letters to his son, 1752-第15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！


very　long　experience；　that　it　is　very　unsafe　to　trust　to　other　people's。　　Vanity　and　interest　cause　many　misrepresentations；　and　folly　causes　many　more。　　Few　people　have　parts　enough　to　relate　exactly　and　judiciously：　and　those　who　have；　for　some　reason　or　other；　never　fail　to　sink；　or　to　add　some　circumstances。

The　reception　which　you　have　met　with　at　Hanover；　I　look　upon　as　an　omen　of　your　being　well　received　everywhere　else；　for　to　tell　you　the　truth；　it　was　the　place　that　I　distrusted　the　most　in　that　particular。　　But　there　is　a　certain　conduct；　there　are　certaines　'manieres'　that　will；　and　must　get　the　better　of　all　difficulties　of　that　kind　；　it　is　to　acquire　them　that　you　still　continue　abroad；　and　go　from　court　to　court；　they　are　personal；　local；　and　temporal；　they　are　modes　which　vary；　and　owe　their　existence　to　accidents；　whim；　and　humor；　all　the　sense　and　reason　in　the　world　would　never　point　them　out；　nothing　but　experience；　observation；　and　what　is　called　knowledge　of　the　world；　can　possibly　teach　them。　　For　example；　it　is　respectful　to　bow　to　the　King　of　England；　it　is　disrespectful　to　bow　to　the　King　of　France；　it　is　the　rule　to　courtesy　to　the　Emperor；　and　the　prostration　of　the　whole　body　is　required　by　eastern　monarchs。　　These　are　established　ceremonies；　and　must　be　complied　with：　but　why　thev　were　established；　I　defy　sense　and　reason　to　tell　us。　　It　is　the　same　among　all　ranks；　where　certain　customs　are　received；　and　must　necessarily　be　complied　with；　though　by　no　means　the　result　of　sense　and　reason。　　As　for　instance；　the　very　absurd；　though　almost　universal　custom　of　drinking　people's　healths。　　Can　there　be　anything　in　the　world　less　relative　to　any　other　man's　health；　than　my　drinking　a　glass　of　wine？　　Common　sense　certainly　never　pointed　it　out；　but　yet　common　sense　tells　me　I　must　conform　to　it。　　Good　sense　bids　one　be　civil　and　endeavor　to　please；　though　nothing　but　experience　and　observation　can　teach　one　the　means；　properly　adapted　to　time；　place；　and　persons。　　This　knowledge　is　the　true　object　of　a　gentleman's　traveling；　if　he　travels　as　he　ought　to　do。　　By　frequenting　good　company　in　every　country；　he　himself　becomes　of　every　country；　he　is　no　longer　an　Englishman；　a　Frenchman；　or　an　Italian；　but　he　is　an　European；　he　adopts；　respectively；　the　best　manners　of　every　country；　and　is　a　Frenchman　at　Paris；　an　Italian　at　Rome；　an　Englishman　at　London。

This　advantage；　I　must　confess；　very　seldom　accrues　to　my　countrymen　from　their　traveling；　as　they　have　neither　the　desire　nor　the　means　of　getting　into　good　company　abroad　；　for；　in　the　first　place；　they　are　confoundedly　bashful；　and；　in　the　next　place；　they　either　speak　no　foreign　language　at　all；　or　if　they　do；　it　is　barbarously。　　You　possess　all　the　advantages　that　they　want；　you　know　the　languages　in　perfection；　and　have　constantly　kept　the　best　company　in　the　places　where　you　have　been；　so　that　you　ought　to　be　an　European。　　Your　canvas　is　solid　and　strong；　your　outlines　are　good；　but　remember　that　you　still　want　the　beautiful　coloring　of　Titian；　and　the　delicate；　graceful　touches　of　Guido。　　Now　is　your　time　to　get　them。　　There　is；　in　all　good　company；　a　fashionable　air；　countenance；　manner；　and　phraseology；　which　can　only　be　acquired　by　being　in　good　company；　and　very　attentive　to　all　that　passes　there。　　When　you　dine　or　sup　at　any　well…bred　man's　house；　observe　carefully　how　he　does　the　honors　of　his　table　to　the　different　guests。　　Attend　to　the　compliments　of　congratulation　or　condolence　that　you　hear　a　well…bred　man　make　to　his　superiors；　to　his　equals；　and　to　his　inferiors；　watch　even　his　countenance　and　his　tone　of　voice；　for　they　all　conspire　in　the　main　point　of　pleasing。　　There　is　a　certain　distinguishing　diction　of　a　man　of　fashion；　he　will　not　content　himself　with　saying；　like　John　Trott；　to　a　new…married　man；　Sir；　I　wish　you　much　joy；　or　to　a　man　who　lost　his　son；　Sir；　I　am　sorry　for　your　loss；　and　both　with　a　countenance　equally　unmoved；　but　he　will　say　in　effect　the　same　thing　in　a　more　elegant　and　less　trivial　manner；　and　with　a　countenance　adapted　to　the　occasion。　　He　will　advance　with　warmth；　vivacity；　and　a　cheerful　countenance；　to　the　new…married　man；　and　embracing　him；　perhaps　say　to　him；　〃If　you　do　justice　to　my　attachment　to　you；　you　will　judge　of　the　joy　that　I　feel　upon　this　occasion；　better　than　I　can　express　it；〃　etc。　；　to　the　other　in　affliction；　he　will　advance　slowly；　with　a　grave　composure　of　countenance；　in　a　more　deliberate　manner；　and　with　a　lower　voice；　perhaps　say；　〃I　hope　you　do　me　the　justice　to　be　convinced　that　I　feel　whatever　you　feel；　and　shall　ever　be　affected　where　you　are　concerned。〃

