letters to his son, 1746-47-第4章

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LETTER　VIII

LONDON；　April　3；　O。　S。　　1747

DEAR　BOY：　If　I　am　rightly　informed；　I　am　now　writing　to　a　fine　gentleman；
in　a　scarlet　coat　laced　with　gold；　a　brocade　waistcoat；　and　all　other
suitable　ornaments。　　The　natural　partiality　of　every　author　for　his　own
works　makes　me　very　glad　to　hear　that　Mr。　Harte　has　thought　this　last
edition　of　mine　worth　so　fine　a　binding；　and；　as　he　has　bound　it　in　red；
and　gilt　it　upon　the　back；　I　hope　he　will　take　care　that　it　shall　be
LETTERED　too。　　A　showish　binding　attracts　the　eyes；　and　engages　the
attention　of　everybody；　but　with　this　difference；　that　women；　and　men　who
are　like　women；　mind　the　binding　more　than　the　book；　whereas　men　of　sense
and　learning　immediately　examine　the　inside；　and　if　they　find　that　it
does　not　answer　the　finery　on　the　outside；　they　throw　it　by　with　the
greater　indignation　and　contempt。　　I　hope　that；　when　this　edition　of　my
works　shall　be　opened　and　read；　the　best　judges　will　find　connection；
consistency；　solidity；　and　spirit　in　it。　　Mr。　Harte　may　'recensere'　and
'emendare；'　as　much　as　he　pleases；　but　it　will　be　to　little　purpose；　if
you　do　not　cooperate　with　him。　　The　work　will　be　imperfect。

I　thank　you　for　your　last　information　of　our　success　in　the
Mediterranean；　and　you　say　very　rightly　that　a　secretary　of　state　ought
to　be　well　informed。　　I　hope；　therefore；　you　will　take　care　that　I　shall。
You　are　near　the　busy　scene　in　Italy；　and　I　doubt　not　but　that；　by
frequently　looking　at　the　map；　you　have　all　that　theatre　of　the　war　very
perfect　in　your　mind。

I　like　your　account　of　the　salt　works；　which　shows　that　you　gave　some
attention　while　you　were　seeing　them。　　But　notwithstanding　that；　by　your
account；　the　Swiss　salt　is　（I　dare　say）　very　good；　yet　I　am　apt　to
suspect　that　it　falls　a　little　short　of　the　true　Attic　salt　in　which
there　was　a　peculiar　quickness　and　delicacy。　　That　same　Attic　salt
seasoned　almost　all　Greece；　except　Boeotia；　and　a　great　deal　of　it　was
exported　afterward　to　Rome；　where　it　was　counterfeited　by　a　composition
called　Urbanity；　which　in　some　time　was　brought　to　very　near　the
perfection　of　the　original　Attic　salt。　　The　more　you　are　powdered　with
these　two　kinds　of　salt；　the　better　you　will　keep；　and　the　more　you　will
be　relished。

