letters to his son, 1751-第9部分

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One　of　them；　at　least；　will　naturally　carry　you　to　Madame　de　la　Valiores；　unless　he　is　discarded　by　this　time；　and　Gelliot　＇A　famous　opera…singer　at　Paris。＇　retaken。　Tell　them　frankly；　'que　vous　cherchez　a　vous　former；　que　vous　etes　en　mains　de　maitres；　s'ils　veulent　bien　s'en　donner　la　peine'。　　Your　profession　has　this　agreeable　peculiarity　in　it；　which　is；　that　it　is　connected　with；　and　promoted　by　pleasures；　and　it　is　the　only　one　in　which　a　thorough　knowledge　of　the　world；　polite　manners；　and　an　engaging　address；　are　absolutely　necessary。　　If　a　lawyer　knows　his　law；　a　parson　his　divinity；　and　a　financier　his　calculations；　each　may　make　a　figure　and　a　fortune　in　his　profession；　without　great　knowledge　of　the　world；　and　without　the　manners　of　gentlemen。　　But　your　profession　throws　you　into　all　the　intrigues　and　cabals；　as　well　as　pleasures；　of　courts：　in　those　windings　and　labyrinths；　a　knowledge　of　the　world；　a　discernment　of　characters；　a　suppleness　and　versatility　of　mind；　and　an　elegance　of　manners；　must　be　your　clue；　you　must　know　how　to　soothe　and　lull　the　monsters　that　guard；　and　how　to　address　and　gain　the　fair　that　keep；　the　golden　fleece。　　These　are　the　arts　and　the　accomplishments　absolutely　necessary　for　a　foreign　minister；　in　which　it　must　be　owned；　to　our　shame；　that　most　other　nations　outdo　the　English；　and；　'caeteris　paribus'；　a　French　minister　will　get　the　better　of　an　English　one　at　any　third　court　in　Europe。　　The　French　have　something　more　'liant'；　more　insinuating　and　engaging　in　their　manner；　than　we　have。　　An　English　minister　shall　have　resided　seven　years　at　a　court；　without　having　made　any　one　personal　connection　there；　or　without　being　intimate　and　domestic　in　any　one　house。　　He　is　always　the　English　minister；　and　never　naturalized。　　He　receives　his　orders；　demands　an　audience；　writes　an　account　of　it　to　his　Court；　and　his　business　is　done。　　A　French　minister；　on　the　contrary；　has　not　been　six　weeks　at　a　court　without　having；　by　a　thousand　little　attentions；　insinuated　himself　into　some　degree　of　favor　with　the　Prince；　his　wife；　his　mistress；　his　favorite；　and　his　minister。　He　has　established　himself　upon　a　familiar　and　domestic　footing　in　a　dozen　of　the　best　houses　of　the　place；　where　he　has　accustomed　the　people　to　be　not　only　easy；　but　unguarded；　before　him；　he　makes　himself　at　home　there；　and　they　think　him　so。　　By　these　means　he　knows　the　interior　of　those　courts；　and　can　almost　write　prophecies　to　his　own；　from　the　knowledge　he　has　of　the　characters；　the　humors；　the　abilities；　or　the　weaknesses　of　the　actors。　　The　Cardinal　d'Ossat　was　looked　upon　at　Rome　as　an　Italian；　and　not　as　a　French　cardinal；　and　Monsieur　d'Avaux；　wherever　he　went；　was　never　considered　as　a　foreign　minister；　but　as　a　native；　and　a　personal　friend。　　Mere　plain　truth；　sense；　and　knowledge；　will　by　no　means　do　alone　in　courts；　art　and　ornaments　must　come　to　their　assistance。　　Humors　must　be　flattered；　the　'mollia　tempora'　must　be　studied　and　known：　confidence　acquired　by　seeming　frankness；　and　profited　of　by　silent　skill。　　And；　above　all；　you　must　gain　and　engage　the　heart；　to　betray　the　understanding　to　you。　　'Ha　tibi　erunt　artes'。

