letters to his son, 1750-第8章

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ody。　Get；　therefore；　at　all　events；　into　the　company　of　those　men　and　women　'qui　donnent　le　ton'；　and　though　at　first　you　should　be　admitted　upon　that　shining　theatre　only　as　a　'persona　muta'；　persist；　persevere；　and　you　will　soon　have　a　part　given　you。　　Take　great　care　never　to　tell　in　one　company　what　you　see　or　hear　in　another；　much　less　to　divert　the　present　company　at　the　expense　of　the　last；　but　let　discretion　and　secrecy　be　known　parts　of　your　character。　　They　will　carry　you　much　further；　and　much　safer　than　more　shining　talents。　　Be　upon　your　guard　against　quarrels　at　Paris；　honor　is　extremely　nice　there；　though　the　asserting　of　it　is　exceedingly　penal。　　Therefore；　'point　de　mauvaises　plaisanteries；　point　de　jeux　de　main；　et　point　de　raillerie　piquante'。

Paris　is　the　place　in　the　world　where；　if　you　please；　you　may　the　best　unite　the　'utile'　and　the　'dulce'。　　Even　your　pleasures　will　be　your　improvements；　if　you　take　them　with　the　people　of　the　place；　and　in　high　life。　　From　what　you　have　hitherto　done　everywhere　else；　I　have　just　reason　to　believe；　that　you　will　do　everything　that　you　ought　at　Paris。　Remember　that　it　is　your　decisive　moment；　whatever　you　do　there　will　be　known　to　thousands　here；　and　your　character　there；　whatever　it　is；　will　get　before　you　here。　　You　will　meet　with　it　at　London。　　May　you　and　I　both　have　reason　to　rejoice　at　that　meeting！　Adieu。




