letters to his son, 1749-第7部分

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on；　and　the　use　of　it　very　rarely　to　be　excused；　never　justified。　　Whereas　dissimulation　is　a　shield；　as　secrecy　is　armor；　and　it　is　no　more　possible　to　preserve　secrecy　in　business；　without　same　degree　of　dissimulation；　than　it　is　to　succeed　in　business　without　secrecy。　　He　goes　on；　and　says；　that　those　two　arts　of　dissimulation　and　secrecy　are　like　the　alloy　mingled　with　pure　ore：　a　little　is　necessary；　and　will　not　debase　the　coin　below　its　proper　standard；　but　if　more　than　that　little　be　employed　（that　is；　simulation　and　cunning）；　the　coin　loses　its　currency；　and　the　coiner　his　credit。

Make　yourself　absolute　master；　therefore；　of　your　temper　and　your　countenance；　so　far；　at　least；　as　that　no　visible　change　do　appear　in　either；　whatever　you　may　feel　inwardly。　　This　may　be　difficult；　but　it　is　by　no　means　impossible；　and；　as　a　man　of　sense　never　attempts　impossibilities　on　one　hand；　on　the　other；　he　is　never　discouraged　by　difficulties：　on　the　contrary；　he　redoubles　his　industry　and　his　diligence；　he　perseveres；　and　infallibly　prevails　at　last。　　In　any　point　which　prudence　bids　you　pursue；　and　which　a　manifest　utility　attends；　let　difficulties　only　animate　your　industry；　not　deter　you　from　the　pursuit。　If　one　way　has　failed；　try　another；　be　active；　persevere；　and　you　will　conquer。　　Some　people　are　to　be　reasoned；　some　flattered；　some　intimidated；　and　some　teased　into　a　thing；　but；　in　general；　all　are　to　be　brought　into　it　at　last；　if　skillfully　applied　to；　properly　managed；　and　indefatigably　attacked　in　their　several　weak　places。　　The　time　should　likewise　be　judiciously　chosen；　every　man　has　his　'mollia　tempora'；　but　that　is　far　from　being　all　day　long；　and　you　would　choose　your　time　very　ill；　if　you　applied　to　a　man　about　one　business；　when　his　head　was　full　of　another；　or　when　his　heart　was　full　of　grief；　anger；　or　any　other　disagreeable　sentiment。

In　order　to　judge　of　the　inside　of　others；　study　your　own；　for　men　in　general　are　very　much　alike；　and　though　one　has　one　prevailing　passion；　and　another　has　another；　yet　their　operations　are　much　the　same；　and　whatever　engages　or　disgusts；　pleases　or　offends　you；　in　others　will；　'mutatis　mutandis'；　engage；　disgust；　please；　or　offend　others；　in　you。　Observe　with　the　utmost　attention　all　the　operations　of　your　own　mind；　the　nature　of　your　passions；　and　the　various　motives　that　determine　your　will；　and　you　may；　in　a　great　degree；　know　all　mankind。　　For　instance；　do　you　find　yourself　hurt　and　mortified　when　another　makes　you　feel　his　superiority；　and　your　own　inferiority；　in　knowledge；　parts；　rank；　or　fortune？　　You　will　certainly　take　great　care　not　to　make　a　person　whose　good　will；　good　word；　interest；　esteem；　or　friendship；　you　would　gain；　feel　that　superiority　in　you；　in　case　you　have　it。　　If　disagreeable　insinuations；　sly　sneers；　or　repeated　contradictions；　tease　and　irritate　you；　would　you　use　them　where　you　wish　to　engage　and　please？　　Surely　not；　and　I　hope　you　wish　to　engage　and　please；　almost　universally。　　The　temptation　of　saying　a　smart　and　witty　thing；　or　'bon　mot'；　and　the　malicious　applause　with　which　it　is　commonly　received；　has　made　people　who　can　say　them；　and；　still　oftener；　people　who　think　they　can；　but　cannot；　and　yet　try；　more　enemies；　and　implacable　ones　too；　than　any　one　other　thing　that　I　know　of：　When　such　things；　then；　shall　happen　to　be　said　at　your　expense　（as　sometimes　they　certainly　will）；　reflect　seriously　upon　the　sentiments　of　uneasiness；　anger；　and　resentment　which　they　excite　in　you；　and　consider　whether　it　can　be　prudent；　by　the　same　means；　to　excite　the　same　sentiments　in　others　against　you。　　It　is　a　decided　folly　to　lose　a　friend　for　a　jest；　but；　in　my　mind；　it　is　not　a　much　less　degree　of　folly　to　make　an　enemy　of　an　indifferent　and　neutral　person；　for　the　sake　of　a　'bon　mot'。　　When　things　of　this　kind　happen　to　be　said　of　you；　the　most　prudent　way　is　to　seem　not　to　suppose　that　they　are　meant　at　you；　but　to　dissemble　and　conceal　whatever　degree　of　anger　you　may　feel　inwardly；　but；　should　they　be　so　plain　that　you　cannot　be　supposed　ignorant　of　their　meaning；　to　join　in　the　laugh　of　the　company　against　yourself；　acknowledge　the　hit　to　be　a　fair　one；　and　the　jest　a　good　one；　and　play　off　the　whole　thing　in　seeming　good　humor；　but　by　no　means　reply　in　the　same　way；　which　only　shows　that　you　are　hurt；　and　publishes　the　victory　which　you　might　have　concealed。　　Should　the　thing　said；　indeed　injure　your　honor　or　moral　character；　there　is　but　one　proper　reply；　which　I　hope　you　never　will　have　occasion　to　make。

