letters to his son, 1751-第4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！


ent　the　difficulties　which　it　might　otherwise　lay　you　under；　it　is　this　as　you　get　more　acquaintances　at　Paris；　it　will　be　impossible　for　you　to　frequent　your　first　acquaintances　so　much　as　you　did；　while　you　had　no　others。　　As；　for　example；　at　your　first　'debut'；　I　suppose　you　were　chiefly　at　Madame　Monconseil's；　Lady　Hervey's；　and　Madame　du　Boccage's。　　Now；　that　you　have　got　so　many　other　houses；　you　cannot　be　at　theirs　so　often　as　you　used；　but　pray　take　care　not　to　give　them　the　least　reason　to　think　that　you　neglect；　or　despise　them；　for　the　sake　of　new　and　more　dignified　and　shining　acquaintances；　which　would　be　ungrateful　and　imprudent　on　your　part；　and　never　forgiven　on　theirs。　Call　upon　them　often；　though　you　do　not　stay　with　them　so　long　as　formerly；　tell　them　that　you　are　sorry　you　are　obliged　to　go　away；　but　that　you　have　such　and　such　engagements；　with　which　good…breeding　obliges　you　to　comply；　and　insinuate　that　you　would　rather　stay　with　them。　　In　short；　take　care　to　make　as　many　personal　friends；　and　as　few　personal　enemies；　as　possible。　　I　do　not　mean；　by　personal　friends；　intimate　and　confidential　friends；　of　which　no　man　can　hope　to　have　half　a　dozen　in　the　whole　course　of　his　life；　but　I　mean　friends；　in　the　common　acceptation　of　the　word；　that　is；　people　who　speak　well　of　you；　and　who　would　rather　do　you　good　than　harm；　consistently　with　their　own　interest；　and　no　further。　　Upon　the　whole；　I　recommend　to　you；　again　and　again；　'les　Graces'。　　Adorned　by　them；　you　may；　in　a　manner；　do　what　you　please；　it　will　be　approved　of；　without　them；　your　best　qualities　will　lose　half　their　efficacy。　　Endeavor　to　be　fashionable　among　the　French；　which　will　soon　make　you　fashionable　here。　　Monsieur　de　Matignon　already　calls　you　'le　petit　Francois'。　　If　you　can　get　that　name　generally　at　Paris；　it　will　put　you　'a　la　mode'。　　Adieu；　my　dear　child。




LETTER　CXXX

LONDON；　February　4；　O。　S。　1751

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　The　accounts　which　I　receive　of　you　from　Paris　grow　every　day　more　and　more　satisfactory。　　Lord　Albemarle　has　wrote　a　sort　of　panegyric　of　you；　which　has　been　seen　by　many　people　here；　and　which　will　be　a　very　useful　forerunner　for　you。　　Being　in　fashion　is　an　important　point　for　anybody　anywhere；　but　it　would　be　a　very　great　one　for　you　to　be　established　in　the　fashion　here　before　you　return。　　Your　business　will　be　half　done　by　it；　as　I　am　sure　you　would　not　give　people　reason　to　change　their　favorable　presentiments　of　you。　　The　good　that　is　said　of　you　will　not；　I　am　convinced；　make　you　a　coxcomb；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　the　being　thought　still　to　want　some　little　accomplishments；　will；　I　am　persuaded；　not　mortify　you；　but　only　animate　you　to　acquire　them：　I　will；　therefore；　give　you　both　fairly；　in　the　following　extract　of　a　letter　which　I　lately　received　from　an　impartial　and　discerning　friend：

〃Permit　me　to　assure　you；　Sir；　that　Mr。　Stanhope　will　succeed。　　He　has　a　great　fund　of　knowledge；　and　an　uncommonly　good　memory；　although　he　does　not　make　any　parade　of　either　the　one　or　the　other。　　He　is　desirous　of　pleasing；　and　he　will　please。　　He　has　an　expressive　countenance；　his　figure　is　elegant；　although　little。　　He　has　not　the　least　awkwardness；　though　he　has　not　as　yet　acquired　all…the　graces　requisite；　which　Marcel　and　the　ladies　will　soon　give　him。　　In　short；　he　wants　nothing　but　those　things；　which；　at　his　age；　must　unavoidably　be　wanting；　I　mean；　a　certain　turn　and　delicacy　of　manners；　which　are　to　be　acquired　only　by　time；　and　in　good　company。　　Ready　as　he　is；　he　will　soon　learn　them；　particularly　as　he　frequents　such　companies　as　are　the　most　proper　to　give　them。〃

