letters to his son, 1749-第22章

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varied　to　their　opposite　extremes；　with　regard　to　the　same　persons。　　He　receives　the　common　attentions　of　civility　as　obligations；　which　he　returns　with　interest；　and　resents　with　passion　the　little　inadvertencies　of　human　nature；　which　he　repays　with　interest　too。　　Even　a　difference　of　opinion　upon　a　philosophical　subject　would　provoke；　and　prove　him　no　practical　philosopher　at　least。

Notwithstanding　the　dissipation　of　his　youth；　and　the　tumultuous　agitation　of　his　middle　age；　he　has　an　infinite　fund　of　various　and　almost　universal　knowledge；　which；　from　the　clearest　and　quickest　conception；　and　happiest　memory；　that　ever　man　was　blessed　with；　he　always　carries　about　him。　　It　is　his　pocket…money；　and　he　never　has　occasion　to　draw　upon　a　book　for　any　sum。　　He　excels　more　particularly　in　history；　as　his　historical　works　plainly　prove。　　The　relative　political　and　commercial　interests　of　every　country　in　Europe；　particularly　of　his　own；　are　better　known　to　him；　than　perhaps　to　any　man　in　it；　but　how　steadily　he　has　pursued　the　latter；　in　his　public　conduct；　his　enemies；　of　all　parties　and　denominations；　tell　with　joy。

He　engaged　young；　and　distinguished　himself　in　business；　and　his　penetration　was　almost　intuition。　　I　am　old　enough　to　have　heard　him　speak　in　parliament。　　And　I　remember　that；　though　prejudiced　against　him　by　party；　I　felt　all　the　force　and　charms　of　his　eloquence。　　Like　Belial　in　Milton；　〃he　made　the　worse　appear　the　better　cause。〃　　All　the　internal　and　external　advantages　and　talents　of　an　orator　are　undoubtedly　his。　Figure；　voice；　elocution；　knowledge；　and；　above　all；　the　purest　and　most　florid　diction；　with　the　justest　metaphors　and　happiest　images；　had　raised　him　to　the　post　of　Secretary　at　War；　at　four…and…twenty　years　old；　an　age　at　which　others　are　hardly　thought　fit　for　the　smallest　employments。

During　his　long　exile　in　France；　he　applied　himself　to　study　with　his　characteristical　ardor；　and　there　he　formed　and　chiefly　executed　the　plan　of　a　great　philosophical　work。　　The　common　bounds　of　human　knowledge　are　too　narrow　for　his　warm　and　aspiring　imagination。　　He　must　go　'extra　flammantia　maenia　Mundi'；　and　explore　the　unknown　and　unknowable　regions　of　metaphysics；　which　open　an　unbounded　field　for　the　excursion　of　an　ardent　imagination；　where　endless　conjectures　supply　the　defect　of　unattainable　knowledge；　and　too　often　usurp　both　its　name　and　its　influence。

He　has　had　a　very　handsome　person；　with　a　most　engaging　address　in　his　air　and　manners；　he　has　all　the　dignity　and　good…breeding　which　a　man　of　quality　should　or　can　have；　and　which　so　few；　in　this　country　at　least；　really　have。

He　professes　himself　a　deist；　believing　in　a　general　Providence；　but　doubting　of；　though　by　no　means　rejecting　（as　is　commonly　supposed）　the　immortality　of　the　soul　and　a　future　state。

Upon　the　whole；　of　this　extraordinary　man；　what　can　we　say；　but；　alas；　poor　human　nature！

In　your　destination；　you　will　have　frequent　occasions　to　speak　in　public；　to　princes　and　states　abroad；　to　the　House　of　Commons　at　home；　judge；　then；　whether　eloquence　is　necessary　for　you　or　not；　not　only　common　eloquence；　which　is　rather　free　from　faults　than　adorned　by　beauties；　but　the　highest；　the　most　shining　degree　of　eloquence。　　For　God's　sake；　have　this　object　always　in　your　view　and　in　your　thoughts。　　Tune　your　tongue　early　to　persuasion；　and　let　no　jarring；　dissonant　accents　ever　fall　from　it；　Contract　a　habit　of　speaking　well　upon　every　occasion；　and　neglect　yourself　in　no　one。　　Eloquence　and　good…breeding；　alone；　with　an　exceeding　small　degree　of　parts　and　knowledge；　will　carry　a　man　a　great　way；　with　your　parts　and　knowledge；　then；　how　far　will　they　not　carry　you？　　Adieu。




