letters to his son, 1752-第15部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


men　that　he　would　have　you　observe　to　prevent　the　returns　of　this　complaint；　and；　in　case　of　any　returns；　the　immediate　applications；　whether　external　or　internal；　that　he　would　have　you　make　use　of。　　Consider；　it　is　very　worth　your　while　to　submit　at　present　to　any　course　of　medicine　or　diet；　to　any　restraint　or　confinement；　for　a　time；　in　order　to　get　rid；　once　for　all；　of　so　troublesome　and　painful　a　distemper；　the　returns　of　which　would　equally　break　in　upon　your　business　or　your　pleasures。　　Notwithstanding　all　this；　which　is　plain　sense　and　reason；　I　much　fear　that；　as　soon　as　ever　you　are　got　out　of　your　present　distress；　you　will　take　no　preventive　care；　by　a　proper　course　of　medicines　and　regimen；　but；　like　most　people　of　your　age；　think　it　impossible　that　you　ever　should　be　ill　again。　　However；　if　you　will　not　be　wise　for　your　own　sake；　I　desire　you　will　be　so　for　mine；　and　most　scrupulously　observe　Dr。　Hugo's　present　and　future　directions。

Hanover；　where　I　take　it　for　granted　you　are；　is　at　present　the　seat　and　centre　of　foreign　negotiations；　there　are　ministers　from　almost　every　court　in　Europe；　and　you　have　a　fine　opportunity　of　displaying　with　modesty；　in　conversation；　your　knowledge　of　the　matters　now　in　agitation。　The　chief　I　take　to　be　the　Election　of　the　King　of　the　Romans；　which；　though　I　despair　of；　heartily　wish　were　brought　about　for　two　reasons。　The　first　is；　that　I　think　it　may　prevent　a　war　upon　the　death　of　the　present　Emperor；　who；　though　young　and　healthy；　may　possibly　die；　as　young　and　healthy　people　often　do。　　The　other　is；　the　very　reason　that　makes　some　powers　oppose　it；　and　others　dislike　it；　who　do　not　openly　oppose　it；　I　mean；　that　it　may　tend　to　make　the　imperial　dignity　hereditary　in　the　House　of　Austria；　which　I　heartily　wish；　together　with　a　very　great　increase　of　power　in　the　empire：　till　when；　Germany　will　never　be　anything　near　a　match　for　France。　　Cardinal　Richelieu　showed　his　superior　abilities　in　nothing　more；　than　in　thinking　no　pains　or　expense　too　great　to　break　the　power　of　the　House　of　Austria　in　the　empire。　Ferdinand　had　certainly　made　himself　absolute；　and　the　empire　consequently　formidable　to　France；　if　that　Cardinal　had　not　piously　adopted　the　Protestant　cause；　and　put　the　empire；　by　the　treaty　of　Westphalia；　in　pretty　much　the　same　disjointed　situation　in　which　France　itself　was　before　Lewis　the　Eleventh　；　when　princes　of　the　blood；　at　the　head　of　provinces；　and　Dukes　of　Brittany；　etc。；　always　opposed；　and　often　gave　laws　to　the　crown。　　Nothing　but　making　the　empire　hereditary　in　the　House　of　Austria；　can　give　it　that　strength　and　efficiency；　which　I　wish　it　had；　for　the　sake　of　the　balance　of　power。　　For；　while　the　princes　of　the　empire　are　so　independent　of　the　emperor；　so　divided　among　themselves；　and　so　open　to　the　corruption　of　the　best　bidders；　it　is　ridiculous　to　expect　that　Germany　ever　will；　or　can　act　as　a　compact　and　well…united　body　against　France。　　But　as　this　notion　of　mine　would　as　little　please　SOME　OF　OUR　FRIENDS；　as　many　of　our　enemies；　I　would　not　advise　you；　though　you　should　be　of　the　same　opinion；　to　declare　yourself　too　freely　so。　　Could　the　Elector　Palatine　be　satisfied；　which　I　confess　will　be　difficult；　considering　the　nature　of　his　pretensions；　the　tenaciousness　and　haughtiness　of　the　court　of　Vienna　（and　our　inability　to　do；　as　we　have　too　often　done；　their　work　for　them）；　I　say；　if　the　Elector　Palatine　could　be　engaged　to　give　his　vote；　I　should　think　it　would　be　right　to　proceed　to　the　election　with　a　clear　majority　of　five　votes；　and　leave　the　King　of　Prussia　and　the　Elector　of　Cologne；　to　protest　and　remonstrate　as　much　as　ever　they　please。　　The　former　is　too　wise；　and　the　latter　too　weak　in　every　respect；　to　act　in　consequence　of　these　protests。　　The　distracted　situation　of　France；　with　its　ecclesiastical　and　parliamentary　quarrels；　not　to　mention　the　illness　and　possibly　the　death　of　the　Dauphin；　will　make　the　King　of　Prussia；　who　is　certainly　no　Frenchman　in　his　heart；　very　cautious　how　he　acts　as　one。　The　Elector　of　Saxony　will　be　influenced　by　the　King　of　Poland；　who　must　be　determined　by　Russia；　considering　his　views　upon　Poland；　which；　by　the　by；　I　hope　he　will　never　obtain；　I　mean；　as　to　making　that　crown　hereditary　in　his　family。　　As　for　his　sons　having　it　by　the　precarious　tenure　of　election；　by　which　his　father　now　holds　it；　'a　la　bonne　heure'。　But；　should　Poland　have　a　good　government　under　hereditary　kings；　there　would　be　a　new　devil　raised　in　Europe；　that　I　do　not　know　who　could　lay。　I　am　sure　I　would　not　raise　him；　though　on　my　own　side　for　the　present。