The　death　of　the　Prince　of　Wales；　who　was　more　beloved　for　his　affability　and　good…nature　than　esteemed　for　his　steadiness　and　conduct；　has　given　concern　to　many；　and　apprehensions　to　all。　　The　great　difference　of　the　ages　of　the　King　and　Prince　George　presents　the　prospect　of　a　minority；　a　disagreeable　prospect　for　any　nation！　　But　it　is　to　be　hoped；　and　is　most　probable；　that　the　King；　who　is　now　perfectly　recovered　of　his　late　indisposition；　may　live　to　see　his　grandson　of　age。　　He　is；　seriously；　a　most　hopeful　boy：　gentle　and　good…natured；　with　good　sound　sense。　　This　event　has　made　all　sorts　of　people　here　historians；　as　well　as　politicians。　　Our　histories　are　rummaged　for　all　the　particular　circumstances　of　the　six　minorities　we　have　had　since　the　Conquest；　viz；　those　of　Henry　III。；　Edward　III。；　Richard　II。；　Henry　VI。；　Edward　V。；　and　Edward　VI。；　and　the　reasonings；　the　speculations；　the　conjectures；　and　the　predictions；　you　will　easily　imagine；　must　be　innumerable　and　endless；　in　this　nation；　where　every　porter　is　a　consummate　politician。　Dr。　Swift　says；　very　humorously；　that　〃Every　man　knows　that　he　understands　religion　and　politics；　though　he　never　learned　them；　but　that　many　people　are　conscious　that　they　do　not　understand　many　other　sciences；　from　having　never　learned　them。〃　　Adieu。




LETTER　CXXXVI1

LONDON；　April　7；　O。　S。　　1751

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　Here　you　have；　altogether；　the　pocketbooks；　the　compasses；　and　the　patterns。　　When　your　three　Graces　have　made　their　option；　you　need　only　send　me；　in　a　letter　small　pieces　of　the　three　mohairs　they　fix　upon。　　If　I　can　find　no　way　of　sending　them　safely　and　directly　to　Paris；　I　will　contrive　to　have　them　left　with　Madame　Morel；　at　Calais；　who；　being　Madame　Monconseil's　agent　there；　may　find　means　of　furthering　them　to　your　three　ladies；　who　all　belong　to　your　friend　Madame　Monconseil。　　Two　of　the　three；　I　am　told；　are　handsome；　Madame　Polignac；　I　can　swear；　is　not　so；　but；　however；　as　the　world　goes；　two　out　of　three　is　a　very　good　composition。

You　will　also　find　in　the　packet　a　compass　ring　set　round　with　little　diamonds；　which　I　advise　you　to　make　a　present　of　to　Abbe　Guasco；　who　has　been　useful　to　you；　and　will　continue　to　be　so；　as　it　is　a　mere　bauble；　you　must　add　to　the　value　of　it　by　your　manner　of　giving　it　him。　　Show　it　him　first；　and；　when　he　commends　it；　as　probably　he　will；　tell　him　that　it　is　at　his　service；　'et　que　comme　il　est　toujours　par　vole　et　par　chemins；　il　est　absolument　necessaire　qu'il　ale　une　boussole'。　　All　those　little　gallantries　depend　entirely　upon　the　manner　of　doing　them；　as；　in　truth；　what　does　not？　　The　greatest　favors　may　be　done　so　awkwardly　and　bunglingly　as　to　offend；　and　disagreeable　things　may　be　done　so　agreeably　as　almost　to　oblige。　　Endeavor　to　acquire　this　great　secret；　it　exists；　it　is　to　be　found；　and　is　worth　a　great　deal　more　than　the　grand　secret　of　the　alchemists　would　be　if　it　were；　as　it　is　not；　to　be　found。　　This　is　only　to　be　learned　in　courts；　where　clashing　views；　jarring　opinions；　and　cordial　hatreds；　are　softened　and　kept　within　decent　bounds　by　politeness　and　manners。　　Frequent；　observe；　and　learn　courts。　　Are　you　free　of　that　of　St。　Cloud？　　Are　you　often　at　Versailles？　　Insinuate　and　wriggle　yourself　into　favor　at　those　places。　　L'Abbe　de　la　Ville；　my　old　friend；　will　help　you　at　the　latter；　your　three　ladies　may　establish　you　in　the　former。　　The　good…breeding　'de　la　ville　et　de　la　cour'　＇of　the　city　and　of　the　court＇　are　different；　but　without　deciding　which　is　intrinsically　the　best；　that　of　the　court　is；　without　doubt；　the　most　necessary　for　you；　who　are　to　live；　to　grow；　and　to　rise　in　courts。　　In　two　years'　time；　which　will　be　as　soon　as　you　are　fit　for　it；　I　hope　to　be　able　to　plant　you　in　the　soil　of　a　YOUNG　COURT　here：　where；　if　you　have　all　the　address；　the　suppleness　and　versatility　of　a　good　courtier；　you　will　have　a　great　chance　of　thriving　and　flourishing。　　Young　favor　is　easily　acquired　if　the　proper　means　are　employed；　and；　when　acquired；　it　is　warm；　if　not　durable；　and　the　warm　moments　must　be　snatched　and　improved。　　'Quitte　pour　ce　qui　en　pent　arriver　apres'。　　Do　not　mention　this　view　of　mine　for　you　to　any　one　mortal；　but　learn　to　keep　your　own　secrets；　which；　by　the　way；　very　few　people　can　do。

