letters to his son, 1751-第13部分

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　they　are　so　easily　had；　that　it　is　astonishing　to　me　that　everybody　has　them　not；　they　are　sooner　gained　than　any　woman　of　common　reputation　and　decency。　　Pursue　them　but　with　care　and　attention；　and　you　are　sure　to　enjoy　them　at　last：　without　them；　I　am　sure；　you　will　never　enjoy　anybody　else。　　You　observe；　truly；　that　Mr。　is　gauche；　it　is　to　be　hoped　that　will　mend　with　keeping　company；　and　is　yet　pardonable　in　him；　as　just　come　from　school。　　But　reflect　what　you　would　think　of　a　man；　who　had　been　any　time　in　the　world；　and　yet　should　be　so　awkward。　　For　God's　sake；　therefore；　now　think　of　nothing　but　shining；　and　even　distinguishing　yourself　in　the　most　polite　courts；　by　your　air；　your　address；　your　manners；　your　politeness；　your　'douceur'；　your　graces。　With　those　advantages　（and　not　without　them）　take　my　word　for　it；　you　will　get　the　better　of　all　rivals；　in　business　as　well　as　in　'ruelles'。　Adieu。　　Send　me　your　patterns；　by　the　next　post；　and　also　your　instructions　to　Grevenkop　about　the　seal；　which　you　seem　to　have　forgotten。




LETTER　CXLIII

LONDON；　May　16；　O。　S。　　1751。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　In　about　three　months　from　this　day；　we　shall　probably　meet。　　I　look　upon　that　moment　as　a　young　woman　does　upon　her　bridal　night；　I　expect　the　greatest　pleasure；　and　yet　cannot　help　fearing　some　little　mixture　of　pain。　　My　reason　bids　me　doubt　a　little；　of　what　my　imagination　makes　me　expect。　　In　some　articles　I　am　very　sure　that　my　most　sanguine　wishes　will　not　be　disappointed；　and　those　are　the　most　material　ones。　　In　others；　I　fear　something　or　other；　which　I　can　better　feel　than　describe。　　However；　I　will　attempt　it。　　I　fear　the　want　of　that　amiable　and　engaging　'je　ne　sais　quoi'；　which　as　some　philosophers　have；　unintelligibly　enough；　said　of　the　soul；　is　all　in　all；　and　all　in　every　part；　it　should　shed　its　influence　over　every　word　and　action。　　I　fear　the　want　of　that　air；　and　first　'abord'；　which　suddenly　lays　hold　of　the　heart；　one　does　not　know　distinctly　how　or　why。　　I　fear　an　inaccuracy；　or；　at　least；　inelegance　of　diction；　which　will　wrong；　and　lower；　the　best　and　justest　matter。　　And；　lastly；　I　fear　an　ungraceful；　if　not　an　unpleasant　utterance；　which　would　disgrace　and　vilify　the　whole。　　Should　these　fears　be　at　present　founded；　yet　the　objects　of　them　are　（thank　God）　of　such　a　nature；　that　you　may；　if　you　please；　between　this　and　our　meeting；　remove　everyone　of　them。　　All　these　engaging　and　endearing　accomplishments　are　mechanical；　and　to　be　acquired　by　care　and　observation；　as　easily　as　turning；　or　any　mechanical　trade。　　A　common　country　fellow；　taken　from　the　plow；　and　enlisted　in　an　old　corps；　soon　lays　aside　his　shambling　gait；　his　slouching　air；　his　clumsy　and　awkward　motions：　and　acquires　the　martial　air；　the　regular　motions；　and　whole　exercise　of　the　corps；　and　particularly　of　his　right　and　left　hand　man。　How　so？　　Not　from　his　parts；　which　were　just　the　same　before　as　after　he　was　enlisted；　but　either　from　a　commendable　ambition　of　being　like；　and　equal　to　those　he　is　to　live　with；　or　else　from　the　fear　of　being　punished　for　not　being　so。　　If　then　both　or　either　of　these　motives　change　such　a　fellow；　in　about　six　months'　time；　to　such　a　degree；　as　that　he　is　not　to　be　known　again；　how　much　stronger　should　both　these　motives　be　with　you；　to　acquire；　in　the　utmost　perfection；　the　whole　exercise　of　the　people　of　fashion；　with　whom　you　are　to　live　all　your　life？　　Ambition　should　make　you　resolve　to　be　at　least　their　equal　in　that　exercise；　as　well　as　the　fear　of　punishment；　which　most　inevitably　will　attend　the　want　of　it。　　By　that　exercise；　I　mean　the　air；　the　manners；　the　graces；　and　the　style　of　people　of　fashion。　　A　friend　of　yours；　in　a　letter　I　received　from　him　by　the　last　post；　after　some　other　commendations　of　you；　says；　'It　is　surprising　that；　thinking　with　so　much　solidity　as　he　does；　and　having　so　true　and　refined　a　taste；　he　should　express　himself　with　so　little　elegance　and　delicacy。　　He　even　totally　neglects　the　choice　of　words　and　turn　of　phrases。〃

