letters to his son, 1748-第1部分

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！






Letters　to　His　Son；　1748

by　Lord　Chesterfield




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LETTERS　TO　HIS　SON
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　By　the　EARL　OF　CHESTERFIELD

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　on　the　Fine　Art　of　becoming　a

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MAN　OF　THE　WORLD

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　and　a

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　GENTLEMAN




LETTER　XXIV

January　2；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　I　am　edified　with　the　allotment　of　your　time　at　Leipsig；　which　is　so　well　employed　from　morning　till　night；　that　a　fool　would　say　you　had　none　left　for　yourself；　whereas；　I　am　sure　you　have　sense　enough　to　know；　that　such　a　right　use　of　your　time　is　having　it　all　to　yourself；　nay；　it　is　even　more；　for　it　is　laying　it　out　to　immense　interest；　which；　in　a　very　few　years；　will　amount　to　a　prodigious　capital。

Though　twelve　of　your　fourteen　'Commensaux'　may　not　be　the　liveliest　people　in　the　world；　and　may　want　（as　I　easily　conceive　that　they　do）　'le　ton　de　la　bonne　campagnie；　et　les　graces'；　which　I　wish　you；　yet　pray　take　care　not　to　express　any　contempt；　or　throw　out　any　ridicule；　which　I　can　assure　you；　is　not　more　contrary　to　good　manners　than　to　good　sense：　but　endeavor　rather　to　get　all　the　good　you　can　out　of　them；　and　something　or　other　is　to　be　got　out　of　everybody。　　They　will；　at　least；　improve　you　in　the　German　language；　and；　as　they　come　from　different　countries；　you　may　put　them　upon　subjects；　concerning　which　they　must　necessarily　be　able　to　give　you　some　useful　informations；　let　them　be　ever　so　dull　or　disagreeable　in　general：　they　will　know　something；　at　least；　of　the　laws；　customs；　government；　and　considerable　families　of　their　respective　countries；　all　which　are　better　known　than　not；　and　consequently　worth　inquiring　into。　　There　is　hardly　any　body　good　for　every　thing；　and　there　is　scarcely　any　body　who　is　absolutely　good　for　nothing。　　A　good　chemist　will　extract　some　spirit　or　other　out　of　every　substance；　and　a　man　of　parts　will；　by　his　dexterity　and　management；　elicit　something　worth　knowing　out　of　every　being　he　converses　with。

As　you　have　been　introduced　to　the　Duchess　of　Courland；　pray　go　there　as　often　as　ever　your　more　necessary　occupations　will　allow　you。　　I　am　told　she　is　extremely　well　bred；　and　has　parts。　　Now；　though　I　would　not　recommend　to　you；　to　go　into　women's　company　in　search　of　solid　knowledge；　or　judgment；　yet　it　has　its　use　in　other　respects；　for　it　certainly　polishes　the　manners；　and　gives　'une　certaine　tournure'；　which　is　very　necessary　in　the　course　of　the　world；　and　which　Englishmen　have　generally　less　of　than　any　people　in　the　world。

I　cannot　say　that　your　suppers　are　luxurious；　but　you　must　own　they　are　solid；　and　a　quart　of　soup；　and　two　pounds　of　potatoes；　will　enable　you　to　pass　the　night　without　great　impatience　for　your　breakfast　next　morning。　　One　part　of　your　supper　（the　potatoes）　is　the　constant　diet　of　my　old　friends　and　countrymen；＇Lord　Chesterfield；　from　the　time　he　was　appointed　Lord…lieutenant　of　Ireland；　1775；　used　always　to　call　the　Irish　his　countrymen。＇　the　Irish；　who　are　the　healthiest　and　the　strongest　bodies　of　men　that　I　know　in　Europe。

As　I　believe　that　many　of　my　letters　to　you　and　to　Mr。　Harte　have　miscarried；　as　well　as　some　of　yours　and　his　to　me；　particularly　one　of　his　from　Leipsig；　to　which　he　refers　in　a　subsequent　one；　and　which　I　never　received；　I　would　have　you；　for　the　future；　acknowledge　the　dates　of　all　the　letters　which　either　of　you　shall　receive　from　me；　and　I　will　do　the　same　on　my　part。

