letters to his son, 1748-第12部分

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！


ell　pleased　with　the　account　he　gave　me。　But；　though　he　seemed　to　be　much　in　your　interest；　yet　he　fairly　owned　to　me　that　your　utterance　was　rapid；　thick；　and　ungraceful。　　I　can　add　nothing　to　what　I　have　already　said　upon　this　subject；　but　I　can　and　do　repeat　the　absolute　necessity　of　speaking　distinctly　and　gracefully；　or　else　of　not　speaking　at　all；　and　having　recourse　to　signs。　　He　tells　me　that　you　are　pretty　fat　for　one　of　your　age：　this　you　should　attend　to　in　a　proper　way；　for　if；　while　very　young；　you　should　grow　fat；　it　would　be　troublesome；　unwholesome；　and　ungraceful；　you　should　therefore；　when　you　have　time；　take　very　strong　exercise；　and　in　your　diet　avoid　fattening　things。　　All　malt　liquors　fatten；　or　at　least　bloat；　and　I　hope　you　do　not　deal　much　in　them。　　　I　look　upon　wine　and　water　to　be；　in　every　respect；　much　wholesomer。

Duval　says　there　is　a　great　deal　of　very　good　company　at　Madame　Valentin's　and　at　another　lady's；　I　think　one　Madame　Ponce's；　at　Leipsig。　Do　you　ever　go　to　either　of　those　houses；　at　leisure　times？　　It　would　not；　in　my　mind；　be　amiss　if　you　did；　and　would　give　you　a　habit　of　ATTENTIONS；　they　are　a　tribute　which　all　women　expect；　and　which　all　men；　who　would　be　well　received　by　them；　must　pay。　　And；　whatever　the　mind　may　be；　manners　at　least　are　certainly　improved　by　the　company　of　women　of　fashion。

I　have　formerly　told　you；　that　you　should　inform　yourself　of　the　several　orders；　whether　military　or　religious；　of　the　respective　countries　where　you　may　be。　The　Teutonic　Order　is　the　great　Order　of　Germany；　of　which　I　send　you　inclosed　a　short　account。　It　may　serve　to　suggest　questions　to　you　for　more　particular　inquiries　as　to　the　present　state　of　it；　of　which　you　ought　to　be　minutely　informed。　　The　knights；　at　present；　make　vows；　of　which　they　observe　none；　except　it　be　that　of　not　marrying；　and　their　only　object　now　is；　to　arrive；　by　seniority；　at　the　Commanderies　in　their　respective　provinces；　which　are；　many　of　them；　very　lucrative。　　The　Order　of　Malta　is；　by　a　very　few　years；　prior　to　the　Teutonic；　and　owes　its　foundation　to　the　same　causes。　　These'　knights　were　first　called　Knights　Hospitaliers　of　St。　John。　of　Jerusalem；　then　Knights　of　Rhodes；　and　in　the　year　1530；　Knights　of　Malta；　the　Emperor　Charles　V。　having　granted　them　that　island；　upon　condition　of　their　defending　his　island　of　Sicily　against　the　Turks；　which　they　effectually　did。　　L'Abbe　de　Vertot　has　written　the　history　of　Malta；　but　it　is　the　least　valuable　of　all　his　works；　and　moreover；　too　long　for　you　to　read。　But　there　is　a　short　history；　of　all　the　military　orders　whatsoever；　which　I　would　advise　you　to　get；　as　there　is　also　of　all　the　religious　orders；　　both　which。　are　worth　your　having　and　consulting；　whenever　you　meet　with　any　of　them　in　your　way；　as；　you　will　very　frequently　in　Catholic　countries。　　For　my　own　part；　I　find　that　I　remember　things　much　better；　when　I　recur；　to　my　books　for　them；　upon　some　particular　occasion；　than　by　reading　them　'tout　de　suite'。　　As；　for　example；　if　I　were　to　read　the　history　of　all　the　military　or　religious　orders；　regularly　one　after　another；　the　latter　puts　the　former　out　of　my　head；　but　when　I　read　the　history　of　any　one；　upon　account；　of　its　having　been　the　object　of　conversation　or　dispute；　I　remember　it　much　better。　　It　is　the　same　in　geography；　where；　looking　for　any　particular　place　in　the　map；　upon　some　particular　account；　fixes　it　in　one's　memory　forever。　　I　hope　you　have　worn　out　your　maps　by　frequent；　use　of　that　sort。　　Adieu。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　SHORT　ACCOUNT　OF　THE　TEUTONIC　ORDER

