letters to his son, 1751-第1部分

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Letters　to　His　Son；　1751
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



LETTER　CXXVI

LONDON；　January　8；　O。S。　　1751

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　By　your　letter　of　the　5th；　N。　S。；　I　find　that　your　'debut'　at　Paris　has　been　a　good　one；　you　are　entered　into　good　company；　and　I　dare　say　you　will；　not　sink　into　bad。　　Frequent　the　houses　where　you　have　been　once　invited；　and　have　none　of　that　shyness　which　makes　most　of　your　countrymen　strangers；　where　they　might　be　intimate　and　domestic　if　they　pleased。　　Wherever　you　have　a　general　invitation　to　sup　when　you　please；　profit　of　it；　with　decency；　and　go　every　now　and　then。　Lord　Albemarle　will；　I　am　sure；　be　extremely　kind　to　you；　but　his　house　is　only　a　dinner　house；　and；　as　I　am　informed；　frequented　by　no　French　people。　　Should　he　happen　to　employ　you　in　his　bureau；　which　I　much　doubt；　you　must　write　a　better　hand　than　your　common　one；　or　you　will　get　no　credit　by　your　manuscripts；　for　your　hand　is　at　present　an　illiberal　one；　it　is　neither　a　hand　of　business　nor　of　a　gentleman；　but　the　hand　of　a　school…boy　writing　his　exercise；　which　he　hopes　will　never　be　read。

Madame　de　Monconseil　gives　me　a　favorable　account　of　you；　and　so　do　Marquis　de　Matignon　and　Madame　du　Boccage；　they　all　say　that　you　desire　to　please；　and　consequently　promise　me　that　you　will；　and　they　judge　right；　for　whoever　really　desires　to　please；　and　has　（as　you　now　have）　the　means　of　learning　how；　certainly　will　please　and　that　is　the　great　point　of　life；　it　makes　all　other　things　easy。　　Whenever　you　are　with　Madame　de　Monconseil；　Madame　du　Boccage；　or　other　women　of　fashion；　with　whom　you　are　tolerably　free；　say　frankly　and　naturally：　〃I　know　little　of　the　world；　I　am　quite　a　novice　in　it；　and　although　very　desirous　of　pleasing；　I　am　at　a　loss　for　the　means。　　Be　so　good；　Madame；　as　to　let　me　into　your　secret　of　pleasing　everybody。　　I　shall　owe　my　success　to　it；　and　you　will　always　have　more　than　falls　to　your　share。〃　　When；　in　consequence　of　this　request；　they　shall　tell　you　of　any　little　error；　awkwardness；　or　impropriety；　you　should　not　only　feel；　but　express　the　warmest　acknowledgment。　　Though　nature　should　suffer；　and　she　will　at　first　hearing　them；　tell　them；　that　you　will　look　upon　the　most　severe　criticisms　as　the　greatest　proof　of　their　friendship。　　Madame　du　Boccage　tells　me；　particularly；　to　inform　you：　〃I　shall　always；　receive　the　honor　of　his　visits　with　pleasure；　it　is　true；　that　at　his　age　the　pleasures　of　conversation　are　cold；　but　I　will　endeavor　to　make　him　acquainted　with　young　people；〃　etc。

Make　use　of　this　invitation；　and　as　you　live；　in　a　manner；　next　door　to　her；　step　in　and　out　there　frequently。　　Monsieur　du　Boccage　will　go　with　you；　he　tells　me；　with　great　pleasure；　to　the　plays；　and　point　out　to　you　whatever　deserves　your　knowing　there。　　This　is　worth　your　acceptance　too；　he　has　a　very　good　taste。　　I　have　not　yet　heard　from　Lady　Hervey　upon　your　subject；　but　as　you　inform　me　that　you　have　already　supped　with　her　once；　I　look　upon　you　as　adopted　by　her；　consult　her　in　all　your　little　matters；　tell　her　any　difficulties　that　may　occur　to　you；　ask　her　what　you　should　do　or　say　in　such　or　such　cases；　she　has　'l'usage　du　monde　en　perfection'；　and　will　help　you　to　acquire　it。　　Madame　de　Berkenrode　'est　paitrie　de　graces'；　and　your　quotation　is　very　applicable　to　her。　　You　may　be　there；　I　dare　say；　as　often　as　you　please；　and　I　would　advise　you　to　sup　there　once　a　week。

