letters to his son, 1748-第4部分

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owers：　In　that　case；　you　will　inform　yourself　what　number　of　troops　they　could　raise；　either　for　their　own　defense；　or　furnish　to　other　powers　for　subsidies。

There　is　very　little　trouble；　and　an　infinite　use；　in　acquiring　of　this　knowledge。　　It　seems　to　me　even　to　be　a　more　entertaining　subject　to　talk　upon；　than　'la　pluie　et　le　beau　tens'。

Though　I　am　sensible　that　these　things　cannot　be　known　with　the　utmost　exactness；　at　least　by　you　yet；　you　may；　however；　get　so　near　the　truth；　that　the　difference　will　be　very　immaterial。

Pray　let　me　know　if　the　Roman　Catholic　worship　is　tolerated　in　Saxony；　anywhere　but　at　Court；　and　if　public　mass…houses　are　allowed　anywhere　else　in　the　electorate。　　Are　the　regular　Romish　clergy　allowed；　and　have　they　any　convents？

Are　there　any　military　orders　in　Saxony；　and　what？　　Is　the　White　Eagle　a　Saxon　or　a　Polish　order？　　Upon　what　occasion；　and　when　was　it　founded？　What　number　of　knights？

Adieu！　God　bless　you；　and　may　you　turn　out　what　I　wish！




LETTER　XXXII

BATH；　March　9；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　I　must　from　time　to　time；　remind　you　of　what　I　have　often　recommended　to　you；　and　of　what　you　cannot　attend　to　too　much；　SACRIFICE　TO　THE　GRACES。　　The　different　effects　of　the　same　things；　said　or　done；　when　accompanied　or　abandoned　by　them；　is　almost　inconceivable。　　They　prepare　the　way　to　the　heart；　and　the　heart　has　such　an　influence　over　the　understanding；　that　it　is　worth　while　to　engage　it　in　our　interest。　It　is　the　whole　of　women；　who　are　guided　by　nothing　else：　and　it　has　so　much　to　say；　even　with　men；　and　the　ablest　men　too；　that　it　commonly　triumphs　in　every　struggle　with　the　understanding。　　Monsieur　de　Rochefoucault；　in　his　〃Maxims；〃　says；　that　'l'esprit　est　souvent　la　dupe　du　coeur。'　　If　he　had　said；　instead　of　'souvent；　tresque　toujours'；　I　fear　he　would　have　been　nearer　the　truth。　　This　being　the　case；　aim　at　the　heart。　　Intrinsic　merit　alone　will　not　do；　it　will　gain　you　the　general　esteem　of　all；　but　not　the　particular　affection；　that　is；　the　heart　of　any。　　To　engage　the　affections　of　any　particular　person；　you　must；　over　and　above　your　general　merit；　have　some　particular　merit　to　that　person　by　services　done；　or　offered；　by　expressions　of　regard　and　esteem；　by　complaisance；　attentions；　etc。；　for　him。　　And　the　graceful　manner　of　doing　all　these　things　opens　the　way　to　the　heart；　and　facilitates；　or　rather　insures；　their　effects。　　From　your　own　observation；　reflect　what　a　disagreeable　impression　an　awkward　address；　a　slovenly　figure；　an　ungraceful　manner　of　speaking；　whether　stuttering；　muttering；　monotony；　or　drawling；　an　unattentive　behavior；　etc。；　make　upon　you；　at　first　sight；　in　a　stranger；　and　how　they　prejudice　you　against　him；　though　for　aught　you　know；　he　may　have　great　intrinsic　sense　and　merit。　　And　reflect；　on　the　other　hand；　how　much　the　opposites　of　all　these　things　prepossess　you；　at　first　sight；　in　favor　of　those　who　enjoy　them。　　You　wish　to　find　all　good　qualities　in　them；　and　are　in　some　degree　disappointed　if　you　do　not。　　A　thousand　little　things；　not　separately　to　be　defined；　conspire　to　form　these　graces；　this　je　ne　sais　quoi；　that　always　please。　　A　pretty　person；　genteel　motions；　a　proper　degree　of　dress；　an　harmonious　voice；　something　open　and　cheerful　in　the　countenance；　but　without　laughing；　a　distinct　and　properly　varied　manner　of　speaking：　All　these　things；　and　many　others；　are　necessary　ingredients　in　the　composition　of　the　pleasing　je　ne　sais　quoi；　which　everybody　feels；　though　nobody　can　describe。　　