letters to his son, 1750-第20节
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has lately been repealed； in the instances of some perishable commodities； such as rice； etc。； which are allowed to be carried directly from our American colonies to other countries。 The act also provides； that two…thirds； I think； of those who navigate the said ships shall be British subjects。 There is an excellent； and little book； written by the famous Monsieur Huet Ev6que d'Avranches； 'Sur le Commerce des Anciens'； which is very well worth your reading； and very soon read。 It will give you a clear notion of the rise and progress of commerce。 There are many other books； which take up the history of commerce where Monsieur d'Avranches leaves it； and bring it down to these times。 I advise you to read some of them with care； commerce being a very essential part of political knowledge in every country； but more particularly in that which owes all its riches and power to it。
I come now to another part of your letter； which is the orthography； if I may call bad spelling ORTHOGRAPHY。 You spell induce； ENDUCE； and grandeur； you spell grandURE； two faults of which few of my housemaids would have been guilty。 I must tell you that orthography； in the true sense of the word； is so absolutely necessary for a man of letters； or a gentleman； that one false spelling may fix ridicule upon him for the rest of his life； and I know a man of quality； who never recovered the ridicule of having spelled WHOLESOME without the w。
Reading with care will secure everybody from false spelling； for books are always well spelled； according to the orthography of the times。 Some words are indeed doubtful； being spelled differently by different authors of equal authority； but those are few； and in those cases every man has his option； because he may plead his authority either way； but where there is but one right way； as in the two words above mentioned； it is unpardonable and ridiculous for a gentleman to miss it； even a woman of a tolerable education would despise and laugh； at ；a lover； who should send her an ill…spelled billet…doux。 I fear and suspect； that you have taken it into your head； in most cases； that the matter is all； and the manner little or nothing。 If you have； undeceive yourself； and be convinced that； in everything； the manner is full as important as the matter。 If you speak the sense of an angel； in bad words and with a disagreeable utterance； nobody will hear you twice； who can help it。 If you write epistles as well as Cicero； but in a very bad hand； and very ill…spelled； whoever receives will laugh at them； and if you had the figure of Adonis； with an awkward air and motions； it will disgust instead of pleasing。 Study manner； therefore； in everything； if you would be anything。 My principal inquiries of my friends at Paris； concerning you； will be relative to your manner of doing whatever you do。 I shall not inquire whether you understand Demosthenes； Tacitus； or the 'Jus Publicum Imperii'； but I shall inquire； whether your utterance is pleasing； your style not only pure； but elegant； your manners noble and easy； your air and address engaging in short； whether you are a gentleman； a man of fashion； and fit to keep good company； or not； for； till I am satisfied in these particulars； you and I must by no means meet； I could not possibly stand it。 It is in your power to become all this at Paris； if you please。 Consult with Lady Hervey and Madame Monconseil upon all these matters； and they will speak to you； and advise you freely。 Tell them； that 'bisogna compatire ancora'； that you are utterly new in the world； that you are desirous to form yourself； that you beg they will reprove； advise； and correct you； that you know that none can do it so well； and that you will implicitly follow their directions。 This； together with your careful observation of the manners of the best company； will really form you。
Abbe Guasco； a friend of mine； will come to you as soon as he knows of your arrival at Paris； he is well received in the best companies there； and will introduce you to them。 He will be desirous to do you any service he can； he is active and curious； and can give you information upon most things。 He is a sort of 'complaisant' of the President Montesquieu； to whom you have a letter。
I imagine that this letter will not wait for you very long at Paris； where I reckon you will be in about a fortnight。 Adieu。
LETTER CXXV
LONDON； December 24； 1750
