letters to his son, 1749-第4节

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sieur　Capello；　at　Venice；　which　was　inclosed　in　mine　to　you。　　I　will　suppose　too；　that　the　inland　post　on　your　side　of　the　water　has　not　done　you　justice；　for　I　received　but　one　single　letter　from　you；　and　one　from　Mr。　Harte；　during　your　whole　stay　at　Berlin；　from　whence　I　hoped　for；　and　expected　very　particular　accounts。

I　persuade　myself；　that　the　time　you　stay　at　Venice　will　be　properly　employed；　in　seeing　all　that　is　to　be　seen　in　that　extraordinary　place：　and　in　conversing　with　people　who　can　inform　you；　not　of　the　raree…shows　of　the　town；　but　of　the　constitution　of　the　government；　for　which　purpose　I　send　you　the　inclosed　letters　of　recommendation　from　Sir　James　Grey；　the　King's　Resident　at　Venice；　but　who　is　now　in　England。　　These；　with　mine　to　Monsieur　Capello；　will　carry　you；　if　you　will　go；　into　all　the　best　company　at　Venice。

But　the　important　point；　and　the　important　place；　is　Turin；　for　there　I　propose　your　staying　a　considerable　time；　to　pursue　your　studies；　learn　your　exercises；　and　form　your　manners。　　I　own；　I　am　not　without　my　anxiety　for　the　consequence　of　your　stay　there；　which　must　be　either　very　good　or　very　bad。　　To　you　it　will　be　entirely　a　new　scene。　　Wherever　you　have　hitherto　been；　you　have　conversed；　chiefly；　with　people　wiser　and　discreeter　than　yourself；　and　have　been　equally　out　of　the　way　of　bad　advice　or　bad　example；　but　in　the　Academy　at　Turin　you　will　probably　meet　with　both；　considering　the　variety　of　young　fellows　about　your　own　age；　among　whom　it　is　to　be　expected　that　some　will　be　dissipated　and　idle；　others　vicious　and　profligate。　　I　will　believe；　till　the　contrary　appears；　that　you　have　sagacity　enough　to　distinguish　the　good　from　the　bad　characters；　and　both　sense　and　virtue　enough　to　shun　the　latter；　and　connect　yourself　with　the　former：　but　however；　for　greater　security；　and　for　your　sake　alone；　I　must　acquaint　you　that　I　have　sent　positive　orders　to　Mr。　Harte　to　carry　you　off；　instantly；　to　a　place　which　I　have　named　to　him；　upon　the　very　first　symptom　which　he　shall　discover　in　you；　of　drinking；　gaming；　idleness；　or　disobedience　to　his　orders；　so　that；　whether　Mr。　Harte　informs　me　or　not　of　the　particulars；　I　shall　be　able　to　judge　of　your　conduct　in　general　by　the　time　of　your　stay　at　Turin。　If　it　is　short；　I　shall　know　why；　and　I　promise　you；　that　you　shall　soon　find　that　I　do；　but　if　Mr。　Harte　lets　you　continue　there；　as　long　as　I　propose　that　you　should；　I　shall　then　be　convinced　that　you　make　the　proper　use　of　your　time；　which　is　the　only　thing　I　have　to　ask　of　you。　One　year　is　the　most　that　I　propose　you　should　stay　at　Turin；　and　that　year；　if　you　employ　it　well；　perfects　you。　　One　year　more　of　your　late　application；　with　Mr。　Harte；　will　complete　your　classical　studies。　　You　will　be　likewise　master　of　your　exercises　in　that　time；　and　will　have　formed　yourself　so　well　at　that　court；　as　to　be　fit　to　appear　advantageously　at　any　other。　　These　will　be　the　happy　effects　of　your　year's　stay　at　Turin；　if　you　behave；　and　apply　yourself　there　as　you　have　done　at　Leipsig；　but　if　either　ill　advice；　or　ill　example；　affect　and　seduce　you；　you　are　ruined　forever。　　I　look　upon　that　year　as　your　decisive　year　of　probation；　go　through　it　well；　and　you　will　be　all　accomplished；　and　fixed　in　my　tenderest　affection　forever；　but　should　the　contagion　of　vice　of　idleness　lay　hold　of　you　there；　your　character；　your　fortune；　my　hopes；　and　consequently　my　favor　are　all　blasted；　and　you　are　undone。　　The　more　I　love　you　now；　from　the　good　opinion　I　have　of　you；　the　greater　will　be　my　indignation　if　I　should　have　reason　to　change　it。　Hitherto　you　have　had　every　possible　proof　of　my　affection；　because　you　have　deserved　it；　but　when　you　cease　to　deserve　it；　you　may　expect　every　possible　mark　of　my　resentment。　　To　leave　nothing　doubtful　upon　this　important　point　I　will　tell　you　fairly；　beforehand；　by　what　rule　I　shall　judge　of　your　conductby　Mr。　Harte's　accounts。　　He　will　not　I　am　sure；　nay；　I　will　say　more；　he　cannot　be　in　the　wrong　with　regard　to　you。　　He　can　have　no　other　view　but　your　good；　and　you　will；　I　am　sure；　allow　that　he　must　be　a　better　judge　of　it　than　you　can　possibly　be　at　your　age。　While　he　is　satisfied；　I　shall　be　so　too；　but　whenever　he　is　dissatisfied　with　you；　I　shall　be　much　more　so。　　If　he　complains；　you　must　be　guilty；　and　I　shall　not　have　the　least　regard　for　anything　that　you　may　allege　in　your　own　defense。