LETTER　CXII

LONDON；　May　8；　O。　S。　　1750

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　At　your　age　the　love　of　pleasures　is　extremely　natural；　and　the　enjoyment　of　them　not　unbecoming：　but　the　danger；　at　your　age；　is　mistaking　the　object；　and　setting　out　wrong　in　the　pursuit。　　The　character　of　a　man　of　pleasure　dazzles　young　eyes；　they　do　not　see　their　way　to　it　distinctly；　and　fall　into　vice　and　profligacy。　　I　remember　a　strong　instance　of　this　a　great　many　years　ago。　　A　young　fellow；　determined　to　shine　as　a　man　of　pleasure；　was　at　the　play　called　the　〃Libertine　Destroyed；〃　a　translation　of　'Le　Festin　de　Pierre'　of　Molieire's。　　He　was　so　struck　with　what　he　thought　the　fine　character　of　the　libertine；　that　he　swore　he　would　be　the　LIBERTINE　DESTROYED。　　Some　friends　asked　him；　whether　he　had　not　better　content　himself　with　being　only　the　libertine；　but　without　being　DESTROYED？　to　which　he　answered　with　great　warmth；　〃No；　for　that　being　destroyed　was　the　perfection　of　the　whole。〃　　This；　extravagant　as　it　seems　in　this　light；　is　really　the　case　of　many　an　unfortunate　young　fellow；　who；　captivated　by　the　name　of　pleasures；　rushes　indiscriminately；　and　without　taste；　into　them　all；　and　is　finally　DESTROYED。　　I　am　not　stoically　advising；　nor　parsonically　preaching　to　you　to　be　a　Stoic　at　your　age；　far　from　it：　I　am　pointing　out　to　you　the　paths　to　pleasures；　and　am　endeavoring　only　to　quicken　and　heighten　them　for　you。　　Enjoy　pleasures；　but　let　them　be　your　own；　and　then　you　will　taste　them；　but　adopt　none；　trust　to　nature　for　genuine　ones。　　The　pleasures　that　you　would　feel　you　must　earn；　the　man　who　gives　himself　up　to　all；　feels　none　sensibly。　　Sardanapalus；　I　am　convinced；　never　felt　any　in　his　life。　　Those　only　who　join　serious　occupations　with　pleasures；　feel　either　as　they　should　do。　　Alcibiades；　though　addicted　to　the　most　shameful　excesses；　gave　some　time　to　philosophy；　and　some　to　business。　　Julius　Caesar　joined　business　with　pleasure　so　properly；　that　they　mutually　assisted　each　other；　and　though　he　was　the　husband　of　all　the　wives　at　Rome；　he　found　time　to　be　one　of　the　best　scholars；　almost　the　best　orator；　and　absolutely　the　best　general　there。　　An　uninterrupted　life　of　pleasures　is　as　insipid　as　contemptible。　　Some　hours　given　every　day　to　serious　business　must　whet　both　the　mind　and　the　senses；　to　enjoy　those　of　pleasure。　　A　surfeited　glutton；　an　emaciated　sot；　and　an　enervated　rotten　whoremaster；　never　enjoy　the　pleasures　to　which　they　devote　themselves；　but　they　are　only　so　many　human　sacrifices　to　false　gods。　　The　pleasures　of　low　life　are　all　of　this　mistaken；　merely　sensual；　and　disgraceful　nature；　whereas；　those　of　high　life；　and　in　good　company　（though　possibly　in　themselves　not　more　moral）　are　more　delicate；　more　refined；　less　dangerous；　and　less　disgraceful；　and；　in　the　common　course　of　things；　not　reckoned　disgraceful　at　all。　　In　short；　pleasure　must　not；　nay；　cannot；　be　the　business　of　a　man　of　sense　and　character；　but　it　may　be；　and　is；　his　relief；　his　reward。　　It　is　particularly　so　with　regard　to　the　women；　who　have　the　utmost　contempt　for　those　men；　that；　having　no　character　nor　consideration　with　their　own　sex；　frivolously　pass　their　whole　time　in　'ruelles'　and　at　'toilettes'。　　They　look　upon　them　as　their　lumber；　and　remove　them　whenever　they　can　get　better　furniture。　　Women　choose　their　favorites　more　by　the　ear　than　by　any　other　of　their　senses　or　even　their　understandings。　　The　man　whom　they　hear　the　most　commended　by　the　men；　will　always　be　the　best　received　by　them。　　Such　a　conquest　flatters　their　vanity；　and　vanity　is　their　universal；　if　not　their　strongest　passion。　　A　distinguished　shining　character　is　irresistible　with　them；　they　crowd　to；　nay；　they　even　quarrel　for　the　danger　in　hopes　of　the　triumph。　　Though；　by　the　way　（to　use　a　vulgar　expression）；　she　who　conquers　only　catches　a　Tartar；　and　becomes　the　slave　of　her　captive。　　'Mais　c'est　la　leur　affaire'。　　Divide　your　time　between　useful　occupations　and　elegant　pleasures。　　The　morning　seems　to　belong　to　study；　business；　or　serious　conversations　with　men　of　learning　and　figure；　not　that　I　exclude　an　occasional　hour　at　a　toilette。　From　sitting　down　to　dinner；　the　proper　business　of　the　day　is　pleasure；　unless　real　business；　which　must　never　be　postponed　for　pleasure；　happens　accidentally　to　interfere。　　In　good　company；　the　pleasures　of　the　table　are　always　carried　to　a　certain　point　of　delicacy　and　gratification；　but　never　to　excess　and　riot。　　Plays；　operas；　balls；　suppers；　gay　conversations　in　polite　and　cheerful　companies；　properly　conclude　the　evenings；　not　to　mention　the　tender　looks　that　you　may　direct　and　the　sighs　that　you　may　offer；　upon　these　several　occasions；　to　some　propitious　or　unpropitious　female　deity；　whose　character　and　manners　will　neither　disgrace　nor　corrupt　yours。　　This　is　the　life　of　a　man　of　real　sense　and　pleasure；　and　by　this　distribution　of　your　time；　and　choice　of　your　pleasures；　you　will　be　equally　qualified　for　the　busy；　or　the　'beau　monde'。　　You　see　I　am　not　rigid；　and　do　not　require　that　you　and　I　should　be　of　the　same　age。　　What　I　say　to　you；　therefore；　should　have　the　more　weight；　as　coming　from　a　friend；　not　a　father。　　But　low　company；　and　their　low　vices；　their　indecent　riots　and　profligacy；　I　never　will　bear　nor　forgive。

I　have　lately　received　two　volumes　of　treaties；　in　German　and　Latin；　from　Hawkins；　with　your　orders；　under　your　own　hand；　to　take　care　of　them　for　you；　which　orders　I　shall　most　dutifully　and　punctually　obey；　and　they　wait　for　you　in　my　library；　together　with　your　great　collection　of　rare　books；　which　your　Mamma　sent　me　upon　removing　from　her　old　house。

I　hope　you　not　only　keep　up；　but　improve　in　your　German；　for　it　will　be　of　great　use　to　you　when　you　cone　into　business；　and　the　more　so；　as　you　will　be　almost　the　only　Englishman　who　either　can　speak　or　understand　it。　Pray　speak　it　constantly　to　all　Germans；　wherever　you　meet　them；　and　you　will　meet　multitudes　of　them　at　Paris。　　Is　Italian　now　become　easy　and　familiar　to　you？　　Can　you　speak　it　with　the　same　fluency　that　you　can　speak　German？　　You　cannot　conceive　what　an　advantage　it　will　give　you　in　negotiations　to　possess　Italian；　German；　and　French　perfectly；　so　as　to　understand　all　the　force　and　finesse　of　those　three　languages。　　If　two　men　of　equal　talents　negotiate　together；　he　who　best　understands　the　language　in　which　the　negotiation　is　carried　on；　will　infallibly　get　the　better　of　the　other。　　The　signification　and　force　of　one　single　word　is　often　of　great　consequence　in　a　treaty；　and　even　in　a　letter。

