letters to his son, 1751-第17部分

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aliquam　eximiam　artem；　sed　quia　par　negotiis　neque　supra　erat'。　Discretion　is　the　great　article；　all　these　things　are　to　be　learned；　and　only　learned　by　keeping　a　great　deal　of　the　best　company。　　Frequent　those　good　houses　where　you　have　already　a　footing；　and　wriggle　yourself　somehow　or　other　into　every　other。　　Haunt　the　courts　particularly　in　order　to　get　that　ROUTINE。

This　moment　I　receive　yours　of　the　18th　N。　S。　　You　will　have　had　some　time　ago　my　final　answers　concerning　the　pictures；　and；　by　my　last；　an　account　that　the　mohairs　were　gone　to　Madame　Morel；　at　Calais；　with　the　proper　directions。

I　am　sorry　that　your　two　sons…in…law　＇？？　　D。W。＇；　the　Princes　B；　are　such　boobies；　however；　as　they　have　the　honor　of　being　so　nearly　related　to　you；　I　will　show　them　what　civilities　I　can。

I　confess　you　have　not　time　for　long　absences　from　Paris；　at　present；　because　of　your　various　masters；　all　which　I　would　have　you　apply　to　closely　while　you　are　now　in　that　capital；　but　when　you　return　thither；　after　the　visit　you　intend　me　the　honor　of；　I　do　not　propose　your　having　any　master　at　all；　except　Marcel；　once　or　twice　a　week。　　And　then　the　courts　will；　I　hope；　be　no　longer　strange　countries　to　you；　for　I　would　have　you　run　down　frequently　to　Versailles　and　St。　Cloud；　for　three　or　four　days　at　a　time。　　You　know　the　Abbe　de　la　Ville；　who　will　present　you　to　others；　so　that　you　will　soon　be　'faufile'　with　the　rest　of　the　court。　Court　is　the　soil　in　which　you　are　to　grow　and　flourish；　you　ought　to　be　well　acquainted　with　the　nature　of　it；　like　all　other　soil；　it　is　in　some　places　deeper；　in　others　lighter；　but　always　capable　of　great　improvement　by　cultivation　and　experience。

You　say　that　you　want　some　hints　for　a　letter　to　Lady　Chesterfield；　more　use　and　knowledge　of　the　world　will　teach　you　occasionally　to　write　and　talk　genteelly；　'sup　des　riens'；　which　I　can　tell　you　is　a　very　useful　part　upon　worldly　knowledge；　for　in　some　companies；　it　would　be　imprudent　to　talk　of　anything　else；　and　with　very　many　people　it　is　impossible　to　talk　of　anything　else；　they　would　not　understand　you。　　Adieu。




LETTER　CXLIX

LONDON；　June　24；　O。　S。　　1751

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　Air；　address；　manners；　and　graces　are　of　such　infinite　advantage　to　whoever　has　them；　and　so　peculiarly　and　essentially　necessary　for　you；　that　now；　as　the　time　of　our　meeting　draws　near；　I　tremble　for　fear　I　should　not　find　you　possessed　of　them；　and；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I　doubt　you　are　not　yet　sufficiently　convinced　for　their　importance。　　There　is；　for　instance；　your　intimate　friend；　Mr。　H…；　who　with　great　merit；　deep　knowledge；　and　a　thousand　good　qualities；　will　never　make　a　figure　in　the　world　while　he　lives。　　Why？　　Merely　for　want　of　those　external　and　showish　accomplishments；　which　he　began　the　world　too　late　to　acquire；　and　which；　with　his　studious　and　philosophical　turn；　I　believe　he　thinks　are　not　worth　his　attention。　　He　may；　very　probably；　make　a　figure　in　the　republic　of　letters；　but　he　had　ten　thousand　times　better　make　a　figure　as　a　man　of　the　world　and　of　business　in　the　republic　of　the　United　Provinces；　which；　take　my　word　for　it；　he　never　will。

