letters to his son, 1748-第7部分

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LETTER　XXXVIII

LONDON；　May　10；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　I　reckon　that　this　letter　will　find　you　just　returned　from　Dresden；　where　you　have　made　your　first　court　caravanne。　　What　inclination　for　courts　this　taste　of　them　may　have　given　you；　I　cannot　tell；　but　this　I　think　myself　sure　of；　from　your　good　sense；　that　in　leaving　Dresden；　you　have　left　dissipation　too；　and　have　resumed　at　Leipsig　that　application　which；　if　you　like　courts；　can　alone　enable　you　to　make　a　good　figure　at　them。　　A　mere　courtier；　without　parts　or　knowledge；　is　the　most　frivolous　and　contemptible　of　all　beings；　as；　on　the　other　hand；　a　man　of　parts　and　knowledge；　who　acquires　the　easy　and　noble　manners　of　a　court；　is　the　most　perfect。　　It　is　a　trite；　commonplace　observation；　that　courts　are　the　seats　of　falsehood　and　dissimulation。　　That；　like　many；　I　might　say　most；　commonplace　observations；　is　false。　　Falsehood　and　dissimulation　are　certainly　to　be　found　at　courts；　but　where　are　they　not　to　be　found？　　Cottages　have　them；　as　well　as　courts；　only　with　worse　manners。　　A　couple　of　neighboring　farmers　in　a　village　will　contrive　and　practice　as　many　tricks；　to　over…　reach　each　other　at　the　next　market；　or　to　supplant　each　other　in　the　favor；　of　the　squire；　as　any　two　courtiers　can　do　to　supplant　each　other　in　the　favor　of　their　prince。

Whatever　poets　may　write；　or　fools　believe；　of　rural　innocence　and　truth；　and　of　the　perfidy　of　courts；　this　is　most　undoubtedly　true　that　shepherds　and　ministers　are　both　men；　their　nature　and　passions　the　same；　the　modes　of　them　only　different。

Having　mentioned　commonplace　observations；　I　will　particularly　caution　you　against　either　using；　believing；　or　approving　them。　　They　are　the　common　topics　of　witlings　and　coxcombs；　those；　who　really　have　wit；　have　the　utmost　contempt　for　them；　and　scorn　even　to　laugh　at　the　pert　things　that　those　would…be　wits　say　upon　such　subjects。

Religion　is　one　of　their　favorite　topics；　it　is　all　priest…craft；　and　an　invention　contrived　and　carried　on　by　priests　of　all　religions；　for　their　own　power　and　profit；　from　this　absurd　and　false　principle　flow　the　commonplace；　insipid　jokes；　and　insults　upon　the　clergy。　　With　these　people；　every　priest；　of　every　religion；　is　either　a　public　or　a　concealed　unbeliever；　drunkard；　and　whoremaster；　whereas；　I　conceive；　that　priests　are　extremely　like　other　men；　and　neither　the　better　nor　the　worse　for　wearing　a　gown　or　a　surplice：　but　if　they　are　different　from　other　people；　probably　it　is　rather　on　the　side　of　religion　and　morality；　or；　at　least；　decency；　from　their　education　and　manner　of　life。

Another　common　topic　for　false　wit；　and　cool　raillery；　is　matrimony。　Every　man　and　his　wife　hate　each　other　cordially；　whatever　they　may　pretend；　in　public；　to　the　contrary。　　The　husband　certainly　wishes　his　wife　at　the　devil；　and　the　wife　certainly　cuckolds　her　husband。　　Whereas；　I　presume；　that　men　and　their　wives　neither　love　nor　hate　each　other　the　more；　upon　account　of　the　form　of　matrimony　which　has　been　said　over　them。　　The　cohabitation；　indeed；　which　is　the　consequence　of　matrimony；　makes　them　either　love　or　hate　more；　accordingly　as　they　respectively　deserve　it；　but　that　would　be　exactly　the　same　between　any　man　and　woman　who　lived　together　without　being　married。

