or　some　other　public　place；　he　conceives　at　first　sight　an　infinite　regard　for　you：　he　sees　that　you　are　a　stranger　of　the　first　distinction；　he　offers　you　his　services；　and　wishes　nothing　more　ardently　than　to　contribute；　as　far　as　may　be　in　his　little　power；　to　procure　you　'les　agremens　de　Paris'。　　He　is　acquainted　with　some　ladies　of　condition；　'qui　prefrent　une　petite　societe　agreable；　et　des　petits　soupers　aimables　d'honnetes　gens；　au　tumulte　et　a　la　dissipation　de　Paris'；　and　he　will　with　the　greatest　pleasure　imaginable　have　the　honor　of　introducing　you　to　those　ladies　of　quality。　　Well；　if　you　were　to　accept　of　this　kind　offer；　and　go　with　him；　you　would　find　'au　troisieme；　a　handsome；　painted　and　pd　strumpet；　in　a　tarnished　silver　or　gold　second…hand　robe；　playing　a　sham　party　at　cards　for　livres；　with　three　or　four　sharpers　well　dressed　enough；　and　dignified　by　the　titles　of　Marquis；　Comte；　and　Chevalier。　　The　lady　receives　you　in　the　most　polite　and　gracious　manner；　and　with　all　those　'complimens　de　routine'　which　every　French　woman　has　equally。　　Though　she　loves　retirement；　and　shuns　'le　grande　monde'；　yet　she　confesses　herself　obliged　to　the　Marquis　for　having　procured　her　so　inestimable；　so　accomplished　an　acquaintance　as　yourself；　but　her　concern　is　how　to　amuse　you：　for　she　never　suffers　play　at　her　house　for　above　a　livre；　if　you　can　amuse　yourself　with　that　low　play　till　supper；　'a　la　bonne　heure'。　Accordingly　you　sit　down　to　that　little　play；　at　which　the　good　company　takes　care　that　you　shall　win　fifteen　or　sixteen　livres；　which　gives　them　an　opportunity　of　celebrating　both　your　good　luck　and　your　good　play。　Supper　comes　up；　and　a　good　one　it　is；　upon　the　strength　of　your　being　able　to　pay　for　it。　　'La　Marquise　en　fait　les　honneurs　au　mieux；　talks　sentiments；　'moeurs　et　morale'；　interlarded　with　'enjouement'；　and　accompanied　with　some　oblique　ogles；　which　bid　you　not　despair　in　time。　After　supper；　pharaoh；　lansquenet；　or　quinze；　happen　accidentally　to　be　mentioned：　the　Marquise　exclaims　against　it；　and　vows　she　will　not　suffer　it；　but　is　at　last　prevailed　upon　by　being　assured　'que　ce　ne　sera　que　pour　des　riens'。　　Then　the　wished…for　moment　is　come；　the　operation　begins：　you　are　cheated；　at　best；　of　all　the　money　in　your　pocket；　and　if　you　stay　late；　very　probably　robbed　of　your　watch　and　snuff…box；　possibly　murdered　for　greater　security。　　This　I　can　assure　you；　is　not　an　exaggerated；　but　a　literal　description　of　what　happens　every　day　to　some　raw　and　inexperienced　stranger　at　Paris。　　Remember　to　receive　all　these　civil　gentlemen；　who　take　such　a　fancy　to　you　at　first　sight；　very　coldly；　and　take　care　always　to　be　previously　engaged；　whatever　party　they　propose　to　you。　　You　may　happen　sometimes；　in　very　great　and　good　companies；　to　meet　with　some　dexterous　gentlemen；　who　may　be　very　desirous；　and　also　very　sure；　to　win　your　money；　if　they　can　but　engage　you　to　play　with　them。　　Therefore　lay　it　down　as　an　invariable　rule　never　to　play　with　men；　but　only　with　women　of　fashion；　at　low　play；　or　with　women　and　men　mixed。　　But；　at　the　same　time；　whenever　you　are　asked　to　play　deeper　than　you　would；　do　not　refuse　it　gravely　and　sententiously；　alleging　the　folly　of　staking　what　would　be　very　inconvenient　to　one　to　lose；　against　what　one　does　not　want　to　win；　but　parry　those　invitations　ludicrously；　'et　en　badinant'。　　Say　that；　if　you　were　sure　to　lose；　you　might　possibly　play；　but　that　as　you　may　as　well　win；　you　dread　'l'embarras　des　richesses'；　ever　since　you　have　seen　what　an　encumbrance　they　were　to　poor　Harlequin；　and　that；　therefore；　you　are　determined　never　to　venture　the　winning　above　two　louis　a…day；　this　sort　of　light　trifling　way　of　declining　invitations　to　vice　and　folly；　is　more　becoming　your　age；　and　at　the　same　time　more　effectual；　than　grave　philosophical　refusals。　　A　young　fellow　who　seems　to　have　no　will　of　his　own；　and　who　does　everything　that　is　asked　of　him；　is　called　a　very　good…natured；　but　at　the　same　time；　is　thought　a　very　silly　young　fellow。　　Act　wisely；　upon　solid　principles；　and　from　true　motives；　but　keep　them　to　yourself；　and　never　talk　sententiously。　　When　you　are　invited　to　drink；　say　that　you　wish　you　could；　but　that　so　little　makes　you　both　drunk　and　sick；　'que　le　jeu　me　vaut　pas　la　chandelle'。

