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letters to his son, 1748-第17部分

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efense; be your danger ever so great: But 'si ferociam exuere cunctetur'; must I rather die than poison this enemy? Yes; certainly; much rather die than do a base or criminal action; nor can I be sure; beforehand; that this enemy may not; in the last moment; 'ferociam exuere'。  But the public lawyers; now; seem to me rather to warp the law; in order to authorize; than to check; those unlawful proceedings of princes and states; which; by being become common; appear less criminal; though custom can never alter the nature of good and ill。

Pray let no quibbles of lawyers; no refinements of casuists; break into the plain notions of right and wrong; which every man's right reason and plain common sense suggest to him。  To do as you would be done by; is the plain; sure; and undisputed rule of morality and justice。  Stick to that; and be convinced that whatever breaks into it; in any degree; however speciously it may be turned; and however puzzling it may be to answer it; is; notwithstanding; false in itself; unjust; and criminal。  I do not know a crime in the world; which is not by the casuists among the Jesuits (especially the twenty…four collected; I think; by Escobar) allowed; in some; or many cases; not to be criminal。  The principles first laid down by them are often specious; the reasonings plausible; but the conclusion always a lie: for it is contrary; to that evident and undeniable rule of justice which I have mentioned above; of not doing to anyone what you would not have him do to you。  But; however; these refined pieces of casuistry and sophistry; being very convenient and welcome to people's passions and appetites; they gladly accept the indulgence; without desiring to detect the fallacy or the reasoning: and indeed many; I might say most people; are not able to do it; which makes the publication of such quibblings and refinements the more pernicious。  I am no skillful casuist nor subtle disputant; and yet I would undertake to justify and qualify the profession of a highwayman; step by step; and so plausibly; as to make many ignorant people embrace the profession; as an innocent; if not even a laudable one; and puzzle people of some degree of knowledge; to answer me point by point。  I have seen a book; entitled 'Quidlibet ex Quolibet'; or the art of making anything out of anything; which is not so difficult as it would seem; if once one quits certain plain truths; obvious in gross to every understanding; in order to run after the ingenious refinements of warm imaginations and speculative reasonings。  Doctor Berkeley; Bishop of Cloyne; a very worthy; ingenious; and learned man; has written a book; to prove that there is no such thing as matter; and that nothing exists but in idea: that you and I only fancy ourselves eating; drinking; and sleeping; you at Leipsig; and I at London: that we think we have flesh and blood; legs; arms; etc。; but that we are only spirit。  His arguments are; strictly speaking; unanswerable; but yet I am so far from being convinced by them; that I am determined to go on to eat and drink; and walk and ride; in order to keep that MATTER; which I so mistakenly imagine my body at present to consist of; in as good plight as possible。  Common sense (which; in truth; very uncommon) is the best sense I know of: abide by it; it will counsel you best。  Read and hear; for your amusement; ingenious systems; nice questions subtilly agitated; with all the refinements that warm imaginations suggest; but consider them only as exercitations for the mind; and turn always to settle with common sense。

I stumbled; the other day; at a bookseller's; upon 〃Comte Gabalis;〃 in two very little volumes; which I had formerly read。  I read it over again; and with fresh astonishment。  Most of the extravagances are taken from the Jewish Rabbins; who broached those wild notions; and delivered them in the unintelligible jargon which the Caballists and Rosicrucians deal in to this day。  Their number is; I believe; much lessened; but there are still some; and I myself have known two; who studied and firmly believed in that mystical nonsense。  What extravagancy is not man capable of entertaining; when once his shackled reason is led in triumph by fancy and prejudice!  The ancient alchemists give very much into this stuff; by which they thought they should discover the philosopher's stone; and some of the most celebrated empirics employed it in the pursuit of the universal medicine。  Paracelsus; a bold empiric and wild Caballist; asserted that he had discovered it; and called it his 'Alkahest'。 Why or wherefore; God knows; only that those madmen call nothing by an intelligible name。  You may easily get this book from The Hague: read it; for it will both divert and astonish you; and at the same time teach you 'nil admirari'; a very necessary lesson。

