letters to his son, 1751-第12部分

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　ten　of　mankind　do；　and　ever　will　trust　to　them。　　This　is　by　no　means　a　criminal　or　blamable　simulation；　if　not　used　with　an　ill　intention。　　I　am　by　no　means　blamable　in　desiring　to　have　other　people's　good　word；　good…will；　and　affection；　if　I　do　not　mean　to　abuse　them。　　Your　heart；　I　know；　is　good；　your　sense　is　sound；　and　your　knowledge　extensive。　　What　then　remains　for　you　to　do？　Nothing；　but　to　adorn　those　fundamental　qualifications；　with　such　engaging　and　captivating　manners；　softness；　and　gentleness；　as　will　endear　you　to　those　who　are　able　to　judge　of　your　real　merit；　and　which　always　stand　in　the　stead　of　merit　with　those　who　are　not。　　I　do　not　mean　by　this　to　recommend　to　you　'le　fade　doucereux'；　the　insipid　softness　of　a　gentle　fool；　no；　assert　your　own　opinion；　oppose　other　people's　when　wrong；　but　let　your　manner；　your　air；　your　terms；　and　your　tone　of　voice；　be　soft　and　gentle；　and　that　easily　and　naturally；　not　affectedly。　　Use　palliatives　when　you　contradict；　such　as　I　MAY　BE　MISTAKEN；　I　AM　NOT　SURE；　BUT　I　BELIEVE；　I　SHOULD　RATHER　THINK；　etc。　　Finish　any　argument　or　dispute　with　some　little　good…humored　pleasantry；　to　show　that　you　are　neither　hurt　yourself；　nor　meant　to　hurt　your　antagonist；　for　an　argument；　kept　up　a　good　while；　often　occasions　a　temporary　alienation　on　each　side。　　Pray　observe　particularly；　in　those　French　people　who　are　distinguished　by　that　character；　'cette　douceur　de　moeurs　et　de　manieres'；　which　they　talk　of　so　much；　and　value　so　justly；　see　in　what　it　consists；　in　mere　trifles；　and　most　easy　to　be　acquired；　where　the　heart　is　really　good。　　Imitate；　copy　it；　till　it　becomes　habitual　and　easy　to　you。　　Without　a　compliment　to　you；　I　take　it　to　be　the　only　thing　you　now　want：　nothing　will　sooner　give　it　you　than　a　real　passion；　or；　at　least；　'un　gout　vif'；　for　some　woman　of　fashion；　and；　as　I　suppose　that　you　have　either　the　one　or　the　other　by　this　time；　you　are　consequently　in　the　best　school。　　Besides　this；　if　you　were　to　say　to　Lady　Hervey；　Madame　Monconseil；　or　such　others　as　you　look　upon　to　be　your　friends；　It　is　said　that　I　have　a　kind　of　manner　which　is　rather　too　decisive　and　too　peremptory；　it　is　not；　however；　my　intention　that　it　should　be　so；　I　entreat　you　to　correct；　and　even　publicly　to　punish　me　whenever　I　am　guilty。　　Do　not　treat　me　with　the　least　indulgence；　but　criticise　to　the　utmost。　　So　clear…sighted　a　judge　as　you　has　a　right　to　be　severe；　and　I　promise　you　that　the　criminal　will　endeavor　to　correct　himself。　Yesterday　I　had　two　of　your　acquaintances　to　dine　with　me；　Baron　B。　　and　his　companion　Monsieur　S。　　I　cannot　say　of　the　former；　'qu'il　est　paitri　de　graces'；　and　I　would　rather　advise　him　to　go　and　settle　quietly　at　home；　than　to　think　of　improving　himself　by　further　travels。　　'Ce　n'est　pas　le　bois　don't　on　en　fait'。　　His　companion　is　much　better；　though　he　has　a　strong　'tocco　di　tedesco'。　　They　both　spoke　well　of　you；　and　so　far　I　liked　them　both。　　How　go　you　on　with　the　amiable　little　Blot？　　Does　she　listen　to　your　Battering　tale？　　Are　you　numbered　among　the　list　of　her　admirers？　　Is　Madame　your　Madame　de　Lursay？　　Does　she　sometimes　knot；　and　are　you　her　Meilcour？　　They　say　she　has　softness；　sense；　and　engaging　manners；　in　such　an　apprenticeship　much　may　be　learned。　＇This　whole　passage；　and　several　others；　allude　to　Crebillon's　'Egaremens　du　Coeur　et　de　l'Esprit'；　a　sentimental　novel　written　about　that　time；　and　then　much　in　vogue　at　Paris。