As　I　open　myself；　without　the　least　reserve；　whenever　I　think　that　my　doing　so　can　be　of　any　use　to　you；　I　will　give　you　a　short　account　of　myself。　　When　I　first　came　into　the　world；　which　was　at　the　age　you　are　of　now；　so　that；　by　the　way；　you　have　got　the　start　of　me　in　that　important　article　by　two　or　three　years　at　least；at　nineteen　I　left　the　University　of　Cambridge；　where　I　was　an　absolute　pedant；　when　I　talked　my　best；　I　quoted　Horace；　when　I　aimed　at　being　facetious；　I　quoted　Martial；　and　when　I　had　a　mind　to　be　a　fine　gentleman；　I　talked　Ovid。　　I　was　convinced　that　none　but　the　ancients　had　common　sense；　that　the　classics　contained　everything　that　was　either　necessary；　useful；　or　ornamental　to　men；　and　I　was　not　without　thoughts　of　wearing　the　'toga　virilis'　of　the　Romans；　instead　of　the　vulgar　and　illiberal　dress　of　the　moderns。　　With　these　excellent　notions　I　went　first　to　The　Hague；　where；　by　the　help　of　several　letters　of　recommendation；　I　was　soon　introduced　into　all　the　best　company；　and　where　I　very　soon　discovered　that　I　was　totally　mistaken　in　almost　every　one　notion　I　had　entertained。　　Fortunately；　I　had　a　strong　desire　to　please　（the　mixed　result　of　good…nature　and　a　vanity　by　no　means　blamable）；　and　was　sensible　that　I　had　nothing　but　the　desire。　　I　therefore　resolved；　if　possible；　to　acquire　the　means；　too。　　I　studied　attentively　and　minutely　the　dress；　the　air；　the　manner；　the　address；　and　the　turn　of　conversation　of　all　those　whom　I　found　to　be　the　people　in　fashion；　and　most　generally　allowed　to　please。　　I　imitated　them　as　well　as　I　could；　if　I　heard　that　one　man　was　reckoned　remarkably　genteel；　I　carefully　watched　his　dress；　motions　and　attitudes；　and　formed　my　own　upon　them。　　When　I　heard　of　another；　whose　conversation　was　agreeable　and　engaging；　I　listened　and　attended　to　the　turn　of　it。　　I　addressed　myself；　though　'de　tres　mauvaise　grace'；　to　all　the　most　fashionable　fine　ladies；　confessed；　and　laughed　with　them　at　my　own　awkwardness　and　rawness；　recommending　myself　as　an　object　for　them　to　try　their　skill　in　forming。　　By　these　means；　and　with　a　passionate　desire　of　pleasing　everybody；　I　came　by　degrees　to　please　some；　and；　I　can　assure　you；　that　what　little　figure　I　have　made　in　the　world；　has　been　much　more　owing　to　that　passionate　desire　of　pleasing　universally　than　to　any　intrinsic　merit　or　sound　knowledge　I　might　ever　have　been　master　of。　　My　passion　for　pleasing　was　so　strong　（and　I　am　very　glad　it　was　so）；　that　I　own　to　you　fairly；　I　wished　to　make　every　woman　I　saw　in　love　with　me；　and　every　man　I　met　with　admire　me。　　Without　this　passion　for　the　object；　I　should　never　have　been　so　attentive　to　the　means；　and　I　own　I　cannot　conceive　how　it　is　possible　for　any　man　of　good…nature　and　good　sense　to　be　without　this　passion。　　Does　not　good…nature　incline　us　to　please　all　those　we　converse　with；　of　whatever　rank　or　station　they　may　be？　　And　does　not　good　sense　and　common　observation；　show　of　what　infinite　use　it　is　to　please？　　Oh！　but　one　may　please　by　the　good　qualities　of　the　heart；　and　the　knowledge　of　the　head；　without　that　fashionable　air；　address　and　manner；　which　is　mere　tinsel。　　I　deny　it。　　A　man　may　be　esteemed　and　respected；　but　I　defy　him　to　please　without　them。　　Moreover；　at　your　age；　I　would　not　have　contented　myself　with　barely　pleasing；　I　wanted　to　shine　and　to　distinguish　myself　in　the　world　as　a　man　of　fashion　and　gallantry；　as　well　as　business。　　And　that　ambition　or　vanity；　call　it　what　you　please；　was　a　right　one；　it　hurt　nobody；　and　made　me　exert　whatever　talents　I　had。　　It　is　the　spring　of　a　thousand　right　and　good　things。

