letters to his son, 1749-第13节

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ou　frequent　the　most。　　Have　you　seen　the　Comptesse　d'Orselska；　Princess　of　Holstein？　　Is　Comte　Algarotti；　who　was　the　TENANT　there；　at　Venice？

You　will；　in　many　parts　of　Italy；　meet　with　numbers　of　the　Pretender's　people　（English；　Scotch；　and　Irish　fugitives）；　especially　at　Rome；　probably　the　Pretender　himself。　　It　is　none　of　your　business　to　declare　war　to　these　people；　as　little　as　it　is　your　interest；　or；　I　hope；　your　inclination；　to　connect　yourself　with　them；　and　therefore　I　recommend　to　you　a　perfect　neutrality。　　Avoid　them　as　much　as　you　can　with　decency　and　good　manners；　but　when　you　cannot；　avoid　any　political　conversation　or　debates　with　them；　tell　them　that　you　do　not　concern　yourself　with　political　matters：　that　you　are　neither　maker　nor　a　deposer　of　kings；　that　when　you　left　England；　you　left　a　king　in　it；　and　have　not　since　heard　either　of　his　death；　or　of　any　revolution　that　has　happened；　and　that　you　take　kings　and　kingdoms　as　you　find　them；　but　enter　no　further　into　matters　with　them；　which　can　be　of　no　use；　and　might　bring　on　heats　and　quarrels。　　When　you　speak　of　the　old　Pretender；　you　will　call　him　only　the　Chevalier　de　St。　George；but　mention　him　as　seldom　as　possible。　Should　he　chance　to　speak　to　you　at　any　assembly　（as；　I　am　told；　he　sometimes　does　to　the　English）；　be　sure　that　you　seem　not　to　know　him；　and　answer　him　civilly；　but　always　either　in　French　or　in　Italian；　and　give　him；　in　the　former；　the　appellation　of　Monsieur；　and　in　the　latter；　of　Signore。　　Should　you　meet　with　the　Cardinal　of　York；　you　will　be　under　no　difficulty；　for　he　has；　as　Cardinal；　an　undoubted　right　to　'Eminenza'。　Upon　the　whole；　see　any　of　those　people　as　little　as　possible；　when　you　do　see　them；　be　civil　to　them；　upon　the　footing　of　strangers；　but　never　be　drawn　into　any　altercations　with　them　about　the　imaginary　right　of　their　king；　as　they　call　him。

It　is　to　no　sort　of　purpose　to　talk　to　those　people　of　the　natural　rights　of　mankind；　and　the　particular　constitution　of　this　country。　　Blinded　by　prejudices；　soured　by　misfortunes；　and　tempted　by　their　necessities；　they　are　as　incapable　of　reasoning　rightly；　as　they　have　hitherto　been　of　acting　wisely。　　The　late　Lord　Pembroke　never　would　know　anything　that　he　had　not　a　mind　to　know；　and；　in　this　case；　I　advise　you　to　follow　his　example。　　Never　know　either　the　father　or　the　two　sons；　any　otherwise　than　as　foreigners；　and　so；　not　knowing　their　pretensions；　you　have　no　occasion　to　dispute　them。

I　can　never　help　recommending　to　you　the　utmost　attention　and　care；　to　acquire　'les　Manieres；　la　Tournure；　et　les　Graces；　d'un　galant　homme；　et　d'un　homme　de　cour'。　　They　should　appear　in　every　look；　in　every　action；　in　your　address；　and　even　in　your　dress；　if　you　would　either　please　or　rise　in　the　world。　　That　you　may　do　both　（and　both　are　in　your　power）　is　most　ardently　wished　you；　by　Yours。

P。　S。　　I　made　Comte　Lascaris　show　me　your　letter；　which　I　liked　very　well；　the　style　was　easy　and　natural；　and　the　French　pretty　correct。　There　were　so　few　faults　in　the　orthography；　that　a　little　more　observation　of　the　best　French　authors　would　make　you　a　correct　master　of　that　necessary　language。

