letters to his son, 1746-47-第7章

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for　it。　　If　her　figure　is　deformed；　her　face；　she　thinks；　counterbalances
it。　　If　they　are　both　bad；　she　comforts　herself　that　she　has　graces；　a
certain　manner；　a　'je　ne　sais　quoi；'　still　more　engaging　than　beauty。
This　truth　is　evident；　from　the　studied　and　elaborate　dress　of　the
ugliest　women　in　the　world。　　An　undoubted；；　uncontested；　conscious
beauty；　is　of　all　women；　the　least　sensible　of　flattery　upon　that　head；
she　knows　that　it　is　her　due；　and　is　therefore　obliged　to　nobody　for
giving　it　her。　　She　must　be　flattered　upon　her　understanding；　which；
though　she　may　possibly　not　doubt　of　herself；　yet　she　suspects　that　men
may　distrust。

Do　not　mistake　me；　and　think　that　I　mean　to　recommend　to　you　abject　and
criminal　flattery：　no；　flatter　nobody's　vices　or　crimes：　on　the　contrary；
abhor　and　discourage　them。　　But　there　is　no　living　in　the　world　without　a
complaisant　indulgence　for　people's　weaknesses；　and　innocent；　though
ridiculous　vanities。　　If　a　man　has　a　mind　to　be　thought　wiser；　and　a
woman　handsomer　than　they　really　are；　their　error　is　a　comfortable　one　to
themselves；　and　an　innocent　one　with　regard　to　other　people；　and　I　would
rather　make　them　my　friends；　by　indulging　them　in　it；　than　my　enemies；
by　endeavoring　（and　that　to　no　purpose）　to　undeceive　them。

There　are　little　attentions　likewise；　which　are　infinitely　engaging；
and　which　sensibly　affect　that　degree　of　pride　and　self…love；　which　is
inseparable　from　human　nature；　as　they　are　unquestionable　proofs　of　the
regard　and　consideration　which　we　have　for　the　person　to　whom　we　pay
them。　　As；　for　example；　to　observe　the　little　habits；　the　likings；　the
antipathies；　and　the　tastes　of　those　whom　we　would　gain；　and　then　take
care　to　provide　them　with　the　one；　and　to　secure　them　from　the　other；
giving　them；　genteelly；　to　understand；　that　you　had　observed　that　they
liked　such　a　dish；　or　such　a　room；　for　which　reason　you　had　prepared　it：
or；　on　the　contrary；　that　having　observed　they　had　an　aversion　to　such　a
dish；　a　dislike　to　such　a　person；　etc。；　you　had　taken　care　to　avoid
presenting　them。　　Such　attention　to　such　trifles　flatters　self…love　much
more　than　greater　things；　as　it　makes　people　think　themselves　almost　the
only　objects　of　your　thoughts　and　care。

These　are　some　of　the　arcana　necessary　for　your　initiation　in　the　great
society　of　the　world。　　I　wish　I　had　known　them　better　at　your　age；　I　have
paid　the　price　of　three…and…fifty　years　for　them；　and　shall　not　grudge
it；　if　you　reap　the　advantage。　　Adieu。




LETTER　XVIII

LONDON；　October　30；　O。　S。　　1747

DEAR　BOY：　I　am　very　well　pleased　with　your　'Itinerarium；'　which　you　sent
me　from　Ratisbon。　　It　shows　me　that　you　observe　and　inquire　as　you　go；
which　is　the　true　end　of　traveling。　　Those　who　travel　heedlessly　from
place　to　place；　observing　only　their　distance　from　each　other；　and
attending　only　to　their　accommodation　at　the　inn　at　night；　set　out　fools；
and　will　certainly　return　so。　　Those　who　only　mind　the　raree…shows　of　the
places　which　they　go　through；　such　as　steeples；　clocks；　town…houses；
etc。；　get　so　little　by　their　travels；　that　they　might　as　well　stay　at
home。　　But　those　who　observe；　and　inquire　into　the　situations；　the
strength；　the　weakness；　the　trade；　the　manufactures；　the　government；　and
constitution　of　every　place　they　go　to；　who　frequent　the　best　companies；
and　attend　to　their　several　manners　and　characters；　those　alone　travel
with　advantage；　and　as　they　set　out　wise；　return　wiser。