Your letters; except when upon a given subject; are exceedingly laconic; and neither answer my desires nor the purpose of letters; which should be familiar conversations; between absent friends。  As I desire to live with you upon the footing of an intimate friend; and not of a parent; I could wish that your letters gave me more particular accounts of yourself; and of your lesser transactions。  When you write to me; suppose yourself conversing freely with me by the fireside。  In that case; you would naturally mention the incidents of the day; as where you had been; who you had seen; what you thought of them; etc。  Do this in your letters: acquaint me sometimes with your studies; sometimes with your diversions; tell me of any new persons and characters that you meet with in company; and add your own observations upon them: in short; let me see more of you in your letters。  How do you go on with Lord Pulteney; and how does he go on at Leipsig?  Has he learning; has he parts; has he application?  Is he good or ill…natured?  In short; What is he? at least; what do you think him?  You may tell me without reserve; for I promise you secrecy。 You are now of an age that I am desirous to begin a confidential correspondence with you; and as I shall; on my part; write you very freely my opinion upon men and things; which I should often be very unwilling that anybody but you and Mr。 Harte should see; so; on your part; if you write me without reserve; you may depend upon my inviolable secrecy。  If you have ever looked into the 〃Letters〃 of Madame de Sevigne to her daughter; Madame de Grignan; you must have observed the ease; freedom; and friendship of that correspondence; and yet; I hope and I believe; that they did not love one another better than we do。  Tell me what books you are now reading; either by way of study or amusement; how you pass your evenings when at home; and where you pass them when abroad。 I know that you go sometimes to Madame Valentin's assembly; What do you do there?  Do you play; or sup; or is it only 'la belle conversation?' Do you mind your dancing while your dancing…master is with you?  As you will be often under the necessity of dancing a minuet; I would have you dance it very well。  Remember; that the graceful motion of the arms; the giving your hand; and the putting on and pulling off your hat genteelly; are the material parts of a gentleman's dancing。  But the greatest advantage of dancing well is; that it necessarily teaches you to present yourself; to sit; stand; and walk; genteelly; all of which are of real importance to a man of fashion。

I should wish that you were polished before you go to Berlin; where; as you will be in a great deal of good company; I would have you have the right manners for it。  It is a very considerable article to have 'le ton de la bonne compagnie'; in your destination particularly。  The principal business of a foreign minister is; to get into the secrets; and to know all 'les allures' of the courts at which he resides; this he can never bring about but by such a pleasing address; such engaging manners; and such an insinuating behavior; as may make him sought for; and in some measure domestic; in the best company and the best families of the place。 He will then; indeed; be well informed of all that passes; either by the confidences made him; or by the carelessness of people in his company; who are accustomed to look upon him as one of them; and consequently are not upon their guard before him。  For a minister who only goes to the court he resides at; in form; to ask an audience of the prince or the minister upon his last instructions; puts them upon their guard; and will never know anything more than what they have a mind that he should know。 Here women may be put to some use。  A king's mistress; or a minister's wife or mistress; may give great and useful informations; and are very apt to do it; being proud to show that they have been trusted。  But then; in this case; the height of that sort of address; which; strikes women; is requisite; I mean that easy politeness; genteel and graceful address; and that 'exterieur brilliant' which they cannot withstand。  There is a sort of men so like women; that they are to be taken just in the same way; I mean those who are commonly called FINE MEN; who swarm at all courts; who have little reflection; and less knowledge; but; who by their good breeding; and 'train…tran' of the world; are admitted into all companies; and; by the imprudence or carelessness of their superiors; pick up secrets worth knowing; which are easily got out of them by proper address。  Adieu。




LETTER LIII

BATH; October 12; O。 S。  1748。

DEAR BOY: I came here three days ago upon account of a disorder in my stomach; which affected my head and gave me vertigo。  I already find myself something better; and consequently do not doubt but that the course of these waters will set me quite right。  But however and wherever I am; your welfare; your character; your knowledge; and your morals; employ my thoughts more than anything that can happen to me; or that I can fear or hope for myself。  I am going off the stage; you are coming upon it; with me what has been; has been; and reflection now would come too late; with you everything is to come; even; in some manner; reflection itself; so that this is the very time when my reflections; the result of experience; may be of use to you; by supplying the want of yours。  As soon as you leave Leipsig; yo

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