m^ University of California • Berkeley Gift of Peter Selz Digitized by the Internet Arciiive in 2007 witii funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation 'IH£ ELEMENI^ A POi^TE EDUCATION; " - CAREFULLY SELECTED / J* FROM THE LETTERS # /^/^^ °^ ^^^^ LATE # V ,^ y C ^ ^ UIGHt^HONB^^ PHILIP DORMETl STANHOI EAIIL OF CHESTERFIELD, TO ^ HIS SON. BY G. GREGORY, D.D. AUTHOR OF ESSAYS HISTORICAL AND MO OF THE ECONOMY OF NATIjRE, &C. &C, LONDON : PRINTED FOR R. PHILLIPS, ho. 71, ST. rAVL'6 CHUKCJl-YARO. ■ D SOLD BY T. HURST AND J, WALLIS, PATER NOS^T: R-RO ".V BY CARPENTER AND CO. OLD BOND STRKIT; nv LACKINGTON, ALLEN', AND CO. 11 NSHi: K\ ~'i(i\j,AK'r i A.N'D BY ALL O'l'UER BOOKSLLLERS. PREFACE. X HERE is not any book extant in our own, cr perhaps in any other language, which contains fuch a fund of ufeful praftical knowledge as Lord Cheftcr- lield's Letters to his Son. ImpreiTed with thii^ opinioi>5 I liad procured a copy, from which I meant to expunge every exceptionable paiTagc, for the ufe and tnl"iruc- tion of my own childrai. Oh cafually mentioning the circumilance before fome intclh'gent perfons, who, as well as myfelf, w^ere fathers of families, they united in a wi(h that the benefit miglit be more e>:- tenfivelY difFufcd; and that an editiqn miglit be pub- llihed, from which every feniim.ent ihouid be care- fully expunged which might injure or pervert the inorcih of youth; — they fiirther recommended that ■ the publication might have tlie fanCtion of fome name, not altogether unknown in the religious world, to give it tliat currency which its utility deferved. Such is the hiftory oi die hook which is now pre- ffented to tlie public, a work frojii which no accel- iion of fame can he reafonahly expi.^clcd, and wiili refpedl to which I commit myfelf, merely tlt;ic fi.:: public may have fome affurance that it contains no- thing hut what is ftri(5ily moral, aud, 1 truft { may add, inllruc^Ive. The fyftem of education purfued by the Earl of Chefterfield was that which is pecuharly adapted tor forming a man of bulinefs, a man of the'world. Tue ufcs of this publication may therefore be comprifcd in few words. ifr, It will ferve a^ an excellent guide, a text book to parents and tutors wiih refp^cl to tlic courfe of iVadics, a^id the choice of books in the earhj^r a 2 PREFACE. flages of education, and it includes much elementar^r knowledge, conveyed in a flyle and maimer which muft be pieafmg and inftru^ive to the young ilu- dent himfelf. 2d}y, It is well calculated to form a correal and ekgant tafte in polite literature: it conveys a va- riety of ufeful inflruftions relative to flyle and man- ner, both in compoiition and in converfation, 3dly, Moll: of the common and ufeful topics of converfation are treated of in this work, and in a lively mftnner, and the political and hiflorical anec- dotes fcattered through thefe letters are fuch as are likely at once to excite a fpirit of inquiry in the minds of ^outh, and to furnilh them with mate- rials both for thought and converfation. 4thly, I do not know fuch perfedr models of the cpiftolary ftyle as the letters of Lord Chefter- field ; indeed, what Dr. Johnfon well rem.arks of another eminent writer, may with jufticc be applied to our author ; '' His profe is the model of the mid- dle flyle: en grave fubje6ls not formal, on light oc- cafions not grovelling ; pure without fcrupulofity, and exaCl without apparent elaboration ; always equable, and always eafy." In a word, whoever wifhes to XV rite a good bufinefs letter, '* whoever," in the words of the fame author, '* wiftes to attain an Engl if h flyle, familiar but not coarfe, and ele- gant but not oflentatious," will find his time not mifpent in the perufal of this volume. 5thly, The knowledge of mankind difplayed in thefe letters is profound, without being fyfle- matic, — praAical, without being trite. I really do not know a work in which the human heart is fo well laid open, nor the tnanners of the world fo a-ccurateiy, fo faithfully depidled. To a young man entering into life, w^e may, with fome truth, when fpeaking of thefe letters, apply the faying of Lord Mansfield w^th refpe6l to Elackftone's Commen- - PREFACE. taries, ^' That had that work been piibh'fhed wJien he was a young man, it would have faved him at lead leven years' ftudy." Laftly, To every young perfon who has been brought up in retirement, the rules of good-breed- ing, and the obfervations on the m.annecs of poHfh- ed fociety, which he will find here, will prove higlily infl:ru6^ive ; from them he will learn at once how to condu6l himfelf, and to judge with accu- racy of the manners and behaviour of others. I have only to add, that I believe I have pre- ferved in this volume all that is really ufeful in the four volumes of Lord Chefteriiekl's Letters ; I have omitted only what was exceptionable, or wdiat was mere repetition, which, though well adapted to a private, correfpondence fuch as this, in order to en- force principles already laid down, can be only con- fidered as lumber in a compilation for the public eye. The epiftolary form is cautioufly preferved ; and the fhyle, as well as the fentiments, are entirely thofe of the author. For the benefit of the Engliili read- er, the paflages from other languages are tranflat- ed, and I have added a few notes where the fubjc(5l w anted elucidation. G. G. Chajjel-Jfreet, Bedford Ronvy July J, 1800. ^3 CONTENTS. LETTER I. Page lKTRODUCTION....Kxhorlation to Dirigence in Study.... C;ito the Cenlbr *. ' 1 II. Examples, fioiii AHcicnt Hilioiy, of Geuerofity and Great- ncfs of Sou] '. * 2 III. On Irony : 3 IV. On Alteutio« ant! Decency 4 V. On Poetry. ..Poetical Epithets, &c 5 Vr. On HiHory, Geography, and Chronology 6 \'U. General View of Hirtory and Chronology , 9 VIII. On Eloquence and Compofition 12 IX Diction of Poetry 13 X. Modcftv and Bafhfulnftfs 15 XI. On Oratory ...n 16 XII. Poetry and Metre 17 XiII. Poetical Licences 19 XIV. Delcriptive Poetry 20 XV. Poetical Defcription 22 XVI. Ofiracifm of the Athenians. ..Reading 23 XVII. Study of;:Languages... Latin Radicals 24 XVIII. Memory... Attention. ..Pofiure in Reading ,... 25 XIX. On A.mbidon...Difr5rent Characters it affumes 27 XX. Plagiarilm... Poetical Defcription 28 XXI. Writing Themes recommended.. .Virtue 30 XXn. On Good-Breeding 31 XXIIL The leffer Talents... Aw kwardnefs... Defcription of an ;iv.kvard Perfon 33 XXiV. On Vulgarity and Awkwarclnefs 36 XX\'. Short Account of Paris. ..Oratory. ..Dcmofthenes 38 XXVI. Account cf Marfeilles ' 39 XX VL^. Modern Hiftory... Origin of the prefent Governments of Europe 41 XXVIII. General Deicription of France 43 XXUi. General Defcription of Gernuniy 46 XaX. Queen cf Hungarv... Origin of the late Conteus in . Gcmany..... ' ^' , 47 XXXL Account of u.it Pope ! 49 XXXJL (General Vicsv of Englilh Killory ^0 XXX'H. Exhuvtivtioii to Good-Behaviour in Company :bS XXX ly. Good-Breeding... Marks of Refped... Civility to the Fenr.!? Sex .< 59 XXXV. style. ..Adnu:ni'.ioi;s to Diligence .. 61 XXXVI. Horace.. .Stjlc of ihc Auguftan Age. ...Epigram 63 XXXVII. Attcnlinn,..Perfpieuity...Diftruft of ProfefTions- € h XXXVIII. Learning;.. .Good-Bre'eding, &c O^i XXXIX. 'The Female Sex... 'Not to attack Bodies of People... 67 XL. Direaionsin Travc!liiig,,.Swifs Canloas...... , 6^ .CONTENTS. Letter Page XLl. Exhortation to Diligence in acquiring Knovlvrige '71 XLII. Nc^j;!igeuce...Ablence of Mind ia Company 7i XLUr. On Plcalure... Author's Review of his o«n Life 78^ XLIV. Attention to one Thing at a Time!. 80 XLV. Direclions toa Young Traveller 82 XLVf. Superftition... Lying 83 XLVIL KnoNvledge of'the World 8.> XLVIIL Cautions againll hatty and improper Friendlhips...,, 87 XLIX, The Art of Pleafiug...!' 90 L. On Travelling, and Employment of Time 93> LL Learningand Pedantry 95 LII. Graceful Manner and Behaviour — Inquiries concerning Germany 99 LIIL Inftruaions for reading Hiftory 102 LIV. Impertinent and Common-place Ob-fei'vations 105 LV. Politenefsin Courts. 108 LVI. Inftruftions in the Study of Hifiory HO LVII. Attention to Inferiors 112 LVTII. Indolent and frivolous Minds characterifed 114 LIX. Obfervations on Good- Conduit.. ..Treaty ofMunfier Rife of theHoufe of Brandenburg , 117 LX. Cautions in reading Hi ftory... Great Pouer of France... Caufes of Weaknefs in Allied Powers 119 LXI. Car,_.. Cautions againft low Company. ..Againft the Adoption of falhionable Vices 131 LXiV. Rules for Converfation.. .Cautions againft a Spirit of arguing in Company. ..Inftances of ridiculous Vanity in Con- verfati(^n.. ..Cautions againft Egotifm — Prudent Referve... Scandal.,.. Mimicry.... Swearing... Laughter 135 LXV. Cautions againft the Levity and Giddinefs of Youth... Againft Indifcrction in Converfation, and Captioulnefs... Againft meddling in other People's Concerns. ..Againft re- peating in one Company whatpaffes in another Boas Dia-i-. blo.s...Steadinef5...Complaifance... Marks of a low Mind ^42 LXVL Graces of Manner and Behaviour.. .The Duke of Marl- borough.. .General Inftrudions on tiie Subjedt 146 LXV IX. Admonitions on firft going into the World... Drefs ....Vivacity liQ LXVIIl. Inftrudions relative to Expenfes...Neceffity of keep- ing correct Accounts. ..Attention to the State of Pruffia 153 LXIX. Ncceffity of an early Habit of: Pveflexion...A<, count of the Author's early Condu<5t... Prejudices... Enthufiafm for the Ancients... Homer... Mil ton... .Prejudices of Faftiion. ...The Pope, ..The Pretender.. .Prejudices of Ihe French and Eng- liih,..Frce and defpolic Governments.,,..,,.,,,, ..,, 15(5 166 16!^ CONTENTS. LXX. Of Pleafures... Liberal and illiberal Plcafuresv..Muric... "^ Inilruaions relative to Manners and vifiting Forei«m Countries.... '^ jg< LXXI, Cautions againft the Contagion of fa{hion«ble Vice's.." Ill Condud and Manners of Engliihmcn on their Travel?, &c'. 163 LXXII. Rules for Condud in ihe great and bufy World*-- Cooinefs and Seh-coinniand...Perfeverance in 'Bufinefs.,. Eons Mots; \ ^^ LXXIII. Obfervations on Venice. ..MuJic... .The Fine Arts.. UiXlV. Knowledge of the World. ..Dignity of Manners., Flattery... .Vulgar Language... .Frivolous Curiofity... Deco- rum... Courts ,.,. |r^j LXXV. Admonitions againft a WaRe of Time. ..Humorous Dialogue 273 LXXVI. Abfence "of Mind in Company CarelefTnefs in Manner and Drcfs...Defciiption of an awkward Perfon 173 LXX VII. Vulgarity how acquired...Defcription of a vulgar Perfon.. .Vulgar Language.. .Trite and proverbial Expref- fions.. .Travelling in Italy ". ]g<3 LXXVIII. Objects of rational Inquiry to a Traveller. .. Archi- tc<^ure... Painting and Sculpture 18 I LXXIX. General View of a good Education Principles of Virtue... Learning... Good-Breeding... Eafe... Equality... .Ci- vility to Inferiors ] 185 LXXX. Of Style in Writing. ..Advantages of a good Style.,.. Examples of a bad Style. ..Ciceroand Quintilian 19] LXXXI. Obfervation.s on Men in general Eloquence. ..The Eloquence of Popular Affcmblies... Examples 195 LXXXIl. The Subje<^ of Style continued Parliamentary Speaking. ..Cicero's Definition of an Orator confuted 199 LXXXIII. The Subject of Eloquence continued... Lord Bo- lingbroke...His tliftory 201 LXXXIV. General Obfervations on Human Charaders.. .Am- bition and Avarice. ..Cardinal Mazarin. ..Cardinal Richelieu ...Women, 6cc 095 LXXXV. KecefJity of the lefier Virtues. ..Cato and Cafuf... The Proud Man and the Pedant 209 LXXXVI. Kefpect for Religion recommended.. .Irreligious and immoral Writers cenfu red... Stridl Morr,ls and Religion Cfjually nccelTary to Conduct and Character, ..The infamous Chartres.. .Anecdote of him. ..Lying. ..Dignity of Character... 21 I LXXXVII. A proper Degree of Confidence in Company ro- commendcd...The Author's EmbarralTmeni when firft in- troduced. ..Manners of different Countries.. .Old Women... 216 LXXXVIII. Ufe of Tin)e...Punauality...Ufeful Reading... Romances cenfured....Difpatch and Method. ..Method of reading for Improvement .., ». 21;^ LXX XIX. Italian Literature...Dante...Taffo...Ariofio, ..G(!a- rini...Petrarch — Machiavel!i...Bocaccio Guicciaiciiiji £entivoglio, ujid Duvila...Engliih and French Authur:^ '.V2-:5 ^ COxNTENTS. 1 pfter Page XC. Curiolities, Hiftory, ^c. of Naples... Definition of a Poli- tical Conllitution.... French, Englifh, Polifti, and Svedifh Monarchies.. 226 XCI, Idle and Fooliih Companions.. .The French ill-educated and iriilin^. ..Caution againft iVequenting Cofifee-houfes... Knaverj- of Parifians... Gambling .., '^'i*? XC'JT. Dofcription of an Englifhmau in Paris.. .French an ig- norant People.. .Women more in^proved than the Men... Dofuoiic Empire of Faftjion , 231 XCIII. Men (^f Pi eafurc... German ^xm\ Italian Languages 234 XCIV. Truth and Probity cfTential in all Stations.. .Candour .. .Vanity, .,Modefty...Synematic Condud ' 237 XCV. Trkvellers ought to pay Attention to all they go to fee ...The Genteel in Drers...FirmnefH in Demeanour 240 XCVI. Perfeverance and Ardour in Purfuits... Anecdote of Cardinal Mazarin and Don Louis de Haro.. .Want of Atten- tion a»d Abfence 243 XCVII. FriejKlfl5ip....Art of Speaking. ..Hand-writing. ...The Polite World , 245 XCVIII. Knowledge of the World.. .Syftem-n»ongers... Flat- tery 249 XCIX. Earl of Huntingdon. ...Parliamentary Government,.,. Connections.. .Lady Hcrvey...Perfons raifed in Life by ex- terior Manners.. .Chronological Hiltory, ..Sully's Memoirs... 251 C, Hiftory of France.. .Government of Clovis... States-General ...Tiers Etat.. .Family of Capet, ..Manner of fludying Hif- tory. ..Con>pany and Converfation 254 CI. Rules of Cofldu<5t...Drefs.. .Gaming. ....Taverns. ..Toys.... Charaderof aRake-. ^ , '. 259 Cn. Rules for the Conduct of a young Man letting out in the World... Greek. Literature... Quarrels 2G2 Cni. Rules for Conduct continued. ...Perfonal Neatnefs... Taile in Drefs...Cleanlinefs...Rcafonablenef« of attending to little Things ....; 265 CIV. French Marine and Commerce... Treaty of Commerce... A(5l of Navigation. ..Orthography 269 CV. French Language... A ffeadours.. .Romances. ..Falfe Tafte of the French 272^ CVI. Hand-vv-riiing.. .Politenefc... Proper Ufe of Time 277 CVII. Dignity ot Chara(5ter...Conftitution. and Commerce of England. ..OJdcafile's Remarks on the Hiftory of England... Charader of a well-bred Man 280 CVIlI. Docility.. .Neceifity of conforming to the Mannejrs of Foreigners.. ..Suavity of Manners. ...Mode of elecling the King of the Romans TJfes of the Italian and German Laugu a ges 283 CIX. Bad Writing. ..Signature.'i..^Poulets...Hafie and Hurry... Civility to old Acquainfances... Friends 2^1 ex. Modeiiy and Firmnefs... Modern, Fliftorical, and Political Learning... La Bruyerc.La Rocheloucault ,.,.,........« 291, CONTENTS. Lrtter Paj^e CXI. Manner in Speaklnp:.... Parliamentary Orators... .Lord Cfiatham...Lord Mansfield... The Citizen turned Gentleman, 294 CXIl. Love and Refpedt... Martial's eelcbrated Epigram para- phrafed Dr. Johnfon delineated Univerfitj- of Cam- bridge... Bill for reformin^^ the Calendar 297 CXIII. Cnmment on the Words * Gentle in Manner, firm in Conduct'. ..Kings and Miniflcrs. ..Command ofTemper 300 CXl\\ Love and- Hatred of]i'.«lty critical. ..Attentions in Com- pany. ,.Conllitution ot' Things at Paris.. .Difference between Seeing and Staring. .....7 C04 CX"V^. Reformation of the Calendar,.. His Lordfhip'.<5Coning an Argument 3ifl CXXJ^ Pictures.. .Rembrandt.. .Acquaintances and Friends... Mathematics, &c ". 2'Z3 CXXIL Graces of Manner and Behaviour (rafily acquired... Lifiance irk a young Recruit. ..Elegance of Language 325 CXXilL Books that teach to know MarLkind...La Rochefon- cauU...La Bruyere...Marchioner:* of Lambert's Advice to her Sc>n... Court? and Cottages compared 3'i7 CXXIV. Dirc(5^ions for Condnc^ and Behaviour in the Com- pany of great Perfon.s...In mixt Comi>anies...Refpe<5l to dif- ferent Charuders 350' GXXV. Seeing and not feeing. ►. Converfation more improv- ing on Political Subjeas^ tharf Books.. . Military Aifairs. ... Commerce of France... Small Talk oo5 ' CXXVL Detail of the Author's Introduction into thxj World ...Drefs '. 3J3 CXXVn. Duchen^e d'Aiguillon...La-.., is the epithef. This s the fanie mail languages 5 as for infhnce; they fay E«gl (h, Pale, hv.d tnvy, blind Love: thefe adleftives are tae ep.thets. Envy is always reprefented by the nk' sL'nT r "^"gl-^'/nd pining ai^ay at other^peo' pie s happinefs. Ovid fays of Envy, ^ Vfxque tenet lacrymas, quod nil lacrvmabile cemit • Which means that Envy can fcarce help crying, when fl e fees nothing to cry at; that is, fl,e cries when flie fee" others happy. Envy is certainly one of the mean ft and r.f It'^'u^'-'^S of all paffions, fince there is hardly any- body that has not fomething for an envious man to en^ boJy dfct-A^^uT"^ '^ '^PP^' ^"^ '^ ^"^ ^"^ LETTER VL On History, Gevgrarhi/, and ChroTiolcgy. . ^^^"^ ^'"''^ Iflewortl^, September the 10th. Since you promife to give attention, arrd to mind what you karn, I fliall give myfelf the trouble of writ-* Jng to you again, and fhall endeavour to inflrud you m feverai things, that do not fall under Mr. Maittaire's province; and which, if they did, he could teach you much better than I can. I neither pretend nor propofe to teach them you thoroughly ; you are not vet of an age fit for it : I only mean to give vou a general notion, at prefent, of fome things that vou mud learn more particularly hereafter, and that will then be the eafier to you, for having had a general idea of them now, l^ur exam^ple, to give you fome notion of hiflory. Kiuory is an account of wliatever has been done bv any country in general, or by anv number of people, oV oy any one man : thus, the Roman hiftory is an account " of what the Romans dici^ :is a nation j the hiflorv of Ca^ On Ilislory, Gographj/, and Chrwiology. 7 tiline's coPtfpiracy is an account of what was done by a particular number of people ; and the hiftory of^Alex- ander the Great, written by Quintus Curtius, is the ac- count of the life and anions of one fingle man. Hif- tory is, in diort, an account or relation of any thing that has been done. Hiftory is divided into facred and prophane, ancient and modern. / vSacred Hiflory is the Bible, that is, the Old and New Teflament. The' Old Teftament is the hiflory of the Jews, who were God's chofen people; and the New Teftament is the hiflory of Jefus Chrifl, the Son of God. Prophane hiftory is the account of the Heathen Gods, fuch as you read in Ovid's- Metamorphofes, and which you will know a great deal more of when you come to read Homer, Virgil, and the other ancient poets. Ancient hiftory is the account of all the kingdoms and countries in the world, down to the end of the Ro- man empire. Modern hiftory is the account of the kingdoms nnd countries of the world, fmce the deftru and towns having, now, very diiTereht names from what they had formicrly ; and many towns, which m^ade a great figure in ancient times, bein^ now uuerlv de- B 4 8 On HLstoiy, Geographi/y and Chronology. ftroyed, and not exifting: as the two famous towns of Troy in Afia, and Carthage in Africa: of both which there are not now the lead remains. Hiftory muft be accompanied with chronology, as veil as geography, or elfe one has but a very confufed notion of it : for it is not fufficient to know what things have been done, which hiftory teaches us ; and where they have been done, which we learn by geography : but one muii know when they have been done, anci that is the particular bufinefs of chronology. I will therefore give you a general notion of it. Chronology fixes the dates of fatfls ; that is^ it in- forms us when fuch and fuch things were done ; reckon- ing from certain periods of time, which are called'aeras^ or epochs : for example, in Europe, the two principal aeras, or epochs, by which we reckon, are, from the creation of the world to the birth of Chrifl, which was fourthoufaqd years ; and from the birth of Chrift to this time, which is one thoufand feven hundred and thirty-nine years : fo that, when one fpeaks of a thing that was done be- fore the birth of Chrid, one fays, it was done in fuch a year of the world ; as, for inftance, Rome was founded in the three thoufand two hundred and twenty-fifth year of the world ; which was about feven hundred and fifty years before the birth of Chrift ; and one fays, that Charlemain was made the firfl emperor of Germany in the year eight hundred; that is to fay, eight hundred years after the birth of Chrifl. So that you fee, the two great periods, oeras, or epochs, w hence v^^e date every tinng, are, the creation of the world, and the birth of Jefus Chrifl. There is another term in chronology, called centu- ries, which is only ufed in reckoning after the birth of Chrifl. A century means one hundred years ; con- fequently, there have been feventeen centuries fincethe birth of Chrift, and we are now in the eighteenth cen- tury. When any body fays then, for example, that fuch a thing was done in the tenth century, they mean^ after the year nine hundred, and before the year one thoufaiul, after the birth of Chrift. When any body n^akes a miftake in chronology, and fays that a thing was done fome year^ fooner, or fome years later, than Vieiv ofliisiory an'dChronologi/, 9 it really was, that error is called an anachroninTi. Chronology requires memory and attention ; both which you can have if you'pleafe: and I fliali try them both, by afking you queilions about this letter, the next time I fee you. LETTER VII. General Plew of History and Chronology, DEAR BOY, Ifleworth, September the 17th, In my laft letter I explained to you the meaning and ufe of hiftory, geography, and chronology, and fliowed you the connexion they liad with one another : that is, how they were joined together, and depended each upon the other. The moft ancient hiftories of all are fo mixed with fables, that is, with falfehoods and in- vention, that little credit is to be given to them. The authentic, that is, the true ancient hillory, is ^divided into five remarkable periods or aeras, of the five great empires of the world. The firfl empire of the world was the AfTyrian, which was deftroyed by the Medes. The empire of the Medes was overturned by the Per- lians ; and the empire of the Perfians was demolifhed by the Macedonians, under Alexander the Great. Ti:e empire of Alexander the Great lafted no longer than his life; for at his death his generals divided the world among them, and went to w^ar with one another 5 till,^ at laft, the Roman empire arofe, fwallowed them all up, and Rome became miftrefs of the world. Remem- ber, then, tliat the five great empires that fucceeded each other, were thefe ; 1. The Ally rian empire, firft eftabliflied. 2. The empire of the'Medes. 3. The Perfian empire. 4. The Macedonian empire. 5. The Roman empire. The word chronology is compounded of the Gj-eek words %^ovof, which fignifies time, and Aoyoj-, which fignifies difcourfe. Chronology and geograpii'v are called the two eyes of hiftory, becaufe' hiftory caii 10 riev: of History and Chronology. never be clear, and well undcrftood, without them, HiHory relates fads; chronology tells us at what time or when thofe facts were done ; and geography fliou s ViS in v/hat place or country they were done. The Greeks meafured their time by Olympiads, which was a fpace of four years, .called in Greek^ OXvjj.Ttia;. This method of computation had its rife from the Olympic games,which were celebrated the beginning of every fiith year, on the banks of the river Alpheus^ near Olympia, a city in Greece. The Greeks, for example, would fay, that fuch a thing happened in fuch a year of fuch an Olympiad; as, for inflance, that Alexander the Great died in the firft year of the 1 14th Olympiad. The firft Olym- , piad was 774 years before Chrift ; fo, confequently, Chrirt was born in the firft year of the 195th Olympiad. The period or a:ra whence the Romans reckoned their time was from the building of Rome, which they marked thus, ah U, C. that is, ab Urle Conditd *. Thus, the kings were expelled, and the confular government eilabli!l>ed, the 244th ab U, C that is, of Rome. All Europe now reckons from the great epocha of the birth of Jefus Chrift, which was 1738 years ago ; fo that, when any body a/lcs in what year did fuch or fuch a thing happen^ they mean in what year lince the birth ofChrift. For example ; Charlemain, in French Charlemagne, was made emperor of the Weft in the year 800 ; that is, 800 years after the birth of Chrift ; but if w^e fpeak of any event or hiftorical fad that happened before that time, we then fay, it happened fo many years before Chrift. For inftance; we lay Rome was built 750 years before Chrift. The Turks date from their Hegira, which was the year of flight of their falfe prophet, Mahomet, from Mecca ; and, as we fay that fuch a thing v/as done in fuch a year o'f Chrift ; they fay, fuch a thing was done in fuch a year of the Hegira.. Their Hegira begins in the622d year of Chrift, that is, above i i-oo years ago. There are then tv^/o great periods in chronology, from which the nations of Europe date events. The firft is * From the buildiiisj of the city. I'icvj of Historj/ and Chronology . 1 1 thf creation of the world, the fecoiid the birth of Jefus Chritl. Thofe evCT^ts that happened before the birth of Chriil are dated from the crecition of the world. Thofe events which have happened fince the birth of Chriil:, are dated from that time; as the prefent year 1739. For ex- ample ; A.M. Noah's flood happened in the year of the world 1656 Babylon was biiilt by Semiramis, in the year - 1800 Mofes was born in the year - - 2400 Troy was taken by the Greeks, in the year - 2800 Rome founded by Romulus, in the year - 3225 Alexander the Great conquered Perfia - 3^74 Jefus Chrifl born in the year of the world - 4000 ' The meaning of A. M. at the top of thefe figures, is JlfiHo Mundi, the Year of the World. From the birth of Chrifl: all Chriflians date the events that have happened fince that time, and this is called the Chriftian a?ra. Sometimes we fay, that fuch a thing happened in fuch a year of Chriil^ and fometimes we fayin fuch a century. Now a century is one hundred years from the birth of Chrift; fo that at the end of every hundred years a new century begins ; and we are, confequently, now in the eighteenth century. For example, as to the Chriflian sera, or fince the birth ' ofChrifl: Mahomet, the falfe prophet of the Turks, who eflabliilied the Mahometan religion, and wrote the Alcoran, which is theTurkifli book of re- ligion, died in the feventh century ; that is, in the year of Chriil: . - - - . 632. Charlemain was crowned emperor in the lad year of the eighth century, that is, in the year - 800 Here the old Roman empire ended. William the Conqueror was crowned king of England in the eleventh century, in the year 1066 The reformation, that is^ the Protellant religion, l>egun by Martin Luther, in the fixteenth cen- tury, in the year - - - -^530 B 6 1 2 On Eloquence cftnl Composition, A.M. Gunpowder invented, by oneBertholdiis, a Ger- man monk, in the fourteenth century, in the year .... 1380 Printing invented, at Haarlem in Holland, or at Stralbourg, or at Mentz in Germany, in the fif- teenth century, about the year - - 1440 Adieu ! LETTER VIII. On Eloquence and Composition, MY DEAR CHILD, Bath, Odobcr the 17th, Indeed I believe you are the firfl: boy to whom (un- der the age of eight years) one has ever ventured to mention the figures of rhetoric 3 but I am of opinion that we cannot begin to think too young, and that the art which teaches lis how to perfuade the mind, and touch the heart, muft fureiy deferve the earlielt at- tention. You cannot but be convinced, that a man whofpeaks and writes with-elegance and grace ; who makes choice of good words 3 and adorns and embeUill}es the fubje£^ upon which he either fpeaks or writes, will perfuade better, and fucceed more eafily in obtaining v.' hat he wiflies, than a man who does not explain himfelf clear- ly, fpeaks his language ill, or makes ufe of low and vulgar expreffions, and who has neither grace nor ele- gance i.n any thing that he fays. Now it is by rhetoric that the art of fpeaking eloquently is taught : and, though t cannot think of grounding you in it as yet, I would wilh however to give you an idea of it, fuitable 10 your age. The firft thing you fliould attend to is, to fpeak what- ever language you do fpeak in its greateft purity, and according to the rules of gramin?ir; for we mud never offend againft grammar, nor make ufe of words which are not really words. This is not all; for not to fpeak ill is not fufficient ; we mufi: fpeak well : and the bed method of attaining to that is, to read the beft authors Diction of Poetrj/, J 3 with attention ; and to obferve how peaple of fafhion fpeak, and thofe who exprefs themfelves befl ; for fliop- keepers, common people, footmen, and maid-fervants, all fpeak ill. They make ufe of low and vulgar ex- preffions, which people of rank never ufe. In numbers, they join the fingular and the plural together; in gen- ders, they confound mafculine with feminine; and, in tenfes, they often take the one for the other. In order to avoid all thefe faults, we mufl read with care, obferve the turn and expreffions of the befl authors, and not pafs a word which we do not underhand, or concerning which we have the lead doubt, without exa Here Love takes ftand, and, while the charms the ear. Ijnpties his quiver on the lift'niug deer. Mufic their ow^n country), who, though tliey are pitied in whatever country they go to, yet long to return to their own, where they are fure to be ufed ill, and puniilied. Why will Florella^ when I ga:^^, My ravifh'd e>es repro,\ e> And hide frot); '* ' " "■ ' '''-ire Tlicy can b To ftiun her fcovn, aij'i »;r.lV, my c::u-^ I feek a nymph hi , SliiJ gentler ufage hiiti. Bull oil ! how :an-t ;. Where Xlnlure h.- ' ew boautiea may n-y '':_.-■. f-.inploy, r.ut you engayo my licurt. Fi'dicai Licences, 19 So re'ulvf> exiles, doom'd to roam, "^ Meet pity every -^vIicrfi : C t^i ^ r -i^ let lauguilh for their trative home, I Though deatli attends them there. j \ou will obferve that thefe verfes have alternate rhymes; that is, the third line rhymes to the firft, and the fourth line to the fecond ; the firil and third lines having four feet each ; and the fecond and fourth hav- ing but three ftet each. A foot, in Englifli verfe, is mod commonly two fyllables. To life your ear a ifttle to Englifb verfe, and to make you attend' to the fenfe too, 1 have tranfpofed the words of the following lines; which I would have you put ia their proper order, and fend me in your next. Life confider cheat a vhen tis all I Hope wilji fool'd, deeeit men yet with favour Repay will to-morrow truli on tUink ^nd Falfer former day to-morroM-'s than the Worfe lie,*} blcil be fhall when and wc fays it Hope ucw l'v>m{! pol5"t:li»'d cuts kjH w-ith we what. Adieu I LETTER XIIL Fotikal Licences. DEAR SOY, Tuubridge, Auguft the 14tb. I AM very glad to hear from Mr. Maittaire, that you are ih ready at fcanning both Greek and Latin verfes; but I hope you mind the feaie of the words, as well as the quantities. The great advantage of knowing many languages con fids in undcrdanding the {qiiHc of thofc nations, and authors, who fpeak and wi'ite thofe lan- guages; but not being able to repeat the words like a parrot, without knowing their true force and meaning. The poets require your attention and obfervation m<^re th^n the profe authors; poetry being more out of the common way than profe compofitions are. Poets have greater liberties allowed them than profe writers, u%ich is called the poetical licence. Horace fays, that poets and [Kiinrers have an tqual privilege of attempting any thing. Fidiou, that is, invention, is faid to be the. CO DtscriptiTe Poetry.., Epilhtis. foul of poetry. For example, the poets give life to feveral inanimate things; that is, to thini^s that have no life : as, for inflance, they reprefent the paffions, as Love, Fury, Envy, &:c. under human figures; which figures are allegorical ; that is, reprefent the qualities and efFe BOY, ■ Friday, I MENTIONED defcription, or paintin'g, as one of the fliining marks or characterifiics of poetry. The likenefs inuft be flrong and lively, and make us almoft, think that we fee the thing before our eyes. Descriptive Poetri/.,.Epiihtts, 21 I will now give you an excellent piece of painting, or (lefcription, in EngHili verfe ; it is in the tragedy of Phsedra and Hippolytiis. Phnsdra was the fecond wife . of the famous Thefeus, one of the firft kings of Athens ; and Hippolytiis was his Ton by his former wife. Look for the further ^particulars of their flory in your dic- tionary, under the articles Fhedra and Hippolitus. So when bright Venus yielded up her charms, The hieji Adonis languifh'd in her arms. His idle horn on fragrant myrtles liung; His ^irrowsfcatter'dj and his bow xmjhung, Obfcure, in coverts, lie his dreaming hounds, And bay i\\Q fancied hoTut \\\\\\ feeble founds. For nobler fports he quits {.\\q. favage fields, And all the hero to the lover yields, T have marked the epithets, that you may the better obferve them. Venus is called bright^ upon accaunt of her beauty : Adonis is called bleji^ becaufe Venus was in love with him : his horn is faid to be idle^ be- caufe he then laid it by, and made no ufe* of it : the myrtles are called fragrant^ becaufe the myrtle is a fweet-fmelling tree ; moreover, the myrtle is the parti- cular tree facred to Venus: fcatter\l arrows, becaufe laid by here and there, carelefely. The bow unflrung : it was the cuftom to unflring the bow when they did not ufe it, and it was the ftronger for it afterwards. Drenming hounds : hounds that are ufed to hunt often dream they are hunting; as appears by their making the fame noife, only not fo loud, when they are aiieep, as they do when they are hunting fome wild bead; there- fore, the founds are called /t'f/^/ Brings ap, and quits his ftation in the rear. 3 Obferve, that the day always rifes in the eaO ; and therefore it is faid, from the rofy eaff : nify is the epi- thet to eafl. becaufe the break «>f c'ay, or the Aurora, is of a reddilh rofy cobur. Obferve too, that Lucifer is the name of t!iat (lar that difappears the lafl in the morn- ing; for the aftronomers have given names to moft of the flars. The three lafl: lines, which have the fame rhymes, are called a triplet, which is always marked as I have marked it. W^v^ is another way of faying that k is morning, as Virgj] txj reffes it : /.nd now Aurora, hari^in:,'cr ofday, liofo from tiie [({ff-or. bed vhcre Titlion la}-, And fprinkled o'er the \rorld with ne'{.v-h^,rn light : - The fun now {hinin;», all thini^s broiigiit U) ftght. Look in your dictionary for the articles Aurora and Titl onus, where you will find their frory. Tirhon was the hiifband of Ariiora. Aurora, in poetical language, means the break of day, or the firft part of the morn- ing. Harbinger (by the way) means fortrunnej, or a Gslracism of the Jth€nians..yReadin^*, 2% perfon'who is fent before-hand, by another, npon a journey, to prepare things for him. The king has fe- veral harbingers, that go before him ii[)on the road, to prepare his lodging, and get every thing ready. So Aurora, or the morning, is called, by a metaphor, the harbinger of day, becaufe it foreruns the day. I cxpe(5l very good verfes, of your making, by that time yoM are ten years old ; and then you fhall be called Poeia Decennis ^, which will be a very uncommon, and, confequently, a very glorious title. Adieu! LETTER XVI. Ostracism of the J thcnh ins... Reading, TOEAR BOY, Bath, Odobor tl-ie 1 4t!i. Since I have recommended to you to think upon fub" je(^s, and to confider things in their various lights and circumftanccs, I am perfuaded you have made fuch a progrefs, that I fliall fometimes defire your opinion, upon ditHcult points, in order to form my own. For inflance, though I have, in general, a great veneration for the manners and cuflon s of the ancients, yet I am in fome doubt whether the oftracifm of the Athenians was either jufl or prudent ; and (l)ould be glad to be determined by your opinion. You know very well, thitihe oftracifm was the method of baniftiing thofe whofe dlllingnidied virtue made them popular, and confequently (as the Athenians thought) dangerous to the public liberty. And, if fix hundred citizens of Athens gave in the name of any one Atlienian, written upon an oyller-fliell (whence it is called odracifm) that man was baniflied Athens for ten years. On one l)ap.d, it is certain, that a free people cannot be too cartfal or je^ h VUC: :>{ U'U ':^ATS old. 1>4' Siudj/ of. Langu Ages.,. Latin Radicals, on the other hand, It feems extraordinary to difcourage virtue upon any account, (ince it is only by virtue that any fociety can flouriQi, atul be confiderable. There are many more arguments, on each fide of this queftion, which will naturally occur to you ; and, when you have confidered them welly I defire you will write me your opinion, whether the oftracifm was a right or a wrong thing ; and your reafons for being of that opi- nion. Let nobody help you, but give me exa6tly your own fentiments, and your own reafons, whatever they are. I hope Mr. Pelnote makes you read Rollin with great care and attention, and recapitulate to him whatever you have read that day ; I hope, too, that he makes you read aloud, diftinclly, and obferve the flops. Defire your mamma to tell him fo from me ; and the fame to Mr. Martin ; for it is a fliame not to read perfectly well. LETTER XVH. Studj/ of Languages.,. Latin Radicals, DEAR BOY, The fhorteft and beft way of learning a language k to know the roots of it ; that is, thofe original, primi- tive words, of which many other words are made, by adding a letterj or a prepofition to them, or by fome fuch fmall variation, which makes fome difference in the fenfe: thus, you will obferve, that the prepofitions^ «, alf, absf f, eXy fro^ p^'^t p^^'y inter ^ circum.,fuper^ trans^ and nmny others, when added to the primitive verb or noun, alter its fignification accordingly ; and, when you have obferved this in three or four inflances, you will know it in all. It is likevvifc the fame in the Greek, where, when you once know the roots, you will foon know the branches. Thus, in the paper I fend you to get by heart, you will obferve, that the verby^ro, I carry, is the root of fixteen others, whofe fignifications differ from the root, only by the addition of a letter or two, or a prepofition 5 which letters or prepofitions raake the fame alterations to all words to which they Memory,, .jttention... Posture in Reading, \lb are added ; as, for example, ex^ which fignifies out, when joined to eo^ I go, makes, I go out, exco ; when joined to traho, I draw, it makes, 1 draw out, extraho \ and fo in all other cafes of the fame nature. The pre- pofition fer^ which fignifies thoroughly or completely, as well as hy^ when joined to a verb or noun, adds that fignification to it ; when added Xofero^ I carry, it makes perfero^ I carry thoroughly ; when added iofdcio^ I do, it makes perficio^ I finifti, I do thoroughly, I complete : when added to nouns, it has' the fame effe6l ; difficilis^ hard ; perdifficilis, thoroughly, completely hard; jiicun- dus^ agreeable ; perjucundus^ thoroughly agreeable. If you attend to thefe obfervations, it will fave you a great deal of trouble in looking in the Didionary. A? you are now pretty well mafter of moft of the rules, what you chiefly want, both in Latin and Greek, is the-; words, in order to condrue authors; and therefore I would advifc you to write down, and learn by heart. every day, for your own amufement, befides what yow do with Mr. Maittaire, ten words in Greek, Latin, and Englifl), out of a di6tionary or a vocabulary, which will go a great way in a year's time, confidering the words you know already, and thofe you will learn be^ fides in conftruing with Mr. Maittaire. Adieu 1 LETTER XVIII. Memorij.., Attention. ,.Fodur€ in Readir-g. DEA5. BOY, Tuefda>. I WISH I had as much reafon to be fatisfied with yoiit remembering what you have once learned, as with your learning it ; but what fignifies your learning any thing foon, if you forget it as foon ? Memory depends upon attention, and your forgetfulnefs proceeds lingly from a want of attention. For example, I dare fay, if I told you that fuch a day next week you (hould have fom^thing that you liked, you would certainly remem- ber the day, and call upon me for it. And why ? only becaufe you would attend to it. Now, a Greek or a Latin verfe is as eafily retained as a day of the w^ek, if C 26 Memori/»,. A ttcntio7i., ^Posture in Reading, you would give the fame attention to it. I now re- member, and c-an flill repeat, all that I learnt when I was of your age; but it is becaufe I then attended to it, knowing that a little attention would fave me the trouble of learning the fame things over and over again. A man will never do any thing well, that cannot com^ inand his attention immediately from one thing to an- other, as occafion requires. If while he is at his bu- finefs he thinks of his diverfions, or if while he is at his diverfions he thinks of his bufinefs, he will fucceed In neither, but do both very awkwardly. Hoc age^ was a jnaxim among the Romans, which means, Do what you are about, and do that only. A little mind is always hurried by twenty things at once ; but a man of fenfe does but one thing at a time, and refolves to excel in it ; for whatever is worth doing at all, is worth doing ■well. Therefore remember to give yourfelf up entirely to the thing you are doing, be it what it will, whether . your book or your play ; for if you have a right ambi- tion, you will defire to excel all boys of your age, at cricket, at trap- ball, as well as in learning. You have one rival in learning, whom I am fure you ought to take particular care to excel, and that is your own pic- ture. Remember what is written there, and confider what a fliame it would be, if when you are decetmis *, you fliould not have got further than wh^p you were odtnnis f . Who woiild not take pains to avoid fuch a difgrace ? Another thing I mud mention to you, which, though not of the fame confequence, is, however, worth mind- ing — and that is, the trick you have got of looking clofe to your book, when you read, which is only a trick, for I am fure you are not fiiort-fighted. It is an ugly trick, and has a dull look, and, over and above, will fpoil your eyes; therefore always hold your book as far oiT as you can when you read, aad you will foon come to r^ad at a great diPiance. Thefe little things are not to be negledled ; for the very befl things receive fome addition, by a genteel and graceful manner of doing them. Demofthenes, the famous Graecian ora- * Ten years of age. f Eight years of age, On Arnhition,..Differ€iit Characters it assumes, 27 tor, being afked which were the three principal parts of an orator, aiifwered, A6tion, a6lion, aftion ; — meaning, that the force and perfuafion of an orator confided a great deal in his graceful action, and good elocution. Adieu ! LETTER XIX. On Amhit ion, ^Different Characters it asswnes, DEAR BOY, I SEND yoti here a few more Latin roots, though I am not fure that you will like my roots fo well as thofe that grow in your garden ; however, if yon will attend to them, they may fave you a great deal of trouble^ Thefe few will naturally point out many others^o your own obfervation, and enable you, by comparifon, to find out moil derived and compound words, whea once you know the original root of them. You are old enough now to make obfcrvations upon what you learn; which, if you would be pleafed to do, you cannot imagine how much time and trouble it v/ould fave you. Remember, you are now very near nine years old — an 'age at which all boys ought to know a great deal, but you, particularly, a great deal more, confidering the care and pains that have been employed about you ; and, if you do not anfwer thofe expedlations, you will lofe your character, v/hich is the moft mortifying thing that can happen to a generous mind. Every body has ambition, of fome kind or other, and is vexed when that ambition is difappointed : the difference is, that the ambitian of liily people is a filly and miftaken am- bition, and the ambition of people of fenfe is a right and commendable one. For inftance, the ambition of a filly boy, of your age, would be to have fine clothes, and money to throw away in idle follies ; which, you plainly fee, would be no proofs of merit in him, but only of folly in his parents, in dreffing him out like a jackanapes, and giving him money to nlav the fool with. Whereas a boy of good fenfe places his ambi- >iou in excelling other boys of his own age, and even 28 Plagian'sm,., Poetical Description, older, in virtue and knowledge. His glory is in being known always to Tpeak the truth, in fliowing good-na- ture and compaflion, in Ieari?iing quicker, and apply- ing himfelf more, than oth^er boys. Thefe are real proofs of merit in him, ar^d confequently proper ob- je6ts of ambition ; and will acquire him a folid reputa- tion in charader. This holds true in men, as well as in boys :^ the ambition of a filly fellow will be to have a fine equipage, a fine houfe, and fine clothes ; things which any body, that has as much money, may have as well as he— for they are all to be bought : but the jimbition of a man of fenfe and honour is, to be diftin- guifhed by a character and reputation of knowledge, truth, and virtue— things which are not to be bought, and that can only be acquired by a good head and a good heart. Such was the ambition of the Lacedaemo- nians and the Romans, when they made the greateft £gure^ and fuch, I hope, yours will always be. Adieu! LETTER XX. Plagiarisfn . . . Poetical Description. BEAR Bov, Thurfday. You will feldom hear from me without an admoni- tion to think. All you learn, and all you can read, will be of little ufe, if you do not think and reafon upon it yourfelf. One reads to know other people's thoughts; but if we take them upon trufl, without examining and comparing them with our own, it is really living upon other people's fcraps, or retailing other people's goods. To know the thoughts of others is of ufe, becaufe it fuggefls thoughts to one's-felf, and helps one to form a judgment; but to repeat other people's thoughts, with- out confidering whether they are right or wrong, is the talent only of a parrot, or at mod a player. If night were given you as a fubjeft to cempofe upon, you would do very well to look what the beft authors have faid upon it, in order to help your ow^n invention ; but then you mult think of it afterwards yourfelf, and Plagiarism,,, Poetical Descriptmi, 01^ cxprefs It \\\ your own mantjer, or elfe you would be at bed but a plagiary. A plagiary is a man who fteals other people's thoughts, and puts them off for his own You would find, for example, the following account of night in Virgil : 'Twas dead of night, when weary bodies clofe Their eyes in balmy fleep, and foft repofe; The winds no longer whifp^r through the woods, '' Nor murm'ring tides diflurb the gentle floods. The itars in filent order mov'd around, And peace, with downy wings, was brooding on the gro'jnd, The flocks and herds, and parti-colour'd fowl, Which haunt the woods, and iVim the weedy pool, Stretch'd on the quiet earth fecurely lay, Forgetting the pail labours of the day. Here you fee the effects of night; that it brings refl to men, when they are wearied with the labours of the day; that the flars move in their regular courfe; that flocks and birds repofe themfelves, and enjoy the quiet of the night. This, upon examination, you would find to be all true: but then, upon confideration too, you would find, that it is not all that is to be faid upon night : and many more qualities and eifecfts of night would occur to you. As, for inflance, though nigiit is in general the time of quiet and repofe, yet it is often the time too for the commiHion and fecurity of crimes ; fuch as robberies, murders, and violations ; which generally feek the advantage of darknefs as favourable for the efcapes of the guilty. Night too, though it brings rell and refreHiment to the innocent and virtu- ous, brhigs difquiet and horror to the guilty. The confcioufnefs of their crimes torments them, and denies them deep and quiet. You might, from thefe reflex- ions, confider what would be the proper epithets to give to night ; as, for example, if you were to repre- fent night in its moft pleafing fhape, as^Drocuring quiet and refrefliment from labour and toil, you might call it the friendly night, the filent night, the welcome night, the peaceful night ; but if, on the contrary, you were to reprtfent it as inviting to the commifiion ojf , crimes, you would call it the guilty night, the confci- ous nighr, the horrid night, with many other epithets ^3 3 IVriting Th e?nes recommended. , .Firtite. that carry along with them the idea of horror and guilty for an epithet, to be proper, mufl always be adapted (that is, fuited) to the circumftances of the perfon or thing to which it is given. Thus Virgil, who generally gives iEneas the epithet of pious, becaufe of his piety to the Gods, and his duty to his father, calls him dux jEneas where he reprefents him making love to Dido, as 3, proper epithet for him in that fituation ; becaufe luaking love becomes a general much better than a man of lingular piety. Lay afide, for a hw minutes, the thoughts of play, and think of this ferioufly. Amoto quaramus feria ludo*. Adieu ! LETTER XXL Writing Themes recommended,,, Fir tuc. DEAR BOY, Sundiiy, 1 SHALL not foon leave the fubjeft of invention and thinking; which I would have you apply to, as much as your age and giddinefs will permit. Ufe will make it every day eafier to you, and age and obfervation will improve it. Virtue is a fubjc<^ that deferves your and every man's attention ; and fuppofe I were to bid you make fome verfes, or give me your thoughts in profe, upon the fubjedt of virtue, how would you go about it? V^^hy you would firft confider what virtue is, and then ■what are the effe^ls and marks of it, i)oth with regard to others and cne's-felf. You would find, then, that virtue confifts in doing good, and in fpeaking truth; and that the effe£ts of it are advantageous to ail man- kind, and to one's-felf in particular. Virtue makes us pity and relieve the misfortunes of mankind ; it makes us promote juflice and good order in fociety ; and, in general, contributes to whatever tends to the real good of m.ankind. Toourfelves it gives an inward comfort and fatisfadion, which nothing elfe can do, and which * Amufement for once iaid afidc, let us apply to ferious bufinef>. On Good-Breeding, 31 nothing can rob us of. All other advantages depend upon others, as much as upon ourfelves. Riches, power, and greatnefs, may be taken away from us by the vio- lence and injuftice of others, or by inevitable acci- dents; but virtue depends only upon ourfelves, and no- body can take it away from us. Sicknefs may deprive us of all the pleafures of the body ; but ^t cannot de- prive/iis of virtue, nor of the fatisfac^ion which we feel from it. A virtuous man, under all the misfortunes of life, flill finds an inward comfort and fatisfaftion, which makes him happier than any wicked man can be, with all the other advantages of life. If a man has acquired great power and riches by falfehood, injuftice, and op- preffion, he cannot enjoy them ; becanfe his confcience will torment him, and conftantly reproach him with the means by which he got them. The flings of his confcience will not even let him fleep quietly ; but he will dream of his crimes; and in the day-time, when alone, and when he has time to think, he will be un- eafy and melancholy. He is afraid of every thing; for, as he knows mankind muft hate him, he has reafon to think they will hurt him, if they can. Whereas, if a virtuous man be ever fo poor or unfortunate in the world, ftill his virtue is its own reward; and will comfort him under all alTlidions. 'The quiet and fatis- fadion of his confcience make him cheerful by day, and fleep found of nights; he can be alone with plea- fure, and is not afraid of his ov*^a thoughts. Befidcs this, he is univerfally efleemed and refpe^ted ; for even the mofl wicked people themfelves cannot help admir- ing and refpecfling virtue in others. All thefe, .and many other, advantages, you would afcribe to virtue, if you were to compofe upon that fubjed. Adieu i LETTER XXIL On Good' Breeding, 'i:>ZAK BOY, WcJnefd ay. You behaved yourfelf fo well at Mr. Boden's, lafl Sunday, that you juftly deferve commendation ; be- C4 ^2 On Good-Breeding, fides, you encourage me to give you feme rules of po- litenefs and good-breeding, being perfuaded that you will obferve them. Know then, that as learning, ho- nour, and virtue, are abfolutely neceffary to gain you the efteem and admiration of mankind, politenefs and good-breeding are equally neceffary to make you wel- come and agreeable in converfation and common life. Great talents, fuch as honour, virtue, learning, and parts, are above the generality of the world, who nei- ther pofTefs them themfelves, nor judge of them right- ly in others : but all people are judges of the lefler talents, fuch as civility, affability, and an obliging, agreeable addrefs and manner; becaufe they feel the effects of them, as making fociety eafy and pleafing. Good-fen fe muft, in many cafes, determine good-breed- ing; becaufe the fame thing that would be civil at one time, and to one perfon, would be quite otherwife at another time, and to another perfon ; but there are fome general rules of good-breeding, that hold always true^ and in ail cafes. As, for example, it is always extremely rude to anfwer only Yes or No to any body, without adding" Sir, My Lord, or Madam, according to the quality of the perfon you fpeak to. It is likewife extremely rude not to give the proper attention, and a civil anfwer, when people fpeak to you ; or to go away, or be doing fomething elfe, while they are fpeaking to you ; for that convinces them that yoij defpife them, and do not think it worth your while to hear or anfwer what they fay. I dare fay I need not tell you how rude it is to take the befl place in a room, or to feize immediately upon what you like at table, without offering iirft to help others^ as if you confider- ed nobody but yourfelf. On the contrary, you fhould always endeavour to procure all the conveniences you can to the people you are with. Befides being civil, which is abfolutely necelfary, the perfection of good- breeding is, to be civil with eafe, and in a gentleman- like manner. For this, you fliould obferve the French people, who excel in it, and whofe politenefs feems as eafy and natural as any other part of their converfation : whereas the Englifli are often awkward in their civili- thes ; and when they mean to be civil, are too much The lesser Talents. ..Aivkvcanlnes,^, 33 afliamed to get it out. But, pray, do you remember never to be afliamed of doing what is right: you would have a great deal of reafon to be aOiamcd if you were not civil ; but what reafon can you have to be aftiamed of being civil? and why not fay a civil and an oblig- ing thing as eafily and as naturally as you would a Ik what o'clock it is ? This kind of bafhfulnefs, which is j uftly called, by the French, mauvaife honte'-^^ is the dif- tinguifliing character of an Englifli booby, who is frightened out ^of his wits when people of fafliion fpeak to him ; and, when he is to anfwer them, blulhes, ftammers, can hardly get out what he would fay, and becomes really ridiculous, from a groundlefs fear of being laughed at; whereas, a really well-bred man would fpenk to all the kings in the world, with as little con ; eern, and as much eafe, as he w^ould fpeak to you. Remember then, that to be civil, and to be civil with eafe (which is properly called good-breeding), is the only way to be beloved, and well-received in com- pany ; that to be ill-bred, and rude, is intolerable, and the way to be kicked out of company. As I am^ fure- you will mind and pradife all this, I expeft that when you are novm7iis^ you will not only be the bed fcholar, but the bell-bred boy in England of your age. — Adieu ! • LETTER S^lll. The lesser Talents, ..Aivkivardness... Description of an azvkivard Person, DEAR EOYj. Spa, liiC L'5tli July. I HAVE often told you in my former letters (and h is mod certainly true), that the ftrideft and mofi fcru- pulous honour and virtue can alone make you efteem- ed and valued by mankind ; that parts and learning can alone make you admired and celebrated by them 5 tnit that the polfellioii of lefler taknts was mofl: abfo- lately necelTary, towards making you liked, beloved, jiiid fought after in private life. Of thefe Icifer talents^ * Falfe fliame, - Gs 2 if The lesser Talents, .^AivJavardness, good-breeding is the principal and mod neccHary one, not only as it is very important in itfelf ; but as it adds great luftre to the more folid advantages both of the heart and the mind. I have often touched upon good- breeding to you before ; {o that this letter fliall be upon the next neceffary qualification to it, which is a genteel eafy manner and carriage, wholly free from thofe odd tricks, ill hab/ts, and awkward nefTes, which even many very worthy and fenfible people have in their behaviour. However trifling a genteel manner may found, it is of very great confequence towards pleafing in private life, efpecially the women, whom, one time or other, you will think worth pleafing ; and I have known many a inan, from his awkward nefs, give people fuch a diflike of him at firft, that all his merit could not get the bet- ter of it afterwards^: whereas a genteel manner pre- poflefles people in your favour, bends them towards • you, and makes them wifli to like you. Awkwardnefs can proceed from but two caufes, either from not hav. ing kept good company, or from not having attended to it. As for your keeping good company, I will take care of that ; do you take care to obferve their ways and manners, and to form your own upon them. Atten- tion is abfolutely neceffary for this, as indeed it is for every thing elfe ; and a man without attention is not fit to live in the world. When an awkward fellow firfl: comes into a room, it is highly probable that his fvvord gets between his legs, and throws him down, or makes him ftumble at leaft ; when he has recovered this acci- dent, he goes and places himfelf in the very place of the whole room where he fliould not; there he foon lets his hat fall down, and, in taking it up again, throws down his cane; in recovering his cane, his hat falls a fecond time; fo that he is a quarter of an hour before he is in order again. If he drinks tea or coffee, he certain- Jy fcalds his mouth, and lets either the cup or the faucer fall, and fpills the tea or coffee in his breeches. At dinner, his awkwardnefs diflinguiflies itfelf particularly, as he has more to do : there he holds his knife, for^k, and- fpoon, differently from other people; eats with his knife, to the great danger of his mouth ; picks his leeth with his fork ; and puts his fpoon, which has been The lesser Talents »»,yiiukivardness, 35 in his throat twenty times, into the diflies again. If he is to carve, he can never hit the joint ; but in his vain efforts to cut through the bone, fcatters the fauce in every body's face. He generally daubs himfelf with foup and greafe, though his napkin is commonly fluck through a button- hole, and tickles his chin. When he drinks, he infallibly coughs in his glafs, and befprinkles- the co'mpany. Eefides all this, he has ftrange tricks and geitures^ fiich as fnuffing up his nofe, making faces, putting his fingers in his nofe, or blowing it and look* ing afterwards in his handkerchief, fo as to make the company fick. His hands are troublefome to him, when he has not fomething in them, and he does not know where to put them, but they are in perpetual motion between his bofom and his breeches : he does not wear his clothes, and, in fliort, does nothing, like other people. All this, I own, is not in any de- gree criminal; but it is highly difagreeable and ridi- culous in company, and ought mofl carefully to be avoided, by whoever defircs to pleafe. From this account of what you fliould not do, you may eaiily judge what you fliould do ; and a due atten- tion to the manners of people of fafhion, and who have fcen the world, will make it habitual and familiar to you. There is, likewife, an awkwardnefs of expreffion and words moll carefully to be avoided; fnch as falfe Eng- lifli, bad pronunciation, old fayings, and common pro- verbs ; which are fo n|^|j^ proofs of having kept bad and low company, l^^xample, if, iuftead of faying that tafles are different, and that every man has his own peculiar one, you fliould let off a proverb, and fay, That what is one man^s meat is another man's poifon ; or elfe, Every one as they like, as the good man faid when he kiffed his cow ; every one would be perfuaded' that you had never kept company with, any body abov-s footmen and houfe-maids. Attention will do all this; and without attention no- thing is to be doije: want of attention, wliich is really want of thought, is either folly or madnefs. You fliould not only have attention to every thing, but a quicknefs of attention, fo as to obferve, at once, all the people C6 36 On Fulgarit^ and Atvktvardness, in the room, their motions, their looks, and their words, and yet without ftaring at them, and feeming to be an obferver. This quick and unobferved obfer- vation is of infinite advantage in life, and is to be ac- quired with care; and, on the contrary, what is called abfence, which is a t hough tie (In efs, and want of atten- tion about what is doing, makes a man fo like either a fool or a madman, that, for my part, I fee no real dif- ference. A fool never has thought; a madman has loft it ; and an abfent man is, for the time, without it.