letters to his son, 1749-第3章

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ook　upon　as　a　gross　and　criminal　violation　of　the　natural　rights　of　mankind。　　Adieu。




LETTER　LXV

LONDON；　February　28；　O。　S。　　1749。

DEAR　BOY：　　I　was　very　much　pleased　with　the　account　that　you　gave　me　of　your　reception　at　Berlin；　but　I　was　still　better　pleased　with　the　account　which　Mr。　Harte　sent　me　of　your　manner　of　receiving　that　reception；　for　he　says　that　you　behaved　yourself　to　those　crowned　heads　with　all　the　respect　and　modesty　due　to　them；　but　at　the　same　time；　without　being　any　more　embarrassed　than　if　you　had　been　conversing　with　your　equals。　　This　easy　respect　is　the　perfection　of　good…breeding；　which　nothing　but　superior　good　sense；　or　a　long　usage　of　the　world；　can　produce；　and　as　in　your　case　it　could　not　be　the　latter；　it　is　a　pleasing　indication　to　me　of　the　former。

You　will　now；　in　the　course　of　a　few　months；　have　been　rubbed　at　three　of　the　considerable　courts　of　Europe；…Berlin；　Dresden；　and　Vienna；　so　that　I　hope　you　will　arrive　at　Turin　tolerably　smooth　and　fit　for　the　last　polish。　　There　you　may　get　the　best；　there　being　no　court　I　know　of　that　forms　more　well…bred；　and　agreeable　people。　　Remember　now；　that　good…　breeding；　genteel　carriage；　address；　and　even　dress　（to　a　certain　degree）；　are　become　serious　objects；　and　deserve　a　part　of　your　attention。

The　day；　if　well　employed；　is　long　enough　for　them　all。　　One　half　of　it　bestowed　upon　your　studies　and　your　exercises；　will　finish　your　mind　and　your　body；　the　remaining　part　of　it；　spent　in　good　company；　will　form　your　manners；　and　complete　your　character。　　What　would　I　not　give　to　have　you　read　Demosthenes　critically　in　the　morning；　and　understand　him　better　than　anybody；　at　noon；　behave　yourself　better　than　any　person　at　court；　and　in　the　evenings；　trifle　more　agreeably　than　anybody　in　mixed　companies？　　All　this　you　may　compass　if　you　please；　you　have　the　means；　you　have　the　opportunities。　　Employ　them；　for　God's　sake；　while　you　may；　and　make　yourself　that　all…accomplished　man　that　I　wish　to　have　you。　　It　entirely　depends　upon　these　two　years；　they　are　the　decisive　ones。

I　send　you　here　inclosed　a　letter　of　recommendation　to　Monsieur　Capello；　at　Venice；　which　you　will　deliver　him　immediately　upon　your　arrival；　accompanying　it　with　compliments　from　me　to　him　and　Madame；　both　of　whom　you　have　seen　here。　　He　will；　I　am　sure；　be　both　very　civil　and　very　useful　to　you　there；　as　he　will　also　be　afterward　at　Rome；　where　he　is　appointed　to　go　ambassador。　　By　the　way；　wherever　you　are；　I　would　advise　you　to　frequent；　as　much　as　you　can；　the　Venetian　Ministers；　who　are　always　better　informed　of　the　courts　they　reside　at　than　any　other　minister；　the　strict　and　regular　accounts；　which　they　are　obliged　to　give　to　their　own　government；　making　them　very　diligent　and　inquisitive。

You　will　stay　at　Venice　as　long　as　the　Carnival　lasts；　for　though　I　am　impatient　to　have　you　at　Turin；　yet　I　would　wish　you　to　see　thoroughly　all　that　is　to　be　seen　at　so　singular　a　place　as　Venice；　and　at　so　showish　a　time　as　the　Carnival。　　You　will　take　also　particular　care　to　view　all　those　meetings　of　the　government；　which　strangers　are　allowed　to　see；　as　the　Assembly　of　the　Senate；　etc。；　and　also　to　inform　yourself　of　that　peculiar　and　intricate　form　of　government。　　There　are　books　which　give　an　account　of　it；　among　which　the　best　is　Amelot　de　la　Houssaye；　which　I　would　advise　you　to　read　previously；　it　will　not　only　give　you　a　general　notion　of　that　constitution；　but　also　furnish　you　with　materials　for　proper　questions　and　oral　informations　upon　the　place；　which　are　always　the　best。　　There　are　likewise　many　very　valuable　remains；　in　sculpture　and　paintings；　of　the　best　masters；　which　deserve　your　attention。

