letters to his son, 1752-第13章

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d　it　is　the　part　of　every　man's　character；　that　he　informs　himself　of　first。　　The　least　negligence；　or　the　slightest　inattention；　reported　to　him；　may　do　you　infinite　prejudice：　as　their　contraries　would　service。

If　Lord　Albemarle　（as　I　believe　he　did）　trusted　you　with　the　secret　affairs　of　his　department；　let　the　Duke　of　Newcastle　know　that　he　did　so；　which　will　be　an　inducement　to　him　to　trust　you　too；　and　possibly　to　employ　you　in　affairs　of　consequence。　　Tell　him　that；　though　you　are　young；　you　know　the　importance　of　secrecy　in　business；　and　can　keep　a　secret　；　that　I　have　always　inculcated　this　doctrine　into　you；　and　have；　moreover；　strictly　forbidden　you　ever　to　communicate；　even　to　me；　any　matters　of　a　secret　nature；　which　you　may　happen　to　be　trusted　with　in　the　course　of　business。

As　for　business；　I　think　I　can　trust　you　to　yourself；　but　I　wish　I　could　say　as　much　for　you　with　regard　；　to　those　exterior　accomplishments；　which　are　absolutely　necessary　to　smooth　and　shorten　the　way　to　it。　　Half　the　business　is　done；　when　one　has　gained　the　heart　and　the　affections　of　those　with　whom　one　is　to　transact　it。　　Air　and　address　must　begin；　manners　and　attention　must　finish　that　work。　　I　will　let　you　into　one　secret　concerning　myself；　which　is；　that　I　owe　much　more　of　the　success　which　I　have　had　in　the　world　to　my　manners；　than　to　any　superior　degree　of　merit　or　knowledge。　　I　desired　to　please；　and　I　neglected　none　of　the　means。　　This；　I　can　assure　you；　without　any　false　modesty；　is　the　truth：　You　have　more　knowledge　than　I　had　at　your　age；　but　then　I　had　much　more　attention　and　good…breeding　than　you。　　Call　it　vanity；　if　you　please；　and　possibly　it　was　so；　but　my　great　object　was　to　make　every　man　I　met　with　like　me；　and　every　woman　love　me。　　I　often　succeeded；　but　why？　　By　taking　great　pains；　for　otherwise　I　never　should：　my　figure　by　no　means　entitled　me　to　it；　and　I　had　certainly　an　up…hill　game；　whereas　your　countenance　would　help　you；　if　you　made　the　most　of　it；　and　proscribed　for　ever　the　guilty；　gloomy；　and　funereal　part　of　it。　　Dress；　address；　and　air；　would　become　your　best　countenance；　and　make　your　little　figure　pass　very　well。

If　you　have　time　to　read　at　Hanover；　pray　let　the　books　you　read　be　all　relative　to　the　history　and　constitution　of　that　country；　which　I　would　have　you　know　as　correctly　as　any　Hanoverian　in　the　whole　Electorate。　Inform　yourself　of　the　powers　of　the　States；　and　of　the　nature　and　extent　of　the　several　judicatures；　the　particular　articles　of　trade　and　commerce　of　Bremen；　Harburg；　and　Stade　；　the　details　and　value　of　the　mines　of　the　Hartz。　　Two　or　three　short　books　will　give　you　the　outlines　of　all　these　things；　and　conversation　turned　upon　those　subjects　will　do　the　rest；　and　better　than　books　can。

Remember　of　all　things　to　speak　nothing　but　German　there；　make　it　（to　express　myself　pedantically）　your　vernacular　language；　seem　to　prefer　it　to　any　other；　call　it　your　favorite　language；　and　study　to　speak　it　with　purity　and　elegance；　if　it　has　any。　　This　will　not　only　make　you　perfect　in　it；　but　will　please；　and　make　your　court　there　better　than　anything。　A　propos　of　languages：　Did　you　improve　your　Italian　while　you　were　at　Paris；　or　did　you　forget　it？　　Had　you　a　master　there？　　and　what　Italian　books　did　you　read　with　him？　　If　you　are　master　of　Italian；　I　would　have　you　afterward；　by　the　first　convenient　opportunity；　learn　Spanish；　which　you　may　very　easily；　and　in　a　very　little　time　do；　you　will　then；　in　the　course　of　your　foreign　business；　never　be　obliged　to　employ；　pay；　or　trust　any　translator　for　any　European　language。