By　this　extract；　which　I　can　assure　you　is　a　faithful　one；　you　and　I　have　both　of　us　the　satisfaction　of　knowing　how　much　you　have；　and　how　little　you　want。　　Let　what　you　have　give　you　（if　possible）　rather　more　SEEMING　modesty；　but　at　the　same　time　more　interior　firmness　and　assurance；　and　let　what　you　want；　which　you　see　is　very　attainable；　redouble　your　attention　and　endeavors　to　acquire　it。　　You　have；　in　truth；　but　that　one　thing　to　apply　to　and　a　very　pleasing　application　it　is；　since　it　is　through　pleasures　you　must　arrive　at　it。　　Company；　suppers；　balls；　spectacles；　which　show　you　the　models　upon　which　you　should　form　yourself；　and　all　the　little　usages；　customs；　and　delicacies；　which　you　must　adopt　and　make　habitual　to　you；　are　now　your　only　schools　and　universities；　in　which　young　fellows　and　fine　women　will　give　you　the　best　lectures。

Monsieur　du　Boccage　is　another　of　your　panegyrists；　and　he　tells　me　that　Madame　Boccage　'a　pris　avec　vous　le　ton　de　mie　et　de　bonne'；　and　that　you　like　it　very　well。　　You　are　in　the　right　of　it；　it　is　the　way　of　improving；　endeavor　to　be　upon　that　footing　with　every　woman　you　converse　with；　excepting　where　there　may　be　a　tender　point　of　connection；　a　point　which　I　have　nothing　to　do　with；　but　if　such　a　one　there　is；　I　hope　she　has　not　'de　mauvais　ni　de　vilains　bras'；　which　I　agree　with　you　in　thinking　a　very　disagreeable　thing。

I　have　sent　you；　by　the　opportunity　of　Pollok　the　courier；　who　was　once　my　servant；　two　little　parcels　of　Greek　and　English　books；　and　shall　send　you　two　more　by　Mr。　Yorke：　but　I　accompany　them　with　this　caution；　that　as　you　have　not　much　time　to　read；　you　should　employ　it　in　reading　what　is　the　most　necessary；　and　that　is；　indisputably　modern　historical；　geographical；　chronological；　and　political　knowledge；　the　present　constitution；　maxims；　force；　riches；　trade；　commerce；　characters；　parties；　and　cabals　of　the　several　courts　of　Europe。　　Many　who　are　reckoned　good　scholars；　though　they　know　pretty　accurately　the　governments　of　Athens　and　Rome；　are　totally　ignorant　of　the　constitution　of　any　one　country　now　in　Europe；　even　of　their　own。　　Read　just　Latin　and　Greek　enough　to　keep　up　your　classical　learning；　which　will　be　an　ornament　to　you　while　young；　and　a　comfort　to　you　when　old。　　But　the　true　useful　knowledge；　and　especially　for　you；　is　the　modern　knowledge　above　mentioned。　　It　is　that　must　qualify　you　both　for　domestic　and　foreign　business；　and　it　is　to　that；　therefore；　that　you　should　principally　direct　your　attention；　and　I　know；　with　great　pleasure；　that　you　do　so。　I　would　not　thus　commend　you　to　yourself；　if　I　thought　commendations　would　have　upon　you　those　ill　effects；　which　they　frequently　have　upon　weak　minds。　　I　think　you　are　much　above　being　a　vain　coxcomb；　overrating　your　own　merit；　and　insulting　others　with　the　superabundance　of　it。　　On　the　contrary；　I　am　convinced　that　the　consciousness　of　merit　makes　a　man　of　sense　more　modest；　though　more　firm。　　A　man　who　displays　his　own　merit　is　a　coxcomb；　and　a　man　who　does　not　know　it　is　a　fool。　　A　man　of　sense　knows　it；　exerts　it；　avails　himself　of　it；　but　never　boasts　of　it；　and　always　SEEMS　rather　to　under　than　over　value　it；　though　in　truth；　he　sets　the　right　value　upon　it。　　It　is　a　very　true　maxim　of　La　Bruyere's　（an　author　well　worth　your　studying）；　'qu'on　ne　vaut　dans　ce　monde；　que　ce　que　l'on　veut　valoir'。　　A　man　who　is　really　diffident；　timid；　and　bashful；　be　his　merit　what　it　will；　never　can　push　himself　in　the　world；　his　despondency　throws　him　into　inaction；　and　the　forward；　the　bustling；　and　the　petulant；　will　always　get　the　better　of　him。　　The　manner　makes　the　whole　difference。　　What　would　be　impudence　in　one　manner；　is　only　a　proper　and　decent　assurance　in　another。　　A　man　of　sense；　and　of　knowledge　in　the　world；　will　assert　his　own　rights；　and　pursue　his　own　objects；　as　steadily　and　intrepidly　as　the　most　impudent　man　living；　and　commonly　more　so；　but　then　he　has　art　enough　to　give　an　outward　air　of　modesty　to　all　he　does。　　This　engages　and　prevails；　while　the　very　same　things　shock　and　fail；　from　the　overbearing　or　impudent　manner　only　of　doing　them。　I　repeat　my　maxim；　'Suaviter　in　modo；　sed　fortiter　in　re'。　　Would　you　know　the　characters；　modes　and　manners　of　the　latter　end　of　the　last　age；　which　are　very　like　those　of　the　present；　read　La　Bruyere。　　But　would　you　know　man；　independently　of　modes；　read　La　Rochefoucault；　who；　I　am　afraid；　paints　him　very　exactly。

