letters to his son, 1748-第10部分

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　where　they　are　very　necessary；　and　where　you　will　have　good　masters　and　good　models　for　both。　　Your　exercises　of　riding；　fencing；　and　dancing；　will　civilize　and　fashion　your　body　and　your　limbs；　and　give　you；　if　you　will　but　take　it；　'l'air　d'un　honnete　homme'。

I　will　now　conclude　with　suggesting　one　reflection　to　you；　which　is；　that　you　should　be　sensible　of　your　good　fortune；　in　having　one　who　interests　himself　enough　in　you；　to　inquire　into　your　faults；　in　order　to　inform　you　of　them。　　Nobody　but　myself　would　be　so　solicitous；　either　to　know　or　correct　them；　so　that　you　might　consequently　be　ignorant　of　them　yourself；　for　our　own　self…love　draws　a　thick　veil　between　us　and　our　faults。　　But　when　you　hear　yours　from　me；　you　may　be　sure　that　you　hear　them　from　one　who　for　your　sake　only　desires　to　correct　them；　from　one　whom　you　cannot　suspect　of　any；　partiality　but　in　your　favor；　and　from　one　who　heartily　wishes　that　his　care　of　you；　as　a　father；　may；　in　a　little　time；　render　every　care　unnecessary　but　that　of　a　friend。　　Adieu。

P。　S。　　I　condole　with　you　for　the　untimely　and　violent　death　of　the　tuneful　Matzel。




LETTER　XLIII

LONDON；　July　1；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　Boy：　I　am　extremely　well　pleased　with　the　course　of　studies　which　Mr。　Harte　informs　me　you　are　now　in；　and　with　the　degree　of　application　which　he　assures　me　you　have　to　them。　　It　is　your　interest　to　do　so；　as　the　advantage　will　be　all　your　own。　　My　affection　for　you　makes　me　both　wish　and　endeavor　that　you　may　turn　out　well；　and；　according　as　you　do　turn　out；　I　shall　either　be　proud　or　ashamed　of　you。　　But　as　to　mere　interest；　in　the　common　acceptation　of　that　word；　it　would　be　mine　that　you　should　turn　out　ill；　for　you　may　depend　upon　it；　that　whatever　you　have　from　me　shall　be　most　exactly　proportioned　to　your　desert。　　Deserve　a　great　deal；　and　you　shall　have　a　great　deal；　deserve　a　little；　and　you　shall　have　but　a　little；　and　be　good　for　nothing　at　all；　and；　I　assure　you；　you　shall　have　nothing　at　all。

Solid　knowledge；　as　I　have　often　told　you；　is　the　first　and　great　foundation　of　your　future　fortune　and　character；　for　I　never　mention　to　you　the　two　much　greater　points　of　Religion　and　Morality；　because　I　cannot　possibly　suspect　you　as　to　either　of　them。　　This　solid　knowledge　you　are　in　a　fair　way　of　acquiring；　you　may；　if　you　please；　and　I　will　add；　that　nobody　ever　had　the　means　of　acquiring　it　more　in　their　power　than　you　have。　　But　remember；　that　manners　must　adorn　knowledge；　and　smooth　its　way　through　the　world。　　Like　a　great　rough　diamond；　it　may　do　very　well　in　a　closet　by　way　of　curiosity；　and　also　for　its　intrinsic　value；　but　it　will　never　be　worn　or　shine　if　it　is　not　polished。　　It　is　upon　this　article；　I　confess；　that　I　suspect　you　the　most；　which　makes　me　recur　to　it　so　often；　for　I　fear　that　you　are　apt　to　show　too　little　attention　to　everybody；　and　too　much　contempt　to　many。　　Be　convinced；　that　there　are　no　persons　so　insignificant　and　inconsiderable；　but　may；　some　time　or　other；　have　it　in　their　power　to　be　of　use　to　you；　which　they　certainly　will　not；　if　you　have　once　shown　them　contempt。　　Wrongs　are　often　forgiven；　but　contempt　never　is。　　Our　pride　remembers　it　forever。　　It　implies　a　discovery　of　weaknesses；　which　we　are　much　more　careful　to　conceal　than　crimes。　　Many　a　man　will　confess　his　crimes　to　a　common　friend；　but　I　never　knew　a　man　who　would　tell　his　silly　weaknesses　to　his　most　intimate　oneas　many　a　friend　will　tell　us　our　faults　without　reserve；　who　will　not　so　much　as　hint　at　our　follies；　that　discovery　is　too　mortifying　to　our　self…love；　either　to　tell　another；　or　to　be　told　of　one's　self。　　You　must；　therefore；　never　expect　to　hear　of　your　weaknesses；　or　your　follies；　from　anybody　but　me；　those　I　will　take　pains　to　discover；　and　whenever　I　do；　shall　tell　you　of　them。

