letters to his son, 1751-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！


ch　come　nearest　to　the　description　you　sent　me　some　time　ago；　in　Madame　Monconseil's　own　hand；　and　I　will　send　them　to　Calais　by　the　first　opportunity。　　In　giving　'la　petite　Blot'　her　piece；　you　have　a　fine　occasion　of　saying　fine　things；　if　so　inclined。

Lady　Hervey；　who　is　your　puff　and　panegyrist；　writes　me　word　that　she　saw　you　lately　dance　at　a　ball；　and　that　you　dance　very　genteelly。　　I　am　extremely　glad　to　hear　it；　for　（by　the　maxim；　that　'omne　majus　continet　in　se　minus'）；　if　you　dance　genteelly；　I　presume　you　walk；　sit；　and　stand　genteelly　too；　things　which　are　much　more　easy；　though　much　more　necessary；　than　dancing　well。　　I　have　known　many　very　genteel　people；　who　could　not　dance　well；　but　I　never　knew　anybody　dance　very　well；　who　was　not　genteel　in　other　things。　　You　will　probably　often　have　occasion　to　stand　in　circles；　at　the　levees　of　princes　and　ministers；　when　it　is　very　necessary　'de　payer　de　sa　personne；　et　d'etre　bien　plante'；　with　your　feet　not　too　near　nor　too　distant　from　each　other。　　More　people　stand　and　walk；　than　sit　genteelly。　　Awkward；　ill…bred　people；　being　ashamed；　commonly　sit　bolt　upright　and　stiff；　others；　too　negligent　and　easy；　'se　vautrent　dans　leur　fauteuil'；　which　is　ungraceful　and　ill…bred；　unless　where　the　familiarity　is　extreme；　but　a　man　of　fashion　makes　himself　easy；　and　appears　so　by　leaning　gracefully　instead　of　lolling　supinely；　and　by　varying　those　easy　attitudes　instead　of　that　stiff　immobility　of　a　bashful　booby。　　You　cannot　conceive；　nor　can　I　express；　how　advantageous　a　good　air；　genteel　motions；　and　engaging　address　are；　not　only　among　women；　but　among　men；　and　even　in　the　course　of　business；　they　fascinate　the　affections；　they　steal　a　preference；　they　play　about　the　heart　till　they　engage　it。　　I　know　a　man；　and　so　do　you；　who；　without　a　grain　of　merit；　knowledge；　or　talents；　has　raised　himself　millions　of　degrees　above　his　level；　simply　by　a　good　air　and　engaging　manners；　insomuch　that　the　very　Prince　who　raised　him　so　high；　calls　him；　'mon　aimable　vaut…rien'；　＇The　Marichal　de　Richelieu。＇　but　of　this　do　not　open　your　lips；　'pour　cause'。　　I　give　you　this　secret　as　the　strongest　proof　imaginable　of　the　efficacy　of　air；　address；　'tournure；　et　tout　ces　Petits　riens'。

Your　other　puff　and　panegyrist；　Mr。　Harte；　is　gone　to　Windsor　in　his　way　to　Cornwall；　in　order　to　be　back　soon　enough　to　meet　you　here：　I　really　believe　he　is　as　impatient　for　that　moment　as　I　am；　'et　c'est　tout　dire'：　but；　however；　notwithstanding　my　impatience；　if　by　chance　you　should　then　be　in　a　situation；　that　leaving　Paris　would　cost　your　heart　too　many　pangs；　I　allow　you　to　put　off　your　journey；　and　to　tell　me；　as　Festus　did　Paul；　AT　A　MORE　CONVENIENT　SEASON　I　WILL　SPEAK　TO　THEE。　　You　see　by　this　that　I　eventually　sacrifice　my　sentiments　to　yours；　and　this　in　a　very　uncommon　object　of　paternal　complaisance。　　Provided　always；　and　be　it　understood　（as　they　say　in　acts　of　Parliament）；　that　'quae　te　cumque　domat　Venus；　non　erubescendis　adurit　ignibus'。　　If　your　heart　will　let　you　come；　bring　with　you　only　your　valet　de　chambre；　Christian；　and　your　own　footman；　not　your　valet　de　place；　whom　you　may　dismiss　for　the　time；　as　also　your　coach；　but　you　had　best　keep　on　your　lodgings；　the　intermediate　expense　of　which　will　be　but　inconsiderable；　and　you　will　want　them　to　leave　your　books　and　baggage　in。　　Bring　only　the　clothes　you　travel　in；　one　suit　of　black；　for　the　mourning　for　the　Prince　will　not　be　quite　out　by　that　time；　and　one　suit　of　your　fine　clothes；　two　or　three　of　your　laced　shirts；　and　the　rest　plain　ones；　of　other　things；　as　bags；　feathers；　etc。；　as　you　think　proper。　　Bring　no　books；　unless　two　or　three　for　your'　amusement　upon　the　road；　for　we　must　apply　simply　to　English；　in　which　you　are　certainly　no　'puriste'；　and　I　will　supply　you　sufficiently　with　the　proper　English　authors。　　I　shall　probably　keep　you　here　till　about　the　middle　of　October；　and　certainly　not　longer；　it　being　absolutely　necessary　for　you　to　pass　the　next　winter　at　Paris；　so　that；　should　any　fine　eyes　shed　tears　for　your　departure；　you　may　dry　them　by　the　promise　of　your　return　in　two　months。