— Adieu ! LETTER XXIV. On Fulgarity and ^divkivardncss. DEAR BOY, Spa, Augufi the 6lh, ' I AM very well pleafed with the feveral performances you fent me, and ftill more with Mr. Maittaire's letter, that accompanied them, in which he gives me a much better account of you than he did in his former. Lau- dari a laudato viro *, was always a commendable ambi- tion ; encourage that ambition, and continue to deferve the praifes of the praife-worthy. While you do (o^ you (liall have whatever you will from me; and wheiv you ceafe to do {ot you fliall have nothing. I am glad you have begun to compofe a little ; it will give you an habit of thinking upon fubje^ls^ which is at leaft as neceffary as reading them: therefore pray fend fend me your thoughts upon this fubject : Non fibi, feci toti genitum fe credere mundo -f. It is a part of Cato's character in Lucan ; who fays? that Cato did not think himfelf born for himfelf only, bnt for all mankind. Let me know then, whether you think that a man is born only for his own pleafurc and advantage, or whether he is not obliged to contribute to the good of the fociety in which he lives, and of all mankind in general. This is certain, that every man * To be praifed by a praife-worthy man. f To believe jourfclf born not for vourfeJf, but for the world, On Vulgarity and u4tokivardness. 37 receives advantages from fociety, which he could not haA'c if he were the only man in the world : therefore, is he not, in feme meafure, in, debt to fociety? and is he not obliged to do for others what they do for him? You may do this in Engiifli or Latin, which you pleafe ; for it is the thinking part, and not the language, that I mind in this cafe. I warned you, in my laft, again fl: thofe difagreeable tricks and awkwardnefles, which many people contrat^ when they are young, by the negligence of their parents, and cannot get quit of them wheii they are old ; fuch as odd motions, ftrange poftures, and ungenteel car* riage. But there is likewife an awkvvardnefs of the mind, that ought to be, and with care may be avoided ; as, for inftance, to miftake or forget names ; to fpeak of Mr. What-d'ye-call-him, or Mr. Thingum, or How-d*ye-call-her, is exceffively awkward and vulgar* ,. To call people by improper titles and appellations is {o too ; as, My Lord for Sir, and Sir for My Lord. To begin a ftory or narration, when you are not perfe(5l in it, and cannot go through with it, but are forced, poffi- bly, to fay in the middle of it '4 have forgotten the reft,'* is very unpleafant and bungling. One muft be extreme- ly exa6i:, clear, and perfpicuous, in tvtry thing one fays, otherwife, inftead of entertaining or informing others, one only tires and puzzles them. The voice and manner of fpeaking, too, are not to be neglecfted i ^ome people almoft fliut their mouths when they fpeak, and mutter (o^ that they are not to be underftood ; others fpeak fo faft, and fputter, that they are not to be underftood neither: fome always fpeak a.s loud as if they w^ere talking to deaf people ; and others fo low, that one cannot hear them. All thefe habits are awk- ward and difagreeable, and are to be avoided by atten- tion : they are the diftinguifliing marks of the ordinary people, who have had no care taken of their education. You cannot imagine how neceffary it is to mind all thefe little things; for I have {^tw many people, with great talents, ill received, for want of having thefe talents too ; and others well received only from their little talents, and who had no great ones, [ 53 ] LETTER XXV. Short Account of Pari'i»„Oratori/ ,, .Demosthenes, BEAR BOY, Since iny lafl, I have changed confiderably for the better ; from the defarts of Spa to the pleafures of Paris; which, when you come here, you will be better able to enjoy than I am. It is a moil magnificent town, not near fo big as London, but much finer, — the houfes being much larger, and all built of flone. It was not only much enlarged, but embellifhed, by the magnifi- cence of the laft king, Lewis XIV; and a prodigious ' number of expenfive buildings, and ufeful and charitable foundations, fuch as libraries, hofpitals, fchools, &:c, will long remain the monuments of the magnificence of that prince. Though the people here are very gay and lively, they have attention to every thing, and al- ways mind what they are about, I hope you do fo too, now, and that my higheft expe6btions of your improvement will be more than anfwered, at my re- turn ; for I exped to find you conftrue both Greek and Latin, and likewife tranllate into thofe languages pretty readily; and alfo make verfes in them both, with fome little invention of your own. All this may be,, if you pleafe; and I am perfuaded you would not have me difappointed. As to the genius of poetry, I o>vn,. if nature had not given it you, you cannot have it; for it is a true maxim, that Foeia nafcitur^ 7ion fit * : but then, that is only as to the invention, and imagination, of a poet; for every body can, by application, make themfelves mafters of the mechanical part of poetry,, •which confifts of the numbers, rhymes, meafure, and. harmony of verfe. Ovid was born with fuch a genius for poetry, that he fays, he could not help thinking in verfe, whether he would or not; and that very often he fpoke verfes without intending it. It is much other- wife with oratory ; and the maxim there is Orator fit f .'. for it is certain,' that, by fludy and application, every * The poet is born, and not formed by education, •f* The orator is formed by ftudy. Account of Marsdlles, 39 man can makehimfclf a pretty good orator, — eloquence depending, upon obfervation and care. Every man, if he pifeafes, may chufe good words inftead of bad ones, may fpeak properly indead of improperly, may be clear and perfpicuous in his recitals, inftead of dark and muddy; he may fiave grace iuftead of awkvvardnefs in his motions and geftures ; and, in fliort, may be a very agreeable, inflead of a very difagreeable fpeaker, if he will take care and pains. And furely it is very well worth while to take a great deal of pains, to excel other men in that particular article in which they excel beafts. Demofthenes, the celebrated Greek orator, thought It fo abfolutely necefTary to fpeak well, that though he niaturally Ihutered, and had weak lungs, he refolved, by application and care, to get the better of thofe difadvan- tages. Accordingly, he cured his ftammering, by putting fmall pebbles into his mouth ; and llrengthened his lungs gradually, by ufi ng himfelf every day to fpeak aloud and diflindlly for a confiderable time. He likewife went often to the fea-fhore, in ftormy weather, when the fea made moft noife, and there fpoke as loud as he gould^ in order to ufe himfelf to the noife and murmurs of the popular alTemblies of the Athenians, before whom he was to fpeak. By fuch care, joined to the conftant Hudy of the bed authors, he became at lad the greateil orator of his own or any other age or country, though he was born without any one natural talent for it.— • Adieu ! Copy Denaofthenes. LETTER XXVI. Account of Marseilles, DEAR BOY, Marfcille?, September tr- r.d, You find this letter dated from Marfeilles, a fea- port town in the Mediterranean fea. It has been famous and confiderable, for thefe two thoufand years at leaf^, upon account of its trade and fituation. It is called MajjUia in Latin, and diftingniflied itfelf, in favour of the Ro- man liberty, agalnft Julius Caefar. It was \i^t^^ Xoo^ 4-0 Account of Marseilles, that Milo was baniflied, for killing Clodius. You wiU iind the particulars of thefe fafts, if you look in your Bidionary for the articles Marfeilles and Milo; It is now a very large and fine town, extremely rich from its commerce; it is built in a feitii-circle round the port, which is always full of merchant fliips of all na- tions. Here the king of France keeps his gallies, which are very long fhips rowed by oars, fome of forty, fome of fifty, and three- fcore oars. The people who row them are called galley-flaves, and are either pri- foners taken from the Turks, on the coafl of Africa^^ or criminals, who, for various crimes committed in France, are condemned to row in the gallies, either for life, or for a certain number of years. They are chained by the legs, with great iron chainSj two and rwo together. The profpe^t, for two leagwes round this place,> is the mofi: pleafing that can be imagined, confift-- ing of high hills, covered with vineyards, olive-trees, fig-trees, and almond-trees, with above fix thoufand' little country houfes interfperfed, which they call here, ^es Bajlides, Within about ten lesgues of this place, as you will find in the map, is Toulon, another fea-port town upon the Mediterranean, not near fo big as this, but much ftronger: there mofl of the French men of war? ' are built and kept, and likewife moft of the naval (lores,- ftich as fopes, anchors-, fails, maftsj and whatever be- longs to fliipping. If you look into your Geographical Di(Etionary for Provence, you will find the hifiory of this country,, which is worth your reading; and. when you are look- ing in your Di6lioiiary, look for Daivphine too, which is? the next province to this, and there you will find when Dauphine was united to the crown of France, upon condition that the king of France's eldefl Ton fiiould ab.^ays be called U Dauphin, You fiiould, in truth, omit no one opportunity^ of informing yourfelf of modern hiftory and geography, which are the com- mon fubje6ts of' all converfation, and confequentLy it- is a fliame to be ignorant of them. On Modern History . . . Governments of Europe, 4 1 Since you have begun eompofition, I fend you here another fubjed to compofe a few lines upon : Kil confcire fibi, nulla pallcfcere culpa*. Whoever obferves tliat rule, will always be very hap* pay. May you do it ! — Adieu ! LETTER XXVII. Modern Histori/.. .Origin of the present Governments irf Europe, DEAR BOY, Since you are now in modern hiflory, it is neceffary you Ihould have a general notion of the origin of all the prefent kingdoms and governments of Europe, wliich are the objects of modern hiflory. The Romans, as you very well know, were maders of all Europe, as well as of great part of A(ia and Africa, till the third or fourth centuries^ that is, about four- teen or fifteen hundred years ago ; at which time the Goths broke in upon them, beat them, made theni- felves mafters of all Europe, and founded the feveral kingdoms of it. Thefe Goths were originally the inhabitants of the northern part of Europe, called Scandinavia, north of Sweden ; part of which is to this day called Gothland, and belongs to Sweden. They were extremely nume- rous, and extremely poor; and finding that their own barren, cold country, was unable to fupport fuch great numbers of them, they left it, and went out in fvvarms to feek their fortunes in better countries. When they came* into the northern parts of Germany, they beat thofe who oppofed them, and received thofe who were willing to join them, as many of thofe northern people did— fuch as the Vandals, the Huns, the Franks^ who are all comprehended under the general name of Goths* Thofe who went weftward were called the Vifig-^ths ; and thofe who went eaftward the Ollrogoths. Thus increafing in numbers and ftrength, they entirely fub« * To have a clear conicience, and to have tio, crime to bludi at. 42 Modem IIlstory..,Gor€rmnents of Europe, verted the Roman empire, and made themfelves ma- ^ Iters of all Europe : and hence modern hiftory be- gins. That part of the Goths, who were called the "Franks, fettled themfelves in Gaul, and called it France; the Angli, another fet of them, came over here into Britain, fince which time it is called England. The Goths were a brave but barbarous nation. War was their whole biifinefs, and they had not the leaft no- tion of arts, fciences, and learning j on the contrary, they had an averfion to them, and dellroyed, wherever they went, all books, manufcripts, pictures, flatues, and all records and monuments of former times; which is the caufe that we have fo few of thofe things now remaining : and at this time, a man that is ignorant of, and defpifes arts and fciences, is proverbially called, a Goth, or a Vandal. The Gothic form of government was a wife one ; for though they had kings, their kings were little more than generals in time of war, and had very little power in the civil government ; and could do nothing with- out the confent of the principal people, who had regu- lar alTembli^s for that purpofe : whence our parlia- ments are derived. Europe continued, for many centuries, in the groffefl and darkeft ignorance, under the government of the Goths ; till at laft, in the fifteenth century, that is about three hundred years agO;, learning, arts, and fciences, revived a little, and foon afterwards fiouriflied, under Pope Leo X. in Italy, and under Francis I. in Frances what ancient Greek and Latin manufcripts had efcaped the fury of the Goths and Vandals were then recovered and publillied ; and painting and fculpture were carried to their highell perfedlion. What contributed the mod to the improvement of learning, was the mvention of printing, which was difcovered at Haerlem in Holland, in the fifteenth century, in the year 1440, which is juft three hundred years ago. Adieu ! Look in your Dictionary for the following articles;. Goths, Vandales, Vifigoths, Alaric, Oltrogoths, L '^3 J LETTER XXVIII. General Description of France. France, take U allinall, is the fined country in Europe ; for it is very large, very rich, and very fer- tile : the climate is admirable; and never either too hot, as in Italy and in Spain ; nor too cold, as in Swed- en and in Denmark. Towards the north, it is bounded by the Channel ; and, towards the fouth, by the Mediterranean fea : it is feparated from Italy by the Alps, which are high mountains, covered with fhow the greateft part of the year 5 and divided from Spain by the Pyrenean mountains, which are alfo very high. France is divided into twelve govern- ments or provinces, which are — Picardy, " Burgundy, Normandy, Lyonnois, Thelfle of France, Guienne, or Gafcony, Champagne, Languedoc, Brittany, Dauphine, Orleannois, Provence. The French are generally very volatile; but it is a brilliant fort of volatility \ they are very brave. The government of France is an abfokite monarchy, or ra- ther defpotifm ; that is to fay, the king does whatever he pleafes, and the people are abfolutely flaves. Picardy. Picardy is thp mofl northern province of all France, It is an open country, and produces hardly any thing but corn. The capital town is Amiens. Abbeville is another town in that province, coniiderable for the manufactory of woollen cloths eftabliihed there. Ca- lais is alfo another good town, and a fea-port ; there we ufually land, in our padage from England to France. Normandy. Normandy joins Picardy; its largefl towns are Rouen and Caen. This province produces vajfl quan- tities of apples, with which they make cyder. As for 41' General Description of France. wine, there, as well as in Picardy, they make but little; becaufe, being fo far northward, grapes will not ripen. The Normans are reckoned litigious, and fond of law-fuits. If they are aflced a queftion, they never return a direct anfwer; fo that when a man gives an evafive anfwer, it is become a proverb to fay, He aii- fwers like a Norman. The Ifle of France. Paris, the capital of the whole kingdom, is in the Ifle of France; its fituation is upon the Seine; a fmall, and even a muddy river. It is a large town, but not by a great deal fo big as London. Champagne. Rheims is the principal town of Champagne. In that town the kings of France are crowned. This - province produces the befl wine in France — Cham- paign. Brittany. Brittany is divided into high sikI low. In High Brittany is the town of Nantz, where the beft brandy is made. Here is alfo St. Malo, a very good fca-port. In Lower Brittany they fpeak a kind of language, which has lefs fmiilitude to French than it has to Weifiu Orleannois, Orleannois contains feveral great and fine towns. Orleans, rendered famous by Joan of Arc, commonly called the Maid of Orleans, who drove the Englifii out of France; Blois, the fituation of which is charming, and where the beft French is fpoken ; Tours, that con- tains a manufadory of thick luteflring, called gros de Tours. Burgundy. Dijon is the capital of this province : the wine, called Burgundy, is one of the befl wines in France. Lyonnois, Lyons is the capital ; it is a very large fine town, and extremely ricli^ on account of the manufadure^ General Description of France. 4.5 €{labliflied here, of filks, and gold and filver fluffs, with which it fupplies almoft all Europe. Your fine filver waiftcoat comes from thence. Guienne or Gafcony. There are many confiderable towns in Guienne, as theto'.vn of Bourdeanx, which is very large and rich. Mod of the wine drank at London, and called in Englifli claret, comes from thence. It is an excellent place for good eating : you have there ortolans, and red partridge, in great abundance. In this province is the town of Perigueux, where they make delicious parties of red partridge and trufles : Bayonne, whence come excellent hams. The Gafcons are the raofl lively people in France, but rather inclined to lyincr and boafting, particularly upon the articles of fenfe '^nd courage: fo thai it is faid of a man who boaft:;, and is prefumptuous, he is a Gafcon. Languedoc. Languedoc is the mod fouthern province of France 3 and confequently the warmefl. It contains a great number of fine towns; among others, Narbonne, fa- mous for its excellent^ honey; and Nimes, celebrated <)n account of the ancient Roman amphitheatre, which IS flill to be feen. In this province is alfo fituated the town of Montpellier, the^air of which is fo pure, and the clmiate (o fine, that fick people, even from Eng- land, are often fent thither for the recoverv of their health, Dauphine. Grenoble is the capital town. The king of France's elaeft fon who is always called Dauphin, takes his title from this province. Provence. Provence is a very fine province, and extremelv fer* tile. It produces the befl oil, with which it fupplies other countries. The fields are full of orange, lemon, and ohve trees. The capital is called AiZ In this province is, hkewife, the town of MarfeiUes, a large 46 General Description of Germany, and ^inQ city, and celebrated fea-port, fituated upon the Mediterranean ; here the king of France's galleys are kept. Galleys are large fliips with oars; and thofc who row, people condenaned to it, as a punifliment for fome crimp. LETTER XXIX. General Description of Germany. Germany is a country of vaft extent : the fouthern parts are not nnpleafant ; the northern exceedingly bad and defart. It is divided into ten diflrias, wh^h are called the ten circles of the en^pire. The emperor is head, but not mailer of the empire ; for he can do but little without the confent of the eledors, princes, and imperial free towns ; which, all together, form what is called the diet of the empire, that affembles in the town ©fRatifbon. There arc nine ele6lors ; which are, r Mentz, Triers, Cologne, Bohemia, Bavaria, Saxony, Brandenburg, Palatine, _ Hanover, Thefe nine ele(5l the emperor; for the empire is not hereditary : that is to fay, the iow does not fucceed his father ; but, when an emperor dies, thofe nine electors aflemble, and chufe another. The ele(5tors are fove- reign princes : thofe of Mentz, Triers, and Cologne, are ecclefiaftics, being archbifliops. The ele<5^or of Bohemia is king of Bohemia, and his capital town Prague. The eledor of Bavaria's capital is Munich, The eledlor of Saxony is the mofl confiderable of all the electors, and his electorate the fined: Drefden is the capital, and a beautiful town. The elector of Brandenburg is alfo king of Prullia, and mafter of a The Eleaor of < . Q«^^« of Hungary, ..Contests in Germany, 47 great extent of country : the capital town of Branden- burg IS Berlin. The two moft confiderable towns be- longing to the ele6Vor Palatine, are Manheim and Duf- feldorp. The elector of Hanover is alfo king of Eno^' land ; the capital town of that eledlorate is Hanover \ miferable capital of a rniferable country *. ' Befides the eledlors, there are other fovereign princes and powerful ones,— as the landgrave of HefTe CafTer the duke of Wirtemberg, &c. ' [The reft of tUis geographical defcription of Germany, and the beginning of that of Afia, are unfortunately loft.] LETTER XXX. queen of Hungary, ^Origin of the late Contests in Ger^ many, DEAR BOY, , I ALWAYS write to you with pleafure, when I can wnte to you with kmdnefs; and with pain, when lam obhged to chide. Ybu fhould, therefore, for my fak^ as well as your own apply and behave yourfelf in fuch a manner, that I might always receive good accounts of you. The laft 1 had from Mr. Mafttaire was fo good a one, that you and I are at prefent extremfely well together; and I depend upon your taking care that we (hall continue fo ^ ^ ^"^ I am Aire you now hear a great deal of talk about the ' queen of Hungary, and the wars which (he is and will be engaged m; It is therefore right that you fliou d know a ittle of that matter. The iaft emperor, Chariet the Sixth, who was father to this queen of Hunga ^ A I'u^l^'J'^t ?u^°"'' ^'' dominions might at hi! death be divided between his daughters, and confe! quently weakened, he fettled them all upon his eldeft daughter, the queen of Hur.gary, by a public a^ which IS called the pragmatic fandion; fo'Jhat atthe * His Jorcl/hlp js miftaken with regard to the country of-H.n '-r; wiwch IS tolerably good, rather pleaf.nt, and ^.'^uufraui^t 4$ Queen of Hungary,,, Conlests in Ceryaany, death of the emperor flie fucceeded to Aiiftria, Bohe- mia, Silefia, Hungary, Tranfilvania, Stiria, Carinthia, and the Tirol, in Germany ; to all Flanders ; and^ to Parma, Placentia, Milan, and Mantua, in Italy, be-' fides Tufcany, which is her hufband's. The houfe of Auflria is defcended from Rodolph count of Hapfbourg, who, about feven hundred years ago, acquired the dutchy- of Auflria. His defcendents, partly by con- qued, and partly by advantageous marriages, increafed thdr dominions fo confiderably, that Charles the Fifth, who was emperor about two hundred years ago, was at once in pofTelTion of the empire, Spain, the Weft In- dies, almoft all Italy, and the Seventeen Provinces, which before that time compofed the dutchy of Bur- gundy. When he grew old, he grew weary of govern- ment, retired into a monaftery in Spain, and divided his dominions between iiis fon Philip the Second, king of Spain,., and his brother Ferdinand, who was ele(5led emperor in his room. To his fon Philip he gave Spain and the Weft Indies, Italy, and the Seventeen Provinces. To his brother, all he had in Germany. From that time to this, the emperors have conftantly been elected out of the Houfe of Anftria, as the beft able to defend and fupport the dignity of the empire. The duke of Tufcany, who, by his wife the queen of Hungary, is now in pofleffion of many of thofe do- minions, wants to be chofen emperor ; but France, that was always jealous of the power of the Houfe of Auftria, fupports the eleftor of Bavaria, and wants to have him get fome of thofe dominions from the queen of Hungary, and be chofen emperor : for which pur- pofe they have now fent an army into Bavaria to his aftiftance. This fliort account may enable you to talk the politics now in fafhion ; and if you have a mind to be more particularly informed about the Houfe of Auftria, look in your Hiftorical Dictionary forRodolphe de Hapfbourg, Autriche, and Charlequint. As Charles the Fifth inherited Spain by his mother, and the Seven- teen Provinces by his grandmother, who, being only daughter of the laft duke of Burgundy, brought the^ii in marriage to his grandfather, the emperor Maximilian > Account of the Pope, 49: the foljowinor diiiich was made upon the good fortune of the Houfe of Auftria in their marriages : • EeJla gerant alii: tu, felix Auftria, nube; Nam qua^ Mirs aliis, dat tibi re;2fna Venus*. And {o good night to you, my young politician. LETTER XXXL Account of the Pope. MY DEAR. CHILD, As, in one defcription, which I fent you, I have mentioned tiie pope, 1 beh'eve you will wifli to know who that perfon is. The pope, 1?h.en, is an old cheat, who calls himfelf the vicar of Jefus Chrifl ; that is to fay, the perfon who reprefents Jefus Chrifl upon ejtrth, and has the power of faving people, or of damning them. By virtue of this pretended power he grants in- dulgences; that is to fay, pardons for fins': or elfe he thunders out excommunications; this means fending people to the devil. The catholics, othervvife called papifts, are filly enough to believe this. Befides which, ^hey believe the pope to be infallible ; that is, that he never canmiftake; that whatever he fays is true, and whatever he does is right. Another abfurd'ty : the pope pretends to be the greateil prince in Chriflendom; and takes place of all kings. The protcflant kings, however, do not allow this. The pope creates the cardrnals, who are feventy- two in number, and higher in rank than bifliops and- archbifliops. The^ title given to the cardinal is, Your Emiuence; and to the pope, Your Holinef?. When a })ope dies, the cardinals aHemble to dedi another, and that . afiembly is called a conclave. Whenever a per^ fon is prefented to the pope, they kifs his foot, and not his hand, as we do to other princes. Law^, made by the pope, are called bulls. 1 he palace he inhabits, at Rome, is called the Vatican ; and contains^ the finefl library in the world. * Let olliers wage war, but tliou, fortunate Auilri.i, form ieiulcr alliances; Fi.'r t]'.c kiDL^doms which Mars gives to others, \'cnus bc!Ui\\joii vou. D 50 Gener(il Vieiv of English IJisiov}/. The pope is, in reality, nothing more than bliliop of Rome; but, on the one fide, weaknefs and fuper- flition, and on the other the artifice and ambition of the clergy, have made him what he is; that is to fay, a confiderable prince, and head of the catholic church. We proteftants are not weak enough to give into all this nonfenfe. We believe, and with reafon, that God alone is infallible ; and that he only can make people happy or miferable. Adieu ! Divert yourfelf and be merry, th^e is no*, thing like it. LETTER XXXIL Meyieral Fiew of English Hislory. England was originally called Britain, when the Romans, under Julius Caefar, firfi: invaded it : the Ro- mans continued in Britain about four hundred years. The Romans quitted Britain of themfelves; and then the Scotch, who went by the liame of Pids (from Jtingere, to paint), becaufe they painted their fi^ins, at- t^iGked the Britains, and beat them; upon which the JBritains called over the Angli, a people of Saxony, to their affiftance againft the Pids. The Angli came and beat the PiiSs ; but then beat the Britains top, and made themfeiVes mailers of the kingdom, which, from their own name, they called Anglia, whence it was called England. Thefe Saxons divided England into feven kingdoms; which were called the Saxon Heptarchy, from kitru, ■Teven, and upyjj^y, chief. Afterwards the Danes invaded England, and made themfelves mailers of it ; but were foon driven out again, and the Saxon government refi^red. The laft invafion of England was by the Normans^ tinder William the Conqueror, in 1066; that is, about feven hundred years ago. Though William came in by conquefi, he "did not pretend to govern abfolutely as a conqueror, but thought it his fafeft way to conform himfelf to thecon^ ilitution of this country. -He v/as a great man. General Plew of English Huiory, 5i' His fon, William Rufus, (o called becaufe he had red hair, fucceeded him. He was killed accidentally by one of his own people as he was hunting. He died without children, and was fucceeded by his youngef brother, Henry the Firft. Henry the Firft was a great king. As he had no fons, he was fucceeded by his nephew Stephen. Stephen was attacked by the emprefs Maud, who was daughter to ^enry the Firfl, and had confequently a better right to the crown than Stephen. He agreed to a treaty with her, by which flie let him reign for his Kfe; and he obliged himfelf to fettle the crown after his death upon her fon, Henry the Second, who in effeft fucceeded him, Henry the Second was a very great king; he con«» quered Ireland, and annexed it to the crown of Eng- land. He was fucceeded by his fon, Richard the Firll, Richard the Firft was remarkable by nothing but by his playing the fool in a-croifado to Jeruiaiem, a prevailing folly of thofe times, when the Chriftians .thought to merit heaven by taking Jeriifaiem froni the Turks. He was fucceeded liy John. King John was oppreffive and tyrannical; fo that the people rofe againft him, and obliged him to give them a charter, confirming all their liberties and pri- vileges ; which charter fubfifts to this day, and is called Magna Charta. He was fucceeded by his fon, Henry the Third. Henry the Third had a long but troublefome reign, being in perpetual difputes with the people and the nobles ; fometimes beating, fo'metimes beaten. He was fucceeded by his fon, Edward the Firft. Edward the Firft was one of the greateft kings of England. He conquered the principality of Wales^ and annexed it to the crown of England ; fince which time the eldeft fon of the king of England has always been prince of Wales. He beat the Scotch feveral. times. Many of our beft laws were fjiade in his reign. His fon, Edward the Second, fucceeded him. Edward the Second was a wretched, weak creature, and always governed by favourites ; fo that he was de. 52 General Jleiv of English Ilisiori/. pofed, put into prifo'n, and foon afterwards put to death. His fon, Edvrard the Third, fucceeded him, and was one of the greateft kings England ever had. He de- clared war againft France ; a»d with an army of thirty thoufand men beat the French army of fixty thoufand men, at the famous battle of Crecy, in Picardy, where above thirty thou land French were killed. His fon, who was called the Black Prince, beat the French again at the battle of Poi6liers, and took the king of France prifoner. The French had above threefcore thoufimd inen ; and the Black Prince had but'eight thoufand. This king founded the order of the garter. His fon, the Black Prince, died before him, fo that he was fuc- ceeded by his grandfon^ Richard the Second, fon to the Black Prince. This Richard the Second had none of the virtues of his father, or grandfather, but was governed by fa- vourites ; was profufe, neceffitous, and endeavoured to make himfelf abfolute ; fo that he was depofed, put into prifon, and foon after put to death by Henry the Fourth, who fucceeded him, and who was the firft of the houfe of Lancafler. Henry the Fourth was defcended from Edward the Third, by John of Gaunt, duke of Lancafter, and had confequently no hereditary right to the crown. He beat both the Scotch and Welfli. He was a confider-^ able man. Henry the Fifth, his {on, fucceeded him, and was, ■without difpute, one of the greateft kings of England; though he promifed little while he was prince of Wales, for he led a diflblute and riotous life, even robbing fometimes u|X)n the highway. But, as foon as he came to the throne, he left thofe fliameful courfes, declared war againft France, and entirely routed the French army," iix times more numerous than his own, at the famous battle of Agincourt, in Picardy. He died before he had - ompleted the conqueft of France; ^nd was 'uc > ., ' [>y his fon, FJenry the Sixth, a minor, who uas Itfi under the guardiandiip of his uncles, the Dukes of Bedford and Gloucefter* • Genvral Fltxv *^' English Hldori/, 53, Henry the Sixth was fo little like his father, that he foon loft all that his fcither had got ; and, though crowned king of France, at Paris, was driven out of France; and, of all his father's conquers, retained only Calais. It was a r&markable accident that gave the iiril: turn to the fucceiles of the P^nglifli, in France. They we're beiieging the town of Orleans, when an ordinary girl, called Joanne d'2\.rques, took it into her head that God had appointed her to driv^e the EngliHi out of France. Accordingly flie attacked, at the head of the French troops, and entirely beat the Engliftu The French call iier, La pucelU d'OrVeans '^■, She was afterwards t3tk.ti\ by ti :e Engiiili, and (Iianiefuliy burnt for a witch. Henry bad not better fiiccefs in England ; for, being a w^eak man himfelf, and entirely governed by his wife, he was depofed by Ed^vard the Fourth, of the houfe of York, who had the hereditary right to the crown. Edward the Fourth did nothing confiderable, except sgainfl the Scotch, whom he beat. He intended to have attempted the recovery of France, but was pre- vented by his death. He left two fons under age ; the eldeft of which was proclaimed king, by the name of Edward the Fifth. But the duke of GioQceiler, their uncle and guardian, murdered them both, to make way for himfelf to the throne. He was Richard the Third, commonly called crook- back Richard, becaufe he was crooked. Richard the Third was fo cruel and fanguinary, that he foon became univerfally hated. Henry the SevMUh, of the houfe of Lancafter, profited of ihe general hatred of the people to Richard, railed an army, and beat Richard at the battle of Bofwoith^iield, in Leicefter- fiiire, where Richard was kilied, Henry the Seventh was proclaimed king, and foon after married the daughter of Edward the Fourth ; re- uniting thereby the preteniions. of both the houfes of York and Lancnilec; or, as they were then called, the white rofe .aud the red : the white rofe being the arms o'i the houfe of Yoric ; and the red rofe the arms of iV The maid oC Ork-ans. D3 5 4 General Fieiv ofEngUsli HistGr^ . the hoiife of Lancafter. Henry the Seventh was a^fLil- ien, cunning, and covetous king, oppreffing his fub- je6ls to fqueeze money out of them ; and accordingly- died unlamented, and immenfely rich, Henry the Eighth fucceeded his father. His reigii deferves your attention, being full of remarkable events, particularly that of the Reformation. He was as profufe as his father was avaricious^ and . foon fpent in idle fhow and pleafures the great fums his father left him. He was violent and impetuous in all his pallions, in fatisfying which he flopped at no- thing. He had married, in his father's life-time, Ca- tharine, princefs of Spain, the widow of his elder bro- ther prince Arthur ; but growing weary of her, and being in love with Anne Boleyn, he was refolved to be divorced from his wife, in order to marry Anne. The pope would not confent to this divorce ; at which Tienry was fo incenfed, that he threw off the pope's authority in England, declared himfelf head of the church, and divorced himfelf. You muft know, that in thofe days of popery and ignorance, the pope pretended to be above all kings, and to depofe them when he thought proper. He wasiiniverfal head of the church, and difpofed of bifiioprics and eccleiiaftical matters in every country in Europe. To which unrcafonable pre- tenfionsall princes had been fools enough, more or lefs, to fubmit. But Henry put an end to thofe pretenfions in England ; and refolved to retain no part of popery that was inconfiflent either with his paflions or his in- terell ; in confeqnence of which, he diflblved the mo- nafteries and religious houfes in England, took away their eftates, kept feme for himfelf, and diftributed the reft among the confiderable people of this country. This was the beginning of the Reformation in England, and happened about two huiidred years ago. As it is iiecefTary you fliould know what the Reformation is, I n:iuft tell you, that a little more than two hundred years ago, ail Europe were papifis, till one Martin Luther, a German Augniline Monk, began in Germany to re- form religion from the errors, abfurdities, and fuper- ftitions of popery. Many German princes, particularly the eledor of Saxony, embraced his dodrine, ar4d pro^ fyencral Viexv of English Ilhlor^r, 55 telled againft the church of Rome ; whence they were called proteftants. Read the article Luther in your Di^lionary. To return to Henry the Eighth; he, married fix wives, one after another,' two of whom he beheaded for adultery, and put away two becaufe he did not like them. He was for fome time governed abfolutely by .his firil minifter, cardinal Wolfey, who was at lall difgraced, and broke his heart. He was fucceeded by his fon, Edward the Sixth, who was but nine years old; but his guardians being proteflants, the Reforrnation was eflabiiQied in England. He died at fifteen years old, and was fucceeded by lus half fifler, Mary. Queen Mary was the daughter of Henry t.he Eighth, by his firft wife, Catharine of Spain. She was a zeal- ous and cruel papift, imprifoned and burnt the pro- teflants, and did all flie could to foot out the Reforma-. tion in England; but did not reign long enough to do- it. Slie was married to Philip the Second of Spain ; but having no children, was fucceeded by her filler, queen Elizabeth. The reign of queen Elizabeth is, without difpute^ the mod glorious in the Englifh hiflory. She efta- bliflied the Reformation, encouraged trade and inanu- failures, and carried the nation to a pitch of happinefs and giory it had never fcen before, and lias never feeri iince. She defeated the fleet which Philip the Second of Spain fent to invade England, and which he called '.he Invincible Armada. She aflifted the Dutch, who had revolted from the tyranny of the fame king^s go- vernment, and contributed to the eflablifhment of the republic of the United Provinces. She was the fupport of the proteftant caufe in Europe. In her reign we made our firft fettlement in America, which was Vir- ginia, fo called from her, becaufe flie was a virgin, and never married. She beheaded her coufin, Mary queen of Scotland, who was continually forming plots to dethrone her and ufurp the kingdom. She reigned four-and- forty years, with glory to herfelf, and advan-. tage to her kingdom. Lord Burleigh was her wife and honefr miiiiHer during almoft her whole reign. As fhe B 4r - General Fkiv of EnglUh IiistO)*y. c.ifd without children, flie was fucceeded by her neareil relation, king James the Firft, the fon of Mary queen of Scots, who was beheaded. With king James' the Fint the family of the Stuarrs came to the throne, and fupplied England fuccellively with four very bad kings. King James had no one of the virtues of his predecefTor queen Elizabeth, but had all the faults and vices that a man, or even a king, can have. He was a mod notorious coward and liar, a tbrmal pedant, thinking and calling himfelf wife, without being fo in any degree ; wanting always to make himfelf abfolute, without either parts or courage to compafs it. He was the bubble of his favourites, whom he enriched, and always in neceflity himfelf. His reign v>^as inglorious and fliameful, and laid the foun- dation of hU the mifchief that happened under the reign of his fon and fucceffor, king Charles the Firft. Obftrve, that till king James the Firft, Scotland had its own kings, and was independent of England ; but he being king of Scotland when que^n Elizabeth died, England and Scotland have from that time been united under the fame kings. King Charles the Firft fucceeded his father, king James the Firfl; and, though he was nothing very ex- traordinary, was ftill much better than his father, hav- ing both more fenfe and more courage. He married a princefs of France, daughter to Henry the Great, who, being a 5^alous papifl, and a bufy, meddling woman, had an in^uence over him, which contrihuted much to his misfortunes. He had learned from his father to fancy that he had a right to be abfolute; and had the courage, that his father wanted, to try for it. This made him quarrel with parliaments, and attempt to raife raoiiey without them, which no king has'-a right to do": but there was thien fpirit and virtue enough in ti]e nation to oppofe it. He would likewife, by the advice of a hot-headed priell (archbiOiop Laud), efla- blifli the Common Prayer through the whole kingdom by force, to which the prefbyterians would not fubmir. Thefe, and many other violences, raifed a civil war in the nation, in which he was beaten, and taken prifoner. A hi^h court of juflice was ereded on purpofe for \n% General Fitw of English History-. 51 trial, where he was tried and condemned for high trea- fon againft the conititution ; and was beheaded pub,- licly, about one hundred years ago, at Whitehall, on the 30th of January. This allien is much blamed ; but, however, if it had not happened, we had had no liberties left. After Charles's death, the parliament governed for a time ; but the army foon took the power out of their hands; and then Oliver Cromwell, a private gentle- man of Huntingdonfhire, and a colonel in that army, ufur[)ed ihe government, and called himfelf the pro- tedlor. He vvas a very brave, and a very able man, and carried- the honour of England to the highefl pitch of ^lory ; making himfelf both feared and refpei'^ed by all the powers in Europe. He got lis the ifland of Jamaica from, the Spaniards; and Dunkirk, which Charles the Second fliamefully fold afterwards to the French. He, died in about ten years after he |iad ufurped the govern- ment, which he left to his fon Richard, who, being a blockhead, could not keep it ; fo that king Charles the Second was reflored, by the means of general Monk, v/ho vvas then at the head of the srmy. King Charles the Second, who, during the life of CromWell, had been wandering about from one coun- try to another, inftead of profiting by his adverfities, had only collected the vices of all the countries he had been in. He had no religion, or, if any, was a papiflj and his brother, the duke of York, was a declared one. He gave all he had to whores and favourites; and was fo necc^ffitous, that -he 'oecame a penfioner to France. He lived uneafjly witii his people and his parliament; and was at laft poifoned. As he died without children, he vvas fucceeded by his -brother, the duke of York^. then King Jar.M^ :\\. Second, who was of a four, cruel, and tyrannical uifpohtion, and a zealous papiil : he refolved at o?ice to be above the laws, make himfelf i'.foh te, and cftablifli popery; upon which the nation, v.;y wifely and judly, turned him out, before he hacf i-ei.gned quite four years ; and called the prince of ijrange from Holland, who had married king James\s- -^^Ideft daughter, Mary. 58 Exhortation to good Behaviour in Companji/. The prince and princefs of Orange were then de- clared^ by parliament, king and queen of England, by the title of king William the Third and queen Mary ; and this is called the Revolution. Queen Mary was an excellent princefs ; but (lie died fev.en years before king William, without children. King William was a brave and warlike king : he would have been glad of more power than he ought to have ; but his parliaments kept him within due bounds, againft his will. To this revolution we again owe our Jiberlies. King William, dying without children, was lucceeded by queen Anne, the fecond daughter of king James the Second. The reign of queen Anne was a glorious one, by the fuccefs of her arms againft France, under the duke of Marlborough. As flie died without children, the fa- mily of the Stuarts ended in her; and the crown went ro the houfe of Hanover, as the next proteftant family? i'o that (lie was fucceeded by king George the Firft, fa- ther of the prefent king. LETTER XXXIII. Exhortation to Good- Behaviour in Comparfi/. SIR, > Saturday, The fame of your erudition, and other fiiining qua- lifications, having reached to lord Orrery, he defired me th^t you might dine with him, and his fon, lord Boyle, next Sunday; which I told him you fliould. By this time, I fuppofe, you have heard from him ; but, if you have not, you muft, however, go there between two and three to-morrow, and fay, that you come ta wait upon lord Boyle, according to his lordfliip's or- ders, of which I informed you. As this will deprive ine of the honour and pleafure of your company at din- ger to-morrow, 1 will hope for it at breakfaft, and fliall take care to have your chocolate ready. Though I need not tell one of your age, experience, and knowledge of the world, how neceflary good-breed- ing is, to recommend one to mankind ; yet, as yqur Good-Brecd'mg..,MarJ,s of Ri^spect. 59 various occupations of Greek and cricket, Latin and pi tell -farthing, may poiTibly divert your attention from this object, I take tiie liberty t)f reminding you of it, and dtfiring you to be very well-bred at lord Orrery's. It is good -breeding alone that can prepofleis peojjje in your favour at firft fighl ; more rime being neceffary ta difcover greatest talents. This good-breeding, you know,- does not confift in low bows and iormal ceremony; but in an eafy, civil, and refpe^lful behaviour. You will therefore take care to anfwer with complaifance, when you are fpoken to; to place yourfelf at the lower end of the table, unlefs bid to go higher; to drink firfl to the lady of the houfe, and next to the matter ; not ta eat awkwardly or dirtily 5 not to fit when others (land :. and to do all this with an air of complaifance, and not with a grave, four look, as if you did k all unwillingly- I do not mean a filly, infipid fmile, that fools have when they would be civil; but aaair of fenfiblegood humour, i hardly know any thing fo dilficult to attain, or fo neceflary to pofTefs, as perfect good-breeding; which is equally inconliftent with a fliff formality, an impertinent forwardnefs, and an awkward bafafulnefs. A little ceremony is often neceflary ; a certain degree of firmnefs is abfolutely fo ; and an outward modefty is extremely becoming : the knowledge of the world, and your own obfervations, muft, and alone can, telt you the proper quantities of each,— Adieu ! LETTER XXXIV. Good-Breeding.., Marks of Respect... CiciUt a to the Fcmak Sex. DEAR BOY, GOOD-BREEDING is fo important an article in life, and fo abfolutely neceffary for you, if you would pieafe^ and be well received in the world, that I muft give you another le(flure upon it, and poffibiy this will not be the lall neither. I only mentioned, in my laft, the general rules of common civilitv, which, whoever does not obfervc, will D6 ^0 Marks of Respect. ^ClvUity to Females. pafs for a bear, and be as unwelcome as one in com* ■pany; and there is hardly any body brutal enough not to aafwer when they are fpoken to, or not to fay, Sir, My Lord, or Madam, according to the rank of the people they ff)eak to. But it is not enough not to be rude; you fiiould be extremely civil, and dillingui'flied iav your good -breeding. The firft principle of this good- breeding is, nev^er to fay any thing that you think can be difagreeable to any body in. company ; but, on the < ontrary,. you fhould endeavour to fay what will be •igreeable to them, and that in an eafy and natural manner, without feeming to ftudy for compliments. There i^ likewife fnch a thing as a civil look, and a ri;de look ; and you fliould look civil as well as be fo,; for if, while you are faying a civil thing, you look grutf tnd furly, as moll Englifli bumpkins do, nobody will be obliged to you for a civility that feemed to come fo viuwiiiingly. l^ you have occafion to contradid any body, or to fet them right from a miflake, it would be .\ ry brutal to fay, That is not fo ; I know better; or, Vou are out; but you (Ivould fay, with a civil look, I htg your pardon, 1 believe you miftake, or, U I may take the liberty of contradicting yon, Ibdievelt is fo ■::r\i\ io \ for, though you may.know a thing better than other people, yet it is very fliocking to tell them fo. di- rectly, without fornething to ibf ten it* but remember ■particularly, ^hat whatever you fay or d^, with ever fo •ivii an intention, a great deal confifts in the manner md the look, which muft be genteel, eafy^ and natural^ 'Aid is eafier to be felt than defcribed. Civility is particularly due to all \^*omen ; and re- member, that no provocation v/hatfoever caii juftify -my man. in not being civil to evjery woman ; and the -'reateft man in England would juflly be reckoned a srute, if he was not civil to the meanefl woman. It is ^lue to their fex, and is the only protedion they have :igainfl: the fuf;erior ftrength of ours. Obferve the beft iiid mcft well-bred of the -French people, how ag^ree-^ jbly they infinuafee little civilities in their converfation. rhey think it fo effential, that they call an honeft man ■'^\\6. a civil man by the fame same, q^ konnctt: homuie ,' ^ikI the .RoiUvius 4;aUed civility humanUa^ as thinking it Mjjk,,, Admonition to Diligence, <3I Infeparable from humanity; and depend upon it^ that your reputation and fuccefsin the world will, in a great meafure, depend upon the .degree of good-breed- ing you are mafttr of. You cannot begin too early to take that turn, in order to make it natural and habitual to you ; which it is to very {cw Englidimen, who, negle^ling it while they are young, find out, too late, when they are old, how neceflary it is, and then cannot get- it right. — Adieu ! LETTER XXXV. Style,.. Admonitions to Diligence, DEAR BOY, Dublin Cafile, November the 12(h. I HAVE received your two letters, of the 26th 0(5lober, and 2d November, both which were pretty correal ; •excepting that you make ufe of the word ciiraifec^jon to exprefs want of affection, in which (enfe it is fel- dom or never uied, but with regard to the government. People who are againfl: the government are faici to be difaffe^led ; but one never fays, fuch a perfon is difaf- fedled to his father, his mother, &c. though in truth it would be as proper; but ufage alone decides of lan- guage ; and that ufage, as 1 have obferved before, is the ufage of peopleof fafhion and letters. The com- mon people, in every country^ fpeak their own lan- guage very ill 5 the people of fafhion (as the, are called) fpeak it better, but not always correal v, be- caufe they are not always people of letters. Tliofe who fpeak their own language the moil :- r.tely are thbfe who have learning, and are at the (.:.;. e (ime in the po\ite world; at lead their languap.-- \\\\\ be reckoned the ftandard of the language of t. a com rv. The grammatical rules of moil languagCL are :.: „ity nearly the fame, and ^your Latin Gramni.j uia teach you to fpeak Englifn grammatically. Bi.i every lan- .guagc has its parJiicurar idioms and,peculiraities, which are riat to be accounted for, but, being etiabliihed by ::'age^ mull be fubmitted to ; as, for infiance, How d© jou iioi is .abfokite noiifeiiie, aiui hasiio jmc^ning a^ 62 Sii/le.,,Jdmoniilon to Diligence, all; but is iifed by every body, for What is the (late of your health ? There are a thoufand exprelhons of this kind in every language, which, though infitutely abfurd, yet, being univerfally received, it would be flill more abfurd not to make ufe of them. — I had a letter by lad poft from Mr. Maittaire, in which he tells- nie, that your Greek Grammar goes on pretty well, but that you do not retain Greek words, without which your Greek rules will be of very .little ufe. This is not want of memory, I am fure, but want of attention; for all people remembtr whatever they attend to. They fa V, that "Great wits have fiiort memories;" but I fav, that only fools have fliort ones; becaufe they are incapable of attention, at leafl: to any thing that deferves it^ and then they complain of want of memory. It is afloniihing to me that you have not an ambition to excel in every thing you do; v/hich, by attention to each thing, and to no other at that time, you might eafily bring about. Can any thing be more flattering than to be acknowledged to excel in whatever one at« tempts ? And can idlenefs and diilipation afford any pleafure equal to that ? Qui nil molifur hiepie'^^ was faid of Homer ; and is the befl thing that can be faid of any- body. Were I in your place, I protefl I (hould be melancholy and mortified, if I did not both conftrue Homer, and play at pitch, better than any boy of my own age, and in my own form. I like the epigram you fent me lall very well, and would hav^ you in every letter tranfcribe ten or a dozen lines out of fome good author ; I leave the choice of the fubje^St, and of the language, to you. What I mean by it is, to make you retain fo many finning paflTages of different au- thors, which writing them is the likeliefl way of doing, provided you will but attend to them while you write them,-' Adieu ! Work hafd, or you will piifs your tima wti'y ill at my return. * Who does nothing a^vk■vvardly. [ 63 1 LETTER XXXVI. Horace, Style of the Augustan Jge...Epi long) I teii vou very ferioufly, that I both expe<5l ai}d require a great deal from you ; and if you fliould difappoint me, i would not advife you to expe6t much from me. I aik nothing of you but what is entirely in your own power, to be an honed, a learned, and a well bred man* As for the firft, I cannot, I will not doubt it : I think you know already t|;ie infamy, the horrors, and the misfortunes, that always attend a diflioneft and diHio- nourable man. As to learning, that is wholly in your own power; application will bring it about; and you jiAuft have it. Good- breeding is the natural refult of The Female Sex.,. Not to attack Bodies of People, 67 common feafe, and common obfervation. Commom fenfe points out civility, and obfervation teaches you tht manner of it, which makes it good-breeding. To tell you the truth, I do not know any thing you fall in io much as in this laft : and a very great failing it is. Though you have not yet feen enough of the world to be well-bred, you have fenfe enough to know what it is to be civil; but I cannot fay that you endeavour much to l()e fo. It is with difficulty that ycu bring yourfelf tO do the common offices of civility, which iliould always fecm willing and natural. Good night, "Sir! LETTER XXXIX. The Fenude Sex,,. Not to attack Bodies of People, DEAR BOY, April the 5th, Before it is very long, I am of opinion, that you will both think and fpeak more favourably of women than you do now. You feem to think, that, from Eve downwards, they have done a great deal of mifcbiePo As for that lady, I give her up to you ; but, fince her time, hiftory will inform you, that men have done much more mifchief in the world than women ; and, to fay the truth, I would not advife you totruft either, more than is abfolutely neceffary. But this I will ad- vife you to, which is, never to attack whole bodies of any kind ; for, befides that all general rules have their exceptions, you unneceffarily make yourfelf a great number of enemies, by attacking a corps collccflively. Among women, as amon^ men, there are good as well as bad; and, it may be, full as many, or more good, than among men. This rule holds as to lawyers, foldiersj parfons, courtiers, citizens, &c. They arc all men, fubje(5l to the fame paffions and fentiments, difFerino- only in the manner, according to their feveral educa- tions ; and it would be as imprudent as unjuft to attack any of them by the lump. Individuals forgive Tome- times; but bodies and focieties never do. Many yoiino- people .think it very genteel and witty to abufe the 6S Directions ia Travelling. ..Siuiss Cantons. clergy; in which they are extremely miftaken ; finccv, in my opinion, parfons are very like men, aTid neither the better nor tae vvorle for wearing a black gown;* All general reflexions, upon nations and ibcieties, are^i the trite, thread- bare jokes of thofe who fet up for wit without having any, and fo have recourfe to common- place. Judge of individuals from your ov/n knowledge i of them, and nofrfrom their fex, ^profeffion, or deno- mination. Though at my return, which I hope will be very foon, I fhall not find your feet lengthened, 1 hope I iljall find your head a good deal {o^ and then I fnall not much mind your feet. In two or three months after my return, you and I fliall part for feme time : you muft go to read men, as well as books, of all languages and nations. Obfervation and refledlion will then be very necefTary for you. We will talk this matter over fully when we meet ; which, I hope, will be in the laft week of this month 5 till when, I have the honour of beinor Your moft faithful fervant. LETTEPv XL. Directions in Travdiing...Si:iHSs Cantons, DEAR. SOY, Bath, September the 29th. I RECEIVED by. the lafl mail your letter of the 23d, from Heidelberg ; and am very well pleafed to lind that you inform yourfelf of the particulars of the feveral places you go through. You do niighty riglit to fee the curiofities in thofe feveral places; fuch as the golden bull at Frankfort, the tun at Heidelberg, &c. Other travellers fee them and talk of them, — it is very proper to fee them too ; but remember, that feeing is the leafl material obje6l of travelling ; hearing and knowing are the eflential points^ Therefore pray let your inquiries be chiefly directed to the knowledge of the conflitu- tion and particular cufloms of the places where you either refide at, or pafs through ; whom they belong to, by what right and tenure, and fince when ; in whoni the fupreme authority is lodged; and by what magif- Directions in TraxeUing... Swiss Cantons. 