A　woman　like　her；　who　has　always　pleased；　and　often　been　pleased；　can　best　teach　the　art　of　pleasing；　that　art；　without　which；　'ogni　fatica　vana'。　　Marcel's　lectures　are　no　small　part　of　that　art：　they　are　the　engaging　forerunner　of　all　other　accomplishments。　　Dress　is　also　an　article　not　to　be　neglected；　and　I　hope　you　do　not　neglect　it；　it　helps　in　the　'premier　abord'；　which　is　often　decisive。　　By　dress；　I　mean　your　clothes　being　well　made；　fitting　you；　in　the　fashion　and　not　above　it；　your　hair　well　done；　and　a　general　cleanliness　and　spruceness　in　your　person。　　I　hope　you　take　infinite　care　of　your　teeth；　the　consequences　of　neglecting　the　mouth　are　serious；　not　only　to　one's　self；　but　to　others。　In　short；　my　dear　child；　neglect　nothing；　a　little　more　will　complete　the　whole。　　Adieu。　　I　have　not　heard　from　you　these　three　weeks；　which　I　think　a　great　while。




LETTER　CXLII

LONDON；　May　10；　O。　S。　　1751。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　I　received　yesterday；　at　the　same　time；　your　letters　of　the　4th　and　11th；　N。　S。；　and　being　much　more　careful　of　my　commissions　than　you　are　of　yours；　I　do　not　delay　one　moment　sending　you　my　final　instructions　concerning　the　pictures。　　The　man　you　allow　to　be　a　Titian；　and　in　good　preservation；　the　woman　is　an　indifferent　and　a　damaged　picture；　but　as　I　want　them　for　furniture　for　a　particular　room；　companions　are　necessary；　and　therefore　I　am　willing　to　take　the　woman　for　better　for　worse；　upon　account　of　the　man；　and　if　she　is　not　too　much　damaged；　I　can　have　her　tolerably　repaired；　as　many　a　fine　woman　is；　by　a　skillful　hand　here；　but　then　I　expect　that　the　lady　should　be；　in　a　manner；　thrown　into　the　bargain　with　the　man；　and；　in　this　state　of　affairs；　the　woman　being　worth　little　or　nothing；　I　will　not　go　above　fourscore　Louis　for　the　two　together。　　As　for　the　Rembrandt　you　mention；　though　it　is　very　cheap；　if　good；　I　do　not　care　for　it。　　I　love　'la　belle　nature'；　Rembrandt　paints　caricatures。　　Now　for　your　own　commissions；　which　you　seem　to　have　forgotten。　　You　mention　nothing　of　the　patterns　which　you　received　by　Monsieur　Tollot；　though　I　told　you　in　a　former　letter；　which　you　must　have　had　before　the　date　of　your　last；　that　I　should　stay　till　I　received　the　patterns　pitched　upon　by　your　ladies；　for　as　to　the　instructions　which　you　sent　me　in　Madame　Monconseil's　hand；　I　could　find　no　mohairs　in　London　that　exactly　answered　that　description；　I　shall；　therefore；　wait　till　you　send　me　（which　you　may　easily　do　in　a　letter）　the　patterns　chosen　by　your　three　graces。

