letters to his son, 1752-第18部分

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tinations；　your　fortune　and　figure　luckily　conspire　with　your　vanity　and　your　pleasures。　　Nay　more；　a　foreign　minister；　I　will　maintain　it；　can　never　be　a　good　man　of　business　if　he　is　not　an　agreeable　man　of　pleasure　too。　　Half　his　business　is　done　by　the　help　of　his　pleasures；　his　views　are　carried　on；　and　perhaps　best　and　most　unsuspectedly；　at　balls；　suppers；　assemblies；　and　parties　of　pleasure；　by　intrigues　with　women；　and　connections　insensibly　formed　with　men；　at　those　unguarded　hours　of　amusement。

These　objects　now　draw　very　near　you；　and　you　have　no　time　to　lose　in　preparing　yourself　to　meet　them。　　You　will　be　in　parliament　almost　as　soon　as　your　age　will　allow；　and　I　believe　you　will　have　a　foreign　department　still　sooner；　and　that　will　be　earlier　than　ever　any　other　body　had　one。　　If　you　set　out　well　at　one…and…twenty；　what　may　you　not　reasonably　hope　to　be　at　one…and…forty？　　All　that　I　could　wish　you！　Adieu。




LETTER　CLXXIX

LONDON；　September　29；　1752。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　There　is　nothing　so　necessary；　but　at　the　same　time　there　is　nothing　more　difficult　（I　know　it　by　experience）　for　you　young　fellows；　than　to　know　how　to　behave　yourselves　prudently　toward　those　whom　you　do　not　like。　　Your　passions　are　warm；　and　your　heads　are　light；　you　hate　all　those　who　oppose　your　views；　either　of　ambition　or　love；　and　a　rival；　in　either；　is　almost　a　synonymous　term　for　an　enemy。　　Whenever　you　meet　such　a　man；　you　are　awkwardly　cold　to　him；　at　best；　but　often　rude；　and　always　desirous　to　give　him　some　indirect　slap。　　This　is　unreasonable；　for　one　man　has　as　good　a　right　to　pursue　an　employment；　or　a　mistress；　as　another；　but　it　is；　into　the　bargain；　extremely　imprudent；　because　you　commonly　defeat　your　own　purpose　by　it；　and　while　you　are　contending　with　each　other；　a　third　often　prevails。　　I　grant　you　that　the　situation　is　irksome；　a　man　cannot　help　thinking　as　he　thinks；　nor　feeling　what　he　feels；　and　it　is　a　very　tender　and　sore　point　to　be　thwarted　and　counterworked　in　one's　pursuits　at　court；　or　with　a　mistress；　but　prudence　and　abilities　must　check　the　effects；　though　they　cannot　remove　the　cause。　　Both　the　pretenders　make　themselves　disagreeable　to　their　mistress；　when　they　spoil　the　company　by　their　pouting；　or　their　sparring；　whereas；　if　one　of　them　has　command　enough　over　himself　（whatever　he　may　feel　inwardly）　to　be　cheerful；　gay；　and　easily　and　unaffectedly　civil　to　the　other；　as　if　there　were　no　manner　of　competition　between　them；　the　lady　will　certainly　like　him　the　best；　and　his　rival　will　be　ten　times　more　humbled　and　discouraged；　for　he　will　look　upon　such　a　behavior　as　a　proof　of　the　triumph　and　security　of　his　rival；　he　will　grow　outrageous　with　the　lady；　and　the　warmth　of　his　reproaches　will　probably　bring　on　a　quarrel　between　them。　　It　is　the　same　in　business；　where　he　who　can　command　his　temper　and　his　countenance　the　best；　will　always　have　an　infinite　advantage　over　the　other。　　This　is　what　the　French　call　un　'procede　honnete　et　galant'；　to　PIQUE　yourself　upon　showing　particular　civilities　to　a　man；　to　whom　lesser　minds　would；　in　the　same　case；　show　dislike；　or　perhaps　rudeness。　　I　will　give　you　an　instance　of　this　in　my　own　case；　and　pray　remember　it；　whenever　you　come　to　be；　as　I　hope　you　will；　in　a　like　situation。