Your　'abord'；　I　must　tell　you；　was　too　cold　and　uniform；　I　hope　it　is　now　mended。　　It　should　be　respectfully　open　and　cheerful　with　your　superiors；　warm　and　animated　with　your　equals；　hearty　and　free　with　your　inferiors。　There　is　a　fashionable　kind　of　SMALL　TALK　which　you　should　get；　which；　trifling　as　it　is；　is　of　use　in　mixed　companies；　and　at　table；　especially　in　your　foreign　department；　where　it　keeps　off　certain　serious　subjects；　that　might　create　disputes；　or　at　least　coldness　for　a　time。　　Upon　such　occasions　it　is　not　amiss　to　know　how　to　parley　cuisine；　and　to　be　able　to　dissert　upon　the　growth　and　flavor　of　wines。　　These；　it　is　true；　are　very　little　things；　but　they　are　little　things　that　occur　very　often；　and　therefore　should　be　said　'avec　gentillesse　et　grace'。　　I　am　sure　they　must　fall　often　in　your　way；　pray　take　care　to　catch　them。　　There　is　a　certain　language　of　conversation；　a　fashionable　diction；　of　which　every　gentleman　ought　to　be　perfectly　master；　in　whatever　language　he　speaks。　The　French　attend　to　it　carefully；　and　with　great　reason；　and　their　language；　which　is　a　language　of　phrases；　helps　them　out　exceedingly。　That　delicacy　of　diction　is　characteristical　of　a　man　of　fashion　and　good　company。

I　could　write　folios　upon　this　subject；　and　not　exhaust　it；　but　I　think；　and　hope；　that　to　you　I　need　not。　　You　have　heard　and　seen　enough　to　be　convinced　of　the　truth　and　importance　of　what　I　have　been　so　long　inculcating　into　you　upon　these　points。　　How　happy　am　I；　and　how　happy　are　you；　my　dear　child；　that　these　Titian　tints；　and　Guido　graces；　are　all　that　you　want　to　complete　my　hopes　and　your　own　character！　　But　then；　on　the　other　hand；　what　a　drawback　would　it　be　to　that　happiness；　if　you　should　never　acquire　them？　　I　remember；　when　I　was　of　age；　though　I　had　not　near　so　good　an　education　as　you　have；　or　seen　a　quarter　so　much　of　the　world；　I　observed　those　masterly　touches　and　irresistible　graces　in　others；　and　saw　the　necessity　of　acquiring　them　myself；　but　then　an　awkward　'mauvaise　honte'；　of　which　I　had　brought　a　great　deal　with　me　from　Cambridge；　made　me　ashamed　to　attempt　it；　especially　if　any　of　my　countrymen　and　particular　acquaintances　were　by。　　This　was　extremely　absurd　in　me：　for；　without　attempting；　I　could　never　succeed。　　But　at　last；　insensibly；　by　frequenting　a　great　deal　of　good　company；　and　imitating　those　whom　I　saw　that　everybody　liked；　I　formed　myself；　'tant　bien　que　mal'。　　For　God's　sake；　let　this　last　fine　varnish；　so　necessary　to　give　lustre　to　the　whole　piece；　be　the　sole　and　single　object　now　of　your　utmost　attention。　　Berlin　may　contribute　a　great　deal　to　it　if　you　please；　there　are　all　the　ingredients　that　compose　it。

