letters to his son, 1751-第11部分

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do；　as　young　people　are　too　apt　to　think。

How　do　your　exercises　go　on？　　Can　you　manage　a　pretty　vigorous　'sauteur'　between　the　pillars？　　Are　you　got　into　stirrups　yet？　　'Faites…vous　assaut　aux　armes？　　But；　above　all；　what　does　Marcel　say　of　you？　　Is　he　satisfied？　　Pray　be　more　particular　in　your　accounts　of　yourself；　for　though　I　have　frequent　accounts　of　you　from　others；　I　desire　to　have　your　own　too。　　Adieu。　　Yours；　truly　and　friendly。




LETTER　CXL

LONDON；　May　2；　O。　S。　　1751

DEAR　FRIEND：　　Two　accounts；　which　I　have　very　lately　received　of　you；　from　two　good　judges；　have　put　me　into　great　spirits；　as　they　have　given　me　reasonable　hopes　that　you　will　soon　acquire　all　that　I　believe　you　want：　I　mean　the　air；　the　address；　the　graces；　and　the　manners　of　a　man　of　fashion。　　As　these　two　pictures　of　you　are　very　unlike　that　which　I　received；　and　sent　you　some　months　ago；　I　will　name　the　two　painters：　the　first　is　an　old　friend　and　acquaintance　of　mine；　Monsieur　d'Aillon。　His　picture　is；　I　hope；　like　you；　for　it　is　a　very　good　one：　Monsieur　Tollot's　is　still　a　better；　and　so　advantageous　a　one；　that　I　will　not　send　you　a　copy　of　it；　for　fear　of　making　you　too　vain。　　So　far　only　I　will　tell　you；　that　there　was　but　one　BUT　in　either　of　their　accounts；　and　it　was　this：　I　gave　d'Aillon　the　question　ordinary　and　extraordinary；　upon　the　important　article　of　manners；　and　extorted　this　from　him：　〃But；　since　you　will　know　it；　he　still　wants　that　last　beautiful　varnish；　which　raises　the　colors；　and　gives　brilliancy　to　the　piece。　　Be　persuaded　that　he　will　acquire　it：　he　has　too　much　sense　not　to　know　its　value；　and　if　I　am　not　greatly　mistaken；　more　persons　than　one　are　now　endeavoring　to　give　it　him。　　〃Monsieur　Tollot　says：　〃In　order　to　be　exactly　all　that　you　wish　him；　he　only　wants　those　little　nothings；　those　graces　in　detail；　and　that　amiable　ease；　which　can　only　be　acquired　by　usage　of　the　great　world。　　I　am　assured　that　he　is；　in　that　respect；　in　good　hands。　　I　do　not　know　whether　that　does　not　rather　imply　in　fine　arms。〃　　Without　entering　into　a　nice　discussion　of　the　last　question；　I　congratulate　you　and　myself　upon　your　being　so　near　that　point　at　which　I　so　anxiously　wish　you　to　arrive。　　I　am　sure　that　all　your　attention　and　endeavors　will　be　exerted；　and；　if　exerted；　they　will　succeed。　　Mr。　Tollot　says；　that　you　are　inclined　to　be　fat；　but　I　hope　you　will　decline　it　as　much　as　you　can；　not　by　taking　anything　corrosive　to　make　you　lean；　but　by　taking　as　little　as　you　can　of　those　things　that　would　make　you　fat。　　Drink　no　chocolate；　take　your　coffee　without　cream：　you　cannot　possibly　avoid　suppers　at　Paris；　unless　you　avoid　company　too；　which　I　would　by　no　means　have　you　do；　but　eat　as　little　at　supper　as　you　can；　and　make　even　an　allowance　for　that　little　at　your　dinners。　　Take　occasionally　a　double　dose　of　riding　and　fencing；　and　now　that　summer　is　come；　walk　a　good　deal　in　the　Tuileries。　　It　is　a　real　inconvenience　to　anybody　to　be　fat；　and　besides　it　is　ungraceful　for　a　young　fellow。　　'A　propos'；　I　had　like　to　have　forgot　to　tell　you；　that　I　charged　Tollot　to　attend　particularly　to　your　utterence　and　diction；　two　points　of　the　utmost　importance。　　To　the　first　he　says：　〃His　enunciation　is　not　bad；　but　it　is　to　be　wished　that　it　were　still　better；　and　he　expresses　himself　with　more　fire　than　elegance。　　Usage　of　good　company　will　instruct　him　likewise　in　that。〃　　These；　I　allow；　are　all　little　things；　separately；　but　aggregately；　they　make　a　most　important　and　great　article　in　the　account　of　a　gentleman。　　In　the　House　of　Commons　you　can　never　make　a　figure　without　elegance　of　style；　and　gracefulness　of　utterance；　and　you　can　never　succeed　as　a　courtier　at　your　own　Court；　or　as　a　minister　at　any　other；　without　those　innumerable　'petite　riens　dans　les　manieres；　et　dans　les　attentions'。　　Mr。　Yorke　is　by　this　time　at　Paris；　make　your　court　to　him；　but　not　so　as　to　disgust；　in　the　least；　Lord　Albemarle；　who　may　possibly　dislike　your　considering　Mr。　Yorke　as　the　man　of　business；　and　him　as　only　'pour　orner　la　scene'。　　Whatever　your　opinion　may　be　upon　THAT　POINT；　take　care　not　to　let　it　appear；　but　be　well　with　them　both　by　showing　no　public　preference　to　either。