Observe　carefully；　then；　what　displeases　or　pleases　you　in　others；　and　be　persuaded；　that　in　general；　the　same　things　will　please　or　displease　them　in　you。　　Having　mentioned　laughing；　I　must　particularly　warn　you　against　it：　and　I　could　heartily　wish；　that　you　may　often　be　seen　to　smile；　but　never　heard　to　laugh　while　you　live。　　Frequent　and　loud　laughter　is　the　characteristic　of　folly　and　in　manners；　it　is　the　manner　in　which　the　mob　express　their　silly　joy　at　silly　things；　and　they　call　it　being　merry。　　In　my　mind；　there　is　nothing　so　illiberal；　and　so　ill…bred；　as　audible　laughter。　　True　wit；　or　sense；　never　yet　made　anybody　laugh；　they　are　above　it：　They　please　the　mind；　and　give　a　cheerfulness　to　the　countenance。　　But　it　is　low　buffoonery；　or　silly　accidents；　that　always　excite　laughter；　and　that　is　what　people　of　sense　and　breeding　should　show　themselves　above。　　A　man's　going　to　sit　down；　in　the　supposition　that　he　has　a　chair　behind　him；　and　falling　down　upon　his　breech　for　want　of　one；　sets　a　whole　company　a　laughing；　when　all　the　wit　in　the　world　would　not　do　it；　a　plain　proof；　in　my　mind；　how　low　and　unbecoming　a　thing　laughter　is：　not　to　mention　the　disagreeable　noise　that　it　makes；　and　the　shocking　distortion　of　the　face　that　it　occasions。　　Laughter　is　easily　restrained；　by　a　very　little　reflection；　but　as　it　is　generally　connected　with　the　idea　of　gaiety；　people　do　not　enough　attend　to　its　absurdity。　　I　am　neither　of　a　melancholy　nor　a　cynical　disposition；　and　am　as　willing　and　as　apt　to　be　pleased　as　anybody；　but　I　am　sure　that；　since　I　have　had　the　full　use　of　my　reason；　nobody　has　ever　heard　me　laugh。　　Many　people；　at　first；　from　awkwardness　and　'mauvaise　honte'；　have　got　a　very　disagreeable　and　silly　trick　of　laughing　whenever　they　speak；　and　I　know　a　man　of　very　good　parts；　Mr。　Waller；　who　cannot　say　the　commonest　thing　without　laughing；　which　makes　those；　who　do　not　know　him；　take　him　at　first　for　a　natural　fool。　　This；　and　many　other　very　disagreeable　habits；　are　owing　to　mauvaise　honte　at　their　first　setting　out　in　the　world。　　They　are　ashamed　in　company；　and　so　disconcerted；　that　they　do　not　know　what　they　do；　and　try　a　thousand　tricks　to　keep　themselves　in　countenance；　which　tricks　afterward　grow　habitual　to　them。　　Some　put　their　fingers　in　their　nose；　others　scratch　their　heads；　others　twirl　their　hats；　in　short；　every　awkward；　ill…bred　body　has　his　trick。　　But　the　frequency　does　not　justify　the　thing；　and　all　these　vulgar　habits　and　awkwardnesses；　though　not　criminal　indeed；　are　most　carefully　to　be　guarded　against；　as　they　are　great　bars　in　the　way　of　the　art　of　pleasing。　　Remember；　that　to　please　is　almost　to　prevail；　or　at　least　a　necessary　previous　step　to　it。　　You；　who　have　your　fortune　to　make；　should　more　particularly　study　this　art。　　You　had　not；　I　must　tell　you；　when　you　left　England；　'les　manieres　prevenantes'；　and　I　must　confess　they　are　not　very　common　in　England；　but　I　hope　that　your　good　sense　will　make　you　acquire　them　abroad。　　If　you　desire　to　make　yourself　considerable　in　the　world　（as；　if　you　have　any　spirit；　you　do）；　it　must　be　entirely　your　own　doing；　for　I　may　very　possibly　be　out　of　the　world　at　the　time　you　come　into　it。　　Your　own　rank　and　fortune　will　not　assist　you；　your　merit　and　your　manners　can　alone　raise　you　to　figure　and　fortune。　　I　have　laid　the　foundations　of　them；　by　the　education　which　I　have　given　you；　but　you　must　build　the　superstructure　yourself。