I　suppose　you　will　be　at　Vienna　as　soon　as　this　letter　will　get　thither；　and　I　suppose；　too；　that　I　must　not　direct　above　one　more　to　you　there。　After　which；　my　next　shall　be　directed　to　you　at　Venice；　the　only　place　where　a　letter　will　be　likely　to　find　you；　till　you　are　at　Turin；　but　you　may；　and　I　desire　that　you　will　write　to　me；　from　the　several　places　in　your　way；　from　whence　the　post　goes。

I　will　send　you　some　other　letters　for　Venice；　to　Vienna；　or　to　your　banker　at　Venice；　to　whom　you　will；　upon　your　arrival　there；　send　for　them：　For　I　will　take　care　to　have　you　so　recommended　from　place　to　place；　that　you　shall　not　run　through　them；　as　most　of　your　countrymen　do；　without　the　advantage　of　seeing　and　knowing　what　best　deserves　to　be　seen　and　known；　I　mean　the　men　and　the　manners。

God　bless　you；　and　make　you　answer　my　wishes：　I　will　now　say；　my　hopes！　Adieu。




LETTER　LXVI

DEAR　BOY：　I　direct　this　letter　to　your　banker　at　Venice；　the　surest　place　for　you　to　meet　with　it；　though　I　suppose　that　it　will　be　there　some　time　before　you；　for；　as　your　intermediate　stay　anywhere　else　will　be　short；　and　as　the　post　from　hence；　in　this　season　of　easterly　winds　is　uncertain；　I　direct　no　more　letters　to　Vienna；　where　I　hope　both　you　and　Mr。　Harte　will　have　received　the　two　letters　which　I　sent　you　respectively；　with　a　letter　of　recommendation　to　Monsieur　Capello；　at　Venice；　which　was　inclosed　in　mine　to　you。　　I　will　suppose　too；　that　the　inland　post　on　your　side　of　the　water　has　not　done　you　justice；　for　I　received　but　one　single　letter　from　you；　and　one　from　Mr。　Harte；　during　your　whole　stay　at　Berlin；　from　whence　I　hoped　for；　and　expected　very　particular　accounts。

I　persuade　myself；　that　the　time　you　stay　at　Venice　will　be　properly　employed；　in　seeing　all　that　is　to　be　seen　in　that　extraordinary　place：　and　in　conversing　with　people　who　can　inform　you；　not　of　the　raree…shows　of　the　town；　but　of　the　constitution　of　the　government；　for　which　purpose　I　send　you　the　inclosed　letters　of　recommendation　from　Sir　James　Grey；　the　King's　Resident　at　Venice；　but　who　is　now　in　England。　　These；　with　mine　to　Monsieur　Capello；　will　carry　you；　if　you　will　go；　into　all　the　best　company　at　Venice。

