letters to his son, 1749-第18章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ry　man's　reputation　of　good…breeding；　you　must；　therefore；　in　a　manner；　overwhelm　them　with　these　attentions：　they　are　used　to　them；　they　expect　them；　and；　to　do　them　justice；　they　commonly　requite　them。　　You　must　be　sedulous；　and　rather　over　officious　than　under；　in　procuring　them　their　coaches；　their　chairs；　their　conveniences　in　public　places：　not　see　what　you　should　not　see；　and　rather　assist；　where　you　cannot　help　seeing。　　Opportunities　of　showing　these　attentions　present　themselves　perpetually；　but　if　they　do　not；　make　them。　　As　Ovid　advises　his　lover；　when　he　sits　in　the　Circus　near　his　mistress；　to　wipe　the　dust　off　her　neck；　even　if　there　be　none：　'Si　nullus；　tamen　excute　nullum'。　　Your　conversation　with　women　should　always　be　respectful；　but；　at　the　same　time；　enjoue；　and　always　addressed　to　their　vanity。　　Everything　you　say　or　do　should　convince　them　of　the　regard　you　have　（whether　you　have　it　or　not）　for　their　beauty；　their　wit；　or　their　merit。　　Men　have　possibly　as　much　vanity　as　women；　though　of　another　kind；　and　both　art　and　good…breeding　require；　that；　instead　of　mortifying；　you　should　please　and　flatter　it；　by　words　and　looks　of　approbation。　　Suppose　（which　is　by　no　means　improbable）　that；　at　your　return　to　England；　I　should　place　you　near　the　person　of　some　one　of　the　royal　family；　in　that　situation；　good…breeding；　engaging　address；　adorned　with　all　the　graces　that　dwell　at　courts；　would　very　probably　make　you　a　favorite；　and；　from　a　favorite；　a　minister；　but　all　the　knowledge　and　learning　in　the　world；　without　them；　never　would。　　The　penetration　of　princes　seldom　goes　deeper　than　the　surface。

It　is　the　exterior　that　always　engages　their　hearts；　and　I　would　never　advise　you　to　give　yourself　much　trouble　about　their　understanding。　Princes　in　general　（I　mean　those　'Porphyrogenets'　who　are　born　and　bred　in　purple）　are　about　the　pitch　of　women；　bred　up　like　them；　and　are　to　be　addressed　and　gained　in　the　same　manner。　　They　always　see；　they　seldom　weigh。　　Your　lustre；　not　your　solidity；　must　take　them；　your　inside　will　afterward　support　and　secure　what　your　outside　has　acquired。　　With　weak　people　（and　they　undoubtedly　are　three　parts　in　four　of　mankind）　good…　breeding；　address；　and　manners　are　everything；　they　can　go　no　deeper；　but　let　me　assure　you　that　they　are　a　great　deal　even　with　people　of　the　best　understandings。　　Where　the　eyes　are　not　pleased；　and　the　heart　is　not　flattered；　the　mind　will　be　apt　to　stand　out。　　Be　this　right　or　wrong；　I　confess　I　am　so　made　myself。　　Awkwardness　and　ill…breeding　shock　me　to　that　degree；　that　where　I　meet　with　them；　I　cannot　find　in　my　heart　to　inquire　into　the　intrinsic　merit　of　that　personI　hastily　decide　in　myself　that　he　can　have　none；　and　am　not　sure　that　I　should　not　even　be　sorry　to　know　that　he　had　any。　　I　often　paint　you　in　my　imagination；　in　your　present　'lontananza'；　and；　while　I　view　you　in　the　light　of　ancient　and　modern　learning；　useful　and　ornamental　knowledge；　I　am　charmed　with　the　prospect；　but　when　I　view　you　in　another　light；　and　represent　you　awkward；　ungraceful；　ill…bred；　with　vulgar　air　and　manners；　shambling　toward　me　with　inattention　and　DISTRACTIONS；　I　shall　not　pretend　to　describe　to　you　what　I　feel；　but　will　do　as　a　skillful　painter　did　formerlydraw　a　veil　before　the　countenance　of　the　father。

