letters to his son, 1746-47-第12章

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the　knowledge；　the　honor；　and　probity；　which　you　may　have；　the　marks　and
warmth　of　my　affection　shall　amply　reward　them；　but　if　you　have　them　not；
my　aversion　and　indignation　will　rise　in　the　same　proportion；　and；　in
that　case；　remember；　that　I　am　under　no　further　obligation；　than　to　give
you　the　necessary　means　of　subsisting。　　If　ever　we　quarrel；　do　not　expect
or　depend　upon　any　weakness　in　my　nature；　for　a　reconciliation；
as　children　frequently　do；　and　often　meet　with；　from　silly　parents；
I　have　no　such　weakness　about　me：　and；　as　I　will　never　quarrel　with　you
but　upon　some　essential　point；　if　once　we　quarrel；　I　will　never　forgive。
But　I　hope　and　believe；　that　this　declaration　（for　it　is　no　threat）　will
prove　unnecessary。　　You　are　no　stranger　to　the　principles　of　virtue；　and；
surely；　whoever　knows　virtue　must　love　it。　　As　for　knowledge；　you　have
already　enough　of　it；　to　engage　you　to　acquire　more。　　The　ignorant　only；
either　despise　it；　or　think　that　they　have　enough：　those　who　have　the
most　are　always　the　most　desirous　to　have　more；　and　know　that　the　most
they　can　have　is；　alas！　but　too　little。

Reconsider；　from　time　to　time；　and　retain　the　friendly　advice　which　I
send　you。　　The　advantage　will　be　all　your　own。




LETTER　XXIII

LONDON；　December　29；　O。　S。　　1747

DEAR　BOY：　I　have　received　two　letters　from　you　of　the　17th　and　22d；　N。
S。；　by　the　last　of　which　I　find　that　some　of　mine　to　you　must　have
miscarried；　for　I　have　never　been　above　two　posts　without　writing　to　you
or　to　Mr。　Harte；　and　even　very　long　letters。　　I　have　also　received　a
letter　from　Mr。　Harte；　which　gives　me　great　satisfaction：　it　is　full　of
your　praises；　and　he　answers　for　you；　that；　in　two　years　more；　you　will
deserve　your　manumission；　and　be　fit　to　go　into　the　world；　upon　a　footing
that　will　do　you　honor；　and　give　me　pleasure。

I　thank　you　for　your　offer　of　the　new　edition　of　'Adamus　Adami；'　but　I　do
not　want　it；　having　a　good　edition　of　it　at　present。　　When　you　have　read
that；　you　will　do　well　to　follow　it　with　Pere　Bougeant's　'Histoire　du
Traite　de　Munster；'　in　two　volumes　quarto；　which　contains　many　important
anecdotes　concerning　that　famous　treaty；　that　are　not　in　Adamus　Adami。

You　tell　me　that　your　lectures　upon　the　'Jus　Publicum'　will　be　ended　at
Easter；　but　then　I　hope　that　Monsieur　Mascow　will　begin　them　again；
for　I　would　not　have　you　discontinue　that　study　one　day　while　you　are　at
Leipsig。　　I　suppose　that　Monsieur　Mascow　will　likewise　give　you　lectures
upon　the　'Instrumentum　Pacis；'　and　upon　the　capitulations　of　the　late
emperors。　　Your　German　will　go　on　of　course；　and　I　take　it　for　granted
that　your　stay　at　Leipsig　will　make　you　a　perfect　master　of　that
language；　both　as　to　speaking　and　writing；　for　remember；　that　knowing　any
language　imperfectly；　is　very　little　better　than　not　knowing　it　at　all：
people　being　as　unwilling　to　speak　in　a　language　which　they　do　not
possess　thoroughly；　as　others　are　to　hear　them。　　Your　thoughts　are
cramped；　and　appear　to　great　disadvantage；　in　any　language　of　which　you
are　not　perfect　master。　　Let　modern　history　share　part　of　your　time；
and　that　always　accompanied　with　the　maps　of　the　places　in　question；
geography　and　history　are　very　imperfect　separately；　and；　to　be　useful；
must　be　joined。

Go　to　the　Duchess　of　Courland's　as　often　as　she　and　your　leisure　will
permit。　　The　company　of　women　of　fashion　will　improve　your　manners；
though　not　your　understanding；　and　that　complaisance　and　politeness；
which　are　so　useful　in　men's　company；　can　only　be　acquired　in　women's。

Remember　always；　what　I　have　told　you　a　thousand　times；　that　all　the
talents　in　the　world　will　want　all　their　lustre；　and　some　part　of　their
use　too；　if　they　are　not　adorned　with　that　easy　good…breeding；　that
engaging　manner；　and　those　graces；　which　seduce　and　prepossess　people　in
your　favor　at　first　sight。　　A　proper　care　of　your　person　is　by　no　means
to　be　neglected；　always　extremely　clean；　upon　proper　occasions　fine。
Your　carriage　genteel；　and　your　motions　graceful。　　Take　particular　care
of　your　manner　and　address；　when　you　present　yourself　in　company。　　Let
them　be　respectful　without　meanness；　easy　without　too　much　familiarity；
genteel　without　affectation；　and　insinuating　without　any　seeming　art　or
design。

You　need　not　send　me　any　more　extracts　of　the　German　constitution；　which；
by　the　course　of　your　present　studies；　I　know　you　must　soon　be　acquainted
with；　but　I　would　now　rather　that　your　letters　should　be　a　sort　of
journal　of　your　own　life。　　As；　for　instance；　what　company　you　keep；
what　new　acquaintances　you　make；　what　your　pleasures　are；　with　your　own
reflections　upon　the　whole：　likewise　what　Greek　and　Latin　books　you　read
and　understand。　　Adieu！








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