letters to his son, 1748-第3章

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Some　learned　men；　proud　of　their　knowledge；　only　speak　to　decide；　and　give　judgment　without　appeal；　the　consequence　of　which　is；　that　mankind；　provoked　by　the　insult；　and　injured　by　the　oppression；　revolt；　and；　in　order　to　shake　off　the　tyranny；　even　call　the　lawful　authority　in　question。　　The　more　you　know；　the　modester　you　should　be：　and　（by　the　bye）　that　modesty　is　the　surest　way　of　gratifying　your　vanity。　　Even　where　you　are　sure；　seem　rather　doubtful；　represent；　but　do　not　pronounce；　and；　if　you　would　convince　others；　seem　open　to　conviction　yourself。

Others；　to　show　their　learning；　or　often　from　the　prejudices　of　a　school…　education；　where　they　hear　of　nothing　else；　are　always　talking　of　the　ancients；　as　something　more　than　men；　and　of　the　moderns；　as　something　less。　　They　are　never　without　a　classic　or　two　in　their　pockets；　they　stick　to　the　old　good　sense；　they　read　none　of　the　modern　trash；　and　will　show　you；　plainly；　that　no　improvement　has　been　made；　in　any　one　art　or　science；　these　last　seventeen　hundred　years。　　I　would　by　no　means　have　you　disown　your　acquaintance　with　the　ancients：　but　still　less　would　I　have　you　brag　of　an　exclusive　intimacy　with　them。　　Speak　of　the　moderns　without　contempt；　and　of　the　ancients　without　idolatry；　judge　them　all　by　their　merits；　but　not　by　their　ages；　and　if　you　happen　to　have　an　Elzevir　classic　in　your　pocket　neither　show　it　nor　mention　it。

Some　great　scholars；　most　absurdly；　draw　all　their　maxims；　both　for　public　and　private　life；　from　what　they　call　parallel　cases　in　the　ancient　authors；　without　considering；　that；　in　the　first　place；　there　never　were；　since　the　creation　of　the　world；　two　cases　exactly　parallel；　and；　in　the　next　place；　that　there　never　was　a　case　stated；　or　even　known；　by　any　historian；　with　every　one　of　its　circumstances；　which；　however；　ought　to　be　known；　in　order　to　be　reasoned　from。　　Reason　upon　the　case　itself；　and　the　several　circumstances　that　attend　it；　and　act　accordingly；　but　not　from　the　authority　of　ancient　poets；　or　historians。　Take　into　your　consideration；　if　you　please；　cases　seemingly　analogous；　but　take　them　as　helps　only；　not　as　guides。　　We　are　really　so　prejudiced　by　our　education；　that；　as　the　ancients　deified　their　heroes；　we　deify　their　madmen；　of　which；　with　all　due　regard　for　antiquity；　I　take　Leonidas　and　Curtius　to　have　been　two　distinguished　ones。　　And　yet　a　solid　pedant　would；　in　a　speech　in　parliament；　relative　to　a　tax　of　two…　pence　in　the　pound　upon　some　community　or　other；　quote　those　two　heroes；　as　examples　of　what　we　ought　to　do　and　suffer　for　our　country。　　I　have　known　these　absurdities　carried　so　far　by　people　of　injudicious　learning；　that　I　should　not　be　surprised；　if　some　of　them　were　to　propose；　while　we　are　at　war　with　the　Gauls；　that　a　number　of　geese　should　be　kept　in　the　Tower；　upon　account　of　the　infinite　advantage　which　Rome　received　IN　A　PARALLEL　CASE；　from　a　certain　number　of　geese　in　the　Capitol。　　This　way　of　reasoning；　and　this　way　of　speaking；　will　always　form　a　poor　politician；　and　a　puerile　declaimer。

There　is　another　species　of　learned　men；　who；　though　less　dogmatical　and　supercilious；　are　not　less　impertinent。　　These　are　the　communicative　and　shining　pedants；　who　adorn　their　conversation；　even　with　women；　by　happy　quotations　of　Greek　and　Latin；　and　who　have　contracted　such　a　familiarity　with　the　Greek　and　Roman　authors；　that　they；　call　them　by　certain　names　or　epithets　denoting　intimacy。　　As　OLD　Homer；　that　SLY　ROGUE　Horace；　MARO；　instead　of　Virgil；　and　Naso；　Instead　of　Ovid。　　These　are　often　imitated　by　coxcombs；　who　have　no　learning　at　all；　but　who　have　got　some　names　and　some　scraps　of　ancient　authors　by　heart；　which　they　improperly　and　impertinently　retail　in　all　companies；　in　hopes　of　passing　for　scholars。　　If；　therefore；　you　would　avoid　the　accusation　of　pedantry　on　one　hand；　or　the　suspicion　of　ignorance　on　the　other；　abstain　from　learned　ostentation。　　Speak　the　language　of　the　company　that　you　are　in；　speak　it　purely；　and　unlarded　with　any　other。　　Never　seem　wiser；　nor　more　learned；　than　the　people　you　are　with。　　Wear　your　learning；　like　your　watch；　in　a　private　pocket：　and　do　not　pull　it　out　and　strike　it；　merely　to　show　that　you　have　one。　　If　you　are　asked　what　o'clock　it　is；　tell　it；　but　do　not　proclaim　it　hourly　and　unasked；　like　the　watchman。