When　I　went　to　The　Hague；　in　1744；　it　was　to　engage　the　Dutch　to　come　roundly　into　the　war；　and　to　stipulate　their　quotas　of　troops；　etc。；　your　acquaintance；　the　Abbe　de　la　Ville；　was　there　on　the　part　of　France；　to　endeavor　to　hinder　them　from　coming　into　the　war　at　all。　　I　was　informed；　and　very　sorry　to　hear　it；　that　he　had　abilities；　temper；　and　industry。　　We　could　not　visit；　our　two　masters　being　at　war；　but　the　first　time　I　met　him　at　a　third　place；　I　got　somebody　to　present　me　to　him；　and　I　told　him；　that　though　we　were　to　be　national　enemies；　I　flattered　myself　we　might　be；　however；　personal　friends；　with　a　good　deal　more　of　the　same　kind；　which　he　returned　in　full　as　polite　a　manner。　Two　days　afterward；　I　went；　early　in　the　morning；　to　solicit　the　Deputies　of　Amsterdam；　where　I　found　l'Abbe　de　la　Ville；　who　had　been　beforehand　with　me；　upon　which　I　addressed　myself　to　the　Deputies；　and　said；　smilingly；　I　am　very　sorry；　Gentlemen；　to　find　my　enemy　with　you；　my　knowledge　of　his　capacity　is　already　sufficient　to　make　me　fear　him；　we　are　not　upon　equal　terms；　but　I　trust　to　your　own　interest　against　his　talents。　　If　I　have　not　this　day　had　the　first　word；　I　shall　at　least　have　the　last。　　They　smiled：　the　Abbe　was　pleased　with　the　compliment；　and　the　manner　of　it；　stayed　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　and　then　left　me　to　my　Deputies；　with　whom　I　continued　upon　the　same　tone；　though　in　a　very　serious　manner；　and　told　them　that　I　was　only　come　to　state　their　own　true　interests　to　them；　plainly　and　simply；　without　any　of　those　arts；　which　it　was　very　necessary　for　my　friend　to　make　use　of　to　deceive　them。　　I　carried　my　point；　and　continued　my　'procede'　with　the　Abb6；　and　by　this　easy　and　polite　commerce　with　him；　at　third　places；　I　often　found　means　to　fish　out　from　him　whereabouts　he　was。

Remember；　there　are　but　two　'procedes'　in　the　world　for　a　gentleman　and　a　man　of　parts；　either　extreme　politeness　or　knocking　down。　　If　a　man　notoriously　and　designedly　insults　and　affronts　you；　knock　him　down；　but　if　he　only　injures　you；　your　best　revenge　is　to　be　extremely　civil　to　him　in　your　outward　behavior；　though　at　the　same　time　you　counterwork　him；　and　return　him　the　compliment；　perhaps　with　interest。　　This　is　not　perfidy　nor　dissimulation；　it　would　be　so　if　you　were；　at　the　same　time；　to　make　professions　of　esteem　and　friendship　to　this　man；　which　I　by　no　means　recommend；　but　on　the　contrary　abhor。　　But　all　acts　of　civility　are；　by　common　consent；　understood　to　be　no　more　than　a　conformity　to　custom；　for　the　quiet　and　conveniency　of　society；　the　'agremens'　of　which　are　not　to　be　disturbed　by　private　dislikes　and　jealousies。　　Only　women　and　little　minds　pout　and　spar　for　the　entertainment　of　the　company；　that　always　laughs　at；　and　never　pities　them。　　For　my　own　part；　though　I　would　by　no　means　give　up　any　point　to　a　competitor；　yet　I　would　pique　myself　upon　showing　him　rather　more　civility　than　to　another　man。　　In　the　first　place；　this　'procede'　infallibly　makes　all　'les　rieurs'　of　your　side；　which　is　a　considerable　party；　and　in　the　next　place；　it　certainly　pleases　the　object　of　the　competition；　be　it　either　man　or　woman；　who　never　fail　to　say；　upon　such　an　occasion；　that　THEY　MUST　OWN　YOU　HAVE　BEHAVED　YOURSELF　VERY；　HANDSOMELY　IN　THE　WHOLE　AFFAIR。　　The　world　judges　from　the　appearances　of　things；　and　not　from　the　reality；　which　few　are　able；　and　still　fewer　are　inclined　to　fathom：　and　a　man；　who　will　take　care　always　to　be　in　the　right　in　those　things；　may　afford　to　be　sometimes　a　little　in　the　wrong　in　more　essential　ones：　there　is　a　willingness；　a　desire　to　excuse　him。　　With　nine　people　in　ten；　good…　breeding　passes　for　good…nature；　and　they　take　attentions　for　good　offices。　　At　courts　there　will　be　always　coldnesses；　dislikes；　jealousies；　and　hatred；　the　harvest　being　but　small　in　proportion　to　the　number　of　laborers；　but　then；　as　they　arise　often；　they　die　soon；　unless　they　are　perpetuated　by　the　manner　in　which　they　have　been　carried　on；　more　than　by　the　matter　which　occasioned　them。　　The　turns　and　vicissitudes　of　courts　frequently　make　friends　of　enemies；　and　enemies　of　friends；　you　must　labor；　therefore；　to　acquire　that　great　and　uncommon　talent　of　hating　with　good…breeding　and　loving　with　prudence；　to　make　no　quarrel　irreconcilable　by　silly　and　unnecessary　indications　of　anger；　and　no　friendship　dangerous；　in　case　it　breaks；　by　a　wanton；　indiscreet；　and　unreserved　confidence。


