letters to his son, 1749-第6部分

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ed）；　that　all　the　vices　above　mentioned　were　perfectly　innocent　in　themselves：　they　would　still　degrade；　vilify；　and　sink　those　who　practiced　them；　would　obstruct　their　rising　in　the　world　by　debasing　their　characters；　and　give　them　low　turn　of　mind；　and　manners　absolutely　inconsistent　with　their　making　any　figure　in　upper　life　and　great　business。

What　I　have　now　said；　together　with　your　own　good　sense；　is；　I　hope；　sufficient　to　arm　you　against　the　seduction；　the　invitations；　or　the　profligate　exhortations　（for　I　cannot　call　them　temptations）　of　those　unfortunate　young　people。　　On　the　other　hand；　when　they　would　engage　you　in　these　schemes；　content　yourself　with　a　decent　but　steady　refusal；　avoid　controversy　upon　such　plain　points。　　You　are　too　young　to　convert　them；　and；　I　trust；　too　wise　to　be　converted　by　them。　　Shun　them　not　only　in　reality；　but　even　in　appearance；　if　you　would　be　well　received　in　good　company；　for　people　will　always　be　shy　of　receiving　a　man　who　comes　from　a　place　where　the　plague　rages；　let　him　look　ever　so　healthy。　　There　are　some　expressions；　both　in　French　and　English；　and　some　characters；　both　in　those　two　and　in　other　countries；　which　have；　I　dare　say；　misled　many　young　men　to　their　ruin。　　'Une　honnete　debauche；　une　jolie　debauche；　〃An　agreeable　rake；　a　man　of　pleasure。〃　　Do　not　think　that　this　means　debauchery　and　profligacy；　nothing　like　it。　　It　means；　at　most；　the　accidental　and　unfrequent　irregularities　of　youth　and　vivacity；　in　opposition　to　dullness；　formality；　and　want　of　spirit。　　A　'commerce　galant'；　insensibly　formed　with　a　woman　of　fashion；　a　glass　of　wine　or　two　too　much；　unwarily　taken　in　the　warmth　and　joy　of　good　company；　or　some　innocent　frolic；　by　which　nobody　is　injured；　are　the　utmost　bounds　of　that　life　of　pleasure；　which　a　man　of　sense　and　decency；　who　has　a　regard　for　his　character；　will　allow　himself；　or　be　allowed　by　others。　Those　who　transgress　them　in　the　hopes　of　shining；　miss　their　aim；　and　become　infamous；　or　at　least；　contemptible。

The　length　or　shortness　of　your　stay　at　Turin　will　sufficiently　inform　me　（even　though　Mr。　Harte　should　not）　of　your　conduct　there；　for；　as　I　have　told　you　before；　Mr。　Harte　has　the　strictest　orders　to　carry　you　away　immediately　from　thence；　upon　the　first　and　least　symptom　of　infection　that　he　discovers　about　you；　and　I　know　him　to　be　too　conscientiously　scrupulous；　and　too　much　your　friend　and　mine　not　to　execute　them　exactly。　　Moreover；　I　will　inform　you；　that　I　shall　have　constant　accounts　of　your　behavior　from　Comte　Salmour；　the　Governor　of　the　Academy；　whose　son　is　now　here；　and　my　particular　friend。　　I　have；　also；　other　good　channels　of　intelligence；　of　which　I　do　not　apprise　you。　　But；　supposing　that　all　turns　out　well　at　Turin；　yet；　as　I　propose　your　being　at　Rome　for　the　jubilee；　at　Christmas；　I　desire　that　you　will　apply　yourself　diligently　to　your　exercises　of　dancing；　fencing；　and　riding　at　the　Academy；　as　well　for　the　sake　of　your　health　and　growth；　as　to　fashion　and　supple　you。　　You　must　not　neglect　your　dress　neither；　but　take　care　to　be　'bien　mis'。　　Pray　send　for　the　best　operator　for　the　teeth　at　Turin；　where　I　suppose　there　is　some　famous　one；　and　let　him　put　yours　in　perfect　order；　and　then　take　care　to　keep　them　so；　afterward；　yourself。　　You　had　very　good　teeth；　and　I　hope　they　are　so　still；　but　even　those　who　have　bad　ones；　should　keep　them　clean；　for　a　dirty　mouth　is；　in　my　mind；　ill　manners。　　In　short；　neglect　nothing　that　can　possibly　please。　　A　thousand　nameless　little　things；　which　nobody　can　describe；　but　which　everybody　feels；　conspire　to　form　that　WHOLE　of　pleasing；　as　the　several　pieces　of　a　Mosaic　work　though；　separately；　of　little　beauty　or　value；　when　properly　joined；　form　those　beautiful　figures　which　please　everybody。　　A　look；　a　gesture；　an　attitude；　a　tone　of　voice；　all　bear　their　parts　in　the　great　work　of　pleasing。　　The　art　of　pleasing　is　more　particularly　necessary　in　your　intended　profession　than　perhaps　in　any　other；　it　is；　in　truth；　the　first　half　of　your　business；　for　if　you　do　not　please　the　court　you　are　sent　to；　you　will　be　of　very　little　use　to　the　court　you　are　sent　from。　　Please　the　eyes　and　the　ears；　they　will　introduce　you　to　the　heart；　and　nine　times　in　ten；　the　heart　governs　the　understanding。