That　which　I　received　by　the　last　mail；　from　you；　was　of　the　25th　November；　N。　S。；　the　mail　before　that　brought　me　yours；　of　which　I　have　forgot　the　date；　but　which　inclosed　one　to　Lady　Chesterfield：　she　will　answer　it　soon；　and；　in　the　mean　time；　thanks　you　for　it。

My　disorder　was　only　a　very　great　cold；　of　which　I　am　entirely　recovered。　You　shall　not　complain　for　want　of　accounts　from　Mr。　Grevenkop；　who　will　frequently　write　you　whatever　passes　here；　in　the　German　language　and　character；　which　will　improve　you　in　both。　　Adieu。




LETTER　XXV

LONDON；　January　15；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　I　willingly　accept　the　new…year's　gift　which　you　promise　me　for　next　year；　and　the　more　valuable　you　make　it；　the　more　thankful　I　shall　be。　That　depends　entirely　upon　you；　and　therefore　I　hope　to　be　presented；　every　year；　with　a　new　edition　of　you；　more　correct　than　the　former；　and　considerably　enlarged　and　amended。

Since　you　do　not　care　to　be　an　assessor　of　the　imperial　chamber；　and　that　you　desire　an　establishment　in　England；　what　do　you　think　of　being　Greek　Professor　at　one　of　our　universities？　　It　is　a　very　pretty　sinecure；　and　requires　very　little　knowledge　（much　less　than；　I　hope；　you　have　already）　of　that　language。　　If　you　do　not　approve　of　this；　I　am　at　a　loss　to　know　what　else　to　propose　to　you；　and　therefore　desire　that　you　will　inform　me　what　sort　of　destination　you　propose　for　yourself；　for　it　is　now　time　to　fix　it；　and　to　take　our　measures　accordingly。　　Mr。　Harte　tells　me　that　you　set　up　for　a　；　if　so；　I　presume　it　is　in　the　view　of　succeeding　me　in　my　office；　＇A　secretary　of　state。＇which　I　will　very　willingly　resign　to　you；　whenever　you　shall　call　upon　me　for　it。　　But；　if　you　intend　to　be　the　；　or　the　…　；　there　are　some　trifling　circumstances　upon　which　you　should　previously　take　your　resolution。　　The　first　of　which　is；　to　be　fit　for　it：　and　then；　in　order　to　be　so；　make　yourself　master　of　ancient　and；　modern　history；　and　languages。　　To　know　perfectly　the　constitution；　and　form　of　government　of　every　nation；　the　growth　and　the　decline　of　ancient　and　modern　empires；　and　to　trace　out　and　reflect　upon　the　causes　of　both。　　To　know　the　strength；　the　riches；　and　the　commerce　of　every　country。　　These　little　things；　trifling　as　they　may　seem；　are　yet　very　necessary　for　a　politician　to　know；　and　which　therefore；　I　presume；　you　will　condescend　to　apply　yourself　to。　　There　are　some　additional　qualifications　necessary；　in　the　practical　part　of　business；　which　may　deserve　some　consideration　in　your　leisure　moments；　such　as；　an　absolute　command　of　your　temper；　so　as　not　to　be　provoked　to　passion；　upon　any　account；　patience；　to　hear　frivolous；　impertinent；　and　unreasonable　applications；　with　address　enough　to　refuse；　without　offending；　or；　by　your　manner　of　granting；　to　double　the　obligation；　dexterity　enough　to　conceal　a　truth　without　telling　a　lie；　sagacity　enough　to　read　other　people's　countenances；　and　serenity　enough　not　to　let　them　discover　anything　by　yours；　a　seeming　frankness　with　a　real　reserve。　　These　are　the　rudiments　of　a　politician；　the　world　must　be　your　grammar。

Three　mails　are　now　due　from　Holland；　so　that　I　have　no　letters　from　you　to　acknowledge。　　I　therefore　conclude　with　recommending　myself　to　your　favor　and　protection　when　you　succeed。　　Yours。