Give　the　inclosed　to　Abbe　Guasco；　of　whom　you　make　good　use；　to　go　about　with　you；　and　see　things。　　Between　you　and　me；　he　has　more　knowledge　than　parts。　　'Mais　un　habile　homme　sait　tirer　parti　de　tout'；　and　everybody　is　good　for　something。　　President　Montesquieu　is；　in　every　sense；　a　most　useful　acquaintance。　　He　has　parts；　joined　to　great　reading　and　knowledge　of　the　world。　　'Puisez　dans　cette　source　tant　que　vous　pourrez'。

Adieu。　　May　the　Graces　attend　you！　for　without　them　'ogni　fatica　e　vana'。　If　they　do　not　come　to　you　willingly；　ravish　them；　and　force　them　to　accompany　you　in　all　you　think；　all　you　say；　and　all　you　do。




LETTER　CXXXI

LONDON；　February　11；　O。　S。　　1751

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　When　you　go　to　the　play；　which　I　hope　you　do　often；　for　it　is　a　very　instructive　amusement；　you　must　certainly　have　observed　the　very　different　effects　which　the　several　parts　have　upon　you；　according　as　they　are　well　or　ill　acted。　　The　very　best　tragedy　of；　Corneille's；　if　well　spoken　and　acted；　interests；　engages；　agitates；　and　affects　your　passions。　　Love；　terror；　and　pity　alternately　possess　you。　　But；　if　ill　spoken　and　acted；　it　would　only　excite　your　indignation　or　your　laughter。　Why？　　It　is　still　Corneille's；　it　is　the　same　sense；　the　same　matter；　whether　well　or　ill　acted。　　It　is；　then；　merely　the　manner　of　speaking　and　acting　that　makes　this　great　difference　in　the　effects。　　Apply　this　to　yourself；　and　conclude　from　it；　that　if　you　would　either　please　in　a　private　company；　or　persuade　in　a　public　assembly；　air；　looks；　gestures；　graces；　enunciation；　proper　accents；　just　emphasis；　and　tuneful　cadences；　are　full　as　necessary　as　the　matter　itself。　　Let　awkward；　ungraceful；　inelegant；　and　dull　fellows　say　what　they　will　in　behalf　of　their　solid　matter　and　strong　reasonings；　and　let　them　despise　all　those　graces　and　ornaments　which　engage　the　senses　and　captivate　the　heart；　they　will　find　（though　they　will　possibly　wonder　why）　that　their　rough；　unpolished　matter；　and　their　unadorned；　coarse；　but　strong　arguments；　will　neither　please　nor　persuade；　but；　on　the　contrary；　will　tire　out　attention；　and　excite　disgust。　　We　are　so　made；　we　love　to　be　pleas