I　dare　say　you　know　already　enough　of　architecture；　to　know　that　the　Tuscan　is　the　strongest　and　most　solid　of　all　the　orders；　but　at　the　same　time；　it　is　the　coarsest　and　clumsiest　of　them。　　Its　solidity　does　extremely　well　for　the　foundation　and　base　floor　of　a　great　edifice；　but　if　the　whole　building　be　Tuscan；　it　will　attract　no　eyes；　it　will　stop　no　passengers；　it　will　invite　no　interior　examination；　people　will　take　it　for　granted　that　the　finishing　and　furnishing　cannot　be　worth　seeing；　where　the　front　is　so　unadorned　and　clumsy。　　But　if；　upon　the　solid　Tuscan　foundation；　the　Doric；　the　Ionic；　and　the　Corinthian　orders　rise　gradually　with　all　their　beauty；　proportions；　and　ornaments；　the　fabric　seizes　the　most　incurious　eye；　and　stops　the　most　careless　passenger；　who　solicits　admission　as　a　favor；　nay；　often　purchases　it。　　Just　so　will　it　fare　with　your；　tittle　fabric；　which；　at　present；　I　fear；　has　more　of　the　Tuscan　than　of　the　Corinthian　order。　　You　must　absolutely　change　the　whole　front；　or　nobody　will　knock　at　the　door。　　The　several　parts；　which　must　compose　this　new　front；　are　elegant；　easy；　natural；　superior　good…　breeding；　an　engaging　address；　genteel　motions；　an　insinuating　softness　in　your　looks；　words；　and　actions；　a　spruce；　lively　air；　fashionable　dress；　and　all　the　glitter　that　a　young　fellow　should　have。

I　am　sure　you　would　do　a　great　deal　for　my　sake；　and　therefore　consider　at　your　return　here；　what　a　disappointment　and　concern　it　would　be　to　me；　if　I　could　not　safely　depute　you　to　do　the　honors　of　my　house　and　table；　and　if　I　should　be　ashamed　to　present　you　to　those　who　frequent　both。　Should　you　be　awkward；　inattentive；　and　distrait；　and　happen　to　meet　Mr。　L…　at　my　table；　the　consequences　of　that　meeting　must　be　fatal；　you　would　run　your　heads　against　each　other；　cut　each　other's　fingers；　instead　of　your　meat；　or　die　by　the　precipitate　infusion　of　scalding　soup。

This　is　really　so　copious　a　subject；　that　there　is　no　end　of　being　either　serious　or　ludicrous　upon　it。　　It　is　impossible；　too；　to　enumerate　or　state　to　you　the　various　cases　in　good…breeding；　they　are　infinite；　there　is　no　situation　or　relation　in　the　world　so　remote　or　so　intimate；　that　does　not　require　a　degree　of　it。　　Your　own　good　sense　must　point　it　out　to　you；　your　own　good…nature　must　incline；　and　your　interest　prompt　you　to　practice　it；　and　observation　and　experience　must　give　you　the　manner；　the　air　and　the　graces　which　complete　the　whole。

This　letter　will　hardly　overtake　you；　till　you　are　at　or　near　Rome。　I　expect　a　great　deal　in　every　way　from　your　six　months'　stay　there。　My　morning　hopes　are　justly　placed　in　Mr。　Harte；　and　the　masters　he　will　give　you；　my　evening　ones；　in　the　Roman　ladies：　pray　be　attentive　to　both。　　But　I　must　hint　to　you；　that　the　Roman　ladies　are　not　'les　femmes　savantes；　et　ne　vous　embrasseront　point　pour　Pamour　du　Grec。　　They　must　have　'ilgarbato；　il　leggiadro；　it　disinvolto；　il　lusinghiero；　quel　non　so　che；　che　piace；　che　alletta；　che　incanta'。

I　have　often　asserted；　that　the　profoundest　learning　and　the　politest　manners　were　by　no　means　incompatible；　though　so　seldom　found　united　in　the　same　person；　and　I　have　engaged　myself　to　exhibit　you；　as　a　proof　of　the　truth　of　this　assertion。　　Should　you；　instead　of　that；　happen　to　disprove　me；　the　concern　indeed　would　be　mine；　but　the　loss　will　be　yours。　　Lord　Bolingbroke　is　a　strong　instance　on　my　side　of　the　question；　he　joins　to　the　deepest　erudition；　the　most　elegant　politeness　and　good…　breeding　that　ever　any　courtier　and　man　of　the　world　was　adorned　with。　And　Pope　very　justly　called　him　〃All…accomplished　St。　John；〃　with　regard　to　his　knowledge　and　his　manners。　　He　had；　it　is　true；　his　faults；　which　proceeded　from　unbounded　ambition；　and　impetuous　passions；　but　they　have　now　subsided　by　age　and　experience；　and　I　can　wish　you　nothing　better　than　to　be；　what　he　is　now；　without　being　what　he　has　been　formerly。　　His　address　pre…engages；　his　eloquence　persuades；　and　his　knowledge　informs　all　who　approach　him。　　Upon　the　whole；　I　do　desire；　and　insist；　that　from　after　dinner　till　you　go　to　bed；　you　make　good…breeding；　address；　and　manners；　your　serious　object　and　your　only　care。　　Without　them；　you　will　be　nobody；　with　them；　you　may　be　anything。

