letters to his son, 1746-47-第8章

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If；　by　the　application　which　I　recommend　to　you；　you　acquire　great
knowledge；　you　alone　are　the　gainer；　I　pay　for　it。　　If　you　should　deserve
either　a　good　or　a　bad　character；　mine　will　be　exactly　what　it　is　now；
and　will　neither　be　the　better　in　the　first　case；　nor　worse　in　the
latter。　　You　alone　will　be　the　gainer　or　the　loser。

Whatever　your　pleasures　may　be；　I　neither　can　nor　shall　envy　you　them；
as　old　people　are　sometimes　suspected　by　young　people　to　do；　and　I　shall
only　lament；　if　they　should　prove　such　as　are　unbecoming　a　man　of　honor；
or　below　a　man　of　sense。　　But　you　will　be　the　real　sufferer；　if　they　are
such。　　As　therefore；　it　is　plain　that　I　can　have　no　other　motive　than
that　of　affection　in　whatever　I　say　to　you；　you　ought　to　look　upon　me　as
your　best；　and；　for　some　years　to　come；　your　only　friend。

True　friendship　requires　certain　proportions　of　age　and　manners；　and　can
never　subsist　where　they　are　extremely　different；　except　in　the　relations
of　parent　and　child；　where　affection　on　one　side；　and　regard　on　the
other；　make　up　the　difference。　　The　friendship　which　you　may　contract
with　people　of　your　own　age　may　be　sincere；　may　be　warm；　but　must　be；
for　some　time；　reciprocally　unprofitable；　as　there　can　be　no　experience
on　either　side。　　The　young　leading　the　young；　is　like　the　blind　leading
the　blind；　（they　will　both　fall　into　the　ditch。）　The　only　sure　guide　is；
he　who　has　often　gone　the　road　which　you　want　to　go。　　Let　me　be　that
guide；　who　have　gone　all　roads；　and　who　can　consequently　point　out　to　you
the　best。　　If　you　ask　me　why　I　went　any　of　the　bad　roads　myself；　I　will
answer　you　very　truly；　That　it　was　for　want　of　a　good　guide：　ill　example
invited　me　one　way；　and　a　good　guide　was　wanting　to　show　me　a　better。
But　if　anybody；　capable　of　advising　me；　had　taken　the　same　pains　with　me；
which　I　have　taken；　and　will　continue　to　take　with　you；　I　should　have
avoided　many　follies　and　inconveniences；　which　undirected　youth　run　me
into。　　My　father　was　neither　desirous　nor　able　to　advise　me；　which　is
what；　I　hope；　you　cannot　say　of　yours。　　You　see　that　I　make　use；　only　of
the　word　advice；　because　I　would　much　rather　have　the　assent　of　your
reason　to　my　advice；　than　the　submission　of　your　will　to　my；　authority。
This；　I　persuade　myself；　will　happen；　from　that　degree　of　sense　which　I
think　you　have；　and　therefore　I　will　go　on　advising；　and　with　hopes　of
success。

You　are　now　settled　for　some　time　at　Leipsig；　the　principal　object　of
your　stay　there　is　the　knowledge　of　books　and　sciences；　which　if　you　do
not；　by　attention　and　application；　make　yourself　master　of　while　you　are
there；　you　will　be　ignorant　of　them　all　the　rest　of　your　life；　and；　take
my　word　for　it；　a　life　of　ignorance　is　not　only　a　very　contemptible；　but
a　very　tiresome　one。　　Redouble　your　attention；　then；　to　Mr。　Harte；　in
your　private　studies　of　the　'Literae　Humaniores；'　especially　Greek。
State　your　difficulties；　whenever　you　have　any；　and　do　not　suppress　them；
either　from　mistaken　shame；　lazy　indifference；　or　in　order　to　have　done
the　sooner。　　Do　the　same　when　you　are　at　lectures　with　Professor　Mascow；
or　any　other　professor；　let　nothing　pass　till　you　are　sure　that　you
understand　it　thoroughly；　and　accustom　yourself　to　write　down　the　capital
points　of　what　you　learn。　　When　you　have　thus　usefully　employed　your
mornings；　you　may；　with　a　safe　conscience；　divert　yourself　in　the
evenings；　and　make　those　evenings　very　useful　too；　by　passing　them　in
good　company；　and；　by　observation　and　attention；　learning　as　much　of　the
world　as　Leipsig　can　teach　you。　　You　will　observe　and　imitate　the　manners
of　the　people　of　the　best　fashion　there；　not　that　they　are　（it　may　be）
the　best　manners　in　the　world；　but　because　they　are　the　best　manners　of
the　place　where　you　are；　to　which　a　man　of　sense　always　conforms。　　The
nature　of　things　（as　I　have　often　told　you）　is　always　and　everywhere　the
same；　but　the　modes　of　them　vary　more　or　less；　in　every　country；　and　an
easy　and　genteel　conformity　to　them；　or　rather　the　assuming　of　them　at
proper　times；　and　in　proper　places；　is　what　particularly　constitutes　a
man　of　the　world；　and　a　well…bred　man。