6[^ trates, and in what manner, the civ.H and the criminal juftice is adminiftered. It is likewife neceirary to get as mii^h acquaintance as you can, in order to obferve the chara6lers and manners of the peoplej for though human-nature is in truth the fame through the vvhole human fpecies, yet it is fo differently modified and va- ried, by education, habit, and diflrerent cuiloms, that one fliould, upon a flight and fuperficial obfervation, almoft think it different. As I have never been in Switzerland myfelf, I muft defire you to inform me, now and then, of the confli- tution of that country. As, for inftance, do the thir- teen cantons, jointly and colle(5iively, form one go- vernment, where the fupreme authority is lodged ; or is each canton fovereign in itfelf, and under no tie or conftitutional obligation of acting in common concert with the other cantons ? Can any one canton make war or alliances with a foreign power, without the con- fent of the other twelve, or at lead a majority of them ? Can any one canton declare war againfl another ? If every canton is fovereign and independent in itfelf, in whom is the fupreme power of that canton lodged ? Is it in one man, or in a certain number of men ? If -in one man, what is he called ? If in a number, what are they called ; fenate, council, or what ? I do not fup- pofe that you yet can know thefe things yourfelf ; but a very little inquiry,' of thofe who do, will enable you to anfwer me thefe few queilions in your next. You fee, I am fure, the neceflity of knowing thefe things thoroughly, and, confequently, the neceflity of con- verfing much with the people of the country, who alone can inform you rightly; whereas mod of the EngliQi, who travel, converfe only with each other, and confequently know no more, when they return to England, than they did when they left it. This proceeds from mauvaife honie *, which makes^ them afliamed of going into company ; and frequei;itly too from the want of the neceffary language (French) to enable them to bear their part in it. As for i\iC mau- vnife honts^ I hope you are above it. Your figure is '^ Fa We fhamc. 7 Direct ion s in Tratdling. . . Co?}ipiaidancc. like other people's; I fuppofe you will take care that your drefs fliall be fo too, and to avoid any lingiilarity. What then (liould you be afliamed of? ^nd why not go into a mixed company, with as much eafe, and as little concern, as you would go into your own room ? Vice and ignorance are the only things 1 know which one ought to be afliamed of: keep but clear of them, and you may go any where without fear or concern. I have known fome people, who, from feeling the pain and inconveniences of this mmi'vaife honte, have ruflied into the other extreme, and turned impudent 5 as cow^ ards fometimes grow defperate from the excefs of dan- ger : but this too is carefully to be avoided ; there being nothing more generally fliocking than impudence. The medium between thefe two extremes n}arks out the well-bred man ; he feels himfelf firm and eafy in all companies; is modefi without being bafliful, and fleady without being impudent : if he is a flranger, he ob- ferves, with care, the manners and ways of the people the moll eileemed at that place, and conforms to them with complaifance. Inftcad of finding fault with the cuftoms of that place, and telling the people that the Englilh ones are a thoufand times better (as my coun- trymen are very apt to do), he commends their table, their drefs, their houfes, and their manners, whenever he fees occafion for commendation. This degree of complaifance is neither criminal nor abje(5l, and 13 but a fmall price to pay for the good-will and afFeflion of the people you converfe with. As the generality of people are weak enough to be pleafed with thefe little things, thofe who refufe to pleafe them, fo cheaply, are, in my mind, weaker than they. There is a very pretty little French book, written by I'abbe de Belle- garde, entitled, U Art de plaire dans la Converfation * 5 and, though I confefs that it is impoffible to reduce the art of plealiug-to a fyllem, yet this book is not wholly ufelefs. I dare fay you may get it at Geneva, if not at Laufanne, and I would advifc you to read it. But this . principle I will lay down, that the defire of pleafing is at leait half the art of doing it ; the refl depends only * The Art of plcafmg in Converfation. Exhortation to Diligence in acqnhrih Knoivledge . 7 L l!pon the mahner, which attention, obfervation, and frequenting good company, will teach. But if you are lai^y, careiefs, and indifferent whether you pleafe or not, depend upon it you never will pleafe. This letter is infenfibly grown too long; but, as I always flatter myfelf that my experience may be of fome ufe to your youth and inexperience, I throw out, as it occurs to me, and fliall continue to do fo, every thing that I think may be of the leafl: advantage to you in this important and decifive period of your life. — God preferve you ! LETTER XLI. Hxliortntion to Diligence in acquiring Knoivledge. TJEAK KOY, Bath, Odoher the 4th. TeIOUGH I employ fo much of my time in writing to you, I confefs, I have often my doubts, whether it it is to any purpofe. I know how unwelcome advice generally is ; I know that thofe who want it moil, like ir, and follow it lead ; and I know, too, that the advice of parents, more particularly, is afcribed to the mo- rofenefs, the imperioufnefs, or the garrulity of old-age. But then, on the other hand, I flatter myfelf, that as vour own reafon (though too young as yet to fugged much to you of itfelf ) is, however, ftrong enough to enable you, both to judge of, and receive plain truths: I flatter myfelf (I fay) that your own reafon, young as it is, muft tell you, that I can have no intereflr but your's in the advice I give you ; and that, confequent- iy, you will at lead weigh and confider it well ; in which cafe, fome of it will, I hope, have its effect. Do not think that I mean to didate as a parent ; I only mean to advife as a friend, and an indulgent one too : and do not apprehend that I mean to check your pleafures; of which^ on the contrary, I only defire to be the guide, not the cenfor. Let my experience fup- ply your want of it, and clear ycur way, in the progrefs of your youth, of thofe thorns and briars which fcratch" ed and disfigured me in the courfe of mine. 72 Exhortation to Diligence in acquiring Knoivkdgf:. I have fo often recommended to you attention and applican'on to whatever you learn, that I do not men- tion them now as duties; but I point them out to you, as conducive, nay, abfolutely necelTary to your plea- fures ; for can there be a greater pleafure than to be nniverfally allowed to excel thofe of one's own age and manner of life ? And, confequently, can there be anv thing more mortifying than to be excelled by them ? In this latter cafe, your fname and regret muft be greater than any- body '^, becaufe every perfon knows the un- common care which has been taken of your education, and the opportunities you have had of knowing more than others of your age. I do not confine the applica- tion which I recommend fingly to the view and emu- lation of excelling others (though this is a very fenfible pleafure and a very warrantable pride); but I mean like- wife to excel in the thing itfelf ; for, in my mind, one may as well not know a thing at all, as know it but in> perfeclly. To know a little of any thing gives neither fatisf^i^lion or credit ; but often brings difgrace or ri- dicule. Mr. Pope fays, very truly, A little knowledge is a dang'rous (lung; Drink deep, or taftc not the Caltalian fpring. And what is called a fmattering of every thing, infal- libly conftitutes a coxcomb. I have often, of late, re- fle(fied what an unhappy man I muil now have been, if I had' not acquired in my youth feme fund and taile of learning. What could I have done with myfelf, at this age, without them ? I mufl:, as many ignorant people do, have deftroyed my health and faculties by lotting away the evenings ; or, by wafting them frivo- loufly in the tattle of every-day company, muft have expofed myfelf to the ridicule and contempt of thofe v/ith whom I alTociated ; or, laftly, 1 muft have hanged myfelf, as a man once did, for wearinefs of putting on and pulling off his flioes and ftockings every day. My books, and only my books, are now left me ; and I daily find what Cicero fays of learning to be true : Hac Jiudia^ fays he, adolefce?itiam alimt^ fenedutem oblcHanty fecundas res ornant^ adverjis pcrfiigium^ ac folatium py.-:- Exhortation to Diligence in aequiiing Knowledge. 7 3 ^etttf deh^ant domi^ non im-pedtunt foris^ pernoSlant nohis" cum^ peregrinantur^ rujiicantur "*. I do not mean^ by this, to exclude converfation out of the pleafures of an advanced age; on the contrary, it is a very great, and a very rational pleafure, at ali ages; but the converfation of the ignorant is no con- verfation, and gives even them no pleafure : they tire of their own fteriiity, and have not matter enough to furnifli theni with wordvS to keep np a converfation. Let me, therefore, moft earneftly recommend to you, to hoard up, while you can, a great {lock of knowledge; for though, during the period of youth, you may not have occafioM to fpend much of it ; :yer, you may de- pend upon it, that a time will come, when you will want it to maintain you. Public granaries are filled in plentiful years ; not that it is known that the next, or the fecond, or third year, will prove a fcarce one; but becaufe it is known, that, fooner or later, fuch a year will come, in which the grain will be wanted, I will fay no more to you upon this fubje6l ; you have Mr. Harte with you to enforce it ; you have reafon to aflent to the truth of it ; fo that, in fliort, " you. have Mofes and the. Prophets ; if you will not believe them, neirher will you believe, though one rcfe from the dead." Do not imagine that the knowledge^ which 1 fo much recommend to you, is confined to books, pleafmgj ufeful, and neceflary, as that knowledge . is : but I comprehend in it the great knowledge of tho worl-d, ftili more necellary than tliat of books.. In truth, they affift one another reciprocally ; and no man will have eitb.er perfe^lly, who has not both. The knowledge of tht world is only to be acquired in fher world, and not in a clofet. Books alone will aevef teach it you ; but they will fugged: n:auy things to" y©ur obfervation, which might otherwife sjfcape you ; and your own obfervations upon mankind, when com- pn red w'ith thofe which you will find in books, will help you to fix the true point. * Thefe iTudie^ improve youth and amufe old age ; they arloru profpcrity, and afford a refuge and confolation'in adveiTityj tlicy' deli'.'ht nt home, and are no impediinenl abroad; thpy render ni':]i( ]c: tUey;^re ehcerfi3(l compaiiiuns on 1 n- tj our rural reUrcment.^. 74 Negligence,,, Absence of Mind in Compemy, To know mankind well, requires full as much at- tention and application as to know books, and, it may be, more fagacity aiRf difcernment. 1 am, at this time, acquainted with many elderly people, who have all paifed their whole lives in the great world, but with fuch le- vity vnd inattention, that they know no more of it now than they did at fifteen. Do not flatter yourfclf, thertrfore, with the thoughts that you can acquire this knowledge in the frivolous chit-char of idle companies: no, you muft go much deeper than that. You muft look into people, as well as at them. Almoft all people are born with all the pafTions, to a certain degree; but almoll: cvQry man has a prevailing one, to which the others are fubordinate. Search every one for that ruling paffion ; pry into the recefles of his heart, and obferve the dif- ferent workings of the fame pafipon in different people. J\nd, when you have found out the prevailing pafiioii «f any man, remember never to truft him, where that paiTion is concerned. I would defire you to read this letter twice over, but that I-much doubt whether you will read once to the end of it. I will trouble.you no longer now; but we u'ill have more upon this fubje6t hereafter. — Adieu ! LETTER XUI. Ncgi^^nce.., Absence of Midd in Qmipany. DEAR BOY, Eath, O^ober the9th. IC OUR diftrefies in your journey from Heidelberg to Scbaifhaufen, your lying upon flraw, your black bread, and your broken herllne *, are proper feafonings for the greater fatigues and diflreffes which you mufl: ex- pe6t in the courfe of your travels; and, if one had a m.ind to moralifej^one might call them the famples of the accidents, rubs, and difficulties, which every man' meets with in his journey through life. In this journey, the uuderftaiiding is the voiture^^ that mull carry you through ; and in proportion as that is ilronger or • A carriage. f Conveyajice. Negligence, . . Absence of Mind in Company. 7 5 ' t . . ■ weaker, more or lefs in repair, your journey will be better or worfe ; though, at bell, you will now and then find fome bad roads, and fome bad inns. Take care, therefore^ to keep that necefTiry voiture in per- fect good repair; examine, improve, and Ihengthen it ■ every day : it is in the power, and ought to be the care of every man to do it ; he that negle6ts i^, deferves to feel, and certainly will feel, the fatal effects of that n^egiigence. apropos of negligence; I mufl: fay fomethingto you upon that fubjecl, Yoii know I have often told you, that my affec^tion for you was not a weak, woriianirti one ; and, far from blhiding me, it makes i^e but more quick-fighted, as to your faults: thofe it is not only my right, but my duty, to tell you of; and it is your duty and your intereft to corred them, ,In the flri^l fcrutiny which 1 have made into you, I have (thank God) hitherto not difcovered any vice of the heart, or any particular weaknefs of the head : but I have difcovered lazinels, inattention, and indifference — faults which are only pardonable in old men,- who, in the decline of life, when health and fpirits fail, have a kind of claim to that fort of tranquillity. But a young man fliould be ambitious to fliine, and excel ; alert, ad:ive, and indefatigable in the means of doing it 5 and, like Cxefar, Islil adum reputans^ Ji^uid fuperefj'et agen- dum *, You feem to want that vivida ^uh animi f , which fpurs and excites moil young men to pleale,.to fliine, to excel. Without the defire and the pains ne- ceffary to be confiderable, depend upon it, you never can be fo ; as, without the defire and attention necef- fary to pleafe, you never can pleafe. Nullum numen ahefi, Ji Jit prudentiaX is unqueftionably true, with re- gard to every thing except poetry; and lam very fure that any man of common underftanding may, by pro- per culture, care, attention, and labour, make himfelf whatever he pleafes, except a good poet. Your defti- nation is the great and bufy world ;. your immediate • Thought ]iC had done notlung while any thing remained io \)Z Hone. f The frrong lorc.e of the mind. J >Jo protcv^ting^ower is wanting, if prMdoiice be employcii. E 2 T 6 Negligence. . . Absence of Mind in Compam/, obje(!^ is the affairs, the interefts, and the hiflory, the conftitntions, the cuiloms, and the manners, of the feveral parts of Europe. In this, any man of common fenfe may, by common application, be fure to excel. Ancient and modern Hiftory are, by attention, eafily attainable. Geography and chronology the fame ; none of them requirino; any uncommon Ihare of ge- nius or invention. Speaking and writing, clearly, cor- rectly, and with eafe and grace, are certainly to be ac- quired,- by reading the bed authors with care, and by attention to the befl: living models. Thefe are the quali- fications more particularly neceffary for you, which you may be poffefTed of if you pleafe; and which, I'tell you fairly, I fl.iall be very angry at you, if you are not; becaufe, as you have the means in your hands, it will be your own fault only. If care and application are necefiary to the acquiring of thofe qualifications, without which you can never be confiderable, nor make a figure in tlie world, they are not lefs necefiary with regard to the leffef accom- plifliments, which are requilite to make you agreeable and pleating in fociety: In truth, whatever is u'orth doing at all, is worth doingvvell : and nothing can be done wtll without attention. What is commonly called an abfent man, is generally either a very weak, or a vt ry atfecSed man ; but be she ■which he will, he is, 1 am fure, a very difagreeable man in company. He fails in' all the common ofiices of civility ; he feems not to know thofe people to-day with whom yefterday he appeared to live in intimacy. He takes no part in the general converfation ; but, on the contrary, breaks into it from time to time, with •fome Hart of his own, as if he waked from a dream. This (as I laid before) is a lure indication, either of a mind fo weak that it is not able to bear above one oh>ie<^ at a time, or fo atfecled, that it would be fup- poVed to be wholly en ^roiled byj and directed to fome very great and important obj'-^^ls. Sir Ifaac Newton, Mn Locke, and (:t.may be) five or lix more fin ce the creation of tlie world, may have had a right to abfence, from that inten!e thought which the things they were inveftigating recaired. But if a young man, and a Negligence,., Absence of M in din Companj/, 7.7 jsnan of the u^rld, who has no fnch avocations to- plead, will claim and exerciie that right of abfence in company, his pretended right fiiould, in my mind, be turned into an involuntary abfence, by his perpetual exclufion out of company. - However frivolous a com- pany ^ay be, flill, while you are among them, do not iliGw them, by your inattention, that you think them fo ; but rather take their tone, and conform in fpme degree to their weaknefs, in Read of manifefling your contempt for them. There' is nothing that people bear more impatiently, or forgive lefs, than con-. tempt; and an injury is much fooner forgotten than an infult. If therefore you would rather pleafe thaa oifend, rather be well than ill fpoken of, rather be: loved than hated; remember to have that conftant- attention about you, which flatters every man's little vanity; and the want of which, by mortifying his pride, never fails to excite his refentment, or at lead his ill-will. For inflance, mofl: people (I Hiay fay all people) have their Vt'eakneffes ; they have their aver- fions and their likings to fuch and fuch tilings; fo that, if you were to laugh at a man for his averfion to a cat, or cheefe (whicli are cc^mmon anti4mtbies), or, by inattention and negligence, to let them come in his way, where you could prevent it, he would, in the firfl: \ cafe, think himfelf infuked, and, in the fecond, flight- ed — and would remember bo''h : whereas your cafe to procure for him what he likes, and to remov^e from him what he hates, fliows him, that he is at leaft au obje6l: of your attention ; flatters his vanity, and niakes him pofiibly more your friend than a more important fervice would have done, With regard to women^ attentions flill below thefe are neceflary, and, by the cuflom of the world, in fome meaiure due, according to the laws of good-breeding. My long and frequent letters which I fend you, in great doiibt of their fuccefs, put me in mind of cer- tain papers, which you have very lately, and I former- ly, fent up to kites, along the flring, w])ich we call rneflengers ; fome of them the wind ufed to blov/ away, others were torn by the firing, and but few of them got up and fluck to the kite. But I will cou- E3 7S On Pleasure.,. Reviexp of hi? ozv>i Life. tent myfelf no\v, as I did then, if fome 6f my prefent mefTengers do but flick to yoir. — Adieu ^ LETTER XLIII. On Pleasure... Revitzv of his oivn Lije. DEAR BOY, London, March the *27th. Pleasure is the rock which mod young people fpiit upon; they launch out with crowded fails in qneft of it, but uithour a compaTs to dire<^ their courfe, or reafon fiifficient to fteer the vefiel ; for want of which, pain and (liame, inllead of pleafure, are the returns of their voyage. Do not think that I mean to fnarl at pleafure, like a floic; no, I mean to point it out, and recommend it to you, like an Epicurean ; 1 wifli you a great deal ; and my only view is to hinder you frdm mi flaking it. The characfler which moft young men firft aim at is, that of a man of pleafure ; but they generally take it iipontrnft; and inflead of 'confulting their own tafle and inclinations, they blindly adopt whatever thofe with whom they chiefly converfe are pleafed to call /fby the name of pleafure ; and a man of pleafure, in the vulgar acceptation of that phrafe, miCans only a beaflly drunkard, an abandoned whore-mader, and a profligate fwearer and curfer. As it may be of ufe to you, I am not unwilling, though at the fame time afhamcd, to own, that the vices of my youth proceeded much more from my filly refolutlon of being what I heard called a man of pleafure, than from my own incli- nations. I always naturally hated drinking ; and yet I have often drunk, with difguft at the time, attended by great ficknefs the next day, only becaufe I then confi- dered drinking as a neceffary qualification for a fine gentleman, and a man of pleafure. The fam,e as to gaming. I did not want money, and confequently had no occafion to play for it ; but I thought play another necelTary ingredient in the conipofition of a man of pleafure, and accordingly I plunged into it without defire, at fird ; facrificed a ^ On Pleasure. Rev iciv of Ids oivn Lifi. 79 thoirfarid' r^al pleafures to it, and made mvTelf folidly Cineafy by it, for thirty the beft years of my life. I was even abfiird enough, for a little while, to fwear, by way of adorning and completing the Oiining cha- ra<5ler which I aheded ; but this folly I foon laid a fide, upon finding both the guilt and the indecency of it. Thus feduced by falhion, and blindly adopting no- minal pleafures, I loll real ones; and my fortune im- paired, and my conflitution fliattered, are, I muil confefs, the jnfi: punifliment of my en'ors. Take warning then by them; chnfe your plea- fures for yourfeTf, and do not let them be impofed upon you. Follow nature, and not fafliion ; v/eigb the prefent enjoyment of your plea fures a gat nil the nccelTary confequences of thtm, and then let your own common fenfe dtttermlne yOur choice. Were I to begin the world again, with the experience which I now have of it, I would lead, a life of real, nor of imaginary pleafure. I would enjoy the pleafures of the table, and of wine ; but flop fhort of the pains infeparably annexed to a« excefs in either. I would not, at twenty years, be a: preaching miiiionary of abflemioufnefs and fobriety ; aad I fliould let other people do as they would, without formally and fen- tentioufly rebuking them for it ; but I would be mofl ^rmly refolved not to deftroy my own faculties and conflitution, in complaifance to thofe who have no regard to their own. I would play to give me pki- fere, but not to give me pain ; that is, I would play for trifles, in mixed companies, to amufe myfelf, and coir. .form to cuftom; but I would take care not to ventarii for fum.s, which, if I won, I flioald not be the better for ; but, if I lod, fliould be under a difriculty to pay; and, when paid, would oblige me to retrench in le- veral other articles : not to mention th.e quarrels which deep play commonly occafions. I would pafs fome of my time in reading, and the reft in the company of people of fenfe and learning, and chiefly thofe above me: and 1 would frequent the mixed companies of men and women hf falhion, which, j^iough often frivolous, yet they unbend and refrefh the E4 so yiitcntion to one Thing at a Time, 6 ' n.ind, not ufelefsly, becaufe they certainly polifli an^ foften the manners. Thcfe would be my pleafures and amufements, if I was to live the lad thirty years over again ; they are rational ones; and moreover I will tell you, they are really the faftiionable ones ; for the others are not, in truth, the pleafures of what I call people of fafhion, but of thofe who only call themfelves fo. Does good company care to have a man reeling drunk among them? or to fee another tearing his hair, and blaf- pheming, for having loll, at play, more than he is able to pay ? or a whore- mailer with half a nofe, and crippled by cofirfe and infamous debauchery ? No : thofe who pratftife, and much more thofe who brag of them, make no part of good company ; and are moft- imwillingly, if ever, admitced into it. I have not mentioned the pleafures of the mind (which are the folid and permanent ones), becaufe they do not com-e under the head of what people com- monly call pleafures ; which they feem to confine to* the fenfes. The pkafure of virtue, of charity, and of learning, is true and lafling pleafure ; with which I: hope you will be weii and long acquainted. — Adieu! LETTER XLIV. Attention to one Thing at a Time. BrAR BOY, London, April the 14th. If you feel half the pleafure from the confcioufnefs of doing well, that I do from the informations I have late-. ly received in your favour from Mr. Harte, I fhail have little occafion to exhort or admonifii you any more, to do what your own fatisfadion and felf-love will fuffici- ehtly prompt you to. . Mr. Harte tells me that you at-. tend, that you apply to your fludies, and that, begin- ning to underfiand, you begin to tafte them. This pleafure will increafe, and keep pace with your at- tention ; fo that the balance will be greatly to your, advantage. You may remember, that I have always' Attention to one T/u'.-ii^ at a Time, 81 carneflly recommended to you, to do what you are about, be that what it will ; and to do-nothing elfe at the fame. time. Do not imagine, that I mean by this, that you fliould attend to and plod at your book all day long ; far from it : I mean that you fliould have your pleafures too 5 and that you iliould attend to them, for the time, as much as to your fludies ; and, if you do not at*"end equally to both, jou will neither have improvement nor fatisfaftion from either. A man is fit for neither bufinefs nor pleafure, who either can- not, or does not, command and dire6t his attentioajo. the prefent objecSl, and, in fome degree, banifli, for that time, all other obje6b from his thoughts. If, at a party of pleafure, a man were to be folving, in his own mind, a problem in Euclid,' he would be a very bad companion, and make a very poor figure in that company; or if, in ihidying a problem in his clofr't, he were to think of a minuet, lam apt to believe that he would make a very poor mathematician. There is time enough for every thing, in the courfe of the day, if you do but one thing at once ; but there is not time enough in the year, if you will do two things at a time. The penfionary de Witt, who was torn to. pieces in the year 1672, did the whole bufinefs of the republic, and yet had time left to go to aflemblies in the evening, and, fup in company. Being afked, How he could povlibly find time to go through fo much bufinefs, and yet amufe himfelf in the evenings as he did ? he anfwered. There vv3s nothing fo eafy ; for that it was only doing one thing at a time, and never putting oiF any thing till to-morrow that could be done to-day. This fteady and undiifipated atteiition to one object is a fure mark of a fuperior genius ; as hurry, buflie, and agitation, are the never-failing fymptoms of a weak and frivolous mind. When you read Horace, attend to the juftuefs of his thoughts, the happinefs of his di£lion, and the beauty of his poetrv ; and do not think of Putfendorf De Ho??2ine et Give - : and, when you are reading PufFcndorf, do not think of Madame de St. Germain ; nor of PufTendorf, when you are talking to Madame de St. Germain. * Of the man and the citizen. 32 Directions to a Young Traveller, Mr. Harte informs me, that he has reimburfed you part of your lofTes in Gerniany ; and I confent to his reimburting you the whole, now that I know you de- ferve it. 1 fliall grudge you nothing, nor fliail you Want any thing, that you defire, provided you deferve it: fo that, you fee, it is in your own power to have whatever you pleafe. There is a little book which you read here with Monfienr Coderc, entitled Manicre de bien penfer dans hs ouvragts d'efprit*^ written by Pere Bouhours. I wifli you would read this book again, at your leifure hours 5 for it will not only divert you, but likewife form your tafte, and give you a jufl manner of think* iHg.— Adieu! LETTER XLV. Directions to a Young Traveller, DEAR BOY, London, June the SOth, I. WAS extremely pleafed with the account, which you gave me in your lafl, of the civilities that you received in your Swifs progrefs; and I have wrote, by this poll, to Mr. Burnaby, and to the Jlvoyer^ to thank them for their parts. If the attention you met with pleafed you, as I dare fay it did, you will, i hope> draw this general conclufion from it, that attention and civility pleafe all thofe to whom they are paid ; and that you will pleafe others, in proportion a5 you are attentive and civil to them. Billiop Burnet wrote his travels through Switzerland j and Mr. Stanyan, from a long refide.^ce there, ha^ written the beft account, yet extant, of the Thirteen Cantons; but thofe books will be read no more, I pre- fume, after you fhall have publiflied your account of that country. I hope you will favour me with one of the firft copies. To be ferious ; though 1 do not de- ilre that you fiiould immediately turn author, and oblige ^ T!he manner of forming a good judgment conccraing works of Superstition . . . Lying, 8 3 the world with your travels ; yet, wherever yon go, I would have you as curious and inquifitive as if you did inwnd to write them. I do not mean, that you fliould give yourfelf fo much trouble to know the number of houfes, inhabitants, fign-pofts^ and tomb-ftones of every town you go through 5 but that you fliould inform yourfelf, as well as your flay will permit you, whether the to^vn is free, or to whom it belongs, or in what manner i whether it has any peculiar privileges or cufloms; what trade or manufactures ; and fuch other particulars as people of fenfe d^^fire to know. And there would be no manner of harm, if you were to take memorandums of fuch things in a paper book, to help your memory. The only way of knowing all thefe things is, to keep the befl company, who can beft in- form you of them. 1 am juft now called away ; fo good-night ! LETTER XLVI. Siipentition. .,Li/ing, DEAR BOY, London, September tlie 21 1I. I RECEIVED by the lafl poll your letter of the 8th^ and I do not wonder that you were furprifed at the credulity and luperftition of the papifts at Eidfied- Icn, and at their abfurd flories of their chapel. But remember, at the fame tiniie, that errors and mifiakes, however grofs, in matters of opinion, if they are fin- cere, are to be pitied ; but not puuiftied, nor laughed at. The blindnefs of the underftanding is as much to be pitied as the blindnefs of the eyes; and there is neither jeft nor guilt in a man's lofi.ng his way in either cafe. Charity bids us fet him right, if ue can, by ar- guments and perfuallons ; but Charity, at the Hime time, forbids either to punifli or ridicule his m\sfortune. .Every man's reafon is, and muft be, his guide; and I may as well expeCl, that every man fliould be of my iize and complexion, as that he Hiould reafon jufl as f do. Every man feeks for truth; but God only knows who has fouiid it. It i.-, therefore, as ur, ju ft to perfe- cute, as it is abfurd to ridicule, people lor iliofe fev^eral opinions which they cannot help eiitertaiiiinjg upo;i E 6 S-^ Li/ingand Equivocation, the convi(5lion of their reafon. It is the man who tells,- or who a6ls a lie, that is guilty, and not he who " honeflly and.fincerely believes the lie. I really know nothing more criminal, more mean, and more ridicul- ous, than lying. It is the produ(5lion eiiher of malice, cowardice, or vanity; and generally mi(les of its aim in every one of thefc views ; for lies are ahvays de- tedled, fooner or later. If I tell a malicious lie, in or- der to afFc6l any man's fortune or charaiffer, I may in- deed injure him for fome time; but I fliall be fure to be the greateft fufFerer myfelf at laif ; for, as foon as ever I am detected (and deteded I moft certainly fliall be) I am blafted for the infamous attempt; and what- ever is faid afterwards,, to the difadvantage of that per- fqn, however true, pafles for calumny. If I lie, or equivocate, (for it is the fame thing) in order to ex- cufe myfelf for fomething that I have faid or done, and to avoid the danger or the lliame that I apprehend from it, I difcover, at once, my fear, as well as my wife- hood ; and only increafe, inftead of avoiding, the dan- ger and the fliame; I (liow myfelf to be the lowed: and the meanefl: of mankind, and am fure to be always - treated as fuch. Fear, inflead of avoiding, invites danger; for concealed cowards will infult known ones. If one has had the misfortune to be in the wrong, there is fomething noble in frankly owning it; it is the only way of atoning for it, and the only way of being for- given. Equivocating, evading, fliufliing, in order to remove a prefent danger or inconveniency, is fome- thing fo mean, and betrays fo much fear, that whoever praiftifes them, always deferves to be, and often wiii be, kicked. There is ajiother fort of lies, inoffenilve enough in themfelves, but Wonderfully riclicjilous : 1 rr^.can thofe lies which a miftaken vanity fuggefts, that de- feat the very tn<\ for which they are calculated, and ter- minate in the humiliation and confufion of their author, who is fure to be deteded. Thefe are chiefly narrative and hiftorical lies, all intended to do infinite honour to their author. He is always the hero of his own ro- mances ; he ha'=! been m dangers from which nobody but him ft If ever efcaped ; he has {ten \v\i\\ his own eyes whatever other people have heard or read of: he has had liK'ie Icniics fvYiunts thun ever he knew worntii; and hr^^ Knoivkdge of the }Forld, \ '^. ^5 ridden more miles pofl, in one day, than ever courier went in two. He is foon difcovered, and as Toon be- comes the obje6l of nnivcrfal contempt and ridicule. Remember then, as long as you live, that nothing but ll;rid truth can carry you through the vvorld,vvith. either your confcience or your honour unvvounded. It. is not only your duty, but your interefl : as a proof of which, you may alu'ays obferve, that the greateft fools are the greateft liars. For my own part, I judge of every man's truth by his degree of underftanding.. This letter will, I fuppofe, find you at Leipfig ; where I expecfl: and require from you attention and ac- curacy, in both which you have hitherto been very deficient. Remember that I fliall fee you in the fum- mer ; fliall examine you moil narrowly; and will never, forget nor forgive thofe faults which it has been in your own power to prevent or cure : and be afTured, that [ have many -eyes upon you at Leipfig, befidcs Mr. llarte's. — Adieu 1 LETTER, XLVIL Kiioivk'Jge of the World. DEAR BOY, London, Odober the 2d. By your letter of the i8th pafl:, I find that you are a tolerable good landfcape painter, and can prefent the feveral views of Switzerland to the curious. I am very glad of it, as it is a proof of fome attention ; but I hope you will be as good a portrait painte-, which-fis.'k much more noble fcience. By portraits, you will eafily judge that I do not mean the outlines and the colouring of the human figure, but the infide of the heart and mind of man. This fcience requires more; attention, obfervation, and penetration, than the other; as indeed it is infinitely more ufeful. Search therefore^ with the greateft care, into the chara6lers of all thofe whom you converfe with ; endeavour to difcover their predominant paflions, their prevailing weaknefles, their aiities,' their follies, and their humours; with all th^ ght ?.\\d wrong, w^ife and filly fprings of human ac- S6 «i ^ Knowledge of the IVorld, tions, which make fueh inconfiftent and whirnOcal beings of us rational creatures. A moderate fliare of penetration, with great attention, will infallibly make thefe neceflary difcoveries. This is the true know- ledge of the world ; and the world i^ a country which nobody ever yet knew by defcription ; one muft travel through it one's-felf to be acquainted with it. The fcholar, who in the duft oF his clofet talks or writes of the world, knows no more of it, than that orator did of war, who judicioufly endeavoured to inftru(ft Han- nibal in it. Courts and camps are the only places to learn the world in. There alone all kinds of characters refort, and human -nature is feen in all the various fliapes and modes which education, cuflom, and habit give it : whereas, in all other places, one local mode generally prevails, and produces a feeming, though not a real, famenefs of charad:er. For example, one gene- ral mode diftinguifties an univerfity, another a trading town, a third a fea-port town, and fo on ; whereas at a capital, where the prince or th? fupreme power re- fides, fome of all thefe various modes are to be feen, and feen in a6iion too, exerting their utmoft fkill in purfuit of their feveral objeds. Human-nature is the fame all over the world ; but its operations are fo varied by education and habit, that one mutt fee it in all its drefles, in order to be intimately acquainted with it. The paiiion of ambition, for inftance, is the fame in a courtier, a foldier, or an ecclefiaftic ; but, from their different educations and habits, they will take very different methods 'to gratify it. Civility, which is a difpofition to accommodate and oblige others, is effentially the fame in every country : but good-breed- ing, as it is called, which is the manner of exerting that difpoiition, is different in almofl every country, and merely local; and every man of fenfe imitates and conforms to that local good-breedinj of the place which he is at. A conformity and flexibility of man- ners is neceifary in the courfe of the world; that is, with regard to all things which are not wrong in them- feives. The verJatUe kngeniuin * is the moR: ufeful of * Accommodating difpoiition. Cautions against hasty and improper FrienchJiips, 87 all. It can turn itfelf indantly from one obje^l to another, afTuming the proper manner for each. It can be ferious with the grave, cheerful with the gay, and trifling with the frivolous. Endeavour, by all means, to acquire this talent, for it is a very great one. As I hardly know any thing more ufefiil, than to fee, from time to time, pictures of one's-felf drawn by different fiands, I fend you hfere a Iketch of yourfelif, drawn at Laufanne, while you were there, and fent over here by a perfon who little thought that it would ever fall into noy hands: and indeed it was by the greateft accident in the world that it did. LETTER XLVIII. Cautions against hasty and improper Friendshipsj DEAR BOY, London, OdoL'jr the 9th. People of your age have, commonly, an unguarded franknefs about them; which makes them the eafy prey and bubbles of the artful and the experienced: they look upon every knave, or fool, who tells them that he is their friend, to be really fo ; and pay that profellion of (imulated friendfliip, with an indifcreet and unbounded confidence, always to their lofs, often to their ruin. Beware, therefore, now that you are coming into the World, of thefe profered friendfliips. Receive them with civility, but with great incredulity too ; and pay them with civility, but not with con- fidence. Do not let your vanity, and feif-love, make you fuppofe that people become your friends at firft fight, or even upon a lliort acquaintance. Real friendiliip is a flow grower ; and never thrives, unlefs ingrafted* upon a flock of known and reciprocal merit. There is another kind of nominal friend fliip, among young people, which is warm for the time,- but, by good luck, of fliort duration. This friendfliip is haflily produced, by their being accidentally throwjn together, and purfuing the fame courfe of riot and de- bauchery. A fine friendfliip truly! and well cemented by drunkennefs and lewdnefs. It fhould rather be §8 Caulions agahioi hastij mid /.;^.. :^.^. ^ : .....d.hips. called a confpiracy againll morals -and -good.inannjsrs., and be puniftied as fucli by the civil magilirate. How- ever, they have the impudence, and the folly, to call this confederacy a friendfliip. They lend one another money, for bad purpofes ; they engage in quarrels," offenfive and defenfive, for their accomplices^ they tell one another all they know, and often more too"; when, of 3 fudden, fome accident difperfes them, and. they tiiink 110^ more of each other, imlefs it be to be- tray and laugh at their imprudent confidence. Remem- ber to make a gre-at difference between companions and friends ; for a very complaifant and agreeable com- panion may, and often does, prove a very improper, and a very dangerous friend. People will, in a great degree, and not v^Mtbout reafon, form their opinion of you, up.on that which they have of your friends; and there is a Spanlfli proverb, which fays, very juflly, Tell me ivJipmycu live w'ltJi^ and I will tell you who you are. One may fairly fuppofe, that a man, who makes a knave or a fool his friend, has fomething very bad to do, or to conceal. But, at the fame time that you carefully decline the friendfliip of knaves and fools, if it can be called frieiidfliip, there is no occafion to make either of them your enemies, wantonly, and un- provoked ; for they are numerous bodies; and I would rnther chufe a fecure neutrality, than alliance, or war, with either of them. You may be a declared enemy to tliCir vices and follies, without being marked out by them as a perfonal one. Their enmity is the next dangerous thing to their friendflup. Have a real re- ferve with almofl every body ; and have a feeming referve with almofl nobody ; for it is very difagreeable to feem refer ved, and very dangerous not to be fc^. Few people find the true medium; many are ridicu- loufly myflerions and referved upon trifles; and many imprudently communicative of all they know. The next thing to the choice of your friends is the choice of your company. Endeavour, as much as you can, to keep company with people above you. There vou rife, as much as you fink with people below you ; for (as I have mentioned before) you arc, whatever the conipany you keep is. Do not miilake, when I (^.^' Caaiioii^ aga.in>it haslj/ and iniproj^er Friendships. S^ company above you, aird think that. I mean with re- gard to their birth ; that is the lead -con-fideration ; but - 1 mean with rega.rd to their aierit;^ and the light in which the world con fiders them. There are two forts of good company; one, which is called the heau mondc*^ and confifls of thofe people who have the lead in courts, and in the gay part oi, life: the .other con Q (Is of thofe who are dittinguilhed by fome peculiar merit, or who excel in fome particu- lar and valual51e art or fcience. For my own part, I ufed to think myfelf in company as much above me, vvhen I was with Mr. Addifon and Mr. Pops, as if I had been with all the princes in Europe. What I mean by low company, wiiich (liould by all means be avoided, is the company of thofe, who, abfolutely in- ligliificant and contemptible in themfelves, think they are honoured by being in your company, and who flatter every vice and every folly you have, in order to engage you to converfe wnth them. The pride of being the firft of the company is but too common ;' but it is very (illy, and very prejudicial. Nothing in the world lets dov^ii-a charaAer more, than that wrong turn. You may poffibly a(k me, whether a man has it al- ways in his power to get into the beil: company ? and how? — I fay. Yes, he has, by.deferving it ; j)rovided .he is but in circumftances which enable him to appear upon the footing of a gentleman. Merit and good- breeding will miike their way every-where. Know- fedge will introduce him, and good-breeding vyill en- dear him to the bell companies ; for, as I have often told you, politenels and good- breeding are abfoiiirely neceifary to adorn any, or all other good qualities or talents. Without them, no knowledge, no perledtion whatfoever, is feen in its bell light. The fcholar, with- out good breeding, is a pedant; the pliilofopher, a cynic; the fold ier, a brute ; and every man difagree- able. ■'•• The r;\ Alien able wcrlo. t '^ 1 LETTER XLIX. The Art of Pleasing, t'E AR BOY, London, Odobei the 16th. The art of pleafing Is a vei-y ncceflary one to pofTefs ; but a very difficult one to acquire. It can hardly be reduced to rules; and your own good-fenfe and obfer- vation will teach you more of it than I can. Do as you would be done by, is the furefl: method that I know of pleafing. Obfet^ve carefully vvhat pleafes you in others, and prob.ibly the fame things in you will plcafe others, if you are pleaftd with the complaifance and attention of others to your humours, your taftes, or your weakrielles, depend upon it, the fame com- plaifance and attention, on your part, to theirs, will equally pleafe them. Take thetone of the company that you are in, and do not pretend to give it ; be ferious, gay, or even trifling, as you find the prefent humour of the company: this is an attention due from every individual to the majority* Do not tell {lories in com- pany ; there is nothing more tedious and difdgreeable : if by chance you know a very fhort ilory, and exceed- ingly applicable to the prefent fubje£t of converfation, tell it in as few words as poflible ; and even then throw out that you do not love to tell (lories ; but that the lliortnefs of it tempted you. Of all things, banifli the egotifm out of your converfation, and never think of entertaining people with your own perfonal con- cerns, or private affairs ; though they are interefting to you, they are tedious and impertinent to every body elfe : beiides that, one cannot keep one's own private affairs too fecret. Whatever you think your own ex- cellences may be, do not affe6tedly difplay them in company; nor labour, as many people do, to give that turn to the converfation which may fupply you with an opportunity of exhibiting them. Jf they are real, they will infallibly be difcovered, without your pointing them out yourfelf, and with much more advantage. Never maintain an argument with heat and clamour, though you think or know yourfelf to be in the right; but give your opinion modeflly and coolly, which is thg The Jrt of Pleasing, 91 only way to convince ; and, if that does not doj try to change the converfation, by faying, with good hiimciir, " We fliall hardly convince one another, nor is it ne- ceffary that we flioiild ; fo let lis talk of fomething clfe." Remember that there is a local propriety to be ob- served in all companies; aiid that what is extremely proper in one company, may be, and often is, highly improper in another. The jokes, the ^ons mots, the liitle adventures, which may do very well in one company, will feem flat and tedious, when related in another. The particular cha- - racflers, the habits, the cant of one company, may give merit to a word, or a gefture, which would h'ave none at all if diverted of thofe accidental circumftances. Here people very commonly err; and, fond of fome- , thing that lias entertained them in one company, and I in certain circumflances, repeat it with emphafis in another, where it is either infipid, or, it may be, of- fenfive, by being ill-timed, or mifplaced. Nay, they often do it with this filly preamble — "I will tell you an excellent thing;*' or, *< I will tell you the beft thing in the world." This ralfes expectations, which, when abfolutely difappointed, make the relator of this ex- ^ "llent thing look, very defervedly, like a fool. If you would particularly gain the affection and friend (lyip of particular people, whether men or wo- jnen, do juftice to what you find out to be their pre- dominant excellency, if they have one, and be tender ' to their prevailing weaknefs, which every body has, un- lefs it is of the nature of vice, or you can mend them by reproof. Cardinal Richelieu, who was undoubted- ly the ablefl: ftatefmanof his time, or perhaps of any other, had the idle vanity of being thought the beft poet too : he envied the great Corneille his reputation, and ordered a criticifm to be written upon the Cid, Thofe, therefore, who flattered flcilfully, faid little to him of his abilities in ftate affairs, or at lead but en pq/pifif, and as it might naturally occur. But the in- cenfe which they gave him, the fmoke of which, they knevy, would turn his head in their favour, was as a he! efprif^ and a poet. Why? Becaufe he was fure of ^;^ The An of Pleasing. one excellency, and diflruftful as to the other. EvcrVv. man's prevailing vanity may be ealily difcovered by., obferving his favourite topic of converfation ; for* every man talks moft of what he has mod a mind to, be thought to excel in. The late Sir Robert Walpole^ (who was certainly an able man)" was little open to flattery upon that head ;. for he was in no doubt himfelfv, about it; but his prevailing vveaknefs was, to be thought- to have a polite and h?ppy turn to gallantry, of whichj he had undoubtedly lefs than any man Hying; it was his favourite and frequent fubje6t of conveffation ;.- which proved, to thofe who had any penetration, that^: it was his prevailing vveaknefs. Do not rniflake me,. and think tliat I mean to recommend to you abjedt^, and criminal iiattery : no ; flatter nobody's vices or crimes: on the cont?ar}% abhor and difcouragc them. But there is no living in the world without a com- pbif.int indulgence for people's innocent weakneffes. There are little attentions^ likewife, which are iafi- iiitely engaging, and which fenfibly affe<5l that degree of pride and feif-love which is infeparable from hu*. man-nature, as they are unqueflionjible proofs of the regard and confideration which we have for the perfoas to whom we pay them. As, for example, toobferve the. little habits, the likings, the antipathies, and the taftes, of thofe whom we would oblige, and then take care to j provide them with the one, and to fecure them frotn- the other ; giving them, genteely,. to underftand, that- you hacl cbfcrvcd tht:y liked fuch a diili, or fuch a: roo'>5 ; for v^'hich reafon you had prepared it; or, on the contrary, that having obfcrved they had an averhon tor fuch a difti, a diflike to fuch a perfon, &c. you had taken care to avoid prcfenting them. Such attention, to^fiich trifles, obliges much more than greater things^ as it makes people th'xnk themfelves almofl the only objCs^.s of your thoughts and care. Thcfe are fome of the arcar.as necefTary for your initiation in the great fociety of the world. I wi(b T had known them better at your age ; I have paid the, price of three-and-fifty years for them ; and fhal! not grudge it, if )ou reap the advantage. — Adieu ' [ 93 ] LETTER L. On Travcllhtg and Emptoymcnt c/f' Time. DEAR KOY, London, October tiie GOlh. I AM very well pleafcd with your liinerarhcm^ which you fent me from Racifbon. It fiiows me that you ob- ferve and inquire as you go, which is the true end of travelling. Thofe who travel heedlefsly from place to place, obferving only their dillance from each other, and attending only to their accommodation at the imi at night, fet out fools, and will certainly return fo. Thofe who only mind the raree-fliows of the places which they go through,. inch as fteeples, clocks, town- hoiifes, &c. get fo little by their travels, that they might as well flay at home. But thofe who obferve, and in- quire into the fituation, the flrength, the weaknefs, the trade, the manufadures, the government, and conflitution of every place they go to; who frequent the beft companies, and attend to their feveral man- ners and charafters; thofe alone travel with advantage: and as. they fet out wife, return wifer. I would advife you always to get the fliorteft de- ■fcri])tion or hiftory of every place where you make / any flay ; and fuch a book, however imperfefl, will ilill fuggefl to you matter for inquiry; upon which you may get better informations from the people of the place. For example, while you are at Leipfig, get fome fliort account (and to be fure there are many fuch) of the prefent flate of that tow!i, with regard to its magiflrates, its police, its privileges, See. and then inform yourfelf more minutely, upon all thofe heads, in converfafion with the mofl: intei'igcnt people. Do the fame thing afterwards with regjird to the tlecTtorare of Saxony: you will find a fliort iiiftoiy of it in Puffei> . dorf 's lntrodu<^ion, which will give you a general idea of it, and point out to you the proper objct'^s of a more minute inquiry. In fljort, be curious, atten- tive, inquifitive, as to evuch '96 ' Learning and Fedaniiy, that, I believe, there is more judgement required for the {Proper condu(f\ of our virtues, than for avoiding their oppofite vices. Vice, in its true light, is fb de- formed, that it lliocks us at firft fight ; and would hardly ever fediice us, if it did not, at firfl fight, wear the mafk of Tome virtue. But virtue is, in itfelf, fo beautiful, that it charms us at firil ; engages us more and more upon further acquaintance; and, as with other beauties, we think excefs impoffible : it is here that judgement is neceffary, to moderate and di- rect the effeds of an excellent caufe. I fliall apply this reafoning, at prefent, not to any part^icular virtue, but to an excellency, which, for want of judgement, is often the caufe of ridiculous and blameable effex^s ; I 'tnean great learning, which, if not accompanied with found judgement, frequently carries us into error, pride, and pedantry. As I hope you will poflcfs that excellency in its utmoft extent, and yet without its too common failings, the hints, which my experience can fuggell, may probably not be ufelefs to you. Some learned men, proud of their knowledge, only fpeak to decide, and give judgement without appeal, The confequence of w^hich is, that mankind, provoked by the infult, and injured by the oppreflion, revolt ; and, in order to fhake off the tyranny, even call the lawful authority in queflion. The m.ore you know, the modeler you fhould be; and (by the way), that modefly is the fureft way of gratifying your vanity."' Every where you are fure, feem rather doubtful : ^e- prefent, but do not pronounce : and, if you would convince others, feem open to convidlion yourfelf. Others, to fliow their learning, or often from the prejudices of a fchool-cducati,on, where they hear of nothing elfe, are always talking of the ancients, as fomething more than men, and of the nioderns as fomexhi;i>g iefs. . .They are never without a- claffic or two in their pockets : they ftick to the old good-fenfe ; they read none of the modtbrn trafh : and will iliow you plainly, that no improvement has been made, in any one art or fcience, thefe lad feventeen hundred vrars. I would by no means have you difown your icquainta:ncc witlrr' the ancients 5 but ftill Iefs would I Learning and Pedantrj/. 