I　was　talking　you　over　the　other　day　with　one　very　much　your　friend；　and　who　had　often　been　with　you；　both　at　Paris　and　in　Italy。　　Among　the　innumerable　questions　which　you　may　be　sure　I　asked　him　concerning　you；　I　happened　to　mention　your　dress　（for；　to　say　the　truth；　it　was　the　only　thing　of　which　I　thought　him　a　competent　judge）　upon　which　he　said　that　you　dressed　tolerably　well　at　Paris；　but　that　in　Italy　you　dressed　so　ill；　that　he　used　to　joke　with　you　upon　it；　and　even　to　tear　your　clothes。　　Now；　I　must　tell　you；　that　at　your　age　it　is　as　ridiculous　not　to　be　very　well　dressed；　as　at　my　age　it　would　be　if　I　were　to　wear　a　white　feather　and　red…heeled　shoes。　　Dress　is　one　of　various　ingredients　that　contribute　to　the　art　of　pleasing；　it　pleases　the　eyes　at　least；　and　more　especially　of　women。　　Address　yourself　to　the　senses；　if　you　would　please；　dazzle　the　eyes；　soothe　and　flatter　the　ears　of　mankind；　engage　their　hearts；　and　let　their　reason　do　its　worst　against　you。　　'Suaviter　in　modo'　is　the　great　secret。　　Whenever　you　find　yourself　engaged　insensibly；　in　favor　of　anybody　of　no　superior　merit　nor　distinguished　talents；　examine；　and　see　what　it　is　that　has　made　those　impressions　upon　you：　and　you　will　find　it　to　be　that　'douceur'；　that　gentleness　of　manners；　that　air　and　address；　which　I　have　so　often　recommended　to　you；　and　from　thence　draw　this　obvious　conclusion；　that　what　pleases　you　in　them；　will　please　others　in　you；　for　we　are　all　made　of　the　same　clay；　though　some　of　the　lumps　are　a　little　finer；　and　some　a　little　coarser；　but　in　general；　the　surest　way　to　judge　of　others；　is　to　examine　and　analyze　one's　self　thoroughly。　　When　we　meet　I　will　assist　you　in　that　analysis；　in　which　every　man　wants　some　assistance　against　his　own　self…love。　　Adieu。




LETTER　CL

GREENWICH；　June　3o；　O。　S。　　1751。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　Pray　give　the　inclosed　to　our　friend　the　Abbe；　it　is　to　congratulate　him　upon　his　'Canonicat'；　which　I　am　really　very　glad　of；　and　I　hope　it　will　fatten　him　up　to　Boileau's　'Chanoine'；　at　present　he　is　as　meagre　as　an　apostle　or　a　prophet。　　By　the　way；　has　he　ever　introduced　you　to　la　Duchesse　d'Aiguillon？　　If　he　has　not；　make　him　present　you；　and　if　he　has；　frequent　her；　and　make　her　many　compliments　from　me。　　She　has　uncommon；　sense　and　knowledge　for　a　woman；　and　her　house　is　the　resort　of　one　set　of　'les　beaux　esprits。　　It　is　a　satisfaction　and　a　sort　of　credit　to　be　acquainted　with　those　gentlemen；　and　it　puts　a　young　fellow　in　fashion。　　'A　propos　des　beaux　esprits'；　you　have　'les　entries'　at　Lady　Sandwich's；　who；　old　as　she　was；　when　I　saw　her　last；　had　the　strongest　parts　of　any　woman　I　ever　knew　in　my　life？　If　you　are　not　acquainted　with　her；　either　the　Duchesse　d'Aiguillon　or　Lady　Hervey　can；　and　I　dare　say　will；　introduce　you。　　I　can　assure　you；　it　is　very　well　worth　your　while；　both　upon　her　own　account；　and　for　the　sake　of　the　people　of　wit　and　learning　who　frequent　her。　　In　such　companies　there　is　always　something　to　be　learned　as　well　as　manners；　the　conversation　turns　upon　something　above　trifles；　some　point　of　literature；　criticism；　history；　etc。；　is　discussed　with　ingenuity　and　good　manners；　for　I　must　do　the　French　people　of　learning　justice；　they　are　not　bears；　as　most　of　ours　are：　they　are　gentlemen。

Our　Abbe　writes　me　word　that　you　were　gone　to　Compiegne：　I　am　very　glad　of　it；　other　courts　must　form　you　for　your　own。　　He　tells　me　too；　that　you　have　left　off　riding　at　the　'manege'；　I　have　no　objec