Here　is　advice　enough；　I　think；　and　too　much；　it　may　be；　you　will　think；
for　one　letter；　if　you　follow　it；　you　will　get　knowledge；　character；　and
pleasure　by　it；　if　you　do　not；　I　only　lose　'operam　et　oleum；'　which；　in
all　events；　I　do　not　grudge　you。

I　send　you；　by　a　person　who　sets　out　this　day　for　Leipsig；　a　small　packet
from　your　Mamma；　containing　some　valuable　things　which　you　left　behind；
to　which　I　have　added；　by　way　of　new…year's　gift；　a　very　pretty　tooth…
pick　case；　and；　by　the　way；　pray　take　great　care　of　your　teeth；　and　keep
them　extremely　clean。　　I　have　likewise　sent　you　the　Greek　roots；　lately
translated　into　English　from　the　French　of　the　Port　Royal。　　Inform
yourself　what　the　Port　Royal　is。　　To　conclude　with　a　quibble：　I　hope　you
will　not　only　feed　upon　these　Greek　roots；　but　likewise　digest　them
perfectly。　　Adieu。




LETTER　XXI

LONDON；　December　15；　O。　S。　　1747

DEAR　Boy：　There　is　nothing　which　I　more　wish　that　you　should　know；　and
which　fewer　people　do　know；　than　the　true　use　and　value　of　time。　　It　is
in　everybody's　mouth；　but　in　few　people's　practice。　　Every　fool；　who
slatterns　away　his　whole　time　in　nothings；　utters；　however；　some　trite
commonplace　sentence；　of　which　there　are　millions；　to　prove；　at　once；　the
value　and　the　fleetness　of　time。　　The　sun…dials；　likewise　all　over
Europe；　have　some　ingenious　inscription　to　that　effect；　so　that　nobody
squanders　away　their　time；　without　hearing　and　seeing；　daily；　how
necessary　it　is　to　employ　it　well；　and　how　irrecoverable　it　is　if　lost。
But　all　these　admonitions　are　useless；　where　there　is　not　a　fund　of　good
sense　and　reason　to　suggest　them；　rather　than　receive　them。　　By　the
manner　in　which　you　now　tell　me　that　you　employ　your　time；　I　flatter
myself　that　you　have　that　fund；　that　is　the　fund　which　will　make　you　rich
indeed。　　I　do　not；　therefore；　mean　to　give　you　a　critical　essay　upon　the
use　and　abuse　of　time；　but　I　will　only　give　you　some　hints　with　regard　to
the　use　of　one　particular　period　of　that　long　time　which；　I　hope；　you
have　before　you；　I　mean；　the　next　two　years。　　Remember；　then；　that
whatever　knowledge　you　do　not　solidly　lay　the　foundation　of　before　you
are　eighteen；　you　will　never　be　the　master　of　while　you　breathe。
Knowledge　is　a　comfortable　and　necessary　retreat　and　shelter　for　us　in　an
advanced　age；　and　if　we　do　not　plant　it　while　young；　it　will　give　us　no
shade　when　we　grow　old。　　I　neither　require　nor　expect　from　you　great
application　to　books；　after　you　are　once　thrown　out　into　the　great　world。
I　know　it　is　impossible；　and　it　may　even；　in　some　cases；　be　improper；
this；　therefore；　is　your　time；　and　your　only　time；　for　unwearied　and
uninterrupted　application。　　If　you　should　sometimes　think　it　a　little
laborious；　consider　that　labor　is　the　unavoidable　fatigue　of　a　necessary
journey。　　The　more　hours　a　day　you　travel；　the　sooner　you　will　be　at　your
journey's　end。　　The　sooner　you　are　qualified　for　your　liberty；　the　sooner
you　shall　have　it；　and　your　manumission　will　entirely　depend　upon　the
manner　in　which　you　employ　the　intermediate　time。　　I　think　I　offer　you　a
very　good　bargain；　when　I　promise　you；　upon　my　word；　that　if　you　will　do
everything　that　I　would　have　you　do；　till　you　are　eighteen；　I　will　do
everything　that　you　would　have　me　do　ever　afterward。