Have　you　got　a　master　for　geometry？　　If　the　weather　is　very　hot；　you　may　leave　your　riding　at　the　'manege'　till　you　return　to　Paris；　unless　you　think　the　exercise　does　you　more　good　than　the　heat　can　do　you　harm；　but　I　desire　you　will　not　leave　off　Marcel　for　one　moment；　your　fencing　likewise；　if　you　have　a　mind；　may　subside　for　the　summer；　but　you　will　do　well　to　resume　it　in　the　winter　and　to　be　adroit　at　it；　but　by　no　means　for　offense；　only　for　defense　in　case　of　necessity。　　Good　night。　　Yours。

P。　S。　　I　forgot　to　give　you　one　commission；　when　you　come　here；　which　is；　not　to　fail　bringing　the　GRACES　along　with　you。




LETTER　CXLVII

GREENWICH；　June　13；　O。　S。　1751。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　'Les　bienseances'＇This　single　word　implies　decorum；　good…breeding；　and　propriety＇　are　a　most　necessary　part　of　the　knowledge　of　the　world。　　They　consist　in　the　relations　of　persons；　things；　time；　and　place；　good　sense　points　them　out；　good　company　perfects　them　（　supposing　always　an　attention　and　a　desire　to　please）；　and　good　policy　recommends　them。

Were　you　to　converse　with　a　king；　you　ought　to　be　as　easy　and　unembarrassed　as　with　your　own　valet　de　chambre；　but　yet；　every　look；　word　and　action；　should　imply　the　utmost　respect。　　What　would　be　proper　and　well…bred　with　others；　much　your　superiors；　would　be　absurd　and　ill…　bred　with　one　so　very　much　so。　　You　must　wait　till　you　are　spoken　to；　you　must　receive；　not　give；　the　subject　of　conversation；　and　you　must　even　take　care　that　the　given　subject　of　such　conversation　do　not　lead　you　into　any　impropriety。　　The　art　would　be　to　carry　it；　if　possible；　to　some　indirect　flattery；　such　as　commending　those　virtues　in　some　other　person；　in　which　that　prince　either　thinks　he　does；　or　at　least　would　be　thought　by　others　to　excel。　　Almost　the　same　precautions　are　necessary　to　be　used　with　ministers；　generals；　etc。；　who　expect　to　be　treated　with　very　near　the　same　respect　as　their　masters；　and　commonly　deserve　it　better。　　There　is；　however；　this　difference；　that　one　may　begin　the　conversation　with　them；　if　on　their　side　it　should　happen　to　drop；　provided　one　does　not　carry　it　to　any　subject　upon　which　it　is　improper　either　for　them　to　speak；　or　be　spoken　to。　　In　these　two　cases；　certain　attitudes　and　actions　would　be　extremely　absurd；　because　too　easy；　and　consequently　disrespectful。　　As；　for　instance；　if　you　were　to　put　your　arms　across　in　your　bosom；　twirl　your　snuff…box；　trample　with　your　feet；　scratch　your　head；　etc。；　it　would　be　shockingly　ill…bred　in　that　company；　and；　indeed；　not　extremely　well…bred　in　any　other。　　The　great　difficulty　in　those　cases；　though　a　very　surmountable　one　by　attention　and　custom；　is　to　join　perfect　inward　ease　with　perfect　outward　respect。

