letters to his son, 1752-第2章

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　knight…errant　he　declared　himself；　in　the　very　same　form　in　which　the　old　knight…errants　in　romances　used　to　declare　themselves　the　knights　and　champions　of　certain　beautiful　and　incomparable　princesses；　whom　sometimes　they　had；　but　oftener　had　not；　seen。　　For　Dulcinea　del　Toboso　was　by　no　means　the　first　princess　whom　her　faithful　and　valorous　knight　had　never　seen　in　his　life。　　The　enthusiast　went　to　the　Holy　Land；　from　whence　he　returned　to　Spain；　where　he　began　to　learn　Latin　and　philosophy　at　three…and…　thirty　years　old；　so　that　no　doubt　but　he　made　great　progress　in　both。　The　better　to　carry　on　his　mad　and　wicked　designs；　he　chose　four　disciples；　or　rather　apostles；　all　Spaniards；　viz；　Laynes；　Salmeron；　Bobadilla；　and　Rodriguez。　　He　then　composed　the　rules　and　constitutions　of　his　order；　which；　in　the　year　1547；　was　called　the　order　of　Jesuits；　from　the　church　of　Jesus　in　Rome；　which　was　given　them。　　Ignatius　died　in　1556；　aged　sixty…five；　thirty…five　years　after　his　conversion；　and　sixteen　years　after　the　establishment　of　his　society。　　He　was　canonized　in　the　year　1609；　and　is　doubtless　now　a　saint　in　heaven。

If　the　religious　and　moral　principles　of　this　society　are　to　be　detested；　as　they　justly　are；　the　wisdom　of　their　political　principles　is　as　justly　to　be　admired。　　Suspected；　collectively　as　an　order；　of　the　greatest　crimes；　and　convicted　of　many；　they　have　either　escaped　punishment；　or　triumphed　after　it；　as　in　France；　in　the　reign　of　Henry　IV。　　They　have；　directly　or　indirectly；　governed　the　consciences　and　the　councils　of　all　the　Catholic　princes　in　Europe；　they　almost　governed　China　in　the　reign　of　Cangghi；　and　they　are　now　actually　in　possession　of　the　Paraguay　in　America；　pretending；　but　paying　no　obedience　to　the　Crown　of　Spain。　As　a　collective　body　they　are　detested；　even　by　all　the　Catholics；　not　excepting　the　clergy；　both　secular　and　regular；　and　yet；　as　individuals；　they　are　loved；　respected；　and　they　govern　wherever　they　are。

Two　things；　I　believe；　contribute　to　their　success。　　The　first；　that　passive；　implicit；　unlimited　obedience　to　their　General　（who　always　resides　at　Rome）；　and　to　the　superiors　of　their　several　houses；　appointed　by　him。　　This　obedience　is　observed　by　them　all　to　a　most　astonishing　degree；　and；　I　believe；　there　is　no　one　society　in　the　world；　of　which　so　many　individuals　sacrifice　their　private　interest　to　the　general　one　of　the　society　itself。　　The　second　is　the　education　of　youth；　which　they　have　in　a　manner　engrossed；　there　they　give　the　first；　and　the　first　are　the　lasting　impressions；　those　impressions　are　always　calculated　to　be　favorable　to　the　society。　　I　have　known　many　Catholics；　educated　by　the　Jesuits；　who；　though　they　detested　the　society；　from　reason　and　knowledge；　have　always　remained　attached　to　it；　from　habit　and　prejudice。　The；　Jesuits　know；　better　than　any　set　of　people　in　the　world；　the　importance　of　the　art　of　pleasing；　and　study　it　more；　they　become　all　things　to　all　men　in　order　to　gain；　not　a　few；　but　many。　　In　Asia；　Africa；　and　America　they　become　more　than　half　pagans；　in　order　to　convert　the　pagans　to　be　less　than　half　Christians。　　In　private　families　they　begin　by　insinuating　themselves　as　friends；　they　grow　to　be　favorites；　and　they　end　DIRECTORS。　　Their　manners　are　not　like　those　of　any　other　regulars　in　the　world；　but　gentle；　polite；　and　engaging。　　They　are　all　carefully　bred　up　to　that　particular　destination；　to　which　they　seem　to　have　a　natural　turn；　for　which　reason　one　sees　most　Jesuits　excel　in　some　particular　thing。　　They　even　breed　up　some　for　martyrdom　in　case　of　need；　as　the　superior　of　a　Jesuit　seminary　at　Rome　told　Lord　Bolingbroke。　　'E　abbiamo　anche　martiri　per　il　martirio；　se　bisogna'。

