letters to his son, 1752-第26章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ire　elicited　whatever　powers　I　had　to　gratify　it；　and　where　I　could　not　perhaps　shine　in　the　first；　enabled　me；　at　least；　to　shine　in　a　second　or　third　sphere。　　By　these　means　I　soon　grew　in　fashion；　and　when　a　man　is　once　in　fashion；　all　he　does　is　right。　　It　was　infinite　pleasure　to　me　to　find　my　own　fashion　and　popularity。　　I　was　sent　for　to　all　parties　of　pleasure；　both　of　men　or　women；　where；　in　some　measure；　I　gave　the　'ton'。　This　gave　me　the　reputation　of　having　had　some　women　of　condition；　and　that　reputation；　whether　true　or　false；　really　got　me　others。　　With　the　men　I　was　a　Proteus；　and　assumed　every　shape；　in　order　to　please　them　all：　among　the　gay；　I　was　the　gayest；　among　the　grave；　the　gravest；　and　I　never　omitted　the　least　attentions　of　good…breeding；　or　the　least　offices　of　friendship；　that　could　either　please；　or　attach　them　to　me：　and　accordingly　I　was　soon　connected　with　all　the　men　of　any　fashion　or　figure　in　town。

To　this　principle　of　vanity；　which　philosophers　call　a　mean　one；　and　which　I　do　not；　I　owe　great　part　of　the　figure　which　I　have　made　in　life。　I　wish　you　had　as　much；　but　I　fear　you　have　too　little　of　it；　and　you　seem　to　have　a　degree　of　laziness　and　listlessness　about　you　that　makes　you　indifferent　as　to　general　applause。　　This　is　not　in　character　at　your　age；　and　would　be　barely　pardonable　in　an　elderly　and　philosophical　man。　It　is　a　vulgar；　ordinary　saying；　but　it　is　a　very　true　one；　that　one　should　always　put　the　best　foot　foremost。　　One　should　please；　shine；　and　dazzle；　wherever　it　is　possible。　　At　Paris；　I　am　sure　you　must　observe　'que　chacun　se　fait　valoir　autant　qu'il　est　possible'；　and　La　Bruyere　observes；　very　justly；　qu'on　ne　vaut　dans　ce　monde　que　ce　qu'on　veut　valoir'：　wherever　applause　is　in　question；　you　will　never　see　a　French　man；　nor　woman；　remiss　or　negligent。　　Observe　the　eternal　attentions　and　politeness　that　all　people　have　there　for　one　another。　　'Ce　n'est　pas　pour　leurs　beaux　yeux　au　moins'。　　No；　but　for　their　own　sakes；　for　commendations　and　applause。　　Let　me　then　recommend　this　principle　of　vanity　to　you；　act　upon　it　'meo　periculo'；　I　promise　you　it　will　turn　to　your　account。　　Practice　all　the　arts　that　ever　coquette　did；　to　please。　Be　alert　and　indefatigable　in　making　every　man　admire；　and　every　woman　in　love　with　you。　　I　can　tell　you　too；　that　nothing　will　carry　you　higher　in　the　world。

I　have　had　no　letter　from　you　since　your　arrival　at　Paris；　though　you　must　have　been　long　enough　there　to　have　written　me　two　or　three。　　In　about　ten　or　twelve　days　I　propose　leaving　this　place；　and　going　to　London；　I　have　found　considerable　benefit　by　my　stay　here；　but　not　all　that　I　want。　　Make　my　compliments　to　Lord　Albemarle。