I　will　now　tell　you　what　I　expect　and　insist　upon　from　you　at　Turin：　First；　that　you　pursue　your　classical　and　other　studies　every　morning　with　Mr。　Harte；　as　long　and　in　whatever　manner　Mr。　Harte　shall　be　pleased　to　require；　secondly；　that　you　learn；　uninterruptedly；　your　exercises　of　riding；　dancing；　and　fencing；　thirdly；　that　you　make　yourself　master　of　the　Italian　language；　and　lastly；　that　you　pass　your　evenings　in　the　best　company。　　I　also　require　a　strict　conformity　to　the　hours　and　rules　of　the　Academy。　　If　you　will　but　finish　your　year　in　this　manner　at　Turin；　I　have　nothing　further　to　ask　of　you；　and　I　will　give　you　everything　that　you　can　ask　of　me。　　You　shall　after　that　be　entirely　your　own　master；　I　shall　think　you　safe；　shall　lay　aside　all　authority　over　you；　and　friendship　shall　be　our　mutual　and　only　tie。　　Weigh　this；　I　beg　of　you；　deliberately　in　your　own　mind；　and　consider　whether　the　application　and　the　degree　of　restraint　which　I　require　but　for　one　year　more；　will　not　be　amply　repaid　by　all　the　advantages；　and　the　perfect　liberty；　which　you　will　receive　at　the　end　of　it。　　Your　own　good　sense　will；　I　am　sure；　not　allow　you　to　hesitate　one　moment　in　your　choice。　　God　bless　you！　Adieu。

P。　S。　　Sir　James　Grey's　letters　not　being　yet　sent　to　me；　as　I　thought　they　would；　I　shall　inclose　them　in　my　next；　which　I　believe　will　get　to　Venice　as　soon　as　you。