As　I　love　to　provide　eventually　for　everything　that　can　possibly　happen；　I　will　suppose　the　worst　that　can　befall　you　at　Hanover。　　In　that　case　I　would　have　you　go　immediately　to　the　Duke　of　Newcastle；　and　beg　his　Grace's　advice；　or　rather　orders；　what　you　should　do；　adding；　that　his　advice　will　always　be　orders　to　you。　　You　will　tell　him　that　though　you　are　exceedingly　mortified；　you　are　much　less　so　than　you　should　otherwise　be；　from　the　consideration　that　being　utterly　unknown　to　his　M…；　his　objection　could　not　be　personal　to　you；　and　could　only　arise　from　circumstances　which　it　was　not　in　your　power　either　to　prevent　or　remedy；　that　if　his　Grace　thought　that　your　continuing　any　longer　there　would　be　disagreeable；　you　entreated　him　to　tell　you　so；　and　that　upon　the　whole；　you　referred　yourself　entirely　to　him；　whose　orders　you　should　most　scrupulously　obey。　　But　this　precaution；　I　dare　say；　is　'ex　abundanti'；　and　will　prove　unnecessary；　however；　it　is　always　right　to　be　prepared　for　all　events；　the　worst　as　well　as　the　best；　it　prevents　hurry　and　surprise；　two　dangerous；　situations　in　business；　for　I　know　no　one　thing　so　useful；　so　necessary　in　all　business；　as　great　coolness；　steadiness；　and　sangfroid：　they　give　an　incredible　advantage　over　whoever　one　has　to　do　with。

I　have　received　your　letter　of　the　15th；　N。　　S。；　from　Mayence；　where　I　find　that　you　have　diverted　yourself　much　better　than　I　expected。　　I　am　very　well　acquainted　with　Comte　Cobentzel's　character；　both　of　parts　and　business。　　He　could　have　given　you　letters　to　Bonn；　having　formerly　resided　there　himself。　　You　will　not　be　so　agreeably　ELECTRIFIED　where　this　letter　will　find　you；　as　you　were　both　at　Manheim　and　Mayence　；　but　I　hope　you　may　meet　with　a　second　German　Mrs。　F…d；　who　may　make　you　forget　the　two　former　ones；　and　practice　your　German。　　Such　transient　passions　will　do　you　no　harm；　but；　on　the　contrary；　a　great　deal　of　good；　they　will　refine　your　manners　and　quicken　your　attention；　they　give　a　young　fellow　'du　brillant'；　and　bring　him　into　fashion；　which　last　is　a　great　article　at　setting　out　in　the　world。

I　have　wrote；　about　a　month　ago；　to　Lord　Albemarle；　to　thank　him　for　all　his　kindnesses　to　you；　but　pray　have　you　done　as　much？　　Those　are　the　necessary　attentions　which　should　never　be　omitted；　especially　in　the　beginning　of　life；　when　a　character　is　to　be　established。

That　ready　wit；　which　you　so　partially　allow　me；　and　so　justly　Sir　Charles　Williams；　may　create　many　admirers；　but；　take　my　word　for　it；　it　makes　few　friends。　　It　shines　and　dazzles　like　the　noon…day　sun；　but；　like　that　too；　is　very　apt　to　scorch；　and　therefore　is　always　feared。　The　milder　morning　and　evening　light　and　heat　of　that　planet　soothe　and　calm　our　minds。　　Good　sense；　complaisance；　gentleness　of　manners；　attentions　and　graces　are　the　only　things　that　truly　engage；　and　durably　keep　the　heart　at　long　run。　　Never　seek　for　wit；　if　it　presents　itself；　well　and　good；　but；　even　in　that　case；　let　your　judgment　interpose；　and　take　care　that　it　be　not　at　the　expense　of　anybody。　　Pope　says　very　truly：

　　　　　　　　　　〃There　are　whom　heaven　has　blest　with　store　of　wit；　　　　　　　　　　　Yet　want　as　much　again　to　govern　it。〃

And　in　another　place；　I　doubt　with　too　much　truth：

　　　　　　　　　　〃For　wit　and　judgment　ever　are　at　strife　　　　　　　　　　　Though　meant　each　other's　aid；　like　man　and　wife。〃

The　Germans　are　very　seldom　troubled　with　any　extraordinary　ebullitions　or　effervescenses　of　wit；　and　it　is　not　prudent　to　try　it　upon　them；　whoever　does；　'ofendet　solido'。

Remember　to　write　me　very　minute　accounts　of　all　your　transactions　at　Hanover；　for　they　excite　both　my　impatience　and　anxiety。　　Adieu！