I　will　not　conceal　from　you；　that　I　have　lately　had　extraordinary　good　accounts　of　you；　from　an　unexpected　and　judicious　person；　who　promises　me　that；　with　a　little　more　of　the　world；　your　manners　and　address　will　equal　your　knowledge。　　This　is　the　more　pleasing　to　me；　as　those　were　the　two　articles　of　which　I　was　the　most　doubtful。　　These　commendations　will　not；　I　am　persuaded；　make　you　vain　and　coxcomical；　but　only　encourage　you　to　go　on　in　the　right　way。




LETTER　LXXXI

LONDON；　September　12；　O。　S。　　1749。

DEAR　BOY：　It　seems　extraordinary；　but　it　is　very　true；　that　my　anxiety　for　you　increases　in　proportion　to　the　good　accounts　which　I　receive　of　you　from　all　hands。　　I　promise　myself　so　much　from　you；　that　I　dread　the　least　disappointment。　　You　are　now　so　near　the　port；　which　I　have　so　long　wished　and　labored　to　bring　you　safe　into；　that　my　concern　would　be　doubled；　should　you　be　shipwrecked　within　sight　of　it。　　The　object；　therefore；　of　this　letter　is　（laying　aside　all　the　authority　of　a　parent）　to　conjure　you　as　a　friend；　by　the　affection　you　have　for　me　（and　surely　you　have　reason　to　have　some）；　and　by　the　regard　you　have　for　yourself；　to　go　on；　with　assiduity　and　attention；　to　complete　that　work　which；　of　late；　you　have　carried　on　so　well；　and　which　is　now　so　near　being　finished。　　My　wishes　and　my　plan　were　to　make　you　shine　and　distinguish　yourself　equally　in　the　learned　and　the　polite　world。　　Few　have　been　able　to　do　it。　　Deep　learning　is　generally　tainted　with　pedantry；　or　at　least　unadorned　by　manners：　as；　on　the　other　hand；　polite　manners　and　the　turn　of　the　world　are　too　often　unsupported　by　knowledge；　and　consequently　end　contemptibly；　in　the　frivolous　dissipation　of　drawing…rooms　and　ruelles。　You　are　now　got　over　the　dry　and　difficult　parts　of　learning；　what　remains　requires　much　more　time　than　trouble。　　You　have　lost　time　by　your　illness；　you　must　regain　it　now　or　never。　　I　therefore　most　earnestly　desire；　for　your　own　sake；　that　for　these　next　six　months；　at　least　six　hours　every　morning；　uninterruptedly；　may　be　inviolably　sacred　to　your　studies　with　Mr。　Harte。　　I　do　not　know　whether　he　will　require　so　much；　but　I　know　that　I　do；　and　hope　you　will；　and　consequently　prevail　with　him　to　give　you　that　time；　I　own　it　is　a　good　deal：　but　when　both　you　and　he　consider　that　the　work　will　be　so　much　better；　and　so　much　sooner　done；　by　such　an　assiduous　and　continued　application；　you　will；　neither　of　you；　think　it　too　much；　and　each　will　find　his　account　in　it。　　So　much　for　the　mornings；　which　from　your　own　good　sense；　and　Mr。　Harte's　tenderness　and　care　of　you；　will；　I　am　sure；　be　thus　well　employed。　It　is　not　only　reasonable；　but　useful　too；　that　your　evenings　should　be　devoted　to　amusements　and　pleasures：　and　therefore　I　not　only　allow；　but　recommend；　that　they　should　be　employed　at　assemblies；　balls；　SPECTACLES；　and　in　the　best　companies；　with　this　restriction　only；　that　the　consequences　of　the　evening's　diversions　may　not　break　in　upon　the　morning's　studies；　by　breakfastings；　visits；　and　idle　parties　into　the　country。　　At　your　age；　you　need　not　be　ashamed；　when　any　of　these　morning　parties　are　proposed；　to　say　that　you　must　beg　to　be　excused；　for　you　are　obliged　to　devote　your　mornings　to　Mr。　Harte；　that　I　will　have　it　so；　and　that　you　dare　not　do　otherwise。　　Lay　it　all　upon　me；　though　I　am　persuaded　it　will　be　as　much　your　own　inclination　as　it　is　mine。　　But　those　frivolous；　idle　people；　whose　time　hangs　upon　their　own　hands；　and　who　desire　to　make　others　lose　theirs　too；　are　not　to　be　reasoned　with：　and　indeed　it　would　be　doing　them　too　much　honor。　　The　shortest　civil　answers　are　the　best；　I　CANNOT；　I　DARE　NOT；　instead　of　I　WILL　NOT；　for　if　you　were　to　enter　with　them　into　the　necessity　of　study　end　the　usefulness　of　knowledge；　it　would　only　furnish　them　with　matter　for　silly　jests；　which；　though　I　would　not　have　you　mind；　I　would　not　have　you　invite。　　I　will　suppose　you　at　Rome　studying　six　hours　uninterruptedly　with　Mr。　Harte；　every　morning；　and　passing　your　evenings　with　the　best　company　of　Rome；　observing　their　manners　and　forming　your　own；　and　I　will　suppose　a　number　of　idle；　sauntering；　illiterate　English；　as　there　commonly　is　there；　living　entirely　with　one　another；　supping；　drinking；　and　sitting　up　late　at　each　other's　lodgings；　commonly　in　riots　and　scrapes　when　drunk；　and　never　in　good　company　when　sober。　　I　will　take　one　of　these　pretty　fellows；　and　give　you　the　dialogue　between　him　and　yourself；　such　as；　I　dare　say；　it　will　be　on　his　side；　and　such　as；　I　hope；　it　will　be　on　yours：

