letters to his son, 1749-第14章

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LETTER　LXXXIV

LONDON；　October　2；　O。　S。　　1749。

DEAR　BOY：　I　received　by　the　last　post　your　letter　of　the　22d　September；　N。　S。；　but　I　have　not　received　that　from　Mr。　Harte　to　which　you　refer；　and　which　you　say　contained　your　reasons　for　leaving　Verona；　and　returning　to　Venice；　so　that　I　am　entirely　ignorant　of　them。　　Indeed　the　irregularity　and　negligence　of　the　post　provoke　me；　as　they　break　the　thread　of　the　accounts　I　want　to　receive　from　you；　and　of　the　instructions　and　orders　which　I　send　you；　almost　every　post。　　Of　these　last　twenty　posts。

I　am　sure　that　I　have　wrote　eighteen；　either　to　you　or　to　Mr。　Harte；　and　it　does　not　appear　by　your　letter；　that　all　or　even　any　of　my　letters　have　been　received。　　I　desire　for　the　future；　that　both　you　and　Mr。　Harte　will　constantly；　in　your　letters；　mention　the　dates　of　mine。　　Had　it　not　been　for　their　miscarriage；　you　would　not　have；　been　in　the　uncertainty　you　seem　to　be　in　at　present；　with　regard　to　your　future　motions。　　Had　you　received　my　letters；　you　would　have　been　by　this　time　at　Naples：　but　we　must　now　take　things　where　they　are。

Upon　the　receipt；　then；　of　this　letter；　you　will　as　soon　as　conveniently　you　can；　set　out　for　Rome；　where　you　will　not　arrive　too　long　before　the　jubilee；　considering　the　difficulties　of　getting　lodgings；　and　other　accommodations　there　at　this　time。　　I　leave　the　choice　of　the　route　to　you；　but　I　do　by　no　means　intend　that　you　should　leave　Rome　after　the　jubilee；　as　you　seem　to　hint　in　your　letter：　on　the　contrary；　I　will　have　Rome　your　headquarters　for　six　months　at　least；　till　you　shall　have；　in　a　manner；　acquired　the　'Jus　Civitatis'　there。　　More　things　are　to　be　seen　and　learned　there；　than　in　any　other　town　in　Europe；　there　are　the　best　masters　to　instruct；　and　the　best　companies　to　polish　you。　　In　the　spring　you　may　make　（if　you　please）　frequent　excursions　to　Naples；　but　Rome　must　still　be　your　headquarters；　till　the　heats　of　June　drive　you　from　thence　to　some　other　place　in　Italy；　which　we　shall　think　of　by　that　time。　　As　to　the　expense　which　you　mention；　I　do　not　regard　it　in　the　least；　from　your　infancy　to　this　day；　I　never　grudged　any　expense　in　your　education；　and　still　less　do　it　now；　that　it　is　become　more　important　and　decisive：　I　attend　to　the　objects　of　your　expenses；　but　not　to　the　sums。　　I　will　certainly　not　pay　one　shilling　for　your　losing　your　nose；　your　money；　or　your　reason；　that　is；　I　will　not　contribute　to　women；　gaming；　and　drinking。　　But　I　will　most　cheerfully　supply；　not　only　every　necessary；　but　every　decent　expense　you　can　make。　　I　do　not　care　what　the　best　masters　cost。　　I　would　have　you　as　well　dressed；　lodged；　and　attended；　as　any　reasonable　man　of　fashion　is　in　his　travels。　　I　would　have　you　have　that　pocket…money　that　should　enable　you　to　make　the　proper　expense　'd'un　honnete　homme'。　　In　short；　I　bar　no　expense；　that　has　neither　vice　nor　folly　for　its　object；　and　under　those　two　reasonable　restrictions；　draw；　and　welcome。

As　for　Turin；　you　may　go　there　hereafter；　as　a　traveler；　for　a　month　or　two；　but　you　cannot　conveniently　reside　there　as　an　academician；　for　reasons　which　I　have　formerly　communicated　to　Mr。　Harte；　and　which　Mr。　Villettes；　since　his　return　here；　has　shown　me　in　a　still　stronger　light　than　he　had　done　by　his　letters　from　Turin；　of　which　I　sent　copies　to　Mr。　Harte；　though　probably　he　never　received　them。

After　you　have　left　Rome；　Florence　is　one　of　the　places　with　which　you　should　be　thoroughly　acquainted。　　I　know　that　there　is　a　great　deal　of　gaming　there；　but；　at　the　same　time；　there　are　in　every　place　some　people　whose　fortunes　are　either　too　small；　or　whose　understandings　are　too　good　to　allow　them　to　play　for　anything　above　trifles；　and　with　those　people　you　will　associate　yourself；　if　you　have　not　（as　I　am　assured　you　have　not；　in　the　least）　the　spirit　of　gaming　in　you。　　Moreover；　at　suspected　places；　such　as　Florence；　Turin；　and　Paris；　I　shall　be　more　attentive　to　your　draughts；　and　such　as　exceed　a　proper　and　handsome　expense　will　not　be　answered；　for　I　can　easily　know　whether　you　game　or　not　without　being　told。