Though　I　must　necessarily　fall　into　repetitions　by　treating　the　same　subject　so　often；　I　cannot　help　recommending　to　you　again　the　utmost　attention　to　your　air　and　address。　　Apply　yourself　now　to　Marcel's　lectures；　as　diligently　as　you　did　formerly　to　Professor　Mascow's；　desire　him　to　teach　you　every　genteel　attitude　that　the　human　body　can　be　put　into；　let　him　make　you　go　in　and　out　of　his　room　frequently；　and　present　yourself　to　him；　as　if　he　were　by　turns　different　persons；　such　as　a　minister；　a　lady；　a　superior；　an　equal；　and　inferior；　etc。　　Learn　to　seat　genteelly　in　different　companies；　to　loll　genteelly；　and　with　good　manners；　in　those　companies　where　you　are　authorized　to　be　free；　and　to　sit　up　respectfully　where　the　same　freedom　is　not　allowable。　　Learn　even　to　compose　your　countenance　occasionally　to　the　respectful；　the　cheerful；　and　the　insinuating。　　Take　particular　care　that　the　motions　of　your　hands　and　arms　be　easy　and　graceful；　for　the　genteelness　of　a　man　consists　more　in　them　than　in　anything　else；　especially　in　his　dancing。　　Desire　some　women　to　tell　you　of　any　little　awkwardness　that　they　observe　in　your　carriage；　they　are　the　best　judges　of　those　things；　and　if　they　are　satisfied；　the　men　will　be　so　too。　　Think　now　only　of　the　decorations。　Are　you　acquainted　with　Madame　Geoffrain；　who　has　a　great　deal　of　wit；　and　who；　I　am　informed；　receives　only　the　very　best　company　in　her　house？　Do　you　know　Madame　du　Pin；　who；　I　remember；　had　beauty；　and　I　hear　has　wit　and　reading？　　I　could　wish　you　to　converse　only　with　those　who；　either　from　their　rank；　their　merit；　or　their　beauty；　require　constant　attention；　for　a　young　man　can　never　improve　in　company　where　he　thinks　he　may　neglect　himself。　　A　new　bow　must　be　constantly　kept　bent；　when　it　grows　older；　and　has　taken　the　right　turn；　it　may　now　and　then　be　relaxed。

I　have　this　moment　paid　your　draft　of　L89　75s。；　it　was　signed　in　a　very　good　hand；　which　proves　that　a　good　hand　may　be　written　without　the　assistance　of　magic。　　Nothing　provokes　me　much　more；　than　to　hear　people　indolently　say　that　they　cannot　do；　what　is　in　everybody's　power　to　do；　if　it　be　but　in　their　will。　　Adieu。