DEAR FRIEND： At length you are become a Parisian； and consequently must be addressed in French； you will also answer me in the same language； that I may be able to judge of the degree in which you possess the elegance； the delicacy； and the orthography of that language which is； in a manner； become the universal one of Europe。 I am assured that you speak it well； but in that well there are gradations。 He； who in the provinces might be reckoned to speak correctly； would at Paris be looked upon as an ancient Gaul。 In that country of mode； even language is subservient to fashion； which varies almost as often as their clothes。
The AFFECTED； the REFINED； the NEOLOGICAL； OR NEW FASHIONABLE STYLE are at present too much in vogue at Paris。 Know； observe； and occasionally converse （if you please） according to those different styles； but do not let your taste be infected by them。 Wit； too； is there subservient to fashion； and actually； at Paris； one must have wit； even in despite of Minerva。 Everybody runs after it； although if it does not come naturally and of itself； it never can be overtaken。 But； unfortunately for those who pursue； they seize upon what they take for wit； and endeavor to pass it for such upon others。 This is； at best； the lot of Ixion； who embraced a cloud instead of the goddess he pursued。 Fine sentiments； which never existed； false and unnatural thoughts； obscure and far…sought expressions； not only unintelligible； but which it is even impossible to decipher； or to guess at； are all the consequences of this error； and two…thirds of the new French books which now appear are made up of those ingredients。 It is the new cookery of Parnassus； in which the still is employed instead of the pot and the spit； and where quintessences and extracts ate chiefly used。 N。 B。 The Attic salt is proscribed。
You will now and then be obliged to eat of this new cookery； but do not suffer your taste to be corrupted by it。 And when you； in your turn； are desirous of treating others； take the good old cookery of Lewis XIV。's reign for your rule。 There were at that time admirable head cooks； such as Corneille； Boileau； Racine； and La Fontaine。 Whatever they prepared was simple； wholesome； and solid。 But laying aside all metaphors； do not suffer yourself to be dazzled by false brilliancy； by unnatural expressions； nor by those antitheses so much in fashion： as a protection against such innovations； have a recourse to your own good sense； and to the ancient authors。 On the other hand； do not laugh at those who give into such errors； you are as yet too young to act the critic； or to stand forth a severe avenger of the violated rights of good sense。 Content yourself with not being perverted； but do not think of converting others； let them quietly enjoy their errors in taste； as well as in religion。 Within the course of the last century and a half； taste in France has （as well as that kingdom itself） undergone many vicissitudes。 Under the reign of I do not say Lewis XIII。 but of Cardinal de Richelieu； good taste first began to make its way。 It was refined under that of Lewis XIV。； a great king； at least； if not a great man。 Corneille was the restorer of true taste； and the founder of the French theatre； although rather inclined to the Italian 'Concetti' and the Spanish 'Agudeze'。 Witness those epigrams which he makes Chimene utter in the greatest excess of grief。
Before his time； those kind of itinerant authors； called troubadours or romanciers； were a species of madmen who attracted the admiration of fools。 Toward the end of Cardinal de Richelieu's reign； and the beginning of Lewis XIV。's； the Temple of Taste was established at the Hotel of Rambouillet； but that taste was not judiciously refined this Temple of Taste might more properly have been named a Laboratory of Wit； where good sense was put to the torture； in order to extract from it the most subtile essence。 There it was that Voiture labored hard and incessantly to create wit。 At length； Boileau and Moliere fixed the standard of true taste。 In spite of the Scuderys； the Calprenedes； etc。； they defeated and put to flight ARTAMENES； JUBA； OROONDATES； and all those heroes of romance； who were； notwithstanding （each of them）； as good as a whole Army。 Those madmen then endeavored to obtain an asylum in libraries； this they could not accomplish； but were under a necessity of taking shelter in the chambers of some few ladies。 I would have you read one volume of 〃Cleopatra；〃 and one of 〃Clelia〃； it will otherwise be impossible for you to form any idea of the extravagances they contain； but God keep you from ever persevering to the twelfth。
During almost the whole reign of Lewis XIV。； true taste remained in its purity； until it received some hurt； although undesignedly； from a very fine genius； I mean
