letters to his son, 1748-第12章

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your　utterance　to　your　own　ear；　and　read　at　first　much　slower　than　you　need　to　do；　in　order　to　correct　yourself　of　that　shameful　trick　of　speaking　faster　than　you　ought。　　In　short；　if　you　think　right；　you　will　make　it　your　business；　your　study；　and　your　pleasure　to　speak　well。　Therefore；　what　I　have　said　in　this；　and　in　my　last；　is　more　than　sufficient；　if　you　have　sense；　and　ten　times　more　would　not　be　sufficient；　if　you　have　not；　so　here　I　rest　it。

Next　to　graceful　speaking；　a　genteel　carriage；　and　a　graceful　manner　of　presenting　yourself；　are　extremely　necessary；　for　they　are　extremely　engaging：　and　carelessness　in　these　points　is　much　more　unpardonable　in　a　young　fellow　than　affectation。　　It　shows　an　offensive　indifference　about　pleasing。　　I　am　told　by　one　here；　who　has　seen　you　lately；　that　you　are　awkward　in　your　motions；　and　negligent　of　your　person：　I　am　sorry　for　both；　and　so　will　you　be；　when　it　will　be　too　late；　if　you　continue　so　some　time　longer。　　Awkwardness　of　carriage　is　very　alienating；　and　a　total　negligence　of　dress　and　air　is　an　impertinent　insult　upon　custom　and　fashion。　　You　remember　Mr。　　very　well；　I　am　sure；　and　you　must　consequently　remember　his；　extreme　awkwardness：　which；　I　can　assure　you；　has　been　a　great　clog　to　his　parts　and　merit；　that　have；　with　much　difficulty；　but　barely　counterbalanced　it　at　last。　　Many；　to　whom　I　have　formerly　commended　him；　have　answered　me；　that　they　were　sure　he　could　not　have　parts；　because　he　was　so　awkward：　so　much　are　people；　as　I　observed　to　you　before；　taken　by　the　eye。　　Women　have　great　influence　as　to　a　man's　fashionable　character；　and　an　awkward　man　will　never　have　their　votes；　which；　by　the　way；　are　very　numerous；　and　much　oftener　counted　than　weighed。　　You　should　therefore　give　some　attention　to　your　dress；　and　the　gracefulness　of　your　motions。　　I　believe；　indeed；　that　you　have　no　perfect　model　for　either　at　Leipsig；　to　form　yourself　upon；　but；　however；　do　not　get　a　habit　of　neglecting　either；　and　attend　properly　to　both；　when　you　go　to　courts；　where　they　are　very　necessary；　and　where　you　will　have　good　masters　and　good　models　for　both。　　Your　exercises　of　riding；　fencing；　and　dancing；　will　civilize　and　fashion　your　body　and　your　limbs；　and　give　you；　if　you　will　but　take　it；　'l'air　d'un　honnete　homme'。

I　will　now　conclude　with　suggesting　one　reflection　to　you；　which　is；　that　you　should　be　sensible　of　your　good　fortune；　in　having　one　who　interests　himself　enough　in　you；　to　inquire　into　your　faults；　in　order　to　inform　you　of　them。　　Nobody　but　myself　would　be　so　solicitous；　either　to　know　or　correct　them；　so　that　you　might　consequently　be　ignorant　of　them　yourself；　for　our　own　self…love　draws　a　thick　veil　between　us　and　our　faults。　　But　when　you　hear　yours　from　me；　you　may　be　sure　that　you　hear　them　from　one　who　for　your　sake　only　desires　to　correct　them；　from　one　whom　you　cannot　suspect　of　any；　partiality　but　in　your　favor；　and　from　one　who　heartily　wishes　that　his　care　of　you；　as　a　father；　may；　in　a　little　time；　render　every　care　unnecessary　but　that　of　a　friend。　　Adieu。

P。　S。　　I　condole　with　you　for　the　untimely　and　violent　death　of　the　tuneful　Matzel。




LETTER　XLIII

LONDON；　July　1；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　Boy：　I　am　extremely　well　pleased　with　the　course　of　studies　which　Mr。　Harte　informs　me　you　are　now　in；　and　with　the　degree　of　application　which　he　assures　me　you　have　to　them。　　It　is　your　interest　to　do　so；　as　the　advantage　will　be　all　your　own。　　My　affection　for　you　makes　me　both　wish　and　endeavor　that　you　may　turn　out　well；　and；　according　as　you　do　turn　out；　I　shall　either　be　proud　or　ashamed　of　you。　　But　as　to　mere　interest；　in　the　common　acceptation　of　that　word；　it　would　be　mine　that　you　should　turn　out　ill；　for　you　may　depend　upon　it；　that　whatever　you　have　from　me　shall　be　most　exactly　proportioned　to　your　desert。　　Deserve　a　great　deal；　and　you　shall　have　a　great　deal；　deserve　a　little；　and　you　shall　have　but　a　little；　and　be　good　for　nothing　at　all；　and；　I　assure　you；　you　shall　have　nothing　at　all。

