letters to his son, 1751-第8部分

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ikewise　felt　by　all　those　who　had　foreign　correspondences；　whether　political　or　mercantile。　　I　determined；　therefore；　to　attempt　the　reformation；　I　consulted　the　best　lawyers　and　the　most　skillful　astronomers；　and　we　cooked　up　a　bill　for　that　purpose。　But　then　my　difficulty　began：　I　was　to　bring　in　this　bill；　which　was　necessarily　composed　of　law　jargon　and　astronomical　calculations；　to　both　which　I　am　an　utter　stranger。　　However；　it　was　absolutely　necessary　to　make　the　House　of　Lords　think　that　I　knew　something　of　the　matter；　and　also　to　make　them　believe　that　they　knew　something　of　it　themselves；　which　they　do　not。　　For　my　own　part；　I　could　just　as　soon　have　talked　Celtic　or　Sclavonian　to　them　as　astronomy；　and　they　would　have　understood　me　full　as　well：　so　I　resolved　to　do　better　than　speak　to　the　purpose；　and　to　please　instead　of　informing　them。　　I　gave　them；　therefore；　only　an　historical　account　of　calendars；　from　the　Egyptian　down　to　the　Gregorian；　amusing　them　now　and　then　with　little　episodes；　but　I　was　particularly　attentive　to　the　choice　of　my　words；　to　the　harmony　and　roundness　of　my　periods；　to　my　elocution；　to　my　action。　　This　succeeded；　and　ever　will　succeed；　they　thought　I　informed；　because　I　pleased　them；　and　many　of　them　said　that　I　had　made　the　whole　very　clear　to　them；　when；　God　knows；　I　had　not　even　attempted　it。　　Lord　Macclesfield；　who　had　the　greatest　share　in　forming　the　bill；　and　who　is　one　of　the　greatest　mathematicians　and　astronomers　in　Europe；　spoke　afterward　with　infinite　knowledge；　and　all　the　clearness　that　so　intricate　a　matter　would　admit　of：　but　as　his　words；　his　periods；　and　his　utterance；　were　not　near　so　good　as　mine；　the　preference　was　most　unanimously；　though　most　unjustly；　given　to　me。　This　will　ever　be　the　case；　every　numerous　assembly　is　MOB；　let　the　individuals　who　compose　it　be　what　they　will。　　Mere　reason　and　good　sense　is　never　to　be　talked　to　a　mob；　their　passions；　their　sentiments；　their　senses；　and　their　seeming　interests；　are　alone　to　be　applied　to。　Understanding　they　have　collectively　none；　but　they　have　ears　and　eyes；　which　must　be　flattered　and　seduced；　and　this　can　only　be　done　by　eloquence；　tuneful　periods；　graceful　action；　and　all　the　various　parts　of　oratory。

When　you　come　into　the　House　of　Commons；　if　you　imagine　that　speaking　plain　and　unadorned　sense　and　reason　will　do　your　business；　you　will　find　yourself　most　grossly　mistaken。　　As　a　speaker；　you　will　be　ranked　only　according　to　your　eloquence；　and　by　no　means　according　to　your　matter；　everybody　knows　the　matter　almost　alike；　but　few　can　adorn　it。　　I　was　early　convinced　of　the　importance　and　powers　of　eloquence；　and　from　that　moment　I　applied　myself　to　it。　　I　resolved　not　to　utter　one　word；　even　in　common　conversation；　that　should　not　be　the　most　expressive　and　the　most　elegant　that　the　language　could　supply　me　with　for　that　purpose；　by　which　means　I　have　acquired　such　a　certain　degree　of　habitual　eloquence；　that　I　must　now　really　take　some　pains；　if；　I　would　express　myself　very　inelegantly。　　I　want　to　inculcate　this　known　truth　into　you；　which；　you　seem　by　no　means　to　be　convinced　of　yet；　that　ornaments　are　at　present　your　only　objects。　　Your　sole　business　now　is　to　shine；　not　to　weigh。　Weight　without　lustre　is　lead。　　You　had　better　talk　trifles　elegantly　to　the　most　trifling　woman；　than　coarse　in　elegant　sense　to　the　most　solid　man；　you　had　better；　return　a　dropped　fan　genteelly；　than　give　a　thousand　pounds　awkwardly；　and　you　had　better　refuse　a　favor　gracefully；　than　to　grant　it　clumsily。　　Manner　is　all；　in　everything：　it　is　by　manner　only　that　you　can　please；　and　consequently　rise。　　All　your　Greek　will　never　advance　you　from　secretary　to　envoy；　or　from　envoy　to　ambassador；　but　your　address；　your　manner；　your　air；　if　good；　very　probably　may。　　Marcel　can　be　of　much　more　use　to　you　than　Aristotle。　I　would；　upon　my　word；　much　rather　that　you　had　Lord　Bolingbroke's　style　and　eloquence　in　speaking　and　writing；　than　all　the　learning　of　the　Academy　of　Sciences；　the　Royal　Society；　and　the　two　Universities　united。