Adieu！　　My　compliments　to　Mr。　Harte　and　Mr。　Eliot。




LETTER　IX

LONDON；　April　14；　O。　S。　　1747。

DEAR　BOY：　If　you　feel　half　the　pleasure　from　the　consciousness　of　doing
well；　that　I　do　from　the　informations　I　have　lately　received　in　your
favor　from　Mr。　Harte；　I　shall　have　little　occasion　to　exhort　or　admonish
you　any　more　to　do　what　your　own　satisfaction　and　self　love　will
sufficiently　prompt　you　to。　　Mr。　Harte　tells　me　that　you　attend；　that　you
apply　to　your　studies；　and　that　beginning　to　understand；　you　begin　to
taste　them。　　This　pleasure　will　increase；　and　keep　pace　with　your
attention；　so　that　the　balance　will　be　greatly　to　your　advantage。　　You
may　remember；　that　I　have　always　earnestly　recommended　to　you；　to　do　what
you　are　about；　be　that　what　it　will；　and　to　do　nothing　else　at　the　same
time。　　Do　not　imagine　that　I　mean　by　this；　that　you　should　attend　to　and
plod　at　your　book　all　day　long；　far　from　it；　I　mean　that　you　should　have
your　pleasures　too；　and　that　you　should　attend　to　them　for　the　time；　as
much　as　to　your　studies；　and；　if　you　do　not　attend　equally　to　both；　you
will　neither　have　improvement　nor　satisfaction　from　either。　　A　man　is　fit
for　neither　business　nor　pleasure；　who　either　cannot；　or　does　not；
command　and　direct　his　attention　to　the　present　object；　and；　in　some
degree；　banish　for　that　time　all　other　objects　from　his　thoughts。　　If　at
a　ball；　a　supper；　or　a　party　of　pleasure；　a　man　were　to　be　solving；
in　his　own　mind；　a　problem　in　Euclid；　he　would　be　a　very　bad　companion；
and　make　a　very　poor　figure　in　that　company；　or　if；　in　studying　a　problem
in　his　closet；　he　were　to　think　of　a　minuet；　I　am　apt　to　believe　that　he
would　make　a　very　poor　mathematician。　　There　is　time　enough　for
everything；　in　the　course　of　the　day；　if　you　do　but　one　thing　at　once；
but　there　is　not　time　enough　in　the　year；　if　you　will　do　two　things　at　a
time。　　The　Pensionary　de　Witt；　who　was　torn　to　pieces　in　the　year　1672；
did　the　whole　business　of　the　Republic；　and　yet　had　time　left　to　go　to
assemblies　in　the　evening；　and　sup　in　company。　　Being　asked　how　he　could
possibly　find　time　to　go　through　so　much　business；　and　yet　amuse　himself
in　the　evenings　as　he　did；　he　answered；　there　was　nothing　so　easy；　for
that　it　was　only　doing　one　thing　at　a　time；　and　never　putting　off
anything　till　to…morrow　that　could　be　done　to…day。　　This　steady　and
undissipated　attention　to　one　object　is　a　sure　mark　of　a　superior　genius；
as　hurry；　bustle；　and　agitation　are　the　never…failing　symptoms　of　a　weak
and　frivolous　mind。　　When　you　read　Horace；　attend　to　the　justness　of　his
thoughts；　the　happiness　of　his　diction；　and　the　beauty　of　his　poetry；　and
do　not　think　of　Puffendorf　de　Homine　el　Cive；　and；　when　you　are　reading
Puffendorf；　do　not　think　of　Madame　de　St。　Germain；　nor　of　Puffendorf；
when　you　are　talking　to　Madame　de　St。　Germain。

Mr。　Harte　informs　me；　that　he　has　reimbursed　you　of　part　of　your　losses
in　Germany；　and　I　consent　to　his　reimbursing　you　of　the　whole；　now　that　I
know　you　deserve　it。　　I　shall　grudge　you　nothing；　nor　shall　you　want
anything　that　you　desire；　provided　you　deserve　it；　so　that　you　see；　it　is
in　your　own　power　to　have　whatever　you　please。

There　is　a　little　book　which　you　read　here　with　Monsieur　Codere　entitled；
'Maniere　de　bien　penser　dans　les　Ouvrages　d'Esprit；'　written　by　Pyre
Bonhours。　　I　wish　you　would　read　this　book　again　at　your　leisure　hours；
for　it　will　not　only　divert　you；　but　likewise　form　your　taste；　and　give
you　a　just　manner　of　thinking。　　Adieu！




LETTER　X

LONDON；　June　30；　O。　S。　　1747

DEAR　BOY：　I　was　extremely　pleased　with　the　account　which　you　gave　me　in
your　last；　of　the　civilities　that　you　received　in　your　Swiss　progress；
and　I　have　written；　by　this　post；　to　Mr。　Burnaby；　and　to　the　'Avoyer；'
to　thank　them　for　their　parts。　　If　the　attention　you　met　with　pleased
you；　as　I　dare　say　it　did；　you　will；　I　hope；　draw　this　general　conclusion
from　it；　that　attention　and　civility　please　all　those　to　whom　they　are
paid；　and　that　you　will　please　others　in　proportion　as　you　are　attentive
and　civil　to　them。

Bishop　Burnet　has　wrote　his　travels　through　Switzerland；　and　Mr。　Stanyan；
from　a　long　residence　there；　has　written　the　best　account；　yet　extant；
of　the　Thirteen　Cantons；　but　those　books　will　be　read　no　more；　I　presume；
after　you　shall　have　published　your　account　of　that　country。　　I　hope　you
will　favor　me　with　one　of　the　first　copies。　　To　be　serious；　though　I　do
not　desire　that　you　should　immediately　turn　author；　and　oblige　the　world
with　your　travels；　yet；　wherever　you　go；　I　would　have　you　as　curious　and
inquisitive　as　if　you　did　intend　to　write　them。　　I　do　not　mean　that　you
should　give　yourself　so　much　trouble；　to　know　the　number　of　houses；
inhabitants；　signposts；　and　tombstones；　of　every　town　that　you　go
through；　but　that　you　should　inform　yourself；　as　well　as　your　stay　will
permit　you；　whether　the　town　is　free；　or　to　whom　it　belongs；　or　in　what
manner：　whether　it　has　any　peculiar　privileges　or　customs；　what　trade　or
manufactures；　and　such　other　particulars　as　people　of　sense　desire　to
know。　　And　there　would　be　no　manner　of　harm　if　you　were　to　take
memorandums　of　such　things　in　a　paper　book　to　help　your　memory。　　The　only
way　of　knowing　all　these　things　is　to　keep　the　best　company；　who　can　best
inform　you　of　them。　　I　am　just　now　called　away；　so　good　night。