Solid　knowledge；　as　I　have　often　told　you；　is　the　first　and　great　foundation　of　your　future　fortune　and　character；　for　I　never　mention　to　you　the　two　much　greater　points　of　Religion　and　Morality；　because　I　cannot　possibly　suspect　you　as　to　either　of　them。　　This　solid　knowledge　you　are　in　a　fair　way　of　acquiring；　you　may；　if　you　please；　and　I　will　add；　that　nobody　ever　had　the　means　of　acquiring　it　more　in　their　power　than　you　have。　　But　remember；　that　manners　must　adorn　knowledge；　and　smooth　its　way　through　the　world。　　Like　a　great　rough　diamond；　it　may　do　very　well　in　a　closet　by　way　of　curiosity；　and　also　for　its　intrinsic　value；　but　it　will　never　be　worn　or　shine　if　it　is　not　polished。　　It　is　upon　this　article；　I　confess；　that　I　suspect　you　the　most；　which　makes　me　recur　to　it　so　often；　for　I　fear　that　you　are　apt　to　show　too　little　attention　to　everybody；　and　too　much　contempt　to　many。　　Be　convinced；　that　there　are　no　persons　so　insignificant　and　inconsiderable；　but　may；　some　time　or　other；　have　it　in　their　power　to　be　of　use　to　you；　which　they　certainly　will　not；　if　you　have　once　shown　them　contempt。　　Wrongs　are　often　forgiven；　but　contempt　never　is。　　Our　pride　remembers　it　forever。　　It　implies　a　discovery　of　weaknesses；　which　we　are　much　more　careful　to　conceal　than　crimes。　　Many　a　man　will　confess　his　crimes　to　a　common　friend；　but　I　never　knew　a　man　who　would　tell　his　silly　weaknesses　to　his　most　intimate　oneas　many　a　friend　will　tell　us　our　faults　without　reserve；　who　will　not　so　much　as　hint　at　our　follies；　that　discovery　is　too　mortifying　to　our　self…love；　either　to　tell　another；　or　to　be　told　of　one's　self。　　You　must；　therefore；　never　expect　to　hear　of　your　weaknesses；　or　your　follies；　from　anybody　but　me；　those　I　will　take　pains　to　discover；　and　whenever　I　do；　shall　tell　you　of　them。

Next　to　manners　are　exterior　graces　of　person　and　address；　which　adorn　manners；　as　manners　adorn　knowledge。　　To　say　that　they　please；　engage；　and　charm；　as　they　most　indisputably　do；　is　saying　that　one　should　do　everything　possible　to　acquire　them。　　The　graceful　manner　of　speaking　is；　particularly；　what　I　shall　always　holloa　in　your　ears；　as　Hotspur　holloaed　MORTIMER　to　Henry　IV。；　and；　like　him　too；　I　have　aimed　to　have　a　starling　taught　to　say；　SPEAK　DISTINCTLY　AND　GRACEFULLY；　and　send　him　you；　to　replace　your　loss　of　the　unfortunate　Matzel；　who；　by　the　way；　I　am　told；　spoke　his　language　very　distinctly　and　gracefully。

As　by　this　time　you　must　be　able　to　write　German　tolerably　well；　I　desire　that　you　will　not　fail　to　write　a　German　letter；　in　the　German　character；　once　every　fortnight；　to　Mr。　Grevenkop：　which　will　make　it　more　familiar　to　you；　and　enable　me　to　judge　how　you　improve　in　it。

Do　not　forget　to　answer　me　the　questions；　which　I　asked　you　a　great　while　ago；　in　relation　to　the　constitution　of　Saxony；　and　also　the　meaning　of　the　words　'Landsassii　and　Amptsassii'。

I　hope　you　do　not　forget　to　inquire　into　the　affairs　of　trade　and　commerce；　nor　to　get　the　best　accounts　you　can　of　the　commodities　and　manufactures；　exports　and　imports　of　the　several　countries　where　you　may　be；　and　their　gross　value。

I　would　likewise　have　you　attend　to　the　respective　coins；　gold；　silver；　copper；　etc。；　and　their　value；　compared　with　our　coin's；　for　which　purpose　I　would　advise　you　to　put　up；　in　a　separate　piece　of　paper；　one　piece　of　every　kind；　wherever　you　shall　be；　writing　upon　it　the　name　and　the　value。　　Such　a　collection　will　be　curious　enough　in　itself；　and　that　sort　of　knowledge　will　be　very　useful　to　you　in　your　way　of　business；　where　the　different　value　of　money　often　comes　in　question。

I　am　doing　to　Cheltenham　to…morrow；　less　for　my　health；　which　is　pretty　good；　than　for　the　dissipation　and　amusement　of　the　journey。　　I　shall　stay　about　a　fortnight。

L'Abbe　Mably's　'Droit　de　l'Europe'；　which　Mr。　Harte　is　so　kind　as　to　send　me；　is　worth　your　reading。　　Adieu。




LETTER　XLIV。

CHELTENHAM；　July　6；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　Your　school…fellow；　Lord　Pulteney；＇Only　child　of　the　Right　Hon。　William　Pulteney；　Earl　of　Bath。　　He　died　before　his　father。＇　set　out　last　week　for　Holland；　and　will；　I　believe；　be　at　Leipsig　soon　after　this　letter：　you