Englishman。　　Will　you　come　and　breakfast　with　me　tomorrow？　　there　will　be　four　or　five　of　our　countrymen；　we　have　provided　chaises；　and　we　will　drive　somewhere　out　of　town　after　breakfast。

Stanhope。　　I　am　very　sorry　I　cannot；　but　I　am　obliged　to　be　at　home　all　morning。

Englishman。　　Why；　then；　we　will　come　and　breakfast　with　you。

Stanhope。　　I　can't　do　that　neither；　I　am　engaged。

Englishman。　　Well；　then；　let　it　be　the　next　day。

Stanhope。　　To　tell　you　the　truth；　it　can　be　no　day　in　the　morning；　for　I　neither　go　out；　nor　see　anybody　at　home　before　twelve。

Englishman。　　And　what　the　devil　do　you　do　with　yourself　till　twelve　o'clock？

Stanhope。　　I　am　not　by　myself；　I　am　with　Mr。　Harte。

Englishman。　　Then　what　the　devil　do　you　do　with　him？

Stanhope。　　We　study　different　things；　we　read；　we　converse。

Englishman。　　Very　pretty　amusement　indeed！　Are　you　to　take　orders　then？

Stanhope。　　Yes；　my　father's　orders；　I　believe　I　must　take。

Englishman。　　Why　hast　thou　no　more　spirit；　than　to　mind　an　old　fellow　a　thousand　miles　off？

Stanhope。　　If　I　don't　mind　his　orders　he　won't　mind　my　draughts。

Englishman。　　What；　does　the　old　prig　threaten　then？　threatened　folks　live　long；　never　mind　threats。

Stanhope。　　No；　I　can't　say　that　he　has　ever　threatened　me　in　his　life；　but　I　believe　I　had　best　not　provoke　him。

Englishman。　　Pooh！　you　would　have　one　angry　letter　from　the　old　fellow；　and　there　would　be　an　end　of　it。

Stanhope。　　You　mistake　him　mightily；　he　always　does　more