LETTER　XXVI

LONDON；　January　29；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　I　find；　by　Mr。　Harte's　last　letter；　that　many　of　my　letters　to　you　and　him；　have　been　frozen　up　on　their　way　to　Leipsig；　the　thaw　has；　I　suppose；　by　this　time；　set　them　at　liberty　to　pursue　their　journey　to　you；　and　you　will　receive　a　glut　of　them　at　once。　　Hudibras　alludes；　in　this　verse；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Like　words　congealed　in　northern　air；

to　a　vulgar　notion；　that　in　Greenland　words　were　frozen　in　their　utterance；　and　that　upon　a　thaw；　a　very　mixed　conversation　was　heard　in　the　air；　of　all　those　words　set　at　liberty。　　This　conversation　was；　I　presume；　too　various　and　extensive　to　be　much　attended　to：　and　may　not　that　be　the　case　of　half　a　dozen　of　my　long　letters；　when　you　receive　them　all　at　once？　　I　think　that　I　can；　eventually；　answer　that　question；　thus：　If　you　consider　my　letters　in　their　true　light；　as　conveying　to　you　the　advice　of　a　friend；　who　sincerely　wishes　your　happiness；　and　desires　to　promote　your　pleasure；　you　will　both　read　and　attend　to　them；　but；　if　you　consider　them　in　their　opposite；　and　very　false　light；　as　the　dictates　of　a　morose　and　sermonizing　father；　I　am　sure　they　will　be　not　only　unattended　to；　but　unread。　　Which　is　the　case；　you　can　best　tell　me。　Advice　is　seldom　welcome；　and　those　who　want　it　the　most　always　like　it　the　least。　　I　hope　that　your　want　of　experience；　of　which　you　must　be　conscious；　will　convince　you；　that　you　want　advice；　and　that　your　good　sense　will　incline　you　to　follow　it。

Tell　me　how　you　pass　your　leisure　hours　at　Leipsig；　I　know　you　have　not　many；　and　I　have　too　good　an　opinion　of　you　to　think；　that；　at　this　age；　you　would　desire　more。　　Have　you　assemblies；　or　public　spectacles？　and　of　what　kind　are　they？　　Whatever　they　are；　see　them　all；　seeing　everything；　is　the　only　way　not　to　admire　anything　too　much。

If　you　ever　take　up　little　tale…books；　to　amuse　you　by　snatches；　I　will　recommend　two　French　books；　which　I　have　already　mentioned；　they　will　entertain　you；　and　not　without　some　use　to　your　mind　and　your　manners。　One　is；　'La　Maniere　de　bien　penser　dans　les　Ouvrages　d'Esprit'；　written　by　Pere　Bouhours；　I　believe　you　read　it　once　in　England；　with　Monsieur　Coderc；　but　I　think　that　you　will　do　well　to　read　it　again；　as　I　know　of　no　book　that　will　form　your　taste　better。　　The　other　is；　'L'Art　de　plaire　dans　la　Conversation'；　by　the　Abbe　de　Bellegarde；　and　is　by　no　means　useless；　though　I　will　not　pretend　to　say；　that　the　art　of　pleasing　can　be　reduced　to　a　receipt；　if　it　could；　I　am　sure　that　receipt　would　be　worth　purchasing　at　any　price。　　Good　sense；　and　good　nature；　are　the　principal　ingredients；　and　your　own　observation；　and　the　good　advice　of　others；　must　give　the　right　color　and　taste　to　it。　　Adieu！　I　shall　always　love　you　as　you　shall　deserve。




LETTER　XXVII

LONDON；　February　9；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　You　will　receive　this　letter；　not　from　a　Secretary　of　State　but　from　a　private　man；　for　whom；　at　his　time　of　life；　quiet　was　as　fit；　and　as　necessary；　as　labor　and　activity　are　for　you　at　your　age；　and　for　many　years　yet　to　come。　　I　resigned　the　seals；　last　Saturday；　to　the　King；　who　parted　with　me　most　graciously；　and　（I　may　add；　for　he　said　so　himself）　with　regret。　　As　I　retire　from　hurry　to　quiet；　and　to　enjoy；　at　my　ease；　the　comforts　of　private　and　social　life；　you　will　easily　imagine　that　I　have　no　thoughts　of　opposition；　or　meddling　with　business