letters to his son, 1752-第15章
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he Duke of Newcastle's； which he offers to take for you； I have desired him to do it； in case Mrs。 Meyers will wait for you till the latter end of August； or the beginning of September； N。 S。； which I suppose is about the time when you will be at Hanover。 You will find this Mr。 Aspinwall of great use to you there。 He will exert himself to the utmost to serve you； he has been twice or thrice at Hanover； and knows all the allures there： he is very well with the Duke of Newcastle； and will puff you there。 Moreover； if you have a mind to work there as a volunteer in that bureau； he will assist and inform you。 In short； he is a very honest； sensible； and informed man； 'mais me paye pas beaucoup de sa figure； il abuse meme du privilege qu'ont les hommes d'etre laids； et il ne sera pas en reste avec les lions et les leopards qu'il trouvera a Alger'。
As you are entirely master of the time when you will leave Bonn and go to Hanover； so are you master to stay at Hanover as long as you please； and to go from thence where you please； provided that at Christmas you are at Berlin； for the beginning of the Carnival： this I would not have you say at Hanover； considering the mutual disposition of those two courts； but when anybody asks you where you are to go next； say that you propose rambling in Germany； at Brunswick； Cassel； etc。； till the next spring； when you intend to be in Flanders； in your way to England。 I take Berlin； at this time； to be the politest； the most shining； and the most useful court in Europe for a young fellow to be at： and therefore I would upon no account not have you there； for at least a couple of months of the Carnival。 If you are as well received； and pass your time as well at Bonn as I believe you will； I would advise you to remain there till about the 20th of August； N。 S。； in four days you will be at Hanover。 As for your stay there； it must be shorter or longer； according to certain circumstances WHICH YOU KNOW OF； supposing them； at the best； then； stay within a week or ten days of the King's return to England； but supposing them at the worst； your stay must not be too short； for reasons which you also know； no resentment must either appear or be suspected； therefore； at worst； I think you must remain there a month； and at best； as long as ever you please。 But I am convinced that all will turn out very well for you there。 Everybody is engaged or inclined to help you； the ministers； English and German； the principal ladies； and most of the foreign ministers； so that I may apply to you； 'nullum numen abest； si sit prudentia'。 Du Perron will； I believe； be back there from Turin much about the time you get there： pray be very attentive to him； and connect yourself with him as much as ever you can； for； besides that he is a very pretty and well…informed man； he is very much in fashion at Hanover； is personally very well with the King and certain ladies； so that a visible intimacy and connection with him will do you credit and service。 Pray cultivate Monsieur Hop； the Dutch minister； who has always been very much my friend； and will； I am sure； be yours； his manners； it is true； are not very engaging； he is rough； but he is sincere。 It is very useful sometimes to see the things which one ought to avoid； as it is right to see very often those which one ought to imitate； and my friend Hop's manners will frequently point out to you； what yours ought to be by the rule of contraries。
Congreve points out a sort of critics； to whom he says that we are doubly obliged：
〃Rules for good writing they with pains indite； Then show us what is bad； by what they write。〃
It is certain that Monsieur Hop； with the best heart in the world； and a thousand good qualities； has a thousand enemies； and hardly a friend； simply from the roughness of his manners。
N。 B。 I heartily wish you could have stayed long enough at Manheim to have been seriously and desperately in love with Madame de Taxis； who； I suppose； is a proud； insolent； fine lady； and who would consequently have expected attentions little short of adoration： nothing would do you more good than such a passion； and I live in hopes that somebody or other will be able to excite such an one in you； your hour may not yet be come； but it will come。 Love has not been unaptly compared to the smallpox which most people have sooner or later。 Iphigenia had a wonderful effect upon Cimon； I wish some Hanover Iphigenia may try her skill upon you。
I recommend to you again； though I have already done it twice or thrice； to speak German； even affectedly； while you are at Hanover； which will show that you prefer that language； and be of more use to you there with SOMEBODY； than you can imagine。 When you carry my letters to Monsieur Munchausen and Monsieur Schwiegeldt； address yourself to them in German； the latter speaks French very well； but the former extremely ill。 Show great attention to Madame； Munchausen's daughter； who is a great favorite； those little trifles please mothers； and sometimes fathers； extremely。 Observe； and you will find； almost universally； that the least things either please or displease most； because they necessarily imply； either a very strong desire of obliging； or an unpardonable indifference about it。 I will give you a ridiculous instance enough of this truth； from my own experience。 When I was Ambassador the first time in Holland； Comte de Wassenaer and his wife； people of the first rank and consideration； had a little boy of about three years old； of whom they were exceedingly fond； in order to make my court to them； I was so too； and used to take the child often upon my lap； and play with him。 One day his nose was very dirty； upon which I took out my handkerchief and wiped it for him； this raised a loud laugh； and they called me a very； handy nurse； but the father and mother were so pleased with it； that to this day it is an anecdote in the family； and I never receive a letter from Comte Wassenaer； but he makes me the compliments 'du morveux gue j'ai mouche autrefois'； who； by the way； I am assured； is now the prettiest young fellow in Holland。 Where one would gain people； remember that nothing is little。 Adieu。
LETTER CLXXI
LONDON； June 26； O。 S。 1752。
MY DEAR FRIEND： As I have reason to fear； from your M last letter of the 18th； N。 S。； from Manheim； that all； or at least most of my letters to you； since you left Paris； have miscarried； I think it requisite； at all events； to repeat in this the necessary parts of those several letters； as far as they relate to your future motions。
I suppose that this will either find you； or be but a few days before you at Bonn； where it is directed； and I suppose too； that you have fixed your time for going from thence to Hanover。 If things TURN OUT WELL AT HANOVER； as in my opinion they will； 'Chi sta bene non si muova'； stay there till a week or ten days before the King sets out for England； but； should THEY TURN OUT ILL； which I cannot imagine； stay； however； a month； that your departure may not seem a step of discontent or peevishness； the very suspicion of which is by all means to be avoided。 Whenever you leave Hanover； be it sooner or be it later； where would you go？ 'Lei Padrone'； and I give you your choice： would you pass the months of November and December at Brunswick； Cassel； etc。？ Would you choose to go for a couple of months to Ratisbon； where you would be very well recommended to； and treated by the King's Electoral Minister； the Baron de Behr； and where you would improve your 'Jus publicum'？ or would you rather go directly to Berlin； and stay there till the end of the Carnival？ Two or three months at Berlin are； considering all circumstances； necessary for you； and the Carnival months are the best； 'pour le reste decidez en dernier ressort； et sans appel comme d'abus'。 Let me know your decree； when you have formed it。 Your good or ill success at Hanover will have a very great influence upon your subsequent character； figure； and fortune in the world ； therefore I confess that I am more anxious about it； than ever bride was on her wedding night； when wishes； hopes； fears； and doubts； tumultuously agitate； please； and terrify her。 It is your