But　the　important　point；　and　the　important　place；　is　Turin；　for　there　I　propose　your　staying　a　considerable　time；　to　pursue　your　studies；　learn　your　exercises；　and　form　your　manners。　　I　own；　I　am　not　without　my　anxiety　for　the　consequence　of　your　stay　there；　which　must　be　either　very　good　or　very　bad。　　To　you　it　will　be　entirely　a　new　scene。　　Wherever　you　have　hitherto　been；　you　have　conversed；　chiefly；　with　people　wiser　and　discreeter　than　yourself；　and　have　been　equally　out　of　the　way　of　bad　advice　or　bad　example；　but　in　the　Academy　at　Turin　you　will　probably　meet　with　both；　considering　the　variety　of　young　fellows　about　your　own　age；　among　whom　it　is　to　be　expected　that　some　will　be　dissipated　and　idle；　others　vicious　and　profligate。　　I　will　believe；　till　the　contrary　appears；　that　you　have　sagacity　enough　to　distinguish　the　good　from　the　bad　characters；　and　both　sense　and　virtue　enough　to　shun　the　latter；　and　connect　yourself　with　the　former：　but　however；　for　greater　security；　and　for　your　sake　alone；　I　must　acquaint　you　that　I　have　sent　positive　orders　to　Mr。　Harte　to　carry　you　off；　instantly；　to　a　place　which　I　have　named　to　him；　upon　the　very　first　symptom　which　he　shall　discover　in　you；　of　drinking；　gaming；　idleness；　or　disobedience　to　his　orders；　so　that；　whether　Mr。　Harte　informs　me　or　not　of　the　particulars；　I　shall　be　able　to　judge　of　your　conduct　in　general　by　the　time　of　your　stay　at　Turin。　If　it　is　short；　I　shall　know　why；　and　I　promise　you；　that　you　shall　soon　find　that　I　do；　but　if　Mr。　Harte　lets　you　continue　there；　as　long　as　I　propose　that　you　should；　I　shall　then　be　convinced　that　you　make　the　proper　use　of　your　time；　which　is　the　only　thing　I　have　to　ask　of　you。　One　year　is　the　most　that　I　propose　you　should　stay　at　Turin；　and　that　year；　if　you　employ　it　well；　perfects　you。　　One　year　more　of　your　late　application；　with　Mr。　Harte；　will　complete　your　classical　studies。　　You　will　be　likewise　master　of　your　exercises　in　that　time；　and　will　have　formed　yourself　so　well　at　that　court；　as　to　be　fit　to　appear　advantageously　at　any　other。　　These　will　be　the　happy　effects　of　your　year's　stay　at　Turin；　if　you　behave；　and　apply　yourself　there　as　you　have　done　at　Leipsig；　but　if　either　ill　advice；　or　ill　example；　affect　and　seduce　you；　you　are　ruined　forever。　　I　look　upon　that　year　as　your　decisive　year　of　probation；　go　through　it　well；　and　you　will　be　all　accomplished；　and　fixed　in　my　tenderest　affection　forever；　but　should　the　contagion　of　vice　of　idleness　lay　hold　of　you　there；　your　character；　your　fortune；　my　hopes；　and　consequently　my　favor　are　all　blasted；　and　you　are　undone。　　The　more　I　love　you　now；　from　the　good　opinion　I　have　of　you；　the　greater　will　be　my　indignation　if　I　should　have　reason　to　change　it。　Hitherto　you　have　had　every　possible　proof　of　my　affection；　because　you　have　deserved　it；　but　when　you　cease　to　deserve　it；　you　may　expect　every　possible　mark　of　my　resentment。　　To　leave　nothing　doubtful　upon　this　important　point　I　will　tell　you　fairly；　beforehand；　by　what　rule　I　shall　judge　of　your　conductby　Mr。　Harte's　accounts。　　He　will　not　I　am　sure；　nay；　I　will　say　more；　he　cannot　be　in　the　wrong　with　regard　to　you。　　He　can　have　no　other　view　but　your　good；　and　you　will；　I　am　sure；　allow　that　he　must　be　a　better　judge　of　it　than　you　can　possibly　be　at　your　age。　While　he　is　satisfied；　I　shall　be　so　too；　but　whenever　he　is　dissatisfied　with　you；　I　shall　be　much　more　so。　　If　he　complains；　you　must　be　guilty；　and　I　shall　not　have　the　least　regard　for　anything　that　you　may　allege　in　your　own　defense。

I　will　now　tell　you　what　I　expect　and　insist　upon　from　you　at　Turin：　First；　that　you　pursue　your　classical　and　other　studies　every　morning　with　Mr。　Harte；　as　long　and　in　whatever　manner　Mr。　Harte　shall　be　pleased　to　require；　secondly；　that　you　learn；　uninterruptedly；　your　exercises　of　riding；　dancing；　and　fencing；　thirdly；　that　you　make　yourself　master　of　the　Italian　language；　and　lastly；　that　you　pass　your　evenings　in　the　best　company。　　I　also　require　a　strict　conformity　to　the　hours　and　rules　of　the　Academy。　　If　you　will　but　finish　your　year　in　this　manner　at　Turin；　I　have　nothing　further　to　ask　of　you；　and　I　will　give　you　everything　that　you　can　ask　of　me。　　You　shall　after　that　be　entirely　your　own　master；　I　shall　think　you　safe；　shall　lay　aside　all　authority　over　you；　and　friendship　shall　be　our　mutual　and　only　tie。　　Weigh　this；　I　beg　of　you；　deliberately　in　your　own　mind；　and　consider　whether　the　application　and　the　degree　of　restraint　which　I　require　but　for　one　year　more；　will　not　be　amply　repaid　by　all　the　advantages；　and　the　perfect　liberty；　which　you　will　receive　at　the　end　of　it。　　Your　own　good　sense　will；　I　am　sure；　not　allow　you　to　hesitate　one　moment　in　your　choice。　　God　bless　you！　Adieu。

P。　S。　　Sir　James　Grey's　letters　not　being　yet　sent　to　me；　as　I　thought　they　would；　I　shall　inclose　them　in　my　next；　which　I　believe　will　get　to　Venice　as　soon　as　you。




LETTER　LXVII

LONDON；　April　12；　O。　S。　　1749。

DEAR　BOY：　I　received；　by　the　last　mail；　a　letter　from　Mr。　Harte；　dated　Prague；　April　the　1st；　N。　S。；　for　which　I　desire　you　will　return　him　my　thanks；　and　assure　him　that　I　extremely　approve　of　what　he　has　done；　and　proposes　eventually　to　do；　in　your　way　to　Turin。　　Who　would　have　thought　you　were　old　enough　to　have　been　so　well　acquainted　with　the