97 have you boafi: of an exclufive intimacy with them. Speak of the moderns without contempt, and of the ancients without idolatry ; judge them all by their merits, but not by their ages; and, if you happen to have an Elzevir clallic in your pocket, neither fliow it nor mention it. Some great fcholars^, moft abfurdly, draw all their maxims, both for public and private life, from what they call parallel cafes in the ancient authors, without confideriHg, that, in the firfl place, there never were, (ince the creation of the world, two cafes exadly pa- rallel ; and, in the next place, that there never was a cafe ftated, or even known, by any hiftorian, with everyone of its circumftances; which, however, ought to be known, in order to be realbned from. Reafon upon the cafe itfelf, and the feveral circumftances that attend it, and a6l accordingly ; but not from the authority of ancient poets or hiilorians. Take into your confideration, if you pleafe, cafes feemingly analogous, but take them as helps only, not as guides. We are really fo prejudiced by our educations^ that, as the ancients deified their heroes, we deify their mad- men: of which, with all due regard to antiquity, I take Leonidas and Curtius to have been two diftin- guiflied ones. And yet a folid pedant would, in a fpeech in parliament, relative to a tax of two-pence in the pound upon fome commodity or other, quote thofe two heroes as examples of what we ought to do, and fufFer for our country. I have known thefe abfurdities carried fo far, by people of injudicious learning, that I fhould not be furprifed if fome of them were to propofe, while we are at war with the Gauls, that a number of geefe fliould be kept in the l^ower, upon account of the infinite advantage which Rome received, in a parallel cafe, from a certain number of geefe in the Capitol. This way of reafoning, and this way of fpeak- ing, will always form a poor politician, and a puerile dcclaimer. There is another fpecies of learned men, who, though lefs dogmatical and fupercilious, are not lefs imperti- nent. Thefe are the communicative and fliining pe- dants, who adorn their converfation, even with wo* F i)S LtaV fling and Pedantry, men, by happy quotations of Greek and Latin ; and who ha\re contraded fiich a familiarity with the Greek and Roman authors, that they call them by certain names or epithets denoting intimacy; — as, old Homer; that fly rogue Horace ; Maro, indead of Virgil ; and Nafo, inflead of Ovid. Thefe are often imitated by coxcombs, who have no learning at all, but who have got fome names, and fome fcraps of ancient au- thors by heart, which they improperly and imperti- nently retail in all companies, in hopes ofpafling for fcholars. If, therefore, you would avoid the acciifa- tion of pedantry, on one hand, or the fufplcion of io-- norance, on the other, abflain from learned oftentation. Speak the language of the company you are in ; fpeak n purely, and unlarded with any other. Never jeem wijfer, nor more learned, than the people you are with. Wear your learning, like your watch, in a private pocket ; and do not pull it out, and ftrike it, merely to (how that you have one. If you are afked what o*clock it is, tellit ; but do not proclaim it hourly and una/ked, like the watchman. Upon the whole, remember that learning (I mean Greek and Rom.an learning), is a moil: ufefiil and neceffary ornament; which it is fhameful not to be mafler of; but, at the fame time, mod carefully avoid thofe errors and abufes which I have mentioned, and which too often attend it. Remember too, that great nnodern knowledge is ftill more necefTary than ancient; and that you had better know perfectly the prcfent, than the old llate of Europe ; though 1 would have you well acquainted with both. I have this moment received your letter of the 17th. Though, I CO nfefe^ there is no great variety in your prefent manner of iiUfe^^yet materials can never be wanting for a letter 5 you fee, you hear, or you read, fomething new every day; a fliort account of which, with your own reflections thereupon, will make out a letter very well. But, fince you defire a fubjetl, pray {end me an account of the Lufheran eflablifhment in Germany, their religious tenets, their church-govern- ment, the niiaintenance, authority, and titles of thdr clergy. [ 99 J LETTER LII. Graceful Manner and Behaxiour.,. Inquiries concerning Germanfif, DEAR BOY, Bath, March the 9th. I MUST, from time to time, remind you of what I have often recommended to you, and of what you cannot attend to too much ; — facrifice to the Graces. The ditferent effects of the fame thing, faid or done, when accompanied or abandoned by them, is almoffc inconceivable. They prepare the way to the heart 5 and the heart has fuch an influence over the under- Handing, that it is worth while to engage it in our interell. From your own obferyation, refie(5l what a difagreeable imprelTion an awkward addrefs, aTiovenlv figure, an ungraceful manner of .fj:)eaki ng, whether fluttering, muttering, monotony, or drawling; an un- attentive behaviour, &c. make upon you, at firil fight, in a ilranger, and how they prejudice you againfl: him," though, lor aught you know, he may have great in- triilfic .fenfe and merir. - And relied, on the other hand, how much the oppofites of all thefe things pre- poflefs you, at tiril fight, in favour of thofe, who enjov them. You wifli to find rll good qualities in iheni, and are in forne degree difappointed if you do not* Obferv^^ carefully, then, what difpleafes or pleafes you in others, and be perfuaded, that, in general, the fame things will pleafe or difpleafe them in you. Hay- ing mentioned laughing, I muft particularly caution you againft it. Frequent and loud laughter is the cha- raderKlic bf folly and ill-manners ; it is the manner in which the mob exprefs their filly joy, at filly thhias ; and they call it being merry. In my niijid,' there^ h nothing fo illiberal, and fo ill-bred, as audible laughter. True wit, or fenfe, never yet made any body Liuoh ; they are above it ; they pleafe the mind, and give a cheerfulnefs to the countenance. But it ib'iow buf^ foonery, or filly accidents, that alw'ays excite iauo-h- ter : and that is what people of fenfe and breeding fliould fliow tJfemfelves above. A mean's going to hi down, in the fuppofitiou that he has a chair behind F 2 1 00 Graceful Manner and Behaviour, him, and falling down upon his breech for want of one, fets a whole company a laughing, when all the wit iii the world would not do it, — a plain proof, in my mind, how low and unbecoming a thing laughter is. Laugh- ter is eafiiy retrained, by a very little refledtion; but, as it is generally conne^fled with the idea of gaiety, people do not enough attend to its abfurdity. Many people, at firft from awkwardnefs and mauvmfe honte^ have got a very difagreeable and filly trick of laughing, whenever they fpeak : and I know a man of very good parts, Mr. Waller, who cannot fay the commoneft thing without laughing ; which makes thofe, who do not know him; take him at firft for a natural fool. This, and many other very difagreeable habits, arc owing to manvalfe honte at their firft fetting out in the world. They are afliamed in company, and fo difconcerted, that they do not know what they do, and try a thoufand tricks to keep themfelves in coun- tenance ; which tricks afterwards grow habitual to them. Some put their fingers in their nofe, others fcratch their head, others twirl their hats; in fliorr, every awkward ill-bred body has his trick. But the frequency does not juftify the thing; and all thefe vulgar habits and awkwardnefs, though not criminal indeed, are mod carefully to be guarded againff, as thev are great bars in the way of the art of pleafing. Remember, that to pleafe is almoft to prevail, or at lead a necefiary previous ftep to it. You, who have your fortune to make, (liould more particularly ftudy this art. ' You had not, I mud tell you, when you left England, les mameres pr'cvenantes ^ ; and I mufi: confefs they are not very common in England : but I hope that your good fen fe will make you acquire them abroad. If you defire to make yourfclf confiderable in the world (as, if you have any fpirit, you do) it muft be entirely your own doing ; for I may very pof- fibly be out of the world at the time you come into it. Your own rank and fortune will not affift you ; your merit and your manners can, alone, raife you to figure and fortune, I have laid the foundations of them, by ♦ ComiuandJng manners. Inquiries concerning Germam/» 1 1 the education which I have given you ; but you mull build the fuperftrudure yourfelf, I muft now apply to you for fome informations, which I dare fay you can, and which I defire you will give me. Can the eie(5tor of Saxony put any of his fubjec^s to dea^h for high treafon, without bringing them iirfl to their trial in fome public court of juftice ? Can he, by his own authority, confine any fubjeft in prifon as long as he pleafes, without trial ? Can he banifli any fubjec^l out of his dominions by his own authority ? Can he lay any tax whatfoever upon his fubjeds, without the confent of the States of Saxony ? and what are thofe ftates? how are they eleded ? what orders do they confifl of? Do the clergy make part of them ? and when, and how often, do they meet ? If two fubje6ls of the elector's are at law, for an eilate fituated in the deflorate, in what court mull this fuit be tried : and will the decifion of that court be final, or does there lie an appeal to the Imperial Chamber at Wetzlaer? What do you call the two chief courts, or two chief niagiftrates, of civil and criminal iuilice ? Whcit is the common revenue of the eledorate, one year with another ? What number of troops does the elector now main- tain? and what is the greateft number that the eledorate is able to maintain ? I do not expe(5l to have all thefc queftions anfwered at once; but you wiil^nfwer them in proportion as you get the neceffary and authentic informations. You are, you fee, my. German oracle; and I con- fult you with {o much faith, that you need not, like the oracles of old, return ambiguous anfwers ; efpeci- ally as you have this advantage over them, too, that I only cohfult you about paft and prefent, but not about what is to come. I wifli you a good Eafler fair at Leipfig, See, with at- tention, all the fliops, drolls, tumblers, rope-dancers, and hoc genus omnc : but infonli yourfelf more particu-» larly of the leveral parts of trade there, — Adieu ! F3 [ 102 I LETTER LIII. I nsl ructions for reading History, BEAR BOY, London, March the 25lb, I AM in great joy at the written and the verbal ac- counts which I have received lately of you. I am iikevvife particularly pleafed to find, that you turn yoiirfelf to that fort of knowledge which is more pe- culiarly necelVary for your deflination ; for Mr. Harte tells nie you have read, with attention, Caillieres, Pe- quet, and Richelieu's Letters. The Memoirs of the Cardinal dc^ Retz will both entertain and in(lru6l you ; they relate to a very interefting period of the French hiftory^ the miniftry of cardinal Mazarin, during the minority of Lewis XIV. The charaders of all the condderable people of that time are drawn in a fliort, Itrong, and mailerly manner ; and the political reflex- ions, which r.re moft of them printed in italics, are the jufteft that ever 1 met with ; they are not the laboured reflexions of a fyftematical clofet politician, who, with- \ out the leaft experience of bufinefs, (its at home and writes maxims \ but they are the reflexions which a great and able man formed, from long experience, and pradice, in great bufinefs. They are true concluiions, drawn from fads, not from fpcculations. As modern hifiory is particularly your bufinefs, I will give you fomc niks to dired your iludy of it» It begins, properly, with Charlemagne, in the year 800. But as, in thofe times of ignorance, the priefts and monks were almofl the only people that could or did write, we have fcarcely any hiilories of thofe times but fiich as they have been pieafed to give us; which are compounds of ignorance, fuperflition, and party zeal. So that a general notion of what is rather fup- pofed, than really known to be, the hillory of the iive or fix following centuries, feems to be fuflicient: and much time would be but ill employed in a minute attention to thofe legends. But referve your utmotl care, and mofl diligent inquiries, for the fifteenth cen- tury, aiid downw^ards. Then learning began to revive, I n:^ tractions for reading llisiory, 103 and credible hillorics to be written ; Europe began to take the form which, to fome degree, it flill retains, at leaft the foundations of the prefent great powers of Europe were then laid. Lewis the Eleventh made France, in truth, a monarchy. Before his time, there were independent provinces in France, as the duchy of Brittany, &c. vviiofe princes tore it to pieces, and kept it in conftant domeftic confufion. Lewis the Eleventh reduced all thefe petty flates, by fraud, force, or marriage ; for he fcrupled no means to ob- tain his ends. About that time, Ferdinand king of Arragon, and Ifabelia, his wife, queen of Caftile, united the whole Spanilli monarchy; and drove the Moors out of Spain, who had till then kept pofTeliion of Granada. About that time too, the houfe of Auftria laid the great foun- dations of its fubfequent power; fird, by the marriage of Maximilian with the heirefs of Burgundy; and then, by the marriage of his fon Philip, archduke of Auftria, with Jane, the daughter of Ifabelia, queen of Spain, and heirefs of that whole kingdom, and of the Well Indies. By the firft of thefe marriages, the houfe of Auftria acquired the Seventeen Provinces -, and by the latter Spain and America; all which centered in the perfon of Charles the Fifth, fon of the above-mention- ed archduke, Philip, the fon of Maximilian. This immenfe power, which the emperor Charles the Fifth found himfelf poiiefred of, gave him a defire for univerfal power (for people never defire all till they have gotten a great deal) and alarmed France : this fowed the feeds of that jealoufy and enmity, which have flouri filed ever (ince between thofe two great powers. Afterwards the houfe of Auftria was weak- ened by the divilion made by Charles the Fifth of his dominions, between his fon Philip the Second of Spain, and his brother Ferdinand; and has qver fince been dwindling to the weak condition in which it now is. This is a mod interefting part of the hilldry of Europe, of which it is abfolutely necelTary that you (liould be exactly and minutely informed. There are in the hi (lory of mod countries certain 104 Instructions for reading History, very remarkable sras, which deferve more particu- lar inquiry and attention than the common run of hiftory. Such is the revolt of the Seventeen Provinces, in the reign of Philip the Second of Spain, which end- ed ill forming the prefent republic of the Seven United Provinces, vvhofe independency was firft allowed by Spf^in 'at the treaty of Muniler. Such was the extra- ordinary revolution of Portugal, in the year 1640, in favour of the prefent houfe of Braganza. Such is the famous revolution of Sweden, when Chriftian the Se- cond of Denmark, who was alfo king of Sweden, was driven out by Gudavus Vafa. And Yuch, alfo, is that memorable ecra in Denmark, of 1660, when the ftates of that kingdom made a voluntary furrender of all their rights and liberties to the crown, and changed that free flate into the mod abfolute monarchy now in Europe. The A.^fa Regia *, upon that occafion, are worth your perufmg. Thefe remarkable periods of modern hiftory deferve your particular attention, and moll: of them have been treated fingly by good hif- torians, which are worth your reading. The revolu- tions of Sweden and of Portugal are mod admirably well v^ritten, by I'abbe de Vertot. They are fliort, and will not take twelve hours reading. There is an- other book which well deferves your looking into^ but not worth your buying at prefent, becaufe it is not port- able ; if you can borrow, or hire it^ you fliould ; and that is, IHifolre des Traites de Paixf, in two volumes, folio, which make part of the Corps Diplofnatique %, You will there find a (liort and clear hiftory, and the fubftance of every treaty made in Europe, during the laft century, from the treaty of Vervins. Three parts in four of this book are not worth your reading, as they relate to treaties of very little importance 3 but if you fele6t the moft confiderable ones, read them with attention, and take fome notes, it will be of great ufe to you. Attend chiefly to thofe in which the great powers of Europe are the parties ; fuch as the treaty of the Pyrenees, between France and Spain; the treaties * Royal Aas. f The liifiory of Treaties. % The Dii^lo- Impertinent and Co/mnon-plaee Observations, 105 of Nimeguen and Ryfwick : but, above all, the treaty- of Munfter (lion Id be moft circiimftantially and mi- nutely known to you, as aimoft every treaty made fince has fome reference to it. For this, Pere Bou- geant's is the beft book you can read, as it takes in the thirty years* war, which preceded that treaty. The treaty itfelF, which is made a perpetual law of the empire, comes in the courfe of your lectures upon the yus Publicum Imperii *. LETTER LIV. hupertinent and Comv ion-place Observations, DEAR BOY, - London, May the lOtli, I RECKON that this letter will find you juft returned from Drefden, where you have made your firft court caravanne. What inclination for courts this tafle of them may have given you, I cannot tell ; but this I think myfelf furc of, from your good fenfe, that, in leaving Drefden, you have left dillipation too ; and have refumed, at Leipfig, that application, which, if you like courts, can alone enable you to make a good figure at them. A mere courtier, without parts or knowledge, is the moft frivolous and contemptible of all beings ; as, on the other hand, a man of parts and - knowledge, who acquires the eafy and noble manners of a court, is the moft perfe6l. It is a trite, common- place obfervation, that courts are the feats of falfehood and diflimulation. That, like many, I might fay moft common-place obfervations, is falfe. Falfehood and diftimulation are certainly to be found-at courts ; but where are they not to be found ? Cottages have them as well as courts — only with worfe manners. A couple of neighbouring farmers, in a village, will contrive and pradife as many tricks, to over-reach each other at the next market, or to fupplant each other in the favour of the 'fquire, as any two courtiers can do to fupplanr each other in the favour of their prince. Whatever poets may write, or fools believe, of rural innocence * The public inflitutions of the empirca 1 06 Impertinent and Comnon-place Observations, and truth, and of the perfidy of courts, this is mod un- doubtedly true — that fliepherds and miniflers are both men, their nature and paffions the fame, the modes of them only different. Having mentioned common-place obfervations, I will particularly caution you againft either ufing, be- lieving, or approving them. They are the common topics of witlings and coxcombs; thofe, who really liave wit, have the utmoft contempt for them, and fcorn even to laugh at the pert things that thofe would- be wits fay upon fuch fubje^ls. Religion is one of their favourite topics ; it is all prieft-craft ; and an invention contrived and carried on by prietls,- of all religions, for their own power and profit : from this abfurd and falfe principle flow the common-place infipid jokes and infults upon the clergy. With thefe people, every pried, of every re- ligion, is either a public or a concealed unbeliever, drunkard, and w'horemafter : whereas, I conceive^ that prieils are extremely like other men, and neither the better nor the worfe for wearing a gown or a furpUce; but, if they are different from other people, probably it is on the fide of religion and morality, or at leaft de- cency, from their education and manner of life. Another common topic for falfe wit, and cold raillery, is matrimony. Every man and his wife hate each other cordially, whatever they may pretend, in public, to the contrary. The hufband certainly wiQies his wife at the devil, and the wife certainly cuckolds her Kufband. Whereas, I prefume, that men and their wives neither love nor hate each other the more, Tipoii account of the form of matrimony which has been faid over them. The cohabitation, indeed, which is the confequence of marrimony, makes them either love or hate more, accordingly as they refpedively deferve it; but that would be exactly the fame, between any man and w^oman, who lived together without being mar- ried. Thefe, and many other common-place reflexions upon nations, or profeffions, in general (which are at leaft as often falfe as true) are the poor refuge of people who have neither wit nor invention of their own, but en- Impertinent and Co7mion -place Ohservatloiis. 107 clcavoiir to (liinc in company by fecond-hand finery. I always put thefe pert jackanapefes out of counte- nance, by looking extremely grave, when they expe^l that i fliould laugh at their pleafantries ; and by faying ivell^ and fo ; as if they had not done, and that the iiing were i\\\\ to come. This difconcerts them ; as they have no refources in themfelves, and have but one i^tl of jokes to live upon. Men of parts are not re- duced to thefe fliifts, and have the utmoft contempt for them : they find proper fubjec^s enough for either iifeful or lively converfations ; they can be witty with- out fatire or common-place, and ferious without being dull, T'he frequenting of courts checks this ,'petu- lancy of manners ; the gciod-breeding and circum- fpe6tion which are necefiary, and only to be learned there, correal thofe pertneiTes. I do not doubt but that you are improved in your manners, by the fhort vifit which you have made at Drefden ; and the other courts, which I intend that you fliall be better ac- quainted with, will gradually fmooth you up to the highefl poli(h. Tn courts, a verfatiiity of genius, and a foftnefs of manners, are abfolutely necedary ; which fome people millake for abje6t flattery, and having no opinion of one's own ; whereas it is only the decent and genteel manner of maintaining your own opinion, and pollibly of bringing other people to it. The man- ner of doing things is often more important than the things themfelves; and the very fame thing may be- come either pleafing, or oftenfive, by the manner of faying or doing it. Materiam fuptrahat opus *, is often faid of works of fculpture ; where^ though the mate- rials were valuable, as filver, gold, &c. the workman- (liip was ftill more fo.. This holds true, applied to manners ; which adorn whatever knowledge or parts people may have.; and even make a greater impreliion, upon nine in ten of mankind, than the intrinfic value of the materials. On the other hand, remember that what Plorace fays of good writing is juRly applicable to thofe who would make a good rignre in courts, and diflinguidi themfelves in the fliining parts of life; # TliC woiiaiUiiifiiio farpafUcy the value of the materials, ' ' F6 103 Politeness in Courts. Saperecft princlpium et fon/^. A man, who, without a good fund of knowledge and parts, adopts a court life, makes the mol> ridiculous figure imaginable. He is a machine, little fuperior to the court clock; and, as this points out the hours, he points out the frivolous employment of them.. He is, at mod, a comment upon the clock; and, according to the hours that it Urikes, tells you, now it is levee, now dinner, now fupper time, &c. The end which I propofe by your education, and which (if you pleafe) I fliall certainly attain, is, to unite in you all the knowledge of a fcho- l^r, with the manners of a courtier; and to join, what is feldom joined in any of my countrymen, books and the world. They are commonly twenty years old be- fore they have fpoken to any body above their fchool- mafter and the fellows of their college. If they hap- pen to have learning, it is only Greek and Latin ; but not one w^ord of modern hidory, or modern languages. Thus prepared, they go abroad, as they call it : but, 5n truth, they ftay at home all that while ; for, being very awkward, confoundedly afliamed, and not fpeak- ing the languages, they go into no foreign company, at lead none good ; but dine and fup with one another only at the tavern. Such examples, I am fure, you will not imitate, but even carefully avoid. You will always take care to keep the beft company in the place where you are, which is the only ufe of travelling : and (by the way) the pleafures of a gentleman are only to be found in the beft company ; for that riot which low company, mofl falfely and impudently, call plea- fure, 15 only the fenfuality of a fwine. — Adieu ! ' LETTER LV. Politeness in Courts. jyv.AK BOY, London, May the 17tl>. I RECEIVED, yeftcrday, your letter of the i6th, aiid have, in confequence of it, written, this day, to * To be wife is the priuciple and fountain of ail. Politeness in Courts, 1091 Sir Charles Williams, to thank him for all the civilities he has fliovvn you. Your firit fctting out at court has, I find, been very fav^ourable ; and his Polii'h Majelty has diftingiiiflied you. I hope you receiveci that mark ofdiftindion with refped, and with Headinefs, which is the proper behaviour of a man of fafliion. People of a low, obfcure education, cannot (land the rays of greatnefs; they are frightened out of their wits when kings and great men fpeak to them; tliey are awkward, afliamed, and do not know what nor how to anfwer : whereas ks honnctes gens are not dazzled by fuperior rank : they know and pay all the refpcd that is due to it ; but they do it without being difconcerted ; and can converfe jufl as eafily with a king as with any one of his fubje6ts. That is the great advantage of being in- troduced young into good company^ and being ufed early to converfe with one's fuperiors. How many men have I feen here, who, after having had the full bene- fit of an Englifli education, firft at fchool, and then at the univerfity, when they have been prefented to the king, did not know whether they flood upon their heads or their heels ? If the king fpoke to them, they were annihilated ; they trembled, endeavoured to put their hands in their pockets and miffed them, Jet their hats fall, and were afliamed to take theni np ; and, in ftiort, put themfelves in every attitude but the right^ that is, the eafy and natural one. The chara6^eriftic of a well-bred man is, to converfe with his inferiors without infolence, and with his fuperiors with refpec^, and with eafe. He talks to kings without concern ; he trifles with women of the firft condition with fa- miliarity, gaiety, butrcfpec^; and converfes with his equals, whether he is acquainted with them or not, upon general common topics, that are not, however, quite frivolous, without the leaft concern of mind, or awkwardnefs of body ; neither of w.hich can appear to advantage but when they are perfedly eafy. [ HO ] LETTER LVI. Imtructioiis in the Study of History, DEAR BOY, London, May the 3111. I HAVE received, with great fatisfadion, your letter of the 28th, from Drefden : it finiflies your fliort but clear account of the Reformation ;' which is one of thofe inte(efting periods of modern hiftory, that can- not be too much iludied nor too minutely known by you. There are many great events in hiftory, which, when once they are over^ leave things in the fituation in which they found them. As for inltance, the late war; which, excepting the eflablifliment in Italy for Don Philip? leaves things pretty much in Jiatu quo * ; a mutual reflitution of all acquifitious being^ipulated by the preliminaries of the peace. Such events un- doubtedly deferve your notice, but yet not fo minutely as thofe, which afe not only important in themfelves, but equally (or it may be more) important by their con- fequences too : of this latter fort \vere the progrefs of tne Chriftian Religion in Europe; the invafion of the Goths; t!ie divinon of the Roman Empire into Weft- ern and Eafiern ; the eflablifhment and rapid progrefs of Mahometcnifm ; and, lallly, the Reformation : all which events produced the greateft changes in the aifairs of Europe, and to one or other of which the prefent fituation of all the parts of it is to be traced up. Next to thefe are thofe events which more imme- d'aitely ^ffecTt particular ftates and kingdoms, and which are reckoned merely local, thcugh their influence may, and indeed very often does, indiredly, extend itfelf further ; fiich as civil wars, and revolutions, from wliich a total change in the form of government fre- quently flows: The civil wars in England, in the rtign of king Charles I. produced an entire change of tiie government here, from a limited monarchy to a commonwealth, at firfl", ard afterwards to abfoiute j;ower, ufurped by Cron~;wel], under the pretence of ' protedicn, and the title of protestor. * In. the flale in %vhicli they were. Insiruci'wns in the Studj/ of Hislory. 1 1 \ The revolution, in 1688, inliead of ch-mging, pre* fcrved our form of government ; which king James, II. intended to fybvert, and eilabliiTi abfolute power in the crown. Thefe are the two great epochs in our Englifli hif- tory, which I recommend to your particular attention. The league formed by the houfe of Guife, and fo- mented by the artifices of Spain, is a moft material part of the hiftory of France. The foundation of it was laid in the reign of Henry II. but the fuperfirudure was car- ried on through the fucceilive reigns of Francis II. Charles IX. aud Henry III. till at laft it was cruflied, partly by the arms, but more bv the apollacy of Henry IV. ' In permany, great events have been frequent, by which the imperial dignity has always either gotten or loft : and fo far they have atfc/ied the conlHtution of the empire. The houfe of Audria kept that dignity to itfelf for near two hundred years, during which time it was always attempting to extend its power, by en- croaching upon the rights and privileges of the other ftates of the empire ; till, at the end of the helium tri- cennale'^^ the treaty of Munfler, of which France is gua- rantee, fixed the refpet^live claims. Italy has been conllantly torn to pieces, from the time of the Goths, by the popes and the antipopes, fe- verally fupported by other great powers of Europe, more as their intereft than as their religion led them : by the pretenlions alfo of France, and the houfe of Auftria, upon Naples,^S!cily, and the Milanefe ; not to mention the various leiler caufes of fqusbbles there, for the little ftates, fuch as Ferrara, Parma, Montferrat, &:c. The popes, till lately, have always taken a confider- able part, and had great influence in the affairs of Eu- rope ; their excommunications, bu!ls, and indulgences, flood inflead of armies, in- the t^mes of ignorance and bigotry ; but now, that mankind is better informed, the fpiritual a'^thority of the pope is not only lefs regarded, but even defpifed, by the catholic {)rinces themfeives; and -his holincfs is adually little more than bifhop of * The t!;"rtY years war. 112 Attention to Inferiors. Rome^ with large temporalities ; which he is not likely to keep longer than till the other greater powers in Italy fhall find their conveniency in taking them from him. Among the modern popes, Leo the Tenth, Alexander the Sixth, and Sextiis Quintus, deferve youi' particular notice. The firfl:, among other things, for his own learning and tafle, and for his encouragement of the re- viving arts and fciences in Italy. Under his protection, the Greek and Latin claflics were mod excellently tranf- lated into Italian ; painting flouriflied and arrived at its perfedion ; and fculpture came fo near the ancients, that the works of his time, both in marble and bronze, are now called Amico-Moderno, Alexander the Sixth, together with his natural fon, Cefar Borgia, was famous for his wickcdnefs ; in which he, and his fon too, furpaffed aH imagination. Their lives are well worth your reading. They were poifoned themfelves by the poifoned wine which they had pre- pared for others : the father died of it, but Cefar reco- vered. Sextus the Fifth was the fon of a fwineherd ; and raifcd himfelf to the popedom by his abilities: he was a great knave, but an able and a fingular one. Here is hiflory enough for to-day ; you fiiall have iome more foon. — Adieu ' LETTER LVIL Attention to Inferiors, DEAR BOY, Londoiy, July the 111. I AM extremely w^ell pleafed with the courfe of ftudies wiiich Mr. Harte informs me yon are now in, and with the degree of application which he afliires me you have to them. Solid knowledge, as I have often told you, is the firil and great fonndation of your future fortune and cha- ra6\er5 for I never mention to you the two much greater points of religion and morality, becaufe I cannot poifi- bly fufpeCl you as to either of them. This folid know- ledge you are in a fair way of acquiring ; you may if Aitcntion to Inferiors, i 1 3 you pleafe ; and, I will add, that nobody ever had the means of acquiring it more in their power than you have. But remember, that manners mud adorn know- ledge, and fmooth its way through the world. Like a great, rough diamond, it may do very well in a clofet, by way of curiofity, and alfo for its intrinfic value; but it will never be worn, nor fliine, if it is not polifhed. It is upon this article, T confefs, that I fufpe^t you the moft, which makes me recur to it fo often ; for I fear that you are apt to Ihow too little attention to every body, and too much contempt to many. Be convinced^ that there are no perfons fo infignificant and inconfi- derable, but may, fome time or other, and in fome thing or other, have it in their power to be of ufe to you ; which they certainly will not, if you have once fliown them contempt. Wrongs are often forgiven, but contempt never is. Our pride remembers it for ever. It implies a difcovery of wcakneffes, which we are much more careful to conceal than crimes. Many a man will confefs his crimes to a common friend, but I never knew a man who would tell his filly weaknefles to his moft intimate one. As many a friend will tell us our faults without referve, who will not fo much as hint at our follies; that difcovery is too mortifying to our felf-love, either to tell' another, or to be told of one's-felf. You muft, therefore, never expe*.'^ to hear of your weaknefTes, or your follies, from any body but me i thofe I will take pains to difcover, and whenever I do, lliall tell you of them. Next to manners, are exterior graces of perfon and addrefs; which adorn manners, as manners adorn knowledge. To fay that they pleafe, engage, and charm, as they mod indifputably do, is faying, that one fiiould do every thing poffible to acquire them. The graceful manner of fpeaking, is, particularly, what I fliall always hollow in your ears, as Hotfpur hollowed Mortimer to Henry IV; and, like him too, I have a mind to have a darling taught to hy^ /peak diJiinBly and gracefully^ and fend him you, to replace your lofs of the unfortunate Matzel '^ J who, by the way, I am told, fpoke his lan- guage very didindlly and gracefully. * A favourite bulfinch which dieJ. 114 Indolent and frwolous Miiid^ characterised. I hope you do not forget to inquire into the affairs of trade and commerce, nor to get the beft accounts yon can of the commodities and manufadures, exports and imports, of the feveral countries where you may be, and rhtir grofs vahie. . I woula iikewife have you attend to the refpe<^ive voins, gold, filver, copper, &c. and their value com- [ ared with our coins; for which purpofe, 1 would ad- vife you to put up, in a feparate piece of paper, one piece of every kind, wherever you lliall be, writing up- on it the name and the value. Such a colle6lion will be curious enough in itfeif ; and that fort of knowledge will be very uleful to you in your way of bufinefy, where the different value of money often comes in queflion. L'abbe Mably's Droit de V Europe, which Mr. Harte is fo kind as to fend me, is worth your reading.— * Adieu ! LETTER LVIII. Indolent and frivolous Minds characterised, ©EAR BOY, London, July the 26th. THERE arc two forts of underflandings; one of v.'hich hinders a man from ever being confiderable, and the other com.m.only makes him ridiculous; I n^.ean the lazy mind, and the trifling frivolous mind. Yours, I hope, is neither. The lazy mind will not take the trouble of going to the bottom of any thing; but, difcouraged by the firfl difficulries (and every tiling worth knowing or having is attended with fome), flops fiiort, contents itfeif with eafy, and, confequently, fupeificial knowledge^ and prefers a great degree of ignorance to a fmali degree of trouble. Thefe people either think, or reprefent, moft things as impoffible; whereas few things are fo, to induilry aud -cidivity. But difficulties feem to them impoffibilities, or at leail they pretend to think them fo, by way of excufe for thtir iazinefs. An hour's attention to the fame object Lidolent andfrirGlous Minds characterised. 115 is too laborious for thr:m ; they take every thing in the light in which it firft prefents itfelf, never conlider it in all its diflferent views ; and, in (liorr, never think it through. The confequence of this is, that wiien they come to fpeak upon thefe fu hjefts, before people who have confidered them with attention, they only difco- ver, their own ignorance and lazinefs, and lay them- felves open to anfwers that put them in confufion. Da not then be difcouraged by the firll difficulties, but contra audentior ito'*' \ and refolve to go to the bottom of all thofe things, which every gentleman ought to know well. Thofe arts or fciences, v/hich are pecu- liar to certain profeffions, need not be deeply known by thofe who are not intended for thofe profellions. As for inftance ; fortification and navigation; of both whiich a fuperficial and general knowledge, fuch as the co'nmon courfe of converfation, with a very little in- quiry on your part, will give you, is fufficient. Thoug'i, by the way, a little more knowledge of for- tification may be of fome life to you ; as the events of war, in fieges, make many of the terms of that fcience occur frequently in common converfations ; and one would be forry to fay, like the marquis de Mafcarille, in Moliere's Preckufcs Ridicules^ when he hears of une detnie luve ; — Ma foi c^ctoit hieti une liine toute tntkre \ I But thofe things which every gentleman, independently of profellion, Ihould know, he ought to know well, and dive into all the depths of them. Such are Ian- guages, hiftory, and geography, ancient and modern ; philofophy, rational logic, rhetoric ; and, for you par- ticularly, the conftitutions, and the civil and military ftatc- of every country in Eurojie. This, I confefs, is a pretty large circle of knowledge, aticiuied with fome dirhciilties, and requiring fome trouble ; which, how-' ever, an i.ftive and indufnious miiui will overcome, and be an. ply repaid. The trifling and frivolous mind is always biified, but to little purpofe ; it takes little objeif^s for great ones, and throws away upon trifles that time and attention wl.ich ordy in.portant tilings * But r];,ro.r- \ A liuii'-iii- V _ . .li-nioon ! 1 1 6 Indolent andfrk'olotis Minds characterised, dd^Yve, Knick-knacks, butterflies, fliells, inftds, &c. arc the objects of their moft ferioiis refearches. They contemplate thedrcfs, not the charat'iters, of the com- pany they keep. They attend more to the decorations of a play, than to the lenfe of it, and to the ceremonies oi a court, more than to its politics. Such an employ- ment of time is an abfolute Jofs of it. You have now, at moft, three years to employ, either well or ill ; for, as I have often told you, you will be, all your life, what you lliall be three years hence. For God's fake then refled ! Will you throw away this time, either in lazinefs, or in trifles? Or will you not rather employ every moment of it in a manner that muft io foon re- ward you, with fo much pleafure, figure, and charac^ ter ? 1 cannot, I will not doubt of your choice. Read only ufeful books, and never quit a fubjed till you are thoroughly mailer of it, but read and inquire on till then. When you are in company, bring the converfa- tion to fome ufeful fubje<5i-, but a portce * of that com- pany. Points of hiftory, matters of literature, the cuf- toms of particular countries, the fevera.l orders of knighthood, as Teutonic, Maltefe, &:c. are furely bet- ter fubjeds of converfation than the weather, drefs, or fiddle-faddle (lories, that carry no information along with them. The characters of kings, and great men, are only to be learned in converfation ; for they are never fairly written during their lives. This, there- fore, is an entertaining inftru(ftive fubje(5l of conver- fation, and will likewife give you an opportunity of obferving how very differently charaders are given, from the different paffions and views of thofe who give them. Never be afliamed nor afraid of afking quef- tions; for, if they lead to information, and if you ac- company them with fome excufe, ycfu will never be reckoned an impertinent or rude queliioner. All thofe things, in the common courfe of life, depend entirely upon the manner j and, in that refped, the vulgar fay- ing faying is true. That one man may better (leal a horfe, than another look over the hedge. There are few things that may not be faid, in fome manner or *'In the line of. Ohscrtations on Good-Conduct, SfC, 1 17 other: either in a feeming confidence, or a genteel irony, or introduced with wit : and one great part of the knowledge of the world confifls in knowing when, and where, to make life of thefe different manners. The graces of the perfon, the countenance, and the way of fpeaking, contribute fo much to this, that I am convinced, the very fame thing, faid by a genteel perfon, in an engaging way, and gracefully and dif- tin6lly fpoken, would pleafe — which would fliock, if muttered out by an awkward figure, with a fullen, ferious countenance. The poets always reprefent Venus as attended by the three Graces, to intimate, that even beauty will not do without. I think they fliould have given Minerva three alfo ; for without them, lam fure, learning is very unattra6tive. Invoke them, then, dillindly, to accompany all your words and adions. — Adieu ! LETTER LIX. Ohscrcations on Good-Conduct,.. Trcaf;i/ of Munst€r,,,Ri.se of the House of Brandenburg, DEAR BOY, London, Auguft the 23d. Your friend Mr. Eliot has dined with me twice fince I returned hither 5 and I can fay with truth, that, while I had the feals, I never examined or fifted a ftate- prifoner, with fo much care and curiofity, as I did him. Nay, I did more, for, contrary to the laws of this country, I gave him, in fome manner, the queflioii ordinary and extraordinary ; and I have infinite plea- fure in telling you, that the rack, which I put him to, did not extort from him one fingle word that was not fuch as I wiflied to hear of you. I heartily congratu- late you upon fuch an advantageous teft:imony, from fo creditable awitnefs. Laudarl a laudato viro'^'^ is one of the greatefl pleafures and honours a rational be* ing can have : may you long continue to deferve it ! Your averfion to drinking, and your diflike to gaming, * To be praifed by a praife-worthy man. 1 1 8 Observations on Good-Conduct, 4r. which Mr. Eliot afTures me are both very flrong, giv^ me the greateft joy imaginable for your fake j as the former would ruin t)oth your conflitutiou and un- derftanding, and the latter your fortune and chara<5>er. Mr. Harte wrote me word fome time ago, and Mr. Eliot cdnfirms it now, that you employ your pin-mo- ney in a very different manner from that in which pin- money is commonly laviflied. Not in gew-gaws and baubles, but in buying good and ufeful books. This is an excellent fymptom, and gives me very good hopes. Go on thus, my dear boy, but for thefe two- next yesH's, and I afk no more. You miuft then make fuch a figure, and fuch a fortune in the world, as I wifh you, and as I have taken all thefe pains to enable'' you to do. After that time, I allow you to be as idle as ever yon pleafe ; becaufe I am fure that you will not- then pleafe to be fo at all. The ignorant and the weak only are idle; but thofe, who have once acquired a good flock of knowledge, always defire to increafe it. Knowledge is like power, in this refpec^l, that thofe who have the mofl, are mofl defirous of having more. It does not clog by pofTeihon, but increafes defire ; which is the cafe of very fqw pleafures. • Upon receiving this congratulatory letter, and read- ing your own praifes, I am fure that it mufl naturally occur to you, how great a fliare of them you owe to Mr. Harte's care and attention; and, confequently, that your regard and aifecflion for him muft increafe,^ if there be room for it, in proportion as you reap,; which you do daily, the fruits of his labours. I mufl not, however, conceal from you, that there was one article in which your own witnefs, Mr. Eliot, faultered : for, upon my queflioning him home, as to your manner of fpeaking, he could not fay that your utterance was either diflin£l or graceful. I have al-J ready faid fo much to you upon this point, that I can add nothing, I will therefore only repeat this truth, which is, that if you will not fpeak diflin(5lly and grace- fully, nobody will defire to hear you. I am glad to learn that abbe Mably's Droit Public de V Europe * makes a part of your evening amufements. * The public law of Europe. Cautions in reading Ilistoiy, ^r. 119 It is a very ufefiil book, and gives a clear dedii6lion of the affairs of Europe, from the treaty of Munfltr to this time. Pray read it with attention, and with the proper maps ; always recurring to them for the feveral countries or towns yielded, taken, or rellored, Pere Bougeant's third volume will give you the bed idea of the treaty of Munfter, and open to you the feveral views of the beliigerant and contra61:ing parties : and there never were greater than at that time. The houfe of Auftria, in the war immediately preceding that trea- ty, intended to make itfelf abfolute in the empire, and to overthrow the rights of the refpeiftive dates of it. The view of France was to w^eaken and difmember the houfe of Auftria, to fuch a degree, as that it fliould no longer be a counterbalance to that of Bourbon. Sweden wanted poffeflions upon the continent of Ger- many, not only to fupply the neceflities of its own poor and barren country, but likewife to hold the balance in the empire between the houfe of Auftria and the States. The houfe of Brandenburg wanted to aggran- dife itfelf by pilfering in the fire; changed fides occa- fionally, and made a good bargain at laft : for 1 think it got, at the peace, nine or ten biflioprics fecularifed. So that we may date, from the treaty of Miinfter, the decline of the houfe of Auftria, the gre:rt [)o wer of the houfe of Bourbon, and the aggrandifement of that of Brandenburg : and I am much miftaken, if it ftops u'here it is now. LETTER LX. Cautions in reading Histori/.., Great Power of France, Causes of IP^eakness in Allied Pozvers. DEAR BOY, London, Augufi the 30th. - 1 OUR reflections upon the conduct of France, from the treaty of Munfter to this time, are very juft; and I am very glad to find, by them, that you not only read, but that you think and reflect upon what you read. Many great readers load their memories, without ex- ^rcifing their judgements 3 and make lumber-rooms of 1 20 Cautions in reading History y 4 r* their heads, inftead of furnifliing them ufefiilly : fa^ls are heaped upon fads, without order or diiUadion, and may jiiftly be faid to compofe that Rudis indigeftaque moles Quani dixerc chaos *. Go on, then, in the way of reading that you are in ; take nothing for granted, upon the bare authority of the author ; but weigh and confider, in your own mind, the probability of the fa6ls, and the jufinefs of the reflexions. Confult different authors upon the fame fa6ls, and form your opinion upon the greater or lefler degree of probability arifing from the whole ; which, in my mind, is the utmoft firetch of hifi:orical faith : certainty (I fear) not being to be found. When an hiilorian pretends to give you the caufes and mo- tives of events, compare thofe caufes and motives with the characters and interefls of the parties concerned, and judge for yourfelf, whether they correfpond or not. Confider whether you cannot affign others more proba- ble; and, in that examination, do not defpife fome very mean and trifling caufes of the a6lions of great men : for fo various and inconfiftent is human-nature, fo flrong and fo changeable are our paflions, fo fluctuat- ing are ourw^ills, and fo much are our minds influenced by the accidents of our bodies, that every man is more the man of the day than a regular and confequential character. The bed have fomething bad, and fome- ^ thing little ; the word have fomething good, and fome- times fomething great ; for 1 do not believe what Vel- leius Patercukis (for the fake of faying a pretty thing) favs of Scipio, Q^ui nihil non laudanduniy aut fecit ^ aut dixit^ autf€nfit\. As for the reflections of hiftorians, with which tl^ey think it neceflary to interlard their hiliories, or at leaft to conclude their chapters (and which, in the French hiftories, are always introduced with a tant il eft vrai^ and in the Englifli, fo true it is) do not adopt them implicitly upon the credit of the ' * A rude and indigcfied mafs, which is called chaos. f Who never did, or faid, or felt, what was otherwife thaa laudable. Great Fozuer of France. .JI'eaLness in Allied Pozvers, 121 author, but ana.lyfe them yourfelf, and judge whether they are true or not. But, to return to the politics of France, from which I have digrefled; you have certainly made one farther refle(flion of an advantage which France has, over and above its abilities in the cabinet, and the fkill of its ne- gociators ; which is (if *I may ufe the expreflion) its folenefs, continuity of riches and power within itfelf, 'and the nature of its government. Near twenty mil- lions of people, and the ordinary revenue of above thirteen millions fterling a year, are at the abfolute dif- pofal of the crown. This is what no other power in Europe can fay; fo that different powers mull now unite to make a balance againft France ; which union, though formed upon the principle of their common interefl:, can never be fo intimate as to compofe a ma- chine fo compact and fimple as that of one great king- dom, direded by one will, and moved by one interefh The allied powers (as we have conftantly feen) have, befides the common and declared obje6l of their al- liance, fome feparate and concealed view, to which they often facrifice' the general one ; which makes them, either diredly or indiredly, pull different ways. Thus, the defign upon Toulon failed, in the year 1706, only from the fecret view of the houfe of Auflria upon Naples; which made the court of Vienna, notwith- ftanding the reprefentations of the other allies to the contrary, fend to Naples the 12,000 men that would have done the bufihefs at Toulon. In this laft war, too, the fame caufes had the fame effefls : tiie queen of Hungary, in fecret, thought of nothing bui^ ^^ nvering Sile(ia, and what Ihe had loft in Italy: aad therefore never fent half that quota, which flie promifed, and we paid for, into Flanders; but left that country to the maritime powers to defend as they could. The king of Sardinia's real ohjcSi was Savona, and all the Riviera di Fonente ; for which reafon he concurred fo lamely in the invafion of Provence; whither the queen of Hun- gary, likewife, did not fend one third of the force ft-igu- lated ; engroOed as fhe was, by her oblique views upon the plunder of Genoa, and the recovery, of Naples. Iiilomuch that the expedition into Provence, which G 1 22 Causes of JVeahiess in Allied Powers, would have diflrefled France to the greatefl: degree, and have caiifed a great detachment from their army in Flanders, failed fliamefully, for want of every thing neceffary for its fuccefs. Suppofe, therefore, any four or five powers, who, altogether, fliall be equal, or even a little fuperior, in riches and ftrength, to that one power againft which they ar.e united, the advantage will Hill be greatly on the fide of that fingle power; becaufe it is but one. The power and riches of Charles V. were, in themfelves, certainly fuperior to thofe of Francis I. ; and yet, upon the Vv^hole, he was not an overmatch for him. Charles the Fifth's domi- nions, great as they were, were fcattered and remote from each other; their conftitutions different; and wherever he did not relide, difturbances arofe : whereas the compa(5lners of France made up the difference in the ftrength. This obvious refie^lion convinced me of the abiurdity of the treaty of Hanover, in 1725, between France and England, to which the Dutch aft- erwards acceded ; for it was made upon the appre- henfions, either real or pretended, that the marriage of Don^ Carlos with the eldeft archduchefs, now queen of Hungary, was i^ttled in the treaty of Vienna, of the fame year, between Spain and the late emperor, Charles VI, ; which, marriage, thofe confummate po- liticians faid, would .revive in Europe the exorbitant power of Charles V. I am fure, I heartily wifli it had; as, in that cafe, there would have been, what there certainly is not now — one power in Europe to counter- balance that of France ; and then the maritime powers would, in reality, have held the balance of Europe in their hands. Even fuppoling that the Auftrian power would then have been an overmatch for that of France, which (by the way) is not clear, the weight of the ma- ritime powers, then thrown into the fcale of Europe, would infallibly have made the balance at leaft even. In which cafe, too, the moderate efforts of the maritime powers, on the fide of France, would have been fuffi- cient ; whereas, now, they are obliged to exhaufl: and beggar themfelves, and that too ineffedtually, in hopes to fupport the (battered, beggared, and infufficient houfe of Auftria. [ 123 ] LETTER LXr. Cnrdinalde R€tz...Pojmlar Meetings...Traits of Heroism.., • Secrets. DEAR EOY, London, September the 13th. I HAVE more than once recommended to yot the Memoirs of the Cardinal de Retz, and to attend partU cularyto the political refleaions interfperfed in that excellent work I will now preach a little upon wo or three of thofe texts. ^ In the difturbances at Paris, monfieur de Beaufort, who was a very popular, though a very weak man was the cardinal's toolwith the 'populace. Proud of his popularity, he was always for affembling the people of aris together, thinking that he made a great fioure at t he head of them. The cardinal, who was faftious enough, was wife enough, at the fame time, to avoid gathering. the people together, except when there was occafion, and when he had fomethiiig particular for them to do. However, he could nof always check monfieur de Beaufort ; who having alTemb ed them once very unneceflarily, and without any determin^ objea, they ran not, would not be kept within bounds by tneir leaders, and did their caufe a great dea of harm; upon ,vhi?h the cardinal obferves,^moft j'dicl .JTcmhU le peuple UmeutK It is certainf thaf ar^at mirnbers of peop e met together, animate each other - andwilldofomething, either good or bad, but oftener bad : and the refpective individuals, who were "eua. rately very quiet, when met together in m'^be« grow tumultuous as a body, and ripe for aiiy iJfch Lf that may be pointed out to them by the leaders at d If their leaders have no bufinefs for t^hem, they v^iil finV fome for themfeives. The demagogue , or leaders of popular taaioiis, fhould therefore^l ve'ry careM not to aflemble the people unneceflarily, and without a fettled and well-confidered objeft. ^Befides thar by making thofe popular affemblies too frequent, the J * M. de Heaufort did not kno^, that whoever affcmbles li.<. people excites them to inrurreflion. ajcmblts ti.c 1 2 i Popular Meetings, .^ Traits of Heroism j 6j'c\ make them likewife too familiar, and confeqiiently lefs refpecfted by their enemies. Obferve any meetings of people, and you will always find their eagernefs and impetiiofity rile or fall in proportion to their numbers: when the numbers are very great, all fenfe and reafon feem to fiibfide, and one fudden phrenzy to feize on all, even the cooleil of them. Another very juft obfervation of the cardinal's, is, That the things which happen in our own times^ and which we fee ourfelves, do not furprife us near fo much as the things which we read of in times pafl, though not in the lead more extraordinary; and adds, that he is perfuaded, that, when Caligula made his horfe aconful, the people of Rome, at that time, were not greatly furprifed at it, having neceffarily been in fome degree prepared for it, by an infeniible gradation of extravagances from the fame quarter. This is fo true, that we read every day, with aflonifliment, things which we fee everyday without furprife. We wonder at the intrepidity of a Leonidas, a Codrus, and a Cur- tius; and are not in the lealt furprifed to hear of a fea- captain, who has blown up his fliip, his crew, and him.felf, that they might not fall into the hands of the enemies of his country. 1 cannot help reading of Porfenna and Regulus with furprife and reverence ; and yet I remember that I faw, without either, the execution of Shepherd *, a boy of eighteen years old, who intended to flioot the late king, and who would have been pardoned, if he would have exprefled the lead forrow for his intended crime; but, on the contrary, he declared, That, if he was pardoned, he would attempt it again; that he thought it a duty which he, owed his country; and that he died with pleafure for having endeavoured to perform it. Rea- fon equals Shepherd to Reguhis : but prejudice, and the recency of the fa6V, makes Shepherd a common malefactor, and Regulus a hero. Examine carefully, and reconfider all your notions * James Shepherdj a coach-painter's apprentice, was executed at Tyburn for high-treafon, March the 17th, TJiS, in the reign oi" (ieor^c the i-ixA. Cardinal de Refz . ,, Secrets. T '2!; of things; analyfe them, and difcover their component parts, and fee if habit and prejudice are not the princi- pal ones; weigh the matter, upon which you are to form your opinion, in ^he equal and impartial fcales of reafon. It is not to be conceived how many peo- people, capable of reafoning if they would, live and die in a thoufand errors, from lazinefs ; they will ra- ther adopt the prejudices of others, than give them- felves the trouble of forming opinions of their own. They fay things, at firif, becauie other people have faid them; and then they perfifi: in them, becaufe they have faid them themfelves. The laft obfervation that I fliall now mention of the cardinaPs, is. That a fecret is more eafily kept by a good many people, than one commonly imagines. By this he means a fecret of importance, among peo- ple interefled in the keeping of it. And it is certain that people of biifinefs know the importance of fecrecy, and will obferve it, where they are concerned in the event. And the cardinal does not fuppofe that any body is filly enough to tell a fecret, merely from the defire of telling it, to any one that is not fome way or other interefted in the keeping of it, and concerned in the event. To go and tell your friends a fecret with which they have nothing to do, is difcovering to them fuch an unretenti.ve weaknefs, as mufl convince them that you will tell it to twenty others, and confequently that they may reveal it without the rifque of being dii- coverecl. But a fecret properly communicated, only to thoie who are to be concerned in the thing in queflion, will probably be kept by them, though they fliould be a good many. Little fecrets are commonly told again, but great ones generally kept. — Adieu ! Gj [ 126 j LETTER LXri. Modem Laihi . . . JVar. , . Quibbles of Lawyers, , . General Prin- ciples cj' J asi ice.,. Casuistry,,. Common Sense the best Se?is€ .,. Letter IVriting, ' DEAR BOY, London, September the 27lh. I HAVE received your Latin leifliire upon war, which, though it is not exaflly the fame Latin that Csefar, ' Cicero, Horace, Virgil, and Ovid fpoke, is, however, as good Latin as the erudite Germans fpeak or write. I have always obferved, that the moft learned people, that is thofe who have read the moil: Latin, write the worft ; and this diilinguiflies the Latin of a gentleman fcholar from that of a pedant. A gentleman has, pro- bably, read no other Latin than that of the Anguftan age; and therefore can write no other: whereas the pedant has read much more bad Latin than good; and confequently writes fo too. He looks upo%the befl claincal books as books for fchooi-boys, and confe- quently below him ; but pores over fragments of ob* fcure authors, treafures up the obfolete words which he meets with there, and ufes them, upon all occafions, to fliow his reading, at the expenfe of his judgment. Plautus is his favourite author, not for the fake of the wit; and the vis comica "* of his comedies, but upon ac- count of the many obfolete words, and the cant of low characters, which are to be met with no where t\(e» He will rather ufe olli than ilU^ optume than optime^ and any bad word, rather than any good one, provided he can but prove, that, (Iriflly fpeaking, it is Latin; that is, that it was written by a Roman. By this rule, I might now write to you in the language of Chaucer or Spenfer, and aflert that I wrote Englifh, becaufe it was Englifli in their days; but I fliould be a moft af- fe6ted puppy if I did fo, and you would not underftand three words of my letter. All thefe, and fuch-like af- feded peculiarities, are the charaCleriilics of learned coxcombs and pedants, and are carefully avoided by all men of fenfc Modern Latin., Jravy ^-c, 127 I dipped, accidentally, the other day, into Pitifcus's preface to his Lexicon ; where I found a word that puzzled me, and which I did not remember ever to have met with before. It is the adverb pr^fifciT2e\ which means, in a good hour: an exprcffion, which, by the fuperllition of it, appears to be low and vulgar. I looked for it; and at laft I founxl, that it is once or twice made ufe of in Plautus ; upon the flrength of which, this learned pedant thrufts it into his preface. Whenever you write Latin, remember that every word or phrafe which you make ufe of, but cannot find in Ciefar, Cicero, Livy, Horace, Virgil, and Ovid, is bad, illiberal Latin, though it may have been written by a Roman. I muft now fay fomething as to the matter of the lediire ; in which, I confefs, there is one dodrine laid down that furprifes me : it is this ; Quiim vcro hofiis fit lenta citav^ rnorte omnia dira nobis minitans quocurjque bel' lantihiis negotium ejl, parum fane interfuerit nuo tnodo eum ohruere et interficere fatagamus Ji ferociarn exuere cundetur. Ergo veneno quoque uti fas eft^ iljc/^ whereas I cannot conceive that the ufe of poifon can, upon any account, come within the lawful means of felf-defence. Force inay, without doubt, bejuftly repelled by force, but not by treachery and fraud ; for I do not call the 11 ra- tagems of war, fuch as ambufcades, maflvcd batteries, falfe attack, &c. frauds or treachery; they are mutual- ly to be expe61:ed and guarded again ft ; but poifoned arrows, poifoned waters, or poifon adminiftered to your enemy (which can only be done by treachery) I ^ have always heard, read, and thought, to be unlawful and infamous means of defence, be your danger ever fo great : but, fi ferociam exucre cunBeUir f ; muft I ra- ther die than poifon this enemy ? Yes, certainly : much rather die than do a bafe or criminal a6f ion : nor can I be fure, before-hand, that this enemy may not, in the laft moment, ferociam ex2iere%. But the public law- • When an enemy is conilantly contriving for us every wicked mode of cleftructioii, we feem authorifad to take every method to re- move or dellroy him, if his ferocity remains yet unfubdued. In that cafe, it may be hiwful even to employ poifon. f If Lis ferocity rema,ins unfubdued. \ Lay afide his fejocity. G4 1 28 Qnihhks ofLatvi/ers, ..Principhs of Justice , . . Casuist nj . yers, now, feem to me, rather to warp the law, in or- der to authorife, than to check, thofe unlawful pro- ceedings of princes and dates; which, by being become common, appear lefs criminal: though ciiftom can never alter the nature of good and ill. Pray let no quibbles of lawyers, no refinements of cafuifts, break into the plain notions of right and wrong, which every man's right reafon, and plain common-fenfe, fuggefb to him. To do as you would be done by, is the plain, fure, and undifputed rule of morality and juflice. Stick to that, and be convinced, that whatever breaks into it, in any degree, however fpecioufly it may be turned, and however puzzling it may be to anfwer it, is, notwithflanding, falfe in itfelf, imjufl, and criminal. I do not know a crime in the world, which is not, by the cafuifts among the Jefuits (efpecially the twenty-four collected, 1 think, by Ef- cobar) allowed in fome, or many cafes, not to be cri- jninal. The principles firft laid down by them are often fpecious, the reafonings plaufi^ble, but the con- clu(}on always a lie : for it is coiitrary to that evident and undeniable rule of juftice, which I have mentioned above, of not doing to any one what you would not have him do to you* But, however, thefe refined pieces of cafuiilry and fophifiry, being very convenient and welcome to people's paflions and appetites, they gladly accept the indulgence, without denring to dete<5l the fallacy of the reaforting : and indeed many, I might fay mod people, are not able .to do it ; which makes the publication of fuch quibblings and refinements the more pernicious. I am no fkilful cafuifl", nor fubtle difputant ; and yet I would undertake to juftify and qualify the profeffion of a highwayman. Hep by ftepf, and fo plaufibly, as to make many ignorant people em- brace the profefiion, as an innocent, if 4iot even a laud- able one; and to puzzle people, of fome degree of knowledge, to anfwer me point by point. I have feeii a book^ entitled Q^mdlihet ex Quolibct, or, The Art of -j- It is remarkable that this has adwally been done fincc his lordihip wrote, by fome athciftical raetaphyficialis^ v, iio hi.ivc n'.