letters to his son, 1748-第19节
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bly； as to make many ignorant people embrace the profession； as an innocent； if not even a laudable one； and puzzle people of some degree of knowledge； to answer me point by point。 I have seen a book； entitled 'Quidlibet ex Quolibet'； or the art of making anything out of anything； which is not so difficult as it would seem； if once one quits certain plain truths； obvious in gross to every understanding； in order to run after the ingenious refinements of warm imaginations and speculative reasonings。 Doctor Berkeley； Bishop of Cloyne； a very worthy； ingenious； and learned man； has written a book； to prove that there is no such thing as matter； and that nothing exists but in idea： that you and I only fancy ourselves eating； drinking； and sleeping； you at Leipsig； and I at London： that we think we have flesh and blood； legs； arms； etc。； but that we are only spirit。 His arguments are； strictly speaking； unanswerable； but yet I am so far from being convinced by them； that I am determined to go on to eat and drink； and walk and ride； in order to keep that MATTER； which I so mistakenly imagine my body at present to consist of； in as good plight as possible。 Common sense （which； in truth； very uncommon） is the best sense I know of： abide by it； it will counsel you best。 Read and hear； for your amusement； ingenious systems； nice questions subtilly agitated； with all the refinements that warm imaginations suggest； but consider them only as exercitations for the mind； and turn always to settle with common sense。
I stumbled； the other day； at a bookseller's； upon 〃Comte Gabalis；〃 in two very little volumes； which I had formerly read。 I read it over again； and with fresh astonishment。 Most of the extravagances are taken from the Jewish Rabbins； who broached those wild notions； and delivered them in the unintelligible jargon which the Caballists and Rosicrucians deal in to this day。 Their number is； I believe； much lessened； but there are still some； and I myself have known two； who studied and firmly believed in that mystical nonsense。 What extravagancy is not man capable of entertaining； when once his shackled reason is led in triumph by fancy and prejudice！ The ancient alchemists give very much into this stuff； by which they thought they should discover the philosopher's stone； and some of the most celebrated empirics employed it in the pursuit of the universal medicine。 Paracelsus； a bold empiric and wild Caballist； asserted that he had discovered it； and called it his 'Alkahest'。 Why or wherefore； God knows； only that those madmen call nothing by an intelligible name。 You may easily get this book from The Hague： read it； for it will both divert and astonish you； and at the same time teach you 'nil admirari'； a very necessary lesson。
Your letters； except when upon a given subject； are exceedingly laconic； and neither answer my desires nor the purpose of letters； which should be familiar conversations； between absent friends。 As I desire to live with you upon the footing of an intimate friend； and not of a parent； I could wish that your letters gave me more particular accounts of yourself； and of your lesser transactions。 When you write to me； suppose yourself conversing freely with me by the fireside。 In that case； you would naturally mention the incidents of the day； as where you had been； who you had seen； what you thought of them； etc。 Do this in your letters： acquaint me sometimes with your studies； sometimes with your diversions； tell me of any new persons and characters that you meet with in company； and add your own observations upon them： in short； let me see more of you in your letters。 How do you go on with Lord Pulteney； and how does he go on at Leipsig？ Has he learning； has he parts； has he application？ Is he good or ill…natured？ In short； What is he？ at least； what do you think him？ You may tell me without reserve； for I promise you secrecy。 You are now of an age that I am desirous to begin a confidential correspondence with you； and as I shall； on my part； write you very freely my opinion upon men and things； which I should often be very unwilling that anybody but you and Mr。 Harte should see； so； on your part； if you write me without reserve； you may depend upon my inviolable secrecy。 If you have ever looked into the 〃Letters〃 of Madame de Sevigne to her daughter； Madame de Grignan； you must have observed the ease； freedom； and friendship of that correspondence； and yet； I hope and I believe； that they did not love one another better than we do。 Tell me what books you are now reading； either by way of study or amusement； how you pass your evenings when at home； and where you pass them when abroad。 I know that you go sometimes to Madame Valentin's assembly； What do you do there？ Do you play； or sup； or is it only 'la belle conversation？' Do you mind your dancing while your dancing…master is with you？ As you will be often under the necessity of dancing a minuet； I would have you dance it very well。 Remember； that the graceful motion of the arms； the giving your hand； and the putting on and pulling off your hat genteelly； are the material parts of a gentleman's dancing。 But the greatest advantage of dancing well is； that it necessarily teaches you to present yourself； to sit； stand； and walk； genteelly； all of which are of real importance to a man of fashion。
I should wish that you were polished before you go to Berlin； where； as you will be in a great deal of good company； I would have you have the right manners for it。 It is a very considerable article to have 'le ton de la bonne compagnie'； in your destination particularly。 The principal business of a foreign minister is； to get into the secrets； and to know all 'les allures' of the courts at which he resides； this he can never bring about but by such a pleasing address； such engaging manners； and such an insinuating behavior； as may make him sought for； and in some measure domestic； in the best company and the best families of the place。 He will then； indeed； be well informed of all that passes； either by the confidences made him； or by the carelessness of people in his company； who are accustomed to look upon him as one of them； and consequently are not upon their guard before him。 For a minister who only goes to the court he resides at； in form； to ask an audience of the prince or the minister upon his last instructions； puts them upon their guard； and will never know anything more than what they have a mind that he should know。 Here women may be put to some use。 A king's mistress； or a minister's wife or mistress； may give great and useful informations； and are very apt to do it； being proud to show that they have been trusted。 But then； in this case； the height of that sort of address； which； strikes women； is requisite； I mean that easy politeness； genteel and graceful address； and that 'exterieur brilliant' which they cannot withstand。 There is a sort of men so like women； that they are to be taken just in the same way； I mean those who are commonly called FINE MEN； who swarm at all courts； who have little reflection； and less knowledge； but； who by their good breeding； and 'train…tran' of the world； are admitted into all companies； and； by the imprudence or carelessness of their superiors； pick up secrets worth knowing； which are easily got out of them by proper address。 Adieu。
LETTER LIII
BATH； October 12； O。 S。 1748。
DEAR BOY： I came here three days ago upon account of a disorder in my stomach； which affected my head and gave me vertigo。 I already find myself something better； and consequently do not doubt but that the course of these waters will set me quite right。 But however and wherever I am； your welfare； your character； your knowledge； and your morals； employ my thoughts more than anything that can happen to me； or that I can fear or hope for myself。 I am going off the stage； you are coming upon it； with me what has been； has been； and reflection now would come too late； with you everything is to come； even； in some manner； reflection itself； so that this is the very time when my reflections； the result of experience； may be of use to you； by supplying the want of yours。 As soon as you leave Leipsig； you will gradually be going into the great world； where the first impressions that you shall give of yourself will be of great importance to you； but those which you shall receive will be decisive； for they always stick。 To keep good company； especially at your first setting out； is the way to receive good impressions。 If you ask me what I mean by good company； I will confess to you that it is pretty difficult to define； but I will endeavor to make you understand it as well as I can。
Good company is not what respective sets of company are pleased either to call or think themselves； but it is that company which all the people of the place call； and acknowledge to be； good company； notwithstanding some objections which they may form to some of the individuals who compose it。 It consists chiefly （but by no means without exception） of people of considerable birth； rank； and character； for people of neither birth nor rank are frequently； and very justly admitted into it； if distinguished by any peculiar merit；
