letters to his son, 1746-47-第3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！



I　must　finish：　God　bless　you！




LETTER　V

LONDON；　February　24；　O。　S。　　1747

SIR：　In　order　that　we　may；　reciprocally；　keep　up　our　French；　which；　for
want　of　practice；　we　might　forget；　you　will　permit　me　to　have　the　honor
of　assuring　you　of　my　respects　in　that　language：　and　be　so　good　to　answer
me　in　the　same。　　Not　that　I　am　apprehensive　of　your　forgetting　to　speak
French：　since　it　is　probable　that　two…thirds　of　our　daily　prattle　is　in
that　language；　and　because；　if　you　leave　off　writing　French；　you　may
perhaps　neglect　that　grammatical　purity；　and　accurate　orthography；　which；
in　other　languages；　you　excel　in；　and　really；　even　in　French；　it　is
better　to　write　well　than　ill。　　However；　as　this　is　a　language　very
proper　for　sprightly；　gay　subjects；　I　shall　conform　to　that；　and　reserve
those　which　are　serious　for　English。　　I　shall　not　therefore　mention　to
you；　at　present；　your　Greek　or　Latin；　your　study　of　the　Law　of　Nature；　or
the　Law　of　Nations；　the　Rights　of　People；　or　of　Individuals；　but　rather
discuss　the　subject　of　your　Amusements　and　Pleasures；　for；　to　say　the
truth；　one　must　have　some。　　May　I　be　permitted　to　inquire　of　what　nature
yours　are？　　Do　they　consist　in　little　commercial　play　at　cards　in　good
company？　are　they　little　agreeable　suppers；　at　which　cheerfulness　and
decency　are　united？　or；　do　you　pay　court　to　some　fair　one；　who　requires
such　attentions　as　may　be　of　use　in　contributing　to　polish　you？　　Make　me
your　confidant　upon　this　subject；　you　shall　not　find　a　severe　censor：　on
the　contrary；　I　wish　to　obtain　the　employment　of　minister　to　your
pleasures：　I　will　point　them　out；　and　even　contribute　to　them。

Many　young　people　adopt　pleasures；　for　which　they　have　not　the　least
taste；　only　because　they　are　called　by　that　name。　　They　often　mistake　so
totally；　as　to　imagine　that　debauchery　is　pleasure。　　You　must　allow　that
drunkenness；　which　is　equally　destructive　to　body　and　mind；　is　a　fine
pleasure。　　Gaming；　that　draws　you　into　a　thousand　scrapes；　leaves　you
penniless；　and　gives　you　the　air　and　manners　of　an　outrageous　madman；
is　another　most　exquisite　pleasure；　is　it　not？　　As　to　running　after
women；　the　consequences　of　that　vice　are　only　the　loss　of　one's　nose；
the　total　destruction　of　health；　and；　not　unfrequently；　the　being　run
through　the　body。

These；　you　see；　are　all　trifles；　yet　this　is　the　catalogue　of　pleasures
of　most　of　those　young　people；　who　never　reflecting　themselves；　adopt；
indiscriminately；　what　others　choose　to　call　by　the　seducing　name　of
pleasure。　　I　am　thoroughly　persuaded　you　will　not　fall　into　such　errors；
and　that；　in　the　choice　of　your　amusements；　you　will　be　directed　by
reason；　and　a　discerning　taste。　　The　true　pleasures　of　a　gentleman　are
those　of　the　table；　but　within　the　bound　of　moderation；　good　company；
that　is　to　say；　people　of　merit；　moderate　play；　which　amuses；　without　any
interested　views；　and　sprightly　gallant　conversations　with　women　of
fashion　and　sense。

These　are　the　real　pleasures　of　a　gentleman；　which　occasion　neither
sickness；　shame；　nor　repentance。　　Whatever　exceeds　them；　becomes　low
vice；　brutal　passion；　debauchery；　and　insanity　of；　mind；　all　of　which；
far　from　giving　satisfaction；　bring　on　dishonor　and　disgrace。　　Adieu。




