letters to his son, 1751-第18部分

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m　you　for　your　own。　　He　tells　me　too；　that　you　have　left　off　riding　at　the　'manege'；　I　have　no　objection　to　that；　it　takes　up　a　great　deal　of　the　morning；　and　if　you　have　got　a　genteel　and　firm　seat　on　horseback；　it　is　enough　for　you；　now　that　tilts　and　tournaments　are　laid　aside。　　I　suppose　you　have　hunted　at　Compiegne。　　The　King's　hunting　there；　I　am　told；　is　a　fine　sight。　　The　French　manner　of　hunting　is　gentlemanlike；　ours　is　only　for　bumpkins　and　boobies。　　The　poor　beasts　are　here　pursued　and　run　down　by　much　greater　beasts　than　themselves；　and　the　true　British　fox…hunter　is　most　undoubtedly　a　species　appropriated　and　peculiar　to　this　country；　which　no　other　part　of　the　globe　produces。

I　hope　you　apply　the　time　you　have　saved　from　the　riding…house　to　useful　more　than　to　learned　purposes；　for　I　can　assure　you　they　are　very　different　things。　　I　would　have　you　allow　but　one　hour　a…day　for　Greek；　and　that　more　to　keep　what　you　have　than　to　increase　it：　by　Greek；　I　mean　useful　Greek　books；　such　as　Demosthenes；　Thucydides；　etc。；　and　not　the　poets；　with　whom　you　are　already　enough　acquainted。　　Your　Latin　will　take　care　of　itself。　　Whatever　more　time　you　may　have　for　reading；　pray　bestow　it　upon　those　books　which　are　immediately　relative　to　your　destination；　such　as　modern　history；　in　the　modern　languages；　memoirs；　anecdotes；　letters；　negotiations；　etc。　　Collect　also；　if　you　can；　authentically；　the　present　state　of　all　the　courts　and　countries　in　Europe；　the　characters　of　the　kings　and　princes；　their　wives；　their　ministers；　and　their　ws；　their　several　views；　connections；　and　interests；　the　state　of　their　FINANCES；　their　military　force；　their　trade；　manufactures；　and　commerce。　That　is　the　useful；　the　necessary　knowledge　for　you；　and　indeed　for　every　gentleman。　　But　with　all　this；　remember；　that　living　books　are　much　better　than　dead　ones；　and　throw　away　no　time　（for　it　is　thrown　away）　with　the　latter；　which　you　can　employ　well　with　the　former；　for　books　must　now　be　your　only　amusement；　but；　by　no　means　your　business。　　I　had　much　rather　that　you　were　passionately　in　love　with　some　determined　coquette　of　condition　（who　would　lead　you　a　dance；　fashion；　supple；　and　polish　you）；　than　that　you　knew　all　Plato　and　Aristotle　by　heart：　an　hour　at　Versailles；　Compiegne；　or　St。　Cloud；　is　now　worth　more　to　you　than　three　hours　in　your　closet；　with　the　best　books　that　ever　were　written。

I　hear　the　dispute　between　the　court　and　the　clergy　is　made　up　amicably；　both　parties　have　yielded　something；　the　king　being　afraid　of　losing　more　of　his　soul；　and　the　clergy　more　of　their　revenue。　　Those　gentlemen　are　very　skillful　in　making　the　most　of　the　vices　and　the　weaknesses　of　the　laity。　　I　hope　you　have　read　and　informed　yourself　fully　of　everything　relative　to　that　affair；　it　is　a　very　important　question；　in　which　the　priesthood　of　every　country　in　Europe　is　highly　concerned。　　If　you　would　be　thoroughly　convinced　that　their　tithes　are　of　divine　institution；　and　their　property　the　property　of　God　himself；　not　to　be　touched　by　any　power　on　earth；　read　Fra　Paolo　De　Beneficiis；　an　excellent　and　short　book；　for　which；　and　some　other　treaties　against　the　court　of　Rome；　he　was　stilettoed；　which　made　him　say　afterward；　upon　seeing　an　anonymous　book　written　against　him　by　order　of　the　Pope；　'Conosco　bene　to　stile　Romano'。