I　do　not　know　how　I　came　to　trouble　my　head　so　much　about　politics　today；　which　has　been　so　very　free　from　them　for　some　years：　I　suppose　it　was　because　I　knew　that　I　was　writing　to　the　most　consummate　politician　of　this；　and　his　age。　　If　I　err；　you　will　set　me　right；　'si　quid　novisti　rectius　istis；　candidus　imperti'；　etc。

I　am　excessively　impatient　for　your　next　letter；　which　I　expect　by　the　first　post　from　Hanover；　to　remove　my　anxiety；　as　I　hope　it　will；　not　only　with　regard　to　your　health；　but　likewise　to　OTHER　THINGS；　in　the　meantime　in　the　language　of　a　pedant；　but　with　the　tenderness　of　a　parent；　'jubeo　te　bene　valere'。

Lady　Chesterfield　makes　you　many　compliments；　and　is　much　concerned　at　your　indisposition。




LETTER　CLXXV

TO　MONSIEUR　DE　VOLTAIRE；　NOW　STAYING　AT　BERLIN。

LONDON；　August　27；　O。　S。　　1752。

SIR：　　As　a　most　convincing　proof　how　infinitely　I　am　interested　in　everything　which　concerns　Mr。　Stanhope；　who　will　have　the　honor　of　presenting　you　this　letter；　I　take　the　liberty　of　introducing　him　to　you。　He　has　read　a　great　deal；　he　has　seen　a　great　deal；　whether　or　not　he　has　made　a　proper　use　of　that　knowledge；　is　what　I　do　not　know：　he　is　only　twenty　years　of　age。　　He　was　at　Berlin　some　years　ago；　and　therefore　he　returns　thither；　for　at　present　people　are　attracted　toward　the　north　by　the　same　motives　which　but　lately　drew　them　to　the　south。

Permit　me；　Sir；　to　return　you　thanks　for　the　pleasure　and　instruction　I　have　received　from　your　'History　of　Lewis　XIV'。　　I　have　as　yet　read　it　but　four　times；　because　I　wish　to　forget　it　a　little　before　I　read　it　a　fifth；　but　I　find　that　impossible：　I　shall　therefore　only　wait　till　you　give　us　the　augmentation　which　you　promised；　let　me　entreat　you　not　to　defer　it　long。　　I　thought　myself　pretty　conversant　in　the　history　of　the　reign　of　Lewis　XIV。；　by　means　of　those　innumerable　histories；　memoirs；　anecdotes；　etc。；　which　I　had　read　relative　to　that　period　of　time。　　You　have　convinced　me　that　I　was　mistaken；　and　had　upon　that　subject　very　confused　ideas　in　many　respects；　and　very　false　ones　in　others。　　Above　all；　I　cannot　but　acknowledge　the　obligation　we　have　to　you；　Sir；　for　the　light　which　you　have　thrown　upon　the　follies　and　outrages　of　the　different　sects；　the　weapons　you　employ　against　those　madmen；　or　those　impostors；　are　the　only　suitable　ones；　to　make　use　of　any　others　would　be　imitating　them：　they　must　be　attacked　by　ridicule；　and；　punished　with　contempt。　　'A　propos'　of　those　fanatics；　I　send　you　here　inclosed　a　piece　upon　that　subject；　written　by　the　late　Dean　Swift：　I　believe　you　will　not　dislike　it。　　You　will　easily　guess　why　it　never　was　printed：　it　is　authentic；　and　I　have　the　original　in　his　own　handwriting。　　His　；Jupiter；　at　the　Day　of　judgment；　treats　them　much　as　you　do；　and　as　they　deserve　to　be　treated。