Next　to　manners　are　exterior　graces　of　person　and　address；　which　adorn　manners；　as　manners　adorn　knowledge。　　To　say　that　they　please；　engage；　and　charm；　as　they　most　indisputably　do；　is　saying　that　one　should　do　everything　possible　to　acquire　them。　　The　graceful　manner　of　speaking　is；　particularly；　what　I　shall　always　holloa　in　your　ears；　as　Hotspur　holloaed　MORTIMER　to　Henry　IV。；　and；　like　him　too；　I　have　aimed　to　have　a　starling　taught　to　say；　SPEAK　DISTINCTLY　AND　GRACEFULLY；　and　send　him　you；　to　replace　your　loss　of　the　unfortunate　Matzel；　who；　by　the　way；　I　am　told；　spoke　his　language　very　distinctly　and　gracefully。

As　by　this　time　you　must　be　able　to　write　German　tolerably　well；　I　desire　that　you　will　not　fail　to　write　a　German　letter；　in　the　German　character；　once　every　fortnight；　to　Mr。　Grevenkop：　which　will　make　it　more　familiar　to　you；　and　enable　me　to　judge　how　you　improve　in　it。

Do　not　forget　to　answer　me　the　questions；　which　I　asked　you　a　great　while　ago；　in　relation　to　the　constitution　of　Saxony；　and　also　the　meaning　of　the　words　'Landsassii　and　Amptsassii'。

I　hope　you　do　not　forget　to　inquire　into　the　affairs　of　trade　and　commerce；　nor　to　get　the　best　accounts　you　can　of　the　commodities　and　manufactures；　exports　and　imports　of　the　several　countries　where　you　may　be；　and　their　gross　value。

I　would　likewise　have　you　attend　to　the　respective　coins；　gold；　silver；　copper；　etc。；　and　their　value；　compared　with　our　coin's；　for　which　purpose　I　would　advise　you　to　put　up；　in　a　separate　piece　of　paper；　one　piece　of　every　kind；　wherever　you　shall　be；　writing　upon　it　the　name　and　the　value。　　Such　a　collection　will　be　curious　enough　in　itself；　and　that　sort　of　knowledge　will　be　very　useful　to　you　in　your　way　of　business；　where　the　different　value　of　money　often　comes　in　question。

I　am　doing　to　Cheltenham　to…morrow；　less　for　my　health；　which　is　pretty　good；　than　for　the　dissipation　and　amusement　of　the　journey。　　I　shall　stay　about　a　fortnight。

L'Abbe　Mably's　'Droit　de　l'Europe'；　which　Mr。　Harte　is　so　kind　as　to　send　me；　is　worth　your　reading。　　Adieu。




LETTER　XLIV。

CHELTENHAM；　July　6；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　Your　school…fellow；　Lord　Pulteney；＇Only　child　of　the　Right　Hon。　William　Pulteney；　Earl　of　Bath。　　He　died　before　his　father。＇　set　out　last　week　for　Holland；　and　will；　I　believe；　be　at　Leipsig　soon　after　this　letter：　you　will　take　care　to　be　extremely　civil　to　him；　and　to　do　him　any　service　that　you　can　while　you　stay　there；　let　him　know　that　I　wrote　to　you　to　do　so。　　As　being　older；　he　should　know　more　than　you；　in　that　case；　take　pains　to　get　up　to　him；　but　if　he　does　not；　take　care　not　to　let　him　feel　his　inferiority。　　He　will　find　it　out　of　himself　without　your　endeavors；　and　that　cannot　be　helped：　but　nothing　is　more　insulting；　more　mortifying　and　less　forgiven；　than　avowedly　to　take　pains　to　make　a　man　feel　a　mortifying　inferiority　in　knowledge；　rank；　fortune；　etc。　　In　the　two　last　articles；　it　is　unjust；　they　not　being　in　his　power：　and　in　the　first　it　is　both　ill…bred　and　ill…natured。　　Good…breeding；　and　good…　nature；　do　incline　us　rather　to　raise　and　help　people　up　to　ourselves；　than　to　mortify　and　depress　them；　and；　in　truth；　our　own　private　interest　concurs　in　it；　as　it　is　making　ourselves　so　many　friends；　instead　of　so　many　enemies。　　The　constant　practice　of　what　the　French　call　'les　Attentions'；　is　a　most　necessary　ingredient　in　the　art　of　pleasing；　they　flatter　the　self…love　of　those　to　whom　they　are　shown；　they　engage；　they　captivate；　more　than　things　of　much　greater　importance。　　The　duties　of　social　life　every　man　is　obliged　to　discharge；　but　these　attentions　are　voluntary　acts；　the　free…will　offerings　of　good…breeding　and　good。　nature；　they　are　received；　remembered；　and　returned　as　such。　　Women；　particularly；　have　a　right　to　them；　and　any　omission　in　that　respect　is　downright　ill…breeding。