Make　your　court　particularly；　and　show　distinguished　attentions　to　such　men　and　women　as　are　best　at　court；　highest　in　the　fashion；　and　in　the　opinion　of　the　public；　speak　advantageously　of　them　behind　their　backs；　in　companies　whom　you　have　reason　to　believe　will　tell　them　again。　Express　your　admiration　of　the　many　great　men　that　the　House　of　Savoy　has　produced；　observe　that　nature；　instead　of　being　exhausted　by　those　efforts；　seems　to　have　redoubled　them；　in　the　person　of　the　present　King；　and　the　Duke　of　Savoy；　wonder；　at　this　rate；　where　it　will　end；　and　conclude　that　it　must　end　in　the　government　of　all　Europe。　　Say　this；　likewise；　where　it　will　probably　be　repeated；　but　say　it　unaffectedly；　and；　the　last　especially；　with　a　kind　of　'enjouement'。　　These　little　arts　are　very　allowable；　and　must　be　made　use　of　in　the　course　of　the　world；　they　are　pleasing　to　one　party；　useful　to　the　other；　and　injurious　to　nobody。

What　I　have　said　with　regard　to　my　countrymen　in　general；　does　not　extend　to　them　all　without　exception；　there　are　some　who　have　both　merit　and　manners。　　Your　friend；　Mr。　Stevens；　is　among　the　latter；　and　I　approve　of　your　connection　with　him。　　You　may　happen　to　meet　with　some　others；　whose　friendship　may　be　of　great　use　to　you　hereafter；　either　from　their　superior　talents；　or　their　rank　and　fortune；　cultivate　them；　but　then　I　desire　that　Mr。　Harte　may　be　the　judge　of　those　persons。

Adieu　my　dear　child！　　Consider　seriously　the　importance　of　the　two　next　years　to　your　character；　your　figure；　and　your　fortune。