Mr。　Harte　will　determine　your　route　to　Rome　as　he　shall　think　best；　whether　along　the　coast　of　the　Adriatic；　or　that　of　the　Mediterranean；　it　is　equal　to　me；　but　you　will　observe　to　come　back　a　different　way　from　that　you　went。

Since　your　health　is　so　well　restored；　I　am　not　sorry　that　you　have　returned　to　Venice；　for　I　love　capitals。　　Everything　is　best　at　capitals；　the　best　masters；　the　best　companions；　and　the　best　manners。　　Many　other　places　are　worth　seeing；　but　capitals　only　are　worth　residing　at。　　I　am　very　glad　that　Madame　Capello　received　you　so　well。　　Monsieur　I　was　sure　would：　pray　assure　them　both　of　my　respects；　and　of　my　sensibility　of　their　kindness　to　you。　　Their　house　will　be　a　very　good　one　for　you　at　Rome；　and　I　would　advise　you　to　be　domestic　in　it　if　you　can。　　But　Madame；　I　can　tell　you；　requires　great　attentions。　　Madame　Micheli　has　written　a　very　favorable　account　of　you　to　my　friend　the　Abbe　Grossa　Testa；　in　a　letter　which　he　showed　me；　and　in　which　there　are　so　many　civil　things　to　myself；　that　I　would　wish　to　tell　her　how　much　I　think　myself　obliged　to　her。　　I　approve　very　much　of　the　allotment　of　your　time　at　Venice；　pray　go　on　so　for　a　twelvemonth　at　least；　wherever　you　are。　You　will　find　your　own　account　in　it。

I　like　your　last　letter；　which　gives　me　an　account　of　yourself；　and　your　own　transactions；　for　though　I　do　not　recommend　the　EGOTISM　to　you；　with　regard　to　anybody　else；　I　desire　that　you　will　use　it　with　me；　and　with　me　only。　　I　interest　myself　in　all　that　you　do；　and　as　yet　（excepting　Mr。　Harte）　nobody　else　does。　　He　must　of　course　know　all；　and　I　desire　to　know　a　great　deal。

I　am　glad　you　have　received；　and　that　you　like　the　diamond　buckles。　　I　am　very　willing　that　you　should　make；　but　very　unwilling　that　you　should　CUT　a　figure　with　them　at　the　jubilee；　the　CUTTING　A　FIGURE　being　the　very　lowest　vulgarism　in　the　English　language；　and　equal　in　elegancy　to　Yes；　my　Lady；　and　No；　my　Lady。　　The　word　VAST　and　VASTLY；　you　will　have　found　by　my　former　letter　that　I　had　proscribed　out　of　the　diction　of　a　gentleman；　unless　in　their　proper　signification　of　sizes　and　BULK。　　Not　only　in　language；　but　in　everything　else；　take　great　care　that　the　first　impressions　you　give　of　yourself　may　be　not　only　favorable；　but　pleasing；　engaging；　nay；　seducing。　　They　are　often　decisive；　I　confess　they　are　a　good　deal　so　with　me：　and　I　cannot　wish　for　further　acquaintance　with　a　man　whose　first　'abord'　and　address　displease　me。

So　many　of　my　letters　have　miscarried；　and　I　know　so　little　which；　that　I　am　forced　to　repeat　the　same　thing　over　and　over　again　eventually。　　This　is　one。　　I　have　wrote　twice　to　Mr。　Harte；　to　have　your　picture　drawn　in　miniature；　while　you　were　at　Venice；　and　send　it　me　in　a　letter：　it　is　all　one　to　me　whether　in　enamel　or　in　watercolors；　provided　it　is　but　very　like　you。　　I　would　have　you　drawn　exactly　as　you　are；　and　in　no　whimsical　dress：　and　I　lay　more　stress　upon　the　likeness　of　the　picture；　than　upon　the　taste　and　skill　of　the　painter。　　If　this　be　not　already　done；　I　desire　that　you　will　have　it　done　forthwith　before　you　leave　Venice；　and　inclose　it　in　a　letter　to　me；　which　letter；　for　greater　security；　I　would　have　you　desire　Sir　James　Gray　to　inclose　in　his　packet　to　the　office；　as　I；　for　the　same；　reason；　send　this　under　his　cover。　If　the　picture　be　done　upon　vellum；　it　will　be　the　most　portable。　　Send　me；　at　the　same　time；　a　thread　of　silk　of　your　own　length　exactly。　　I　am　solicitous　about　your　figure；　convinced；　by　a　thousand　instances；　that　a　good　one　is　a　real　advantage。　　'Mens　sana　in　corpore　sano'；　is　the　first　and　greatest　blessing。　　I　would　add　'et　pulchro'；　to　complete　it。　　May　you　have　that　and　every　other！　　Adieu。