I　would　advise　you　always　to　get　the　shortest　description　or　history　of
every　place　where　you　make　any　stay；　and　such　a　book；　however　imperfect；
will　still　suggest　to　you　matter　for　inquiry；　upon　which　you　may　get
better　informations　from　the　people　of　the　place。　　For　example；　while　you
are　at　Leipsig；　get　some　short　account　（and　to　be　sure　there　are　many
such）　of　the　present　state　of　the　town；　with　regard　to　its　magistrates；
its　police；　its　privileges；　etc。；　and　then　inform　yourself　more　minutely
upon　all　those　heads　in；　conversation　with　the　most　intelligent　people。
Do　the　same　thing　afterward　with　regard　to　the　Electorate　of　Saxony：　you
will　find　a　short　history　of　it　in　Puffendorf's　Introduction；　which　will
give　you　a　general　idea　of　it；　and　point　out　to　you　the　proper　objects　of
a　more　minute　inquiry。　　In　short；　be　curious；　attentive；　inquisitive；　as
to　everything；　listlessness　and　indolence　are　always　blameable；　but；　at
your　age；　they　are　unpardonable。　　Consider　how　precious；　and　how
important　for　all　the　rest　of　your　life；　are　your　moments　for　these　next
three　or　four　years；　and　do　not　lose　one　of　them。　　Do　not　think　I　mean
that　you　should　study　all　day　long；　I　am　far　from　advising　or　desiring
it：　but　I　desire　that　you　would　be　doing　something　or　other　all　day　long；
and　not　neglect　half　hours　and　quarters　of　hours；　which；　at　the；　year's
end；　amount　to　a　great　sum。　　For　instance；　there　are　many　short　intervals
during　the　day；　between　studies　and　pleasures：　instead　of　sitting　idle
and　yawning；　in　those　intervals；　take　up　any　book；　though　ever　so
trifling　a　one；　even　down　to　a　jest…book；　it　is　still　better　than　doing
nothing。

Nor　do　I　call　pleasures　idleness；　or　time　lost；　provided　they　are　the
pleasures　of　a　rational　being；　on　the　contrary；　a　certain　portion　of　your
time；　employed　in　those　pleasures；　is　very　usefully　employed。　　Such　are
public　spectacles；　assemblies　of　good　company；　cheerful　suppers；　and　even
balls；　but　then；　these　require　attention；　or　else　your　time　is　quite
lost。

There　are　a　great　many　people；　who　think　themselves　employed　all　day；
and　who；　if　they　were　to　cast　up　their　accounts　at　night；　would　find
that　they　had　done　just　nothing。　　They　have　read　two　or　three　hours
mechanically；　without　attending　to　what　they　read；　and　consequently
without　either　retaining　it；　or　reasoning　upon　it。　　From　thence　they
saunter　into　company；　without　taking　any　part　in　it；　and　without
observing　the　characters　of　the　persons；　or　the　subjects　of　the
conversation；　but　are　either　thinking　of　some　trifle；　foreign　to　the
present　purpose；　or　often　not　thinking　at　all；　which　silly　and　idle
suspension　of　thought　they　would　dignify　with　the　name　of　ABSENCE　and
DISTRACTION。　　They　go　afterward；　it　may　be；　to　the　play；　where　they　gape
at　the　company　and　the　lights；　but　without　minding　the　very　thing　they
went　to；　the　play。

Pray　do　you　be　as　attentive　to　your　pleasures　as　to　your　studies。　　In
the　latter；　observe　and　reflect　upon　all　you　read；　and；　in　the　former；
be　watchful　and　attentive　to　all　that　you　see　and。　　hear；　and　never　have
it　to　say；　as　a　thousand　fools　do；　of　things　that　were　said　and　done
before　their　faces；　that；　truly；　they　did　not　mind　them；　because　they
were　thinking　of　something　else。　　Why　were　they　thinking　of　something
else？　and　if　they　were；　why　did　they　come　there？　　The　truth　is；　that　the
fools　were　thinking　of　nothing。　　Remember　the　'hoc　age；'　do　what　you　are
about；　be　what　it　will；　it　is　either　worth　doing　well；　or　not　at　all。
Wherever　you　are；　have　（as　the　low　vulgar　expression　is）　your　ears　and
your　eyes　about　you。　　Listen　to　everything　that　is　said；　and　see
everything　that　is　done。　　Observe　the　looks　and　countenances　of　those　who
speak；　which　is　often　a　surer　way　of　discovering　the　truth　than　from　what
they　say。　　But　then　keep　all　those　observations　to　yourself；　for　your　own
private　use；　and　rarely　communicate　them　to　others。　　Observe；　without
being　thought　an　observer；　for　otherwise　people　will　be　upon　their　guard
before　you。