Inform　yourself　minutely　of　everything　concerning　this　extraordinary　establishment；　go　into　their　houses；　get　acquainted　with　individuals；　hear　some　of　them　preach。　　The　finest　preacher　I　ever　heard　in　my　life　is　le　Pere　Neufville；　who；　I　believe；　preaches　still　at　Paris；　and　is　so　much　in　the　best　company；　that　you　may　easily　get　personally　acquainted　with　him。

If　you　would　know　their　'morale'　read　Pascal's　'Lettres　Provinciales'；　in　which　it　is　very　truly　displayed　from　their　own　writings。

Upon　the　whole；　this　is　certain；　that　a　society　of　which　so　little　good　is　said；　and　so　much　ill　believed；　and　that　still　not　only　subsists；　but　flourishes；　must　be　a　very　able　one。　　It　is　always　mentioned　as　a　proof　of　the　superior　abilities　of　the　Cardinal　Richelieu；　that；　though　hated　by　all　the　nation；　and　still　more　by　his　master；　he　kept　his　power　in　spite　of　both。

I　would　earnestly　wish　you　to　do　everything　now；　which　I　wish；　that　I　had　done　at　your　age；　and　did　not　do。　　Every　country　has　its　peculiarities；　which　one　can　be　much　better　informed　of　during　one's　residence　there；　than　by　reading　all　the　books　in　the　world　afterward。　　While　you　are　in　Catholic　countries；　inform　yourself　of　all　the　forms　and　ceremonies　of　that　tawdry　church；　see　their　converts　both　of　men　and　women；　know　their　several　rules　and　orders；　attend　their　most　remarkable　ceremonies；　have　their　terms　of　art　explained　to　you；　their　'tierce；　sexte；　nones；　matines；　vepres；　complies'；　their　'breviares；　rosaires；　heures；　chapelets；　agnus'；　etc。；　things　that　many　people　talk　of　from　habit；　though　few　people　know　the　true　meaning　of　anyone　of　them。　　Converse　with；　and　study　the　characters　of　some　of　those　incarcerated　enthusiasts。　Frequent　some　'parloirs'；　and　see　the　air　and　manners　of　those　Recluse；　who　are　a　distinct　nation　themselves；　and　like　no　other。

I　dined　yesterday　with　Mrs。　Fd；　her　mother　and　husband。　　He　is　an　athletic　Hibernian；　handsome　in　his　person；　but　excessively　awkward　and　vulgar　in　his　air　and　manner。　　She　inquired　much　after　you；　and；　I　thought；　with　interest。　　I　answered　her　as　a　'Mezzano'　should　do：　'Et　je　pronai　votre　tendresse；　vos　soins；　et　vos　soupirs'。

When　you　meet　with　any　British　returning　to　their　own　country；　pray　send　me　by　them　any　little　'brochures；　factums；　theses'；　etc。；　'qui　font　du　bruit　ou　du　plaisir　a　Paris'。　　Adieu；　child。




LETTER　CLVII

LONDON；　January　23；　O。　S。　　1752。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　Have　you　seen　the　new　tragedy　of　Varon；＇Written　by　the　Vicomte　de　Grave；　and　at　that　time　the　general　topic　of　conversation　at　Paris。＇　and　what　do　you　think　of　it？　　Let　me　know；　for　I　am　determined　to　form　my　taste　upon　yours。　　I　hear　that　the　situations　and　incidents　are　well　brought　on；　and　the　catastrophe　unexpected　and　surprising；　but　the　verses　bad。　　I　suppose　it　is　the　subject　of　all　conversations　at　Paris；　where　both　women　and　men　are　judges　and　critics　of　all　such　performances；　such　conversations；　that　both　form　and　improve　the　taste；　and　whet　the　judgment；　are　surely　preferable　to　the　conversations　of　our　mixed　companies　here；　which；　if　they　happen　to　rise　above　bragg　and　whist；　infallibly　stop　short　of　everything　either　pleasing　or　instructive。

I　take　the　reason　of　this　to　be；　that　（as　women　generally　give　the　'ton'　to　the　conversation）　our　English　women　are　not　near　so　well　informed　and　cultivated　as　the　French；　besides　that　they　are　naturally　more　serious　and　silent。