- tempted to fet afide ail the moral obligations. Caudsirj/. . - CommGU Sense the best Sense, ^c, 1 29 making any thing out of anything; which is .not fo difficult as it would feem, if once one quits certain plain truths, obvious in grofs to every undcrdanding, in order to run after the ingciiioiis refinements of warm imaginations and fpeculative reafonings. Dr. Berke- ley, bifliop of Cloyne, a very worthy, ingenious, and learned man, ha?" written a book to prove, that there is no fuch thing as matter, and that nothing exifts but in idea: that you and I only fancy ourfelves eating, drink- ing, and deeping ; you at Leipfig, and I at London ; that we think we have fleili and blood, legs, arms, Sec. but that we are only fpirit. His arguments are, ftri£i:ly fpeaking, unanfwerable ; but yet I am fo 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 fo miftakenly imagine my body at pre- fent to confifl of, in as good plight as poflible. Common fenfe (which, in truth, is very uncommon) is the beft fenfe I know of: abide by it, it will counfel you beft. Head and hear, for your amufement, ingenious fvitems, nice queftions fubtily agitated, with all the refinements that warm imaginations fuggefl ; but confider them only as exercitations for the mind, and return always to fet- tle with common fenfe, I flumbled the other day, at a bookfeller's, upon Comte de Gabalis, in two very little volumes, which I had formerly read. I read it over again, and with , frefli afloniiliment. Mofl: of the extravagances are taken from the Jewifli rabbins, who broached thofe wild notions, and delivered them in the unintelligible jargon which the Caballifls and Roficrucians deal in to this day. Their number is, I believe, much lelTened, but there are flill fome ; and I myftlf have ^I'^uown two, who ftudied and firmly believed in that mV^ical non- fenfe. What extravagancy is not man capableof en- tertaining, when once his fliackled r^afon is Icd, in tri- umph by fancy and prejudice! The ancient alche- mills gave very much i/ito this fluff, by whicij they thought they (l)ould difcover the phiiofopher's itone : and fome of the mofl celebrated empirics employed it in the purfuit of the univerfal medicine. Paracelfus, a bold empiric, and wild caballift, afl^rtedj that he had Gs 13^3 Letter IV riting, difeovered it ; and called it his allcahefl. Why, or wherefore, God knows; only that thofe madmen call nothing by an intelligible name. You may eafily get this book from the Hague : read it, for it will both di- Tcrt and aftonifli you ; and at the fame tim^e teach you ml admirari* — a very necelfary lelTon. Your letters, except when upon a given fubjefl, are exceedingly laconic, and neither anfwer my defires, nor the purpofe of letters, which flioul^ be familiar con- verfations between abfent friends. As I defire to live with you upon the footing of an intimate friend, and not of a parent, I could wifli that your letters gave me more particular accounts of yourfelf, and of your lefler tranfadions. When you write to me, fuppofe yourfelf converfing freely with me, by the fire-fide. In that cafe, you would naturally mention the incidents of the day ; as, where you had been, whom you had feen, what you thought of themi, &c. Do this in your let- ters; acquaint me fometimes with your ftudies, foAie- times with your diverfions ; tell me of any new perfons and chara^ers that you meet with in company, and add your own qbfervatioris upon them : in fiiort, let me fee more of you in your letters. How do you go on with lord Pulteneyf and how does he go on at Leipfig i Has he learning, has he parts,, has he appli- cation ? Is he good or ill-natured ? in fhort, what is he ; at leail:, what do you think of him ? You may tell me without referve, for I promife you fecrecy. You are now of an age that I am defirous to begin a confi- dential correfpondence with you; and as I iliall, on my part, write to you very freely, my opinion upon men sind things, which I fliould often be very unwillijig that any body but you and Mr, Harte fliould fee ; fo, on your part, if you write to me without referve, you may depend upon my inviolable fecrecy. Tell me what books you are now reading, either by way of lludy or amufement ; how you pafs your evenings when at home, and where you pafs them when abroad, I know that you go fometimes to madame Valentin's affembly : what do you do there? do you play, orfup, oi: is it only la belle comverjation /* * To woader »t notliing. The Question discussed, TVliat is good Co7npan^ f 131 I fliould wifti that you were poliOied, before you go to Berlin; where, as you will be in a great deal of good company, I would have you have the right man- ners for it. in your deftination this will be abfolutely necelfary ; for a minifter who only goes to the court he refides at in form, to allc an audience of the prince or the minifler, upon his laft inftru6lions, puts them upon their guard, arid will never know any thing more than what they have a mind that he iliould know. Here women may be put to fome ufe. But then, in this cafe, the height of that fort of addrefs which ftrikes womea is requilite; I mean that eafy politenefs, genteel and graceful addrefs, and that exterkur hrilViant , which they cannot withftand. There is a fort of men fo like wo- men, that they are to be taken juft in the fame way; I mean thofe who are commonly called fine men ; wha^ fwarm at all courts; who have little reflexion, and lefs knowledge; but who, by their good-breeding, aiid train" trail of tne world, are admitted into ail companies;, and, by the imprudence or carelelfnefs of their fupe- i*iors, pick up fecrets worth knowing, which they as- eafily impart to others, who have only a proper ad- drefs. — Adieu 1 LETTER LXIIL The Question discussed, What is good Co7?ipfinT/ P,.,Qtu- tions against low Company,^, Against the Adoption qf fashionable Fices, Di'.A-R BOY, \^.th, Qaober the 12th» I CAME here three days ago, upon account of a dif- arder in my ftomach, which affe(5ted my head, and gave me vertigos. I already find myfelf fomething better* Biiit how-ever, and where-ever I am, your welfare,v your character, your knowled^re, and your morak, employ my thoughts more than any thing that caa happen to me, or that I can fear or hope for myfeif, I am going off the llage, you are coming upon it : with , me, what has been, has been, anS refiedioii:now would- * Fafcinntiiig exterior* G6 1 32 The Qiiestion discussed, What is good Company P come too late ; with you, every thing is to come, even, in fome manner, refiedioQ itfelf : fo that this is the very time when my ref]e«5lions, the refult of experience, may be of ufe to yon, by fupplying the want of yonrs. As foon as you leave Lelpfig, you wiil gradually be going into the great world ; where the firft impreffions that you fliall give of yourfelf will be of great im- portance to you ; but thofe which you fliall receive will be decifive, for they always flick. To keep good company, cfpecially at your firfl fetting out, is the way to receive good impreffions. If you afk me what I mean by good company, I will confefs to you, that it is pretty difficult to define; but 1 will endeavour to make you iinderfland it as well as I can. Good company is not what refpe£tive fets of com- pany are pleafed either to call or think themfelves ; but it is that company which all the people of the place call, and acknowledge to be good company, notwithflanding fome objedlions which they may form to fome of the individuals who compofe it. It confifls chiefly^(but by no means without excep- tion) of people of confiderable birth, rank, and cha- ra6ler : for people of neither birth nor rank, are fre- quently, and very juHly, admitted into it, if diftin- guiAied by any peculiar merit, or eminency in any liberal art or fcience. Nay, fo motley a thing is good -company, that many people, without birth, rank, or merit, intrude into it by their own forwardnefs, and others Aide into it by the protection of fome confider- able perfon ; and fome even of indifferent characters and morals make part of it. But, in the main, the good part preponderates, and people of infamous and blafl- ed characters are never admitted. In this fafliionable good company, the befl manners, and the befl lan- guage of the place, are mofl unqueflionably to be learnt ; for they eflablifli and give the tone to both, which are therefore called the language and manners of good company : there being no legal tribunal to afcer- tain either. A company confifling wholly of people of the firfl quality, cannot, for that reafon, be called good com- pany, in tiie coiBmon acceptation of the phrafe, uniefs Cautions against low Cojnpany, S^^c. 133 they are, intathe bargain, the fafliionable and accredit- ed company of the place ; for people of the very firft quality can be as iilly, as ill-bred, and as worthlefs, as people of the ineaneft degree. On the other hand, a company confiding entirely of people of very low condition, whatever thtir merit or parts may be, can never be called good company; and confequently fliould not be much frequented, though by no means defpifed. A company wholly compofed of men of learning, though greatly to be valned and refpefted, is not meant by the words good .company: they cannot have the eafy manners of the world, as they do not live in it. If you can bear your part well in fuch a company, it is extreme- ly right to be in it fomctimes, and you will be more efteemed in other companies, for having a place in that. But then, do not let it engrofs you ; for if you do, you will be only confidered as one of the literati by profefJion ; which is not the way either to fliine, or rife In the world. The company of profefied wits and poets is extreme- ly inviting to mod young men ; who, if they have wit themfelves, are pleafed with it; and if they have none, are fiUily proud of being one of it : but it (lioiild be frequented with moderation and judgement, and you fliould by nq means give yourfelf up to it. A wit is a very unpopular denomination, as it carries terror along with it ; and people in general are as much afraid of a live wit, in company, as a woman is of a gun; which llie thinks may go off of itfelf, and do her a mifchief. Their acquaintance is, however, worth feeking, and their company worth frequenting ; but not exclufively of others, nor to fuch a degree as to be copilidered only as one of that particular fet. But the company, which of all others you fhould mod carefully avoid, is that low company, which, in every fenfe of the word, is low indeed ; low in rank, low in parts, low in manners, and low in merit. You will, perhaps, be furprifed, that 1 fliould think it ne- cefTary to warn you againft fuch company ; but yet I do not think it wholly unnecelFary, after the many in- IS^ j^ gainst the Adoption offashionahle Ftces^ ftances which I have feen, of men of fenfe and rank, difcredited, vilified, and undone, by keeping fuch company. Vanity, that fource of many of our follies, and of fome of our crimes, has funk many a man into company, in every light infinitely below himfelf, for the fake of being the firfl: man in it. There he di6lates» is applauded, admired j and for the fake of btii^.g the Coryph^us * of that wretched chorus, difgraces, and difqualifies himfelf foon for any better company. De- pend upon it, you will fink or rife to the level of the company which you commonly keep : people will judge of you, and not unreafonably, by that. There is good- {f^nit in the Spanifli faying, " Tell me whom you live with, and Twill tell you who you are.-* Make it, therefore, your bufinefs, .wherever you are, to get into that company, which every body of the place allows to be the beft company, next to their own : which is the beft definition that I can give you of good com- pany. But here, too, one caution is very neceflary ; for want of which many young men have been ruined, even in good company. Good company (as I have before obferved) is compofed of a great variety of fafnionable people, whofe characters and morals are very different, though their manners are pretty much the fame. When a young man, new^ in the world,, firfl gets into that company, he very rightly determines to conform to, and imitate it. But then he too often, and fatally, miflakes the objeds of his imitation. He has often heard that abfurd term of genteel and fadiion- able vices. He there fees fome people who fliine, and who in general are admired and eiteemed ; and ob- ferves, that thefe people are whore-maffers, driinkards,, or gameflers : upon which he adopts their vices, mif- taking their defers for their perfe(^ions, and thinking that they owe their fafliion and their hiiire to thofe genteel vices. Whereas it is exa611y the reverfe-5 for thefe people have acquired their reputation by their parts, their learning, their good-breeding, and other real accomplifliments j and are only ^blemifiied and lowered, in the opinions of all reafonable people, and * Leader of the band* Against the Adoption ofj'ashionnhle Vices. 1 35 of their own, in time, by thefe genteel and faflilon- able vices. A whore-mafter, in a flux, or without a nofe, is a very genteel perfon indeed, and well worthy of imitation. A drunkard, vomiting up at night the ■wine of the day, and ilupified by the liead-ach all the next, is, doubtlefs, a fine model to copy from. And a gamefler, tearing his hair, and blafpheming, for hav- ingJofl more than he had in the world, is furely a moft amiable charader. No; thefe are allays, and great .ones too, which can never adorn any chara^ler, but will always debafe the bed. To prove this 3 fuppofe any man, without parts and fome other good qualities, to be merely a whoremafler, a drunkard, or a gameder; How will he be looked upon, by all forts of people ? Why, as a mod contemptible and vicious animal. Therefore it is plain, that, in thefe mixed charadlers, the good part only makes people forgive, but not ap« prove, the bad. ^ I will hope, and believe, that you will have 1I0 vices; but if, unfortunately, you fliould have any, -at lead I beg of you to be content with your own, and to adopt no other body's. The adoption of vice has, I am con-^ vinced, ruined ten times more young men, than na- tural inclinations. As I make x\o difficulty of confetling my pad errors, where I think the confefiion may be orufe to you, I will own, that, when I fird went to the univerfitv, I drank and fmoked, notwithdanding the averdon f had to wine and tobacco, only becaufe I thought it genteel, and that it made me look like a man. When I went abroad, 1 drd went to the Hague, where gaming was much in fadiion ; and where I obferved that many people, of diining rank and character, gamed too. I was then young enough, and iiliy enough, to believe, that gaming was one of their accomplidiments ; and, as I aimed at perfc6^ion, I adc^pted gaming as a necef- fary dep to it. Thus I acquired, by error,, the habit of a vice, which, far from adorning my ctiafacler, has, I am confcious, been a great' blemifli in it. Imitate, then, withydifcernment and judgement, the real perfections of the good company, iutp which you may get 5 copy their politenefs, their carriage, their 1 36 Rides for Conversation, ^c. adclrefs, and the eafy and well-bred turn of their con- verfation ; but remember, that, let them fhine ever fo bright, their vices, if tiiey have any, are fo many fpots, which you would no more imitate, than you would make an artificial wart upon your face, becaufe fome very handfome man had the misfortune to have a natural one upon his ; but, on the contrary, think how much hahdfomer he would have been without it. Having thus confefTed fome of my egaremens'^^ I will now Hiow you a little of my right fide. I always en- deavoured to get into the beft company wherever I was, and commonly fucceeded. There I pleafed to fome degree, by fliowing a 'defire to pleafe. I took care never to be abfent or dijlrait f ; but, on the con- trary, attended to every thing that was faid, done, or even looked, in company: I never failed in the mi- nuteft attentions, and was never joimialjer %. Thefe things, and not my cgarenwis^ made me fafliionable. Adieu I this letter is full long enough. LETTER LXIV. Rides for Conversation. ..Cautio7is against a Spirit of argu- ing in Company.., Instances of ridicidous Vanity in Con- versation... Cautions against Egotism... Prudent Re.serte,., Scanda I. . . Mimicry . . . Swearing. . . Laughter. MY DEAR CHILD, _ Bath, October the 19tb. Having, in my lall, pointed out, what fort of com- pany you fliould keep^ I will now give you fome rules for your conduct in it, rules which my own experi- ence and obfervation enable me to lay down, and communicate to yop, yet I could not aiifwer for the difcretion of the paHen- gers in the flreet, who muft neceflarily hear all that was faid. Above all things, and upon all occafions, avoid fpeaking of yourfelf, if it be poffible. Such is the na- tural pride and vanity of our hearts, that it perpetually breaks out, even in people of the belt parts, in all the various modes and figures of the egotifm. Some, abruptly, fpeak advantageouHy of themfelves, without either pretence or provocation. They are im- pudent. Others proceed more artfully, as they ima- gine, and forge accufations againft themfelves, com- plain of calumnies which they never heard, in order to juftify themfelves, by exhibiting a catalogue of their many virtues. They acknowledge it may, indeed, feem odd, that they fhould talk in that manner of them- felves ; it is what they do not like, and what they never would have done; no, no tortures ftiould ever have forced it from them, if they had not been thus unjuflly and monflroufly accufed. But, in thefe cafes^ juftice is furely due to one's-felf, as well as to others; and, when our character is attacked, we may fay, in our own juftification, what otherwife we never would have faid. This thin veil of modefty drawn before vanity, is much too traafparent to conceal it, even from very moderate difcernment. Others go more modeftly and more (lily flill (as they think) to work: but, in .my mind, IHU more ridicul- oufly. They confefs themfelves (not without fome degree of fliame and confufion) into all the cardinal virtues ; by firft degrading them into weaknelTes, and then owning their misfortune, in being made up of thofe weaknefles. They cannot fee people fufFer> with- out fympathifing with, and endeavouring to help them. They cannot fee people want, without relieving them ; though, truly, their own circumftances cannot very well afford it. They cannot help fpeaking truth, though they know all the imprudence of it. In ftiort, they know that, with all thefe weaknelTes, they are not fit to live in the world, much lefs to thrive in it. But they are now too old to change, and muft rub on as Cautions against Egotism in Conversation, 1 39 well as they can. This founds too ridiculous and outrcy almoft, for the fhge ; and yet, take my word for it, you will frequently meet with it, upon the common ftage of the world. And here I will obferve, by the bye, that you will often meet with chara61ers in nature, *fo extravagant, that a difcreet poet would not venture to fet them upon the flage, in their true and high co- louring. This principle of vanity and pride is fo ftrong in hu- man-nature, that it defcends even to the loweft objeds; and one often fees people angling for praife, where, admitting all they fay to be true, (which, by the way, if feldom is) no juft praife is to be caught. One man affirms that he rode pofl an hundred miles in fix hours : probably it is a lie ; but, fuppofing it to be true, what then ? Why he h a very good pofl-boy, thiit is all. Another aflerts, and probably not without oaths, that he has drunk fix or eight bottles of wine at a fitting : out of charity, I will believe him a liar j for, if I do not, I muft think him a bead. Such, and a thoufand more, are the follies and ex- travagances which vanity draws people into, and which always defeat their own purpofe; and, as Wal- ler fays, upon another fubjedt, Make the wretch the moft defpifcd, Where moil lie wifhes to be piizeci. The only fure way of avoiding thefe evils, is, never to fpeak of yourfelf at all. But when, hiflorically, you are obliged to mention yourfelf, take care not to drop one fingle word, that can direftly or indiredjy be conftrued as fifhing for applaufe. Be your charader what it will, it will be known; and nobody will take it upon your own word. Never imagine that any thing you can fay yourfelf will varnifli your defeds, or add .luftre to your perfedions ; but, on the contrary, it may, and nine times in ten will, make the former more glaring, and the latter obfcure. if you are filent upon your own fubjecl:, neither envy, indignation, nor ridi- cule, will obftruci: or allay the applaufe which you may really deferve ; but if you publifh your own panegyric, upon any occafion, or in any llaape whatfoever, and 1 40 Pruden t Reserve. , . Scandal. . . Mimicrj/j S^-c. however artfully drefled or difgiiifed, tliey will all con- fpire again ft you, and you will be difappointed of the very end you aim at. Take care never to fecm dark and myfterious; which is not only a very unamiable charader, but a very fiifpicious one too: if you feem myfterious with others, they w-ill be really fo with you, and you will know nothing. The height of abilities is, to have 'volto fciolto^ and penjieri Jiretti ; that is, a frank, open, and ingenu- ous exterior, \vith a prudent and referved interior, as far as virtue warrants, or rather dictates to you. De- pend upon it, nine in ten of every company you are in will avail themfelves of every indifcr^et and un- guarded exprellion of yours, if they can-iurn it to their own advantage. A prudent referve is, therefore, com- monly-^ virtue ; as by an unwarrantable franknefs you may injure others as well as yourfelf. Always look people in the face when you fpeak to them ; the not doing it is thougiu to imply confcions guilt ; befides that, you lofe the advantage of obftrving by their countenances what impreffion your difcourfe makes U] vn them. 'In order to know people's real fenti- iDcnts, I truft much more to my eyes than to my ears ; for they can fay whatever they have a mind I fnould hear, but they can feldom help looking what they have no intention that I fiiould know. Neitiier retail nor receive fcandal, willingly; for though the defamation of others may, for the prefent, gratify the malign-ity or 'the pride of our hearts, cool reflection will draw very difadvantageous conclufions» from fuoh a difpofition : a'ld in the. cafe of fcandal, as in that of robbery, the receiver is always tl. ought as bad as the thi^f. Mimicry, which is the common and favourite amufe- ment of little, low minds, is in tlie utmoil: contempt with great ones. It is the lowed and moft illiberal of all buffoonery. Pray, neither pra6life it you^^felf, nor apnh'vid it in others.' Bc^fides that, the perfon mimick- ed is infuked ; and, as I have often obferved to you before, an uifuit i^ nt-er forgiven. r need not (J believe) advife you to adapt your converfation to the people you are conver/ing with : Rules for Conversation...Stvearing.,.Lai(gJiUT, HI or I fuppofe you would not, without this caution, have talked upon the fame fubjed, and in the fame manner, to a minifter of ftate, a biftiop, a philofopher, a captain, and a woman. A man of the world muft, like the cameleon, be able to take every different hue; which is by no means a criminal or abje6t^ but a ne- ceffary complaifance, for it relates only to manners, and not to morals. One word only, as to fwearingj and that, I hope and believe, is more than is neceifary. You may fome- times hear fome people, in good company, interlard their difcourfe with oaths, by way of embelliftimenr, as they think ; but you muft obferve, too, that thofe who do fo are never thofe who contribute, in any de- gree, to give that company the denomination of good company. They are always fubalterns, of people of low education 5 for that pracflice, befides that it has no one temptation to plead, is as filiy, and as illiberal, as it is wicked. Loud laughter is the mirth of the mob, who are only pleafed with filly things ; for true wit or good fenfe never excited a laugh fince the creation of the world. A man of parts and fafliion is therefore often [een to fmile, but feldom heard to laugh. But, to concludr this long letter, — all the above- mentioned rules, however carefully you may obferve them, will lofe half their effe^^l, if unaccompanied by the Graces. Whatever yow fay, if you fay it with a fupercih'ous, cynical face, or an embarraflcd counte- nance, or a fiily, difconcerted grin, will be ill received. If, into the bargain, you mutter it, or utter it indl- llin6lly, and ungracefully, it will be Itill worfe received. If your air and addrefs are vulgar, awkward, and gauche^ you may be efteemed indeed, if you have great intriniic merit; but you will never pleafe ; and, with- out pleating, you will rife but heavily. Venus, among the ancients, was fynonymous with the Graces, who v/ere always fuppofed to accompany her: and Horace tells u?, that even youth, and Mercury, the god of arts and eloquence, would not do without her. r ., .. :=! Ane le |uv(;ist:i.s ivicfv'uflui^ue. [ 142 ] LETTER LXV. Cautions against the Levity and Giddiness of Yoiith...Js:^imt Indiscretion in CoJivepsation, and Cautiousness.,. Against ?neddling in other People's Concerns,,. ylgainst repeating in one Company ivhat passes in another. ^^Bons Diables.., Steadiness. ..Complaisance, ..Marks of a loiv Mind, DEAR Bpy, Bath, 0<5tober the 29th. My anxiety for your fuccefs increafes, in proportion as the time approaches of your taking your part upon the great ftage of the world. The audience will form their opinion of you upon your firft appearance (mak- ing the prope rallowance for your inexperience), and fo far it will be final, that, though it may vary as to the degrees, it will never totally change. This confidera- tion excites that reliJefs attention, with which I am conftantly examining how I can beft contribute to the perfection of that chara6ler, in which the leaft fpot or blemilli would give me more real concern than I am now capable of feeling upon any other account what- foever. I have long fince done mentioning your great religi- ous and moral duties ; becaufe I could not make your underitanding fo bad a compliment, as to fuppofe that you wanted, or could receive, any new infi:ru(5fions upon thofe two important points. Mr. Harte, I am fure, has not neglected them ; befides, they are fo ob- vious to common fenfe and reafon, that commentators ynay (as they often do) perplex, but cannot make them clearer. My province, therefore, is to fupply, by my experience, your hitherto inevitable inexperience in the ways of the world. People at your age are in a flate of natural ebriety ; and want rails, and gardefous^ wherever they go, to hinder them from breaking their necks. This drunkennefs of youth is not only tolerated, but even pleafes, if kept within certain bounds of difcre- tion and decency. Thofe bounds are the point, which it is difficult for the drunken man himfelf to find out; and there it is that the experience of a friend may not only ferve, but fave him. Cautious against Ill-conduct in Company, 14-3 Carry with you, and welcome, into company, all the gaiety and fpirits, but as little of the giddinefs of youth as you can. The former will charm 5 but the latter will often, though innocently, implacably offend. Inform yourfelf of the characters and fituations of the company, before yow give way to what your imagina- tion may prompt you to fay. There are, in all com- panies, more wrong heads than right ones, and many more who deferve, than who like cenfure. Should you therefore expatiate in the praife of fome virtue, which fome in company notorioufly want ; or declaim againft any vice, which others are notorioufly infec^led with 5 your reflexions, however general and unapplied, will, by being applicable, be thought perfonal, and levelled at thofe people.^ This confideration points out to you, fufficiently, not to be fufpicious and captious yourfelf, nor to fuppofe that things, becaufe they may, are therefore meant at you. The manners of well-bred people fecure one from, thofe indiredl and mean at- tacks; but if, by chance, a flippant woman, or a pert coxcomb, lets off any thing of that kind, it is much better not to feem to underftand, than to reply to it. Cautioufly avoid talking of either your own or other people's do^meftic affairs. Yours- are nothing to them, but tedious ; theirs are nothing to you. The fubjeiSt is a tender one ; and it is odds but you touch fomebody or other's fore place ^ for, in this cafe, there is no truft- ingto fpecious appearances ; which may be, and often are, fo"^contrary to the real fituation of things, between^ men and their wives, parents and their childrea, feem- ing friends, &c. that, with the beft intentions in the world, one often blunders difagreeably. Remember, that the wit, humour, and jokes, of mod mixed companies, are local. They thrive in that partr- cular foil, but will not, often, bear tranfplanting. Every company is differently circumftanced, has its particular cant and jargon ; which may give occafion to wit and mirth, within that circle, but would feem flat and infipid in any other, and therefore will not bear repeating. Nothing makes a man look fillier, than a pleafantry, not reliihed or not iinderftood ; and if he meets with a profound (ilence, when he expedcd a ge- Hi Cautions agahist Ill-conduct in Companj/. neral applanfe, or, what is worfe, if he is de fired to explain the hn mot^ his awkward and embarrafled fitua- tion is eafier imagined than defcribed. A-propos of re- peating ; take great care never to repeat (I do not mean here thepleafantries) in one company what you hear in another. Thing's, feemingly indifferent, may, by cir- culation, have much graver confequences than you would imagine. Befides, there is a general tacit trufl: in converfation, by which a man is obliged not to re- port any thing out of it, though he is not immediately enjoined fecrecy. A retailer of this kind is fure to draw himfelf ilito a thoufand fcrapes and difcuffions, and to be fliiiy and uncomfortably received, wherever he goes; You will find, in moft good company, fome people, who only keep their place there by a contemptible title enough; thefe are what we call very good-natured fel- lows, and the French hons diables. The truth is, they are people without any parts or fancy, and who, having no will of their own, readily affent to, concur in, and applaud, whatever is faid or done in the company; and adopt, with the fame alacrity, the moft virtuous or the moft criminal, the wifeft or the fillieft fcheme, that hap- ' pens to be entertained by the majority of the company. This foolifti, and often criminal complaifance, flows from a foolifti caufe, — the want of any other merit. 1 hope you will hold your place in company by a nobler tenure, and that you will hold it (you can bear a quib- ble, 1 believe, yet) in capite. Have a will and an opinion of your own, and adhere to them fteadily ; but then do It with good-humour, good-breeding, and (if you have it) with urbanity; for you have not yet beard enough cither to preach or cenfure. All other kinds of complaifance are not only blame- lef?, but necefTary in good company. Not to feem to perceive the little weaknelTes, and the idle but innocent afFehumour : but by no means reply in the fame way; which only fliows that you are hurt, and publifhes the victory which you might have concealed. As the female part of the w^prld has fome influence, and often too much, over the male, your conduct with regard to women (I mean women of charader, for I cannot fuppofe you capable of converlmg with any others) deferves fome fliare in your reflections. They are a numerous and loquacious body: their hatred would be more prejudicial, than their friendfliip can be advantageous to you. This torn iheet, which I did not obferve when I be- gan upon it, as it alters the figure, fhortens too the Jength.'of my letter. It may very well afi^ord it: my anxiety for you carries me infenfibiy to thefe Lengths.-*^ God blefs you, child ! ' LETTER LXXIIl. Olmroations on Venice,,, Music, The Pine Arts, DFAP. BOY, London, June the 22d. The outfide of your letter of the 7th, directed by your own hand, gave me more pleafure than the in- fide of any other letter ever did. I approve of your going to Venice, as much as I dlfr approved of your going to Switzerland. 170 / t nice . . . Music. . . T/t c Fine Arts, The time you will probably pafs at Venice, will al- lov^ you to make yoiirfelf mailer of that intricate and fing^ular form of government, of which few of our tra- vellers know any thing. Read, a(k, and fee every that is relative to it. There are, likewife, many valu- able remains of the remotefl antiquity, and many line pieces of the antiio moderno ; all which deferve a ditferent fort of attention from that which your country- men commonly give them. They go to fee them, as they go to fee the Hons, and kings on horfeback, at the Tower here — only to fay that they have feen them. You will, lam fure, view them in another light ; you will confider them as you would a poem, to which in- deed they are akin. You will obferve, whether the fculptor has animated his Hone, or the painter his can- vas, into the jufl expreliion of thofe fentiments and pafhons, which fliould charafterife and m,ark their feveial figures. You will examine, likewife, whether, in their groupes, there be an unity of a6lion, or proper relation ; a truth of drefs and manners. Sculpture and painting are very juftly called liberal arts; a lively, and flrong imagination, together with a juil obferva- tion, being abfolutely neceiTary to excel in either: which, Jn my opinion, is by no jpieans the cafe of mufic, though called a liberal art, and now in Italy placed even above the other two : a proof of the decline of that country. The Venetian fchool produced maiiy great painters, Aich as Paul Veronefe, Titian, Palma, &c. by whom you will fee, as well in private houfes as in churches, very fine pieces. The Laft Supper, by Paul Veronefe, in the church of St. George, is reckon- ed his capital performance, and deferves your attention ; as does alfo the famous piclure of the Cornaro family, by Titian. A tafle of fculpture and painting is, in my rbind, as becoming, as a tafte of riddling and piping is unbecoming a man of fafliion. The form.er is con- nected with Iliftory and Poetry ; the latter^ with no- thing, that I know of, but bad company. ~ ^ [ 171 ] LETTER LXXIV. Knoivledge of the World. . .DigjiUi/ of Manners. . . Flatter^/,, . f'ldgar Language,.., Frivolous Curiosity .... Decorirm,., Courts. DEAR BOY, London, Angud the 10th, Let us refume our reflections upon men, their cha* racflers, their manners ; in a word, our reflections upon the world. They may help you to form yourfelf, and to know others. A knowledge very ufeful at all ages, very rare at yours : it feems as if it was nobody's bufincfs to conununicate it to young men. Their ma- flers teach them, fingly, the languages, or the fciences of their feveral departments 5 and are indeed generally incapable of teaching them the world : their parents are often fo .too, or at leaft neglecl doing it ; either from avocations, inditference, or from an opinion, that throwing tisem into the world (as they call it) is the beft way of teaching it them. This lail notion is in a great degree true; that is, the \vorld can doubtleis never be well known by theory; practice is abfolutely neceflary ; but furely it is of great ufe to a young man, before he fets out for that country, full of mazes, windings, and turnings, to have at lead a general map of it, made by fome experienced traveller. There is a certain dignity of manners abfolutely ne- c^Hary, to make even the moil valuable character either refpec^ed or refpe(^al)le. liorfe-play, romping, frequent and loud fits of laughter, jokes, waggery, and indifcriminate familiarity, will link both merit and knowledge into a degree of contempt. They compofe at moll a merry fellow ; and a merry fellow was never yet a refpe6lable man* Indifcriminate familiarity cither offends your fuperi- ors, or elfe dubbs you their dependent, and led cap- tain. It gives your inferiors, jufl, 'buttroublefome an,d improper claims of equality. A joker is near akin to a buffoon ; and neither of them is the lead related to wit. Whoever is, admitted or fought for. in company, upon any other apcqunt than that of his mtrit and man- ners, is never refpected there, but only made me of. I 2 172 Flattery .,yit^g(ir LangiiUg€..Sriioloiis Curiosity ,J)'C, We will have fiich-a-one, for he fmgs prettily; we will invite ruch-a-one to a ball, for he dances well ; we will have fuch a-one at fupper, for he is always joking and laughing; we will aik another, becaufe he plays deep at ^11 games', or becaufe he can drink a great deal. Thefe are all vilifying diftinftions, mortifying prefe- rences, and exclude all ideas of efleem and regard. Whoever is had (as it is called) in company, for the fake of any one thing fingly, is iingly that thmg, and will never be confidered in any other light; confe- quently never refpecled, let his merits oe what they will. . ' This dio-nity of manners, which I recommend fo much to you, is not only as different from pride, as true courage is from bluftering, or true wit from jok- ing; but is abfolutely inconfiflent with it ; for nothing vilifies and degrades more than pride. The preten- fions of the proivd man are oftener treated with fneer and contempt, than with indignation : as we offer ridi- culoufly too little to a tradefman, who afk^ ridiculoully too much for his goods; but we do not haggle with one who only afks a juft and reafonable price. A bje6t flattery and iudifcriminate affentation degrade, as much as indifcriminate contradi6lion and noify de- bate difo^ufl. But a modefl affertion of one's own opinion, and a complaifant acquiefceiice in other peo- ple's, preferve dignity. Vuh'ar, low expreffion?, awkward motions and ad- drefs, vilify, as they imply, either a very low turn of mind, or low education, and low company. Frivolous curiofity about irises, ai^.d a- laborious at- tention to little obje6is, which neither ^require nor de- ferve a moment's thought, louver a man ; who from thence is thought (and not unjuflly) incapable of greater matters. Cardinal de Retz, very fiigacioufly, marked out cardinal Chigi for a little mind, from the moment that he told him he had written three years with the fame pen, and that it was an excellent good one flilL A certain degree of exterior ferioufnefs in looks and motions, gives dignity, without excluding wit and de- cent cheerfulnefs, which are always ferious themfelves. A conllantfmirkupon the face, and a whiffling activity Admonitions against a JVastc of Time, 7 7 3 of the body, are flrong indications of futility. Who- ever is in a iiuVry, jQiows that the thing he is about is too big for him. Hade and hurry are very different things. I have only mentioned fome of thofe things which may, and do, in the opinion of the world, lower an'd fink charac^ers^ in other refpe^ls valuable enou-gh ; but 1 have taken no notice of thofe that affect and fink the moral charaders. They are fufficiently obvious. A man who has patiently been kicked,' may as well pre- tend to courage, as a man, blafted by vices and crimes, may to dignity of any kind. But an exterior decency and dignity of manners will even keep fuch a man longer from finking, than otherwife iie v;ould be: of fuch confequence is the Vo 'Ttosifov, even though affe6led and put oi\\ Pray read frequently, and with the ut- moft attention, nay get by heart if you can, that in- comparable chapter in Cicero's offices, upon the ro TT^sTTov, or the decorum. It contaias whatever is ne- ceffary for the dignity of manners. in my nexr, I will fend you a general map of court^; a region yet unexplored by you ; but which you ?aq one day to inhabit. The ways are generally crooked and full of turnings, fometimes ftrewed with flowers, fometimes choaked up with briars ; rotten ground and deep pits frequently lie concealed under a fmooth and pleafing furface : all the paths are flippery, and every flip is dangerous. Senfe and difcretion mult accom- pany you at your firft fetting out ; but, notwithftanding thofe, till experience is your guide, you will every now and then ftep out of your way, or {tumble. LETTER LXXV. Admonitions against a Waste of llmcJIumorons Dialogue, DEAR BOY, London, September the T2th. It feems extraordinary, but it is very true, that my anxiety for you increafes in proportion to the good ac- counts which I receive of you from all hands. My I3 174 u4dmonitlons against a IVaste of Time* wifhes, and my plan, were to make yon fliine, and diillnguifli yourfelf equally in the learned and the po- lite world. Few have been able to do it. Deep learn- ing is generally tainted with pedantry, or at leaft un- adorned by manners ; as, on the other hand, polite xnanners, and th.e turn of the world, are too often un- fupported by knowledge, and confequently \\ their beauty and utility. Thofe principles, which you then got, like your gram- mar rules, only by rote, are now, I am perfuaded, fixed Jind confirmed by rcafon. And indeed they are fo plain Principles of Firtiie, , . Learning, . . Good-Breeding, 1 8 7 and clear, that they require but a very moderate degree of uiiderftanding, either to comprehend or praflife tliem. Lord Shaftelbury fays, very prettily, that he would be virtuous for his own fake though nobody were to know it ; as he would be clean for his own fake, though nobody were to f^e him. I have therefore, fince you have had the ufe of your reafon, never written to you upon thofe fubje<5ts : they fpeak bed for themfelves; and I (liould now, juft as foon think of warning you gravely not to fall into the dirt or the fire, as into diOionour or vice. This view of mine I confider as fully attained. My next object was, found and ufeful learning. My own care firft, Mr. Harte's afterwards, and of hte (1 will > own it to your praife) your own application, have more than anfwered my expeftations in that particular; and, I have reafon to believe, will anfwer even my wifties. All that remains for me then to wifli, to recommend, to inculcate, to order, and to infill upon, is good-breed- ing; without which, all yonr other qualifications will be lame, unadorned, and, to a certain degree, unavail- ing. And here I fear, and have too much reafon to be- lieve, that you are greatly deficient. The remainder of this letter, therefore, fhall be upon this fubjed. A friend of yours and mine has very juftly defined good-breeding to be, the refult of much good-fenfe, fome good-nature, and a little felf-denial for the fake of others, and with a view to obtain the fame induU gence from them. Taking this for granted (as I think it cannot be difputed), it is afloniftiing to me, that any body, who has good-fenfe and good-nature (and I be- lieve you have both), can efientially fail in good-breed- ing. As to the modes of it, indeed, they vary accord- ing to perfons, places, and circumltances ; and are only to be acquired by obfervation and experience; but the fubftance of it is every-where and eternally the fame. Good manners are, to particular focieties, what good morals are to fociety in general: their cement, and their fecurity. And, as laws are enacted to enforce good morals, or at lead to prevent the ill effe<5ls of bad ones, fo there are certain rules of civility, univerfally implied and received, to enforce good manners, and punifh bad ones. And indeed there feems to me to be l(?fs difference, i 5^ S Good-Breeding. ..Ease. . . EqitaUti/. both between the crimes and piinifliments, than at firf! one would imagine. The immoral man, who invades another's property, is jiifrly hanged for it; and the ill- bred man, who by his, ill manners invades and difinrbs the quiet and comforts of private life, is by common confent as juftly baniflied fociety. Mutual complai- lances, attentions, and facrifices of little conveniences, are as natural an implied compa6t between civilifed people, as protedion and obedience are between kings and fwbjec^s: whoever, in either cafe, violates that conipa(5l:, juftly forfeits all advantages aridng from it. For my own part, I really think, that, next to the con- fcioiifnefe of doing a good action, that of doing a civil one is the moft pleafin^': and the epithet which I fliould covet the moft, next to that of Ariftides, would be that of well-bred. Thus much for good-breeding in general. I will now confider fom.e of the various modes and de- grees of it. Very few, fcarcely any, are wanting in the refpedl; which they fhould fliow to thofe whom they acknowledge to be infinitely their fuperiors ; fuch as crowned heads, princes, and public perfons of diflinguiilied and emi- nent polls. It is the manner of fliowing that refped which is difierent. The man of fafliion, and of the world, exprefles it in its fuHefl extent ; but naturally, eafily, and without concern : whereas a man, who is not ufed to keep good company, exprefles it awkwardly; one fees that he is not ufed to it, and that it cofls him a great deal ; but I never faw the worft-bred man living, guilty of lolling, whiflling, fcratching his head, and fuch-like indecencies, in company that he refpeded. In fuch companies, therefore, the only point to be attended to is, to fhow that refpe6t, which every body means to fhow, in an eafy, unembarrafled, and graceful manner. This is what obfervation and experience muft teach you. In mixed companies, whoever is admitted to make part of them, is, for the time at leaft, fuppofed to be, upon a footing of equality with the reft ; and, confe- quently, as there is no one principal obje6l of awe and refpedf, people are apt to take a greater latitude in their behaviour, and to be lefs upon their guard; and fo they may, provided it be within certain bounds, which? Good -Breeding. .,Ch'ilif J/ to Infirior.s. 1S9 are upon no occafion to be tranfgreired. . But, upon thefe occafions, though no one is entitled to diflin- guiflie2 Of Slylc in U'rHmg., .Example of a had Sij/k. I am eafy upon that article. But my bufinefs, as your' friend, is not to compliment you upon what you have, but to tell you with freedom what you want; and I muft tell you plainly, that I fear you want every thing but knowledge. I have written to you, fo often, of late, npon good* breeding, addrefs, Ics manures luuites'^^ the graces, &c. that I fliall confine this letter to another fubjed, pretty near akin to them, and which, I am fure, you are full as deficient in ; — I mean, ftyle. Style is the drefs of thoughts; and let them be ever fo jufl, if your flyle is homely, coarfe, and vulgar, they will appear to as much difadvantage, and be as ill received, as your perfon, thougli ever fo well propor- tioned, would, if drefTed in rags, dirt, and tatters. It is not every underflanding that can judge of matter; but every ear can and does judge, more or lefs, of flyle: and was I either to fpeak or write to the. public, I fliould prefer moderate matter, adorned with all the beauties and elegancies of ftyle, to the ftrongeff matter in the world, ill-worded, and ill-delivered. Your bu- linefs is, negotiation abroad, and oratory in the Houfe of Commons at home. What figure can you make in either cafe, if your ftyle be inelegant, I do not fay bad ? Imagine yourfelf writing an office-letter to a fecretary of ftate, which letter is to be read by the whole Cabinet Council, and, very pofiibly, afterwards, laid before Parliament ; any one barbarifm, folecifm, or vul- garifm in it, w^ould, in a very few days, circulate through the whole kingdom, to your difgrace and ri- dicule. For inftance, I will fuppofe you had written the following letter from the Hague, to the fecretary of ftate at London ; and leave you to fuppofe the confe- quences of it. My Lord, I had^ laft night, the honour of your lordfliip's let- ter, of the 24th; and vi\\\ fet about doing the orders contained therein^ and if fo he that I can get that aifair ddne by the next poft, I will not fail for to give your lordfliip an account of it by next pofi, I have told the * Engaging innnuers. Examples of a bad Style, \0% French minifter, as hozv^ that if that affair be not foon concluded, your lordQiip would think it all long of him \ and that he muft have negleftcd for to have v.Tote to his court about it. I muft beg leave to put your lordfliip in mind, as hoWy that I am now full three quarters in arrear ; and \i fo be that I do iiof very foon receive at lead one half year, Ifhall c:(t a very bad figure \ for //i// here place is very dear. I Hi a 11 be vafily beholden to your lordfliip for that there maVk of your favour ; and fo I reft^ or refrain ^ Yours, &c. You will tell me, poiTibly, that this is a caricatura of an illiberal and inelegant ftyle : I will admit it ; but aiTure you, at the fame time, that a difpatch with Icfs * than half thefe faults would blow you up for ever. It is by no means fufficient to be free from faults, in fpeaking and writing ; you m.ull do both correctly and elegantly. In faults of this kind, it is not Hie opfimus qui minimis- urgetur *. But he is unpardonable who hai any at all, becauic it is his own fault. He need only attend to, obferve, and imitate the beli authors. it is a very true faying^ that a maninud: be born a poet, but that he may make himfelf an orator ; and the very firft principle of an orator is, to fpe:ik iiis own language particularly, with the utmoll purity and ele- gance. A man will be forgiven, even great erroiS, in a foreign language ; but in his own, even the ieafl Hips are juftly laid hold of and ridiculed. A perfon of the Houl'e of Commons, fpeaking, two years ago, upon naval affairs, aflerted, that we had then the fined navy upon the face of the ycaith. This happy mixture of blunder and vulgarifm, you may eafiiy imagine^ was matter of immediate ridicule ; but, lean rfTure^you, that it continues fo Hill, and will be re- membered as long as he lives and fpeaks. Another, fpeaking in defciice of a gentleman, upon whom a cenfure was moved, happily faid, that he thought that gentleman was more liable to be thaiiked and rew anied, tiian cenfured. You know, f prefume, that liGbU caiju never be ufcd in a good itu^c, * The bei^ wliO co.tar.its f5',vcil rault.% K 19 if Cictro and Qidntilian, . You have with you three or four of the beil Engfifii authors,— Dryden^ Atterbury, and Swift; read them with tiie utmoft care, and with a particular vievv to their language ; and they may pofhbly correal that cu- rious infelicity of di6:ion, which you acquired at Wefl- minflcr. Mr. Harte excepted, 1 will admit that you have met with very few Englifli abroad, who could improve your flyle ; and with many, I dare fay, who fpeak as ill as yourfelf, and it may be worfe ; you mufl rlicrefore take the more pains, and confult your au-^ t'lors, and Mr. tiarte, the more. I need not tell you how attentive the Romans and Greeks, particularly the Athenians, were to this obje<^. It is alfo a fludy -among the Italians and the French, witnefs their re- fpe6live academies and di£lionaries, for improving and fixing their language. To our fliame be it fpoken, it is lefs attended to here than in any polite country; but that is no reafon why you flionld not attend to it; on the contrary, it will difiinguifli you the more. Cicero fays, very truly, that it is glorious to excef other men in that very article, in which men excel brutes— fpeech. Conftant experience has lliown me, that great purity and elegance of ityle, with a graceful elocution, cover a multitude of faults, in either a fpeaker or a writer. For my own part, I confefs (and I believe mofl people are of my mind), that if a fpeaker Ihould ungracefully mutter and fiammer out to me the fenfe of an angel, deformed by barbarians and folecifms, or larded with vulgarifms, he fliould never fpeak to me a fecond time, if I could help it. - You have read Quintilian, — the beft book in the tvorld to form an orator: pray read Cicero i)^ Or^z- /^/^. — the befl: book in the world to finifli one. Tranf- late and re-tranflate, from and to Latin, Greek, and Englifti ; m.ake yourfelf a pure and elegant Englifli flvle: it requires nothing but application. I do not find thr;t God has made you a poet ; and I am very glad that he has not ; therefore, make yourfelf an ora- tor, which you miay do. - Though I ftill call you boy, I confider you no longer as fuch 3 and when I reflet Observations on Men in General, 1 95 upon the prodigious quantity of manure that has been laid upon you, I exped you fliould produce more at eighteen, than uncultivated foils do at eight-and- tvventy. LETTER LXXXI. Ohsertations on Men in General.., Eloquence.,, The Elo^, quence of Popular Assemblies... Examples. DEAR BOY, London, December the 5ih, Those who fuppofe, that men in general ad ratio- nally, becaufe they are called rational creatures, knOw very little of the world ; and if they a6t themfelvca upon that fuppolltion, will, nine times in ten, - find thenifelves grofsly miflaken. That man is, animal hi- pesy im plume, rijible ^*, I entirely agree ; but for the ra^ tio»ale\., I can only allow it him in atlu primo% (to talk logic), and feldom hi a^tu fee undo %. Thus, the fpecli- lative, cloiftered pedant, in his folitary cell, forms fyftems of things as they fhould be, not as they are; and writes as deciiively raid abfurdly upon war, poli- tics, manners, and characters, as that pedant talked, who was fo kind as to inflruft Hannibal in the art of war. Such *clofet politicians nev^er fail to alTign the deepell motives for the mod trifling aftions; inftead of dften afcribing the greatefl adions to the mod triiiing caufes, in which they would be much feldomer mif- taken. They read and write of kings, heroes, and ftatefmen, as never doing Any thing but upon the deepeft principles of found policy. But thofe who fee and obferve kings, heroes, and llatefmen, difcover that ' they have head-achs, indigelaons, humours, and paf- fioiis, jufl like other people; every one of which, in their turns, determines their wills^ in defiance of their- reafon. Had we only read in. the life of Alexander, that he burnt Perfepolis, it would doubtlefs have been accounted for from deep policy ; we fliould have been * An auimul biped, implunjcd, and inclined to laugiiter. f Rational. '^ III the lint inftauce. § In tl\e fccoud inftance, K2 ■ • ? 