LETTER　CLXXXIII

BATH；　November　28；　1752

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　Since　my　last　to　you；　I　have　read　Madame　Maintenon's　〃Letters〃；　I　am　sure　they　are　genuine；　and　they　both　entertained　and　informed　me。　　They　have　brought　me　acquainted　with　the　character　of　that　able　and　artful　lady；　whom　I　am　convinced　that　I　now　know　much　better　than　her　directeur　the　Abby　de　Fenelon　（afterward　Archbishop　of　Cambray）　did；　when　he　wrote　her　the　185th　letter；　and　I　know　him　the　better　too　for　that　letter。　　The　Abby；　though　brimful　of　the　divine　love；　had　a　great　mind　to　be　first　minister；　and　cardinal；　in　order；　NO　DOUBT；　to　have　an　opportunity　of　doing　the　more　good。　　His　being　'directeur'　at　that　time　to　Madame　Maintenon；　seemed　to　be　a　good　step　toward　those　views。　　She　put　herself　upon　him　for　a　saint；　and　he　was　weak　enough　to　believe　it；　he；　on　the　other　hand；　would　have　put　himself　upon　her　for　a　saint　too；　which；　I　dare　say；　she　did　not　believe；　but　both　of　them　knew　that　it　was　necessary　for　them　to　appear　saints　to　Lewis　the　Fourteenth；　who　they　were　very　sure　was　a　bigot。　　It　is　to　be　presumed；　nay；　indeed；　it　is　plain　by　that　185th　letter　that　Madame　Maintenon　had　hinted　to　her　directeur　some　scruples　of　conscience；　with　relation　to　her　commerce　with　the　King；　and　which　I　humbly　apprehend　to　have　been　only　some　scruples　of　prudence；　at　once　to　flatter　the　bigot　character；　and　increase　the　desires　of　the　King。　　The　pious　Abbe；　frightened　out　of　his　wits；　lest　the　King　should　impute　to　the　'directeur'　any　scruples　or　difficulties　which　he　might　meet　with　on　the　part　of　the　lady；　writes　her　the　above…　mentioned　letter；　in　which　he　not　only　bids　her　not　tease　the　King　by　advice　and　exhortations；　but　to　have　the　utmost　submission　to　his　will；　and；　that　she　may　not　mistake　the　nature　of　that　submission；　he　tells　her　it　is　the　same　that　Sarah　had　for　Abraham；　to　which　submission　Isaac　perhaps　was　owing。　　No　bawd　could　have　written　a　more　seducing　letter　to　an　innocent　country　girl；　than　the　'directeur'　did　to　his　'penitente'；　who　I　dare　say　had　no　occasion　for　his　good　advice。　　Those　who　would　justify　the　good　'directeur'；　alias　the　pimp；　in　this　affair；　must　not　attempt　to　do　it　by　saying　that　the　King　and　Madame　Maintenon　were　at　that　time　privately　married；　that　the　directeur　knew　it；　and　that　this　was　the　meaning　of　his　'enigme'。　　That　is　absolutely　impossible；　for　that　private　marriage　must　have　removed　all　scruples　between　the　parties；　nay；　could　not　have　been　contracted　upon　any　other　principle；　since　it　was　kept　private；　and　consequently　prevented　no　public　scandal。　　It　is　therefore　extremely　evident　that　Madame　Maintenon　could　not　be　married　to　the　King　at　the　time　when　she　scrupled　granting；　and　when　the　'directeur'　advised　her　to　grant；　those　favors　which　Sarah　with　so　much　submission　granted　to　Abraham：　and　what　the　'directeur'　is　pleased　to　call　'le　mystere　de　Dieu'；　was　most　evidently　a　state　of　concubinage。　　The　letters　are　very　well　worth　your　reading；　they　throw　light　upon　many　things　of　those　times。

I　have　just　received　a　letter　from　Sir　William　Stanhope；　from　Lyons；　in　which　he　tells　me　that　he　saw　you　at　Paris；　that　he　thinks　you　a　little　grown；　but　that　you　do　not　make　the　most　of　it；　for　that　you　stoop　still：　'd'ailleurs'　his　letter　was　a　panegyric　of　you。

The　young　Comte　de　Schullemburg；　the　Chambellan　whom　you　knew　at　Hanover；　is　come　over　with　the　King；　'et　fait　aussi　vos　eloges'。

Though；　as　I　told　you　in　my　last；　I　have　done　buying　pictures；　by　way　of　'virtu'；　yet　there　are　some　portraits　of　remarkable　people　that　would　tempt　me。　　For　instance；　if　you　could　by　chance　pick　up　at　Paris；　at　a　reasonable　price；　and　undoubted　originals　（whether　heads；　half　lengths；　or　whole　lengths；　no　matter）　of　Cardinals　Richelieu；　Mazarin；　and　Retz；　Monsieur　de　Turenne；　le　grand　Prince　de　Condo　；　Mesdames　de　Montespan；　de　Fontanges；　de　Montbazon；　de　Sevigne；　de　Maintenon；　de　Chevreuse；　de　Longueville；　d'Olonne；　etc。；　I　should　be　tempted　to　purchase　them。　　I　am　sensible　that　they　can　only　be　met　with；　by　great　accident；　at　family　sales　and　auctions；　so　I　only　mention　the　affair　to　you　eventually。

I　do　not　understand；　or　else　I　do　not　remember；　what　affair　you　mean　in　your　last　letter；　which　you　think　will　come　to　nothing；　and　for　which；　you　say；　I　had　once　a　mind　that　you　should　take　the　road　again。　　Explain　it　to　me。

I　shall　go　to　town　in　four　or　five　days；　and　carry　back　with　me　a　little　more　hearing　than　I　brought；　but　yet；　not　half　enough　for　common　wants。　One　wants　ready　pocket…money　much　oftener　than　one　wants　great　sums；　and　to　use　a　very　odd　expression；　I　want　to　hear　at　sight。　　I　love　every…day　senses；　every…day　wit　and　entertainment；　a　man　who　is　only　good　on　holydays　is　good　for　very　little。　　Adieu。




LETTER　CLXXXIV

Christmas　Day；　1752

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　A　tyrant　with　legions　at　his　com　mand　may　say；　Oderint　modo　timeant；　though　he　is　a　fool　if　he　says　it；　and　a　greater　fool　if　he　thinks　it。　　But　a　private　man　who　can　hurt　but　few；　though　he　can　please　many；　must　endeavor　to　be　loved；　for　he　cannot　be　feared　in　general。　Popularity　is　his　only　rational　and　sure　foundation。　　The　good…will；　the　affections；　the　love　of　the　public；　can　alone　raise　him　to　any　considerable　height。　　Should　you　ask　me　how　he　is　to　acquire　them；　I　will　answer；　By　desiring　them。　No　man　ever　deserved；　who　did　not　desire　them；　and　no　man　both　deserved　and　desired　them　who　had　them　not；　though　many　have　enjoyed　them　merely　by　desiring；　and　without　deserving　them