These　and　many　other　commonplace　reflections　upon　nations　or　professions　in　general　（which　are　at　least　as　often　false　as　true）；　are　the　poor　refuge　of　people　who　have　neither　wit　nor　invention　of　their　own；　but　endeavor　to　shine　in　company　by　second…hand　finery。　　I　always　put　these　pert　jackanapes　out　of　countenance；　by　looking　extremely　grave；　when　they　expect　that　I　should　laugh　at　their　pleasantries；　and　by　saying　WELL；　AND　SO；　as　if　they　had　not　done；　and　that　the　sting　were　still　to　come。　　This　disconcerts　them；　as　they　have　no　resources　in　themselves；　and　have　but　one　set　of　jokes　to　live　upon。　　Men　of　parts　are　not　reduced　to　these　shifts；　and　have　the　utmost　contempt　for　them；　they　find　proper　subjects　enough　for　either　useful　or　lively　conversations；　they　can　be　witty　without　satire　or　commonplace；　and　serious　without　being　dull。　　The　frequentation　of　courts　checks　this　petulancy　of　manners；　the　good…　breeding　and　circumspection　which　are　necessary；　and　only　to　be　learned　there；　correct　those　pertnesses。　　I　do　not　doubt　but　that　you　are　improved　in　your　manners　by　the　short　visit　which　you　have　made　at　Dresden；　and　the　other　courts；　which　I　intend　that　you　shall　be　better　acquainted　with；　will　gradually　smooth　you　up　to　the　highest　polish。　In　courts；　a　versatility　of　genius　and　softness　of　manners　are　absolutely　necessary；　which　some　people　mistake　for　abject　flattery；　and　having　no　opinion　of　one's　own；　whereas　it　is　only　the　decent　and　genteel　manner　of　maintaining　your　own　opinion；　and　possibly　of　bringing　other　people　to　it。　　The　manner　of　doing　things　is　often　more　important　than　the　things　themselves；　and　the　very　same　thing　may　become　either　pleasing　or　offensive；　by　the　manner　of　saying　or　doing　it。　　'Materiam　superabat　opus'；　is　often　said　of　works　of　sculpture；　where　though　the　materials　were　valuable；　as　silver；　gold；　etc。；　the　workmanship　was　still　more　so。　This　holds　true；　applied　to　manners；　which　adorn　whatever　knowledge　or　parts　people　may　have；　and　even　make　a　greater　impression　upon　nine　in　ten　of　mankind；　than　the　intrinsic　value　of　the　materials。　　On　the　other　hand；　remember；　that　what　Horace　says　of　good　writing　is　justly　applicable　to　those　who　would　make　a　good　figure　in　courts；　and　distinguish　themselves　in　the　shining　parts　of　life；　'Sapere　est　principium　et　fons'。　　A　man　who；　without　a　good　fund　of　knowledge　and　parts；　adopts　a　court　life；　makes　the　most　ridiculous　figure　imaginable。　He　is　a　machine；　little　superior　to　the　court　clock；　and；　as　this　points　out　the　hours；　he　points　out　the　frivolous　employment　of　them。　　He　is；　at　most；　a　comment　upon　the　clock；　and　according　to　the　hours　that　it　strikes；　tells　you　now　it　is　levee；　now　dinner；　now　supper　time；　etc。　The　end　which　I　propose　by　your　education；　and　which　（IF　YOU　PLEASE）　I　shall　certainly　attain；　is　to　unite　in　you　all　the　knowledge　of　a　scholar　with　the　manners　of　a　courtier；　and　to　join；　what　is　seldom　joined　by　any　of　my　countrymen；　books　and　the　world。　　They　are　commonly　twenty　years　old　before　they　have　spoken　to　anybody　above　their　schoolmaster；　and　the　fellows　of　their　college。　　If　they　happen　to　have　learning；　it　is　only　Greek　and　Latin；　but　not　one　word　of　modern　history；　or　modern　languages。　Thus　prepared；　they　go　abroad；　as　they　call　it；　but；　in　truth；　they　stay　at　home　all　that　while；　for　being　very　awkward；　confoundedly　ashamed；　and　not　speaking　the　languages；　they　go　into　no　foreign　company；　at　least　none　good；　but　dine　and　sup　with　one　another　only　at　the　tavern。　　Such　examples；　I　am　sure；　you　will　not　imitate；　but　even　carefully　avoid。　　You　will　always　take　care　to　keep　the　best　company　in　the　place　where　you　are；　which　is　the　only　use　of　traveling：　and　（by　the　way）　the　pleasures　of　a　gentleman　are　only　to　be　found　in　the　best　company；　for　that　not　which　low　company；　most　falsely　and　impudently；　call　pleasure；　is　only　the　sensuality　of　a　swine。