LETTER　XCVI

LONDON；　December　16；　O。　S。　　1749。

DEAR　Boy：　This　letter　will；　I　hope；　find　you　safely　arrived　and　well　settled　at　Rome；　after　the　usual　distresses　and　accidents　of　a　winter　journey；　which　are　very　proper　to　teach　you　patience。　　Your　stay　there　I　look　upon　as　a　very　important　period　of　your　life；　and　I　do　believe　that　you　will　fill　it　up　well。　　I　hope　you　will　employ　the　mornings　diligently　with　Mr。　Harte；　in　acquiring　weight；　and　the　evenings　in　the　best　companies　at　Rome；　in　acquiring　lustre。　　A　formal；　dull　father；　would　recommend　to　you　to　plod　out　the　evenings；　too；　at　home；　over　a　book　by　a　dim　taper；　but　I　recommend　to　you　the　evenings　for　your　pleasures；　which　are　as　much　a　part　of　your　education；　and　almost　as　necessary　a　one；　as　your　morning　studies。　　Go　to　whatever　assemblies　or　SPECTACLES　people　of　fashion　go　to；　and　when　you　are　there　do　as　they　do。　　Endeavor　to　outshine　those　who　shine　there　the　most；　get　the　'Garbo'；　the　'Gentilezza'；　the　'Leggeadria'　of　the；　Italians；　make　love　to　the　most　impertinent　beauty　of　condition　that　you　meet　with；　and　be　gallant　with　all　the　rest。　　Speak　Italian；　right　or　wrong；　to　everybody；　and　if　you　do　but　laugh　at　yourself　first　for　your　bad　Italian；　nobody　else　will　laugh　at　you　for　it。　　That　is　the　only　way　to　speak　it　perfectly；　which　I　expect　you　will　do；　because　I　am　sure　you　may；　before　you　leave　Rome。　View　the　most　curious　remains　of　antiquity　with　a　classical　spirit；　and　they　will　clear　up　to　you　many　passages　of　the　classical　authors；　particularly　the　Trajan　and　Antonine　Columns；　where　you　find　the　warlike　instruments；　the　dresses；　and　the　triumphal　ornaments　of　the　Romans。　　Buy　also　the　prints　and　explanations　of　all　those　respectable　remains　of　Roman　grandeur；　and　compare　them　with　the　originals。　　Most　young　travelers　are　contented　with　a　general　view　of　those　things；　say　they　are　very　fine；　and　then　go　about　their　business。　　I　hope　you　will　examine　them　in　a　very　different　way。　　'Approfondissez'　everything　you　see　or　hear；　and　learn；　if　you　can；　the　WHY　and　the　WHEREFORE。　　Inquire　into　the　meaning　and　the　objects　of　the　innumerable　processions；　which　you　will　see　at　Rome　at　this　time。　　Assist　at　all　the　ceremonies；　and　know　the　reason；　or　at　least　the　pretenses　of　them；　and　however　absurd　they　may　be；　see　and　speak　of　them　with　great　decency。　　Of　all　things；　I　beg　of　you　not　to　herd　with　your　own　countrymen；　but　to　be　always　either　with　the　Romans；　or　with　the　foreign　ministers　residing　at　Rome。　　You　are　sent　abroad　to　see　the　manners　and　characters；　and　learn　the　languages　of　foreign　countries；　and　not　to　converse　with　English；　in　English；　which　would　defeat　all　those　ends。　　Among　your　graver　company；　I　recommend　（as　I　have　done　before）　the　Jesuits　to　you；　whose　learning　and　address　will　both　please　and　improve　you；　inform　yourself；　as　much　as　you　can；　of　the　history；　policy；　and　practice　of　that　society；　from　the　time　of　its　founder；　Ignatius　of　Loyola；　who　was　himself　a　madman。　　If　you　would　know　their　morality；　you　will　find　it　fully　and　admirably　stated　in　'Les　Lettres　d'un　Provincial'；　by　the　famous　Monsieur　Pascal；　and　it　is　a　book　very　well　worth　your　reading。　　Few　people　see　what　they　see；　or　hear　what　they　hear；　that　is；　they　see　and　hear　so　inattentively　and　superficially；　that　they　are　very　little　the　better　for　what　they　do　see　and　hear。　This；　I　dare　say；　neither　is；　nor　will　be　your　case。　　You　will　understand；　reflect　upon；　and　consequently　retain；　what　you　see　and　hear。　You　have　still　two　years　good；　but　no　more；　to　form　your　character　in　the　world　decisively；　for；　within　two　months　after　your　arrival　in　England；　it　will　be　finally　and　irrevocably　determined；　one　way　or　another；　in　the　opinion　of　the　public。　　Devote；　therefore；　these　two　years　to　the　pursuit　of　perfection；　which　ought　to　be　everybody's　object；　though　in　some　particulars　unattainable；　those　who　strive　and　labor　the　most；　will　come　the　nearest　to　it。　　But；　above　all　things；　aim　at　it　in　the　two　important　arts　of　speaking　and　pleasing；　without　them　all　your　other　talents　are　maimed　and　crippled。　　They　are　the　wings　upon　which　you　must　soar　above　other　people；　without　them　you　will　only　crawl　with　the　dull　mass　of　mankind。　　Prepossess　by　your　air；　address；　and　manners；　persuade　by　your　tongue；　and　you　will　easily　execute　what　your　head　has　contrived。　　I　desire　that　you　will　send　me　very　minute　accounts　from　Rome；　not　of　what　you　see；　but；　of　who　you　see；　of　your　pleasures　and　entertainments。　　Tell　me　what　companies　you　frequent　most；　and　how　you　are　received。