This　I　should　not　be　so　much　surprised　or　concerned　at；　if　it　related　only　to　the　English　language；　which　hitherto　you　have　had　no　opportunity　of　studying；　and　but　few　of　speaking；　at　least　to　those　who　could　correct　your　inaccuracies。　　But　if　you　do　not　express　yourself　elegantly　and　delicately　in　French　and　German；　（both　which　languages　I　know　you　possess　perfectly　and　speak　eternally）　it　can　be　only　from　an　unpardonable　inattention　to　what　you　most　erroneously　think　a　little　object；　though；　in　truth；　it　is　one　of　the　most　important　of　your　life。　　Solidity　and　delicacy　of　thought　must　be　given　us：　it　cannot　be　acquired；　though　it　may　be　improved；　but　elegance　and　delicacy　of　expression　may　be　acquired　by　whoever　will　take　the　necessary　care　and　pains。　　I　am　sure　you　love　me　so　well；　that　you　would　be　very　sorry　when　we　meet；　that　I　should　be　either　disappointed　or　mortified；　and　I　love　you　so　well；　that　I　assure　you　I　should　be　both；　if　I　should　find　you　want　any　of　those　exterior　accomplishments　which　are　the　indispensably　necessary　steps　to　that　figure　and　fortune；　which　I　so　earnestly　wish　you　may　one　day　make　in　the　world。

I　hope　you　do　not　neglect　your　exercises　of　riding；　fencing；　and　dancing；　but　particularly　the　latter：　for　they　all　concur　to　'degourdir'；　and　to　give　a　certain　air。　　To　ride　well；　is　not　only　a　proper　and　graceful　accomplishment　for　a　gentleman；　but　may　also　save　you　many　a　fall　hereafter；　to　fence　well；　may　possibly　save　your　life；　and　to　dance　well；　is　absolutely　necessary　in　order　to　sit；　stand；　and　walk　well。　　To　tell　you　the　truth；　my　friend；　I　have　some　little　suspicion　that　you　now　and　then　neglect　or　omit　your　exercises；　for　more　serious　studies。　　But　now　'non　est　his　locus'；　everything　has　its　time；　and　this　is　yours　for　your　exercises；　for　when　you　return　to　Paris　I　only　propose　your　continuing　your　dancing；　which　you　shall　two　years　longer；　if　you　happen　to　be　where　there　is　a　good　dancing…master。　　Here　I　will　see　you　take　some　lessons　with　your　old　master　Desnoyers；　who　is　our　Marcel。

What　says　Madame　du　Pin　to　you？　　I　am　told　she　is　very　handsome　still；　I　know　she　was　some　few　years　ago。　　She　has　good　parts；　reading；　manners；　and　delicacy：　such　an　arrangement　would　be　both　creditable　and　advantageous　to　you。　　She　will　expect　to　meet　with　all　the　good…breeding　and　delicacy　that　she　brings；　and　as　she　is　past　the　glare　and　'eclat'　of　youth；　may　be　the　more　willing　to　listen　to　your　story；　if　you　tell　it　well。　　For　an　attachment；　I　should　prefer　her　to　'la　petite　Blot'；　and；　for　a　mere　gallantry；　I　should　prefer　'la　petite　Blot'　to　her；　so　that　they　are　consistent；　et　'l'un　n'emplche　pas　l'autre'。　　Adieu。　　Remember　'la　douceur　et　les　graces'。