Remember　the　GRACES；　for　without　them　'ogni　fatica　e　vana'。　　Adieu。




LETTER　CXIII

LONDON；　May　17；　O。　S。　　1750

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　Your　apprenticeship　is　near　out；　and　you　are　soon　to　set　up　for　yourself；　that　approaching　moment　is　a　critical　one　for　you；　and　an　anxious　one　for　me。　　A　tradesman　who　would　succeed　in　his　way；　must　begin　by　establishing　a　character　of　integrity　and　good　manners；　without　the　former；　nobody　will　go　to　his　shop　at　all；　without　the　latter；　nobody　will　go　there　twice。　　This　rule　does　not　exclude　the　fair　arts　of　trade。　He　may　sell　his　goods　at　the　best　price　he　can；　within　certain　bounds。　He　may　avail　himself　of　the　humor；　the　whims；　and　the　fantastical　tastes　of　his　customers；　but　what　he　warrants　to　be　good　must　be　really　so；　what　he　seriously　asserts　must　be　true；　or　his　first　fraudulent　profits　will　soon　end　in　a　bankruptcy。　　It　is　the　same　in　higher　life；　and　in　the　great　business　of　the　world。　　A　man　who　does　not　solidly　establish；　and　really　deserve；　a　character　of　truth；　probity；　good　manners；　and　good　morals；　at　his　first　setting　out　in　the　world；　may　impose；　and　shine　like　a　meteor　for　a　very　short　time；　but　will　very　soon　vanish；　and　be　extinguished　with　contempt。　　People　easily　pardon；　in　young　men；　the　common　irregularities　of　the　senses：　but　they　do　not　forgive　the　least　vice　of　the　heart。　　The　heart　never　grows　better　by　age；　I　fear　rather　worse；　always　harder。　　A　young　liar　will　be　an　old　one；　and　a　young　knave　will　only　be　a　greater　knave　as　he　grows　older。　　But　should　a　bad　young　heart；　accompanied　with　a　good　head　（which；　by　the　way；　very　seldom　is　the　case）；　really　reform　in　a　more　advanced　age；　from　a　consciousness　of　its　folly；　as　well　as　of　its　guilt；　such　a　conversion　would　only　be　thought　prudential　and　political；　but　never　sincere。　　I　hope　in　God；　and　I　verily。　　believe；　that　you　want　no　moral　virtue。　　But　the　possession　of　all　the　moral　virtues；　in　'actu　primo'；　as　the　logicians　call　it；　is　not　sufficient；　you　must　have　them　in　'actu　secundo'　too；　nay；　that　is　not　sufficient　neitheryou　must　have　the　reputation　of　them　also。　　Your　character　in　the　world　must　be　built　upon　that　solid　foundation；　or　it　will　soon　fall；　and　upon　your　own　head。　　You　cannot；　therefore；　be　too　careful；　too　nice；　too　scrupulous；　in　establishing　this　character　at　first；　upon　which　your　whole　depends。　　Let　no　conversation；　no　example；　no　fashion；　no　'bon　mot'；　no　silly　desire　of　seeming　to　be　above；　what　most　knaves；　and　many　fools；　call　prejudices；　ever　tempt　you　to　avow；　excuse；　extenuate；　or　laugh　at　the　least　breach　of　morality；　but　show　upon　all　occasions；　and　take　all　occasions　to　show；　a　detestation　and　abhorrence　of　it。　　There；　though　young；　you　ought　to　be　strict；　and　there　only；　while　young；　it　becomes　you　to　be　strict　and　severe。　　But　there；　too；　spare　the　persons　while　you　lash　the　crimes。　　All　this　relates；　as　you　easily　judge；　to　the　vices　of　the　heart；　such　as　lying；　fraud；　envy；　malice；　detraction；　etc。；　and　I　do　not　extend　it　to　the　little　frailties　of　youth；　flowing　from　high　spirits　and　warm　blood。　　It　would　ill　become　you；　at　your　age；　to　declaim　against　them；　and　sententiously　censure　a　gallantry；　an　accidental　excess　of　the　table；　a　frolic；　an　inadvertency；　no；　keep　as　free　from　them　yourself　as　you　can：　but　say　nothing　against　them　in