Upon　the　whole；　remember　that　learning　（I　mean　Greek　and　Roman　learning）　is　a　most　useful　and　necessary　ornament；　which　it　is　shameful　not　to　be　master　of；　but；　at　the　same　time　most　carefully　avoid　those　errors　and　abuses　which　I　have　mentioned；　and　which　too　often　attend　it。　　Remember；　too；　that　great　modern　knowledge　is　still　more　necessary　than　ancient；　and　that　you　had　better　know　perfectly　the　present；　than　the　old　state　of　Europe；　though　I　would　have　you　well　acquainted　with　both。

I　have　this　moment　received　your　letter　of　the　17th；　N。　S。　　Though；　I　confess；　there　is　no　great　variety　in　your　present　manner　of　life；　yet　materials　can　never　be　wanting　for　a　letter；　you　see；　you　hear；　or　you　read　something　new　every　day；　a　short　account　of　which；　with　your　own　reflections　thereupon；　will　make　out　a　letter　very　well。　　But；　since　you　desire　a　subject；　pray　send　me　an　account　of　the　Lutheran　establishment　in　Germany；　their　religious　tenets；　their　church　government；　the　maintenance；　authority；　and　titles　of　their　clergy。

'Vittorio　Siri'；　complete；　is　a　very　scarce　and　very　dear　book　here；　but　I　do　not　want　it。　　If　your　own　library　grows　too　voluminous；　you　will　not　know　what　to　do　with　it；　when　you　leave　Leipsig。　　Your　best　way　will　be；　when　you　go　away　from　thence；　to　send　to　England；　by　Hamburg；　all　the　books　that　you　do　not　absolutely　want。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yours。




LETTER　XXXI

BATH；　March　1；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　By　Mr。　Harte's　letter　to　Mr。　Grevenkop；　of　the　21st　February；　N。　S。；　I　find　that　you　had　been　a　great　while　without　receiving　any　letters　from　me；　but　by　this　time；　I　daresay　you　think　you　have　received　enough；　and　possibly　more　than　you　have　read；　for　I　am　not　only　a　frequent；　but　a　prolix　correspondent。

Mr。　Harte　says；　in　that　letter；　that　he　looks　upon　Professor　Mascow　to　be　one　of　the　ablest　men　in　Europe；　in　treaty　and　political　knowledge。　　I　am　extremely　glad　of　it；　for　that　is　what　I　would　have　you　particularly　apply　to；　and　make　yourself　perfect　master　of。　　The　treaty　part　you　must　chiefly　acquire　by　reading　the　treaties　themselves；　and　the　histories　and　memoirs　relative　to　them；　not　but　that　inquiries　and　conversations　upon　those　treaties　will　help　you　greatly；　and　imprint　them　better　in　your　mind。　　In　this　course　of　reading；　do　not　perplex　yourself；　at　first；　by　the　multitude　of　insignificant　treaties　which　are　to　be　found　in　the　Corps　Diplomatique；　but　stick　to　the　material　ones；　which　altered　the　state　of　Europe；　and　made　a　new　arrangement　among　the　great　powers；　such　as　the　treaties　of　Munster；　Nimeguen；　Ryswick；　and　Utrecht。

But　there　is　one　part　of　political　knowledge；　which　is　only　to　be　had　by　inquiry　and　conversation；　that　is；　the　present　state　of　every　power　in　Europe；　with　regard　to　the　three　important　points；　of　strength；　revenue；　and　commerce。　　You　will；　therefore；　do　well；　while　you　are　in　Germany；　to　inform　yourself　carefully　of　the　military　force；　the　revenues；　and　the　commerce　of　every　prince　and　state　of　the　empire；　and　to　write　down　those　informations　in　a　little　book；　for　that　particular　purpose。　　To　give　you　a　specimen　of　what　I　mean：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ELECTORATE　OF　HANOVER