LETTER　XI

LONDON；　July　20；　O。　S。　　1747

DEAR　BOY：　　In　your　Mamma's　letter；　which　goes　here　inclosed；　you　will
find　one　from　my　sister；　to　thank　you　for　the　Arquebusade　water　which　you
sent　her；　and　which　she　takes　very　kindly。　　She　would　not　show　me　her
letter　to　you；　but　told　me　that　it　contained　good　wishes　and　good　advice；
and；　as　I　know　she　will　show　your　letter　in　answer　to　hers；　I　send　you
here　inclosed　the　draught　of　the　letter　which　I　would　have　you　write　to
her。　　I　hope　you　will　not　be　offended　at　my　offering　you　my　assistance
upon　this　occasion；　because；　I　presume；　that　as　yet；　you　are　not　much
used　to　write　to　ladies。　　'A　propos'　of　letter…writing；　the　best　models
that　you　can　form　yourself　upon　are；　Cicero；　Cardinal　d'Ossat；　Madame
Sevigne；　and　Comte　Bussy　Rebutin。　　Cicero's　Epistles　to　Atticus；　and　to
his　familiar　friends；　are　the　best　examples　that　you　can　imitate；　in　the
friendly　and　the　familiar　style。　　The　simplicity　and　the　clearness　of
Cardinal　d'Ossat's　letters　show　how　letters　of　business　ought　to　be
written；　no　affected　turns；　no　attempts　at　wit；　obscure　or　perplex　his
matter；　which　is　always　plainly　and　clearly　stated；　as　business　always
should　be。　　For　gay　and　amusing　letters；　for　'enjouement　and　badinage；'
there　are　none　that　equal　Comte　Bussy's　and　Madame　Sevigne's。　　They　are
so　natural；　that　they　seem　to　be　the　extempore　conversations　of　two
people　of　wit；　rather；　than　letters　which　are　commonly　studied；　though
they　ought　not　to　be　so。　　I　would　advise　you　to　let　that　book　be　one　in
your　itinerant　library；　it　will　both　amuse　and　inform　you。

I　have　not　time　to　add　any　more　now；　so　good　night。




LETTER　XII

LONDON；　July　30；　O。　S。　　1747

DEAR　BOY：　It　is　now　four　posts　since　I　have　received　any　letter；　either
from　you　or　from　Mr。　Harte。　　I　impute　this　to　the　rapidity　of　your
travels　through　Switzerland；　which　I　suppose　are　by　this　time　finished。

You　will　have　found　by　my　late　letters；　both　to　you　and　Mr。　Harte；　that
you　are　to　be　at　Leipsig　by　next　Michaelmas；　where　you　will　be　lodged　in
the　house　of　Professor　Mascow；　and　boarded　in　the　neighborhood　of　it；
with　some　young　men　of　fashion。　　The　professor　will　read　you　lectures
upon　'Grotius　de　Jure　Belli　et　Pacis；'　the　'Institutes　of　Justinian'　and
the　'Jus　Publicum　Imperii；'　which　I　expect　that　you　shall　not　only　hear；
but　attend　to；　and　retain。　　I　also　expect　that　you　make　yourself
perfectly　master　of　the　German　language；　which　you　may　very　soon　do
there；　if　you　please。　　I　give　you　fair　warning；　that　at　Leipsig　I　shall
have　an　hundred　invisible　spies　about　you；　and　shall　be　exactly　informed
of　everything　that　you　do；　and　of　almost　everything　that　you　say。　　I　hope
that；　in　consequence　of　those　minute　informations；　I　may　be　able　to　say
of　you；　what　Velleius　Paterculus　says　of　Scipio；　that　in　his　whole　life；
'nihil　non　laudandum　aut　dixit；　aut　fecit；　aut　sensit。'　　There　is　a　great
deal　of　good　company　in　Leipsig；　which　I　would　have　you　frequent　in　the
evenings；　when　the　studies　of　the　day　are　over。　　There　is　likewise　a　kind
of　court　kept　there；　by　a　Duchess　Dowager　of　Courland；　at　which　you
should　get　introduced。　　The　King　of　Poland　and　his　Court　go　likewise　to
the　fair　at　Leipsig　twice　a　year；　and　I　shall　write　to　Sir　Charles
Williams；　the　king's　minister　there；　to　have　you　presented；　and
introduced　into　good　company。　　But　I　must　remind　you；　at　the　same　time；
that　it　will　be　to　a　very　little　purpose　for　you　to　frequent　good
company；　if　you　do　not　conform　to；　and　learn　their　manners；　if　you　are
not　at