Have　you　received　my　letters　of　recommendation　to　Cardinal　Albani　and　the　Duke　de　Nivernois；　at　Rome？




LETTER　LXXXV

LONDON；　October　9；　O。　S。　　1749。

DEAR　BOY：　If　this　letter　finds　you　at　all；　of　which　I　am　very　doubtful；　it　will　find　you　at　Venice；　preparing　for　your　journey　to　Rome；　which；　by　my　last　letter　to　Mr。　Harte；　I　advised　you　to　make　along　the　coast　of　the　Adriatic；　through　Rimini；　Loretto；　Ancona；　etc。；　places　that　are　all　worth　seeing；　but　not　worth　staying　at。　　And　such　I　reckon　all　places　where　the　eyes　only　are　employed。　　Remains　of　antiquity；　public　buildings；　paintings；　sculptures；　etc。；　ought　to　be　seen；　and　that　with　a　proper　degree　of　attention；　but　this　is　soon　done；　for　they　are　only　outsides。　　It　is　not　so　with　more　important　objects；　the　insides　of　which　must　be　seen；　and　they　require　and　deserve　much　more　attention。　　The　characters；　the　heads；　and　the；　hearts　of　men；　are　the　useful　science　of　which　I　would　have　you　perfect　master。　　That　science　is　best　taught　and　best　learned　in　capitals；　where　every　human　passion　has　its　object；　and　exerts　all　its　force　or　all　its　art　in　the　pursuit。　　I　believe　there　is　no　place　in　the　world；　where　every　passion　is　busier；　appears　in　more　shapes；　and　is　conducted　with　more　art；　than　at　；Rome。　　Therefore；　when　you　are　there；　do　not　imagine　that　the　Capitol；　the　Vatican；　and　the　Pantheon；　are　the　principal　objects　of　your　curiosity。　　But　for　one　minute　that　you　bestow　upon　those；　employ　ten　days　in　informing　yourself　of　the　nature　of　that　government；　the　rise　and　decay　of　the　papal　power；　the　politics　of　that　court；　the　'Brigues'　of　the　cardinals；　the　tricks　of　the　Conclaves；　and；　in　general；　everything　that　relates　to　the　interior　of　that　extraordinary　government；　founded　originally　upon　the　ignorance　and　superstition　of　mankind；　extended　by　the　weakness　of　some　princes；　and　the　ambition　of　others；　declining　of　late　in　proportion　as　knowledge　has　increased；　and　owing　its　present　precarious　security；　not　to　the　religion；　the　affection；　or　the　fear　of　the　temporal　powers；　but　to　the　jealousy　of　each　other。　　The　Pope's　excommunications　are　no　longer　dreaded；　his　indulgences　little　solicited；　and　sell　very　cheap；　and　his　territories　formidable　to　no　power；　are　coveted　by　many；　and　will；　most　undoubtedly；　within　a　century；　be　scantled　out　among　the　great　powers；　who　have　now　a　footing　in　Italy；　whenever　they　can　agree　upon　the　division　of　the　bear's　skin。　　Pray　inform　yourself　thoroughly　of　the　history　of　the　popes　and　the　popedom；　which；　for　many　centuries；　is　interwoven　with　the　history　of　all　Europe。　　Read　the　best　authors　who　treat　of　these　matters；　and　especially　Fra　Paolo；　'De　Beneficiis'；　a　short；　but　very　material　book。　　You　will　find　at　Rome　some　of　all　the　religious　orders　in　the　Christian　world。　　Inform　yourself　carefully　of　their　origin；　their　founders；　their　rules；　their　reforms；　and　even　their　dresses：　get　acquainted　with　some　of　all　of　them；　but　particularly　with　the　Jesuits；　whose　society　I　look　upon　to　be　the　most　able　and　best　governed　society　in　the　world。　　Get　acquainted；　if　you　can；　with　their　General；　who　always　resides　at　Rome；　and　who；　though　he　has　no　seeming　power　out　of　his　own　society；　has　（it　may　be）　more　real　influence　over　the　whole　world；　than　any　temporal　prince　in　it。　　They　have　almost　engrossed　the　education　of　youth；　they　are；　in　general；　confessors　to　most　of　the　princes　of　Europe；　and　they　are　the　p