In　the　ages　of　ignorance；　which　is　always　the　mother　of　superstition；　it　was　thought　not　only　just；　but　meritorious；　to　propagate　religion　by　fire　and　sword；　and　to；　take　away；　the；　lives　and　properties　of　unbelievers。　This　enthusiasm　produced　the　several　crusades；　in　the　　11th；　12th；　and　following　centuries；　the　object　of　which　was；　to　recover　the　Holy　Land　out　of；　the　hands　of　the　Infidels；　who；　by　the　way；　were　the　lawful　possessors。　　Many　honest　enthusiasts　engaged　in　those　crusades；　from　a　mistaken　principle　of　religion；　and　from　the　pardons　granted　by　the　Popes　for　all　the　sins　of　those　pious　adventurers；　but　many　more　knaves　adopted　these　holy　wars；　in　hopes　of　conquest　and　plunder。　　After　Godfrey　of　Bouillon；　at　the　head　of　these　knaves　and　fools；　had　taken　Jerusalem；　in　the　year　1099；　Christians　of　various　nations　remained　in　that　city；　among　the　rest；　one　good　honest　German；　that　took　particular　care　of　his　countrymen　who　came　thither　in　pilgrimages。　　He　built　a　house　for　their　reception；　and　an　hospital　dedicated　to　the　Virgin。　　This　little　establishment　soon　became　a　great　one；　by　the　enthusiasm　of　many　considerable　people　who　engaged　in　it；　in　order　to　drive　the　Saracens　out　of　the　Holy　Land。　　This　society　then　began　to　take　its　first　form；　and　its　members　were　called　Marian　Teutonic　Knights。　　Marian；　from　their　chapel　sacred　to　the　Virgin　Mary；　Teutonic；　from　the　German；　or　Teuton；　who　was　the　author　of　it；　and　Knights　from　the　wars　which　they　were　to　carry　on　against　the　Infidels。

These　knights　behaved　themselves　so　bravely；　at　first；　that　Duke　Frederick　of　Swabia；　who　was　general　of　the　German　army　in　the　Holy　Land；　sent；　in　the　year　1191；　to　the　Emperor　Henry　VI。　and　Pope　Celestine　III。　to　desire　that　this　brave　and　charitable　fraternity　might　be　incorporated　into　a　regular　order　of　knighthood；　which　was　accordingly　done；　and　rules　and　a　particular　habit　were　given　them。　　Forty　knights；　all　of　noble　families；　were　at　first　created　by　the　King　of　Jerusalem　and　other　princes　then　in　the　army。　　The　first　grand　master　of　this　order　was　Henry　Wallpot；　of　a　noble　family　upon　the　Rhine。　　This　order　soon　began　to　operate　in　Europe；　drove　all　the　Pagans　out　of　Prussia；　and　took　possession　of　it。　　Soon　after；　they　got　Livonia　and　Courland；　and　invaded　even　Russia；　where　they　introduced　the　Christian　religion。　　In　1510；　they　elected　Albert；　Marquis　of　Bradenburg；　for　their　grand　master；　who；　turning　Protestant；　soon　afterward　took　Prussia　from　the　order；　and　kept　it　for　himself；　with　the　consent　of　Sigismund；　King　of　Poland；　of　whom　it　was　to　hold。　　He　then　quitted　his　grand　mastership　and　made　himself　hereditary　Duke　of　that　country；　which　is　thence　called　Ducal　Prussia。　This　order　now　consists　of　twelve　provinces；　viz。；　Alsatia；　Austria；　Coblentz；　and　Etsch；　which　are　the　four　under　the　Prussian　jurisdiction；　Franconia；　Hesse；　Biessen；　Westphalia；　Lorraine；　Thuringia；　Saxony；　and　Utrecht；　which　eight　are　of　the　German　jurisdiction。　　The　Dutch　now　possess　all　that　the　order　had　in　Utrecht。　　Every　one　of　the　provinces　have　their　particular　Commanderies；　and　the　most　ancient　of　these　Commandeurs　is　called　the　Commandeur　Provincial。　　These　twelve　Commandeurs　are　all　subordinate　to　the　Grand　Master　of　Germany　as　their　chief；　and　have　the　right　of　electing　the　grand　master。　　The　elector　of　Cologne　is　at　present　'Grand　Maitre'。