If　your　course　of　experimental　philosophy　with　Abbe　Nolot　is　over；　I　would　have　you　apply　to　Abbe　Sallier；　for　a　master　to　give　you　a　general　notion　of　astronomy　and　geometry；　of　both　of　which　you　may　know　as　much；　as　I　desire　you　should；　in　six　months'　time。　　I　only　desire　that　you　should　have　a　clear　notion　of　the　present　planetary　system；　and　the　history　of　all　the　former　systems。　　Fontenelle's　'Pluralites　des　Mondes'　will　almost　teach　you　all　you　need　know　upon　that　subject。　　As　for　geometry；　the　seven　first　books　of　Euclid　will　be　a　sufficient　portion　of　it　for　you。　　It　is　right　to　have　a　general　notion　of　those　abstruse　sciences；　so　as　not　to　appear　quite　ignorant　of　them；　when　they　happen；　as　sometimes　they　do；　to　be　the　topics　of　conversation；　but　a　deep　knowledge　of　them　requires　too　much　time；　and　engrosses　the　mind　too　much。　　I　repeat　it　again　and　again　to　you；　Let　the　great　book　of　the　world　be　your　principal　study。　　'Nocturna　versate　manu；　versate　diurna'；　which　may　be　rendered　thus　in　English：　Turn　Over　MEN　BY　DAY；　AND　WOMEN　BY　NIGHT。　　I　mean　only　the　best　editions。

Whatever　may　be　said　at　Paris　of　my　speech　upon　the　bill　for　the　reformation　of　the　present　calendar；　or　whatever　applause　it　may　have　met　with　here；　the　whole；　I　can　assure　you；　is　owing　to　the　words　and　to　the　delivery；　but　by　no　means　to　the　matter；　which；　as　I　told　you　in　a　former　letter；　I　was　not　master　of。　　I　mention　this　again；　to　show　you　the　importance　of　well…chosen　words；　harmonious　periods；　and　good　delivery；　for；　between　you　and　me；　Lord　Macclefield's　speech　was；　in　truth；　worth　a　thousand　of　mine。　　It　will　soon　be　printed；　and　I　will　send　it　you。　　It　is　very　instructive。　　You　say；　that　you　wish　to　speak　but　half　as　well　as　I　did；　you　may　easily　speak　full　as　well　as　ever　I　did；　if　you　will　but　give　the　same　attention　to　the　same　objects　that　I　did　at　your　age；　and　for　many　years　afterward；　I　mean　correctness；　purity；　and　elegance　of　style；　harmony　of　periods；　and　gracefulness　of　delivery。　　Read　over　and　over　again　the　third　book　of　'Cicero　de　Oratore'；　in　which　he　particularly　treats　of　the　ornamental　parts　of　oratory；　they　are　indeed　properly　oratory；　for　all　the　rest　depends　only　upon　common　sense；　and　some　knowledge　of　the　subject　you　speak　upon。　　But　if　you　would　please；　persuade；　and　prevail　in　speaking；　it　must　be　by　the　ornamental　parts　of　oratory。　　Make　them　therefore　habitual　to　you；　and　resolve　never　to　say　the　most　common　things；　even　to　your　footman；　but　in　the　best　words　you　can　find；　and　with　the　best　utterance。　　This；　with　'les　manieres；　la　tournure；　et　les　usages　du　beau　monde'；　are　the　only　two　things　you　want；　fortunately；　they　are　both　in　your　power；　may　you　have　them　both！　　Adieu。




LETTER　CXXXVIII

LONDON；　April　15；　O。　S。　　1751

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　Wh