I　must　now　apply　to　you　for　some　informations；　which　I　dare　say　you　can；　and　which　I　desire　you　will　give　me。

Can　the　Elector　of　Saxony　put　any　of　his　subjects　to　death　for　high　treason；　without　bringing　them　first　to　their　trial　in　some　public　court　of　justice？

Can　he；　by　his　own　authority；　confine　any　subject　in　prison　as　long　as　he　pleases；　without　trial？

Can　he　banish　any　subject　out　of　his　dominions　by　his　own　authority？

Can　he　lay　any　tax　whatsoever　upon　his　subjects；　without　the　consent　of　the　states　of　Saxony？　　and　what　are　those　states？　　how　are　they　elected？　what　orders　do　they　consist　of？　　Do　the　clergy　make　part　of　them？　and　when；　and　how　often　do　they　meet？

If　two　subjects　of　the　elector's　are　at　law；　for　an　estate　situated　in　the　electorate；　in　what　court　must　this　suit　be　tried？　　and　will　the　decision　of　that　court　be　final；　or　does　there　lie　an　appeal　to　the　imperial　chamber　at　Wetzlaer？

What　do　you　call　the　two　chief　courts；　or　two　chief　magistrates；　of　civil　and　criminal　justice？

What　is　the　common　revenue　of　the　electorate；　one　year　with　another？

What　number　of　troops　does　the　elector　now　maintain？　and　what　is　the　greatest　number　that　the　electorate　is　able　to　maintain？

I　do　not　expect　to　have　all　these　questions　answered　at　once；　but　you　will　answer　them；　in　proportion　as　you　get　the　necessary　and　authentic　informations。

You　are；　you　see；　my　German　oracle；　and　I　consult　you　with　so　much　faith；　that　you　need　not；　like　the　oracles　of　old；　return　ambiguous　answers；　especially　as　you　have　this　advantage　over　them；　too；　that　I　only　consult　you　about　past　end　present；　but　not　about　what　is　to　come。

I　wish　you　a　good　Easter…fair　at　Leipsig。　　See；　with　attention　all　the　shops；　drolls；　tumblers；　rope…dancers；　and　'hoc　genus　omne'：　but　inform　yourself　more　particularly　of　the　several　parts　of　trade　there。　　Adieu。




LETTER　XXXIII

LONDON；　March　25；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　I　am　in　great　joy　at　the　written　and　the　verbal　accounts　which　I　have　received　lately　of　you。

The　former；　from　Mr。　Harte；　the　latter；　from　Mr。　Trevanion；　who　is　arrived　here：　they　conspire　to　convince　me　that　you　employ　your　time　well　at　Leipsig。　　I　am　glad　to　find　you　consult　your　own　interest　and　your　own　pleasure　so　much；　for　the　knowledge　which　you　will　acquire　in　these　two　years　is　equally　necessary　for　both。　　I　am　likewise　particularly　pleased　to　find　that　you　turn　yourself　to　that　sort　of　knowledge　which　is　more　peculiarly　necessary　for　your　destination：　for　Mr。　Harte　tells　me　you　have　read；　with　attention；　Caillieres；　Pequet；　and　Richelieu's　〃Letters。〃　The　〃Memoirs〃　of　the　Cardinal　de　Retz　will　both　entertain　and　instruct　you；　they　relate　to　a　very　interesting　period　of　the　French　history；　the　ministry　of　Cardinal　Mazarin；　during　the　minority　of　Lewis　XIV。　　The　characters　of　all　the　considerable　people　of　that　time　are　drawn；　in　a　short；　strong；　and　masterly　manner；　and　the　political　reflections；　which　are　most　of　them　printed　in　italics；　are　the　justest　that　ever　I　met　with：　they　are　not　the　labored　reflections　of　a　systematical　closet　politician；　who；　without　the　least　experience　of　business；　sits　at　home　and　writes　maxims；　but　they　are　the　reflections　which　a　great　and　able　man　formed　from　long　experience　and　prac