This　order；　founded　by　mistaken　Christian　zeal；　upon　the　anti…Christian　principles　of　violence　and　persecution；　soon　grew　strong　by　the　weakness　and　ignorance　of　the　time；　acquired　unjustly　great　possessions；　of　which　they　justly　lost　the　greatest　part　by　their　ambition　and　cruelty；　which　made　them　feared　and　hated　by　all　their　neighbors。

I　have　this　moment　received　your　letter　of　the　4th；　N。　S。；　and　have　only　time　to　tell　you　that　I　can　by　no　means　agree　to　your　cutting　off　your　hair。　　I　am　very　sure　that　your　headaches　cannot　proceed　from　thence。　And　as　for　the　pimples　upon　your　head；　they　are　only　owing　to　the　heat　of　the　season；　and　consequently　will　not　last　long。　　But　your　own　hair　is；　at　your　age；　such　an　ornament；　and　a　wig；　however　well　made；　such　a　disguise；　that　I　will　upon　no　account　whatsoever　have　you　cut　off　your　hair。　　Nature　did　not　give　it　to　you　for　nothing；　still　less　to　cause　you　the　headache。　　Mr。　Eliot's　hair　grew　so　ill　and　bushy；　that　he　was　in　the　right　to　cut　it　off。　　But　you　have　not　the　same　reason。




LETTER　XLVII

LONDON；　August　23；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　Your　friend；　Mr。　Eliot；　has　dined　with　me　twice　since　I　returned　here；　and　I　can　say　with　truth　that　while　I　had　the　seals；　I　never　examined　or　sifted　a　state　prisoner　with　so　much　care　and　curiosity　as　I　did　him。　　Nay；　I　did　more；　for；　contrary　to　the　laws　of　this　country；　I　gave　him　in　some　manner；　the　QUESTION　ordinary　and　extraordinary；　and　I　have　infinite　pleasure　in　telling　you　that　the　rack　which　I　put　him　to；　did　not　extort　from　him　one　single　word　that　was　not　such　as　I　wished　to　hear　of　you。　　I　heartily　congratulate　you　upon　such　an　advantageous　testimony；　from　so　creditable　a　witness。　　'Laudati　a　laudato　viro'；　is　one　of　the　greatest　pleasures　and　honors　a　rational　being　can　have；　may　you　long　continue　to　deserve　it！　Your　aversion　to　drinking　and　your　dislike　to　gaming；　which　Mr。　Eliot　assures　me　are　both　very　strong；　give　me；　the　greatest　joy　imaginable；　for　your　sake：　as　the　former　would　ruin　both　your　constitution　and　understanding；　and　the　latter　your　fortune　and　character。　　Mr。　Harte　wrote　me　word　some　time　ago；　and　Mr。　Eliot　confirms　it　now；　that　you　employ　your　pin　money　in　a　very　different　manner；　from　that　in　which　pin　money　is　commonly　lavished：　not　in　gew…gaws　and　baubles；　but　in　buying　good　and　useful　books。　　This　is　an　excellent　symptom；　and　gives　me　very　good　hopes。　　Go　on　thus；　my　dear　boy；　but　for　these　next　two　years；　and　I　ask　no　more。　　You　must　then　make　such　a　figure　and　such　a　fortune　in　the　world　as　I　wish　you；　and　as　I　have　taken　all　these　pains　to　enable　you　to　do。　　After　that　time　I　allow　you　to　be　as　idle　as　ever　you　please；　because　I　am　sure　that　you　will　not　then　please　to　be　so　at　all。　　The　ignorant　and　the　weak　are　only　idle；　but　those　who　have　once　acquired　a　good　stock　of　knowledge；　always　desire　to　increase　it。　　Knowledge　is　like　power　in　this　respect；　that　those　who　have　the　most；　are　most　desirous　of　having　more。　　It　does　not　clog；　by　possession；　but　increases　desire；　which　is　the　case　of　very　few　pleasures。

Upon　receiving　this　congratulatory　letter；　and　reading　your　own　praises；　I　am　sure　that　it　must　naturally　occur　to　you；　how　great　a　share　of　them　you　owe　to　Mr。　Harte's　care　and　attention；　and；　consequently；　that　your