Having　mentioned　Lord　Bolingbroke's　style；　which　is；　undoubtedly；　infinitely　superior　to　anybody's；　I　would　have　you　read　his　works；　which　you　have；　over　and…over　again；　with　particular　attention　to　his　style。　Transcribe；　imitate；　emulate　it；　if　possible：　that　would　be　of　real　use　to　you　in　the　House　of　Commons；　in　negotiations；　in　conversation；　with　that；　you　may　justly　hope　to　please；　to　persuade；　to　seduce；　to　impose；　and　you　will　fail　in　those　articles；　in　proportion　as　you　fall　short　of　it。　　Upon　the　whole；　lay　aside；　during　your　year's　residence　at　Paris；　all　thoughts　of　all　that　dull　fellows　call　solid；　and　exert　your　utmost　care　to　acquire　what　people　of　fashion　call　shining。　　'Prenez　l'eclat　et　le　brillant　d'un　galant　homme'。

Among　the　commonly　called　little　things；　to　which　you；　do　not　attend；　your　handwriting　is　one；　which　is　indeed　shamefully　bad　and　illiberal；　it　is　neither　the　hand　of　a　man　of　business；　nor　of　a　gentleman；　but　of　a　truant　school…boy；　as　soon；　therefore；　as　you　have　done　with　Abbe　Nolet；　pray　get　an　excellent　writing…master　（since　you　think　that　you　cannot　teach　yourself　to　write　what　hand　you　please）；　and　let　him　teach　you　to　write　a　genteel；　legible；　liberal　hand；　and　quick；　not　the　hand　of　a　procureur　or　a　writing…master；　but　that　sort　of　hand　in　which　the　first　'Commis'　in　foreign　bureaus　commonly　write；　for　I　tell　you　truly；　that　were　I　Lord　Albemarle；　nothing　should　remain　in　my　bureau　written　in　your　present　hand。　　From　hand　to　arms　the　transition　is　natural；　is　the　carriage　and　motion　of　your　arms　so　too？　　The　motion　of　the　arms　is　the　most　material　part　of　a　man's　air；　especially　in　dancing；　the　feet　are　not　near　so　material。　　If　a　man　dances　well　from　the　waist　upward；　wears　his　hat　well；　and　moves　his　head　properly；　he　dances　well。　　Do　the　women　say　that　you　dress　well？　for　that　is　necessary　too　for　a　young　fellow。　Have　you　'un　gout　vif'；　or　a　passion　for　anybody？　　I　do　not　ask　for　whom：　an　Iphigenia　would　both　give　you　the　desire；　and　teach　you　the　means　to　please。

In　a　fortnight　or　three　weeks　you　will　see　Sir　Charles　Hotham　at　Paris；　in　his　way　to　Toulouse；　where　he　is　to　stay　a　year　or　two。　　Pray　be　very　civil　to　him；　but　do　not　carry　him　into　company；　except　presenting　him　to　Lord　Albemarle；　for；　as　he　is　not　to　stay　at　Paris　above　a　week；　we　do　not　desire　that　he　should　taste　of　that　dissipation：　you　may　show　him　a　play　and　an　opera。　　Adieu；　my　dear　child。