Few　；　（especially　young）　people　know　how　to　love；　or　how　to　hate；　their　love　is　an　unbounded　weakness；　fatal　to　the　person　they　love；　their　hate　is　a　hot；　rash；　and　imprudent　violence；　always　fatal　to　themselves。

Nineteen　fathers　in　twenty；　and　every　mother；　who　had　loved　you　half　as　well　as　I　do；　would　have　ruined　you；　whereas　I　always　made　you　feel　the　weight　of　my　authority；　that　you　might　one　day　know　the　force　of　my　love。　Now；　I　both　hope　and　believe；　my　advice　will　have　the　same　weight　with　you　from　choice　that　my　authority　had　from　necessity。　　My　advice　is　just　eight…and…twenty　years　older　than　your　own；　and　consequently；　I　believe　you　think；　rather　better。　　As　for　your　tender　and　pleasurable　passions；　manage　them　yourself；　but　let　me　have　the　direction　of　all　the　others。　Your　ambition；　your　figure；　and　your　fortune；　will；　for　some　time　at　least；　be　rather　safer　in　my　keeping　than　in　your　own。　　Adieu。




LETTER　CLXXX

BATH；　October　4；　1752

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　I　consider　you　now　as　at　the　court　of　Augustus；　where；　if　ever　the　desire　of　pleasing　animated　you；　it　must　make　you　exert　all　the　means　of　doing　it。　　You　will　see　there；　full　as　well；　I　dare　say；　as　Horace　did　at　Rome；　how　states　are　defended　by　arms；　adorned　by　manners；　and　improved　by　laws。　　Nay；　you　have　an　Horace　there　as　well　as　an　Augustus；　I　need　not　name　Voltaire；　'qui　nil　molitur　inept'？；　as　Horace　himself　said　of　another　poet。　　I　have　lately　read　over　all　his　works　that　are　published；　though　I　had　read　them　more　than　once　before。　　I　was　induced　to　this　by　his　'Siecle　de　Louis　XIV'；　which　I　have　yet　read　but　four　times。　　In　reading　over　all　his　works；　with　more　attention　I　suppose　than　before；　my　former　admiration　of　him　is；　I　own；　turned　into　astonishment。　　There　is　no　one　kind　of　writing　in　which　he　has　not　excelled。　　You　are　so　severe　a　classic　that　I　question　whether　you　will　allow　me　to　call　his　'Henriade'　an　epic　poem；　for　want　of　the　proper　number　of　gods；　devils；　witches　and　other　absurdities；　requisite　for　the　machinery；　which　machinery　is；　it　seems；　necessary　to　constitute　the　'epopee'。　　But　whether　you　do　or　not；　I　will　declare　（though　possibly　to　my　own　shame）　that　I　never　read　any　epic　poem　with　near　so　much　pleasure。　I　am　grown　old；　and　have　possibly　lost　a　great　deal　of　that　fire　which　formerly　made　me　love　fire　in　others　at　any　rate；　and　however　attended　with　smoke；　but　now　I　must　have　all　sense；　and　cannot；　for　the　sake　of　five　righteous　lines；　forgive　a　thousand　absurd　ones。

In　this　disposition　of　mind；　judge