'A　Propos'　of　Berlin；　while　you　are　there；　take　care　to　seem　ignorant　of　all　political　matters　between　the　two　courts；　such　as　the　affairs　of　Ost　Frise；　and　Saxe　Lawemburg；　etc。；　and　enter　into　no　conversations　upon　those　points；　but；　however；　be　as　well　at　court　as　you　possibly　can；　live　at　it；　and　make　one　of　it。　　Should　General　Keith　offer　you　civilities；　do　not　decline　them；　but　return　them；　however；　without　being　'enfant　de　la　maison　chez　lui'：　say　'des　chores　flatteuses'　of　the　Royal　Family；　and　especially　of　his　Prussian　Majesty；　to　those　who　are　the　most　like　to　repeat　them。　　In　short；　make　yourself　well　there；　without　making　yourself　ill　SOMEWHERE　ELSE。　　Make　compliments　from　me　to　Algarotti；　and　converse　with　him　in　Italian。

I　go　next　week　to　the　Bath；　for　a　deafness；　which　I　have　been　plagued　with　these　four　or　five　months；　and　which　I　am　assured　that　pumping　my　head　will　remove。　　This　deafness；　I　own；　has　tried　my　patience；　as　it　has　cut　me　off　from　society；　at　an　age　when　I　had　no　pleasures　but　those　left。　　In　the　meantime；　I　have；　by　reading　and　writing；　made　my　eyes　supply　the　defect　of　my　ears。　　Madame　H…；　I　suppose；　entertained　both　yours　alike；　however；　I　am　very　glad　that　you　were　well　with　her；　for　she　is　a　good　'proneuse'；　and　puffs　are　very　useful　to　a　young　fellow　at　his　entrance　into　the　world。

If　you　should　meet　with　Lord　Pembroke　again；　anywhere；　make　him　many　compliments　from　me；　and　tell　him　that　I　should　have　written　to　him；　but　that　I　knew　how　troublesome　an　old　correspondent　must　be　to　a　young　one。　He　is　much　commended　in　the　accounts　from　Hanover。

You　will　stay　at　Berlin　just　as　long　as　you　like　it；　and　no　longer；　and　from　thence　you　are　absolutely　master　of　your　own　motions；　either　to　The　Hague；　or　to　Brussels；　but　I　think　that　you　had　better　go　to　The　Hague　first；　because　that　from　thence　Brussels　will　be　in　your　way　to　Calais；　which　is　a　much　better　passage　to　England　than　from　Helvoetsluys。　　The　two　courts　of　The　Hague　and　Brussels　are　worth　your　seeing；　and　you　will　see　them　both　to　advantage；　by　means　of　Colonel　Yorke　and　Dayrolles。　Adieu。　　Here　is　enough　for　this　time。




LETTER　CLXXVIII

LONDON；　September　26；　1752

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　As　you　chiefly　employ；　or　rather　wholly　engross　my　thoughts；　I　see　every　day；　with　increasing　pleasure；　the　fair　prospect　which　you　have　before　you。　　I　had　two　views　in　your　education；　they　draw　nearer　and　nearer；　and　I　have　now　very　little　reason　to　distrust　your　answering　them　fully。　　Those　two　were；　parliamentary　and　foreign　affairs。　In　consequence　of　those　views；　I　took　care；　first；　to　give　you　a　sufficient　stock　of　sound　learning；　and　next；　an　early　knowledge　of　the　world。　　Without　making　a　figure　in　parliament；　no　man　can　make　any　in　this　country；　and　eloquence　alone　enables　a　man　to　make　a　figure　in　parliament；　unless；　it　be　a　very　mean　and　contemptible　one；　which　those　make　there　who　silently　vote；　and　who　do　'pedibus　ire　in　sententiam'。　Foreign　affairs；　when　skillfully　managed；　and　supported　by　a　parliamentary　reputation；　lead　to　whatever　is　most　considerable　in　this　country。　　You　have　the　languages　necessary　for　that　purpose；　with　a　sufficient　fund　of　historical　and　treaty　knowledge；　that　is　to　say；　you　have　the　matter　ready；　and　only　want　the　manner。　　Your　objects　being　thus　fixed；　I　recommend　to　you　to　have　them　constantly　in　your　thoughts；　and　to　direct　your　reading；　your　actions；　and　your　words；　to　those　views。　Most　people　think　only　'ex　re　nata'；　and　few　'ex　professo'：　I　would　have　you　do　both；　but　begin　with　the　latter。　　I　explain　myself：　Lay　down　certain　principles；　and　reason　and　act　consequently　from　them。　　As；　for　example；　say　to　yourself；　I　will　make　a　figure　in　parliament；　and　in　order　to　do　that；　I　must　not　only　speak；　but　speak　very　well。　　Speaking　mere　common　sense　will　by　no　means　do；　and　I　must　speak　not　only　correctly　but　elegantly；　and　not　only　elegantly　but　eloqu