letters to his son, 1752-第17章
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no means give up any point to a competitor； yet I would pique myself upon showing him rather more civility than to another man。 In the first place； this 'procede' infallibly makes all 'les rieurs' of your side； which is a considerable party； and in the next place； it certainly pleases the object of the competition； be it either man or woman； who never fail to say； upon such an occasion； that THEY MUST OWN YOU HAVE BEHAVED YOURSELF VERY； HANDSOMELY IN THE WHOLE AFFAIR。 The world judges from the appearances of things； and not from the reality； which few are able； and still fewer are inclined to fathom： and a man； who will take care always to be in the right in those things； may afford to be sometimes a little in the wrong in more essential ones： there is a willingness； a desire to excuse him。 With nine people in ten； good… breeding passes for good…nature； and they take attentions for good offices。 At courts there will be always coldnesses； dislikes； jealousies； and hatred； the harvest being but small in proportion to the number of laborers； but then； as they arise often； they die soon； unless they are perpetuated by the manner in which they have been carried on； more than by the matter which occasioned them。 The turns and vicissitudes of courts frequently make friends of enemies； and enemies of friends； you must labor； therefore； to acquire that great and uncommon talent of hating with good…breeding and loving with prudence； to make no quarrel irreconcilable by silly and unnecessary indications of anger； and no friendship dangerous； in case it breaks； by a wanton； indiscreet； and unreserved confidence。
Few ； （especially young） people know how to love； or how to hate； their love is an unbounded weakness； fatal to the person they love； their hate is a hot； rash； and imprudent violence； always fatal to themselves。
Nineteen fathers in twenty； and every mother； who had loved you half as well as I do； would have ruined you； whereas I always made you feel the weight of my authority； that you might one day know the force of my love。 Now； I both hope and believe； my advice will have the same weight with you from choice that my authority had from necessity。 My advice is just eight…and…twenty years older than your own； and consequently； I believe you think； rather better。 As for your tender and pleasurable passions； manage them yourself； but let me have the direction of all the others。 Your ambition； your figure； and your fortune； will； for some time at least； be rather safer in my keeping than in your own。 Adieu。
LETTER CLXXX
BATH； October 4； 1752
MY DEAR FRIEND： I consider you now as at the court of Augustus； where； if ever the desire of pleasing animated you； it must make you exert all the means of doing it。 You will see there； full as well； I dare say； as Horace did at Rome； how states are defended by arms； adorned by manners； and improved by laws。 Nay； you have an Horace there as well as an Augustus； I need not name Voltaire； 'qui nil molitur inept'？； as Horace himself said of another poet。 I have lately read over all his works that are published； though I had read them more than once before。 I was induced to this by his 'Siecle de Louis XIV'； which I have yet read but four times。 In reading over all his works； with more attention I suppose than before； my former admiration of him is； I own； turned into astonishment。 There is no one kind of writing in which he has not excelled。 You are so severe a classic that I question whether you will allow me to call his 'Henriade' an epic poem； for want of the proper number of gods； devils； witches and other absurdities； requisite for the machinery； which machinery is； it seems； necessary to constitute the 'epopee'。 But whether you do or not； I will declare （though possibly to my own shame） that I never read any epic poem with near so much pleasure。 I am grown old； and have possibly lost a great deal of that fire which formerly made me love fire in others at any rate； and however attended with smoke； but now I must have all sense； and cannot； for the sake of five righteous lines； forgive a thousand absurd ones。
In this disposition of mind； judge whether I can read all Homer through 'tout de suite'。 I admire its beauties； but； to tell you the truth； when he slumbers； I sleep。 Virgil； I confess； is all sense； and therefore I like him better than his model； but he is often languid； especially in his five or six last books； during which I am obliged to take a good deal of snuff。 Besides； I profess myself an ally of Turnus against the pious AEneas； who； like many 'soi…disant' pious people； does the most flagrant injustice and violence in order to execute what they impudently call the will of Heaven。 But what will you say； when I tell you truly； that I cannot possibly read our countryman Milton through？ I acknowledge him to have some most sublime passages； some prodigious flashes of light； but then you must acknowledge that light is often followed by darkness visible； to use his own expression。 Besides； not having the honor to be acquainted with any of the parties in this poem； except the Man and the Woman； the characters and speeches of a dozen or two of angels and of as many devils； are as much above my reach as my entertainment。 Keep this secret for me： for if it should be known； I should be abused by every tasteless pedant； and every solid divine in England。