In　mixed　companies　with　your　equals　（for　in　mixed　companies　all　people　are　to　a　certain　degree　equal）；　greater　ease　and　liberty　are　allowed；　but　they　too　have　their　bounds　within　'bienseance'。　　There　is　a　social　respect　necessary：　you　may　start　your　own　subject　of　conversation　with　modesty；　taking　great　care；　however；　'de　ne　jamais　parler　de　cordes。　dans　la　maison　d'un　pendu。　＇Never　to　mention　a　rope　in　the　family　of　a　man　who　has　been　hanged＇　Your　words；　gestures；　and　attitudes；　have　a　greater　degree　of　latitude；　though　by　no　means　an　unbounded　one。　　You　may　have　your　hands　in　your　pockets；　take　snuff；　sit；　stand；　or　occasionally　walk；　as　you　like；　but　I　believe　you　would　not　think　it　very　'bienseant'　to　whistle；　put　on　your　hat；　loosen　your　garters　or　your　buckles；　lie　down　upon　a　couch；　or　go　to　bed；　and　welter　in　an　easychair。　　These　are　negligences　and　freedoms　which　one　can　only　take　when　quite　alone；　they　are　injurious　to　superiors；　shocking　and　offensive　to　equals；　brutal　and　insulting　to　inferiors。　　That　easiness　of　carriage　and　behavior；　which　is　exceedingly　engaging；　widely　differs　from　negligence　and　inattention；　and　by　no　means　implies　that　one　may　do　whatever　one　pleases；　it　only　means　that　one　is　not　to　be　stiff；　formal；　embarrassed；　disconcerted；　and　ashamed；　like　country　bumpkins；　and；　people　who　have　never　been　in　good　company；　but　it　requires　great　attention　to；　and　a　scrupulous　observation　of　'les　bienseances'：　whatever　one　ought　to　do；　is　to　be　done　with　ease　and　unconcern；　whatever　is　improper　must　not　be　done　at　all。　　In　mixed　companies　also；　different　ages　and　sexes　are　to　be　differently　addressed。　You　would　not　talk　of　your　pleasures　to　men　of　a　certain　age；　gravity；　and　dignity；　they　justly　expect　from　young　people　a　degree　of　deference　and　regard。　　You　should　be　full　as　easy　with　them　as　with　people　of　your　own　years：　but　your　manner　must　be　different；　more　respect　must　be　implied；　and　it　is　not　amiss　to　insinuate　that　from　them　you　expect　to　learn。　　It　flatters　and　comforts　age　for　not　being　able　to　take　a　part　in　the　joy　and　titter　of　youth。　　To　women　you　should　always　address　yourself　with　great　outward　respect　and　attention；　whatever　you　feel　inwardly；　their　sex　is　by　long　prescription　entitled　to　it；　and　it　is　among　the　duties　of　'bienseance'；　at　the　same　time　that　respect　is　very　properly　and　very　agreeably　mixed　with　a　degree　of　'enjouement'；　if　you　have　it；　but　then；　that　badinage　must　either　directly　or　indirectly　tend　to　their　praise；　and　even　not　be　liable　to　a　malicious　construction　to　their　disadvantage。　　But　here；　too；　great　attention　must　be　had　to　the　difference　of　age；　rank；　and　situation。　　A　'marechale'　of　fifty　must　not　be　played　with　like　a　young　coquette　of　fifteen；　respect　and　serious　'enjouement'；　if　I　may　couple　those　two　words；　must　be　used　with　the　former；　and　mere　'badinage；　zeste　meme　d'un　peu　de　polissonerie'；　is　pardonable　with　the　latter。

Another　important　point　of　'les　bienseances'；　seldom　enough　attended　to；　is；　not　to　run　your　own　present　humor　and　disposition　indiscriminately　against　everybody；　but　to　observe；　conform　to；　and　adopt　them。　　For　example；　if　you　happened　to　be　in　high　good　humor　and　a　flow　of　spirits；　would　you　go　and　sing　a　'pont　neuf'；　＇a　ballad＇　or　cut　a　caper；　to　la　Marechale　de　Coigny；　the　Pope's　nuncio；　or　Abbe　Sallier；　or　to　any　person　of　natural　gravity　and　melancholy