LETTER　LXXI

LONDON；　May　22；　O。　S。　　1749。

DEAR　BOY：　I　recommended　to　you；　in　my　last；　an　innocent　piece　of　art；　that　of　flattering　people　behind　their　backs；　in　presence　of　those　who；　to　make　their　own　court；　much　more　than　for　your　sake；　will　not　fail　to　repeat　and　even　amplify　the　praise　to　the　party　concerned。　　This　is；　of　all　flattery；　the　most　pleasing；　and　consequently　the　most　effectual。　There　are　other；　and　many　other；　inoffensive　arts　of　this　kind；　which　are　necessary　in　the　course　of　the　world；　and　which　he　who　practices　the　earliest；　will　please　the　most；　and　rise　the　soonest。　　The　spirits　and　vivacity　of　youth　are　apt　to　neglect　them　as　useless；　or　reject　them　as　troublesome。　　But　subsequent　knowledge　and　experience　of　the　world　reminds　us　of　their　importance；　commonly　when　it　is　too　late。　　The　principal　of　these　things　is　the　mastery　of　one's　temper；　and　that　coolness　of　mind；　and　serenity　of　countenance；　which　hinders　us　from　discovering　by　words；　actions；　or　even　looks；　those　passions　or　sentiments　by　which　we　are　inwardly　moved　or　agitated；　and　the　discovery　of　which　gives　cooler　and　abler　people　such　infinite　advantages　over　us；　not　only　in　great　business；　but　in　all　the　most　common　occurrences　of　life。　　A　man　who　does　not　possess　himself　enough　to　hear　disagreeable　things　without　visible　marks　of　anger　and　change　of　countenance；　or　agreeable　ones；　without　sudden　bursts　of　joy　and　expansion　of　countenance；　is　at　the　mercy　of　every　artful　knave　or　pert　coxcomb；　the　former　will　provoke　or　please　you　by　design；　to　catch　unguarded　words　or　looks　by　which　he　will　easily　decipher　the　secrets　of　your　heart；　of　which　you　should　keep　the　key　yourself；　and　trust　it　with　no　man　living。　The　latter　will；　by　his　absurdity；　and　without　intending　it；　produce　the　same　discoveries　of　which　other　people　will　avail　themselves。　　You　will　say；　possibly；　that　this　coolness　must　be　constitutional；　and　consequently　does　not　depend　upon　the　will：　and　I　will　allow　that　constitution　has　some　power　over　us；　but　I　will　maintain；　too；　that　people　very　often；　to　excuse　themselves；　very　unjustly　accuse　their　constitutions。　　Care　and　reflection；　if　properly　used；　will　get　the　better：　and　a　man　may　as　surely　get　a　habit　of　letting　his　reason　prevail　over　his　constitution；　as　of　letting；　as　most　people　do；　the　latter　prevail　over　the　former。　　If　you　find　yourself　subject　to　sudden　starts　of　passion　or　madness　（for　I　see　no　difference　between　them　but　in　their　duration）；　resolve　within　yourself；　at　least；　never　to　speak　one　word　while　you　feel　that　emotion　within　you。　　Determine；　too；　to　keep　your　countenance　as　unmoved　and　unembarrassed　as　possible；　which　steadiness　you　may　get　a　habit　of；　by　constant　attention。　　I　should　desire　nothing　better；　in　any　negotiation；　than　to　have　to　do　with　one　of　those　men　of　warm；　quick　passions；　which　I　would　take　care　to　set　in　motion。　　By　artful　provocations　I　would　extort　rash　unguarded　expressions；　and；　by　hinting　at　all　the　several　things　that　I　could　suspect；　infallibly　discover　the　true　one；　by　the　alteration　it　occasioned　in　the　countenance　of　the　person。　　'Volto　sciolto　con　pensieri　stretti'；　is　a　most　useful　maxim　in　business。　　It　is　so　necessary　at　some　games；　such　as　'Berlan　Quinze'；　etc。；　that　a　man　who　had　not　the　command　of　his　temper　and　countenance；　would　infallibly　be　outdone　by　those　who　had；　even　though　they　played　fair。　　Whereas；　in　business；　you　always　play　with　sharpers；　to　whom；　at　least；　you　should　give　no　fair　advantages。　　It　may　be　objected；　that　I　am　now　recommending　dissimulation　to　you；　I　both　own　and　justify　it。　　It　has　been　long　said；　'Qui　nescit　dissimulare　nescit　regnare'：　I　go　still　further；　and　say；　that　without　some　dissimulation　no　business　can　be　carried　on　at　all。　　It　is　SIMULATION　that　is　false；　mean；　and　criminal：　that　is　the　cunning　which　Lord　Bacon　calls　crooked　or　left…　handed　wisdom；　and　which　is　never　made　use　of　but　by　those　who　have　not　true　wisdom。　　And　the　same　great　man　says；　that　dissimulation　is　only　to　hide　our　own　cards；　whereas　simulation　is　put　on；　in　order　to　look　into　other　people's。　　Lord　Bolingbroke；　in　his　〃Idea　of　a　Patriot　King；〃　which　he　has　lately　published；　and　which　I　will　send　you　by　the　first　opportunity；　says　very　justly　that　simulation　is　a　STILETTO；not　only　an　unjust　but　an　unlawful　weapon；　and　the　use　of　it　very　rarely　to　be　excused；　never　justified。　　Whereas　dissimulation　is　a　shield