letters to his son, 1749-第15部分

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complishments　are　only　useful　with　women；　they　are　much　more　so　with　men。　　In　a　public　assembly；　what　an　advantage　has　a　graceful　speaker；　with　genteel　motions；　a　handsome　figure；　and　a　liberal　air；　over　one　who　shall　speak　full　as　much　good　sense；　but　destitute　of　these　ornaments？　In　business；　how　prevalent　are　the　graces；　how　detrimental　is　the　want　of　them？　　By　the　help　of　these　I　have　known　some　men　refuse　favors　less　offensively　than　others　granted　them。　　The　utility　of　them　in　courts　and　negotiations　is　inconceivable。　　You　gain　the　hearts；　and　consequently　the　secrets；　of　nine　in　ten；　that　you　have　to　do　with；　in　spite　even　of　their　prudence；　which　will；　nine　times　in　ten；　be　the　dupe　of　their　hearts　and　of　their　senses。　　Consider　the　importance　of　these　things　as　they　deserve；　and　you　will　not　lose　one　minute　in　the　pursuit　of　them。

You　are　traveling　now　in　a　country　once　so　famous　both　for　arts　and　arms；　that　（however　degenerate　at　present）　it　still　deserves　your　attention　and　reflection。　　View　it　therefore　with　care；　compare　its　former　with　its　present　state；　and　examine　into　the　causes　of　its　rise　and　its　decay。　Consider　it　classically　and　politically；　and　do　not　run　through　it；　as　too　many　of　your　young　countrymen　do；　musically；　and　（to　use　a　ridiculous　word）　KNICK…KNACKICALLY。　　No　piping　nor　fiddling；　I　beseech　you；　no　days　lost　in　poring　upon　almost　imperceptible　'intaglios　and　cameos'：　and　do　not　become　a　virtuoso　of　small　wares。　　Form　a　taste　of　painting；　sculpture；　and　architecture；　if　you　please；　by　a　careful　examination　of　the　works　of　the　best　ancient　and　modern　artists；　those　are　liberal　arts；　and　a　real　taste　and　knowledge　of　them　become　a　man　of　fashion　very　well。　But；　beyond　certain　bounds；　the　man　of　taste　ends；　and　the　frivolous　virtuoso　begins。

Your　friend　Mendes；　the　good　Samaritan；　dined　with　me　yesterday。　　He　has　more　good…nature　and　generosity　than　parts。　　However；　I　will　show　him　all　the　civilities　that　his　kindness　to　you　so　justly　deserves。　　He　tells　me　that　you　are　taller　than　I　am；　which　I　am　very　glad　of：　I　desire　that　you　may　excel　me　in　everything　else　too；　and；　far　from　repining；　I　shall　rejoice　at　your　superiority。　　He　commends　your　friend　Mr。　Stevens　extremely；　of　whom　too　I　have　heard　so　good　a　character　from　other　people；　that　I　am　very　glad　of　your　connection　with　him。　　It　may　prove　of　use　to　you　hereafter。　　When　you　meet　with　such　sort　of　Englishmen　abroad；　who；　either　from　their　parts　or　their　rank；　are　likely　to　make　a　figure　at　home；　I　would　advise　you　to　cultivate　them；　and　get　their　favorable　testimony　of　you　here；　especially　those　who　are　to　return　to　England　before　you。　　Sir　Charles　Williams　has　puffed　you　（as　the　mob　call　it）　here　extremely。　　If　three　or　four　more　people　of　parts　do　the　same；　before　you　come　back；　your　first　appearance　in　London　will　be　to　great　advantage。　　Many　people　do；　and　indeed　ought；　to　take　things　upon　trust；　many　more　do；　who　need　not；　and　few　dare　dissent　from　an　established　opinion。　　Adieu！




LETTER　LXXXIV

LONDON；　October　2；　O。　S。　　1749。

DEAR　BOY：　I　received　by　the　last　post　your　letter　of　the　22d　September；　N。　S。；　but　I　have　not　received　that　from　Mr。　Harte　to　which　you　refer；　and　which　you　say　contained　your　reasons　for　leaving　Verona；　and　returning　to　Venice；　so　that　I　am　entirely　ignorant　of　them。　　Indeed　the　irregularity　and　negligence　of　the　post　provoke　me；　as　they　break　the　thread　of　the　accounts　I　want　to　receive　from　you；　and　of　the　instructions　and　orders　which　I　send　you；　almost　every　post。　　Of　these　last　twenty　posts。

