letters to his son, 1746-47-第1章
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Letters to His Son； 1746…47
by The Earl of Chesterfield
LETTERS TO HIS SON
By the EARL OF CHESTERFIELD
on the Fine Art of becoming a
MAN OF THE WORLD
and a
GENTLEMAN
SPECIAL INTRODUCTION
The proud Lord Chesterfield would have turned in his grave had he known
that he was to go down to posterity as a teacher and preacher of the
gospel of not grace； but〃the graces； the graces； the graces。〃 Natural
gifts； social status； open opportunities； and his ambition； all conspired
to destine him for high statesmanship。 If anything was lacking in his
qualifications； he had the pluck and good sense to work hard and
persistently until the deficiency was made up。 Something remained
lacking； and not all his consummate mastery of arts could conceal that
conspicuous want；the want of heart。
Teacher and preacher he assuredly is； and long will be； yet no thanks are
his due from a posterity of the common people whom he so sublimely
despised。 His pious mission was not to raise the level of the multitude；
but to lift a single individual upon a pedestal so high that his lowly
origin should not betray itself。 That individual was his； Lord
Chesterfield's； illegitimate son； whose inferior blood should be given
the true blue hue by concentrating upon him all the externals of
aristocratic education。
Never had pupil so devoted； persistent； lavish； and brilliant a guide；
philosopher； and friend； for the parental relation was shrewdly merged in
these。 Never were devotion and uphill struggle against doubts of success
more bitterly repaid。 Philip Stanhope was born in 1732； when his father
was thirty…eight。 He absorbed readily enough the solids of the ideal
education supplied him； but； by perversity of fate； he cared not a fig
for 〃the graces； the graces； the graces；〃 which his father so wisely
deemed by far the superior qualities to be cultivated by the budding
courtier and statesman。 A few years of minor services to his country
were rendered； though Chesterfield was breaking his substitute for a
heart because his son could not or would not play the superfine
gentlemanon the paternal model； and then came the news of his death；
when only thirty…six。 What was a still greater shock to the lordly
father； now deaf； gouty； fretful； and at outs with the world； his
informant reported that she had been secretly married for several years
to Young Hopeful； and was left penniless with two boys。 Lord
Chesterfield was above all things a practical philosopher； as hard and
as exquisitely rounded and polished as a granite column。 He accepted
the vanishing of his lifelong dream with the admirable stolidity of a
fatalist； and in those last days of his radically artificial life he
disclosed a welcome tenderness； a touch of the divine； none the less so
for being common duty； shown in the few brief letters to his son's widow
and to 〃our boys。〃 This； and his enviable gift of being able to view the
downs as well as the ups of life in the consoling humorous light； must
modify the sterner judgment so easily passed upon his characteristic
inculcation； if not practice； of heartlessness。
The thirteenth…century mother church in the town from which Lord
Chesterfield's title came has a peculiar steeple； graceful in its lines；
but it points askew； from whatever quarter it is seen。 The writer of
these Letters； which he never dreamed would be published； is the best
self…portrayed Gentleman in literature。 In everything he was naturally a
stylist； perfected by assiduous art； yet the graceful steeple is somehow
warped out of the beauty of the perpendicular。 His ideal Gentleman is
the frigid product of a rigid mechanical drill； with the mien of a
posture master； the skin…deep graciousness of a French Marechal； the
calculating adventurer who cuts unpretentious worthies to toady to
society magnates； who affects the supercilious air of a shallow dandy
and cherishes the heart of a frog。 True； he repeatedly insists on the
obligation of truthfulness in all things； and of； honor in dealing with
the world。 His Gentleman may； nay； he must； sail with the stream； gamble
in moderation if it is the fashion； must stoop to wear ridiculous clothes
and ornaments if they are the mode； though despising his weakness all to
himself； and no true Gentleman could afford to keep out of the little
gallantries which so effectively advertised him as a man of spirit sad
charm。 Those repeated injunctions of honor are to be the rule； subject
to these exceptions； which transcend the common proprieties when the
subject is the rising young gentleman of the period and his goal social
success。 If an undercurrent of shady morality is traceable in this
Chesterfieldian philosophy it must； of course； be explained away by the
less perfect moral standard of his period as compared with that of our
day。 Whether this holds strictly true of men may be open to discussion；
but his lordship's worldly instructions as to the utility of women as
stepping…stones to favor in high places are equally at variance with the
principles he so impressively inculcates and with modern conceptions of
social honor。 The externals of good breeding cannot be over…estimated；
if honestly come by； nor is it necessary to examine too deeply into the
prime motives of those who urge them upon a generation in whose eyes
matter is more important than manner。 Superficial refinement is better
than none； but the Chesterfield pulpit cannot afford to shirk the duty of
proclaiming loud and far that the only courtesy worthy of respect is that
'politesse de coeur；' the politeness of the heart； which finds expression
in consideration for others as the ruling principle of conduct。 This
militates to some extent against the assumption of fine airs without the
backing of fine behavior； and if it tends to discourage the effort to use
others for selfish ends； it nevertheless pays better in the long run。
Chesterfield's frankness in so many confessions of sharp practice almost
merits his canonization as a minor saint of society。 Dr。 Johnson has
indeed placed him on a Simeon Stylites pillar； an immortality of penance
from which no good member of the writers' guild is likely to pray his
deliverance。 He commends the fine art and high science of dissimulation
with the gusto of an apostle and the authority of an expert。
Dissimulate； but do not simulate； disguise your real sentiments； but do
not falsify them。 Go through the world with your eyes and ears open and
mouth mostly shut。 When new or stale gossip is brought to you； never let
on that you know it already； nor that it really interests you。 The
reading of these Letters is better than hearing the average comedy； in
which the wit of a single sentence of Chesterfield suffices to carry an
act。 His man…of…the…world philosophy is as old as the Proverbs of
Solomon； but will always be fresh and true； and enjoyable at any age；
thanks to his pithy expression； his unfailing common sense； his sparkling
wit and charming humor。 This latter gift shows in the seeming lapses
from his rigid rule requiring absolute elegance of expression at all
times； when an unexpected coarseness； in some provincial colloquialism；
crops out with picturesque force。 The beau ideal of superfineness
occasionally enjoys the bliss of harking back to mother English。
Above all the defects that can be charged against the Letters； there
rises the substantial merit of an honest effort to exalt the gentle in
woman and manabove the merely genteel。 〃He that is gentil doeth gentil
deeds；〃 runs the mediaeval saying which marks the distinction between the
genuine and the sham in behavior。 A later age had it thus： 〃Handsome is
as handsome does；〃 and in this larger sense we have agreed to accept the
motto of William of Wykeham； which declares that 〃Manners maketh Man。〃
OLIVER H。 G。 LEIGH
LETTER I
BATH； October 9； O。 S。 1746
DEAR BOY： Your distresses in your journey from Heidelberg to
Schaffhausen； your lying upon straw； yo