　　　　　The　revenue　is　about　L500；000　a　year。

　　　　　The　military　establishment；　in　time　of　war；　may　be　about　25；000　men；　　　　　　but　that　is　the　utmost。

　　　　　The　trade　is　chiefly　linens；　exported　from　Stade。

　　　　　There　are　coarse　woolen　manufactures　for　home…consumption。

　　　　　The　mines　of　Hartz　produce　about　L100；000　in　silver；　annually。


Such　informations　you　may　very　easily　get；　by　proper　inquiries；　of　every　state　in　Germany　if　you　will　but　prefer　useful　to　frivolous　conversations。

There　are　many　princes　in　Germany；　who　keep　very　few　or　no　troops；　unless　upon　the　approach　of　danger；　or　for　the　sake　of　profit；　by　letting　them　out　for　subsidies；　to　great　powers：　In　that　case；　you　will　inform　yourself　what　number　of　troops　they　could　raise；　either　for　their　own　defense；　or　furnish　to　other　powers　for　subsidies。

There　is　very　little　trouble；　and　an　infinite　use；　in　acquiring　of　this　knowledge。　　It　seems　to　me　even　to　be　a　more　entertaining　subject　to　talk　upon；　than　'la　pluie　et　le　beau　tens'。

Though　I　am　sensible　that　these　things　cannot　be　known　with　the　utmost　exactness；　at　least　by　you　yet；　you　may；　however；　get　so　near　the　truth；　that　the　difference　will　be　very　immaterial。

Pray　let　me　know　if　the　Roman　Catholic　worship　is　tolerated　in　Saxony；　anywhere　but　at　Court；　and　if　public　mass…houses　are　allowed　anywhere　else　in　the　electorate。　　Are　the　regular　Romish　clergy　allowed；　and　have　they　any　convents？

Are　there　any　military　orders　in　Saxony；　and　what？　　Is　the　White　Eagle　a　Saxon　or　a　Polish　order？　　Upon　what　occasion；　and　when　was　it　founded？　What　number　of　knights？

Adieu！　God　bless　you；　and　may　you　turn　out　what　I　wish！




LETTER　XXXII

BATH；　March　9；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　I　must　from　time　to　time；　remind　you　of　what　I　have　often　recommended　to　you；　and　of　what　you　cannot　attend　to　too　much；　SACRIFICE　TO　THE　GRACES。　　The　different　effects　of　the　same　things；　said　or　done；　when　accompanied　or　abandoned　by　them；　is　almost　inconceivable。　　They　prepare　the　way　to　the　heart；　and　the　heart　has　such　an　influence　over　the　understanding；　that　it　is　worth　while　to　engage　it　in　our　interest。　It　is　the　whole　of　women；　who　are　guided　by　nothing　else：　and　it　has　so　much　to　say；　even　with　men；　and　the　ablest　men　too；　that　it　commonly　triumphs　in　every　struggle　with　the　understanding。　　Monsieur　de　Rochefoucault；　in　his　〃Maxims；〃　says；　that　'l'esprit　est　souvent　la　dupe　du　coeur。'　　If　he　had　said；　instead　of　'souvent；　tresque　toujours'；　I　fear　he　would　have　been　nearer　the　truth。　　This　being　the　case；　aim　at　the　heart。　　Intrinsic　merit　alone　will　not　do；　it　will　gain　you　the　general　esteem　of　all；　but　not　the　particular　affection；　that　is；　the　heart　of　any。　　To　engage　the　affections　of　any　particular　person；　you　must；　over　and　above　your　general　merit；　have　some　particular　merit　to　that　person　by　services　done；　or　offered；　by　expressions　of　regard　and　esteem；　by　complaisance；　attentions；　etc。；　for　him。　　And　the　graceful　manner　of　doing　all　these　things　opens　the　way　to　the　heart；　and　facilitates；　or　rather　insures；　their　effects。　　From　your　own　observation；　reflect　what　a　disagreeable　impression　an　awkward　address；　a　slovenly　figure；　an　ungraceful　manner　of　speaking；　whether　stuttering；　muttering；　monotony；　or　drawling；　an　unattentive　behavior；　etc。；　make　upon　you；　at　first　sight；　in　a　stranger；　and　how　they　prejudice　you　against　him；　though　for　aught　you　know；　he　may　have　great　intrinsic　sense　and　merit。　　And　reflect；　on　the　other　hand；　how　much　the　opposites　of　all　these　things　prepossess　you；　at　first　sight；　in　favor　of　those　who　enjoy　them。　　You　wish　to　find　all　good　qualities　in　them；　and　are　in　some　degree　disappointed　if　you　do　not。　　A　thousand　li