letters to his son, 1750-第20章

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the　wildest　part　of　my　youth；　I　never　was　a　rake；　but；　on　the　contrary；　always　detested　and　despised　that　character。

A　man　of　pleasure；　though　not　always　so　scrupulous　as　he　should　be；　and　as　one　day　he　will　wish　he　had　been；　refines　at　least　his　pleasures　by　taste；　accompanies　them　with　decency；　and　enjoys　them　with　dignity。　Few　men　can　be　men　of　pleasure；　every　man　may　be　a　rake。　　Remember　that　I　shall　know　everything　you　say　or　do　at　Paris；　as　exactly　as　if；　by　the　force　of　magic；　I　could　follow　you　everywhere；　like　a　sylph　or　a　gnome；　invisible　myself。　　Seneca　says；　very　prettily；　that　one　should　ask　nothing　of　God；　but　what　one　should　be　willing　that　men　should　know；　nor　of　men；　but　what　one　should　be　willing　that　God　should　know。　　I　advise　you　to　say　and　do　nothing　at　Paris；　but　what　you　would　be　willing　that　I　should　know。　　I　hope；　nay；　I　believe；　that　will　be　the　case。　　Sense；　I　dare　say；　you　do　not　want；　instruction；　I　am　sure；　you　have　never　wanted：　experience　you　are　daily　gaining：　all　which　together　must　inevitably　（I　should　think）　make　you　both　'respectable　et　aimable'；　the　perfection　of　a　human　character。　　In　that　case　nothing　shall　be　wanting　on　my　part；　and　you　shall　solidly　experience　all　the　extent　and　tenderness　of　my　affection　for　you；　but　dread　the　reverse　of　both！　Adieu！

P。　S。　　When　you　get　to　Paris；　after　you　have　been　to　wait　on　Lord　Albemarle；　go　to　see　Mr。　Yorke；　whom　I　have　particular　reasons　for　desiring　that　you　should　be　well　with；　as　I　shall　hereafter　explain　to　you。　　Let　him　know　that　my　orders；　and　your　own　inclinations；　conspired　to　make　you　desire　his　friendship　and　protection。




LETTER　CXXII


MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　I　have　sent　you　so　many　preparatory　letters　for　Paris；　that　this；　which　will　meet　you　there；　shall　only　be　a　summary　of　them　all。

You　have　hitherto　had　more　liberty　than　anybody　of　your　age　ever　had；　and　I　must　do　you　the　justice　to　own；　that　you　have　made　a　better　use　of　it　than　most　people　of　your　age　would　have　done；　but　then；　though　you　had　not　a　jailer；　you　had　a　friend　with　you。　　At　Paris；　you　will　not　only　be　unconfined；　but　unassisted。　　Your　own　good　sense　must　be　your　only　guide：　I　have　great　confidence　in　it；　and　am　convinced　that　I　shall　receive　just　such　accounts　of　your　conduct　at　Paris　as　I　could　wish；　for　I　tell　you　beforehand；　that　I　shall　be　most　minutely　informed　of　all　that　you　do；　and　almost　of　all　that　you　say　there。　　Enjoy　the　pleasures　of　youth；　you　cannot　do　better：　but　refine　and　dignify　them　like　a　man；　of　parts；　let　them　raise；　and　not　sink；　let　them　adorn　and　not　vilify　your　character；　let　them；　in　short；　be　the　pleasures　of　a　gentleman；　and　taken　with　your　equals　at　least；　but　rather　with　your　superiors；　and　those　chiefly　French。

Inquire　into　the　characters　of　the　several　Academicians；　before　you　form　a　connection　with　any　of　them；　and　be　most　upon　your　guard　against　those　who　make　the　most　court　to　you。

You　cannot　study　much　in　the　Academy；　but　you　may　study　usefully　there；　if　you　are　an　economist　of　your　time；　and　bestow　only　upon　good　books　those　quarters　and　halves　of　hours；　which　occur　to　everybody　in　the　course　of　almost　every　day；　and　which；　at　the　year's　end；　amount　to　a　very　considerable　sum　of　time。　　Let　Greek；　without　fail；　share　some　part　of　every　day；　I　do　not　mean　the　Greek　poets；　the　catches　of　Anacreon；　or　the　tender　complaints　of　Theocritus；　or　even　the　porter…like　language　of　Homer's　heroes；　of　whom　all　smatterers　in　Greek　know　a　little；　quote　often；　and　talk　of　always；　but　I　mean　Plato；　Aristoteles；　Demosthenes；　and　Thucydides；　whom　none　but　adepts　know。　　It　is　Greek　that　must　distinguish　you　in　the　learned　world；　Latin　alone　will　not：　and　Greek　must　be　sought　to　be　retained；　for　it　never　occurs　like　Latin。　　When　you　read　history　or　other　books　of　amusement；　let　every　language　you　are　master　of　have　its　turn；　so　that　you　may　not　only　retain；　but　improve　in　everyone。　　I　also　desire　that　you　will　converse　in　German　and　Italian；　with　all　the　Germans　and　the　Italians　with　whom　you　converse　at　all。　This　will　be　a　very　agreeable　and　flattering　thing　to　them；　and　a　very　useful　one　to　you。