I　ask　hard　and　uninterrupted　study　from　you　but　one　year　more；　after　that；　you　shall　have　every　day　more　and　more　time　for　your　amusements。　A　few　hours　each　day　will　then　be　sufficient　for　application；　and　the　others　cannot　be　better　employed　than　in　the　pleasures　of　good　company。　Adieu。




LETTER　XXXIX

LONDON；　May　31；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　I　received　yesterday　your　letter　of　the　16th；　N。　S。；　and　have；　in　consequence　of　it；　written　this　day　to　Sir　Charles　Williams；　to　thank　him　for　all　the　civilities　he　has　shown　you。　　Your　first　setting　out　at　court　has；　I　find；　been　very　favorable；　and　his　Polish　Majesty　has　distinguished　you。　　I　hope　you　received　that　mark　of　distinction　with　respect　and　with　steadiness；　which　is　the　proper　behavior　of　a　man　of　fashion。　　People　of　a　low；　obscure　education　cannot　stand　the　rays　of　greatness；　they　are　frightened　out　of　their　wits　when　kings　and　great　men　speak　to　them；　they　are　awkward；　ashamed；　and　do　not　know　what　nor　how　to　answer；　whereas；　'les　honnetes　gens'　are　not　dazzled　by　superior　rank：　they　know；　and　pay　all　the　respect　that　is　due　to　it；　but　they　do　it　without　being　disconcerted；　and　can　converse　just　as　easily　with　a　king　as　with　any　one　of　his　subjects。　　That　is　the　great　advantage　of　being　introduced　young　into　good　company；　and　being　used　early　to　converse　with　one's　superiors。　　How　many　men　have　I　seen　here；　who；　after　having　had　the　full　benefit　of　an　English　education；　first　at　school；　and　then　at　the　university；　when　they　have　been　presented　to　the　king；　did　not　know　whether　they　stood　upon　their　heads　or　their　heels！　　If　the　king　spoke　to　them；　they　were　annihilated；　they　trembled；　endeavored　to　put　their　hands　in　their　pockets；　and　missed　them；　let　their　hats　fall；　and　were　ashamed　to　take　them　up；　and　in　short；　put　themselves　in　every　attitude　but　the　right；　that　is；　the　easy　and　natural　one。　　The　characteristic　of　a　well…　bred　man；　is　to　converse　with　his　inferiors　without　insolence；　and　with　his　superiors　with　respect　and　ease。　　He　talks　to　kings　without　concern；　he　trifles　with　women　of　the　first　condition　with　familiarity；　gayety；　but　respect；　and　converses　with　his　equals；　whether　he　is　acquainted　with　them　or　not；　upon　general　common　topics；　that　are　not；　however；　quite　frivolous；　without　the　least　concern　of　mind　or　awkwardness　of　body：　neither　of　which　can　appear　to　advantage；　but　when　they　are　perfectly　easy。

The　tea…things；　which　Sir　Charles　Williams　has　given　you；　I　would　have　you　make　a　present　of　to　your　Mamma；　and　send　them　to　her　by　Duval　when　he　returns。　　You　owe　her　not　only　duty；　but　likewise　great　obligations　for　her　care　and　tenderness；　and；　consequently；　cannot　take　too　many　opportunities　of　showing　your　gratitude。

I　am　impatient　to　receive　your　account　of　Dresden；　and　likewise　your　answers　to　the　many　questions　that　I　asked　you。

Adieu　for　this　time；　and　God　bless　you！




LETTER　XL

LONDON；　May　27；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　This　and　the　two　next　years　make　so　important　a　period　of　your　life；　that　I　cannot　help　repeating　to　you　my