LETTER　VI

LONDON；　March　6；　O。　S。　　1747

DEAR　BOY：　Whatever　you　do；　will　always　affect　me；　very　sensibly；　one　way
or　another；　and　I　am　now　most　agreeably　affected；　by　two　letters；　which　I
have　lately　seen　from　Lausanne；　upon　your　subject；　the　one　from　Madame
St。　Germain；　the　other　from　Monsieur　Pampigny：　they　both　give　so　good　an
account　of　you；　that　I　thought　myself　obliged；　in　justice　both　to　them
and；　to　you；　to　let　you　know　it。　　Those　who　deserve　a　good　character；
ought　to　have　the　satisfaction　of　knowing　that　they　have　it；　both　as　a
reward　and　as　an　encouragement。　　They　write；　that　you　are　not　only
'decrotte；'　but　tolerably　well…bred；　and　that　the　English　crust　of
awkward　bashfulness；　shyness；　and　roughness　（of　which；　by　the　bye；　you
had　your　share）　is　pretty　well　rubbed　off。　　I　am　most　heartily　glad　of
it；　for；　as　I　have　often　told　you；　those　lesser　talents；　of　an　engaging；
insinuating　manner；　an　easy　good…breeding；　a　genteel　behavior　and
address；　are　of　infinitely　more　advantage　than　they　are　generally　thought
to　be；　especially　here　in　England。　　Virtue　and　learning；　like　gold；　have
their　intrinsic　value　but　if　they　are　not　polished；　they　certainly　lose　a
great　deal　of　their　luster；　and　even　polished　brass　will　pass　upon　more
people　than　rough　gold。　　What　a　number　of　sins　does　the　cheerful；　easy
good…breeding　of　the　French　frequently　cover？　　Many　of　them　want　common
sense；　many　more　common　learning；　but　in　general；　they　make　up　so　much　by
their　manner；　for　those　defects；　that　frequently　they　pass　undiscovered：
I　have　often　said；　and　do　think；　that　a　Frenchman；　who；　with　a　fund　of
virtue；　learning　and　good　sense；　has　the　manners　and　good…breeding　of　his
country；　is　the　perfection　of　human　nature。　　This　perfection　you　may；　if
you　please；　and　I　hope　you　will；　arrive　at。　　You　know　what　virtue　is：　you
may　have　it　if　you　will；　it　is　in　every　man's　power；　and　miserable　is　the
man　who　has　it　not。　　Good　sense　God　has　given　you。　　Learning　you　already
possess　enough　of；　to　have；　in　a　reasonable　time；　all　that　a　man　need
have。　　With　this；　you　are　thrown　out　early　into　the　world；　where　it　will
be　your　own　fault　if　you　do　not　acquire　all；　the　other　accomplishments
necessary　to　complete　and　adorn　your　character。　　You　will　do　well　to　make
your　compliments　to　Madame　St。　Germain　and　Monsieur　Pampigny；　and　tell
them；　how　sensible　you　are　of　their　partiality　to　you；　in　the　advantageous
testimonies　which；　you　are　informed；　they　have　given　of　you　here。

Adieu。　　Continue　to　deserve　such　testimonies；　and　then　you　will　not　only
deserve；　but　enjoy　my　truest　affection。




LETTER　VII

LONDON；　March　27；　O。　S。　　1747。

DEAR　BOY：　Pleasure　is　the　rock　which　most　young　people　split　upon：　they
launch　out　with　crowded　sails　in　quest　of　it；　but　without　a　compass　to
direct　their　course；　or　reason　sufficient　to　steer　the　vessel；　for　want
of　which；　pain　and　shame；　instead　of　pleasure；　are　the　returns　of　their
voyage。　　Do　not　think　that　I　mean　to　snarl　at　pleasure；　like　a　Stoic；
or　to　preach　against　it；　like　a　parson；　no；　I　mean　to　point　it　out；
and　recommend　it　to　you；　like　an　Epicurean：　I　wish　you　a　great　deal；
and　my　only　view　is　to　hinder　you　from　mistaking　it。

The　character　which　most　young　men　first　aim　at；　is　that　of　a　man　of
pleasure；　but　they　generally　take　it　upon　trust；　and　instead　of
consulting　their　own　taste　and　inclinations；　they　blindly　adopt　whatever
those　with　whom　they　chiefly　converse；　are　pleased　to　call　by　the　name　of
pleasure；　and　a　man　of　pleasure　in　the　vulgar　acceptation　of　that　phrase；
means　only；　a　beastly　drunkard；　an　abandoned　whoremaster；　and　a
profligate　swearer　and　curser。　　As　it　may　be　of　use　to　you。　　I　am　not
unwilling；　though　at　the　same　time　ashamed　to　own；　that　the　vices　of　my
youth　proceeded　much　more　from　my　silly　resolution　of　being；　what　I　heard
called　a　man　of　pleasure；　than　from　my　own　inclinations。　　I　always
naturally　hated　drinking；　and　yet　I　have　often　drunk；　with　disgust　at　the
time；　attended　by　great　sickness　the　next　day；　only　because　I　then
considered　drinking　as　a　necessary　qualification　for　a　fine　gentleman；
and　a　man　of　pleasure。