LETTER　LXVII

LONDON；　April　12；　O。　S。　　1749。

DEAR　BOY：　I　received；　by　the　last　mail；　a　letter　from　Mr。　Harte；　dated　Prague；　April　the　1st；　N。　S。；　for　which　I　desire　you　will　return　him　my　thanks；　and　assure　him　that　I　extremely　approve　of　what　he　has　done；　and　proposes　eventually　to　do；　in　your　way　to　Turin。　　Who　would　have　thought　you　were　old　enough　to　have　been　so　well　acquainted　with　the　heroes　of　the　'Bellum　Tricennale'；　as　to　be　looking　out　for　their　great…grandsons　in　Bohemia；　with　that　affection　with　which；　I　am　informed；　you　seek　for　the　Wallsteins；　the　Kinskis；　etc。　　As　I　cannot　ascribe　it　to　your　age；　I　must　to　your　consummate　knowledge　of　history；　that　makes　every　country；　and　every　century；　as　it　were；　your　own。　　Seriously；　I　am　told；　that　you　are　both　very　strong　and　very　correct　in　history；　of　which　I　am　extremely　glad。　　This　is　useful　knowledge。

Comte　du　Perron　and　Comte　Lascaris　are　arrived　here：　the　former　gave　me　a　letter　from　Sir　Charles　Williams；　the　latter　brought　me　your　orders。　They　are　very　pretty　men；　and　have　both　knowledge　and　manners；　which；　though　they　always　ought；　seldom　go　together。　　I　examined　them；　particularly　Comte　Lascaris；　concerning　you；　their　report　is　a　very　favorable　one；　especially　on　the　side　of　knowledge；　the　quickness　of　conception　which　they　allow　you　I　can　easily　credit；　but　the　attention　which　they　add　to　it　pleases　me　the　more；　as　I　own　I　expected　it　less。　Go　on　in　the　pursuit　and　the　increase　of　knowledge；　nay；　I　am　sure　you　will；　for　you　now　know　too　much　to　stop；　and；　if　Mr。　Harte　would　let　you　be　idle；　I　am　convinced　you　would　not。　　But　now　that　you　have　left　Leipsig；　and　are　entered　into　the　great　world；　remember　there　is　another　object　that　must　keep　pace　with；　and　accompany　knowledge；　I　mean　manners；　politeness；　and　the　Graces；　in　which　Sir　Charles　Williams；　though　very　much　your　friend；　owns　that　you　are　very　deficient。　　The　manners　of　Leipsig　must　be　shook　off；　and　in　that　respect　you　must　put　on　the　new　man。　　No　scrambling　at　your　meals；　as　at　a　German　ordinary；　no　awkward　overturns　of　glasses；　plates；　and　salt…cellars；　no　horse　play。　　On　the　contrary；　a　gentleness　of　manners；　a　graceful　carriage；　and　an　insinuating　address；　must　take　their　place。　　I　repeat；　and　shall　never　cease　repeating　to　you；　THE　GRACES；　THE　GRACES。

I　desire　that　as　soon　as　ever　you　get　to　Turin　you　will　apply　yourself　diligently　to　the　Italian　language；　that　before　you　leave　that　place；　you　may　know　it　well　enough　to　be　able　to　speak　tolerably　when　you　get　to　Rome；　where　you　will　soon　make　yourself　perfectly　master　of　Italian；　from　the　daily　necessity　you　will　be　under　of　speaking　it。　　In　the　mean　time；　I　insist　upon　your　not　neglecting；　much　less　forgetting；　the　German　you　already　know；　which　you　may　not　only　continue　but　improve；　by　speaking　it　constantly　to　your　Saxon　boy；　and　as　often　as　you　can　to　the　several　Germans　you　will　meet　in　your　travels。　　You　remember；　no　doubt；　that　you　must　never　write　to　me　from　Turin；　but　in　the　German　language　and　character。

I　send　you　the　inclosed　letter　of　recommendation　to　Mr。　Smith　the　King's　Consul　at　Venice；　who　can；　and　I　daresay　will；　be　more　useful　to　you　there　than　anybody。　　Pray　make　your　court；　and　behave　your　best；　to　Monsieur　and　Madame　Capello；　who　will　be　of　great　use　to　you　at　Rome。　Adieu！　　Yours　tenderly。




LETTER　LXVIII

LONDON；　April　19；　O。　S。　　1749。

DEAR　BOY：　This　letter　will；　I　believe；　still