I　knew　a　gentleman；　who　was　so　good　a　manager　of　his　time；　that　he　would
not　even　lose　that　small　portion　of　it；　which　the　calls　of　nature　obliged
him　to　pass　in　the　necessary…house；　but　gradually　went　through　all　the
Latin　poets；　in　those　moments。　　He　bought；　for　example；　a　common　edition
of　Horace；　of　which　he　tore　off　gradually　a　couple　of　pages；　carried　them
with　him　to　that　necessary　place；　read　them　first；　and　then　sent　them
down　as　a　sacrifice　to　Cloacina　：　this　was　so　much　time　fairly　gained；
and　I　recommend　you　to　follow　his　example。　　It　is　better　than　only　doing
what　you　cannot　help　doing　at　those　moments；　and　it　will　made　any　book；
which　you　shall　read　in　that　manner；　very　present　in　your　mind。　　Books　of
science；　and　of　a　grave　sort；　must　be　read　with　continuity；　but　there　are
very　many；　and　even　very　useful　ones；　which　may　be　read　with　advantage　by
snatches；　and　unconnectedly；　such　are　all　the　good　Latin　poets；　except
Virgil　in　his　〃AEneid〃：　and　such　are　most　of　the　modern　poets；　in　which
you　will　find　many　pieces　worth　reading；　that　will　not　take　up　above
seven　or　eight　minutes。　　Bayle's；　Moreri's；　and　other　dictionaries；　are
proper　books　to　take　and　shut　up　for　the　little　intervals　of　（otherwise）
idle　time；　that　everybody　has　in　the　course　of　the　day；　between　either
their　studies　or　their　pleasures。　　Good　night。




LETTER　XXII

LONDON；　December　18；　O。　S。　　1747。

DEAR　Boy：　As　two　mails　are　now　due　from　Holland；

I　have　no　letters　of　yours；　or　Mr。　Harte's　to　acknowledge；　so　that　this
letter　is　the　effect　of　that　'scribendi　cacoethes；'　which　my　fears；　my
hopes；　and　my　doubts；　concerning　you　give　me。　　When　I　have　wrote　you　a
very　long　letter　upon　any　subject；　it　is　no　sooner　gone；　but　I　think　I
have　omitted　something　in　it；　which　might　be　of　use　to　you；　and　then　I
prepare　the　supplement　for　the　next　post：　or　else　some　new　subject　occurs
to　me；　upon　which　I　fancy　I　can　give　you　some　informations；　or　point　out
some　rules　which　may　be　advantageous　to　you。　　This　sets　me　to　writing
again；　though　God　knows　whether　to　any　purpose　or　not；　a　few　years　more
can　only　ascertain　that。　　But；　whatever　my　success　may　be；　my　anxiety　and
my　care　can　only　be　the　effects　of　that　tender　affection　which　I　have　for
you；　and　which　you　cannot　represent　to　yourself　greater　than　it　really
is。　　But　do　not　mistake　the　nature　of　that　affection；　and　think　it　of　a
kind　that　you　may　with　impunity　abuse。　　It　is　not　natural　affection；
there　being　in　reality　no　such　thing；　for；　if　there　were；　some　inward
sentiment　must　necessarily　and　reciprocally　discover　the　parent　to　the
child；　and　the　child　to　the　parent；　without　any　exterior　indications；
knowledge；　or　acquaintance　whatsoever；　which　never　happened　since　the
creation　of　the　world；　whatever　poets；　romance；　and　novel　writers；　and
such　sentiment…mongers；　may　be　pleased　to　say　to　the　contrary。　　Neither
is　my　affection　for　you　that　of　a　mother；　of　which　the　only；　or　at　least
the　chief　objects；　are　health　and　life：　I　wish　you　them　both　most
heartily；　but；　at　the　same　time；　I　confess　they　are　by　no　means　my
principal　care。

My　object　is　to　have　you　fit　to　live；　which；　if　you　are　not；　I　do　not
desire　that　you　should　live　at　all。　　My　affection　for　you　then　is；　and
only　will　be；　proportioned　to　your　merit；　which　is　the　only　affection
that　one　rational　being　ought　to　have　for　another。　　Hitherto　I　have
discovered　nothing　wrong　in　your　heart；　or　your　head：　on　the　contrary
I　think　I　see　sense　in　the　one；　and　sentiments　in　the　other。　　This
persuasion　is　the　only　motive　of　my　present　affection；　which　will　either
increase　or　diminish；　according　to　your　merit　or　demerit。　　If　you　have
the　knowledge；　the　honor；　and　probity；　which　you　may　have；　the　marks　an