Pray　apply　yourself　diligently　to　your　exercises；　for　though　the　doing　them　well　is　not　supremely　meritorious；　the　doing　them　ill　is　illiberal；　vulgar；　and　ridiculous。

I　recommend　theatrical　representations　to　you；　which　are　excellent　at　Paris。　　The　tragedies　of　Corneille　and　Racine；　and　the　comedies　of　Moliere；　well　attended　to；　are　admirable　lessons；　both　for　the　heart　and　the　head。　　There　is　not；　nor　ever　was；　any　theatre　comparable　to　the　French。　　If　the　music　of　the　French　operas　does　not　please　your　Italian　ear；　the　words　of　them；　at　least；　are　sense　and　poetry；　which　is　much　more　than　I　can；　say　of　any　Italian　opera　that　I　ever　read　or　heard　in　my　life。

I　send　you　the　inclosed　letter　of　recommendation　to　Marquis　Matignon；　which　I　would　have　you　deliver　to　him　as　soon　as　you　can；　you　will；　I　am　sure；　feel　the　good　effects　of　his　warm　friendship　for　me　and　Lord　Bolingbroke；　who　has　also　wrote　to　him　upon　your　subject。　　By　that；　and　by　the　other　letters　which　I　have　sent　you；　you　will　be　at　once　so　thoroughly　introduced　into　the　best　French　company；　that　you　must　take　some　pains　if　you　will　keep　bad；　but　that　is　what　I　do　not　suspect　you　of。　　You　have；　I　am　sure；　too　much　right　ambition　to　prefer　low　and　disgraceful　company　to　that　of　your　superiors；　both　in　rank　and　age。　Your　character；　and　consequently　your　fortune；　absolutely　depends　upon　the　company　you　keep；　and　the　turn　you　take　at　Paris。　　I　do　not　in　the　least　mean　a　grave　turn；　on　the　contrary；　a　gay；　a　sprightly；　but；　at　the　same　time；　an　elegant　and　liberal　one。

Keep　carefully　out　of　all　scrapes　and　quarrels。　　They　lower　a　character　extremely；　and　are　particularly　dangerous　in　France；　where　a　man　is　dishonored　by　not　resenting　an　affront；　and　utterly　ruined　by　resenting　it。　　The　young　Frenchmen　are　hasty；　giddy；　and　petulant；　extremely　national；　and　'avantageux'。　　Forbear　from　any　national　jokes　or　reflections；　which　are　always　improper；　and　commonly　unjust。　　The　colder　northern　nations　generally　look　upon　France　as　a　whistling；　singing；　dancing；　frivolous　nation；　this　notion　is　very　far　from　being　a　true　one；　though　many　'Petits　maitres'　by　their　behavior　seem　to　justify　it；　but　those　very　'petits　maltres'；　when　mellowed　by　age　and　experience；　very　often　turn　out　very　able　men。　　The　number　of　great　generals　and　statesmen；　as　well　as　excellent　authors；　that　France　has　produced；　is　an　undeniable　proof；　that　it　is　not　that　frivolous；　unthinking；　empty　nation　that　northern　prejudices　suppose　it。　　Seem　to　like　and　approve　of　everything　at　first；　and　I　promise　you　that　you　will　like　and　approve　of　many　things　afterward。

I　expect　that　you　will　write　to　me　constantly；　once　every　week；　which　I　desire　may　be　every　Thursday；　and　that　your　letters　may　inform　me　of　your　personal　transactions：　not　of　what　you　see；　but　of　whom　you　see；　and　what　you　do。

Be　your　own　monitor；　now　that　you　will　have　no　other。　　As　to　enunciation；　I　must　repeat　it　to　you　again　and　again；　that　there　is　no　one　thing　so　necessary：　all　other　talents；　without　that；　are　absolutely　useless；　except　in　your　own　closet。

It　sounds　ridiculously　to　bid　you　study　with　your　dancing…master；　and　yet　I　do。　　The　bodily…carriage　and　graces　are　of　infinite　consequence　to　everybody；　and　more　particularly　to　you。

Adieu　for　this　time；　my　dear　child。　　Yours　tenderly。




LETTER　CXXIII

LONDON；　November　12；　O。　S。　　1750

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　You　will　possibly　think；　that　this　letter　turns　upon　strange；　little；　trifling　objects；　and　you　will　think　right；　if　you　consider　them　separately；　but　if　you　take　them　aggregately；　you　will　be　convinced　that　as　parts；　which　conspire　to　form　that　whole；　called　the　exterior　of　a　man　of　fashion；　they　are　of　importance。　　I　shall　not　dwell　now　upon　these　personal　graces；　that　liberal　air；　and　that　engaging　address；　which　I　have　so　often　recommended　to　you；　but　descend　still　lower；　to　your　dress；　cleanliness；　and　care　of　your　person。

When　you　come　to　Paris；　you　may　take　care　to　be　extremely　well　dressed；　that　is；　as　the　fashionable　people　are；　this　does　by　no　means　consist　in　the　fi