You　say；　very　justly；　that　as　Mr。　Harte　is　leaving　you；　you　shall　want　advice　more　than　ever；　you　shall　never　want　mine；　and　as　you　have　already　had　so　much　of　it；　I　must　rather　repeat　than　add　to　what　I　have　already　given　you；　but　that　I　will　do；　and　add　to　it　occasionally；　as　circumstances　may　require。　　At　present　I　shall　only　remind　you　of　your　two　great　objects；　which　you　should　always　attend　to；　they　are　parliament　and　foreign　affairs。　　With　regard　to　the　former；　you　can　do　nothing　while　abroad　but　attend　carefully　to　the　purity；　correctness；　and　elegance　of　your　diction；　the　clearness　and　gracefulness　of　your　utterance；　in　whatever　language　you　speak。　　As　for　the　parliamentary　knowledge；　I　will　take　care　of　that　when　you　come　home。　　With　regard　to　foreign　affairs；　everything　you　do　abroad　may　and　ought　to　tend　that　way。　　Your　reading　should　be　chiefly　historical；　I　do　not　mean　of　remote；　dark；　and　fabulous　history；　still　less　of　jimcrack　natural　history　of　fossils；　minerals；　plants；　etc。；　but　I　mean　the　useful；　political；　and　constitutional　history　of　Europe；　for　these　last　three　centuries　and　a　half。　　The　other　thing　necessary　for　your　foreign　object；　and　not　less　necessary　than　either　ancient　or　modern　knowledge；　is　a　great　knowledge　of　the　world；　manners；　politeness；　address；　and　'le　ton　de　la　bonne　compagnie'。　　In　that　view；　keeping　a　great　deal　of　good　company；　is　the　principal　point　to　which　you　are　now　to　attend。　　It　seems　ridiculous　to　tell　you；　but　it　is　most　certainly　true；　that　your　dancing…master　is　at　this　time　the　man　in　all　Europe　of　the　greatest　importance　to　you。　　You　must　dance　well；　in　order　to　sit；　stand；　and　walk　well；　and　you　must　do　all　these　well　in　order　to　please。　　What　with　your　exercises；　some　reading；　and　a　great　deal　of　company；　your　day　is；　I　confess；　extremely　taken　up；　but　the　day；　if　well　employed；　is　long　enough　for　everything；　and　I　am　sure　you　will　not　slattern　away　one　moment　of　it　in　inaction。　　At　your　age；　people　have　strong　and　active　spirits；　alacrity　and　vivacity　in　all　they　do；　are　'impigri'；　indefatigable；　and　quick。　　The　difference　is；　that　a　young　fellow　of　parts　exerts　all　those　happy　dispositions　in　the　pursuit　of　proper　objects；　endeavors　to　excel　in　the　solid；　and　in　the　showish　parts　of　life；　whereas　a　silly　puppy；　or　a　dull　rogue；　throws　away　all　his　youth　and　spirit　upon　trifles；　where　he　is　serious　or　upon　disgraceful　vices；　while　he　aims　at　pleasures。　　This　I　am　sure　will　not　be　your　case；　your　good　sense　and　your　good　conduct　hitherto　are　your　guarantees　with　me　for　the　future。　　Continue　only　at　Paris　as　you　have　begun；　and　your　stay　there　will　make　you；　what　I　have　always　wished　you　to　be；　as　near　perfection　as　our　nature　permits。

Adieu；　my　dear；　remember　to　write　to　me　once　a…week；　not　as　to　a　father；　but；　without　reserve；　as　to　a　friend。