Give　me　leave；　Sir；　to　tell　you　freely；　that　I　am　embarrassed　upon　your　account；　as　I　cannot　determine　what　it　is　that　I　wish　from　you。　　When　I　read　your　last　history；　I　am　desirous　that　you　should　always　write　history；　but　when　I　read　your　'Rome　Sauvee'　（although　ill…printed　and　disfigured）；　yet　I　then　wish　you　never　to　deviate　from　poetry；　however；　I　confess　that　there　still　remains　one　history　worthy　of　your　pen；　and　of　which　your　pen　alone　is　worthy。　　You　have　long　ago　given　us　the　history　of　the　greatest　and　most　outrageous　madman　（I　ask　your　pardon　if　I　cannot　say　the　greatest　hero）　of　Europe；　you　have　given　us　latterly　the　history　of　the　greatest　king；　give　us　now　the　history　of　the　greatest　and　most　virtuous　man　in　Europe；　I　should　think　it　degrading　to　call　him　king。　To　you　this　cannot　be　difficult；　he　is　always　before　your　eyes：　your　poetical　invention　is　not　necessary　to　his　glory；　as　that　may　safely　rely　upon　your　historical　candor。　　The　first　duty　of　an　historian　is　the　only　one　he　need　require　from　his；　'Ne　quid　falsi　dicere　audeat；　ne　quid　veri　non　audeat'。　　Adieu；　Sir！　　I　find　that　I　must　admire　you　every　day　more　and　more；　but　I　also　know　that　nothing　ever　can　add　to　the　esteem　and　attachment　with　which　I　am　actually；　your　most　humble　and　most　obedient　servant；　CHESTERFIELD。




LETTER　CLXXVI

LONDON；　September　19；　1752；

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　Since　you　have　been　at　Hanover；　your　correspondence　has　been　both　unfrequent　and　laconic。　　You　made　indeed　one　great　effort　in　folio　on　the　18th；　with　a　postscript　of　the　22d　August；　N。　S。；　and　since　that；　'vous　avez　rate　in　quarto'。　　On　the　3lst　August；　N。　S。；　you　give　me　no　informations　of　what　I　want　chiefly　to　know；　which　is；　what　Dr。　Hugo　（whom　I　charged　you　to　consult）　said　of　your　asthmatic　complaint；　and　what　he　prescribed　you　to　prevent　the　returns　of　it；　and　also　what　is　the　company　that；　you　keep　there；　who　has　been　kind　and　civil　to　you；　and　who　not。

You　say　that　you　go　constantly　to　the　parade；　and　you　do　very　well；　for　though　you　are　not　of　that　trade；　yet　military　matters　make　so　great　a　part　both　of　conversation　and　negotiation；　that　it　is　very　proper　not　to　be　ignorant　of　them。　　I　hope　you　mind　more　than　the　mere　exercise　of　the　troops　you　see；　and　that　you　inform　yourself　at　the　same　time；　of　the　more　material　details；　such　as　their　pay；　and　the　difference　of　it　when　in　and　out　of　quarters；　what　is　furnished　them　by　the　country　when　in　quarters；　and　what　is　allowed　them　of　ammunition；　bread；　etc。；　when　in　the　field；　the　number　of　men　and　officers　in　the　several　troops　and　companies；　together　with　the　non…commissioned　officers；　as　'caporals；　frey…caporals；　anspessades'；　sergeants；　quarter…masters；　etc。；　the　clothing　how　frequent；　how　good；　and　how　furnished；　whether　by　the　colonel；　as　here　in　England；　from　what　we