LETTER　CXXXVI

LONDON；　March　25；　O。　S。　1751。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　What　a　happy　period　of　your　life　is　this？　　Pleasure　is　now；　and　ought　to　be；　your　business。　　While　you　were　younger；　dry　rules；　and　unconnected　words；　were　the　unpleasant　objects　of　your　labors。　　When　you　grow　older；　the　anxiety；　the　vexations；　the　disappointments　inseparable　from　public　business；　will　require　the　greatest　share　of　your　time　and　attention；　your　pleasures　may；　indeed；　conduce　to　your　business；　and　your　business　will　quicken　your　pleasures；　but　still　your　time　must；　at　least；　be　divided：　whereas　now　it　is　wholly　your　own；　and　cannot　be　so　well　employed　as　in　the　pleasures　of　a　gentleman。　　The　world　is　now　the　only　book　you　want；　and　almost　the　only　one　you　ought　to　read：　that　necessary　book　can　only　be　read　in　company；　in　public　places；　at　meals；　and　in　'ruelles'。　　You　must　be　in　the　pleasures；　in　order　to　learn　the　manners　of　good　company。　In　premeditated；　or　in　formal　business；　people　conceal；　or　at　least　endeavor　to　conceal；　their　characters：　whereas　pleasures　discover　them；　and　the　heart　breaks　out　through　the　guard　of　the　understanding。　　Those　are　often　propitious　moments　for　skillful　negotiators　to　improve。　　In　your　destination　particularly；　the　able　conduct　of　pleasures　is　of　infinite　use；　to　keep　a　good　table；　and　to　do　the　honors　of　it　gracefully；　and　'sur　le　ton　de　la　bonne　compagnie'；　is　absolutely　necessary　for　a　foreign　minister。　　There　is　a　certain　light　table　chit…chat；　useful　to　keep　off　improper　and　too　serious　subjects；　which　is　only　to　be　learned　in　the　pleasures　of　good　company。　　In　truth　it　may　be　trifling；　but；　trifling　as　it　is；　a　man　of　parts　and　experience　of　the　world　will　give　an　agreeable　turn　to　it。　　'L'art　de　badiner　agreablement'　is　by　no　means　to　be　despised。

An　engaging　address；　and　turn　to　gallantry；　is　often　of　very　great　service　to　foreign　ministers。　　Women　have；　directly　or　indirectly；　a　good　deal　to　say　in　most　courts。　　The　late　Lord　Strafford　governed；　for　a　considerable　time；　the　Court　of　Berlin　and　made　his　own　fortune；　by　being　well　with　Madame　de　Wartenberg；　the　first　King　of　Prussia's　mistress。　I　could　name　many　other　instances　of　that　kind。　　That　sort　of　agreeable　'caquet　de　femmes'；　the　necessary　fore…runners　of　closer　conferences；　is　only　to　be　got　by　frequenting　women　of　the　first　fashion；　'et；　qui　donnent　le　ton'。　　Let　every　other　book　then　give　way　to　this　great　and　necessary　book；　the　world；　of　which　there　are　so　many　various　readings；　that　it　requires　a　great　deal　of　time　and　attention　to　under　stand　it　well：　contrary　to　all　other　books；　you　must　not　stay　home；　but　go　abroad　to　read　it；　and　when　you　seek　it　abroad；　you　will　not　find　it　in　booksellers'　shops　and　stalls；　but　in　courts；　in　hotels；　at　entertainments；　balls；　assemblies；　spectacles；　etc。　　Put　yourself　upon　the　footing　of　an　easy；　domestic；　but　polite　familiarity　and　intimacy　in　the　several　French　houses　to　which　you　have　been　introduced：　Cultivate　them；　frequent　them；　and　show　a　desire　of　becoming　'enfant　de　la　maison'。　Get　acquainted　as　much　as　you　can　with　'les　gens　de　cour'；　and　observe；　carefully；　how　politely　they　can　differ；　and　how　civilly　they　can　hate；　how　easy　and　idle　they　can　seem　in　the　multiplicity　of　their　business；　and　how　they　can　lay　hold　of　the　proper　moments　to　carry　it　on；　in　the　midst　of　their　pleasures。　　Courts；　alone；　teach　versatility　and　politeness；　for　there　is　no　living　there　without　them。　　Lord　Albermarle　has；　I　hear；　and　am　very　glad　of　it；　put　you　into　the　hands　of　Messieurs　de　Bissy。　　Profit　of　that；　and　beg　of　them　to　let　you　attend　them　in　all　the　companies　of　Versailles　and　Paris。　　One　of　them；　at　least；　will　naturally　carry　you　to　Madame　de　la　Valiores；　unless　he　is　discarded　by