Consider　seriously；　and　follow　carefully；　I　beseech　you；　my　dear　child；
the　advice　which　from　time　to　time　I　have　given；　and　shall　continue　to
give　you；　it　is　at　once　the　result　of　my　long　experience；　and　the　effect
of　my　tenderness　for　you。　　I　can　have　no　interest　in　it　but　yours。
You　are　not　yet　capable　of　wishing　yourself　half　so　well　as　I　wish　you；
follow　therefore；　for　a　time　at　least；　implicitly；　advice　which　you
cannot　suspect；　though　possibly　you　may　not　yet　see　the　particular
advantages　of　it；　but　you　will　one　day　feel　them。　　Adieu。




LETTER　XIX

LONDON；　November　6；　O。　S。　　1747

DEAR　BOY：　Three　mails　are　now　due　from　Holland；　so　that　I　have　no　letter
from　you　to　acknowledge；　I　write　to　you；　therefore；　now；　as　usual；　by　way
of　flapper；　to　put　you　in　mind　of　yourself。　　Doctor　Swift；　in　his　account
of　the　island　of　Laputa；　describes　some　philosophers　there　who　were　so
wrapped　up　and　absorbed　in　their　abstruse　speculations；　that　they　would
have　forgotten　all　the　common　and　necessary　duties　of　life；　if　they　had
not　been　reminded　of　them　by　persons　who　flapped　them；　whenever　they
observed　them　continue　too　long　in　any　of　those　learned　trances。　　I　do
not　indeed　suspect　you　of　being　absorbed　in　abstruse　speculations；　but；
with　great　submission　to　you；　may　I　not　suspect　that　levity；　inattention；
and　too　little　thinking；　require　a　flapper；　as　well　as　too　deep　thinking？
If　my　letters　should　happen　to　get　to　you　when　you　are　sitting　by　the
fire　and　doing　nothing；　or　when　you　are　gaping　at　the　window；　may　they
not　be　very　proper　flaps；　to　put　you　in　mind　that　you　might　employ　your
time　much　better？　　I　knew　once　a　very　covetous；　sordid　fellow；　who　used
frequently　to　say；　〃Take　care　of　the　pence；　for　the　pounds　will　take　care
of　themselves。〃　　This　was　a　just　and　sensible　reflection　in　a　miser。
I　recommend　to　you　to　take　care　of　the　minutes；　for　hours　will　take　care
of　themselves。　　I　am　very　sure；　that　many　people　lose　two　or　three　hours
every　day；　by　not　taking　care　of　the　minutes。　　Never　think　any　portion　of
time　whatsoever　too　short　to　be　employed；　something　or　other　may　always
be　done　in　it。

While　you　are　in　Germany；　let　all　your　historical　studies　be　relative　to
Germany；　not　only　the　general　history　of　the　empire　as　a　collective　body；
but　the　respective　electorates；　principalities；　and　towns；　and　also　the
genealogy　of　the　most　considerable　families。　　A　genealogy　is　no　trifle　in
Germany；　and　they　would　rather　prove　their　two…and…thirty　quarters；　than
two…and…thirty　cardinal　virtues；　if　there　were　so　many。　　They　are　not　of
Ulysses'　opinion；　who　says　very　truly；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Genus　et　proavos；　et　qua　non　fecimus　ipsi；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Vix　ea　nostra　voco。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Good　night。





LETTER　XX

LONDON；　November　24；　O。　S。　　1747

DEAR　BOY：　As　often　as　I　write　to　you　（and　that　you　know　is　pretty　often）；
so　often　I　am　in　doubt　whether　it　is　to　any　purpose；　and　whether　it　is
not　labor　and　paper　lost。　　This　entirely　depends　upon　the　degree　of
reason　and　reflection　which　you　are　master　of；　or　think　proper　to　exert。
If　you　give　yourself　time　to　think；　and　have　sense　enough　to　think　right；
two　reflections　must　necessarily　occur　to　you；　the　one　is；　that　I　have　a
great　deal　of　experience；　and　that　you　have　none：　the　other　is；　that　I　am
the　only　man　living　who　cannot　have；　directly　or　indirectly；　any　interest
concerning　you；　but　your　own。　　From　which　two　undeniable　principles；　the
obvious　and　necessary　conclusion　is；　that　you　ought；　for　your　own　sake；
to　attend　to　and　follow　my　advice。

If；　by　the　application　which　I　recommend　to　you；　you　acquire　great
knowledge；　you　alone　are　the　gainer；