Adieu；　my　dear　child！　My　compliments　to　Mr。　Harte。




LETTER　XCI

LONDON；　November　24；　O。　S。　　1749。

DEAR　Boy：　　Every　rational　being　（I　take　it　for　granted）　proposes　to　himself　some　object　more　important　than　mere　respiration　and　obscure　animal　existence。　　He　desires　to　distinguish　himself　among　his　fellow…　creatures；　and；　'alicui　negotio　intentus；　prreclari　facinoris；　aut　artis　bonae；　faman　quaerit'。　　Caesar；　when　embarking　in　a　storm；　said；　that　it　was　not　necessary　he　should　live；　but　that　it　was　absolutely　necessary　he　should　get　to　the　place　to　which　he　was　going。　　And　Pliny　leaves　mankind　this　only　alternative；　either　of　doing　what　deserves　to　be　written；　or　of　writing　what　deserves　to　be　read。　　As　for　those　who　do　neither；　'eorum　vitam　mortemque　juxta　aestumo；　quoniam　de　utraque　siletur'。　　You　have；　I　am　convinced；　one　or　both　of　these　objects　in　view；　but　you　must　know　and　use　the　necessary　means；　or　your　pursuit　will　be　vain　and　frivolous。　　In　either　case；　'Sapere　est　princihium　et　fons'；　but　it　is　by　no　means　all。　That　knowledge　must　be　adorned；　it　must　have　lustre　as　well　as　weight；　or　it　will　be　oftener　taken；　for　lead　than　for　gold。　　Knowledge　you　have；　and　will　have：　I　am　easy　upon　that　article。　　But　my　business；　as　your　friend；　is　not　to　compliment　you　upon　what　you　have；　but　to　tell　you　with　freedom　what　you　want；　and　I　must　tell　you　plainly；　that　I　fear　you　want　everything　but　knowledge。

I　have　written　to　you　so　often；　of　late；　upon　good…breeding；　address；　'les　manieres　liantes'；　the　Graces；　etc。；　that　I　shall　confine　this　letter　to　another　subject；　pretty　near　akin　to　them；　and　which；　I　am　sure；　you　are　full　as　deficient　in；　I　mean　Style。

Style　is　the　dress　of　thoughts；　and　let　them　be　ever　so　just；　if　your　style　is　homely；　coarse；　and　vulgar；　they　will　appear　to　as　much　disadvantage；　and　be　as　ill　received　as　your　person；　though　ever　so　well　proportioned；　would；　if　dressed　in　rags；　dirt；　and　tatters。　　It　is　not　every　understanding　that　can　judge　of　matter；　but　every　ear　can　and　does　judge；　more　or　less；　of　style：　and　were　I　either　to　speak　or　write　to　the　public；　I　should　prefer　moderate　matter；　adorned　with　all　the　beauties　and　elegancies　of　style；　to　the　strongest　matter　in　the　world；　ill…worded　and　ill…delivered。　　Your　business　is　negotiation　abroad；　and　oratory　in　the　House　of　Commons　at　home。　　What　figure　can　you　make；　in　either　case；　if　your　style　be　inelegant；　I　do　not　say　bad？　　Imagine　yourself　writing　an　office…letter　to　a　secretary　of　state；　which　letter　is　to　be　read　by　the　whole　Cabinet　Council；　and　very　possibly　afterward　laid　before　parliament；　any　one　barbarism；　solecism；　or　vulgarism　in　it；　would；　in　a　very　few　days；　circulate　through　the　whole　kingdom；　to　your　disgrace　and　ridicule。　　For　instance；　I　will　suppose　you　had　written　the　following　letter　from　The　Hague　to　the　Secretary　of　State　at　London；　and　leave　you　to　suppose　the　consequences　of　it：

MY　LORD：　I　HAD；　last　night；　the　honor　of　your　Lordship's　letter　of　the　24th；　and　will　SET　ABOUT　DOING　the　orders　contained　THEREIN；　and　IF　so　BE　that　I　can　get　that　affair　done　by　the　next　post；　I　will　not　fail　FOR　TO　give　your　Lordship　an　account　of　it　by　NEXT　POST。　　I　have　told　the　French　Minister；　AS　HOW　THAT　IF　that　affair　be　not　soon　concluded；　your　Lordship　would　think　it　ALL　LONG　OF　HIM；　and　that　he　must　have　neglected　FOR　TO　have　wrote　to　his　court　about　it。　　I　must　beg　leave　to　put　your　Lordship　in　mind　AS　HOW；　that　I　am　now　full　three　quarter　in　arrear；　and　if　SO　BE　that　I　do　not　very　soon　receive　at　least　one　half　year；　I　shall　CUT　A　VERY　BAD　FIGURE；　FOR　THIS　HERE　place　is　very　dear。　　I　shall　be　VASTLY　BEHOLDEN　to　your　Lordship　for　THAT　THERE　mark　of　yo