I　could　wish　there　were　a　treaty　made　between　the　French　and　English　theatres；　in　which　both　parties　should　make　considerable　concessions。　The　English　ought　to　give　up　their　notorious　violations　of　all　the　unities；　and　all　their　massacres；　racks；　dead　bodies；　and　mangled　carcasses；　which　they　so　frequently　exhibit　upon　their　stage。　　The　French　should　engage　to　have　more　action　and　less　declamation；　and　not　to　cram　and　crowd　things　together；　to　almost　a　degree　of　impossibility；　from　a　too　scrupulous　adherence　to　the　unities。　　The　English　should　restrain　the　licentiousness　of　their　poets；　and　the　French　enlarge　the　liberty　of　theirs；　their　poets　are　the　greatest　slaves　in　their　country；　and　that　is　a　bold　word；　ours　are　the　most　tumultuous　subjects　in　England；　and　that　is　saying　a　good　deal。　　Under　such　regulations　one　might　hope　to　see　a　play　in　which　one　should　not　be　lulled　to　sleep　by　the　length　of　a　monotonical　declamation；　nor　frightened　and　shocked　by　the　barbarity　of　the　action。　　The　unity　of　time　extended　occasionally　to　three　or　four　days；　and　the　unity　of　place　broke　into；　as　far　as　the　same　street；　or　sometimes　the　same　town；　both　which；　I　will　affirm；　are　as　probable　as　four…and…twenty　hours；　and　the　same　room。

More　indulgence　too；　in　my　mind；　should　be　shown；　than　the　French　are　willing　to　allow；　to　bright　thoughts；　and　to　shining　images；　for　though；　I　confess；　it　is　not　very　natural　for　a　hero　or　a　princess　to　say　fine　things　in　all　the　violence　of　grief；　love；　rage；　etc。；　yet；　I　can　as　well　suppose　that；　as　I　can　that　they　should　talk　to　themselves　for　half　an　hour；　which　they　must　necessarily　do；　or　no　tragedy　could　be　carried　on；　unless　they　had　recourse　to　a　much　greater　absurdity；　the　choruses　of　the　ancients。　　Tragedy　is　of　a　nature；　that　one　must　see　it　with　a　degree　of　self…deception；　we　must　lend　ourselves　a　little　to　the　delusion；　and　I　am　very　willing　to　carry　that　complaisance　a　little　farther　than　the　French　do。

Tragedy　must　be　something　bigger　than　life；　or　it　would　not　affect　us。　In　nature　the　most　violent　passions　are　silent；　in　tragedy　they　must　speak；　and　speak　with　dignity　too。　　Hence　the　necessity　of　their　being　written　in　verse；　and　unfortunately　for　the　French；　from　the　weakness　of　their　language；　in　rhymes。　　And　for　the　same　reason；　Cato　the　Stoic；　expiring　at　Utica；　rhymes　masculine　and　feminine　at　Paris；　and　fetches　his　last　breath　at　London；　in　most　harmmonious　and　correct　blank　verse。

It　is　quite　otherwise　with　Comedy；　which　should　be　mere　common　life；　and　not　one　jot　bigger。　　Every　character　should　speak　upon　the　stage；　not　only　what　it　would　utter　in　the　situation　there　represented；　but　in　the　same　manner　in　which　it　would　express　it。　　For　which　reason　I　cannot　allow　rhymes　in　comedy；　unless　they　were　put　into　the　mouth；　and　came　out　of　the　mouth　of　a　mad　poet。　　But　it　is　impossible　to　deceive　one's　self　enough　（nor　is　it　the　least　necessary　in　comedy）　to　suppose　a　dull　rogue　of　an　usurer　cheating；　or　'gross　Jean'　blundering　in　the　finest　rhymes　in　the　world。

As　for　Operas；　they　are　essentially　too　absurd　and　extravagant　to　mention；　I　look　upon　them　as　a　magic　scene；　contrived　to　please　the　eyes　and　the　ears；　at　the　expense　of　the　understanding；　and　I　consider　singing；　rhyming；　and　chiming　heroes；　and　princesses；　and　philosophers；　as　I　do　the　hills；　the　trees；　the　birds；　and　the　beasts；　who　amicably　joined　in　one　common　country　dance；　to　the　irresistible　turn　of　Orpheus's　lyre。　　Whenever　I　go　to　an　opera；　I　leave　my　sense　and　reason　at　the　door　with　my　half　guinea；　and　deliver　myself　up　to　my　eyes　and　my　ears。

Thus　I　have　made　you　my　poetical　confession；　in　which　I　have　acknowledged　as　many　sins　against　the　established　taste　in　both　countries；　as　a　frank　heretic　could　have　owned　against　the　established　church　in　either；　but　I　am　now　privileged　by　my　age　to　taste　and　think　for　myself；　and　not　to　care　what　other　people　think　of　me　in　those　respects；　an　advantage　which　youth；　among　its　many　advantages；　hath　not。　　It　must　occasionally　and　outwardly　conform；　to　a　certain　degree；　to　establish　tastes；　fashions；　and　decisions。　　A