The　parliament　of　Paris；　and　the　states　of　Languedoc；　will；　I　believe；　hardly　scramble　off；　having　only　reason　and　justice；　but　no　terrors　on　their　side。　　Those　are　political　and　constitutional　questions　that　well　deserve　your　attention　and　inquiries。　　I　hope　you　are　thoroughly　master　of　them。　　It　is　also　worth　your　while　to　collect　and　keep　all　the　pieces　written　upon　those　subjects。

I　hope　you　have　been　thanked　by　your　ladies；　at　least；　if　not　paid　in　money；　for　the　mohairs；　which　I　sent　by　a　courier　to　Paris；　some　time　ago；　instead　of　sending　them　to　Madame　Morel；　at　Calais；　as　I　told　you　I　should。　　Do　they　like　them；　and　do　they　like　you　the　better　for　getting　them？　　'Le　petite　Blot　devroit　au　moins　payer　de　sa　personne'。　　As　for　Madame　de　Polignac；　I　believe　you　will　very　willingly　hold　her　excused　from　personal　payment。

Before　you　return　to　England；　pray　go　again　to　Orli；　for　two　or　three　days；　and　also　to　St。　Cloud；　in　order　to　secure　a　good　reception　there　at　your　return。　　Ask　the　Marquis　de　Matignon　too；　if　he　has　any　orders　for　you　in　England；　or　any　letters　or　packets　for　Lord　Bolingbroke。　　Adieu！　Go　on　and　prosper。




LETTER　CLI

GREENWICH；　July　8；　O。　S。　　1751。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　The　last　mail　brought　me　your　letter　of　the　3d　July；　N。　S。　　I　am　glad　that　you　are　so　well　with　Colonel　Yorke；　as　to　be　let　into　secret　correspondences。　　Lord　Albemarle's　reserve　to　you　is；　I　believe；　more　owing　to　his　secretary　than　to　himself；　for　you　seem　to　be　much　in　favor　with　him；　and　possibly　too　HE　HAS　NO　VERY　SECRET　LETTERS　to　communicate。　However；　take　care　not　to　discover　the　least　dissatisfaction　upon　this　score：　make　the　proper　acknowledgments　to　Colonel　Yorke；　for　what　he　does　show　you；　but　let　neither　Lord　Albemarle　nor　his　people　perceive　the　least　coldness　on　your　part；　upon　account　of　what　they　do　not　show　you。　It　is　very　often　necessary；　not　to　manifest　all　one　feels。　Make　your　court　to；　and　connect　yourself　as　much　as　possible　with　Colonel　Yorke；　he　may　be　of　great　use　to　you　hereafter；　and　when　you　take　leave；　not　only　offer　to　bring　over　any　letters　or　packets；　by　way　of　security；　but　even　ask；　as　a　favor；　to　be　the　carrier　of　a　letter　from　him　to　his　father；　the　Chancellor。　　'A　propos'　of　your　coming　here；　I　confess　that　I　am　weakly　impatient　for　it；　and　think　a　few　days　worth　getting；　I　would；　therefore；　instead　of　the　25th　of　next　month；　N。　S。；　which　was　the　day　that　I　some　time　ago　appointed　for　your　leaving　Paris；　have　you　set　out　on　Friday　the　20th　of　August；　N。　S。；　in　consequence　of　which　you　will　be　at　Calais　some　time　on　the　Sunday　following；　and　probably　at　Dover　within　four…and…twenty　hours　afterward。　　If　you　land　in　the　morning；　you　may；　in　a　postchaise；　get　to　Sittingborne　that　day；　if　you　come　on　shore　in　the　evening；　you　can　only　get　to　Canterbury；　where　you　will　be　better　lodged　than　at　Dover。　　I　will　not　have　you　travel　in　the　night；　nor　fatigue　and　overheat　yourself　by　running　on　fourscore　miles　the　moment　you　land。　You　will　come　straight　to　Blackheath；　where　I　shall　be　ready　to　meet　you；　and　which　is　directly　upon　the　Dover　road　to　London；　and　we　will　go　to　town　together；　after　you　have　rested　yourself　a　day　or　two　here。　　All　the　other　directions；　which　I　gave　you　in　my　former　letter；　hold　still　the　same。　　But；　notwithstanding　this　regulation；　should　you　have　any　particular　reasons　for　leaving　Paris　two　or　three　days　sooner　or　later；　than　the　above　mentioned；　'vous　etes　maitre'。　　Make　all　your　arrangements　at　Paris　for　about　a　six　weeks　stay　in　England　at　farthest。