As　the　female　part　of　the　world　has　some　influence；　and　often　too　much；　over　the　male；　your　conduct　with　regard　to　women　（I　mean　women　of　fashion；　for　I　cannot　suppose　you　capable　of　conversing　with　any　others）　deserves　some　share　in　your　reflections。　　They　are　a　numerous　and　loquacious　body：　their　hatred　would　be　more　prejudicial　than　their　friendship　can　be　advantageous　to　you。　　A　general　complaisance　and　attention　to　that　sex　is　therefore　established　by　custom；　and　certainly　necessary。　　But　where　you　would　particularly　please　anyone；　whose　situation；　interest；　or　connections；　can　be　of　use　to　you；　you　must　show　particular　preference。　　The　least　attentions　please；　the　greatest　charm　them。　　The　innocent　but　pleasing　flattery　of　their　persons；　however　gross；　is　greedily　swallowed　and　kindly　digested：　but　a　seeming　regard　for　their　understandings；　a　seeming　desire　of；　and　deference　for；　their　advice；　together　with　a　seeming　confidence　in　their　moral　virtues；　turns　their　heads　entirely　in　your　favor。　　Nothing　shocks　them　so　much　as　the　least　appearance　of　that　contempt　which　they　are　apt　to　suspect　men　of　entertaining　of　their　capacities；　and　you　may　be　very　sure　of　gaining　their　friendship　if　you　seem　to　think　it　worth　gaining。　　Here　dissimulation　is　very　often　necessary；　and　even　simulation　sometimes　allowable；　which；　as　it　pleases　them；　may；　be　useful　to　you；　and　is　injurious　to　nobody。

This　torn　sheet；　which　I　did　not　observe　when　I　began　upon　it；　as　it　alters　the　figure；　shortens；　too；　the　length　of　my　letter。　　It　may　very　well　afford　it：　my　anxiety　for　you　carries　me　insensibly　to　these　lengths。　　I　am　apt　to　flatter　myself；　that　my　experience；　at　the　latter　end　of　my　life；　may　be　of　use　to　you　at　the　beginning　of　yours；　and　I　do　not　grudge　the　greatest　trouble；　if　it　can　procure　you　the　least　advantage。　　I　even　repeat　frequently　the　same　things；　the　better　to　imprint　them　on　your　young；　and；　I　suppose；　yet　giddy　mind；　and　I　shall　think　that　part　of　my　time　the　best　employed；　that　contributes　to　make　you　employ　yours　well。　　God　bless　you；　child！