LETTER　CXLIV

LONDON；　May　23；　O。　S。　　1751。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　I　have　this　moment　received　your　letter　of　the　25th　N。　S。；　and　being　rather　something　more　attentive　to　my　commissions　than　you　are　to　yours；　return　you　this　immediate　answer　to　the　question　you　ask　me　about　the　two　pictures：　I　will　not　give　one　livre　more　than　what　I　told　you　in　my　last；　having　no　sort　of　occasion　for　them；　and　not　knowing　very　well　where　to　put　them　if　I　had　them。

I　wait　with　impatience　for　your　final　orders　about　the　mohairs；　the　mercer　persecuting　me　every　day　for　three　pieces　which　I　thought　pretty；　and　which　I　have　kept　by　me　eventually；　to　secure　them　in　case　your　ladies　should　pitch　upon　them。

If　I　durst！　　what　should　hinder　you　from　daring？　　One　always　dares　if　there　are　hopes　of　success　；　and　even　if　there　are　none；　one　is　no　loser　by　daring。　　A　man　of　fashion　knows　how；　and　when；　to　dare。　　He　begins　his　approaches　by　distant　attacks；　by　assiduities；　and　by　attentions。　　If　he　is　not　immediately　and　totally　repulsed；　he　continues　to　advance。　　After　certain　steps　success　is　infallible；　and　none　but　very　silly　fellows　can　then　either　doubt；　or　not　attempt　it。　　Is　it　the　respectable　character　of　Madame　de　la　Valiere　which　prevents　your　daring；　or　are　you　intimidated　at　the　fierce　virtue　of　Madame　du　Pin？　　Does　the　invincible　modesty　of　the　handsome　Madame　Case　discourage；　more　than　her　beauty　invites　you？　Fie；　for　shame！　　Be　convinced　that　the　most　virtuous　woman；　far　from　being　offended　at　a　declaration　of　love；　is　flattered　by　it；　if　it　is　made　in　a　polite　and　agreeable　manner。　　It　is　possible　that　she　may　not　be　propitious　to　your　vows；　that　is　to　say；　if　she　has　a　liking　or　a　passion　for　another　person。　　But；　at　all　events；　she　will　not　be　displeased　with　you　for　it；　so　that；　as　there　is　no　danger；　this　cannot　even　be　called　daring。　　But　if　she　attends；　if　she　listens；　and　allows　you　to　repeat　your　declaration；　be　persuaded　that　if　you　do　not　dare　all　the　rest；　she　will　laugh　at　you。　　I　advise　you　to　begin　rather　by　Madame　du　Pin；　who　has　still　more　than　beauty　enough　for　such　a　youngster　as　you。　　She　has；　besides；　knowledge　of　the　world；　sense；　and　delicacy。　　As　she　is　not　so　extremely　young；　the　choice　of　her　lovers　cannot　be　entirely　at　her　option。　　I　promise　you；　she　will　not　refuse　the　tender　of　your　most　humble　services。　　Distinguish　her；　then；　by　attentions　and　by　tender　looks。　　Take　favorable　opportunities　of　whispering　that　you　wish　esteem　and　friendship　were　the　only　motives　of　your　regard　for　her；　but　that　it　derives　from　sentiments　of　a　much　more　tender　nature：　that　you　made　not　this　declaration　without　pain；　but　that　the　concealing　your　passion　was　a　still　greater　torment。

I　am　sensible；　that　in　saying　this　for　the　first　time；　you　will　look　silly；　abashed；　and　even　express　yourself　very　ill。　　So　much　the　better；　for；　instead　of　attributing　your　confusion　to　the　little　usage　you　have　of　the　world；　particularly　in　these　sort　of　subjects；　she　will　think　that　excess　of　love　is　the　occasion　of　it。　　In　such　a　case；　the　lover's　best　friend　is　self…love。　　Do　not　then　be　afraid；　behave　gallantly。　　Speak　well；　and　you　will　be　heard。　　If　you　are　not　listened　to　the　first　time；　try　a　second；　a　third；　and　a　fourth。　　If　the　place　is　not　already　taken；　depend　upon　it；　it　may　be　conquered。

I　am　very　glad　you　are　going　to　Orli；　and　from　thence　to　St。　Cloud；　go　to　both；　and　to　Versailles　also；　often。　　It　is　that　interior　domestic　familiarity　with　people　of　fashion；　that　alon