'Whatever I have said to the disadvantage of these three poems； holds much stronger against Tasso's 'Gierusalemme'： it is true he has very fine and glaring rays of poetry； but then they are only meteors； they dazzle； then disappear； and are succeeded by false thoughts； poor 'concetti'； and absurd impossibilities； witness the Fish and the Parrot； extravagancies unworthy of an heroic poem； and would much better have become Ariosto； who professes 'le coglionerie'。
I have never read the 〃Lusiade of Camoens；〃 except in prose translation； consequently I have never read it at all； so shall say nothing of it； but the Henriade is all sense from the beginning to the end； often adorned by the justest and liveliest reflections； the most beautiful descriptions； the noblest images； and the sublimest sentiments； not to mention the harmony of the verse； in which Voltaire undoubtedly exceeds all the French poets： should you insist upon an exception in favor of Racine； I must insist； on my part； that he at least equals him。 What hero ever interested more than Henry the Fourth； who； according to the rules of epic poetry； carries on one great and long action； and succeeds in it at last？ What descriptions ever excited more horror than those； first of the Massacre； and then of the Famine at Paris？ Was love ever painted with more truth and 'morbidezza' than in the ninth book？ Not better； in my mind； even in the fourth of Virgil。 Upon the whole； with all your classical rigor； if you will but suppose St。 Louis a god； a devil； or a witch； and that he appears in person； and not in a dream； the Henriade will be an epic poem； according to the strictest statute laws of the 'epopee'； but in my court of equity it is one as it is。
I could expatiate as much upon all his different works； but that I should exceed the bounds of a letter and run into a dissertation。 How delightful is his history of that northern brute； the King of Sweden； for I cannot call him a man； and I should be sorry to have him pass for a hero； out of regard to those true heroes； such as Julius Caesar； Titus； Trajan； and the present King of Prussia； who cultivated and encouraged arts and sciences； whose animal courage was accompanied by the tender and social sentiments of humanity； and who had more pleasure in improving； than in destroying their fellow…creatures。 What can be more touching； or more interestingwhat more nobly thought； or more happily expressed； than all his dramatic pieces？ What can be more clear and rational than all his philosophical letters？ and whatever was so graceful； and gentle； as all his little poetical trifles？ You are fortunately 'a porte' of verifying； by your knowledge of the man； all that I have said of his works。
Monsieur de Maupertius （whom I hope you will get acquainted with） is； what one rarely meets with； deep in philosophy and； mathematics； and yet 'honnete et aimable homme'： Algarotti is young Fontenelle。 Such men must necessarily give you the desire of pleasing them； and if you can frequent them； their acquaintance will furnish you the means of pleasing everybody else。
'A propos' of pleasing； your pleasing Mrs。 F…d is expected here in two or three days； I will do all that I can for you with her： I think you carried on the romance to the third or fourth volume； I will continue it to the eleventh； but as for the twelfth and last； you must come and conclude it yourself。 'Non sum qualis eram'。
Good…night to you； child； for I am going to bed； just at the hour at which I suppose you are going to live； at Berlin。
LETTER CLXXXI
BATH； November 11； O。 S。 1752
MY DEAR FRIEND： It is a very old and very true maxim； that those kings reign the most secure and the most absolute； who reign in the hearts of their people。 Their popularity is a better guard than their army； and the affections of their subjects a better pledge of their obedience than their fears。 This rule is； in proportion； full as true； though upon a different scale； with regard to private people。 A man who possesses that great art of pleasing universally； and of gaining the affections of those with whom he converses； possesses a strength which nothing else can give him： a strength which facilitates and helps his rise； and which； in case of accidents； breaks his fall。 Few people of your age sufficiently consider this great point of popularity； and when they grow older and wiser； strive in vain to recover what they have lost by their negligence。 There are three principal causes that hinder them from acquiring this useful strength： pride； inattention； and 'mauvaise honte'。 The first I will not； I cannot suspect you of； it is too much below your understanding。 You cannot； and I am sure you do not think yourself superior by nature to the Savoyard who cleans your room； or the footman who cleans your shoes； but you may rejoice； and with reason； at the difference that fortune has made in your favor。 Enjoy all those advantages； but without insulting those who are unfortunate enough to want them； or even doing anything unnecessarily that may remind them of that want。 For my own part； I am more upon my guard as to my behavior to my servants； and others who are called my inferiors； than I am toward my equals： for fear of being suspected of that mean and ungenerous sentiment of desiring to make others feel that difference which fortune has； and perhaps too； undeservedly； made between us。 Young people do not enough attend to this； and falsely imagine that the imperative mood； and a rough tone of authority and decision； are indications of spirit and courage。 Inattention is always looked upon； though sometimes unjustly； as the effect of pride and contempt； and where it is thought so； is never forgiven。 In this article； young people are generally exceedingly to blame； and offend extremely。 Their whole attention is engrossed by their particular set of acqua