Pray　show　great　attention；　and　make　your　court　to　Monsieur　de　la　Gueriniere；　he　is　well　with　Prince　Charles　and　many　people　of　the　first　distinction　at　Paris；　his　commendations　will　raise　your　character　there；　not　to　mention　that　his　favor　will　be　of　use　to　you　in　the　Academy　itself。　　For　the　reasons　which　I　mentioned　to　you　in　my　last；　I　would　have　you　be　interne　in　the　Academy　for　the　first　six　months；　but　after　that；　I　promise　you　that　you　shall　have　lodgings　of　your　own　'dans　un　hotel　garni'；　if　in　the　meantime　I　hear　well　of　you；　and　that　you　frequent；　and　are　esteemed　in　the　best　French　companies。　　You　want　nothing　now；　thank　God；　but　exterior　advantages；　that　last　polish；　that　'tournure　du　monde'；　and　those　graces；　which　are　so　necessary　to　adorn；　and　give　efficacy　to；　the　most　solid　merit。　　They　are　only　to　be　acquired　in　the　best　companies；　and　better　in　the　best　French　companies　than　in　any　other。　　You　will　not　want　opportunities；　for　I　shall　send　you　letters　that　will　establish　you　in　the　most　distinguished　companies；　not　only　of　the　beau　monde；　but　of　the　beaux　esprits；　too。　　Dedicate；　therefore；　I　beg　of　you；　that　whole　year　to　your　own　advantage　and　final　improvement；　and　do　not　be　diverted　from　those　objects　by　idle　dissipations；　low　seduction；　or　bad　example。　　After　that　year；　do　whatever　you　please；　I　will　interfere　no　longer　in　your　conduct；　for　I　am　sure　both　you　and　I　shall　be　safe　then。　　Adieu！




LETTER　CXI

LONDON；　April　30；　O。　S。　　1750

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　Mr。　Harte；　who　in　all　his　letters　gives　you　some　dash　of　panegyric；　told　me　in　his　last　a　thing　that　pleases　me　extremely；　which　was　that　at　Rome　you　had　constantly　preferred　the　established　Italian　assemblies　to　the　English　conventicles　setup　against　them　by　dissenting　English　ladies。　　That　shows　sense；　and　that　you　know　what　you　are　sent　abroad　for。　　It　is　of　much　more　consequence　to　know　the　'mores　multorem　hominum'　than　the　'urbes'。　　Pray　continue　this　judicious　conduct　wherever　you　go；　especially　at　Paris；　where；　instead　of　thirty；　you　will　find　above　three　hundred　English；　herding　together　and　conversing　with　no　one　French　body。