I　would；　by　all　means；　have　you　go　now　and　then；　for　two　or　three　days；　to　Marechal　Coigny's；　at　Orli；　it　is　but　a　proper　civility　to　that　family；　which　has　been　particularly　civil　to　you；　and；　moreover；　I　would　have　you　familiarize　yourself　with；　and　learn　the　interior　and　domestic　manners　of；　people　of　that　rank　and　fashion。　　I　also　desire　that　you　will　frequent　Versailles　and　St。　Cloud；　at　both　of　which　courts　you　have　been　received　with　distinction。　　Profit　of　that　distinction；　and　familiarize　yourself　at　both。　　Great　courts　are　the　seats　of　true　good…breeding；　you　are　to　live　at　courts；　lose　no　time　in　learning　them。　　Go　and　stay　sometimes　at　Versailles　for　three　or　four　days；　where　you　will　be　domestic　in　the　best　families；　by　means　of　your　friend　Madame　de　Puisieux；　and　mine；　l'Abbe　de　la　Ville。　　Go　to　the　King's　and　the　Dauphin's　levees；　and　distinguish　yourself　from　the　rest　of　your　countrymen；　who；　I　dare　say；　never　go　there　when　they　can　help　it。　Though　the　young　Frenchmen　of　fashion　may　not　be　worth　forming　intimate　connections　with；　they　are　well　worth　making　acquaintance　of；　and　I　do　not　see　how　you　can　avoid　it；　frequenting　so　many　good　French　houses　as　you　do；　where；　to　be　sure；　many　of　them　come。　　Be　cautious　how　you　contract　friendships；　but　be　desirous；　and　even　industrious；　to　obtain　a　universal　acquaintance。　　Be　easy；　and　even　forward；　in　making　new　acquaintances；　that　is　the　only　way　of　knowing　manners　and　characters　in　general；　which　is；　at　present；　your　great　object。　　You　are　'enfant　de　famille'　in　three　ministers'　houses；　but　I　wish　you　had　a　footing；　at　least；　in　thirteen　and　that；　I　should　think；　you　might　easily　bring　about；　by　that　common　chain；　which；　to　a　certain　degree；　connects　those　you　do　not　with　those　you　do　know。

For　instance；　I　suppose　that　neither　Lord　Albemarle；　nor　Marquis　de　St。　Germain；　would　make　the　least　difficulty　to　present　you　to　Comte　Caunitz；　the　Nuncio；　etc。　　'Il　faut　etre　rompu　du　monde'；　which　can　only　be　done　by　an　extensive；　various；　and　almost　universal　acquaintance。

When　you　have　got　your　emaciated　Philomath；　I　desire　that　his　triangles；　rhomboids；　etc。；　may　not　keep　you　one　moment　out　of　the　good　company　you　would　otherwise　be　in。　　Swallow　all　your　learning　in　the　morning；　but　digest　it　in　company　in　the　evenings。　　The　reading　of　ten　new　characters　is　more　your　business　now；　than　the　reading　of　twenty　old　books；　showish　and　shining　people　always　get　the　better　of　all　others；　though　ever　so　solid。　　If　you　would　be　a　great　man　in　the　world　when　you　are　old；　shine　and　be　showish　in　it　while　you　are　young；　know　everybody；　and　endeavor　to　please　everybody；　I　mean　exteriorly；　for　fundamentally　it　is　impossible。　Try　to　engage　the　heart　of　every　woman；　and　the　affections　of　almost　every　man　you　meet　with。　　Madame　Monconseil　assures　me　that　you　are　most　surprisingly　improved　in　your　air；　manners；　and　address：　go　on；　my　dear　child；　and　never　think　that　you　are　come　to　a　sufficient　degree　of　perfection；　'Nil　actum　reputans；　si　quid　superesset　agendum'；　and　in　those　shining　parts　of　the　character　of　a　gentleman；　there　is　always　something　remaining　to　be　acquired。　　Modes　and　manners　vary　in　different　places；　and　at　different　times；　you　must　keep　pace　with　them；　know　them；　and　adopt　them；　wherever　you　find　them。　　The　great　usage　of　the　world；　the　knowledge　of　characters；　the　brillant　dun　galant　homme；　is　all　that　you　now。　　want。　　Study　Marcel　and　the　'beau　monde'　with　great　application；　but　read　Homer　and　Horace　only　when　you　have　nothing　else　to　do。　　Pray　who　is　'la　belle　Madame　de　Case'；　whom　I　know　you　frequent？　I　like　the　epithet　given　her　very　well：　if　she　deserves　it；　she　deserves　your　attention　too。　　A　man　of　fashion　should　be　gallant　to　a　fine　woman；　though　he　does　not　make　love　to　her；　or　may　be　otherwise　engaged。　On　'lui　doit　des　politesses；　on　fait　l'eloge　de　ses　charmes；　et　il　n'en　est　ni　plus　ni　moins　pour　cela'：　it　pleases；　it　flatters；　you　get　their　good　word；　and　you　lose　nothing　by　it。　　These　'gentillesses'　should　be　accompanied；　as　indeed　everything　else　should；　with　an　air：　'un　air；　un　ton　de　douceur　et　de　politesse'。　　Les　graces　must　be　of　the　party；　or　it　will　never　do；　and　they　are　so　easily　had；　that　it　is　astonishing　to　me　that　everybody　has　them　not；　they　are　sooner　g