96 The Eloquence of Fepular ^Assemblies, told, that his new conqneft conld not have been fecur- ed without the deflrudion of tliat capital, which would have been the conllant feat of cabals, confpiracies, and revolts. But, luckily, we are informed at the fame time, that this hero, this demi-god, this fon and heir of Jupiter Ammon, happened to get extremely drunk with his w— e ; and, by way of frolick, deftroyed one of the iineft cities in the world. Read men, therefore, yourfelf, not in books, but in nature. Adopt no fyflems, but ftudy them yourfelf. Obferve their weakntfTes, their pallions, their humours, of all which their underftandings are, nine times in ten, the dupes. You will then know that they are to -be gained, influ- enced, or led', much oftener by little things than by great ones ; and, confequently, you will no longer think thofe things little, which tend to fuch great purpofes. Let us apply this now to the particular object of this letter; I mean, fpcaking in, and influencing popular aflemblies. The nature of our conftitution makes elo- quence more ufeful and more neceflary, in this coun- try, tlian in aiiy other in Europe. A certain degree of good fenfe and knowledge is requifite for that, as well as for every thing elfe ; but beyond that, the purity of di£lion, the elegancy of fiyle, the harmony of periods, a pleafing elocution, and a graceful a(51:ion, are the tilings which a public fpeaker fliould attend to the moft ; becaufe his audience certainly does, and under- ilands them the beft, or rather indeed underltands little elfe. The late lord-chancellor Cowper's ftrength, as an orator, lay by no means in his reafonings, for he often hazarded very weak ones ; but fuch was the purity and elegancy of his flyle, fuch the propriety and charms of hii. elocution, and fuch the gracefulnefs of his action, that he never fpoke without uni\aTfal ap- plauft : the ears and the eyes gave him up the hearts and ti;e underftandings of the audience. On the con- trary, the laie lord Townfliend always fpoke materially, with argument and knowledge, but never pleafed. Why? Kis di(51i()n was not only inelegant, but fre- quently ungrammatical, always vulgar; his cadences falfe, his voice unharmonious, and his adion ungrace- Examples of Eloqttence, 1 97 ful. Nobody heard him with patience; and the young fellows ufed to joke upon him, and repeat his inaccu- racies. The late duke of Argyle, though the weakeft reafoner, was the moll pleafing fpeaker 1 ever knew in my life. He charmed, he warmed, he forcibly raviftied the audience ; not by his miitter certainly, but by his manner of delivering it. A molt genteel figure, a graceful nobie air, an harmonioiis voice, an elegancy of flyle, and a ftrength of emphafis, confpired to make him the motf affecting, perfuafive, and ap- plauded fpeaker, I ever faw. I was captivated like others; but when I came home, and cooly confidered what he had faid, flripped of all thofe ornaments in which he had dreiied it, I often found the matter iiimfy, the arguments weak, and I was convinced of the power of thofe adventitious concurring circumllances, which ignorance of mankind only calls trifling ones. Cicero, in his book De Oratore, in order to raife the dignity of that profeliion, which he well knew himfelf to bear the head of, afferts, that a complete orator muit be a complete every,4)ing, — lawyer, philofopher, divine, &c. That would be extremely well, if it was polTible : but man's life is not long enough ; and 1 hold him to be the completed orator who fpeaks the belf upon that fa bje€t which occurs; whofe happy choice of words, whofe lively imagination, whofe elocution and action, adorn and grace his matter; at the fame time that they excite the attention, and engage the paflions of his audience. You will be of the Houfe of Commons as foon as you are of age ; and you mull firif make a figure there, if you would make a figure, or a fortune, in your coun- try. This you can never do without that corrednefs and elegancy in your own language, which you now feem to negleft, and which you have entirely to learn. Fortunately for you, it is to be learned. Care and cb- fervation will do it; but do not flatter yourfelf that all the knowledge, fenfe, and reafoning in the world, will ever make you a popular and applauded fpeakt r, with* out the ornaments and the graces of ftyle, elocution^ and a<5tion. Senfe and argument, though coai'fely de* 192 Of Eloquence, livercd, will have their weight in a private converfa- tion, with two or three people of feiife; but in a public affembly they will have none, if naked, and deftitute of the advantages 1 have mentioned. Cardinal de Ketz obferves, very juflly, that every numerous af- fembiyis a mob, influenced by their pafTions, humours, and affections, which nothing but eloquence ever did, or ever can engage. This is fo important a confi* deration for every body in this country, and more particularly for you, that I earneflly recommend it to your nioft ferious care and attention. Mind your diiftion, in whatever language you either write or fpeak ; contraft a habit of correftnefs and elegance ; confider your flyle, even in the freed: converfation, and mofl familiar letters. After, at lead, if not be* fore you have faid a thing, ref]e<^ if you could npt have faid it better. Where you doubt of the pro- priety or elegancy of a word or phrafe, corifult lome good dead or living authority in that language. Ufe yourfelf to tranflate, from various languages, into Englifh : corred thofe tranflations till they fatisfy your ear, as well as your underflanding. And be convinced of this truth, That tlie bed fenfe and reafon in the world will be as unwelcome in a pub- lic afTembly, v>^ithout thefe ornaments, as they will in public companies, without the airifi,ance of man- ners and politenefs. If you will pleafe people, you mull pleafe them in their own way ; and, as you cannot make them what they 'fhould be, you muft take them as they are. I repeat it again, they are only to be taken by <2^?"tW?;j *, and by what flatters their fenfes and their hearts, Rabelais firft wrote a mofl excellent book, which nobody liked 5 then, de- termined to conform to the public tafte, he wrote Gargantua and Pantagruel^ which every body liked, cjctravagant as it was. — Adieu ! ^ [ 199 ] LETTER LXXXII. The Subject of Style continued... Parliamentcuy Speaking.., Cictro^s Definition of an Orator corf/uted. DEAR BOY, London, December the 9tr;i. It is now above forty years fince I have never fpoken nor written one fingle word, without giving niyfelf at leaft one n^iOment's time to confider whether it was a good one or a bad one, and whether I could not find out abetterin its place. An unharmonions and rugged period, at this time, fliocks my ears; and I, like all the reft of the world, will willingly exchange, and give, up fome degree of rough feiife, for a good degree of pleafing found. I will ireeiy and truly own to you, without either vanity or falie- modefty, that whatever reputation I have acquired, as a fpeaker, is more owing to n]y condant attention to my di6lion, than to my- mitter, which was' neceflkrily juil the fame as other people's. When you come into parliament, your re- putation as a fpeaker will depend much more upon your words, and your periods, than upon the fubje<^. The fame matter occurs equally to every body of com- mon -fenfe, upon the fame queftion ; the are (Ting it well is what excites the attention and admiration of the audience. . It is in parliament that I have fet my heart upon your making a figure: it is there that I want to have you jullly proud, of yourfelf, and to rnak'e me jaftly proud of you. This means that you muft .be a good fpeaker there: I ufe the word mu/l^ beCanfe I know you m.ay if yon will. The vulgar, who are al- ways miftaken, look upon a fpeaker and a comet with the fame aftonifhment and admiration, taking them both for practernatural phaioomena.' This error dif- courages many young men from attempting that cha*- ra6ler ; and good fpeakers are willing to have their ta- lent cop.fidered as fomething very extraordinary, if not a peculiar gift of God to his eled. Etit let yon and I analyfe and fimplify this good fpeaker ; let ivs firip him of thofe ndvpiuitious plumes, with which ius own jjiKif, ana me Ignorance or t>Luciir liuv^ *; ipuch as poffible, the con^pany of fuch people; .who lFe1!e£t a decree ol difcredit and infamy upon all thole who converie with them. But as you may, fonietliucs, by accident, fall into fuch company, take great caie that no complai- fance, no good- humour, no warmth of fellal mirth, ever make you feem even to acquiefce, much lefs to approve or applaud, fuch infamous dodlrines. On the other hand, do not debate, nor enter into ferious argu- ment, upon a fubje6l fo much below it : but content yourfelf with telling thefe apoftles, that you know they are not- ferious ; that you have a much better opinion of theiT] than they would wifli you to have ; and that, you are very fure, they would not praiftife the doftrines they preach. But put your private mark upon them, and fliun them for ever a(ter\^ ards.. There is nothing fo delicate as your moral cha- racter, and nothing which it is your intereft fo much to preferve pure. Snovild you be fufpedted of in- juflice, malignity, perfiiy, lying, &c. all the parts and knowiccige in the world will never procure you Anecdote of Colonel Chartrcs. ..Lying, SfC. ^ 213 «{lecm, friendfliip, or refpe^t. A ftrange concurrence of circumftances has foinetimes raifel very bad men to h'gh fiations ; but they have been raifed like criminals to a pillory, where their perfons and their crimes, by being more confpicuous, are only the more known, the more detefled, and the more pelted and infiilted. If, in any cafe whatfoever, diilimulation is pardon- able^ it is in the cafe of morality ; though even there, I would not advife you to a Pharafaical pomp of vir- tue. But I vviil recommend to you a mofl fcrupulous tendernefs for your moral charader, and the utmoll care not to fay or do the leafl: thing, that may, ever fo fligbtly, taint it. Show yourfelf, upon all occafions, the advocate, the friend, but not the bully, of virtue. Colonel Chartres, whom you have certainly heard of (who was, I believe, the mod notorious rafcal in the world; and who had, by ail forts of crimes, amafTed immenfe wealth), was fo fenfible of the difadvantage of a bad character, that I heard him once fay, in his impudent, profligate manner," that, though he would not give one farthing for virtue, he would give ten thoufand pounds for a character; becanfe he fliould get a hundred thoufand pounds by it : whereas he was - fo infamous, that he had no longer an opportunity of ^' cheating people. Is it poffible then that an honeft man can negle6l, what a wife rogue would purchafe fo dear r There is one of the vices above-mentioned, into which people of good education, and, in the main, of good principles, fometimes fall, from millaken notions of (kill, dexterity, and felf-defence — I mean lying; though it is infeparably attended with more infamy _ and lofs than any other. The prudence and neceffity of often concealing the truth, infenfihly feduces people to violate it. It is the only art of mean capacities, and the only refuge of mean fpirits. Whereas conceal- ing the truth, upon proper occafio?is, is as prudent and. innocent, as telling a lie, upon any occafion, is infa- mous and foolidi. I will ftate to you a cafe in your own drpartment. Suppofe you are employed at a foreign court, and that the minifter of that court is abfurd or impertinent enough to a(k you what your inftru6tix3ns 2.14 I^yi-^^gi '5'<^» are; will you tell him a lie; which, as foon as found out, and found out it certainly will be, mufl deflroy your credit, blaft your chara6ler, and render you ufe- lefs there ? No. Will you tell him the truth then, and betray your trufir? As certainly, No. But you will an- fwer, with firmnefs, That you are furprifed at fuch a queftion ; that you are perfuaded he does not expect an anfwer to it ; but that, at all events, he certainly will not have one. Such an anfwer will give him confi- dence in you ; he will conceive an opinion of your ve- racity, of which opinion you may afterwards make very honefi: and fair advantages. But if, in negotiations, you are looked npon as a iiar, and a trickller, no con- fidence will be placed in you, nothing will be commu- nicated to you, ar.d you will be in the fituation of a man who has been burnt in the cheek; and who, from that mark, cannot afterwards get an honeft livelihood if he wQuld, but mull continue a thief. Lord Bacon, very jullly, makes a diftincftion between Emulation and diffimulation ; and allows the latter ra- ther than the former: but ftill obferves, that they are the weaker fort of politicians, who have recourfe to either. A man w'TrOv,has ftrength of mind, and flrength of parts, wants neither of them. " Certainly," fays he, '• the ablefi: men that ever were, have all had an open- neTs and franknefs of dealing, and a name of certainty and veracity; but then, they were like horfes well managed 3 for they could teil, pafling well, when to Hop, or turn.*' There are people who indulge them- ^ ftlv^ in a fort of lying, which they reckon innocent, and which in one fenie is fo ; for it hurts nobody but themfelves. This fo;t of lying is the fpurious offspring of vanity, begotten upon folly : thefe people deal in the niarvellous ; tl^ev have feen fome things that never exided ; they have feen other things which they never reallv faw, though they did exifl, only becaufe they were thought worth feeing. Has any thing remarkable been faid or done in any place, or in any company? they im- mediately prefent and declare themfelves eye or ear wit- nefles of ir. They have done feats themfelves, unat-, tempted, or at leaf! unperformed, by others. They are always the heroes of their own fables; and think that Digniij/ of Characte r. 215 they gain consideration, or at leaft prefent attention, by it J — whereas, in truth, all they get is ridicule and contempt, not without a good degree of diftruft : for one mull naturally conclude, that he who will tell any lie from idle vanity, will not fcruple telling a greater for intereft. Had I really fcen any thing fo very ex- traordinary as to be almoii incredible, I would keep it to myfeif, rather than, by telling it, give any one body room to doubt for one minute of my veracity. It is moil certain, that the reputation of chaftity is not fo neceiTary for a woman, as that of veracity for a man : and with reafon : for it is poffible for a woman to be virtuous in other refpet'-^s, though not ftriclly chafle : but it is not poffible for a man to be virtuous, in any degree, without ftricl veracity. The flips of the poor women are fometimes mere bodily frailties; but a lie in a man is a vice of the mind, and of the heart. For (jod's fake, be fcrupuloiiily jealous of the piu'ity of your moral chara(5ler ! keep it immaculate, unblemifli- ed, unfullied, and it will be unfufpeded. Defamation and calumny never attack where there is no weak place ; they magnify, but they do not create. There is a .great difference between that purity of character which I fo earneftly recommend to you, and the floical gravity and auftdrity of charader, which - I do by no means recommend to you. At your age, I would no more wirti you to be a Cato, than a Clodius. Be, and be reckoned, a man of bufinefs. Enjoy this happy and giddy time of your life ; fliine in the plea- sures, and in the company of people of your own age* This is all to be done, and indeed only can be done, without the leaft taint to the purity of your moral cha- racfter : for thofe miftaken young fellows, who think to fnine by .an impious or imitioral licentioufnefs,. fnine only from their ftinking, like corrupted flefti in the dark.' Without this purity, you can have no dig- nity of charader; and, without dignity of chara6ier, it is impoilible to rife in the world. You muft b^; re- fpeclabie, if you will be refpe6led. I have knovv^rv people flattern away their character, without really pol- luting it ; the confequence of which has been, that they have become innocently contemptible 5 their me- 516 Of Confidence in Compam/, rit has been dimmed, their pretenfions unregarded, and all their views defeated. Chara6ler mud be kept bright, as well as clean. Content yonrfelf with mediocrity in nothing. In purity of chara6ler, and in politenefs of manners, labour to excel all, if you willi to equal many. Adieu ! LETTER LXXXVII. A prcjier Decree of Confidence in Company recommended,.^ The Author* s Embarrassmcyit ivhen first introduced.,. > ^ Manners of different Countries... Old IFomen. Y DKAR FRIEND, London, Tanuarv the llth. uL^ Yesterday I received a letter from Mr. Harte, ►*^of the 31ft December. He tells me two things that ^0^ give me great fatisfaiftion ; one is, that there are very Jljr iew Englifti at Rome; the other is, that you frequent the bed foreign companies. In thefe companies you mull: not be difcouragcd, and think yourfeif either flighted or laughed at becaufe you fee others, older and more ufed to the world, eafier, more familiar, and confequently rather better received in thofe companies than yourfeif. In time your turn will come ; and if you do but fliow an inclination, a defire to pleafe, though you iliouki be embarrafied, or even err in the means (which mnft neceiTarily happen to you at firft), yet the will (to ufe a vulgar expreffion) will be taken iox the deed; and people, inflead of laughing at you, will be glad to in{irnat) before I .218 Manners af different Countries, (^r. could tell her, that I was very mnch obliged to her ; that it was true that I had a great deal of reafon to dif- truft my own behaviour, not being iifed to fine com- pany ; and that I fhould be proud of being her novice, and receiving her inllrudions. As foon as I had fum- bled out this anfwer, (lie called up three or four people to her, and faid, '' Do you know that I have under- taken this younglnan, and he muft be encouraged? As for me, I think I have made a conqueft: of him ; for he juft now ventured to tell me, although tremblingly, that it is warm. You will aflill me in polifliing him!'' The company laughed at this lefture, and I was ftunned with it. I did not know whether fiie was fe- rious or in jefl. By turns I was pleafed, afliamed, en- couraged, and deje(5lcd. But when I found, after- wards, that both fhe, and thofe to whom flie had pre- fented me^ countenanced, and protected me in com- pany, I gradually got more afTurance, and began not to be afhamed of endeavouring to be civil. I copied the beft mafters, at firft fervilely, afterwards more free- ly,' and at lafl I joined habit and invention. All this will happen to you, if you perfevere in the defire of pleafing, and fl)iningas a man of the world. I could wifli that you would fay to the five or fix men or women with whom you are the mod acquainted, that you are fenfible that, from youth and inexperience, you muft make many miflakes in good- breeding ; that you beg of them to correct you, without referve, wherever they fee you fail; and that you fliall take fuch admonitions as the ftrongeft proofs of their friend/hip. Such a confefiion and application will be very engaging to thofe to whom you make them. They will tell others of them, who will be pleafed "with that difpofition, and, in a friendly manner, tell you of any little (lip or error. The duke de Niver- nois * would, I am fure, be charmed, if you dropped fuch a thing to him : adding, that you love to addrefs yourfelf always to the beft mafi:ers. Obferve alfo the different modes of good-breeding of feveral nations, and conform yourfelf to them refpedively. Ufe an eafy ci- * At that time embaflador from the court of France, at Rome. Use of Time, S^x. 219 vility with the French, more ceremony with the Italians, and ftill more with the Germans; but let it be without ©mbarraflment, and with eafe. Bring it, by ufe, to be habitual to you ; for, if it feems unwilling and forced, it will never pleafe. Omnis Arijiippum decuit color^ et res *. Acquire an eafinefs and versatility of manners, as well as of mind 5 and, like the cameleon, take the hue of the company you are with. There is a fort of veteran women of condition, who, having lived always in the^r^?«^ monde\^ form a young fellow better than all the rules that can be given him, Thefe women, being paft their bloom, are extremely- flattered by the lead attention from a young perfon ; and they will point out to him thofe manners and at- tentions that pleafed and engaged them, when they - were in the pride of their youth and beauty. Wherever you go, make fome of thofe women your fr' »nds ; which a very little matter will do. Afk their advice, tell them your doubts or difficulties, as to your behaviour; but take great care not to drop one word of their experi- ence ; for experience implies age, and the fufpicion of age no woman, let her be ever fo old, ever forgives. LETTER LXXXVlir. Use of Time... Punctuality,,. Useful Reading.,. Romances cen- sured,,, Dispatch and Method... Method of reading for Jjnprovement, MY DEAR FRIE^JD, Londan, February the 5th. Very few people are good cecononnfts of their for- tune, and flill fewer of their time ; and yet, of the two, the latter is the moft precious. I heartily wifli you to be a good ceconomift of both ; and you are now of an age to begin to think ferioufly of thefe two important articles. Young people are apt to think they have fo much time before them, that they may fquander what they pleafe of it 5 and yet have enough left ; as very * Every thing was becoming in ArilUppus, both the manner and the thing. f Greut M'orld. La 220 Punctuality,., Useful Reading.., Romances ccnmrcd. great fortunes have frequently feduced people to a ruinous profufion. "Fatal miflakes, always repented of, but always too late ! Old Mr. Lowndes, the famous fe- cretary of the treafury, in the rtigns of king William, queen Anne, and king George the Firlt, ufed to fav, *' Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themfelves." To this maxim, which he not only preached, but prac^i fed, his two grandfons, at this time, owe the very confiderable fortunes that he left them. This holds equally true as to time ; and I mofl ear- neflly recommend to you the care of thofe minutes and quarters of hours, in the courfe of the day, which peo- ple think too ftiort to deferve their attention ; and yet, if fummed up at the tnd of the year, would amount to a very confiderable portion of tiine. For example : you are to be at fuch a place at twelve, by appoint- ment; you go out at eleven, to make two or three vifits firlt ; thofe perfons are not at home : inftead of faun- tering away that intermediate tiine at a coffee-houfe, and poffibly alone, return home, write a letter, before- hand, for the enfuing pofi, or take up a good book, I do not mean Defcartes, Mallebranche, Locke, or New- ton, by way of dipping; but fome book of rational amufement, and detached pieces 3 as Horace, Boileau, Waller, La Bruyere, &:c. This will be fo much time faved, and by no means ill employed. Many people lofe a great deal of tinie by readiiig : for they read fri- volous»and idle books ; fuch as abfurd romances and novels; where chara(5ters, that never exifted, are in- fipidly difplayed, and fentiments, that were never felt, pompoufiy defcribeci : the oriental ravings and extra- vagances of the Arabian Nights, and Mogul Tales: or, the new iiimfy brochures * that now fvvarm in France, of fairy tale?, Reflexions fur le Coeur et VEj]rit^ Metaphy- fique dc V Amouf^ Afialyfe dcs beaux Sentiments -^'^ and fuch fort of idle and frivolous fiutf, that nourifhes and im- proves the mind juii as much as whipped cream would -f Pvcllexior.s en tlie heart and mind, the metaphyfic of love, Dispatch . . . Method of Reading for bnprorement, 22 1 the body. Stick to the bed eftabliflied books in every language; the celebrated poets, hiftorians, orators, and philcfophers. By thefe means (to ufe a city metaphor) you will make ^hy per cent, of that time, of which others do not make above three or four, or probably nothing at all. Many people lofe a great deal of their time by lazi- nefs ; they ioU and yawn in a great chair, tell themftlves tiiat they have not tin^e to begin any thing then, and that it will do as well another time. This is a mod un- fortunate difpofition, and the greateft obftru6lion to both knowledge and bufinefs. At your age, you have no right nor claim to lazinefs ; I have, if 1 pleafe, being emeritus. You are but jull lilled in the world, and muH: be active, diligent, and indefatigable. If ever you propofe commanding with dignity, you muft ferve up to it with diligence. Never put off till lo-morrow what you can do to-day. Difpatch is the foul of bufinefs; 'and nothing contri- butes more to difpatch than method. Lay down a method for every tiling, and flick to it inviolably, , as far as iint-xpec^eci incidents n-. .-v -.iio-.Tr. pjx one cer- tain hour and day in the wee ompts, aiui keep them together in their * ^^ 'i h nieans they will requl.'e vtrr :an never be much cheated. Wi ers you keep, docquet and tie \\ ive clafles, 10 that you may indantU avc^ rcL; u.ie lo any- one. Lay down a method alfo iov your reading, for \vhich you allot a certain fliare of your mornings ; let it be in a confident and confecutive courfe, and not in that defultory and immethodical manner in which many people read fcraps of dift^^-tnt authors, upon different fubjecJ^s. Keep a ufeful and fliort common- place book of what you read, to help your memory only, and not for' pedantic quotations. Never read h1- dory without having maps, and a chronological book, or tables, lying by you, and condantly recurred to ; without which, hidory is only a confufed heap of fadts. One method more I recommend to you, by which I have found great benefit, even in the mod dif- ^3 222 Italian Literature, S^c. fipated part of my life ; that is, to rife early, and at the fame hour every morning, how late foever you may have fate up the night before. This fecures you an hour or two, at Jeaft, of reading or reflexion, before the common interruptions of the morning begin ; and it will fave your con-ftitution, by forcing you to go to bed early, at leaft one night in three. I have received no letter y^t, from you or Mr. Harte. Adieu I LETTER LXXXIX, Italian Literature.. ..Dante. . . Tasso. . . .Ariosto. . . . Gnarini. . . . Fftrarch.. . .Machiavc lli.,.Bocaccio, . .,Giiicciardlni...Beth tivoglio, and Davila.... English arid French Authors. MY DEAR FRIEND, London, February the 8th. You have, by this time, I hope and believe, made fuch a progrefs in the Italian language, that you can read it with eafe ; I mean, the eafy books in it : and in- deed, in that, as well as in every other language, the cafieft books are generally the beft ; for, whatever au- thor is obfcure and difficult, in his own language, cer- tainly does not think clearly. This is, in my opinion, the cafe of a celebrated Italian author ; to whom the Italians,from the admiration they have of him, have given the epithet of il divino*\ I mean^ Dante. Though I for- merly knew Italian extremely well, I could never un- derftand him; for which reafon I had done with him, fully convinced that he was not worth the pains necef- fary to underiland him. The good Italian authors are, in my mind, but f^w ; I mean, authors of invention; for there are, undoubt- edly, very good hittorians, and excellent tranflators. The two poets worth your reading, and, I w^as going to fay, the only two, are Taflb and Ariofto. Taflo's Gierufalemme Liberata is altogether, unqueftionably, a fine poem ; though it has fome low, and many falfe, thoughts in it ; and Boileau very juftly makes it the * The divine. Of Italian Literature and Authors, 223 mark of a bad tafle, to compare le clinquant du Tajfe a Vor de Firgile *. The image, with which he adorns the introdudioii of his epic poem, is low and difguft- ing; it is that of a froward, fick, puking child, who is deceived into a dofe of necefTary phyfic by du hit hon. The verfcs are thefe : Cofi air egro fanciul porgiamo afperfi Di foavi licor gliorli del vafo : Sttcchi amari ingannato intanto ei beve, E dall' inganno fuo vita ricevq. However, the poem, with all its faults about it, may julily be called a fine one. If fancy, imagination, invention, defcription, &c, conftitute a poet, Ariofto is, unqueftionably, a great one. His Orlando, it is true, is a medley of lies and truths, facred and profane, wars, loves, enchantments, giants, mad heroes, and adventurous damfels : but then, he gives it you very fairly for what it is, and does not pretend to put it upon you for the true epofei\ or epic poem. He fays, Le donne, i cavalier, I'arine, gli amori Le eortefie, Taudaci imprcfe, io canto. The connecftions of his llories are admirable, his reflex^ ions juft, his fneers and ironies incomparable, and his painting excellent. When Angelica, after having wan- dered over half the world alone with Orlando, pretends, notwithflanding, ^ <;li' c[ gor virginal cofi avca falvo, Come I'elo porto dal matcrn' alvo. The author adds, very gravely, Forfe era ver, ma non peru credibile A ciii del fenfo I'uo ioffe figaore. Aftolpho's being carried to the moon, by St. John, in ordef to look for Orlando's loft wits, at the end of the 34th book, and the many loft things that he finds there, is a moft happy extravagancy, and contains, at the fame time, a great deal of fenfe. I would advife you to read this poem with attention. It is, alfo, the fource of half the tales, novels, and plays, that have been written fince. * The tinfel of Taffo to the gold of Virgil. L4 2^4 Of Italian Literatui c cv.-..* . . ... /< ,., o. The PaJ^or Ficio * of Guarini is fo celebrated, thaf you fhould read it; but in reading it, you will judge of the great propriety of the chara^^ers. A parcel of fhepherds and fliepherdefFes, with the true pafioral iim- plicity, talk metaphyfics, epigram, concetti^ and quib- bles, by the hour, to each other. The Aminta del TaJJo is much more what it is in- tended to be — a pafloral ; the fliepherds, indeed, h^ve their concetti^ and their antithefes ; but are not quite ib fublime and abftra<5ted as thofe in Pajior Fido. I think that you will like it much the bell: of the two, Feirarca is, in my mind, a fing-fong love-lick poet ^ much admired, however, by the Italians : but an Italian, who iliould think no better of him than I do, would certainly fay, that he deferved his Laura better than his Iauro\ and that wretched quibble would be reckoned an excellent piece of Italian wit. The Italian profe writers (of invention I mean), which I would recommend to your acquaintance, are Machiavelli and Bocaccio : the former, for the efla- bliflied reputation which he has acquired, of a confum- mate politician (whatever my own private fentiments may be of either his politics or his morality) : the lat- ter, for his great invention, and for his natural and agreeable manner of teli"ng his ftories. Guicciardini, Bentivoglio, Davila, &c, are excellent hiftorians, and deferve being read with attention. The nature of hiflory checks, a little, the flights of Italian imaginations; which, in works of invention, are very high indeed. Tranflations curb them flill more; and their tranfiations of the claflics are incom- parable ; particularly the firfl ten, tranflated in the time of Leo the Xth, and infcfibed to him under the title of the Collana, That original Coilana has been ■ lengthened fince ; and, if I miftake not, confills, now, of one' hundred and ten vohjmes. , From what I have faid, you will eafily guefs, that I meant to put you upon your guard ; and not to let your fancy be dazzled, and your tafle corrupted, by the con- cL'Ui^ th^ quaintnelTes, and falfe thoughts, which are too -* Fall' ■ ^ ^ ' Of English and French Authors, 225 iniich the chara£lenfllcs of the Italian and Spanifli au' thors. I think you are in no great danger, as your tafle has been formed upon the bed ancient models ; the Greek and Latin authors of the btil ages, who in- dulge themfeives in none of the puerilities 1 have hint- ed at. To do juftice to the bell Englidi and French au- thors, they have not given into that falfe tafte ; they allow no thoughts to be good that are ^ot juft, and founded upon truth. The age of Lewis XIV. was very like the Auguftan;>-Boileau, Moliere, La Fontaine, Ra- cine, &c. eftablidied the true, and expofed the falfe tafte. The reign of king Charles II. (meritorious in no other refped) baniQied falfe tafte out of England, and profcribed puns, quibbles, acrollics, &c. Since that; falfe wit has renewed its attacks, and endeavoured to recover its loft empire, both in England and France ; but without fuccefs : though, I muft fay, with mare fuccefs in France than in England : Addifon, Pope^ and Swift, having vigoroufly defended the rights of good fcnfe; which is more than can be faid of their contem- porary French authors, who have of late had a great tendency to le faux hrilla?it, le raffinemeut^ et rentoriille- merit *. And lord Rofcommon would be more in the . right now, than he was then, in faying, that The Englifii bullion of one fterling linCj Drawn to French wire, wouHl through ^hole pa:;;cs fiiine, Lofe no time, my dear child, I conjure you, in forming your tafte, your manners, your mind, your every thing : you have but two years tifne to do it in ;, for, whatever you are, to a certain degree, at twenty, you will be, more or lefs, all the reft of your life. May it be a long and happy one ! — Adieu ! ■*». * The falie brilliant, the minute^ and complex. LS [ 226 ] LETTER XC. Curiosities, History, Sfc. of Naples.. .Defimtion of a Po- litical Constitution. ..French, English, Polish, and Sived- ish Monarchies. MY DEAR FRIEND, London, March the 29th. You are now, I fuppofe, at Naples, in a new fcene of virtu, examining all the curiofities of Herculaneum, watching the eruptions of Mount Vefiivius, and furvey- ing the magnificent churches and public buildings by which Naples is diftinguifhed. You have a court there into the bargain, which, I hope, you frequent and at- tend to. Polite manners, at lead, are to be learned at courts; and muft be well learned by whoever would cither fliine or thrive in them. Though they do not change the nature, they fmooth and foften the manners of mankind. Vigilance, dexterity, and flexibility, fup- ply the place of natural force; and it is the ableft mind, not the ftrongeft body, that prevails there. Monfieiir and madame Fogliani will, I am fure, fliow you all the politenefs of courts ; for I know no better bred people than they are. Domefticate yourfelf there while you flay at Naples, and lay afide the Englifli coldnefs and formality. You have alfo a letter to comte Mahony, whofe houfe I hope you frequent, as it is the refort of the bed company. His fifter, madame Bulkeley, is now here; and had I known of your going fo foon to Naples, I would have got you a letter from her to her brother. The converfation of the moderns in the even- ing is full as nece(Fary for you, as that of the ancients in the morning. You would do well, while you are at Naples, to read fome very Ihort hiftory of that kingdom. It has had great variety of mafters, and has occafioned many wars; the general hiftory of which will enable you to a(k mauy proper queflions, and to receive ufeful infor- mations in return. Inquire into the manner and form of that government; for conftitution it has none, being an abfolute one; but the moft abfolute governments fiave certain cuHoms and forms, which are more or lefs cbferved by their refpe^ftive tyrants. In China it is Idle and Foolish Compcnnons, ^c, 227 the faflnon for the emperors, abfohite as they ajt'e^ to govern with juflice and equity; as in the other oriental monarchies it fs the cuftom to govern by violence and cruelty. The king of France, as abfolute^ in fa6l, as any of them, is by cuftom only more gentle ; for I know of no conftitutional bar to his will. England is now the onlv monarchy in the world that that can pro- perly be faid to have a conftitiition ; for the people's rights and liberties are fecured by laws. I cannot reckon Sweden and Poland to be monarchies, thofe two kings having little more to fay than the Doge of Venice. I do not prefume to fay any thing of the con- flitution of the empire to you, who are, I truft, perfect mafter of that fubje(5l. When you write to me, which, by the way, you do pretty feldom, tell me rather whom you fee, thaa what you fee. Inform me of your evening tranfa£lionS and acquaintances ; where, and how you pafs your evenings 3 what Englifli people you meet with, and a hint of their charaders; and what people of learning you have made acquaintance with. I interefi myfelf mod in what perfonally concerns you mod : and this is a very critical year in your life. To talk like a vir- tuofa, your canvas is, I think, a good one, and Ra« phael Harte has drawn the outlines admirably ; no- thing is now wanting but the colouring of Titian, and the Graces, the morbiJezza of Guido ; but that is a great deal. You muft get them foon^ or you will never get them at all.— Add io I I.ETTER XCL Idle cmd Foolish Companmis...Th€ French ill-edwcatcd and trifling ,.. Caution against frequenting Cojee-howfes .^ Knaxery oj Farisiam, . .Gambling., MY DEAR FRIEND, LoRtlon, April thc 26th. As your journey to Paris approaches, and as that pe- riod will, one way or another, be of infinite conse- quence to you, my letters will henccforwards be prin- cipally calcuhtcd iov that meridian-. You will be left L6 228 Idle and Foolkh Companions, S^c. here to your own difcretlon, inftead of Mr. Harte*s; and you vvill allow me, I am fure, to diftruft a little the difcretion of eighteen. You will find in the Acade- my a number of young fellows much leis difcreet than yourfelf. Thefe will all be your acquaintcinces ; hue look about you firft, and inquire into their refpe^live chara£lers, before you form any connections among them ; and, arferis paribus, fingle. out thofe of the moft cofifiderable rank -and family. Show them a diftin- guidiiui^ attention, by which means 'you will get into their refpedive houfes, and keep the beft company. All thofe French young fellows are exceffively etourdis'^: he upon your guard againft fcrapes and quarrels: have no corporeal pleafantries with them, no Jeux de main f , no coups de chamhrlere^ which frequently bring on quar- rels. Be as lively as they, if you pleafe, but at the, fame time be a little wifer than they. As to letters, you will find moil of them ignorant ; do not reproach them with that ignorance, nor make them feel your iuperiority. It is not their fault they are all bred up for the a^my; but, on the other hand, do not allow their ignorance and idlenefs to break in upon thofe jnorning hours which you may be able to aljot to your ferious ftudies. No breakfaftings with them, which confume a great' deal of time ; but tell them (not ma- giilerially and fententioufly) that you will read two or three hours in the morning, and that for the rell of the day you are very much at their fervice. Though, by the way, I hope you vvill keep wifer company in the evenings- I mufl infift upon your never going to what is called the Englifli coifee-houfe at Paris, which is the refort of al) the fcrub Englifli, and alfo of the fugitive and at- tainted Scotch and Jrilli : party quarrels, and drunken fq\jabble5, are very frequent there; and I do not know a more degrading place in all Paris. Coifee-houfesand taverns are by no means creditable at Paris. Be caany of thofe men and womcti who give the ton\ and though at firfl you fhould be ad- mitted upon that fliining theatre ojily as a mute, per- iiO", perfcvere, and you will foon have a part given you. Take great care never to tell in one company what you fee or hear in another, much lefs to divert the prefei-t company at the expense of the lail ; but let *= Churchmen and lawyers. 23 If Men f)f Pleasure. . .Anecdote, difcretion and fecrecy be known parts of your charac-' ter. They will carry you much farther, and much fafer, than more flilning talents. Be upon your guard againft quarrels at Paris; honour is extremely nice there, though the aflerting of it is exceedingly penal. Paris is the place in the world wliere, if you pleafe, you may the befl: unite the utile and the duhe"^* Even your pleafuies will be your improvements^ if you take them with the people of the place, and in high life. From what you have hitherto done every-where elfe, I have juft reafon to believe that you will do every thing you ought at Paris. Remember that it is your decifive moment; whatever you do there will be known to thoufands here ; and your character there, whatever it is, will get before you hither. You will meet with it at London. May you and I both have reafon to re- joice at that meeting !— Adieu ! LETTER XCIIL Men of Pleasure,, .German and Italian Languages, MY DEAR FRIEND, London, May the 8th. At your age, the love of pleafures is extremely natu- ral, and the enjoyment of them not unbecaming; but the danger, at your age, is miftakin^ the obje6t, and fetting out wrong in the purfuit. The charadlerof a man of pleafure dazzles young eyes; they do not fee their way to it diftindly, and fall into vice and profli- gacy. I remember a ftrong inftance of this a great many years ago. A young fellow, determined to fliine as a man of pleafur-e, was at the play, called The Liber- tine Defiroyed^ a tranflation of Ls Fejiin de Pierre of Moliere. He was fo ftruck with what he thought the fine chara(5ler of the Libertine, that he fwore he would be the Libertine Dejlroyed, Some friends aiked him, whether he had not better conteiit himfelf with being only the Libertine, without being dejlroyedf to which he anfwered with great warmth, *' No ; for that being * The ufct'ul and the plcafant. Men of Pleasure, 235 deflroyed was the perfection of the whole.** This, extravagant as it ftems in this hght, is really the cafe of many an unfortunate young fellow, who, captivated by the name of .pleafures, rufhes indifcriminately, and without tafle, into them all, and is finally dejiroyed^ I am not floically advifmg, nor preaching to you, to be a ftoic at your age; far from it : I am pointing out to you the paths to pleafurcs, and am endeavouring only to quicken and heighten them for you. Enjoy pleafures, but jet them be your own, and then you will tafle them: but adopt none; trull to nature for genuine ones. The pleafures that you would feel, you mufl earn : the man who gives himfelf up to all, feels none fenhbly. Sardanapalus, I am convinced,, never in his life felt any. Thofe only who join ferious oc- cupations with pleafures, feel either as they fliould do. An uninterrupted life of pleafures is as infipid as con- temptible. Some hours given every day to ferious bufinefs muft whet both the mind and the fenfes, to enjoy thofe of pleafure. A furfeited glutton, an ema- ciated fot, and an enervated rotten whore- mailer, ne- ver enjoy the pleafures to which they devote them- fclves ; they are only fo many human facrifices to falfe gods. The pleafures of low^ life are all of this mif- taken, merely fenfual, and difgraceful nature j whereas thofe of high-life, and in good company (though pofli- bly in thcmfelves not perfe6lly moral) are more delicate, more refined, lefs dangerous, and lefs difgraceful, and, in the common courfe of things, not reckoned dif- graceful at all. In fliort, pleafure muft not, nay can-' not, be the bufinefs of a man of {^i\^t and charr6ler; but it may be, and is, his relief, his reward. It is par- ticularly fo with regard to the women, who have the utmoft contempt for thofe men, that, having no cha- racter nor confideration with their own fex, frivoloufly pafs their whole time in ruellcs^ and at toilettes. They look upon them as their lumber, and remove them whenever they can get better furniture. Women chufe their favourites more by the ear than by any other of their fenfes, or even their underflandings. The man whom they hear the mod commended by the men will, always be the beft received by them.. Such a conqued 23 G German and Jialian Pleasures. flatters their vanity ; and vanity is their univerfal, if not their flrongeft paffion. A -diftinguiflied finning charader is irrefiftible with them; they crowd to, nay, they even quarrel for. the danger, in hopes of the tri- umph. Though by the way (to life a vulgar expref- f^pn) file who conquers only catches a tartar, and be- comes the flave of her captive. Divide your time be- tween ufeful occupations and elegant pleafures. The morning feems to belong to fiudy, bufintfs, or ferious converfations with men of learning and figure. From fitting down to dinner, the proper bufincfs of th-e day is pleafure, unlefs real bufinefs, which mufl: never be pofiponed for pleafure, happens aifcidentally to inter- fere. You fee I am not rigid, and do not require that you and I fnould be of the (ame age. What I fay to you, therefore, fhould have the more weight, as com« ing from a frie,nd, not a father. But low coirpany, and their low vices, their indecent j'iots, and profli- gacy, 1 never will bear, nor forgive. 1 have lately received two volumes of Treatifes, in German and Latin, fromHawkins, n ith your orders, under your own hand, to take care of them for you ^ which orders J fliall n.oft dutifully and punctually obey; and triey wait for you in my library, together with your great coHeCtiou x")f rare bonks, which your mamma fent me upon rcinoving from her old houfe. 1 hope yon not only keep up, but improve in your German, for it will be of great ufe to you when you come int6 bufinefs ; and the more fo, as you will be • almoft the only Engli/lin'rnn who either can fpeak or underfland it. Pray fpeak it coiiflantly to all Germans, wherever you p.ieet thern, and you wiii meet multitudes of them at Paris. Is Italian now become eafy and fa- miliar to you ? Can you fpeak it with the fame fluen- cy that you can fpeak German ? You cannot conceive what an advantage it will give you, in negotiations, to podefs Italian, German, and ■^; .^nch perfe6tly, fo as to underfland all the force and jv^ej/e of thofe threejan- guag^s. 1^ two men of equal talents negotiate toge- ther, h^ who heft underQands the language in which the negotiation is carried on uill infallibly get the better of the other. The (ignifi cation and force of one TruiJi and Prohiij/ essential in all Stations. 237 fingle word is often of great confequence iiva treaty, and even in a letter. — Adieu ! .LETTER XCIV. TriUh and Probity essential . in ail Stations... Candour,.. Fa- nity. ..Modesty.. .Systematic Conduct, MY DEAR FRIEND, Loiidon, May the 17th. Your apprentlceftilp is near out, and you are fooii to fet up for yourfelf; that approaching moment is a critical one for you, and an anxious one for me. A tradefman who would fucceed in his way, muft be- gin by eflabliniing a chara6ler of integrity and good manners: without the former, nobody will go to his fliop at all ; without the latter, nobody will go there twice. This rule does not exclude the fair arts of trade. He may fell his goocls at the bed price he can, within certain bounds. He may avail himfelf of the humour, the whims, and the fantaflical taftes of his cuflomers : but what he warrants to be good mnft be really f o ; what he ferioully alferts muft be true: or his iirft frau- dulent profits will foon end in a bankruptcy. It is. the fame in higher life, and in the great bufinefs of the world. A man who does not folidly eftablifli, and really deferve, a character of truth, probity, good man- ners, and good morals, at his firll: fetting out in the world, may impofe, and (Ijine like a meteor for a very fliort time, but will very foon vaniih, and be extin- guiihed with contempt. People may pardon, in young men, the common irregularicies of the fenfts; but they do not forgive ^the leall vige of the heart. The heart never grows better by age ; I fear rather worfe; always harder. A young liar will, be an old one ; and a young knave will only be a greater ^knave as he grows older. But flioukl a had young heart, accompanied with a good head (which, by the ^vay, very feUiom is the cafe) really reform in a more advanced age, from a confciouf- nefs of its folly, as well as of it^ guilt, fuch a conver- llon would only be thought prudential and political, but never fincere. I hope in God, and I verily believe, 23^ Candour.,, I "aniti/, that you want no moral virtue. But the pofTeflioM of all the moral virtues, in aSlu primo *, as the logi- cians call it, is not fufficient; you mufl have them in a^u fecuvdo too. Nay, that is not fufficient neither; you muft have the reputation of them alfo. Your cha- racter in the world mufl be built upon that folid foun- dation, or it will foon fall, and upon your own head. You cannot therefore be too careful, too nice, too fcrupulous, in eftablifliing this chara6ler at fird, upon which your whole depends. Let no converfation, no example, no fafliion, no hon mot^ no lilly defire of feeming to be above what mod knaves, and many fools, call prejudices, ever tempt you to avow, excufe, extenuate, or laugh at the leaft breach of morality ; but (liow upon all occafions, and take all occafions to fliow a deteftation and abhorrence of it. There, though young, you ought to be ftri6l ; and there only, while young, it becomes you to be flrid and fevere. But there too, fpare the perfons, while you lafli the crimes. To come now to a point of much lefs, but yet of very great confequence, at your firft fetting out. Be extremely upon your guard againll vanity, the com- mon failing of unexperienced youth; but particularly againfl that kind of vanity that dubs a man a coxcomb, —a character which, once acquired, is more indelible than that of the priefihood. It is not to be imagined by how many different ways vanity defeats its own purpofes. One rran decides peremptorily upon every fubje6t, betrays his ignorance upon many, and fliows a difgufting prefumption upon the reft. Another defires to appear fuccefsful among the women ; he hints at the encouragement he has received, from thofe of the moft diftinguiflied rank and beauty, and intimates a particu- lar connection with fome one; if it is true, it is un- generous; if falfe, it is infamous: but in either cafe he deftroys the reputation he wants to get. Some flat- ter their vanity, by little extraneous objefts, which have not the leaft relation to themfelves, — fuch as being defcended from, related to, or acquainted with people * lu the firfi inflance. Mode sti/.,,S}/stematic Conduct. 2.'59 of diftingu idled merit and eminent characflers. They talk perpetually of their grandfather fiich-a-one, their \jncle fuch-a-one, and their intimate friend, Mr. fuch- a-one, with whom, pofTibly, they are liardly acquainted. But admitting it all to be as they would have it, what then ? Have they the more merit for thefe accidents ? Certainty nor. On the contrary, their taking up ad- ventitious, proves their want of intrinfic merit ; — a rich man never borrows. Take this rule for granted, as a never-failing one, that you mud never feem to afFed the character in which you have a mind to fliine. Modefly is the only fure bait, when you angle for praife. The affec^fcation of courage will make even a brave man pafs only for a bully ; as the afFedation of wit will ma^e a man of parts pafs for a coxcomb. By this modefly, I do not mean timidity, and awkward baflifulnefs. On the contrary, be inwardly firm and fteady, know your own value, whatever it maybe, and a<51: upon that principle; but take care to let nobody difcover that you do know your own value. Whatever real merit you have, other people will difcover; and people always magnify their own difcoveries, as they lefTen thofe of others. For God's fake, revolve all thefe things ferioufly in your thoughts, before you launch out alone into the ocean of Paris. RecoIle6l the obfervations that you have yourfelf made upon mankind, compare and con- ne6l them with my inftru6tions, and then a6l fyftema- tically and confequentially from them. Lay your little plan now, which you will hereafter extend and im- prove by your own obfervations, and by the advice of thofe who can never mean to miflead you, — I mean Mr. Harte and myfelf. [ ^^9 ] LETTER XCV. Travellers ought to vay Jttention to all they go to see.,. The Genteel in Vress.., Firmness in Demeanour, MY DEAR FRiEN-D, Loivdcn, May the 2:hh. I RECEIVED yefterday your letter of the 7th, from Naples, to which place 1 find you have travelled claffi- cally, critically, and ^la virtuofo. You did right, for whatever is worth feeing at all' is worth feeing well, and better than moft people fee it. It is a poor and frivolous excufe, when any thing curious is talked of, that one has feen, to fay, ' 1 faw it, but really I did not much mind it ' Why did they go to fee it, if they would not mind it? or why would they not mind it when they faw it ? — Now that you are at Naples, you pafs part of your time there, in the court, and the beft companies. Mr. Harte informs me that you are clothed in fump- tuous apparel; a young fellow fhould be fo, efpeci- ally abroad, where line clothes are \.o generally the fafiiion. Next to their being fine, they fliould be well rnade, and worn eafily ; for a man is only the lefs genteel for a fine coat, if in wearing it he fliovvs a re- gard for it, and is not as eafy in it as if it was a plain one. I thank you for your drawing, which I am Impatient to fee, and which I (liall hang up in'anew gallery that I am building at Blackheath, and very fond Oii \ but I am ftill more impatient for another copy, which I wonder I have not yet received, — I mean the copy of your countenance. I believe, were that a whole length, it would fiill fall a good deal fliort of the di- menfions of the drawing after Dominichino, which you fay is about eight feet high : and 1 take you, as well as myfelf, to be of the family of the Piccolomini'^, Mr, Bathurfl tells me, that he thinks you rather taller than J" am 3 if fo, you may very poffibly get up to five feet eight inches, which I would compound for, though I would wifli you five feet ten... In truth, what do 1 not * Tlie little in ft at are. The Genteel in Dress. 241 wifhyoii, that has a tendency to perfe(^ion r I fay a tendency only, for abfolute perfection is not in hr.maa nature, fo that it would be idle to wifirit. But I am very willing to compound for your coming nearer to perfection, than the generality of your 'contemporaries: without a compliment to you, I think you bid fair for that. Mr. Harte affirms (and, if it were confident with his charader, wonld I believe fvvear), that you have no vices of the heart : you have undoubtedly a flock both of ancient and modern learning, which, I will venture to fay, nobody of your age has, and which mull: now daily increafe, do what you will. What then do you want towards that pradlicable degree of perfection which I wifli you ? Nothing, but tlie knowledge, the turn, and the manners of the world ; \ m^zwXht beaii ?7tonde'^. Thefe, it is impofiible that you can yet have quite right; they are not given, they mufi: be learned. But then, on the other hand, it is impofiible not to acquire them, if one has a mind to them 3 for they are acquired infenfibly, by keeping good company, if one "has but the leail: attention to their characters and manners. Every man becomes, to a certain degree, what the people he generally converfes with are. He catches their air, their manners, and even their way of thinking. If he obferves with at- tention, he will catch theiTi foon ; but if he does not, he will at long run contract them infenfibly. I know nothing in the world but poetry, that is not to be ac» quired by applfcation and care. The fum total of this is a very comfortable one for you, as it plainly amounts to this, in your favour; that you now want nothing but what even your pleafures, if they are liberal ones, will teach you. I congratulate both you and myfelf, upon your being in fuch a fituation, that, excepting your exercifes, nothing is now wanting but pleafures to complete you. Take them, but (as I am fure you will) with people of the firit faftiion, wherever you are, and the bufmefs i^ done; your exercifes at Paris, which lam fure you will attend to, will fupple and fafliion your body ; and the company you will keep there will, * The faniionable WGrld, M 24-2 TmnJicss in Demeanour, withfoine degree of ohfervation on yonr part, foon give you their air, addrefs, and manners. Let not thofe conllderations, however, make you vain; they are only between you and me : but as they are very comfortable ones, they may jufUy give you a manly alTurance, a lirmnefs, a fleadinefs, without which a man can nei- ther be welM)red, or in any light ?}ppear to advantage, or really what he is. They may jufily remove all timi- dity, awkward baflifnlnefs^ low diffidence of one's-iielf, and mean abje' White you are in France, I could widi that the hours you allot for hillorical amnlemeiit fliould be entirely- devoted to the hiftory of France. One always reads hif- tory to molt advantage in that country to which it is^^ relative; not only books, but perfons, being ever at hand, to folve the doubts and clear up difficulties. [ do by no means advife you to throw avvay your time in ranfacking, like a dull antiquarian, the minute and un- important parts of remote and fabulous times. Let blockheads read what blockheads wrote. A general no- tion of the hiftory of France, from the conqueft of that country by the Franks, to the reiga^of Lewis the Xlth, is fulBcient for ufe, conlequently fufficient for yoUa. There are, however, in thofe remote times, fome remark- able aeras, that deferve more- particular attention; I mean ihofein which fom.e notable alterations happened in the conftitution and form of government. As for ex- ample, the fettlement of Clovis in Gaul, and the form, of government which he then eflablidied ; for, by the way, tTiat form of government differed in this particular from all the other Gothic governments, that the people,, neither colledively nor by reprefentatives, had any fliare in it. It was a mixture of monarchy and ariflocracy ;. and what were called the States-General of France con- lifled only of the nobility and clergy, till the time of Philip ie Bel, in the very beginning of the fonrteentk century, who fird called the people to thofe aflemblies,. by no means for the good of the people, who wevt only amufed by this pretended honour, but, in truth, to check the nobility and clei'gy, and induce them to grant the money he wanted for his profufion : this was a fcheme of Enguerrand de Miarigny, his minifter, who governed both him and his^kingdom to fuch a degree, as to be called the coadjutor and governor of the king- dom. Charles Martel laid afide thefe a(Temblies,and go- verned by open force. Pepin rellored them, and attacned them to' him, and with them the nation ; .by which means he depofed Childeric, and mounted the throne. This is a. fecond period worth your attention. The third race of kings, which begins with Hugues Capet, is a tiiird period. A judicious reader of liiftory will fave himfelfa great deal of time and trouble by attending 256 Alarmei' of studying History, with care only to thofe interefling periods of hiftory, which furnifli remarkable events and make aeras ; and going (lightly over the common run of events. Some people read hiftory as others read the Pilgrim's Pro- grefs; giving equal attention to, and indifcriminately loading their memories with every part alike: but I would have you read it in a different manner. — Take tJie fliorteft general hiftory you can find of every coun- try, and mark down in that hiftory the moft important periods, fuch as conquefts, changes of kings, and alter- ations of the form of government ; and then have re- courfe to moreextenfive hiftories, or particular treatifes, relative to thefe great points. Confider them well, trace up their caufcs, and follow their confequences. For inflance, there is a moft excellent, though very fliort hiftory of France, by Le Gendre. Read that with attention, and you will know enough of the general hiftory ; but when you find there fuch remarkable pe- riods as are above mentioned, confult Mezeray, and other the beft and minuteft hiftorians, as well as poli- tical treatifes upon th^fe fubjt'dls. In later times. Me- moirs, from thofe of Philip de Commines down to the innumerable ones in the reign of Lewis theXiVth, have been of great ufe, and thrown great light upon particu- lar parts of hiftory. Converfation in France, if you have the addrefs and dexterity to turn it upon ufeful fubje<5ls, will exceed- ingly improve your hiftorical knowledge ; for people there, however clalTically ignorant they may be, think it a fliame to be ignorant of the hiftory of their own country: they read that, if they read nothing elfe; and having often read nothing elfe, are proud of having read that, and talk of it willingly ; even the women are well inftru6led in that fort of reading. I am far from mean- ing by this, that you fliould always be talking wifely, in company, of books, hiftory, and matters of know- ledge. There are many con^panies which you will, and ought to ktep, where fuch converfations would be mifplacf'd and ill-tinud ; your own good fenfc muft di- ftinguifti the company and the time. You muft trifle , with triflers; and be ferious only with the ferious, but dance^ to thofe who pipe. Cur in theatrum Cato/evcr^c Cotnpany and Conversation, ' 251 ^ vsntjltf * was juftly faid to an old man : how miicli more fo would it be to one of your age ? PVom the moment that you are.dreffed, and go out, pocket all your knowledge with your watch, and never puU it out in company unlefs defired : the producing of the one unaiked, implies that you are weary of the company 5 and the producing of the other unrequired, will make the company weary of you. Company is a repubh"c too jealous of its liberties to fufFer a didator even for a quarter of an hour; and yet in that, as in all repub- lics, there are fome few who really govern ; but then it is by Teeming to diulaim, inflead of attempting to ufurp the power : that is the occalion in which man- ners, dextt*rity, addrefs, and the undefinableyV nef^ais quoi triumph ; if properly exerted, their conqueft is fure, and the more lading for not being perceived. Remember, that this is not only your firft and greatefl:, but ought to be almoft your only obje6t, while you are iii France. I know that many of your countrymen are apt to call the freedom and vivacity of the French petulancy and ill-breeding; but fliould' you think fo, I defire, upon many accounts, that you will not fay fo : T admit that it may be fo, in fome inftances oi petiii maitrcs etourdisf, and in fome young people unbroken to the world ; but I can aflure you, that you will find it much otherwife with people of a certain rank and age, upon whofe mo- del you will do very well to form yourfelf. We call their fleady aOurance impudence: Why? Only be- caufe what we call modefly is awkward badifulnefs, and maiivaiff. hontc. For my part, I fee no impudence, but, on the contrary, infinite utility and advantage, in prefenting one's-felf with the fame coolnefs and uncon- • cern in any and every company ; till one can do that, I am very fure that one can never prefent one's-felf well. Whatever is done under concern and embarraflment mufi be ill done; and, till a man is abfoluteiy eafy aiid ni^concerned in every company, he will never be thought to have kept good, nor to be welcome in it. * Why haft thou, Cato, entered the theatre in an auftere mood ) f Impudent coxcombs. 