LETTER　XCVII

LONDON；　December　19；　O。　S。　　1749。

DEAR　BOY：　The　knowledge　of　mankind　is　a　very　use　ful　knowledge　for　everybody；　a　most　necessary　one　for　you；　who　are　destined　to　an　active；　public　life。　　You　will　have　to　do　with　all　sorts　of　characters；　you　should；　therefore；　know　them　thoroughly；　in　order　to　manage　them　ably。　This　knowledge　is　not　to　be　gotten　systematically；　you　must　acquire　it　yourself　by　your　own　observation　and　sagacity；　I　will　give　you　such　hints　as　I　think　may　be　useful　land…marks　in　your　intended　progress。

I　have　often　told　you　（and　it　is　most　true）　that；　with　regard　to　mankind；　we　must　not　draw　general　conclusions　from　certain　particular　principles；　though；　in　the　main；　true　ones。　　We　must　not　suppose　that；　because　a　man　is　a　rational　animal；　he　will　therefore　always　act　rationally；　or；　because　he　has　such　or　such　a　predominant　passion；　that　he　will　act　invariably　and　consequentially　in　the　pursuit　of　it。　　No。　　We　are　complicated　machines：　and　though　we　have　one　main…spring；　that　gives　motion　to　the　whole；　we　have　an　infinity　of　little　wheels；　which；　in　their　turns；　retard；　precipitate；　and　sometimes　stop　that　motion。　　Let　us　exemplify。　　I　will　suppose　ambition　to　be　（as　it　commonly　is）　the　predominant　passion　of　a　minister　of　state；　and　I　will　suppose　that　minister　to　be　an　able　one。　　Will　he；　therefore；　invariably　pursue　the　object　of　that　predominant　passion？　　May　I　be　sure　that　he　will　do　so　and　so；　because　he　ought？　　Nothing　less。　　Sickness　or　low　spirits；　may　damp　this　predominant　passion；　humor　and　peevishness　may　triumph　over　it；　inferior　passions　may；　at　times；　surprise　it　and　prevail。　　Is　this　ambitious　statesman　amorous？　　Indiscreet　and　unguarded　confidences；　made　in　tender　moments；　to　his　wife　or　his　mistress；　may　defeat　all　his　schemes。　　Is　he　avaricious？　　Some　great　lucrative　object；　suddenly　presenting　itself；　may　unravel　all　the　work　of　his　ambition。　　Is　he　passionate？　　Contradiction　and　provocation　（sometimes；　it　may　be；　too；　artfully　intended）　may　extort　rash　and　inconsiderate　expressions；　or　actions　destructive　of　his　main　object。　　Is　he　vain；　and　open　to　flattery？　　An　artful；　flattering　favorite　may　mislead　him；　and　even　laziness　may；　at　certain　moments；　make　him　neglect　or　omit　the　necessary　steps　to　that　height　at　which　he　wants　to　arrive。　　Seek　first；　then；　for　the　predominant　passion　of　the　character　which　you　mean　to　engage　and　influence；　and　address　yourself　to　it；　but　without　defying　or　despising　the　inferior　passions；　get　them　in　your　interest　too；　for　now　and　then　they　will　have　their　turns。　　In　many　cases；　you　may　not　have　it　in　your　power　to　contribute　to　the　gratification　of　the　prevailing　passion；　then　take　the　next　best　to　your　aid。　　There　are　many　avenues　to　every　man；　and　when　you　cannot　get　at　him　through　the　great　one；　try　the　serpentine　ones；　and　you　will　arrive　at　last。

There　are　two　inconsistent　passions；　which；　however；　frequently　accompany　each　other；　like　man　and　wife；　and　w