LETTER　CXLI

LONDON；　May　6；　O。　S。　　1751。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　The　best　authors　are　always　the　severest　critics　of　their　own　works；　they　revise；　correct；　file；　and　polish　them；　till　they　think　they　have　brought　them　to　perfection。　　Considering　you　as　my　work；　I　do　not　look　upon　myself　as　a　bad　author；　and　am　therefore　a　severe　critic。　　I　examine　narrowly　into　the　least　inaccuracy　or　inelegance；　in　order　to　correct；　not　to　expose　them；　and　that　the　work　may　be　perfect　at　last。　　You　are；　I　know；　exceedingly　improved　in　your　air；　address；　and　manners；　since　you　have　been　at　Paris；　but　still　there　is；　I　believe；　room　for　further　improvement　before　you　come　to　that　perfection　which　I　have　set　my　heart　upon　seeing　you　arrive　at；　and　till　that　moment　I　must　continue　filing　and　polishing。　　In　a　letter　that　I　received　by　last　post；　from　a　friend　of　yours　at　Paris；　there　was　this　paragraph：　〃I　have　the　honor　to　assure　you；　without　flattery；　that　Mr。　Stanhope　succeeds　beyond　what　might　be　expected　from　a　person　of　his　age。　　He　goes　into　very　good　company；　and　that　kind　of　manner；　which　was　at　first　thought　to　be　too　decisive　and　peremptory；　is　now　judged　otherwise；　because　it　is　acknowledged　to　be　the　effect　of　an　ingenuous　frankness；　accompanied　by　politeness；　and　by　a　proper　deference。　　He　studies　to　please；　and　succeeds。　　Madame　du　Puisieux　was　the　other　day　speaking　of　him　with　complacency　and　friendship。　　You　will　be　satisfied　with　him　in　all　respects。　　〃This　is　extremely　well；　and　I　rejoice　at　it：　one　little　circumstance　only　may；　and　I　hope　will；　be　altered　for　the　better。　　Take　pains　to　undeceive　those　who　thought　that　'petit　ton　un　peu　delcide　et　un　peu　brusque'；　as　it　is　not　meant　so；　let　it　not　appear　so。　　Compose　your　countenance　to　an　air　of　gentleness　and　'douceur'；　use　some　expressions　of　diffidence　of　your　own　opinion；　and　deference　to　other　people's；　such　as；　〃If　I　might　be　permitted　to　sayI　should　thinkIs　it　not　rather　so？　At　least　I　have　the　greatest　reason　to　be　diffident　of　myself。〃　　Such　mitigating；　engaging　words　do　by　no　means　weaken　your　argument；　but；　on　the　contrary；　make　it　more　powerful　by　making　it　more　pleasing。　　If　it　is　a　quick　and　hasty　manner　of　speaking　that　people　mistake　'pour　decide　et　brusque'；　prevent　their　mistakes　for　the　future　by　speaking　more　deliberately；　and　taking　a　softer　tone　of　voice；　as　in　this　case　you　are　free　from　the　guilt；　be　free　from　the　suspicion；　too。　　Mankind；　as　I　have　often　told　you；　are　more　governed　by　appearances　than　by　realities；　and　with　regard　to　opinion；　one　had　better　be　really　rough　and　hard；　with　the　appearance　of　gentleness　and　softness；　than　just　the　reverse。　　Few　people　have　penetration　enough　to　discover；　attention　enough　to　observe；　or　even　concern　enough　to　examine　beyond　the　exterior；　they　take　their　notions　from　the　surface；　and　go　no　deeper：　they　commend；　as　the　gentlest　and　best…natured　man　in　the　world；　that　man　who　has　the　most　engaging　exterior　manner；　though　possibly　they　have　been　but　once　in　his　company。　An　air；　a　tone　of　voice；　a　composure　of　countenance　to　mildness　and　softness；　which　are　all　easily　acquired；　do　the　business：　and　without　further　examination；　and　possibly　with　the　contrary　qualities；　that　man　is　reckoned　the　gentlest；　the　modestest；　and　the　best…natured　；　man　alive。　　Happy　the　man；　who；　with　a　certain　fund　of　parts　and　knowledge；　gets　acquainted　with　the　world　early　enough　to　make　it　his　bubble；　at　an　age　when　most　people　are　the　bubbles　of　the　world！　for　that　is　the　common　case　of　youth。　　They　grow　wiser　when　it　is　too　late；　and；　ashamed　and　vexed　at　having　been　bubbles　so　long；　too　often　turn　knaves　at　last。　　Do　not　therefore　trust　to　appearances　and　outside　yourself；　but　pay　other　people　with　them；　because　you　may　be　sure　that　nine　in　ten　of　mankind　do；　and　ever　will　trust　to　them。　　This　is　by　no　means　a　criminal　or　blamable　simulat