25 S Company and Conversation, A fleady afTurance, with feeming modeily, is pofTibly the moil ufeful qualification that a man can have in every part oi life. A man would certainly make a very inconfidcrable fortune an:! figure in the world, vvhofe modelty and timidiuy fliould often, as ba^lifulnefs always does, put him in the deplorable and lamentable (itoatioa of the pious ^neas, when, ohjlupmt.^jicteruntque coimty €t voxfaucihus h^Jit. Fortune (as well as women) • born to be ccntroul'd, Stoops to the ftrward and the bold. Firmnefs and intrepidity^ und^r the white banner of real, but not awkward modefty, clear the way for merit*- that would otherwife be difcouraged by difficulties in its journey; whereas barefaced impudence is the noify and bkflering harbinger of a worthlefs and feafelcfs u- furper. You will think that I fliall never have done recom- mending to you thefe exterior worldly accomplifhments ; and you will think right, for I never fliall; they are of too great confequence to you for me to be indifferent or negligent about them : the Ihining part of your fu- ture figure and fortune depends now wholly upon them. Thefe are the acquifitions which muft give efficacy and fuccefs to thofe you have already made. To have it faid^ and believed, that you are the moft learned man in England, would be no more than was faid and be- lieved of Dr. Bentley : but to have it faid, at the fame time, that you are alfo the bed-bred, moft polite, and agreeable man in the kingdom, would be fuch a happy compolition of a chara6ler as I never yet knew any one man deferve ; and which I will endeavour, as well as ardently wifli, that you may. Abfolute perfedion is^ I well know, unattainable ; but I know too, that a maiv of parts may be unwearily aiming at, and arrive pretty near it. Try, labour, perfevere. — Adieu ! * ^e flood aghaft; his voice Kefitated, See. [ a5i) ] LETTER CI. Rules of Conduct. . .Dress. . . Gaming. . . Taz'erns. » . Toi/s. . . Cha- racter of a Rake. MV DEAR FRIEND, London, November the 8tl). Before you get to Paris, where you will foon be left to your own difcretion, if you have any, it is necefTary that we fhould underftand one another thoroughly; which is the moil probable way of preventing difputes. Money, the caufe of much mifchief inthe world, is the caufe of mofl quarrels between fathers and fons ; the former commonly thinking that they cannot give too little, and the latter that they cannot have enough ; both equally in the wrong. You muft do me the juftice to acknowledge, that I have hitherto neither ftinted nor grudged any expenfe that could be of ufe or real plea- fure to you; and I can afTure you, by the way, that you have travelled at a much more confiderable expenfe than I did myfelf : but I never fo much as thought of that, while Mr. Harte was at the head of your fi- nances, being very fure that the fums granted were fcrupuloufly applied to the ufes for which they were intended. But the cafe will foon be altered, and you will be your own receiver and treafurer. However, I promife you, that we will not quarrel fingly upon the quafitum., which fhall be cheerfully and freely granted ; the application «nd appropriation of it will be the mate- terial point, which I am now going to clear up, and finally fettle with you. I will fix, or even name, no fettled allowance, though I well know, in my owu mind, what would be the proper one ; but I will firft try your draughts, by which I can in a good degree judge of your conduct. This only I tell you in general, that, if the channels through which my money is to gp are the proper ones, the fource fliall not be fcanty ; but fliould it deviate into dirty, muddy, and obfcure ones (which, by the bye, it cannot do for a -^fek, without my knowing it), I give you fair and time^notice, that the fource will inftantly'be dry. Mr. Harte, in eftablifli- ing you at Paris, will point out to you thofe prope*' -60 Dress. ,, Gaming,., Tavern. ..To^s, channels: he will leave you there upon the'footing of a! man of faQiion, and I will continue you upon the lame; j you will have your coach, your valet-de-chambre, youi*| own footman, and a valct-de place.; which, by the way,! is one lervnnt more than I had. I would have you very j well drefTed, by which I mean, drefTed as the generality! of people of fafiiion are; that is, not to be taken noticel of, for being either more or lefs fine than other people :| it is by being well dreffed, not finely drefied, that a| gentleman flioul.d be diftinguiihed. You muft frcquent'l les Jpedadcsy which expenfe I will willingly fupply. You muft play, a des petits jeux de commerce , in mixed companies; that article is trifling; I Ihall pay it cheer- fully. All the other articles of pocket-money are very inconfiderable at Paris, in comparifon of what they are here; the filly cuftom of giving money wherever one dines or fups, and the expenfive importunity of fub- fcriptions, not being yet introduced there. Having thus reckoned up all the decent expeiifes of a gentle- man, which I will moft readily defray, I come now to thofe which I will neither bear nor fupply. The firft of thefe is gaming, of which, though I have not the lealt reafon to fulpe(5t you, I think it necefTary eventually to afiure you, that no cdnfideration in the world fliall ever make me pay your play-debts ; iliould you ever urge to me that your honour is pawned, I fliouid moft immove- ably anfwer you, that it was your honour, not mine, that was pawned ; and that the creditor might e'en take the pawn for the debt. ' Low company, and low pleafures, are always much more coftly than liberal and elegant ones. The difgrace- ful riots of a tavern are much more expenfive, as well as diflionourable, than the (fometimes perhaps excuf- able) excefies in good company. 1 muft abfolately hear of no tavern fcrapes and fquabbles. Laftiy, there is another fort of expenfe that I will not allow, only becaufe it is a filly one ; I mean the fooling away your money in baubles at toy-ftiops. Have one handfome fnuif-box (if you take fnufF), and one handfome fword ; but then no more very pretty and very ufelefs things. * Little games of commerce. Character of a Rake. 2GI By what goes before, you will eafily perceive that 1 lYieaii to allow you whatever is neceflhry, not only for " the figure, but for the pleafures of a gentleman, and not to fupply the profufion of a rake. This, you niuft con- fefs, does not favour of either the. fe verity or parfimony of old age. I confider this agreement betvA'een us as a fubfidiary treaty on my part, for fervices to be per- formed on yours. I promife you, that I will be as punctual in the payment of the fubfidles as England has been during the lall war; but then J give you no- tice, at the fame time, that I require a much more fcru- pulous execution of the treaty on your part than we met with on that of our allies, or elfe that payment will ^ be flopped. I hope all that I have now faid'was abfo- lutely unneceflary, and that fentiments more worthy and more noble than pecuniary ones would of themfelves have pointed out to you the conduct I recommend; but, in all events, I refolved to be once for all explicit with you, that, in the word that can happen, you may not plead ignorance, and complain that I had not {vM- ciently ex[^lained to you my intentions. Having mentioned the word rake, I muft fay a word or two more upon that fubjed, becaufe young people too frequently, and always fatally, are apt to mi flake that character for that of a man of pleafure ; whereas there are not in the world two characters more different. A rake is a compofition of all the lowefl, mofl; ignoble, degrading, and fliameful vices ; they all confpireto dif- grace his characfter, to ruin his fortune, and mofl effec- tually deftroy his conflitution, A diflblute, flagitious footman, or porter, makes full as good a rake as a man •of the firfl quality. By the bye, let me tell you, that, in the wildeft part of my youth, I never was a rake, but, on the contrary, always detefied and defpifed the character. Remember tl^at 1 fliall know every thing you fay or do at Paris, as exa6tly as if, by the force of magic, I could follow you every-where, like a fylph or a gnome, invifible myfelf. Seneca fays, very prettily, that one fliould afk nothing of God but what one fliould be wil- ling that men fiiould know ; nor of men, but what one fliould be willing that Gcx^ (hould know : I advife you 262 Rules for Conduct,. to fay or do nothing at Paris but what you would be willing that I (hould know. I hope, nay I believe, that will be the cafe. Senfe, I dare fay, you do not want; inftru6tion, I acn fure, you have never v^ anted ; expe- rience you are daily gaining; all which together muft inevitably (I fliould think) make you ho\h refpe^ahU and amiahle^ the perfedlion of a human charafler. Jn that cafe, nothing fliall be wanting on my part, and you fliail folidly experience all the extent and tender- nefs of my afFedion for you ; but dread the reverfe of both I— Adieu. LETTER CII. Rules for the Conduct of a young Man setting out in the J}'orld...Gr€€k Liter ature.,.Qiiarr els. MY DEAR FRIEND, I HAVE fent you fo many preparatory letters for Paris, th'at this, which will meet you there, fliali only be a fummary of them all. You haye hitherto.had more liberty than any body of y(5ur age ever had 3 and I mnft do you the juflice to own, that you have made a better life of it than mod people of your age wonld have done ; but then, though you had not a jail r, you had a friend with you. At Pari^, YOU will not only be unconfined, but imaffifted. Your own good fenfe muil be your only guide ; I have great confidence in it, and am convinced that 1 fhall receive jufl fuch accounts of your condu6V at Paris as I could wifli. Enjoy the innocent- pleafures of youth ; you cannot do better : but refine and dignify them like a man of parts: let them raife and not fink, let them adorn and not vilify your character ; let them, in fiiorr, be the pleafures of a gentleman, and taken with your equals at lead, but rather with yourfuperiors, and thofe chiefly French. Inquire into the characters of the feveral academi- cians, before you form a connexion with any of them ; and be mod upon your guard agarinft thofe who niake the moft court to you. Creek Literature, OQ^ You cannot fluciy much in the academy; but yon may ftudy ufefully there, if you are an economift of your time, and beftow only upon good books thofe quarters aiid halves of hours which occur to every body in the courfe of almofi: every day; and which, at the . year's end, amount to a very confiderabie fura of time. Let Greek, without fiiil, (liare fome part of every day: I do not mean the Greek poets, the catches of Ana- creon, or the tender complaints of Theocritus, or even the porter-like language of Homer\s heroes ; of whom all fmatterers in Greek know a li^ttle, quote often, and talk of always; but I mean Plato, Ariftotle, Demodhenes, and Thucydides, whom none but adepts know. It is Greek that muft diftinguifli you in the learned world ; Latin will not. And Greek mull be fought to be re- tained, for it never occurs like Latin. When you read hiftory, or other books of amufement, let every lan- guage you are mailer of have its turn; fo that you may not only retain, but improve in every one. I alfo de- fire that you will converfe in German and Italian, with all the Germ.ans and the Italians with whom you con- verfe at all. This will be a very agreeable amd flattering thing to them,' and a very ufeful one to you. Pray apply yourfelf diligently to your exercifes; for though the doing them well is not fupremely merito- rious, the doing them ill is illiberal, vulgar, and ridi- culous. I fend you the inclofed letter of recommendation to marquis Matignon, which I would have you deliver to him as foon as you can. You will, I am fiire, feel the good effe6ls of his warm friendfliip forme, and lord Bolingbroke, who has alio written to him upon your fubjeft. By that, and by the other letters which I have fent you, you will be at once fo thoroiighly introduced into the befl French company, that you mull take fome pains if you will keep bad ; but that is what I do not fufpeft you of. You have, I am fure, too inuch right ambition to prefer lov/and difgraceful company to that of your fuperiors, both in rank and age. Your charac- tei', and confequently your fortune, abfoluteiy depends upon the company you keep, and the turn you take at 2Gt qiLdrrels. Paris. I do not, In the leaft, mean a grave turn; on the contrary, a gay, a fprightly, but, at the fame time, an elegant and liberal one. Keep carefully out of all fcrapes and quarrels. They lower a charafter extremely, and are particularly dan- gerous in France, where a man is diflionoured by not refenting an affront, and utterly ruined by refenting ir, 'The young Frenchmen are hafty, giddy, petulant, and extremely national. Forbear from any national jokes or reflections, which are always improper, and commonly unjnfl. The colder northern nations gene- rally look upon France as a whirling, finging, dancing, frivolous nation : this notion is very far from being a ■ true one, though many petit smaityes^ by their behaviour, feem to juftify it; but thofe very petit s mnttres^ when mellowed by age and experience, very often turn out able men. The number of great generals and ftatefmen, as well as authors, that France has produced, is an un- deniable proof, that it is not that frivolous, unthinking, empty nation, that northern prejudices fuppofe it,-*- Seerh to like and approve of every thing at firfl, and I -promife you that you will like and approve of many things afterwards. I expect' that you will write to me conllantly, once every week, which I defire may be every Thurfday; and that your letters may inform me of your perfonnl tranf- aclions ; not of what you fee, but of whom you fee, and what you do. Be your own monitor, now that you will have no other. 'As to enunciation, I mud repeat it to you again and again, that there is no one thing fo neceflary ; and all other talents, witTiout that, are abfolutely ufelefs, except in your own clofet. L 1265 J LETTER cm. Rules for Conduct cotiihiued,.. Personal Neatness,,, Taste in Dress,,. Cleanliness „,Reusonublen€ss qf attending to Iktlc Things, MY DEAR FRIEND, London, November the 12t1u Yop will poffibly think that this letter turns upon flrange, little trifling obje6ls; and you will think right, if you confider theni feparately : but if you tak^ them aggregately, you will be convinced, that as parts, which confpire to form that whole, called the exterior of a man of fafliion, they are of importance. I fliall not dwell now upon thole perfonal graces, that liberal air, and that engaging addrefs, which I have fo often re- commended to you ; but defcend dill lower, to your drefs, cleanlinefs, and care of your perfon. When you come to Paris, you rauft take care to be extremely well dreffed ; that is, as the fafaionable peo- ple are. This does by no means confifi: in the finery, but in the tafte, fitnefs, and manner of wearing your clothes : a fine fuit ill made, and ilatternly or jfliffly worn, far from adorning, only expofes the awkwardnefsi of the wearer. Get the beft French taylor to make your clothes, v/hatever they are, in the fafliion, and tc» fit yoH : and then wear them, button them, or unbut- ton them, as the genteeleft people you fee do. L*et your man learn of the he^frifeur to do your hair ueli, for that is a very material part of your drefs. Take care to have your ilockings well gartered up, and your flioes well buckled ; for nothing gives a more flovenly air to a man than ilUlreOed legs. In your perfon you muft be accurately clean ; and your teeth, hands, and nails, (hould be fuperlatively fo: a dirty mouth has real ill confequences to the owner, for it infallibly caufe* the decay, as well as the intolerable pain of the teeth; and it is very oifen five to his acquaintance, for it will moft inevitably ilink. I infid, therefore, that you wafli your teeth the firft thing you do every morning, with a foft fpunge and water/ for four or five minutes ; and then wadr your mouth five or fix times. Mouton, whom I defire you will fend for upon vour arrival at N 266 kulesfor Conduct.. XlawlinesA, Paris, will give yoo an opiate, ^nd a liquor to be ufcd fometimes. Nothing looics more ordinary, vulgar, and illiberal, tijan dirty hands, and ugly, uneven, and rag- ged nails : I do not fufped yon of that (liocking, atvk- \rard trick, of biting yonrs; but that is not enough* you mud keep the ends of them faiooth and clean, not tipped with black, as the ordinaiy people's always are. The ends of yournails fliould be fniali fegments of cir- cles, which, by a very little care in the cutting, they are very eafily brought to ; every time that you wipe your hands, rub the fkin round your nails backwards, that it may not grow up, and fliorten your nails too si)iu;h. The cleanlineis of the reft of your perfon, which by the way will conduce greatly to your health, I refer from time to time to ihe bath. My mentioning rhefe particulars arifes (1 freely own) from fome fu- ffjicion that the hints are not unnecellary ; for when you were a fchool-boy, you were flovenly and dirty, *bove your fellows. 1 nuift add another caution, which is, that upon no account whatever you put your fingers, as too many people are apt to do, in your nofe or ears. It is the moll fliocking, nafly, vulgar rudenefs, that can be offered to compmy ; it difgufts one, it turns oiie's fiomach ; and, for my own part, I would much rather know that a man's finger were actually in his breech, than fee them in his nofe. Wafli your ears well every morning, and blow your nofe in your handkerchief whenever you have occafion ; bur, by the way, without looking at it afterwards. There fliould be in the leafl, as well as in the greateft parts of a gentleman, les ma?n}res nobles *. Senfe will teach you fome, obfervation others: attend carefully to the man- ners, the di6lion, the motions, of people of the firft fafluon, and form your own upon them. On the other hand, obferve a little thofe of the vulgar, in order to avoid them: for though the things which they fay or do may be the fame, the manner is always to- tally different ; and in that, and nothing elfe, coniifls the charaiteriflic of a man of fafliion. The loweft peafant fpeaks, moves, drefTes, eats, and drinks, as "^^ The manners of nobility. Reasonableness of attending to little Tilings. 267 jtiuch as a man of the firft fafliion ; but does them all quite differently ; fo that by doing and faying mcll things in a manner oppofite to that of the viilgar, you have a great chance of doing and faying them right. There are gradations in awkwardnefs and vulgarifm, as there>are in every thing elfe. Las manieres de robe *, though not quite right, are ftill better than les manieres hourgeoifes f ; and thefe, though bad, are ftill better than hs manieres champagne %, But the language, the air, the drefs, and the manners of the court, are the only true ftaiidard. Ex fcdc Herculem^ is an old and true faying, and very applicable to our prefent fubjeft ; for a man of parts, vi;ho has been bred at courts, and ufed to keep the befl company, will didinguifli himfelf, and is to be known from the vulgar, by every word, attitude, gefture, and even look. I cannot leave' thefe feeming minutia^ without repeating to you the neceflity of your carving well ; which is an article, little as it is, that is ufeful twice every day of one's life: and the doing it ill is very troublefome to one's-feif, and very difagreeable, often ridiculous, to others. Having faid all this, 1 cannot help refle6^ing, what a formal dull fellow, or a cloiflered pedant, would fay, if they were to fee this letter: they would look upon it with the mmoil contempt, and fay, that furely a father might find much better topics for advice to a fon. I would admit it, if I had given you, or that you were capable of receiving, no better; but if fufficient pains have bc^en taken to form your heart and improve your mind, and, as I hope, not without fuccefs, I will tell thofe folid gentlemen, that all thefe trifling things, as they think them, collectively form that pleafi ng / by his foot i; That ulto;^eUiCr, N z ^oS / Rales for Conduct » thcfe things as trifles, or not thinking of them at all, that fo many young people are fo awkward, and fo ill- bred. Their parents, often carelefs and unmindful of them, give them only the common run of education, as fchool, univerfity, and then travelling; without ex- amining, and very often without being able to judge, if they did examine, what progrefs they make in any one of thefe ftages. Then they carelefsly comfort themfelves, and fay, that their fons will do like other people's fons; and fo they do, that is, commonly, very ill. They correcft none of the childifli, nally tricks, which they get at fchool; nor the illiberal -manners which they contra6t at the univerfity ; nor the frivo- lous and fuperficial pertnefs, which is commonly all that they acquire by their travels. As they do not tell them of thefe things, nobody elfe can; fo they go on in the praftice of them, without ever hearing, or knowing, that they are unbecoming, indecent, and fhockiiis:* For, as I have often formerly obferved to you, nobody but a father can take the liberty to re- prove a young fellow grown up, for thofe kind of in- accuracies and improprieties of behaviour. The mod intimate friendftiip, unaflifted by the paternal fuperi- ority, will not authorife it. 1 may truly fay, therefore, that you are happy in having me for a fincere, friendly, and quick-Cghted monitor. Nothing will efcape me; I fhall pry for your defe6ls, in order to corre6t them, as curioufly as I fhall feek for your perfe6lions, in order to applaud and reward them; with this difference only, tha't 1 (hall publicly mention the latter, and never hint at the former, but in a letter to, or a tite-a-tete ^with you. I will never put you out of countenance before company ; and I hope you will never give me reafon to be out of countenance for you, as any one of the above-mentioned dcfe(5\s would make me. Prcetor non curat de minimis *, was a maxim i-n the Roman law, for caufes only of a certain value where tried by them ; but there were inferior jurifdiclions, that took cogni- fance of the fmalleH. Now I fliall try you, not only as a priEtor in the greareft, but as cenfor in leffer, and as the io weft magiftr ate in the leali cafes. : ' * The prcetor regards not little things. French Marine and Commerce, ^c, 26^^ > 1 have this moment received Mr. Harte's letter of the ill November, by which I am very glad to find that he thinks of moving towards Paris, the end of this month, wliich looks as if his leg was better; befides, in my opinion, you both of you only lofe time at Montpellier; he would find better advice, and you better company, at Paris. In the mean time, I hope you go into the beft company there is at Montpellier, and there always is fome at the Intendant's or the Com- mandant's. You will have had full time to have learn- ed les petites chanfons Languedocienncy^ which are ex- ceeding pretty ones, both words and tunes. I remem- ber, when I was in thofe parts, I was furprifed at the difference which I found between the people on one fide, and thofe on the other fide of the Rhone. The Provenceaux were, in general, furly, iii-bred, ugly, and fwarthy : the Languedociens the very reverfe - a cJieer- fui, well-bred, handfome people. — Adieu! Yours mo i^ aftecftionately. LETTER CIV. French Marine and Commerce,., Treaty of Commerce, Jet of yacigaiion.,.Orihographj/. MY T>VAR FRIEND," London, Not. the 19lh. I WAS very glad to find, by your letter of the 12th, that you had informed yourfelf fo well of the f^ate of the French marine at Toulon, and of the commerce at Marfeilles: they are objefts that deferve the inquiry and attention of every man, who intends to be concerned in public affairs. The French are now wifely attentive to both ; their commerce is incredibly increafed, with- in thefe laf^ thirty-years: they have beaten us out of great part of our Levant trade : their EaftJndia trade has greatly affefted ours: and, in the Welllndies, their MarVinico eftabliQiment fupplies, not only France it- felf, but the great(^ft part of Europe, with fugars : whereas our illands, as Jamaica, Barbadoes, and the Leeward, have now no other market for theirs but England. New France, or Canada, has alfo greatly N 3 • ' 270 Tr.£ai\^ of Commerce, . . ^ct of Navigation, leffened our fur and (kin trade. It is true (as you fay) that we have no treaty of commerce fublifting (I do not fay with Marfeilks) but with France. There was a treaty of commerce made, between England and Fnnce, immediately after the treaty of Utrecht; but the whole treaty was conditional, and to depend upon th^ parliament's enacfting certain things, which were iiipulated in two of the articles : the parliament, after a very famous debate, would not do it ; fo the treaty fell to the ground : however^ the out-lines of that- treaty are, by mulual and tacit confent, the general rules of our prefent commerce with France. It is true too, that our commodities, which go to France, muft go in our bpxtoms ; the French having imitated, in many refpe(51s, our famous a6t of navigation, as it is commonly called. This a(5l was made in the year 1652, in the parliament held by Oliver Cromwell. It foi'bids all foreign flrlps to bring iuto PIngland any merchandife or commodities whatfoever, that were not of the grovTth and produce of that country to Vv'hich thofe iliips belo?iged, under penalty of the forfeiture of fuch iliips. This a(5t was particularly levelled at the Du'ch; who were, at that time, the carriers of almoft all Europe, and got immenfely by freight. Upon this principle, of the advantages arifing from freight, there is a provifion in the fame a6f, that even the growth and produce of our own colonies in America (hall not be carried thence to any other country in Europe, with- out firft touching in England 5 but this claufe has lately been repealed, in the inftances of fome perifliable commodities, fuch as rice, ^c. which are allowed to be car led dired!y from our American colonies to other countries. The ad alfo provides, that two-thirds, I think, of thofe who navigate the faid fliips, fl^all be Britifli fubjeds. There Is an excellent, and little book, written by the famous monfieur Huet, Eveque d'Avran- ches, fur le Commerce des Anciens , which is very well \i'orth your reading, and very foon read. It will give you a clear notion of the rife and progrefs of commerce. There are many other books, which take up the hiilory * On the commerce ©f the ancients. OrthograpJij^ 271 »f comm^rce^ where monfieur d'Avranches leaves it, and bring it down to thefe times: I advife yoii to read fome of them with care ; commerce being a very elll^n- tial part of political knowledge in every country; but more particularly in this, which owes ail its riches and power to it. I come now to another part of Voiir letter ; which is the orthography, if 1 may call bad fpelling orthogrnphy. You fpell induce, enducc ; and grandeur, you fpell grandz^r^; two faults, of which few of my houfe-maids would have been guilty. I muft tell yoii, that ortho- graphy, ill the true fenfe of the word, 'is fo abfolutely neceffary for a man of letters, or a gentleman, that one falfe fpelling may fix a ridicule upon him for tlie reft of his life; and 1 know a man of quality, who never recovered the ridicule of having fpelled wholefome with- out the w, Reading with care will fecure every body from falfe fpelling ; for books are always well fpelled, according to the orthography of the times. Some words are in- deed doubtful, being fpelled diiferenily, by differeni: authors of equal authority ; but thofe are few ; arid in thofe cafes every man has his option, becaufe 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 mifs it : even a woman of a tolerable education would defp'ife, and laugh at a lover,^ who fliould fend her an^ ill-fpelled bilUt'doux. I fear, and fufpe<5l, that you- have taken it into your head, in mod cafes, that the matter is all, and the manner little or nothing. If you have, undeceive yourfelf, and be convinced, that, in every thing, the manner is full as important as the matter. If you fpeak the fenfe of an angel, in bad words, and with a difagreeable utterance, nobody will hear you twice, vyho can help it. If you write epitlles as well as Cicero, but in a very bad hand, and^very ill fpelled, \vhoever receives, will laugh at them ; and if you had the figure of Adonis, with an awkward air and motions, it will difguft infiead of plej^iing. Study manner therefore in every thing, if you would be any thing. My principal inquiries oi my friends at Paris, N4 272 French Language. concerning you, will be relative to your manner of do- ing whatever you ♦lo. I fliall not inquire, whether you Underiland Demofthenes, Tacitus, or the jus puhlicuin imperii^ but I fliall inquire, whether your utterance is pleafing, your iiyJe not only pure, but elegant, your manners noble and eafy, your air and addrefs engaging; in Giort, whether you are a gentleman, a man of fafhion, and fit to keep good company, or not; for, till 1 am fatisfied in thefe particulars, you and I mud by no means meet ; I could not polFibly fland it. It is in your power to become all this at Paris, if you pleafe.^ Confult with la4y Hervey, and madame Monconfeil, upon all thefe matters; and they will fpeak to you, and advife you freely. Tell them, that you are utterly new in the world, that you are defirous to form yourftlf, that you beg they will reprove, advife, and corre<5t you ; that yo\i know that none can do it fo well; and that you will implicitly follow their dire6tions. This, together with your careful obfervation of the manners of the bed company, will really form you. Abbe Guafco, a friend of mine, will come to you, as foon as he kiiows of your arrival at Paris; he is well received in the bell companies there, and will introduce you to them. He will be defirous to do you any fervice he can ; he is active and curious, and can give you iii- formation upon moft things. He is a fort of corn plaifant * of the prefident Monlefquieu, 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 CV. Frencfi Laiigufige...Jffectation of the French., JFit... French IVriters,., Progress and Decline of Taste in France,.. Troubadours,, ^ Romances „,Fafse Taste of the French, MY DEAR FRIEND, London, December the 24th. At length you are become a Parifian, and confequent- ly muft be addreUed in French ; you will alfo aafwer * Companion. Affectation of the Fn nch.,. JVit, 27 3 me in the fame language, that I may be abk to judge of the degree in which you pofTefs the elegancy, the de- licacy, and the orthography of that language, which is, in a manner, become the univerfal one of Europe. I am aflured that you fpeak il well ; but in that well there are gradations. He, who in the provinces might be reckoned to fpeak corredly, would at Paris be looked upon as an ancient Gaul. In that country of mode, even language is fubfervienr to fafliion, which varies almoft as often as their clothes. The afFeded, the refined, the neological, or new and faftiionable flyle, are at prefent too much in vogue at Paris. Know, obferve, and occafionally converfe (if you pleafe) according to thefe different ftyles ; but do not let your taftc be affected by them. Wit too is there fubfervient to fafliion ; and, actually, at Paris, one muft have wit"*, even in defpite of Minerva. Every body runs after it; although, if it does not come na- turally, and of itfelf, it never can be overtaken. But, unfortunately for thofe who purfue, they feize upon what they take for wit, and endeavour to pafs it for fuch upon others. This is, at bed, the lot of Ixion, who embraced a cloud inftead of the goddefs he pur- fued. P'ine fentiments, which never exifted, falfe and unnatural thoughts, obfcure and far-fought expref- fions, not only unintelligible, but which it is even im- poffible to decypher, or to guefs at, are all the confe- quences of this error; and two thirds of the new French books, which now appear, are madfe up of thofe ingre- dients. It is the new cookery of ParnafTus, in which the dill is employed infttad of the pot and the fpit, and where quinteflfences and' extras are chiefly ufed, N. B. The Attic fait is profcribed. You will now and then be obliged to eat of this new cookery, but do not fu^fer your tade to be corrupted by * It is rcniuikable that the French have attempted wit more than' any other people, aud yet have lefs of- this quality than any of the i«>fiued- and literary nations of Europe. Except Moliere, 1 do not XnoNv a French Nvriter-«'ho can be truly faid to have wit; and moll vf the French hons mois^ which in that volatile people excite peals of daughter, would be heard with contempt in a well-int'orm«d com- yun^- of En^lUhiiiWi.— Kote of the Edito-R, Ns- 27 i French tFriiers. it. And when you, in your turn, are defirous of treat- ing others, take the good old cookery of Lewis the Fourteenth's reign for your rule. There were at that time admirable head cooks, fiich as Corneille, Boileau, Racine, and La Fontaine.' Whatever they prepared was fimple, wholefome, and folid. But, laying ahde 2\\ metaphors, do not fuffer yourfelf to be dazzled by falfe brilliancy, by unnatural expreffions,. nor by thofe antithefes fo much in fafliion : as a protection againft fnch innovations, have recourfc to your own good fenfe, and to the ancient authors. ' On the other hand, do not laugh at thofe who give into fuch errors ; you are as yet too young to ad the critic, or to (land forth a fevere avenger of the violated rights of good fenfe. Content ycurfelf with not being perverted, but do not think of converting others ; let them quietly enjoy their errors in tafle as well as, in religion. Within the courfe - of the lafi: century and an half, tafte in France has (as well as that kingdom itfelf ) undergone many viciffi- tudes. Under the reign of (I do not fay) Lewis the Thirteenth, but of cardinal de Richelieu, good tafte firft began to make its way. It was refined under that of Lewis the Fourteenth ; a great patron at lead, if not a great man. Corneille was the reflorer of true tafte, and the founder of the French theatre ; although rather inclined to the Italian concetti^ and the Spanifti iagude%e, Witnefs thofe epigrams which he makes Chimene utter in the greateft excefs of grief. Before his time, that kind of itinerant authors called Tr(mbadQursy or Romanciers^ was a fpecies of madmen, who attracted the admiration of fools. Towards the t\\s\ of cardinal de Richelieu's reign, and the beginning of Lewis the Fourteenth's, the temple of tafle was eftabliflied at the h6tel of Rambouillet ; but that talte was not judicioudy refined : this temple of tafte might more properly have been named a laboratory of wit, v/here good fenfe was put to the torture, in order to extract from it the mod fubtile efTence. There it was that Voiture laboured hard, and incefTantly, to create wit. At length Boileau and Moliere fixed the flandard of true tade. In fpight of the Scuderys, the Calpre- »ed€S, &c. they defeated and 4>ut to flight Artamenes, progress and Decline of Taste in France, 27 5 Juba, Oroondates, and all thpfe heroes of romance who were, notwithftanding, (each of them) as good as a whole army. Thofe madmen then endeavoured to obtain an afylum in libraries; this they could not accomplifli, but were under a neceffity of taking flielter ii^ tl^p chambers of fome few ladies. I would have you read one volume of Cleopatra, and one of Cleija ; it wil| otherwife be impoffibie for you to form any idea of the extravagances they contain : but God keep you from ever perfevering to the twelfth. During almoft the whole reign of Lewis the Four- teenth, true tafte remained in its purity, until it received fome hurt, though undefignedly, from a very fine genius, I mean monfieupde Fontanelle, who, with the greatefV fenfe, and moft folid learning, facrificed rather too much to the Graces, whofe moft favourite child and pupil he was. Admired with reafon, others tried to imitate him: but, unfortunately for us,- the author of the Paftorals, of the Hiflory of Oracles, and of the French Theatre, found fewer imitators than the chevalier d'Her did mimics. He has fince been taken off by a thoufand authors ; but never really imitated by any one that I know of. At this time, tlie feat of true tafle in France fcems tO' me not well eilabiin)ed. It exifts, but torn by faflions. There is one party oi petits makres^ one of half-learnecj women, another of infipid authors, whofe works are verba et voces et praterea vihil^' ; and, in fliort, a nu- merous and very fafbionable party of writers, who, in a metaphyfical jumble^ introduce their falfe and fubtile reafonings upon the movements and the fentiments of the foul, the heart, and the mind. Do not let yourfelf be overpowered by fafhion, nor by particular fets of people, with wiiom you may be conneded; but try all the different coins, before you receive any in payment. Let your own good fenfe and reafon judge of the value of each ; and be perfuaded, that nothing can be beautiful unlefs true. Whatever brilliancy is r^ot the refult of the folidity and juftnefs of a thought, is but a falfe glare. The Italian faying upon * Words and founds, and nothiiig elfe. N 6 !37 6 Fah^ Taste of the French. a diamond is equally juft with regard to thoucrhts, Quanfo piu/odezza, tanto piu fplendore *. All this ought not to hinder you from conforming externally to the modes and tones of the different com- panies in which you may chance to be. With the pettts maitres fpeak epigrams ; fentimene with frivolous wo-' men ; and a mixture of all thefe together, with profcf- fed hcaux efprits, I would have you do fo ; for, at your age, you ought not to aim at changing the tone of the company, but conform to it. Examine well, however j weigh all maturely within yourfelf ; and do not miftake - the tinfel of Taffo for the gold of Virgil. You will find at Paris good authors, and circles dr- ill ngui (lied by the folidity of their reafoning. You will never hear trifling, affefled, and far-fought converfa- tions at madame de Monconfeirs, nor at the h6t€ls of Matignon and Coigni, where (lie will introduce you. The prefident Montefquieu will not fpeak to you in? the epigrammatic flyle. His book, the Spirit of the Laws, written in the vulgar tongue^ will equally pleafe aud inftru(5t you. Frequent the theatre, when CorHeiire, "Racine, and Moliere's pieces are played. They arc according to* nature, and to truth. I do not mean by this to give an exclu{iT)n to feveral admirable mxodern plays, particular* ly Cenie f , replete with fentiments that are true, na- tural, and applicable to one's-felf. If you chufe to- know the Ghara6^ers of people now in fafliion, read Crebillon the younger, and Marivaux's works. The former i-s a moil excellent painter ; the latter has flu- died, and knows the human heart, perhaps too well. Crebillon*s Egaremens du Cceur ct de VEfpntX^ is aa excellent work \\\ its kind; it will be of infinite amufe- ment to you, and not totally ufelefs. The Japanefe Hillory of Tanzai and Neadarne, by the fame author^ is an amiable extravagancy, interfperfed v/ith the mofl jiifl: refleftions. In Ihort, provided you do not miftake ine objei^s of your attention, you will find matter at Paris to form a good and true tafle. • The move folid, the more fplendid. '\ liuttaied in.Englilh b}- Mr. Francis, in a play called EugentP.^ + VVaaderinijs of the lieart and uudcrftaiidln^'. II and'Zvnting... Politeness, i^c. 277 As I fliall let you remain at Paris, without any perfoa to direct your condu6l, i flatter myfelf that you will hot make a bad ufe of the confidence 1 repofe in you. I do not require that you (liould lead the life of a capuchin friar; quite the contrary: I recommend pleafures lo you ; but I expeft that they fl)all be the pleafures of a gentleman. Thofe add brilliancy to a young man's character ; but debauchery vilifies and degrades it. I (hall have very true and exa6l accounts of your con- duct ; and, according to the informations I receive, Ihall be more, or lefs, or not at all yours.^— Adieu 1 LETTER CVL - Iland-tvrit ing. . . Politerteas. , . Proper Use of Time, MY DEAR FRIEND, London., January the 3cU By your letter of the 5th, I find that your Mut at Paris has been a good one; you are entered into good company, and I dare fay you will not fink into bad. Frequent the houfes where you have been once invited,, and have none of that fliynefs which makes moft of your countrymen llrangers, where they might be inti- mate and d'omeflic if they pleafed. Wherever you have a general invitation to fup when youpleafe, profit of it with decency, and go every now and then. Lord Albemarle will, I am fure, be extremely kind to you 5 but his houfe is only a dinner houfe ; and, as I am* in- formed, frequented by no French people. Should' he happen to employ you in his -bureau, uhichlmuch doubt, you muff write a better hand than your commoa one, or you will get no great credit by your manufcripts; for your hand is at prefent an illiberal one: it is nei- ther a hand of bufinefs, nor of a gentleman ; but the hand of a fehool-boy writing his extrcife, which he hopes will never be read. Madame de Monconfeil gives me a favourable ac- count of vou, and fo do marquis de Matignon and madame du Boccage ; they all fay that you dclire to pleafe, and coxifejquently, promife me that you will : and they judge right; for whoever really defl-res to 27 8 Politeness, pleafe,. and has (as you now have) the means of learn- ing how, certainly will pleafe : ajid that is the great point of life ; it makes all other things eafy. When- ever you are with madame de Monconfeil, madame d\i Boccage, or other women of fafiiion, with whom you are tolerably free, fay frankly and naturally, Je n'ai point d^ufage du monde^ j^ f^^^ encore hicn neuf ; jefoukai- tcrois ardem?nent de plaire^ mats je ne fcais gueres comment m''y prendre, Aiez la Lonte, viadame^ de me fair e part d& I'otrc fecret de plaire a tout le mondc, J^ en fcrai ma for- tune^ et il njoiis en rcjiera pourtant ioujours^ plus qu^il ne vous en faut* , When, in confequence of thisrequefl:, they fliall tell you of any little error, awkwardnefs, or impropriety, you ihould not only feel, but exprefs the warmeft acknowledgment. Though nature fliould fuf- fer, and (lie will at firfl hearing them; tell them, ^e la critique la plus fevlre^ eji a votre egard la preuvc la plus marquee de leur amitief, Madame du Boccage tells me particularly to inform you, Q«V/ me /era toujours plat- Jir et honneur de me venir voir : il ejl vrai qu^a fon age le plaifir de caufer eft froid ; mais je tacherai dt lui faire faire connoiffance avec des jeunes gens^ ^0%, Make ufe of this invit4ation; and, as you live in a manner next door to her, Hep in and out there frequently. Monfieur du Boccage will go with you, he tells me, with great plea- fure to the plays, and point out to you whatever de- ferves your knowing there. This is worth your ac- ceptance too, he has a very good tafte. I have not yet heard from lady Kervcy upon your fubje6t ; but as you inform me that you have already fupped with her once, I look upon you as adopted by her : confnlt her in all your little matters ; tell her any difficulties that may * '* I know Utile of the world. I am quite a novice in it ; and, although very defirous uf plcafing, I am at a lofs for the means. Be fo good, madam, as to let me into your fecret of pleafmg every body. I fhali owe my fiiccefs to it, and you will always have more than falls to your 0iare." f " That you will look upon the mo A fevere criticifms as the greateft proof of their friendthip," J '* I Ihall alM'ays receive the lionour of his vifits with pleaftire : it is true, that at his age the pleafures of converfation are cold •; but I will endeavour to bring him acquainted with young peo- ple," &c. Proper Use of Time. 279 occur to you ; a(k her what you (liould do or fay, in fuch or fuch cafes. Madame de Berkenrode is equally polite and elegant, and your quotation is very appli- cable to her. You may be there, I dare fay, as often as you pleafe ; and I would advife you to fup there once a week. You fay, veryjuftly, that, as Mr. Harteis leaving you, you fliall want advice more than ever; you fliall never want mine ; and as you have already had fo much of it, I muft rather repeat, than add to what I have already given you : but that I will do, and add to it occafionally, as circumftances may require. At prefent, I fliall only remind you of your two great obje6ts, which you fliould always attend to ; they are, parliament, and foreign af* fairs. With regard to the former, you can do nothing, while abroad » but attend carefully to the purity, cor- rednefs, and elegancy of your didion ; the clearnefs and gracefulnefs of your utterance, in whatever lan- guage you f[)eak. As for the parliamentary know- ledge, I will take care of that, when you come home. With regard to foreign affairs, every thing you do abroad may and ought to tend that way. Your read- ing fliould be chiefly hiflorical ; I do not mean of re- mote, dark, and fabulous hiflory, flill lefs of jimcrack; but I mean the ufeful, political, and conftitutional hi- llory of Europe, for thefe lafl: three centuries and an half. The other thing neceflary for your foreign ob- je6b, and not lefs neceflary than either ancient or modern knowledge, is a great knowledge of the world, manners, politenefs, and addrefs. In that view, keeping a great deal of good company is the principal point to which you are now to attend. What with your exercifes, in- deed, fome reading, and a great deal of company, your . day is, I confefs, extremely taken up -, but the day, if well employed, is long enough for every thing, and I am fure you will not flattern away one moment of it in inadion. At your age peoj)le have ftrongand active fpirits, alacrity, and vivacity in all they do ; are indefa- tigable, and quick. The difference is, that a young fel- low of parts exerts all thofe happy difpofitions in the purfult of proper objeds ; endeavours to excel in the folid, and in the fliowifli parts of life : whereas a filly 280 Dignifj/ of Character. puppy, or a dull rogue, throws away all his yonth and fpirits upon trities, when he is ferious ; or upon dif- gracefiil vices, while he aims at pleafures. This, I am lure, will not be your cafe j your good fenfe and your good conduct hitherto are your guarantees with me for the future. Continue only at Paris as you have begun^ and your ftay there will make you, what I have always wiflied you to be — as near perfedion as our nature permits. Ariieu, my dear; remember to write to me once a week, not as to a father, but without referve, as to a friend. LETTER CVII. Dignity of Character.,. Ciynstiiuiion and CoDunerce of Eng^ land...Oldcastk's Remarks on the Historj/ of England.,, Cliaracter of a IVcll-hred Man. MY DEAR FRiE>rD, LcnfTon, Jnnnar\' the 14th. Among the many good things Mr. Harte has told me of you, two in particular gave me great pleafu re. The firft, that you are exceedingly carefid and jealous of the dignity of your character : that is the fure and folid foundation upon which you mi\ft both ftand and rife. A man's moral character is a more delicate thing than a woman's reputation of chaility. A falfe flep may poflibly be forgiven her, and her characf^er may be cla- rified by fubfequent and continued good condu(5l : but a man's moral character once tainted is irreparably de- itroyed. The fecond was, that you had acquired a moil corre6t- and extenfive knowledge of foreign af.- fairs; fuch as the hiilory, the treaties, and the forms of government of the feveral countries of Europe. This fort of knowledge, little attended to here, .tvilj- make you nat only iifeful, but necciTary, in your fu- ture delVination, and carry you very far. He added, that you wanted iome books relative to our laws and conUitiitk)n, our colonies, and our commerce, — of , which you know lefs than of thofe of any other part of Europe.. I will fend you wdiat fliort books I can fiii4 ComiitiUions and Commerce of England. 28 1 of that fort, to give yon a general notion of thofe things ; but you cannot have time to go into their depths at prefent, you cannot now engage with new folios; you and I will refer the coiiftitutional part of this country to our meeting here, when we will enter ferioully into it, and read the neceffary books together. In the mean time, go on in the courfc you are in, of foreign matters ; converfe with miniilers and others of every country, watch the tranfadions of every court, and endeavour to trace them up to their fource. I will fend you, by the firfl: opportunity, a (liort book written by Lord 13olingbroke, under the name of Sir John Oldcallle, containing remarks upon the Hiftory of England ; which will give you a clear general notion of our conftitutioa, and which will (crvQ you, at the fame time (like all Lord Bolingbroke's works) for a model of eloquence and ilyle. 1 will aifo fend you Sir Jofiah Childe's little book upon trade, which may pro- perly be called the Commercial Grammar. He lays down the true principles of commerce; and hisconciu- fions from them are generally 'very jufi. Since you turn your thoughts a little towards trade and commerce, which I am very glad you do, 1 will recommend a French book to you, that you will eafily get at Paris, and which I take to be the beft book in the world of that kind ; I mean the Di^ionnalre de Com* merce de Salary *, in three volumes in folio; where you will lind every thing that relates to trade, commerce, fpecie, exchange, &:c. mod clearly ftated ; and not only relative to France, but to the whole world. You will eafily fuppofe, that 1 do not advife you to read fuch a book toute defuite ; but I only mean that you fliould have it at hand, to have recourfe to occa- iionally. With this great flock of both ufeful and ornamental knowledge, which you have already acquired, and which, by your application and induftry, you are daily increafing, you will lay fuch a folid foundation of future figure and fortune, that, if you complete it by all tlie accomplifhments of manners, graces, &c. i * Scivarv's Diaionarv of Commerce. 2S2 Character of a ivell-bred Man. know nothing which you may not aim at', and, in time, hope for. Your great point at prefentat Paris, to which nil other confiderations mull give way, is to become en- tirely a man of fafliion ; to be well-bred without cere- mony, eafy without negligence, fteady and intrepid with modefty, genteel without affe(5lation, infinuating without meannefs, cheerful without being noify, frank without indifcretion, and fecret without myileriouf- nefs ; to. know the proper time and place for whatever you fay or do, and to do it with an air of condition : all this is not fo foon nor fo eafily learned as people ima- gine, but requires obfervation and time. The world is an immenfe folio, which demands a great deal of time and attention to be read andunderitood as it ought to be ; you have not yet read above four or five pages, of it^ and you will have but barely time to dip now and then in other lefs important books. Lord Albemarle has (I know) written to a friend of his here, that you do not frequent him fo much as he f xpe<^U^d and deiired ; that he fears fomebcdy or other has given you wrong imprelTions of \mn ; and tliat I inay pofiibly think, from your being feldom at his houfe, that he has been wanting in his attentions to you. I told the perfon who told me this, that, on the con- trary, you feemed, by your letters to me, to be ex- tremely plea fed with Lord Albemarle's behaviour to you ; but that you were obliged to give up dining abroad, during your courfe of experimental philofo- phy. I gueffed the true reafon, which I believe was, that, as no French people frequent his houie, you ra- ther chofe to dine at other places, wiiere you were likely to meet with better company than your own country- men ; and you were in the right of it. However, I would have you fliow no fhynefs to Lord Albemarle, but go to him, and dine with him oftener than it may be you would wifli — for the fake of having him fpeak well of you here when he returns. He is a good deal in failnon .here, and his piiffi^>g you (to ufe an awkward expreliion) before you return here, will be of great ufe to you afterwards. People in general take charadters, as they do moft things, upon truit, rather than he at the trouble of examining them themfelves ; and the dc- Conforming to the Manners ofFord^iers. 2H3 .cifivons of four or five fafliionable people, in every place, are final, — more particularly with regard to cha- ra6ters, which all ca;i hear, and but few judge of. Do not mention the leaf): of this to any mortal, and take care that Lord Albemarle do not fufpcd that you know any thing of the matter. Lord Huntingdon and Lord Stormont are, I hear, arrived at Paris; yon have, doubtlefs, ken them. Lord Stormont is well fpoken of here; however, in your connexions, if you form any with them, fiiow rather a prefei^nce to Lord Huntingdon, forreafons which you will eafily guefs. Mr. Harte goes this week to Cornwall, to take pof- fcffioa of his living; he has been inftahed at Windfor ; he will return hither in about a month, when your li- terary correfpondence with him will be regularly car- ried on. Your mutual concern at parting was a good iign for both.— Adieu ! LETTER CVIIL Doclliti/...N'cc€.isitj/ of confonHing to the Mmners of Fo* reigners...Suavitj/ of Manners ,,, Mode of electing the King of the Romans,,. Uses of the Italian and German Languages* MY DEAR FRIEND, Loiidon, January thc 21 ft. In all my letters from Paris, I have the pleafure of finding, among many other good things, your docility' mentioned with emphafis : this is the Aire way of im- proving in thofe things, which you only want. It is true, they are little ; but it is as true too that they are necefiary things. As they are mere matters of ufage and mode, it is no difgrace for any body of your age to be ignorant of them ; and the moit compendious way of learning them is, fairly to avow your ignorance, and to confult thofe, who, from longufage and experi- ence, know them beft. Good fenfe, atui good nat^ire, fuggeft civility in general; but, in good-breeding, there are a thoufand little delicacies, which are eftabriflied only by cullom; and it is thefc little elegancies of man- 284- Suavih/ of Manners, ners which diftinguifii a courtier, and a man of fafliion, from the vulgar. I am afTured, by different people, that your air is already much improved ; and one of my torrefpondents makes you the true Freneli compli- ment of faying, J'ofe "oous promeitre qti'il fera bitntCt comvie un lie iivus autres'*': However unbecoming this fpeech miiy be in the mouth of a Frenchman, I am very glad that they think it applicable to you ; for I would have you not only adopt, but rival, the belt manners and ufages of the place you are at, be they what they will; that is tlie verfatility of manne«rs, which is fo ufeful in ths courfe of the world. Chufe your models well at Paris ; and then rival them in their own way. There are fafliionable words, phrafes, and even geilures, at Paris, which are called du hn ion ; not to mention ceriaines petites politejps et attentions^ qui ne font fien en elles 77iimes f, which lafliion has rendered necef- fary. Make yourielf mafter of all thefe things; and to fuch a degree as to make the French fay, qii'oyi diroit que- c\fl un Francois t; and when hereafter you fliall be at other courts, do the fame thing there, and conform to the failiionable manners and ufage of the place; that is what the French themfelves are not apt to do: where- ever they go, they retain their own manners, as think- ing them the befl ; but, granting them to be fo, they are ft ill in the wrong, not to conform to thofe of the place. One would defire to pleafe, wherever one is ; and nothing is more innocently flattering, than an ap- probation, and an imitation of the people one con- verfes with. In your commerce with women, and indeed with men too, une certaine dcucet^ is particularly engaging; it is that which conflitutes that chara(5ler which the French talk of fo much, and fo julHy value; I mean raimahle. This douceur is not fo eafily defcribed as felt. It is the compound rcfult of different things: a complaifance, a flexibility, but not a fervili-ty of man- * I dare venture to promife that he will foon be like ourfelves. f Certain little politciiefles and attentions, wiiich are nothing la. tlicnifelves. ^ That he mr\y be called a Frenchman. §• Suavily of manners. Mode of electing the Kirig of the Rojuans, 285 iiers: an air of foftnefs in the countenance, gefture, and expredion ; equally, whether you concur or dif- fer with the perfon you converfe w'ith, Obfervethofe carefully who have that douceur which charms you and others ; and your own good fenfe will foon enable you to difcover the different ingredients of which it is com- pofed. You muft be more particularly attentive to this douceur^ whenever you are obliged to refufe what is a(l\ed of you, or to fay what in itfelf cannot be very agreeable to thofe to whom you fay it. It is then the necelfary gilding of a difagreeable pill. Vaimahle con- fifts in a thoufand of thefe little things aggregately. It is the/uavlter in ?iiodo^ which I have fo often recom- mended to you. The refpeftable, Mr. Harte affures me, you do not want, and I believe him. Study then carefully, and acquire perfe, and a man who does not know it is a fool. A m:;n of {twit knows it, exerts it, avails himfelf of it, but i e er boafts of it j and always feems rather to under than over value ii, though, in truth, he ftts the right value upon it. A man who is really diffident, timid, and bafliful, be his merit what it will, never can pufli himfelf in the world; his de- fpondency throws him into inaction; and the forward, the buftling, and the petulant, will always get the better of him. The manner makesi the whole differ^ epce. What would be impudence intone man, is only a proper and decent afliirance in another. A man of fenfe, and of knowledge of the world, will affert his own rights, and purfue his own objc£ls, as fleadily and intrepidly as the mod impudent man living, and com- monly more fo; but then he has addrefs enough to give an air of modeily to all he does. This engages and prevails, whilft the very fame things Aiock and fail» , from the over^beari ng or impudent manner only of doing them. I repeat my vo^d'HUTi^^ Sicaviter' in mado^ fed fot^titer in re*. Would you know the characters, modes, and manners of the latter-end of the lail age, which are very like thofe of the prefent, read La Bruyere. lint would you know man, independently of modes, re/d La Rochefoucault, who, 1 am afraid, paints him very exa(flly. Give the enclofed to abbe Guafco, of whom you make good ufe, to go about with you, and fee things. Between you and me, he has more knowledge than parts. Mais un habile homme f^ait tirer parti de tout f ; and every body is good for lomething. Prefident Mon- ■ tefquieu is, in'every fenfe, a moft uieful acquaintance. He has parts joined to great reading and knowledge of the work!. Adieu ! May the graces attend you. Tf they do not come to vou willingly, ravifh them, and force them to accompany all you think, ail you fay, and all you do. * Gentle in innnner, firm in condud. f An able man dravs advantages, from every tliioj. 