letters to his son, 1748-第24节

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　　He　was　eminently　illiterate；　wrote　bad　English　and　spelled　it　still　worse。　He　had　no　share　of　what　is　commonly　called　PARTS：　that　is；　he　had　no　brightness；　nothing　shining　in　his　genius。　　He　had　most　undoubtedly；　an　excellent　good　plain　understanding　with　sound　judgment。　　But　these　alone；　would　probably　have　raised　him　but　something　higher　than　they　found　him；　which　was　page　to　King　James　the　Second's　queen。　　There　the　Graces　protected　and　promoted　him；　for　while　he　was　an　ensign　of　the　Guards；　the　Duchess　of　Cleveland；　then　favorite　mistress　to　King　Charles　the　Second；　struck　by　those　very　Graces；　gave　him　five　thousand　pounds；　with　which　he　immediately　bought　an　annuity　for　his　life　of　five　hundred　pounds　a　year；　of　my　grandfather　Halifax；　which　was　the　foundation　of　his　subsequent　fortune。　　His　figure　was　beautiful；　but　his　manner　was　irresistible；　by　either　man　or　woman。　　It　was　by　this　engaging；　graceful　manner；　that　he　was　enabled；　during　all　his　war；　to　connect　the　various　and　jarring　powers　of　the　Grand　Alliance；　and　to　carry　them　on　to　the　main　object　of　the　war；　notwithstanding　their　private　and　separate　views；　jealousies；　and　wrongheadednesses。　　Whatever　court　he　went　to　（and　he　was　often　obliged　to　go　himself　to　some　resty　and　refractory　ones）；　he　as　constantly　prevailed；　and　brought　them　into　his　measures。　　The　Pensionary　Heinsius；　a　venerable　old　minister；　grown　gray　in　business；　and　who　had　governed　the　republic　of　the　United　Provinces　for　more　than　forty　years；　was　absolutely　governed　by　the　Duke　of　Marlborough；　as　that　republic　feels　to　this　day。　　He　was　always　cool；　and　nobody　ever　observed　the　least　variation　in　his　countenance；　he　could　refuse　more　gracefully　than　other　people　could　grant；　and　those　who　went　away　from　him　the　most　dissatisfied　as　to　the　substance　of　their　business；　were　yet　personally　charmed　with　him　and；　in　some　degree；　comforted　by　his　manner。　　With　all　his　gentleness　and　gracefulness；　no　man　living　was　more　conscious　of　his　situation；　nor　maintained　his　dignity　better。

With　the　share　of　knowledge　which　you　have　already　gotten；　and　with　the　much　greater　which　I　hope　you　will　soon　acquire；　what　may　you　not　expect　to　arrive　at；　if　you　join　all　these　graces　to　it？　　In　your　destination　particularly；　they　are　in　truth　half　your　business：　for；　if　you　once　gain　the　affections　as　well　as　the　esteem　of　the　prince　or　minister　of　the　court　to　which　you　are　sent；　I　will　answer　for　it；　that　will　effectually　do　the　business　of　the　court　that　sent　you；　otherwise　it　is　up…hill　work。　Do　not　mistake；　and　think　that　these　graces　which　I　so　often　and　so　earnestly　recommend　to　you；　should　only　accompany　important　transactions；　and　be　worn　only　'les　jours　de　gala'；　no；　they　should；　if　possible；　accompany　every；　the　least　thing　you　do　or　say；　for；　if　you　neglect　them　in　little　things；　they　will　leave　you　in　great　ones。　　I　should；　for　instance；　be　extremely　concerned　to　see　you　even　drink　a　cup　of　coffee　ungracefully；　and　slop　yourself　with　it；　by　your　awkward　manner　of　holding　it；　nor　should　I　like　to　see　your　coat　buttoned；　or　your　shoes　buckled　awry。　　But　I　should　be　outrageous；　if　I　heard　you　mutter　your　words　unintelligibly；　stammer；　in　your　speech；　or　hesitate；　misplace；　and　mistake　in　your　narrations；　and　I　should　run　away　from　you　with　greater　rapidity；　if　possible；　than　I　should　now　run　to　embrace　you；　if　I　found　you　destitute　of　all　those　graces　which　I　have　set　my　heart　upon　their　making　you　one　day；　'omnibus　ornatum　excellere　rebus'。

This　subject　is　inexhaustible；　as　it　extends　to　everything　that　is　to　be　said　or　done：　but　I　will　leave　it　for　the　present；　as　this　letter　is　already　pretty　long。　　Such　is　my　desire；　my　anxiety　for　your　perfection；　that　I　never　think　I　have　said　enough；　though　you　may　possibly　think　that　I　have　said　too　much；　and　though；　in　truth；　if　your　own　good　sense　is　not　sufficient　to　direct　you；　in　many　of　these　plain　points；　all　that　I　or　anybody　else　can　say　will　be　insufficient。　　But　where　you　are　concerned；　I　am　the　insatiable　man　in　Horace；　who　covets　still　a　little　corner　more　to　complete　the　figure　of　his　field。　　I　dread　every　little　corner　that　may　deform　mine；　in　which　I　would　have　（if　possible）　no　one　defect。

I　this　moment　receive　yours　of　the　17th；　N。　S。；　and　cannot　condole　with　you　upon　the　secession　of　your　German　'Commensaux'；　who　both　by　your　and　Mr。　Harte's　description；　seem　to　be　'des　gens　d'une　amiable　absence'；　and；　if　you　can　replace　them　by　any　other　German　conversation；　you　will　be　a　gainer　by　the　bargain。　　I　cannot　conceive；　if　you　understand　German　well　enough　to　read　any　German　book；　how　the　writing　of　the　German　character　can　be　so　difficult　and　tedious　to　you；　the　twenty…four　letters　being　very　soon　learned；　and　I　do　not　expect　that　you　should　write　yet　with　the　utmost　purity　and　correctness；　as　to　the　language：　what　I　meant　by　your　writing　once　a　fortnight　to　Grevenkop；　was　only　to　make　the　written　character　familiar　to　you。　　However；　I　will　be　content　with　one　in　three　weeks　or　so。