I　am　sure　that　I　have　wrote　eighteen；　either　to　you　or　to　Mr。　Harte；　and　it　does　not　appear　by　your　letter；　that　all　or　even　any　of　my　letters　have　been　received。　　I　desire　for　the　future；　that　both　you　and　Mr。　Harte　will　constantly；　in　your　letters；　mention　the　dates　of　mine。　　Had　it　not　been　for　their　miscarriage；　you　would　not　have；　been　in　the　uncertainty　you　seem　to　be　in　at　present；　with　regard　to　your　future　motions。　　Had　you　received　my　letters；　you　would　have　been　by　this　time　at　Naples：　but　we　must　now　take　things　where　they　are。

Upon　the　receipt；　then；　of　this　letter；　you　will　as　soon　as　conveniently　you　can；　set　out　for　Rome；　where　you　will　not　arrive　too　long　before　the　jubilee；　considering　the　difficulties　of　getting　lodgings；　and　other　accommodations　there　at　this　time。　　I　leave　the　choice　of　the　route　to　you；　but　I　do　by　no　means　intend　that　you　should　leave　Rome　after　the　jubilee；　as　you　seem　to　hint　in　your　letter：　on　the　contrary；　I　will　have　Rome　your　headquarters　for　six　months　at　least；　till　you　shall　have；　in　a　manner；　acquired　the　'Jus　Civitatis'　there。　　More　things　are　to　be　seen　and　learned　there；　than　in　any　other　town　in　Europe；　there　are　the　best　masters　to　instruct；　and　the　best　companies　to　polish　you。　　In　the　spring　you　may　make　（if　you　please）　frequent　excursions　to　Naples；　but　Rome　must　still　be　your　headquarters；　till　the　heats　of　June　drive　you　from　thence　to　some　other　place　in　Italy；　which　we　shall　think　of　by　that　time。　　As　to　the　expense　which　you　mention；　I　do　not　regard　it　in　the　least；　from　your　infancy　to　this　day；　I　never　grudged　any　expense　in　your　education；　and　still　less　do　it　now；　that　it　is　become　more　important　and　decisive：　I　attend　to　the　objects　of　your　expenses；　but　not　to　the　sums。　　I　will　certainly　not　pay　one　shilling　for　your　losing　your　nose；　your　money；　or　your　reason；　that　is；　I　will　not　contribute　to　women；　gaming；　and　drinking。　　But　I　will　most　cheerfully　supply；　not　only　every　necessary；　but　every　decent　expense　you　can　make。　　I　do　not　care　what　the　best　masters　cost。　　I　would　have　you　as　well　dressed；　lodged；　and　attended；　as　any　reasonable　man　of　fashion　is　in　his　travels。　　I　would　have　you　have　that　pocket…money　that　should　enable　you　to　make　the　proper　expense　'd'un　honnete　homme'。　　In　short；　I　bar　no　expense；　that　has　neither　vice　nor　folly　for　its　object；　and　under　those　two　reasonable　restrictions；　draw；　and　welcome。

As　for　Turin；　you　may　go　there　hereafter；　as　a　traveler；　for　a　month　or　two；　but　you　cannot　conveniently　reside　there　as　an　academician；　for　reasons　which　I　have　formerly　communicated　to　Mr。　Harte；　and　which　Mr。　Villettes；　since　his　return　here；　has　shown　me　in　a　still　stronger　light　than　he　had　done　by　his　letters　from　Turin；　of　which　I　sent　copies　to　Mr。　Harte；　though　probably　he　never　received　them。

After　you　have　left　Rome；　Florence　is　one　of　the　places　with　which　you　should　be　thoroughly　acquainted。　　I　know　that　there　is　a　great　deal　of　gaming　there；　but；　at　the　same　time；　there　are　in　every　place　some　people　whose　fortunes　are　either　too　small；　or　whose　understandings　are　too　good　to　allow　them　to　play　for　anything　above　trifles；　and　with　those　people　you　will　associate　yourself；　if　you　have　not　（as　I　am　assured　you　have　not；　in　the　least）　the　spirit　of　gaming　in　you。　　Moreover；　at　suspected　places；　such　as　Florence；　Turin；　and　Paris；　I　shall　be　more　attentive　to　your　draughts；　and　such　as　exceed　a　proper　and　handsome　expense　will　not　be　answered；　for　I　can　easily　know　whether　you　game　or　not　without　being　told。