I　had　a　letter　the　other　day　from　Lord　Huntingdon；　of　which　one…half　at　least　was　your　panegyric；　it　was　extremely　welcome　to　me　from　so　good　a　hand。　　Cultivate　that　friendship；　it　will　do　you　honor　and　give　you　strength。　　Connections；　in　our　mixed　parliamentary　government；　are　of　great　use。

I　send　you　here　inclosed　the　particular　price　of　each　of　the　mohairs；　but　I　do　not　suppose　that　you　will　receive　a　shilling　for　anyone　of　them。　However；　if　any　of　your　ladies　should　take　an　odd　fancy　to　pay；　the　shortest　way；　in　the　course　of　business；　is　for　you　to　keep　the　money；　and　to　take　so　much　less　from　Sir　John　Lambert　in　your　next　draught　upon　him。

I　am　very　sorry　to　hear　that　Lady　Hervey　is　ill。　　Paris　does　not　seem　to　agree　with　her；　she　used　to　have　great　health　here。　　'A　propos'　of　her；　remember；　when　you　are　with　me；　not　to　mention　her　but　when　you　and　I　are　quite　alone；　for　reasons　which　I　will　tell　you　when　we　meet：　but　this　is　only　between　you　and　me；　and　I　desire　that　you　will　not　so　much　as　hint　it　to　her；　or　to　anybody　else。

If　old　Kurzay　goes　to　the　valley　of　Jehoshaphat；　I　cannot　help　it；　it　will　be　an　ease　to　our　friend　Madame　Montconseil；　who　I　believe　maintains　her；　and　a　little　will　not　satisfy　her　in　any　way。

Remember　to　bring　your　mother　some　little　presents；　they　need　not　be　of　value；　but　only　marks　of　your　affection　and　duty　for　one　who　has　always　been　tenderly　fond　of　you。　　You　may　bring　Lady　Chesterfield　a　little　Martin　snuffbox　of　about　five　Louis　；　and　you　need　bring　over　no　other　presents；　you　and　I　not　wanting　'les　petits　presens　pour　entretenir　l'amitee'。

Since　I　wrote　what　goes　before；　I　have　talked　you　over　minutely　with　Lord　Albemarle；　who　told　me；　that　he　could　very　sincerely　commend　you　upon　every　article　but　one；　but　upon　that　one　you　were　often　joked；　both　by　him　and　others。　　I　desired　to　know　what　that　was；　he　laughed　and　told　me　it　was　the　article　of　dress；　in　which　you　were　exceedingly　negligent。　Though　he　laughed；　I　can　assure　you　that　it　is　no　laughing　matter　for　you；　and　you　will　possibly　be　surprised　when　I　assert　（but；　upon　my　word；　it　is　literally　true）；　that　to　be　very　well　dressed　is　of　much　more　importance　to　you；　than　all　the　Greek　you　know　will；　be　of　these　thirty　years。　　Remember　that　the　world　is　now　your　only　business；　and　that　you　must　adopt　its　customs　and　manners；　be　they　silly　or　be　they　not。　　To　neglect　your　dress；　is　an　affront　to　all　the　women　you　keep　company　with；　as　it　implies　that　you　do　not　think　them　worth　that　attention　which　everybody　else　doth；　they　mind　dress；　and　you　will　never　please　them　if　you　neglect　yours；　and　if　you　do　not　please　the　women；　you　will　not　please　half　the　men　you　otherwise　might。　　It　is　the　women　who　put　a　young　fellow　in　fashion　even　with　the　men。　　A　young　fellow　ought　to　have　a　certain　fund　of　coquetry；　which　should　make　him　try　all　the　means　of　pleasing；　as　much　as　any　coquette　in　Europe　can　do。　　Old　as　I　am；　and　little　thinking　of　women；　God　knows；　I　am　very　far　from　being　negligent　of　my　dress；　and　why？　　From　conformity　to　custom；　and　out　of　decency　to　men；　who　expect　that　degree　of　complaisance。　　I　do　not；　indeed；　wear　feathers　and　red　heels；　which　would　ill　suit　my　age；　but　I　take　care　to　have　my　clothes　well　made；　my　wig　well　combed　and　powdered；　my　linen　and　person　extremely　clean。　　I　even　allow　my　footman　forty　shillings　a　year　extr