I　believe　you　are　not　likely　to　see　Mr。　Eliot　again　soon；　he　being　still　in　Cornwall　with　his　father；　who；　I　hear；　is　not　likely　to　recover。　Adieu。




LETTER　LVII

LONDON；　November　29；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　I　delayed　writing　to　you　till　I　could　give　you　some　account　of　the　motions　of　your　friend　Mr。　Eliot；　for　whom　I　know　you　have；　and　very　justly；　the　most　friendly　concern。　　His　father　and　he　came　to　town　together；　in　a　post…chaise　a　fortnight　ago；　the　rest　of　the　family　remaining　in　Cornwall。　　His　father；　with　difficulty；　survived　the　journey；　and　died　last　Saturday　was　seven…night。　　Both　concern　and　decency　confined　your　friend；　till　two　days　ago；　when　I　saw　him；　he　has　determined；　and　I　think　very　prudently；　to　go　abroad　again；　but　how　soon；　it　is　yet　impossible　for　him　to　know；　as　he　must　necessarily　put　his　own　private　affairs　in　some　order　first；　but　I　conjecture　that　he　may　possibly　join　you　at　Turin；　sooner；　to　be　sure；　not。　　I　am　very　sorry　that　you　are　likely　to　be　so　long　without　the　company　and　the　example　of　so　valuable　a　friend；　and　therefore　I　hope　that　you　will　make　it　up　to　yourself；　as　well　as　you　can　at　this　distance；　by　remembering　and　following　his　example。　　Imitate　that　application　of　his；　which　has　made　him　know　all　thoroughly；　and　to　the　bottom。　　He　does　not　content　himself　with　the　surface　of　knowledge；　but　works　in　the　mine　for　it；　knowing　that　it　lies　deep。　　Pope　says；　very　truly；　in　his　〃Essay　on　Criticism〃：

　　　　　　　　　　A　little　learning　is　a　dangerous　thing；　　　　　　　　　　　Drink　deep；　or　taste　not　the　Pierian　spring。

I　shall　send　you　by　a　ship　that　goes　to　Hamburg　next　week　（and　by　which　Hawkins　sends　Mr。　Harte　some　things　that　he　wrote　for）　all　those　which　I　propose　sending　you　by　Mr。　Eliot；　together　with　a　very　little　box　that　I　am　desired　to　forward　to　Mr。　Harte。　　There　will　be；　likewise；　two　letters　of　recommendation　for　you　to　Monsieur　Andrie　and　Comte　Algarotti；　at　Berlin；　which　you　will　take　care　to　deliver　to　them；　as　soon　as　you　shall　be　rigged　and　fitted　out　to　appear　there。　　They　will　introduce　you　into　the　best　company；　and　I　depend　upon　your　own　good　sense　for　your　avoiding　of　bad。　　If　you　fall　into　bad　and　low　company　there；　or　anywhere　else；　you　will　be　irrecoverably　lost；　whereas；　if　you　keep　good　company；　and　company　above　yourself；　your　character　and　your　fortune　will　be　immovably　fixed。

I　have　not　time　to…day；　upon　account　of　the　meeting　of　the　parliament；　to　make　this　letter　of　the　usual　length；　and　indeed；　after　the　volumes　that　I　have　written　to　you；　all　I　can　add　must　be　unnecessary。　　However；　I　shall　probably；　'ex　abundanti'；　return　soon　to　my　former　prolixity；　and　you　will　receive　more　and　more　last　words　from；　Yours。




LETTER　LVIII

LONDON；　December　6；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　I　am　at　present　under　very　great　concern　for　the　loss　of　a　most　affectionate　brother；　with　whom　I　had　always　lived　in　the　closest　friendship。　　My　brother　John　died　last　Friday　night；　of　a　fit　of　the　gout；　which　he　had　had　for　about　a　month　in　his　hands　and　feet；　and　which　fell　at　last　upon　his　stomach　and　head。　　As　he　grew；　toward　the　last；　lethargic；　his　end　was　not　painful　to　himself。　　At　the　distance　which　you　are　at　from　hence；　you　need　not　go　into　mourning　upon　this　occasion；　as　the　time　of　your　mourning　would　be　near　over；　before　you　could　put　it　on。

By　a　ship　which　sails　this　week　for　Hamburg；　I　shall　send　you　those　things　which　I　proposed　to　have　sent　you　by　Mr。　Eliot；　viz。；　a　little　box　from　your　Mamma；　a　less　box　for　Mr。　Harte；　Mr。　Locke's　book　upon　education；　the　print　of　Carlo　Maratti；　which　I　mentioned　to　you　some　time　ago；　and　two　letters　of　recommendation；　one　to　Monsieur　Andrie　and　the　other　to　Comte　Algarotti；　at　Berlin。　　Both　those　gentlemen　will；　I　am　sure；　be　as　willing　as　they　are　able　to　introduce　you　into　the　best　company；　and　I　hope　you　will　not　（as　many　of　your　countrymen　are　apt　to　do）　decline　it。　　It　is　in　the　best　companies　only；　that　you　can　learn　the　best　manners　and　that　'tournure'；　and　those　graces；　which　I　have　so　often　recommended　to　you；　as　the　necessary　means　of　making　a　figure　in　the　world。

I　am　most　extremely　pleased　with　the　account　which　Mr。　Harte　gives　me　of　your　progress　in