Mr。　Harte　will　determine　your　route　to　Rome　as　he　shall　think　best；　whether　along　the　coast　of　the　Adriatic；　or　that　of　the　Mediterranean；　it　is　equal　to　me；　but　you　will　observe　to　come　back　a　different　way　from　that　you　went。

Since　your　health　is　so　well　restored；　I　am　not　sorry　that　you　have　returned　to　Venice；　for　I　love　capitals。　　Everything　is　best　at　capitals；　the　best　masters；　the　best　companions；　and　the　best　manners。　　Many　other　places　are　worth　seeing；　but　capitals　only　are　worth　residing　at。　　I　am　very　glad　that　Madame　Capello　received　you　so　well。　　Monsieur　I　was　sure　would：　pray　assure　them　both　of　my　respects；　and　of　my　sensibility　of　their　kindness　to　you。　　Their　house　will　be　a　very　good　one　for　you　at　Rome；　and　I　would　advise　you　to　be　domestic　in　it　if　you　can。　　But　Madame；　I　can　tell　you；　requires　great　attentions。　　Madame　Micheli　has　written　a　very　favorable　account　of　you　to　my　friend　the　Abbe　Grossa　Testa；　in　a　letter　which　he　showed　me；　and　in　which　there　are　so　many　civil　things　to　myself；　that　I　would　wish　to　tell　her　how　much　I　think　myself　obliged　to　her。　　I　approve　very　much　of　the　allotment　of　your　time　at　Venice；　pray　go　on　so　for　a　twelvemonth　at　least；　wherever　you　are。　You　will　find　your　own　account　in　it。

I　like　your　last　letter；　which　gives　me　an　account　of　yourself；　and　your　own　transactions；　for　though　I　do　not　recommend　the　EGOTISM　to　you；　with　regard　to　anybody　else；　I　desire　that　you　will　use　it　with　me；　and　with　me　only。　　I　interest　myself　in　all　that　you　do；　and　as　yet　（excepting　Mr。　Harte）　nobody　else　does。　　He　must　of　course　know　all；　and　I　desire　to　know　a　great　deal。

I　am　glad　you　have　received；　and　that　you　like　the　diamond　buckles。　　I　am　very　willing　that　you　should　make；　but　very　unwilling　that　you　should　CUT　a　figure　with　them　at　the　jubilee；　the　CUTTING　A　FIGURE　being　the　very　lowest　vulgarism　in　the　English　language；　and　equal　in　elegancy　to　Yes；　my　Lady；　and　No；　my　Lady。　　The　word　VAST　and　VASTLY；　you　will　have　found　by　my　former　letter　that　I　had　proscribed　out　of　the　diction　of　a　gentleman；　unless　in　their　proper　signification　of　sizes　and　BULK。　　Not　only　in　language；　but　in　everything　else；　take　great　care　that　the　first　impressions　you　give　of　yourself　may　be　not　only　favorable；　but　pleasing；　engaging；　nay；　seducing。　　They　are　often　decisive；　I　confess　they　are　a　good　deal　so　with　me：　and　I　cannot　wish　for　further　acquaintance　with　a　man　whose　first　'abord'　and　address　displease　me。

So　many　of　my　letters　have　miscarried；　and　I　know　so　little　which；　that　I　am　forced　to　repeat　the　same　thing　over　and　over　again　eventually。　　This　is　one。　　I　have　wrote　twice　to　Mr。　Harte；　to　have　your　picture　drawn　in　miniature；　while　you　were　at　Venice；　and　send　it　me　in　a　letter：　it　is　all　one　to　me　whether　in　enamel　or　in　watercolors；　provided　it　is　but　very　like　you。　　I　would　have　you　drawn　exactly　as　you　are；　and　in　no　whimsical　dress：　and　I　lay　more　stress　upon　the　likeness　of　the　picture；　than　upon　the　taste　and　skill　of　the　painter。　　If　this　be　not　already　done；　I　desire　that　you　will　have　it　done　forthwith　before　you　leave　Venice；　and　inclose　it　in