LETTER　CLXXIV

LONDON；　August　4；　O。　S。　　1752

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　I　am　extremely　concerned　at　the　return　of　your　old　asthmatic　complaint；　of　which　your　letter　from　Cassel　of　the　28th　July；　N。　S。；　in　forms　me。　　I　believe　it　is　chiefly　owing　to　your　own　negligence；　for；　notwithstanding　the　season　of　the　year；　and　the　heat　and　agitation　of　traveling；　I　dare　swear　you　have　not　taken　one　single　dose　of　gentle；　cooling　physic；　since　that　which　I　made　you　take　at　Bath。　I　hope　you　are　now　better；　and　in　better　hands。　　I　mean　in　Dr。　Hugo's　at　Hanover：　he　is　certainly　a　very　skillful　physician；　and　therefore　I　desire　that　you　will　inform　him　most　minutely　of　your　own　case；　from　your　first　attack　in　Carniola；　to　this　last　at　Marpurgh；　and　not　only　follow　his　prescriptions　exactly　at　present；　but　take　his　directions；　with　regard　to　the　regimen　that　he　would　have　you　observe　to　prevent　the　returns　of　this　complaint；　and；　in　case　of　any　returns；　the　immediate　applications；　whether　external　or　internal；　that　he　would　have　you　make　use　of。　　Consider；　it　is　very　worth　your　while　to　submit　at　present　to　any　course　of　medicine　or　diet；　to　any　restraint　or　confinement；　for　a　time；　in　order　to　get　rid；　once　for　all；　of　so　troublesome　and　painful　a　distemper；　the　returns　of　which　would　equally　break　in　upon　your　business　or　your　pleasures。　　Notwithstanding　all　this；　which　is　plain　sense　and　reason；　I　much　fear　that；　as　soon　as　ever　you　are　got　out　of　your　present　distress；　you　will　take　no　preventive　care；　by　a　proper　course　of　medicines　and　regimen；　but；　like　most　people　of　your　age；　think　it　impossible　that　you　ever　should　be　ill　again。　　However；　if　you　will　not　be　wise　for　your　own　sake；　I　desire　you　will　be　so　for　mine；　and　most　scrupulously　observe　Dr。　Hugo's　present　and　future　directions。

Hanover；　where　I　take　it　for　granted　you　are；　is　at　present　the　seat　and　centre　of　foreign　negotiations；　there　are　ministers　from　almost　every　court　in　Europe；　and　you　have　a　fine　opportunity　of　displaying　with　modesty；　in　conversation；　your　knowledge　of　the　matters　now　in　agitation。　The　chief　I　take　to　be　the　Election　of　the　King　of　the　Romans；　which；　though　I　despair　of；　heartily　wish　were　brought　about　for　two　reasons。　The　first　is；　that　I　think　it　may　prevent　a　war　upon　the　death　of　the　present　Emperor；　who；　though　young　and　healthy；　may　possibly　die；　as　young　and　healthy　people　often　do。　　The　other　is；　the　very　reason　that　makes　some　powers　oppose　it；　and　others　dislike　it；　who　do　not　openly　oppose　it；　I　mean；　that　it　may　tend　to　make　the　imperial　dignity　hereditary　in　the　House　of　Austria；　which　I　heartily　wish；　together　with　a　very　great　increase　of　power　in　the　empire：　till　when；　Germany　will　never　be　anything　near　a　match　for　France。　　Cardinal　Richelieu　showed　his　superior　abilities　in　nothing　more；　than　in　thinking　no　pains　or　expense　too　great　to　break　the　power　of　the　House　of　Austria　in　the　empire。　Ferdinand　had　certainly　made　himself　absolute；　and　the　empire　consequently　formidable　to　France；　if　that　Cardinal　had　not　piously　adopted　the　Protestant　cause；　and　put　the　empire；　by　the　treaty　of　Westphalia；　in　pretty　much　the　same　disjointed　situation　in　which　France　itself　was　before　Lewis　the　Eleventh　；　when　princes　of　the　blood；　at　the　head　of　provinces；　and　Dukes　of　Brittany；　etc。；　always　opposed；　and　often　gave　laws　to　the　crown。　　Nothing　but　making　the　empire　hereditary　in　the　House　of　Austria；　can　give　it　that　strength　and　efficiency；　which　I　wish　it　had；　for　the　sake　of　the　balance　of　power。　　For；　while　the　princes　of　the　empire　are　so　independent　of　the　emperor；　so　divided　among　themselves；　and　so　open　to　the　corruption　of　the　best　bidders；　it　is　ridiculous　to　expect　that　Germany　ever　will；　or　can　act　as　a　compact　and　well…united　body　against　France。　　But　as　this　notion　of　mine　would　as　little　please　SOME　OF　OUR　FRIENDS；　as　many　of　our　enemies；　I　would　not　advise　you；　though　you　should　be　of　the　same　opinion；　to　declare　yourself　too　freely　so。　　Coul