The　life　of　'les　Milords　Anglois'　is　regularly；　or；　if　you　will；　irregularly；　this。　　As　soon　as　they　rise；　which　is　very　late；　they　breakfast　together；　to　the　utter　loss　of　two　good　morning　hours。　　Then　they　go　by　coachfuls　to　the　Palais；　the　Invalides；　and　Notre…Dame；　from　thence　to　the　English　coffee…house；　where　they　make　up　their　tavern　party　for　dinner。　　From　dinner；　where　they　drink　quick；　they　adjourn　in　clusters　to　the　play；　where　they　crowd　up　the　stage；　dressed　up　in　very　fine　clothes；　very　ill…made　by　a　Scotch　or　Irish　tailor。　　From　the　play　to　the　tavern　again；　where　they　get　very　drunk；　and　where　they　either　quarrel　among　themselves；　or　sally　forth；　commit　some　riot　in　the　streets；　and　are　taken　up　by　the　watch。　　Those　who　do　not　speak　French　before　they　go；　are　sure　to　learn　none　there。　　Their　tender　vows　are　addressed　to　their　Irish　laundress；　unless　by　chance　some　itinerant　Englishwoman；　eloped　from　her　husband；　or　her　creditors；　defrauds　her　of　them。　　Thus　they　return　home；　more　petulant；　but　not　more　informed；　than　when　they　left　it；　and　show；　as　they　think；　their　improvement　by　affectedly　both　speaking　and　dressing　in　broken　French：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Hunc　to　Romane　caveito。〃

Connect　yourself；　while　you　are　in　France；　entirely　with　the　French；　improve　yourself　with　the　old；　divert　yourself　with　the　young；　conform　cheerfully　to　their　customs；　even　to　their　little　follies；　but　not　to　their　vices。　　Do　not；　however；　remonstrate　or　preach　against　them；　for　remonstrances　do　not　suit　with　your　age。　　In　French　companies　in　general　you　will　not　find　much　learning；　therefore　take　care　not　to　brandish　yours　in　their　faces。　　People　hate　those　who　make　them　feel　their　own　inferiority。　　Conceal　all　your　learning　carefully；　and　reserve　it　for　the　company　of　les　Gens　d'Eglise；　or　les　Gens　de　Robe；　and　even　then　let　them　rather　extort　it　from　you；　than　find　you　over…willing　to　draw　it。　　Your　are　then　thought；　from　that　seeming　unwillingness；　to　have　still　more　knowledge　than　it　may　be　you　really　have；　and　with　the　additional　merit　of　modesty　into　the　bargain。　　A　man　who　talks　of；　or　even　hints　at；　his　'bonnes　fortunes'；　is　seldom　believed；　or；　if　believed；　much　blamed；　whereas　a　man　who　conceals　with　care　is　often　supposed　to　have　more　than　he　has；　and　his　reputation　of　discretion　gets　him　others。　　It　is　just　so　with　a　man　of　learning；　if　he　affects　to　show　it；　it　is　questioned；　and　he　is　reckoned　only　superficial；　but　if　afterward　it　appears　that　he　really　has　it；　he　is　pronounced　a　pedant。　　Real　merit　of　any　kind；　'ubi　est　non　potest　diu　celari'；　it　will　be　discovered；　and　nothing　can　depreciate　it　but　a　man's　exhibiting　it　himself。　　It　may　not　always　be　rewarded　as　it　ought；　but　it　will　always　be　known。　　You　will　in　general　find　the　women　of　the　beau　monde　at　Paris　more　instructed　than　the　men；　who　are　bred　up　singly　for　the　army；　and　thrown　into　it　at　twelve　or　thirteen　years　old；　but　then　that　sort　of　education；　which　makes　them　ignorant　of　books；　gives　them　a　great　knowledge　of　the　world；　an　easy　address；　and　polite　manners。

Fashion　is　more　tyrannical　at　Paris　than　in　any　other　place　in　the　world；　it　governs　even　more　absolutely　than　their　king；　which　is　saying　a　great　deal。　　The　least　revolt　against　it　is　punished　by　proscription。　　You　must　observe；　and　conform　to　all　the　'minutiae'　of　it；　if　you　will　be　in　fashion　there　yourself；　and　if　you　are　not　in　fashion；　you　are　nobody。　Get；　therefore；　at　all　events；　into　the　company　of　those　men　and　women　'qui　donnent　le　ton'；　an