letters to his son, 1749-第33章

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ever　be　a　poet；　or　at　best　an　extremely　bad　one；　but　every　man；　who　can　speak　at　all；　can　speak　elegantly　and　correctly　if　he　pleases；　by　attending　to　the　best　authors　and　orators；　and；　indeed；　I　would　advise　those　who　do　not　speak　elegantly；　not　to　speak　at　all；　for　I　am　sure　they　will　get　more　by　their　silence　than　by　their　speech。　　As　for　politeness：　whoever　keeps　good　company；　and　is　not　polite；　must　have　formed　a　resolution；　and　take　some　pains　not　to　be　so；　otherwise　he　would　naturally　and　insensibly　take　the　air；　the　address；　and　the　turn　of　those　he　converses　with。　　You　will；　probably；　in　the　course　of　this　year；　see　as　great　a　variety　of　good　company　in　the　several　capitals　you　will　be　at；　as　in　any　one　year　of　your　life；　and　consequently　must　（I　should　hope）　catch　some　of　their　manners；　almost　whether　you　will　or　not；　but；　as　I　dare　say　you　will　endeavor　to　do　it；　I　am　convinced　you　will　succeed；　and　that　I　shall　have　pleasure　of　finding　you；　at　your　return　here；　one　of　the　best…bred　men　in　Europe。

I　imagine；　that　when　you　receive　my　letters；　and　come　to　those　parts　of　them　which　relate　to　eloquence　and　politeness；　you　say；　or　at　least　think；　What；　will　he　never　have　done　upon　those　two　subjects？　　Has　he　not　said　all　he　can　say　upon　them？　　Why　the　same　thing　over　and　over　again？　If　you　do　think　or　say　so；　it　must　proceed　from　your　not　yet　knowing　the　infinite　importance　of　these　two　accomplishments；　which　I　cannot　recommend　to　you　too　often；　nor　inculcate　too　strongly。　　But　if；　on　the　contrary；　you　are　convinced　of　the　utility；　or　rather　the　necessity　of　those　two　accomplishments；　and　are　determined　to　acquire　them；　my　repeated　admonitions　are　only　unnecessary；　and　I　grudge　no　trouble　which　can　possibly　be　of　the　least　use　to　you。

I　flatter　myself；　that　your　stay　at　Rome　will　go　a　great　way　toward　answering　all　my　views：　I　am　sure　it　will；　if　you　employ　your　time；　and　your　whole　time；　as　you　should。　　Your　first　morning　hours；　I　would　have　you　devote　to　your　graver　studies　with　Mr。　Harte；　the　middle　part　of　the　day　I　would　have　employed　in　seeing　things；　and　the　evenings　in　seeing　people。　　You　are　not；　I　hope；　of　a　lazy；　inactive　turn；　in　either　body　or　mind；　and；　in　that　case；　the　day　is　full　long　enough　for　everything；　especially　at　Rome；　where　it　is　not　the　fashion；　as　it　is　here　and　at　Paris；　to　embezzle　at　least　half　of　it　at　table。　　But　if；　by　accident；　two　or　three　hours　are　sometimes　wanting　for　some　useful　purpose；　borrow　them　from　your　sleep。　　Six；　or　at　most　seven　hours　sleep　is；　for　a　constancy；　as　much　as　you　or　anybody　can　want；　more　is　only　laziness　and　dozing；　and　is；　I　am　persuaded；　both　unwholesome　and　stupefying。　　If；　by　chance；　your　business；　or　your　pleasures；　should　keep　you　up　till　four　or　five　o'clock　in　the　morning；　I　would　advise　you；　however；　to　rise　exactly　at　your　usual　time；　that　you　may　not　lose　the　precious　morning　hours；　and　that　the　want　of　sleep　may　force　you　to　go　to　bed　earlier　the　next　night。　This　is　what　I　was　advised　to　do　when　very　young；　by　a　very　wise　man；　and　what；　I　assure　you；　I　always　did　in　the　most　dissipated　part　of　my　life。　I　have　very　often　gone　to　bed　at　six　in　the　morning　and　rose；　notwithstanding；　at　eight；　by　which　means　I　got　many　hours　in　the　morning　that　my　companions　lost；　and　the　want　of　sleep　obliged　me　to　keep　good　hours　the　next；　or　at　least　the　third　night。　　To　this　method　I　owe　the　greatest　part　of　my　reading：　for；　from　twenty　to　forty；　I　should　certainly　have　read　very　little；　if　I　had　not　been　up　while　my　acquaintances　were　in　bed。　　Know　the　true　value　of　time；　snatch；　seize；　and　enjoy　every　moment　of　it。　　No　idleness；　no　laziness；　no　procrastination；　never　put　off　till　to…morrow　what　you　can　do　today。　That　was　the　rule　of　the　famous　and　unfortunate　Pensionary　De　Witt；　who；　by　strictly　following　it；　found　time；　not　only　to　do　the　whole　business　of　the　republic；　but　to　pass　his　evenings　at　assemblies　and　suppers；　as　if　he　had　had　nothing　else　to　do　or　think　of。

Adieu；　my　dear　friend；　for　such　I　shall　call　you；　and　as　such　I　shall；　for　the　future；　live　with　you；　for　I　disclaim　all　titles　which　imply　an　authority；　that　I　am　persuaded　you　will　never　give　me　occasion　to　exercise。

'Multos　et　felices'；　most　sincerely；　to　Mr。　Harte。








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