LETTER　LXXII

LONDON；　June　16；　O。　S。　　1749。

DEAR　BOY：　I　do　not　guess　where　this　letter　will　find　you；　but　I　hope　it　will　find　you　well：　I　direct　it　eventually　to　Laubach；　from　whence　I　suppose　you　have　taken　care　to　have　your　letters　sent　after　you。　　I　received　no　account　from　Mr。　Harte　by　last　post；　and　the　mail　due　this　day　is　not　yet　come　in；　so　that　my　informations　come　down　no　lower　than　the　2d　June；　N。　S。；　the　date　of　Mr；　Harte's　last　letter。　　As　I　am　now　easy　about　your　health；　I　am　only　curious　about　your　motions；　which　I　hope　have　been　either　to　Inspruck　or　Verona；　for　I　disapprove　extremely　of　your　proposed　long　and　troublesome　journey　to　Switzerland。　　Wherever　you　may　be；　I　recommend　to　you　to　get　as　much　Italian　as　you　can；　before　you　go　either　to　Rome　or　Naples：　a　little　will　be　of　great　use　to　you　upon　the　road；　and　the　knowledge　of　the　grammatical　part；　which　you　can　easily　acquire　in　two　or　three　months；　will　not　only　facilitate　your　progress；　but　accelerate　your　perfection　in　that　language；　when　you　go　to　those　places　where　it　is　generally　spoken；　as　Naples；　Rome；　Florence；　etc。

Should　the　state　of　your　health　not　yet　admit　of　your　usual　application　to　books；　you　may；　in　a　great　degree；　and　I　hope　you　will；　repair　that　loss　by　useful　and　instructive　conversations　with　Mr。　Harte：　　you　may；　for　example；　desire　him　to　give　you　in　conversation　the　outlines；　at　least；　of　Mr。　Locke's　logic；　a　general　notion　of　ethics；　and　a　verbal　epitome　of　rhetoric；　of　all　which　Mr。　Harte　will　give　you　clearer　ideas　in　half　an　hour；　by　word　of　mouth；　than　the　books　of　most　of　the　dull　fellows　who　have　written　upon　those　subjects　would　do　in　a　week。

I　have　waited　so　long　for　the　post；　which　I　hoped　would　come；　that　the　post；　which　is　just　going　out；　obliges　me　to　cut　this　letter　short。　　God　bless　you；　my　dear　child！　and　restore　you　soon　to　perfect　health！

My　compliments　to　Mr。　Harte；　to　whose　care　your　life　is　the　least　thing　that　you　owe。




LETTER　LXXIII

LONDON；　June　22；　O。　S。　　1749。

DEAR　BOY：　The　outside　of　your　letter　of　the　7th　N。　S。；　directed　by　your　own　hand；　gave　me　more　pleasure　than　the　inside　of　any　other　letter　ever　did。　　I　received　it　yesterday　at　the　same　time　with　one　from　Mr。　Harts　of　the　6th。　　They　arrived　at　a　very　proper　time；　for　they　found　a　consultation　of　physicians　in　my　room；　upon　account　of　a　fever　which　I　had　for　four　or　five　days；　but　which　has　now　entirely　left　me。　　As　Mr。　Harte　Says　THAT　YOUR　LUNGS　NOW　AND　THEN　GIVE　YOU　A　LITTLE　PAIN；　and　that　YOUR　SWELLINGS　COME　AND　GO　VARIABLY；　but　as　he　mentions　nothing　of　your　coughing；　spitting；　or　sweating；　the　doctors　take　it　for　granted　that　you　are　entirely　free　from　those　three　bad　symptoms：　and　from　thence　conclude；　that；　the　pain　which　you　sometimes　feel　upon　your　lungs　is　only　symptomatical　of　your　rheumatic　disorder；　from　the　pressure　of　the　muscles　which　hinders　the　free　play　of　the　lungs。　　But；　however；　as　the　lungs　are　a　point　of　the　utmost　importance　and　delicacy；　they　insist　upon　your　drinking；　in　all　events；　asses'　milk　twice　a　day；　and　goats'　whey　as　often　as　you　please；　the　oftener　the　better：　in　your　common　diet；　they　recommend　an　attention　to　pectorals；　such　as　sago；　barley；　turnips；　etc。　These　rules　are　equally　good　in　rheumatic　as　in　consumptive　cases；　you　will　therefore；　I　hope；　strictly　observe　them；　for　I　take　it　for　granted　that　you　are　above　the　silly　likings　or　dislikings；　in　which　silly　people　indulge　their　tastes；　at　the　expense　of　their　health。

I　approve　of　your　going　to　Venice；　as　much　as　I　disapproved　of　your　going　to　Switzerland。　　I　suppose　that　you　are　by　this　time　arriv