letters to his son, 1749-第5章
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l after that be entirely your own master； I shall think you safe； shall lay aside all authority over you； and friendship shall be our mutual and only tie。 Weigh this； I beg of you； deliberately in your own mind； and consider whether the application and the degree of restraint which I require but for one year more； will not be amply repaid by all the advantages； and the perfect liberty； which you will receive at the end of it。 Your own good sense will； I am sure； not allow you to hesitate one moment in your choice。 God bless you！ Adieu。
P。 S。 Sir James Grey's letters not being yet sent to me； as I thought they would； I shall inclose them in my next； which I believe will get to Venice as soon as you。
LETTER LXVII
LONDON； April 12； O。 S。 1749。
DEAR BOY： I received； by the last mail； a letter from Mr。 Harte； dated Prague； April the 1st； N。 S。； for which I desire you will return him my thanks； and assure him that I extremely approve of what he has done； and proposes eventually to do； in your way to Turin。 Who would have thought you were old enough to have been so well acquainted with the heroes of the 'Bellum Tricennale'； as to be looking out for their great…grandsons in Bohemia； with that affection with which； I am informed； you seek for the Wallsteins； the Kinskis； etc。 As I cannot ascribe it to your age； I must to your consummate knowledge of history； that makes every country； and every century； as it were； your own。 Seriously； I am told； that you are both very strong and very correct in history； of which I am extremely glad。 This is useful knowledge。
Comte du Perron and Comte Lascaris are arrived here： the former gave me a letter from Sir Charles Williams； the latter brought me your orders。 They are very pretty men； and have both knowledge and manners； which； though they always ought； seldom go together。 I examined them； particularly Comte Lascaris； concerning you； their report is a very favorable one； especially on the side of knowledge； the quickness of conception which they allow you I can easily credit； but the attention which they add to it pleases me the more； as I own I expected it less。 Go on in the pursuit and the increase of knowledge； nay； I am sure you will； for you now know too much to stop； and； if Mr。 Harte would let you be idle； I am convinced you would not。 But now that you have left Leipsig； and are entered into the great world； remember there is another object that must keep pace with； and accompany knowledge； I mean manners； politeness； and the Graces； in which Sir Charles Williams； though very much your friend； owns that you are very deficient。 The manners of Leipsig must be shook off； and in that respect you must put on the new man。 No scrambling at your meals； as at a German ordinary； no awkward overturns of glasses； plates； and salt…cellars； no horse play。 On the contrary； a gentleness of manners； a graceful carriage； and an insinuating address； must take their place。 I repeat； and shall never cease repeating to you； THE GRACES； THE GRACES。
I desire that as soon as ever you get to Turin you will apply yourself diligently to the Italian language； that before you leave that place； you may know it well enough to be able to speak tolerably when you get to Rome； where you will soon make yourself perfectly master of Italian； from the daily necessity you will be under of speaking it。 In the mean time； I insist upon your not neglecting； much less forgetting； the German you already know； which you may not only continue but improve； by speaking it constantly to your Saxon boy； and as often as you can to the several Germans you will meet in your travels。 You remember； no doubt； that you must never write to me from Turin； but in the German language and character。
I send you the inclosed letter of recommendation to Mr。 Smith the King's Consul at Venice； who can； and I daresay will； be more useful to you there than anybody。 Pray make your court； and behave your best； to Monsieur and Madame Capello； who will be of great use to you at Rome。 Adieu！ Yours tenderly。
LETTER LXVIII
LONDON； April 19； O。 S。 1749。
DEAR BOY： This letter will； I believe； still find you at Venice in all the dissipation of masquerades； ridottos； operas； etc。 With all my heart； they are decent evening's amusements； and very properly succeed that serious application to which I am sure you devote your mornings。 There are liberal and illiberal pleasures as well as liberal and illiberal arts： There are some pleasures that degrade a gentleman as much as some trades could do。 Sottish drinking； indiscriminate gluttony； driving coaches； rustic sports； such as fox…chases； horse…races； etc。； are in my opinion infinitely below the honest and industrious profession of a tailor and a shoemaker； which are said to 'deroger'。
As you are now in a musical country； where singing； fiddling； and piping； are not only the common topics of conversation； but almost the principal objects of attention； I cannot help cautioning you against giving in to those （I will call them illiberal） pleasures （though music is commonly reckoned one of the liberal arts） to the degree that most of your countrymen do； when they travel in Italy。 If you love music； hear it； go to operas； concerts； and pay fiddlers to play to you； but I insist upon your neither piping nor fiddling yourself。 It puts a gentleman in a very frivolous； contemptible light； brings him into a great deal of bad company； and takes up a great deal of time； which might be much better employed。 Few things would mortify me more； than to see you bearing a part in a concert； with a fiddle under your chin； or a pipe in your mouth。
I have had a great deal of conversation with Comte du Perron and Comte Lascaris upon your subject： and I will tell you； very truly； what Comte du Perron （who is； in my opinion； a very pretty man） said of you： 'Il a de l'esprit； un savoir peu commun a son age； une grande vivacite； et quand il aura pris des manieres il sera parfait； car il faut avouer qu'il sent encore le college； mars cela viendra'。 I was very glad to hear； from one whom I think so good a judge； that you wanted nothing but 'des manieres'； which I am convinced you will now soon acquire； in the company which henceforward you are likely to keep。 But I must add； too； that if you should not acquire them； all the rest will be of little use to you。 By 'manieres'； I do not mean bare common civility； everybody must have that who would not be kicked out of company； but I mean engaging； insinuating； shining manners； distinguished politeness； an almost irresistible address； a superior gracefulness in all you say and do。 It is this alone that can give all your other talents their full lustre and value； and； consequently； it is this which should now be thy principal object of your attention。 Observe minutely； wherever you go； the allowed and established models of good…breeding； and form yourself upon them。 Whatever pleases you most in others； will infallibly please others in you。 I have often repeated this to you； now is your time of putting it in practice。
Pray make my compliments to Mr。 Harte； and tell him I have received his letter from Vienna of the 16th N。 S。； but that I shall not trouble him with an answer to it till I have received the other letter which he promises me； upon the subject of one of my last。 I long to hear from him after your settlement at Turin： the months that you are to pass there will be very decisive ones for you。 The exercises of the Academy； and the manners of courts must be attended to and acquired； and； at the same time； your other studies continued。 I am sure you will not pass； nor desire； one single idle hour there： for I do not foresee that you can； in any part of your life； put out six months to greater interest； than those next six at Turin。
We will talk hereafter about your stay at Rome and in other parts of Italy。 This only I will now recommend to you； which is； to extract the spirit of every place you go to。 In those places which are only distinguished by classical fame； and valuable remains of antiquity； have your classics in your hand and in your head； compare the ancient geography and descriptions with the modern； and never fail to