The　same　as　to　gaming。　　I　did　not　want　money；　and　consequently　had　no
occasion　to　play　for　it；　but　I　thought　play　another　necessary　ingredient
in　the　composition　of　a　man　of　pleasure；　and　accordingly　I　plunged　into
it　without　desire；　at　first；　sacrificed　a　thousand　real　pleasures　to　it；
and　made　myself　solidly　uneasy　by　it；　for　thirty　the　best　years　of　my
life。

I　was　even　absurd　enough；　for　a　little　while；　to　swear；　by　way　of
adorning　and　completing　the　shining　character　which　I　affected；　but　this
folly　I　soon　laid　aside；　upon　finding　berth　the　guilt　and　the　indecency
of　it。

Thus　seduced　by　fashion；　and　blindly　adopting　nominal　pleasures；　I　lost
real　ones；　and　my　fortune　impaired；　and　my　constitution　shattered；　are；
I　must　confess；　the　just　punishment　of　my　errors。

Take　warning　then　by　them：　choose　your　pleasures　for　yourself；　and　do　not
let　them　be　imposed　upon　you。　　Follow　nature　and　not　fashion：　weigh　the
present　enjoyment　of　your　pleasures　against　the　necessary　consequences　of
them；　and　then　let　your　own　common　sense　determine　your　choice。

Were　I　to　begin　the　world　again；　with　the　experience　which　I　now　have　of
it；　I　would　lead　a　life　of　real；　not　of　imaginary　pleasures。　　I　would
enjoy　the　pleasures　of　the　table；　and　of　wine；　but　stop　short　of　the
pains　inseparably　annexed　to　an　excess　of　either。　　I　would　not；　at　twenty
years；　be　a　preaching　missionary　of　abstemiousness　and　sobriety；　and　I
should　let　other　people　do　as　they　would；　without　formally　and
sententiously　rebuking　them　for　it；　but　I　would　be　most　firmly　resolved
not　to　destroy　my　own　faculties　and　constitution；　in　complaisance　to
those　who　have　no　regard　to　their　own。　　I　would　play　to　give　me　pleasure；
but　not　to　give　me　pain；　that　is；　I　would　play　for　trifles；　in　mixed
companies；　to　amuse　myself；　and　conform　to　custom；　but　I　would　take　care
not　to　venture　for　sums；　which；　if　I　won；　I　should　not　be　the　better　for；
but；　if　I　lost；　should　be　under　a　difficulty　to　pay：　and　when　paid；　would
oblige　me　to　retrench　in　several　other　articles。　　Not　to　mention　the
quarrels　which　deep　play　commonly　occasions。

I　would　pass　some　of　my　time　in　reading；　and　the　rest　in　the　company　of
people　of　sense　and　learning；　and　chiefly　those　above　me；　and　I　would
frequent　the　mixed　companies　of　men　and　women　of　fashion；　which；　though
often　frivolous；　yet　they　unbend　and　refresh　the　mind；　not　uselessly；
because　they　certainly　polish　and　soften　the　manners。

These　would　be　my　pleasures　and　amusements；　if　I　were　to　live　the　last
thirty　years　over　again；　they　are　rational　ones；　and；　moreover；　I　will
tell　you；　they　are　really　the　fashionable　ones；　for　the　others　are　not；
in　truth；　the　pleasures　of　what　I　call　people　of　fashion；　but　of　those
who　only　call　themselves　so。　　Does　good　company　care　to　have　a　man
reeling　drunk　among　them？　　Or　to　see　another　tearing　his　hair；　and
blaspheming；　for　having　lost；　at　play；　more　than　he　is　able　to　pay？
Or　a　whoremaster　with　half　a　nose；　and　crippled　by　coarse　and　infamous
debauchery？　　No；　those　who　practice；　and　much　more　those　who　brag　of
them；　make　no　part　of　good　company；　and　are　most　unwillingly；　if　ever；
admitted　into　it。　　A　real　man　of　fashion　and　pleasures　observes　decency：
at　least　neither　borrows　nor　affects　vices：　and　if　he　unfortunately　has
any；　he　gratifies　them　with　choice；　delicacy；　and　secrecy。

I　have　not　mentioned　the　pleasures　of　the　mind　（which　are　the　solid　and
permanent　ones）；　because　they　do　not　come　under　the　head　of　what　people
commonly　call　pleasures；　which　they　seem　to　confine　to　the　senses。　　The
pleasure　of　virtue；　of　charity；　and　of　learning　is　true　and　lasting
pleasure；　with　which　I　hope　you　will　be　well　and　long　acquainted。　　Adieu！




LETTER　VIII

LONDON；　April　3；　O。　S。　　1747

DEAR　BOY：　If　I　am　rightly　informed；　I　am　now　wr