LETTER　CXXVII

LONDON；　January　14；　O。　S。　　1751

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　Among　the　many　good　things　Mr。　Harte　has　told　me　of　you；　two　in　particular　gave　me　great　pleasure。　　The　first；　that　you　are　exceedingly　careful　and　jealous　of　the　dignity　of　your　character；　that　is　the　sure　and　solid　foundation　upon　which　you　must　both　stand　and　rise。　A　man's　moral　character　is　a　more　delicate　thing　than　a　woman's　reputation　of　chastity。　　A　slip　or　two　may　possibly　be　forgiven　her；　and　her　character　may　be　clarified　by　subsequent　and　continued　good　conduct：　but　a　man's　moral　character　once　tainted　is　irreparably　destroyed。　　The　second　was；　that　you　had　acquired　a　most　correct　and　extensive　knowledge　of　foreign　affairs；　such　as　the　history；　the　treaties；　and　the　forms　of　government　of　the　several　countries　of　Europe。　　This　sort　of　knowledge；　little　attended　to　here；　will　make　you　not　only　useful；　but　necessary；　in　your　future　destination；　and　carry　you　very　far。　　He　added　that　you　wanted　from　hence　some　books　relative　to　our　laws　and　constitution；　our　colonies；　and　our　commerce；　of　which　you　know　less　than　of　those　of　any　other　part　of　Europe。　　I　will　send　you　what　short　books　I　can　find　of　that　sort；　to　give　you　a　general　notion　of　those　things：　but　you　cannot　have　time　to　go　into　their　depths　at　presentyou　cannot　now　engage　with　new　folios；　you　and　I　will　refer　the　constitutional　part　of　this　country　to　our　meeting　here；　when　we　will　enter　seriously　into　it；　and　read　the　necessary　books　together。　　In　the　meantime；　go　on　in　the　course　you　are　in；　of　foreign　matters；　converse　with　ministers　and　others　of　every　country；　watch　the　transactions　of　every　court；　and　endeavor　to　trace　them　up　to　their　source。　　This；　with　your　physics；　your　geometry；　and　your　exercises；　will　be　all　that　you　can　possibly　have　time　for　at　Paris；　for　you　must　allow　a　great　deal　for　company　and　pleasures：　it　is　they　that　must　give　you　those　manners；　that　address；　that　'tournure'　of　the　'beau　monde'；　which　will　qualify　you　for　your　future　destination。　　You　must　first　please；　in　order　to　get　the　confidence；　and　consequently　the　secrets；　of　the　courts　and　ministers　for　whom　and　with　whom　you　negotiate。

I　will　send　you　by　the　first　opportunity　a　short　book　written　by　Lord　Bolingbroke；　under　the　name　of　Sir　John　Oldcastle；　containing　remarks　upon　the　history　of　England；　which　will　give　you　a　clear　general　notion　of　our　constitution；　and　which　will　serve　you；　at　the　same　time；　like　all　Lord　Bolingbroke's　works；　for　a　model　of　eloquence　and　style。　　I　will　also　send　you　Sir　Josiah　Childe's　little　book　upon　trade；　which　may　properly　be　called　the　Commercial　Grammar。〃　　He　lays　down　the　true　principles　of　commerce；　and　his　conclusions　from　them　are　generally　very　just。

Since　you　turn　your　thoughts　a　little　toward　trade　and　commerce；　which　I　am　very　glad　you　do；　I　will　recommend　a　French　book　to　you；　which　you　will　easily　get　at　Paris；　and　which　I　take　to　be　the　best　book　in　the　world　of　that　kind：　I　mean　the　'Dictionnaire　de　Commerce　de　Savory'；　in　three　volumes　in　folio；　where　you　will　find　every　one　thing　that　relates　to　trade；　commerce；　specie；　exchange；　etc。；　most　clearly　stated；　and　not　only　relative　to　France；　but　to　the　whole　world。　　You　will　easily　suppose；　that　I　do　not　advise　you　to　read　such　a　book　'tout　de　suite'；　but　I　only　mean　that　you　should　have　it　at　hand；　to　have　recourse　to　occasionally。

With　this　great　stock　of　both　useful　and　ornamental　knowledge；　which　you　have　already　acquired；　and　which；　by　your　application　and　industry；　you　are　daily　increasing；　you　will　lay　such　a　solid　foundation　of　future　figure　and　fortune；　that　if　you　complete　it　by　all　the　accomplishments　of　manners