Do　you　employ　your；　whole　time　in　the　most　useful　manner？　　I　do　not　mean；　do　you　study　all　day　long？　nor　do　I　require　it。　　But　I　mean；　do　you　make　the　most　of　the　respective　allotments　of　your　time？　　While　you　study；　is　it　with　attention？　　When　you　divert　yourself；　is　it　with　spirit？　　Your　diversions　may；　if　you　please；　employ　some　part　of　your　time　very　usefully。　　It　depends　entirely　upon　the　nature　of　them。　　If　they　are　futile　and　frivolous　it　is　time　worse　than　lost；　for　they　will　give　you　an　habit　of　futility。　　All　gaming；　field…sports；　and　such　sort　of　amusements；　where　neither　the　understanding　nor　the　senses　have　the　least　share；　I　look　upon　as　frivolous；　and　as　the　resources　of　little　minds；　who　either　do　not　think；　or　do　not　love　to　think。　　But　the　pleasures　of　a　man　of　parts　either　flatter　the　senses　or　improve　the　mind；　I　hope　at　least；　that　there　is　not　one　minute　of　the　day　in　which　you　do　nothing　at　all。　　Inaction　at　your　age　is　unpardonable。

Tell　me　what　Greek　and　Latin　books　you　can　now　read　with　ease。　　Can　you　open　Demosthenes　at　a　venture；　and　understand　him？　　Can　you　get　through　an　〃Oration〃　of　Cicero；　or　a　〃Satire〃　of　Horace；　without　difficulty？　What　German　books　do　you　read；　to　make　yourself　master　of　that　language？　And　what　French　books　do　you　read　for　your　amusement？　　Pray　give　me　a　particular　and　true　account　of　all　this；　for　I　am　not　indifferent　as　to　any　one　thing　that　relates　to　you。　　As；　for　example；　I　hope　you　take　great　care　to　keep　your　whole　person；　particularly　your　mouth；　very　clean；　common　decency　requires　it；　besides　that　great　cleanliness　is　very　conducive　to　health。　　But　if　you　do　not　keep　your　mouth　excessively　clean；　by　washing　it　carefully　every　morning；　and　after　every　meal；　it　will　not　only　be　apt　to　smell；　which　is　very　disgusting　and　indecent；　but　your　teeth　will　decay　and　ache；　which　is　both　a　great　loss　and　a　great　pain。　　A　spruceness　of　dress　is　also　very　proper　and　becoming　at　your　age；　as　the　negligence　of　it　implies　an　indifference　about　pleasing；　which　does　not　become　a　young　fellow。　　To　do　whatever　you　do　at　all　to　the　utmost　perfection；　ought　to　be　your　aim　at　this　time　of　your　life；　if　you　can　reach　perfection；　so　much　the　better；　but　at　least；　by　attempting　it；　you　will　get　much　nearer　than　if　you　never　attempted　it　at　all。

Adieu！　SPEAK　GRACEFULLY　AND　DISTINCTLY　if　you　intend　to　converse　ever　with；　Yours。

P。　　S。　　As　I　was　making　up　my　letter；　I　received　yours　of　the　6th；　O。　S。　I　like　your　dissertation　upon　Preliminary　Articles　and　Truces。　　Your　definitions　of　both　are