03 LETTER CXr. Manner in Speaking, ,.Parliameiitar7/ Orators. ..Lord Chat" /uwi... Lord Mamjield... The Citizen turned Gentle/nan. MY DEAR FRiKND, London, February the llth. When yon go to the play, you mufl: certainly have obferved, the very ditferent efFe6ls which the feveral parts have upon you, according as thev are well or ill a6led. The beft tragedy of Corneille, if well fpoken and a6led, interelts, engages, agitates, and a(fe6ts your paflions. Love, terror, and pity, alternately polTtfs- you. But, if ill fpoken and a6led, it would only excire your indignation or your laughter. Why ? It is flill Corneille's; it is the fame fenfe, the fame mat- ter, whether well or ill aded. It is then merely the manner of fpeaking and ading that makes this great diifereiice in the effects. ^ Apply this to yourfelf, and conclude from it, that if* you would either pleafe in a private company, or perfuade in a public affembly, air, looks, geftures, graces, enunciation, proper accents, juft emphafis, and tuneful cadences, are full as necef- fary as the matter itfeif. Let awkward, ungraceful, in- elegant, and dull fellows, fay what they will in behalf of their folid matter, and ftrong reafonings ; and let them defpife all thofe graces and ornaments which en- gage the fenfes and captivate the heart ; they will find (though they will polfibly wonder why) that their rough nnpoHflied matter, and their unadorned, coarfe, but flrong arguments, will neither pleafe nor perfuade ; but, on the contrary, will tire out attention, and excite dif- 'gufl. We are (o made, we love to be pleafed, better than to be informed ; information is, in a certain de- gree, mortifying, as it implies our previous ignorance; it mufl: be fweetened to be palatable. To bring this di.re6l:ly to you ; know that r^o man can make a figure in this country, but by parliament. Your fate depends upon your fuccefs there as a fpeaker :' and, take my word for it, that fuccefs tyrns much inore upon manner than matter. Mr. Pitt, and Mr. Murray, the folicitor-generai, uncle to Lord Stormont, - Manner in Speaking. are, beyond comparifon, the beft fpeakers.* Why ? Only becaule they are the bed orators. They alone can in- flame or quiet the houfe ; they alone areVo attended to, in that numerous and noily aflembly, that you might hear a pin fall while either of them is fpeaking. Is it that their matter is better, or their argtmients ttronger than other people's ? Does the houfe expert extraor- dinary information from them? Not in the lead 5 but tiie houfe experts pleafure from them, and therefore at- tends ; finds it, and therefore approves. Mr. Pitt, par- ticularly, has very little parliamentary knowledge; his matter is generally flimfy, and his arguments often weak : but his eloquence is fuperior, his action grace- ful, his enunciation jud and harmonious J his periods are well turned, and every word he makes u(q of is the very bed, and the mod cxpreHive, that can be ufcd in that place. This, and not his matter, made him pay- mader,^in fpite of both king and miniders. From this, draw the obvious conclufion. The fame thing hold? full as true in converfation ; where even trides elegantly exprefled, w ell looked, and accompanied with graceful adlion, will ever plcafe, beyond all the home-fpun, un- adorned fenfe in the world. Reflect, on one fide, h jw you feel within yourfelf, while you ^re forceti to fuffer the tedious, muddy, and ill-turned narration of fome awkward fellow, even though the fa6t may be interefl-- ing; and^ on the oiher hand, with what pleafure you attend to the relation of a much lefs interefting matter, when elegantly expreffed, genteely turned, and grace- fully delivered. Bv attending carefully to ad thefe a^remens in your daily converfation, they will become habitual to you, before you come into parliament; and you will have nothing then to do, but to raife them a little when you come there. I would wiQi you to be fo attentive to this objed, that I would not have you fpeak to your footman but in the very bed words that the fubjedt admits of, be the language which it will* Think of your words, and of their arrangement, be- fore you fpeak; chufe the mod elegant, and place them in the bed order. Confult your own ear, to avoid ca- cophony; and what is very near as bad, monotony. Think alfo of vour gefiure and looks, when you are O4 296 The Citiztn tamed Gentltiitan, fpeaking even upon the nioft trifiing fiibjeds. The fajne things, differently ej^prtired, looked, and deliverecl, qeale to fee the fame things. The mofl pafijonate lover in the world cannot make a ftronger declaration of love, than the bourgeois geniilhomme * does in this happy form of words, Mourir d'' amour me font helle mar- ([U'/e V s beaux ycux | / 1 ^ti^ anybody to fay iViore ; and yet 1 would advife nobody to fay that : and 1 wonld^ recommend to you, rather to fmother and conceal your paiTion entirtly, than to reveal it in thefe words. Strioidly, this holds in every thing, a^ well as in that ludicrous inilance. The French, to do thern jufiice, attend very minutely to the purity, the corredlnefs, and the elegancy of tbeir (lyie in converfation, and in their letters. Bitn namr % is an object of their ftudy ;. and though they fometimes carry it to affectation, they never fmk into inelegancy, which is much the word extreme of the two. Obferve them, and form your PVench flyle upon theirs ^ for elegancy in onelangu ge will re-produce itfelf in all. I knew a young man, who being juft elected a member of pari -a men t, was Iaug4ied at for being difcovered, through the key- hole of his cnamber-door, fpeaking to himfelf in tlie glafj-, and forming iii^s looks and geftures. I could not join in x\^i laugh; but, on the contrary, thought him much wifer than thofe who laughed at him ; for he knew the importaru;e of thofe little graces in a public affembly, and tliey did not. Your little perfon (which I am told by the way is not ill turned), whether in a laced coat, or a blanket, is fpeciiicaliy the fame; but yet, 1 be- lieve, you chufc to wear the former: and you are in the right, for the fake of pleafin^ more. Tiie worll- bred man in Europe, if a lady let fall her fan, would cer:ainly take it up and give it her : the bed-bred man in Europe could Ao no more. The difference however would be confiderable ; the latter would pleafe by domg it gracefully ; the former would be laughed at for doing it awkwardly. I repeat it, and repeat it ♦ Citizen turnecl gcnUeman, the ciiaractcr Iq MoHerefrom which Foot6 drew his CoiuiuilTaiy. + Beautift-)! iiKircliioncLj, -jor.r nnc eves caufe p.ie to flif of if)\rl- Love and Respect, 297 again, and ftiall never ceafe repeating it to you — air, manners, graces, flyle, elegancy, and all thofe orna- ments, mull now be the objeifts of your attention ; it is now, or never, that you muft acquire them. Poft- pone, therefore, all other confiderations ; make them now your ferious fludy : you have not one moment to ]ofe. The folid and the ornamental united are un- doubtedly bed; but were I reduced to make an option, I fiiould, without hefitation, chufe the latter. LETTER CXII. Lore and Respect ,., Martial's celebrated Epigram ^parou- phrased ... Dr. J oluison delineated... University of Cain bridge.., Bill for reforming the Calendar. MY DEAR FRIEND, Loiidon, February the 28th, This epigram in Martial, Non anio te, Sabidi, nee pofTiini dicere qware, Hoc tantuni poffuin diccrc, nou anio le * ; has puzzled a great many people, who cannot conceive how it is pollible not to love any body, and yet not to know the reafon why* I think I conceive MartiaPs meaning very clearly, though the nature of epigram^ which is to be fliort, would not allow him to explain it more fully ; and I take it to be this : " O Sabidis, you are a very worthy deferving man ; you have a thoufand* good qualities, you have a great deal of learning ; I efleem, I refpec^, but' for the foul of me I cannot love you, though I cannot particularly fay why. You are iiot a?mai?k ; you have not thofe engaging manners, thofe pleafing attentions, thofe graces, and that addrefs, which are abfolutely neceffary to pleafe, though im^- poffible to dtfinc. I cagnot fay it is this or that parti- cular thing that hinders me from loving you, it is thake an enemy, and an injury may make a friend, according to the different manner in which they are feverally done. The countenance, the addrefs, the words, theenuncia- SOi C 01) muind of Temper. tion, the graces, add great efficacy to the fuavitcr in modo^ and great dignity to the foititer in re ; and con- fequently they deferve the iitmoft attention. From what has been faid, I conchide with this ob- fervation. That gentlenefs of manners, with firmnefs of mind, is a fliort, but full defcription of human per- fection, on this fide of religious and moral duties: that you may beferioufly convinced of this truth, and (liow it in your life and converfation, is the moil (incere and ardent wifli of yours. LETTER CXIV. Loxe and Hatred equally critical,. .j^ttcntions in Cojnpany ...Comtttittimi oj Things at Paris. .. DiJ'erence beizvecu Seei'}ig and Staring. MY DEAR FRIEND, Loiidon, March the 11th. I RECEIVED by the laft poft a letter from abbe Guafco, in which he joins his reprefentations to thofc of lord Albemarle, againft your remaining any longer in your very bad lodgings at the academy ; and, as I do'not find that any advantage can arife to you, from being interne in an academy, which is full as far from the riding-houfe, and from all your other mafters, as your lodgings will probably be, I agree to your remov- ing to an hotel garni "^'^ the abbe will help you to find one, as I defire him by the inclofed, which you will give him. I muft, however, annex one condition to your going into private lodgings, which is, an abfolute exclufion of Englifti breakfafts and fuppers at them ; the former confume the whole morning, and the latter employ the evenings very ill, in fenfelefs toafling a P Angloife in their infernal claret. You will be fure to go to the riding-houfe as often as polfible, that is^ whenever your new bufinefs at lord Albemarle's does not hinder you. By the way, you may take your lodgings for one whole year certain, by which mtans you may gfet them much cheaper; for though I intend * A furjilfl^icd houfe. Lore and Hatred equally critical. 3o> 10 lee you here in lefs than a year, it will be but for a little time, and you will return to Paris again, where I intend you fliall ilay till the en^ of April twelve- inonth ; at which time, provided you have got all le po- litejfe, Ifs tnanilres^ les attentions^ et les graces du lean :nu:}de^ I fliall place you in fome bufinefs fuitabie to your deftination. I have received, at lad, your prefent of the carton, from Dominichino, by Blanchet. It is very finely done ; it is pity that he did not take in all the figures of the original. I wiJ hang it up, where' it fhall be your own again fometime or other. Mr. Harte is returned in perfed health from Corn- wall, and has taken poffeffion of his prebendal ho.ufe at Windfor, which is a very pretty one. As I dare fay you will always feel, 1 hope you will always exprefs, the ftrongeft fentiments of gratitude and friendiliip for him. Write to him frequently, and attend to the let- ters you receive from him. He fliall be with us at Blackheath, alias Bahink^ all the time that I propofe you fliall be there, which, I believe, will be the month of Augnft next. Having thus mentioned to you the probable time of our meeting, 1 will prepare you a little for it. Hatred, jealoufy, or e\-\vy^ make moll people attentive to difcover tiieleafl: defeats of thofe they do not love; they rejoice at every, new difcovery they make of that kind, and take care to publifh it. I thank God, I do not know what thofe three ungenerous paflions are, having never felt them in my own bread ! but love has jud the hmt etfe(5t upon me, except that I conceal, inftead of publishing, the defers which mv attention makes me difcover in thofe I love. I curiouiiy pry into them ; I analyfe them ; and wifh- ing either to find them perfed, or to make them fo, nothing efcapes me, and 1 foon difcover every the lead gradation towards, or from that perfedtion. You mud, therefore, expeagc of the catalogue, N° 18, which T fiiould be glad to purchafe, upon two condi- tions ; the firft is, that they be undoubted originals of Titian, in good prefervation 5 and the other, that they come cheap. To afcertain the tirfi: (but without dif- para^ina your fl»-* aud rcfoldiuis. \ Frcqucntin- the S'-eat world. 3 1 8 Mtention to Manners, diflingxiifliing charadcriflic of Alcibiades, and a Iiappy one it was; that he could occafionally, and with fo much eafe, adopt the moft different, and even the moft oppofite habits and manners, that each feemed natural to him. Prepare yourfelf for the great world, as the athleice ufed to do for their exercifes; oil (if I may ufe that expreffion) your mind, and your manners, to give them the neceffary fupplenefs and fie^iibility ; flrength alone ^^ili not do, as young people are too apt to think. LETTER CXIX. Attention to Manners, ., CorpukncT/ ,. .Bchaviimr in different Companies, MY DEAR FRIEND, London, May the 2d, Two accounts, which I have very lately received of you, from two good judges, have put me into great fpirits; as they have given me reafnable hopes, that you will foon acquire all that I believe you wantj I mean the air, the addrefs, the graces, and the manners of a man of fafliion. As thefe two pictures of you are very unlike that which J received, and fent you fome months ago, I will name the two painters : the firft is an old friend and acquaintance of mine, monfieur D'Aillon. His pidure is, I hope, like you ; for it is a very good one: monfieur ToUot's is flill a better; and fo advantageous a one, that I will not fen/1 you a copy of it, for fear of making you too vain. So far I will tell you, that there was only one but in either of their accounts; and it was this : I gave D'Aillon the quef- tion, ordinary and extraordinary, upon the important article of manners; and extorted this from him : " But, fmceyou will know it, he ftill wants that lad beautiful varnifli, which raifes the colours, and gives brilliancy to the piece. Be perfuaded that he will acquire it ; he has too much fenfe not to know its value; and, if I am not greatly mi (taken, more perfons than one are now endtavouring to give it him.*' Monfitur Tollot fays, *' In order to be exadly all that you vvifli him, he only Corpulency^ ,. Enunciation, 3 1 9 wants thole little nothings, thofe graces in detail, and that amiable eafe, which can only be acquired by ufagc of the great world. I am aiTured that he is, in ti)at refpecl,"^ in good hands." I congratulate you and my- felf upon your being fo near that point at which I. (o anxioufly wiili you may arrive. I am fure, that all your attention and endeavours will be exerted ; and, if exerted, they will fuccecd. Mr. Toliot f^iys, that you are inclined to be fat ; but I hope you will decline it as much as you can ; not by taking any thing corrofive to make you lean, but by taking as little as you can of thofe things that would make you fat. . Drink no cho- colate, take your cotfee without cream : you cannot poliibly avoid fuppers at Paris, unlefs you avoid com- pany too, which 1 would by no means have you do; but cat as little at fupper as you can, and make even an allowance for that little at your dinners. Take, occa- iionally, a double dofe of riding and fencing; and now that the fummtr is come, walk a good deal in the Tuilleries : it is a real inconveniency to any booy t6 be fat; and, befides, it is ungraceful for a yoking fellow, A'propos^ I had like to have forgotten to tell voii, that I charged Toliot to attend particularly to your utter- ance and di(ftion; two points of the utmoft importance. To the firft he fays, *' His enunciation is not bad, but it is to be wiflied that it was fliil better; and he ex- preffes himftlf with more fire than elegancy. Ufage of good company will innru6l him likewife in that." Thefe, 1 allow, are all little things, feparately ; but, aggregately, they make a moft important and great ar- ticle in the account of a gentleman. In the houfe of commons you can never make a figure, without ele- gancy of ftyle, and gracefulnefs of ntttrance ; and you can never fuccetd as a courtier at your own court, or as a minifter at any other, wiihout thofe innumerable petit s riens dans ks manihes et dans lei attentions'*^, Mr. Yorke is bv this time at Faris; make your court to him, but not fo as to difguft, intheleafl, lord Albe^ marie, who may poiTibly diflike your coniidering Mr.' Yorke as the man of bufinefs, and him as only pour * Little nothln^^s in the manners and attentions, P4 520 ' Behaviour in dijfercnt Companies, orner lafcene *., Whatever your opinion may be npon that point, take care not to let it appear; but be well with them both, by fliowing no public preference to either. Though I mud necelTarily fall into repetitions, by treating the fame fubjedt fo often, I cannot help recom* mending to you again the utmoll attention to your air and addrefs. Learn to fit genteely in different com- panies ; to loll genteely, and with good manners, in thofe companies where you are authorifed to be free, and to fir up refpedfully where the fame freedom is not allowable. Learn even to compofe your countenance occafionally to the refpe6lful, the cheerful, and the infinuating. Take particular care that the motions of your hands and arms be eafy and graceful ) for the genteelnefs of a man confids more in them than in any thing elfe. Defire fome women to tell you of any little awkwardnefs that they obferve in your carriage : they are the beft judges of thofe things; and if they are fatis- fied, the men will be fo too. Think, now, only of the ciecorations. Are you acquainted with madame Geof- frain, who has a great deal of wit, and who, I am iii- formed, receives only the very beft coiiipany in her houfe. Do you know madame du Pin, who, I remem- ber, , had beauty, and I hear has wit and reading? 1 could wifli you to converfe only with thofe, who, ei- ther from their rank or their merit, require conftant at- tention ; for a young man can never improve in com- pany, where he thinks he may negle6l himfelf. A new bow mud be conftantly kept bent ; when it grows oldei-, and has taken the right turn, it may now and then be relaxed. I have this moment paid your draft oi £.^c), i^s. it was figned in a very good hand ; which ]3roves that a good hand may be written without the affiUance of inagic. Nothing provokes me much more, than to hear people indolently fay, that they cannot do what ^n every body's power to do, if it be but in their 'teyi. -Adieu! * To m up the fceiie. jsf- [ 321 ] LETTER CXX. A decisive and peremptory/ Marnier censured., .Address in conducting an Argument. MY DBAR FRiE^^D, London, May the "6th. The bed authors are ahvays the fevered critics of their own works ; they revjfe', correa, file, and polifli them, till they think they have brought thciu to perfec- tion. Confideriug you as my work, 1 do not look upon myfelf as a bad author, and am therefore a fevere critic. I examine narrowly into the lead inaccuracy or inele-* gancy, in order to corre^, not to expofe them, and that the work may be perfedl at lad. You are, I know, exceedingly improved in your air, addrefs, and manners, iince you have been at Paris ; but dill there is, I be- lieve, room for farther improvement, before you come to that perfection which 1 have fet my heart upon fee- ing you arrive at ; and till that morrrcnt I mud conti- nue filing and polidilng. In a letter that I received hj lad pod, from a friend of yours at Paris, tliere was this paragraph : — '' 1 have the honour to aifure you, with- out flattery, that Mr. Stanhope fucceeds beyond what might be expelled from a perfon of his age. He goes into very good company ; and that kind of manner, . which was at fird thought to be too decifive and pe- remptory, is now judged otherwife ; becaufe it is ac- knowledged to be the t^tdi of an ingenuous franknefs, accompanied by politenefs, and by a proper deference. He dudies to pleafe, and fucceeds. Madame de Pui- fieux was the other day fpeaking of him with compla- cency and frienddiip. You will be fatisfied. with him in all refpe<^s." This is extremely well, and I rejoice at it : one little circumdance only rrfay, and I hope will, be altered for the better. Take pains to undeceive thofe who thought that your manner was a little too decifive and perenif tory : as it is not m^eaiU io^ let it not ap- pear fo. Compofe your countenance to aii air of gen- tlenefs and douceur-, ufe fome expredions of diffidence of your own opinion, and deference to other people's ; ■fuch as, If I might be permitted to fay — I diould think — ^ Isit not rather Yo? At lead, I have the greated reafou PS 3-? '2 A decisive and peremptorj/ Manner censured, to be diffident of myfelf. — Such mitigating, engaging words do by no means weaken your argument; but, on the contrary, make it more powerful, by making it more pleahng. If it is a quick and hafty manner of fpeaking that people miflake for decided and peremp- tory, prevent their mi flakes for the future by fpeaking more deliberately, and taking a fofrer tone of voice : as in this cafe you are free from the guilt, be free from the fufpicion too. Mankind, as I have often told you, is more governed by appearances than by realities: and, with regard to opinion, one had better be really rough and hard, with the appearance of gentlenefs and foft- nefs, than juft the reverfe. Few people have pene- tration enough to difcover, attention enough to obferve, or even concern enough to examine, beyond the exte- rior ; they take their notions from thefurface, and go no deeper ; they commend, as the gentleft and befl- natured man in the world, that man who has the moft engaging exterior manner, though pofTibly they have heed but once in his company. An air, a tone of voice, a compofure of countenance to mildnefs and fofinefs, which are all eafily acquired, do the bufinefs; and without farther examination, and polfibly with the coiitrary qualities, that man is reckoned the gentleft, the modeiieft, and the befl-natured man alive. Happy the man who, with a certain fund of parts and know- ledge, gets acquainted with the world early enough to make it his bubble, at an age when moft people are the bubbles of the world 1 for that is the common cafe of youth. They grow wifer when it is too late ; and, afiiamed and vexed at having been bubbles fo long, too often turn knaves at laft. Do not therefore truft to appearaiices and ouifide yourfelf, but pay other people with them ; bccaufe you may be fure that nine in ten of mankind do, and ever will, truft to them. This is by v.o means a criminal or blameable fimulation, if not ufed with an ill in:ention. I am by no means blame- able ii; defiring to have other people's good word, good will, aud affedio^, if I do not mean to abufe them. Your heart, I kng>vv, is good, your fenfe is found, and yoOr knoAvIedge extenfive. "What then remains for you to do? Nothiugj but to adorn thole fundamemalqua- .4rgumcnt,„Fictures, S^c, 503 iiiications with fuch engaging and captivating man- ners, foftnefs, and gentlenefs, as will endear you to thofe who are able to judge of your real merit, and which al-. ways (land in the Head of merit with thofe wha are not. I do not mean by this to recommend to you the infipid foftnefs of a gentle fool : no, afTert your own opinion, oppofe other people's when wrong ; but let your manner, your air, your terms, and your tone of voice be foft and gentle, and that ealily and naturally, not affe6ledly. Ufe palliatives when you contradict; fuch as, I may be miftaken, I am not fure, but I be- lieve, I fliould rather think, &c. Finifti any argu- ment or difpute with fome little good-humoured plea- fantry, to fliow that you are neither hurt yourfelf, nor meant to hurt your antagonifl ; for an argument, kept up a good while, often occafions a temporary alienation on each fide. Pray obferve particularly, in thofe French people who are diftinguilhed by that chara(^Wr, cette douceur de moeurs et de mamcres *, which they talk of fo much, and value fo juftly; fee in what it con- fifts ; in mere trifles, and moft eafy to be acquired, where the heart is really good. Imitate, copy it, till it becomes habitual and eafy to you. Adieu ! — I have not heard from you thefe three weeks, which I think a great while. LETTER CXXI. Pictures. . . Renvbrandt. . . Jcq uaintances and Friends ...Ma- thematics, 4C' MY DEAR FRIEND, London, May the lOtb. I RECEIVED yeflerday, at the fame time, your letters of the 4th and the i ith ; and being much more careful of my commiffions than you are of yours, I do not de- lay one moment fending you my final inftruftions con- cerning the pi^ures. The man you allow to be a Ti- tian, and in good prefervation ; the wop^n is an indif- • That foftnefs of mannew. F6 324 Rembrandt.,, ^Acquaintances and Friends, ferent and a damaged pi^liire ; but, as I want them fot' furniture for a particular roon), companions are necef- fary ; and therefore I am willing to take the woman, for better for worfe, upon account of the man; and if flie is not too much damaged, I can have her tolerably re- paired, as many a fine woman is, by a fkilful hand here ; but then I expeft the lady (liould be, in a manner, ^ thrown into the bargain with the man ; and, in this flate of affairs, the woman being worth little or nothing, I wi41 not go above fourfcore louis for the two toge- ther. As for the Rembrandt you mention, though it is very cheap if good, I do not care for it. I love la bellt "nature ; Rembrandt paints caricaturas. I would,, by all means, have you go now and then, for two or three days, to marechalCoigny's, at Orlij it is but a proper civility to that family, which has been particularly civil to you;~and moreover, I would have you familiarife yourfelf with, and learn the interior and domeftic manners of people of that rank and fafliion. 1 alfo defire that you will frequent Verfailles and St. Cloud, at both which courts you have been received vvith difl:in6tion. Profit by that didindlion, and fami- liarife yourfelf at both. Great courts are the feats of true good-breeding; you are to live at courts, lofe no time in learning them. Go and flay fometimes at Ver- failles for three or four days, where you will bedomeftic in the befl families, by means of your friend madame de Puifienx, and mine, I'abbe de la Ville. Go to the king's and the dauphin's levees, and diftinguifli yourfelf from the reft of your countrymen, who, I dare fay, never go there when they can help it. Though the young Frenchmen of fafliion may not be worth forming inti- mate connedions with, they are well worth making ac- quaintance with ; and I do not fee how yon can avoid it, frequenting fo many good French houfes as you do, where, to be fure, many of them come. Be cautious how you contra6i friendfliips, but be defirous, and even induurious, to obtain an univerfal acquaintance. Be eafv, and even forward, in* making new acquaintances; that is the only way of knowing manners and charac- ters in g&^eral, which is. at prefent, your great object* Graces of Manner e nd Behaviour, 3 2 j Yo^i nre C7ifmt de famille* in three minifters' hoiifes ; hut 1 widi you had a footing, at leall, in thirteen ; and that, 1 (liould think, you might eafily bring about, by hat common chain, which, to a certain degree, con- ne(fcs thofe you do not with thofe you do know. For inftance, I fuppofe that neither lord Albemarle, nor P'nrquis de St. Germain, would make the leaff difficulty to prefent you to comte Caiinitz, the Nnncio, &:c. When you have got your emaciated Philomath, I de- firc that his triangles, rhomboids, &c. may not keep you one moment out of the good company you would otherwife be in. Swallow all your learning in the morning, but digeft it in company in the evenings. The reading of ten new characters is more your bufi- nefs now than the reading of twenty old books: ftiow- ifh and fliining people always get the better of all others, though ever fo folid. If you would be a great man in the world when you are old, (liine and be iliowidi in it while you are young j know every body, and endeavour to pleafe every body, I mean exteriorly ; for fundamentally it is impoffible. Modes and man- ners vary in different places, and at. different times; you luuft keep pace with them, know them, and adopt them wherever you find them. The great ufage of the world, the knowledge of characters, is all that you now want. Study the beau monde whh great application ; but read Homer and Horace only when you have nothing elfe to do. Adieu ! Send me your patterns by the next poft, and alfo your indruflions to Grevenkop about the feal, which you feem to have forgotten. LETTER CXXII. Graces of Maimer and Beharioiir easily acquired., .Instance in a young Recruit, ..Elegance of Language, MY DEAR FRIEND, Lonclon, May the 16Ul. In about three months, from this day, we iliall pro- bably meet, I look upon that moment as a young * One of the family. 325 Grace of Marmer.., Young RecriuL woman does upon her bridal night ; I expert the greatefl: pleafi>re, and yet cannot help fearing feme little mixture of pain. My reafon bids me doii'it a little, of what my imagination m'tkes mt expec^t. In fome arti- cles, I am very fure that my moft iangiiine wiflies will not be difappointed ; and thofe are the moft material ones. In others, I fear fo-nething or otb.er, wtiich I can better feel than defcribe. However, 1 will attempt it. I fear the want of that ainiable and engaging yV ne f^ais quoi^ which, as fome philofophers have, unintel- ligibly enough, faid of the foul, is ail in all, and all in every part ; it (liould flied its influence over every word and adion. I fear the want of that air, and firft ahord^ which fuddenly lays hold of the htart, one does not know diftinftly how nor why. I fear an inaccuracy, or, at leaft, inelegancy of diftion, which will wrong, and lower, the beft and jufteft matter. And, laftly, I fear an ungraceful, if not an unpleafant utterance, which would difgrace and vilify the whole. Should thefe fears be at prefent founded, yet the objeds of them are (thank God) of fuch a nature, that you may, if you pleafe, between this and our meeting, remove every one of them. All thefe engaging and end'earing accomplifl^ments are mechanical, and to be acquired by care and obfervation, as eafily as turnino; or any me- chanical trade. A common country fellow, taken from the plough, and in lifted in an old corps, foon lays afide his fliambling gait, his Oouching air, hisclumfy and awkward motions, and acquires the martial air, the regular motions, and the whole exercife of the corps, and particularlv of his right and left hand man. How fo ? Not from his part^, which were juft the fame before as after he was inlifted ; but either from a com- mendable ambition of being like, and equal lo thofe he is to live with ; or elfe from the fear of being pu- niOied for not being fo. If then borh or either of th "fe motives change fnch a fellow, in about fix mo^iths' time, to fuch a degree as that he is not to be known again, how much ftronger fiiould both thcie motives be with you to acquire, in the utinoft perft 6lion, the wnole exercife of tlie people of faftiion, with whom you are to live all your life.^ Ambition Ihouid make . Books that teach to knovj Mankind, S27 you refolve to be at leaft their equal in that exercife, as well as the fear of puniQiment, which mod inevi- tably will attend the want of it. By that exercife I mean the air, the manners, the graces, and the ftyle of people of fafliion. A friend of yours, in a letter! re- ceived from him by the lafl pod, after fome other com» mendations of you, fays, *' It is furprifing, that, think- ing with fo much folidity as he does, and havinnx€rsation more wiproving on Po- litical Suf/jects than Books. ,,Militari/ AJf airs.,. Commerce of France... Small Talk. MY DEAR FRIEND, Greenwich, June the 20th. So very few people, efpecially young travellers, fee what they fee, or hear what they hear, that though 1 really believe it may be unneceiTary with you, yet there can be no harm in reminding you, from time to time, to fee what you fee, and to hear wiiat you hear ; that is, to fee and hear as you (liould do. Frivolous futile peo- ple, who make at lead three parts in four of mankind, only defire to fee and hear what their frivolous and fu- tile pras-curfors have feen and heard : as St. Peter's, the Pope, and high mafs, at Rome; Notre Dame, Verfailles, the French king, and the French comedy, in France. A man of parts fees and hears very dilfe« rently from thefe gentlemen, ?nd a great deal more. — He examines and informs himfelf thoroughly of every thing he fees or hears ; and, more particularly, as it-is relative to his own profellion or deftination. Your de- flination is political; the objed: therefore of your in- quiries and obfervations fhould be the political inte- rior of things; the forms of government, laws, regu- lations, cuftoms, trade, manufactures, Sec. of the fe- veral nations of Europe, This knowledge is much becter acquired by converfation with fenfible and well- informed people, than by books; the be ft of which, upon thefe fubje(5ls, are always impt'rfe7D, London, Junc the 24th. Air, addrefs, manners, and graces, are of fuch infi- nite advantage to whoever has them, and fo peculiarly and eflentially neceffary for you, that now, as the time of our meeting draws near, I tremble for fear I fhould not find you polfefTed of ti.em : and, to tell you the truth, I doubt you are not yet fnfficiently convinced of their importance. There is, for inilance, your intimate friend Mr. H , who, with great merit, deep knowledge, and a thoufand good qualities, vviil never jTiake a figure in the world while he lives. Why ? Merely for want of thofe external and fliowifli accom- plifliments which he began the world too late to ac- quire, and which, with his fludious and philofophical turn, I believe he thinks are not worth his attention. He may, very probably, make a figure in the republic of letters ; but he had ten thoufand times better make a figure as a man of the W( rid and of buiinefs in the republic of the United Provinces ; which, take my word for it, he never will As I open myfelf without the lead referve whenever I think that my doing fo can be of any ufe to you, I jiuihoi'^s Introduction into the JForld. 335* will give you a fliort account of myfclf when I firfl: came into the world, which was at the age you are of now; fo that (by the way) you have got the flart of me in that important article by -two or three years at lead. At nineteen I l^ft the univerfity of Cambridge, where I was an abloiute pedant : when I talked my beftj I quoted Horace ; when I aimed at being face- tious, I quoted Martial; and when I had a mind to be a fine gentleman, I talked Ovid, I was convinced that none but the ancients had common fejife ; that the daffies contained every thing that was either ne- cefTary, ufeful, or ornamental to men; and I was not without thoughts of wearing the toga e only your amufement, but by no means your bufi- nefs. I hear the difpute between the court and the clergy is made up amicably ; both parties have yielded fome- thing ; the king being airaid of lofing more of his foul, and the clergy more of their revenue. The RomlQi clergy are very (kilfiil in making the tnoft of the vices and the weaknelTes of the laity. I hope you have read and informed yourfeif fully of every thing relative to that affair; it is a very important qneflion, in which the priefthood of every country in Europe is highly concerned. If you would be thoroughly, convinced that their tythes are of divine inditution, and their property the property of God himfelf, not to be touch- ed by any power upon earth, read Fra-Paolo Dc Benefit d/s, an excellent and (liort book ; for which, and fome other treatifes againft the court of Rome, he was fti- iettoed ; which made him fay afierwatds, upon feeing an anonymoub book written again d him, by order of the pope, Conofco bene lojiile Romano *. The parliament of Paris, and tlie flates of Latigue- doc, willj 1 believe, hardly fcramble off; having only reafon and juffice, but no terrors on their fide. Thofc are political and conftitutional qut^ftions, that well de-^ ferve your attention and your inquiries — I hope you are thoroughly mailer of tliem. It is alfo worth your while to colled and keep all the pieces written upon thofe fubje6ts; * I have reafon to know the Roniany7>/^. 0.4 [ s-n ] LETTER CXXVIII. Conduct of the Temper . .Connections necessary to Advance- ??ient in mixed Governments. ..Dress, MY DEAJi. FRIEND, Greenwich, July the 8th. The laft mail brought me your letter of the 3d July. 1 am glad that you are fo well witii colonel Yorke, as to be let into fecret correfpondences. Lord Albemarle*s referve to yon is, 1 believe, more owing to his fecretary than to himfelf ; for you fcem to' be much in favour with him; and polhbly, too.^ he has no very fecret letters to communicate. However, take care not to difcover t;ie leift diO'atisfadion upon this fcore : make the pro- per acknowledgements to colonel Yorke for what he. does ftiow you 3 but let neither lord Albemarle nor his peofde perceive the lead coldnefs on your part, upon account of what they do not fliow you. It is v^ry oft- en neceflary not to manileft rtll one feels. Make your court to, and conned yourfelf as much as poffibie with, colonel Yorke 5 he may be of great ufe to you here- after ; and u'hen you take leave, not only offer to bring over aiiy letters or packets,, by way of fccurity, but even alk, as a favour, to be the'carrier of a letter from' him to his father the chancellor. A-propoi of your cominfi, here, I confefs thai I am weakly impatient for it, and think a few days worth getting ; I w^ould there- fore, indead of the 25th of next month, which was the day that forne t,me ago 1 appointed for your leaving Paris, have you fet out on Friday the 20th of Auguft ; in confeqnence of which you will be at Calais fome time on the Sunday following, and probably at Dover ivithin four-and-twenty hours aftenvards. If you land in the morning, you may, in a pofl-chaife, get to Sit- tlngbourne that day ; if you comiC on Hiore in the eve- ning, you can only get to Canterbury, w^here you will bt better lodged than at Dover. I will not have you travtl in the night, nor fatigue and overheat yourfelf^ by running on fourfcore miles the moment you land. You w ill come ftraight to Blackheath, where I (hall be ready to meet you^ and which is directly upon the Do- ver road to London 3 and we will go to town together. Connections. .,Dress» 3 1^5 sfter you have refted yonrfelf a day or two here. All the other dire£lions, which I gave you in my former letter, hold dill the fame. 1 had a letter the other day from lord Huntingdon, of which one half at lead was your panegyric : it was extremely welcome to me from fo good a hand. Cul- tivate that friendQiip; it will do you honour, and give you llrength. Connections, in our mi-^ed parliamentary government, are of great ufe. Since I wrote what goes before, I have talked you over minutely with lord Albemarle; who told me, that he could very fincerely commend you upon every art!-, de but one ; but upon that one you were often joked, both by him and others. I deHred to know what tliat was ; he laughed, and told me, it was the article of diefs, in which you were exceedingly negligent. Though he laughed, I can afftire you, tiiat^it is no laughing matter for you; and you will pofTibly be furprifed, when I Taflert, (but, upon my word, it is literally true) that to be very 'well drefled is of much more importance ta you than all the Greek you know will be of thefe thirty years. Remember the world is now your only bufinefs; and you iiiuft adopt its cuftbms and manners, be they f^lly, or be they not. To neglett your drefs is an affront to all the women you keep company with, as it implies that you do not think them worth that attention wiiich every body eife does ; they mind drels, and you will »>ever pleafe them if you neg!e6l yours; and if you do not pleafe the women, you will not pleafe half the men you otherwife might. Ic is the women who put a young' fellow in fafliion, even with the men. A young fellov.'' ought to have a certain fund of coquetry; which fliould make him try all the means of plealing as much as any coquette in Europe can do. Old as I am, and litrle« tiiinking of women, God knows, J am very far from be- ing negligent of my drefs; and why? From conform micy to cufiom, and out of decency to men, who exptc^l: that degree of complaifaiue. 1 do not, indeed, wear feathers and red heels; which would ill fuit my age ; but I take care to have my clothes well n)ade, my wig weli combed and powdered, my linen and f^erfon ex* trea.eiv clean. I even allow my footmen, forty fnibin^s QS ' 3^6 The proper Uae of Friends. a year extraordinary, that they may be fpruce and neat. Your figure efpecially, which, from its ftature, cannot be very majeilic and interefting, lliould be the more at- " tended to in point of drefs. It will not admit of negli- gence and carelclfnefs. I believe Mr. Hayes thinks you have flighted him a little of late, fince you have got into fo much other company. I do not, by any means, blame you for not frequenting hishoufe fo much as you did at firfl, before you had got into fo many other houfes, more entertain- ing and more inftru6iing than his ; on the contrary, you do very well; however, as he was extremely civil to you, take care to be lo to him ; and make up in manner what you omit in matter. See him, dine with him before you come away, and a(k his commands for England. Your triangular feal is done, and I have given it to an Englifh gentleman, who fets out in a week for Paris, and who will deliver it to Sir John Lambert for you. LETl:'ER CXXIX. The proper Use of Friends. ..j^necdatcs... English Language and C(msiitution.,.Art of Pleasing. MY DKAR FRIEND, Grecnwicl), Julv the 15th. As ttiis is the lafl, or the lafl letter but one, that I think 1 fliall write before I have the pleafure of feeing you here, it may not be amifs to prepare you a little for our interview, and for the time we fliall pafs together^ Before kings and princes meet, .niiniflers on each fide acijuft the important points of precedents, arm chairs, right hand and left, &:c. fo that they kgow previoufly what thev are to cxpe6t, what they have to truil to : and it is right they fliould; for they commonly envv or hate, but moft certainly diflrufl each other. We* fliall meet upon very different terms; we want no fuch preli- minaries : vou know my tendernefs, 1 kno^v' your af- fedlion. My only obje^l, therefore, is to make your iliort flay with me asufeful as I can to you ; and yours, 1 hope, is to co-operate with me. Whether, by mak- The proper Use of Friends,,, Anecdotes, 347 ing it wholefome, I fliall make It pleafant to you, I am not fure. Emetics and cathartics I fliall not admini- fter, becaufe I am fure you do not want them ; but for alteratives you mull expe<5t a great many; and lean tell you that T have a number o^ nostnnw<<^ which 1 fliall communicate to nobody but yourfelf. To fpeak with- out a metaphor, I fhall endeavour to aflifl your youth with all the experience that I have purchafed, at the price of feven-and-fifty years. In order to this, fre- quent reproofs, corrections, and admonitions, will be necefTary ; but then, I promife you, that they fliall be in a gentle, friendly, and fecret manner ; they fliall not put you out of countenance in company, nor out of humour when we are alone. I do not expe(5l that, at xjineteen, you fliould have that knowledge of the world, thofe manners, 'that dexterity, which few people have at nine-and-twenty. But I will endeavour to give them you ; and I am fure you will endeavour to learn them, as far as your youth, my experience, and the time we fhall pafs together, will allow. You may have many- inaccuracies, (and to be fure you have, for who has not at your age) which few people will tell you of, and fome nobody can tell you of but myfelf. You may poflibly have others too, which eyes lefs interelled, and lefs vigilant than mine, do not difcover : all thofe you fliall hear of, from one whofe tendernefs for you will excite his curiofity, and fliarpcn his penetration. The fmallell inattention, or error in manners, the fninuteft inelegancy of didion, the leaft awkwardnefsin your drefs and carriage, will not efcape my obfervation, nor [)afs without amicable corre£lion. Two of the mofl inti- mate friends in the world can freely tell each other their faults, and even their crimes; but cannot poflibly tell each other of certain little weaknefTes, awkward neffes, and blindneffes of feh-love : to authorife that unre- ferved freedom, the relation between us is abfoli tcly nectlTary. For example, I had a very worthy friend, with whom I was intimate enough to tell hin^ his faults; he had but few ; I told hiin o^ them, he took ir kindlv of me, and corre<5fed them. But then, he had fome weakneifes that I couid never tell him of dire(ftly, and which he was fo little fenfible of himfeif, that hints^of. Q6 51-8 English Language and Constitution, them were loft upon him. He had a fcrag neck, of about a yard long ; notwithflanding which, bags being in fa- iliion, truly lie would wear one to his wig, and did fo ; but never behind hinn, for, upon everv motion of his head, his bag came forwards over one flioulder or the other. He took it into his head, too, that he muft,^oc- cafionally, dance minuets, becaufe other people did ; and he did fo, not only extremely ill, but fo awkward, {o disjointed, fo dim, io meagre was his figure, that, had he danced as well as ever Marcel d' 1, it would have been ridiculous in him to have danceci at all. I hinted thefe things to him as plainly as friendfliip would allow,, and to no purpofe ; but to have told him the whole, {o as to cure him, I muft have been his father, which, th;?nk God, I am not. As fathers ^'^mmonly go, it is feldom a misfortune to be fatherlefs; od, confidering the general run of fons, as feldom a misfortune to be childlefs. You and I form, I believe, an exception to that rule; fori am perfuaded, that we would neither of us change our relation, was it in our power. You will, J both hope and believe, be not only the comfort, but the pride of my age ; and, I am fure 1 will be the fup- port, the friend, the guide of your youth. n7>u(1 me without referve ; I will advife you without private in- tcrefl, or fecret envy. Mr. Harte will do fo too; but ftill there may be fome little things proper for you tO' know, and necefTary for you ta correfl, which even his friendfhip would not let him tell you of fo freely as I ihould ; and fome of which he may poifibiy not be fa good a judge Ci^ as I am, not having lived fo much in the great world. One principal topic of our converfation will be, not only the purity, but the elegancy of the Englifli lan- i;uage ; in botli which you are very deficient. An- other will be the conftitution of this country, of which, 3 believe, you know lefs than of mofl other ccuntries in- Europe. Manners, attentions, and addrefs, will alio be 'the frequent fnbje(fls of our le(5lures ; and whatever I know of that important and necefiary art, the art of ■j^leafing, I will unrefervedly communicate to you.— 3)refs too (which, as things are, I can logically prove, reculr^js fome attention) will not always efcape our no- Li iters of Business. . . Perspicidty, $49 tice. Thus my le(5lnres will be more various, and in fome refpe(^s more ufefiil, than profeflbr Mafco w's ; and, therefore, 1 can tell you, that I exped to be paid for them : but, as poliibly you would not care to part with your ready money, and as I do not think that it would be quite handfome in me to accept it, I will compound for the payment, and take it in attention and pra6lice. Pray remember to part with all your friends and ac- quaintances at Paris in fuch a manner as may make them not only willing but impatient to fee you there agnin. All people fay pretty nearly the fame things upon thofe occafions ; it is the manner only that makes the difference ; and that difference is grear Avoid, how- ever, as much as you can, charging yourfelf with com- millions, on your return to Paris ; 1 know, by expe- rience, that they are exceedingly troubiefome, com- monly expenfive, and very feldom fatisfa(5lory at laft, to the perfons who give them : fome you cannot refufe, to people to whom you are obliged, and would oblige in your turn ; bat as to common fiddle-faddle commif* iions, you may excufe yourfelf from them with truth, by faying that you are to return to Paris through Flan- ders, and fee all thofe great towns ; which I intend you fliall do, and flay a week or ten days at Bruftels. Adieu ! A good journey to you, if this is' my lad; if nor, I can repeat again what 1 fiiall wi(h conftantly. LETTER CXXX. Letters of Business.., Perspicuity.,. General Rules for CojU" posit ion. . . Use of the Relative. . . Ornament and Grace. . .Pe- ' ■ ' '''^'3/ ^f Business. JMY DEAR. FRIEND, London, Dccembcr (lic 1 9th. J OU are now entered upon a fcene of bufinefs, where 3 hope you will one day make a figure. Ufe does a great deal, but care and attention mufi: be joined to it. The firif tiling neceflary, in writing letters of bufinefs, i> extreme clearnefs and perfpicuity ; every paragraph fiaould be fo clear, and unambiguous, that the duilefl 550 Rules for Composition.,, Use of the Relaiirc* fellow in the world may not be able to miftake it, nor obliged to read it twice in order to underftand it. This neceflary clearnefs implies a corredneis, without ex- cluding an elegancy of ftyle. Tropes, figures, anti- thefts, epigrams, ^c. would be as mifplaced. and as impertinent in letters of bufinefs, as they are fometimes (if judiciouily ufed) proper and pleafing in familiar let- ters, upon common and trite fubjeds. In bufinefs, an elegant fimplicity, the refult of care, not of labour, is required. Bufinefs inuft be well, not affe^ledly drefled; but by no means negligently. Let your firfl attention be to clearnefs, and read every paragraph after you have written it, in the critical view of difcovering whether it is poflible that any one man can miftake the true fenfe of it ; and correal it accordingly. Our pronouns and relatives often create obfcurity or ambiguity 3 be therefore exceedingly attentive to them, and take care to mark out with precifion their particu- lar relations. For example: Mr. Johnfon acquainted me that he had {'qqw Mr. Smith, who had promifed him to fpeak to Mr. Clarke, to return him (Mr. Johnfoii) thofe papers, which he (Mr. Smith) had left fome time ago with him (Mr. Clarke) : it is better to repeat a name, though unneceifarily, ten times, than to have the perfon miftaken once. IPlio^ you know, is fingly rela- tive to perfons, and cannot be applied to things ; ivhich^ and that^ are chiefly relative to things, but not abfo- lutely exclufive of perfons; for one may fay, the man that robbed or killed fuch-a-one; but it is much better to fay, the man ^.vko robbed or killed. One never fays, the man or the woman ^johick, IFhlch a ad thaty though chiefly relative to things, cannot be always ufed inditterently as to things ; and the eixpov^a* muft fome- times determine their place. For inltance; the letter ivhich 1 received from you,«ii'^7V/^ you referred to in your lad, 'which came by lord A.bemarle's melTenger, and %uhich 1 (liowed ti) fuch-a-one ; I would change it thus-— The letter that I received from you, ivhch you referred to in your lad, that came by lord Albemarle's mefl^en- ger, and 'which I {bowed to fucl>a-one. * Pic'Jhfuig found. Ornament and Grace, 331 Bufinefs does not exclude (as poffibly you wifli it did) the ufual terms of poliienefs and good-breeding ; but, on the contrary, (lri6lly requires them; fuch as —1 have the honour to acquaint your lordftiip; Permit me to af- fure you ; If I may be allowed to give my opinion, &c. For the minifter abroad, who writes to the minifter at home, writes to his fuperior; polTibly to his patron, or at leail to one who he defires (hould be fo. Letters of bufinefs will not only admit of, but be the better for certain graces : but then, they mud be fcatter- ed with a fparyig and a fkilful hand ; they mult fit their place exadiy. They mull decently adorn without in- cumbering, and modeflly (hine without glaring. But as this is the utmoft degree of perfe(5^ion in letters of bufinefs, I would not advife you to attempt thofe em- bellifliments, till you have firft laid your foundation well. Cardinal d'Oflat's letters are the true letters of bufi- nefs ; thofe of monfieur d'Avaux are excellent ; Sir "William Temple's are very pleafing, but, I fear, too affedted. Carefully avoid all Greek or Latin quota- tions ; and bring no precedents from the virtuous Spar^ tans^ the polite Athenians^ and the brave Romans, Leave all that to futile pedants. No flouriflies, no declama- tion. But (I repeat it again) there is an elegant fim- phcity and dignity of (lyle abfolutely necefiary for good letters of bufinefs ; attend to that carefully. Let your periods be harmonious, without feeming to be labour- ed ; and let them not be too long, for that always oc- cafions a degree of obfcurity. I ftiould not mention correal orthography, but that you very often fail in that particular, which will bring ridicule upon you ; for no man is allowed to fpell ill. I wifh too that your hand- writing was much better ; and I cannot conceive why it is not, fince every man certainly may write whatever hand he pleafes. Neatnefs in folding up, fealing, and direct- ing your packets, is by no means to be negleCled ; though, I dare fay, you think it is. But there is fome- thing in the exterior even, of a packet, that may pleafe ' or difpleafe, and confequently worth fome attention. You fay that your time is very well employed, and fo it is, though as yet (inly in the outlines, and firfl routine 352 Parlia?ncnts of France. of biifinefs. They are previoufly necefTary to be knovi*n; they fmooth the way for parts and dexterity. Bufinefs requires no conjuration nor fupernatural talents, as- people, unacquainted with it, are apt to think. Me- thod, diligence, and difcretion, will carry a man, of good (Irong cominon kni^e, much higher than the fined parts, without them, can do. Far negotiis^nequefupra^ is the true character of a man of bufinefs : but then it implies ready attention, and uo ahfences \ and a flexibi- Tity and verfatility of attention irom one objed: to an- other, without being engroffed by any one. Be upon your guard again ll the pedantry and affecta- tion of bufinefs, which young people are apt to fall' into, from the pride of being concerned in it youngs They look thoughtful, complain of the weight of bi?- finefs, throw out myfterious hints, and feem big with fecrets which they do not know. Do you, on the con- trary, never talk of biifinefs but to thofe with whom you tranfa6t it; and learn to k^m vacuus^ and idle, when- vou have the mod bufinefs. LETTER CXXXI. Parliaments of France.., Disputes betzoeen Crotvn and Par- liaments. ..States- General. . .Paisd'Ftats. MY DEAR FRiEVB, Londoii, December the 30th. The Parliaments are the courts of julliceof France,. . attd are what our courts of jufiice in Wedminfter-hall are here. They ufed anciently to follow the court, and a-dminifter juftice in the prefence of the king. Philip le Bel firft fixed it at Paris, by an edi6t of 1302. It conHft- ed then of but one chambre.^ which v/as called La Cham- hre de Prelats, mod of the m,cmbers being ecclefiaftic!? ; but the multiplicity of bufinefs made it by degrees iie- celfary to create feveral other cha?nar€s. It confids now ^of kvtu chamhres. La Grande Chambre^ which is the highed court of juf- tice, and to which appeals lie from the others. Les cinq Ckambrcs des Enquei.es., which are like our Common Pleas and Court ot Exchequer. Disputes Idzueen Croivn and ParUcwient, 533 La Tournelky which is the court for criminal juftice, and anf.vers to our Old Bailey and King's Bench. There are in all twelve parliaments in France, 1. Paris. 2. Touloufe. 3. Grenoble. 4. Bourdeaux. 5'. Dijon. 6. Rouen. 7. Aix en Provence. 8. Rennes en Bretagne. 9. Pau en Navarre. 10. Metz. 21. Dole en Franche Comte. 12. Doll ay. There are three confellsfouvsralns^ which may almofl be called parliaments ; they are thole of Perpignan. Arras. Alface. For further particulars of the French parliaments, read Bernard de la Rochefavin des ParJme7is de France^ and other authors, who have treated that fubjed confti- tutionally. Bat what will be frill better, converfe upon it with people of fen fe and knowledj^e, who will inform you of the particular objects of the feveral chambres^ and the bufineffes of the refpe6i:ive members, as, les prcfidcns^ lis prejidens a mortler (thefe lall fo called frqm their black velvet caps laced with gold), ks matt res des requetes, les greffiers^ le prucureur gaicraU Ifs avocats generaux^ les confeiU lers^ &c. Tlie great point in difpute is, concerninj^ the powers of the parliament of Pari vS, in matters of ftate, and relatively to the crown. They pretend to the powers of the Hates-general of France, when they ufed to be affembled (which, I think, they have not been fince the reign oi Lewis the Xlllth, in the year 1615). The crown denies thofe pretenfions, and confiders them only as courts of juftice. Mezeray feems to be on the fide of the parliament in this queftion, which is very well worth your inquiry. Bur, be that as it will, the parliar. ment of Paris is certainly a very refpe6lable body^ and much regarded by the vv-hole kingdom. The ediebs of 354* States General... Tiers cVEtats, the crown, efpecially thofe for If vying money on the fubjedls, ought to be regillered in parliament 3 1 do not fay to have their effect, for the crown would take good care of that; but to have a decent appearance, and to procure a willing acquiefct nee in the nation. And the crown itfelf, abioiute as it is, does not love that ilrong oppofiiion, and thole admiraole remonflrances, which it fometimes meets with from the parliaments. Many of thofe detached pieces are well worth your colle6t- ing ; and I remember, a year or two ago, a remon- flrance of the parliament of Douay, upon the fubjed, as I think, of the 'vin^tilmet, which was, in my mind, one of the fined and tiwfl moving compofitions 1 ever read. Tlrey owned themfelves, indeed, to be flaves, and fliowed their chains, but hiuribly begged of his majelly to make them a little lighter and lefs galling. The States of France were general aiTemblies of the three flates or orders of the kingdom ; the clergy, the nobility, and ihe tiers c /at, that is, the people. They ufed to be called tOij,ether by the king, upon the moft important affairs of Hate, like our lords and commons in parliament, and our clergy in convocation. Our parlia- ment is our flate , and the French parliaments are only their courts of juflice. The nobility confifled of all thofe of noble extraction, whether belonging to the fword or the robe, excepting fuch as were chofen (which fometimes happened) by the tiers etafy as their deputies to the flates-general. The tiers ct at Vizs ex- a6lly our houfe of commons, that is, the people, repre- fented by deputies of their own choofing. Thofe who had the mofl confiderable places, dans la robe, affifted at thofe affemblies as commillioners on the part of the crown. The flates met, for the firfl time that I can find (I mean by the name oi hs etats)^ in the reign of Pharamond, 424, when they confirmed the Salic law. From that time they have been very frequently aiTem- bled; fometimes upon important occafions, as making war and peace, reforming abufes, &:c.; at other times, upon feemingly trifling ones, as coronations, marriages, &c, Francis the firft adembled them, in 1526, to de- clare null and void his famous treaty of Madrid^ iigned aod fworn to by him during his captivity there. They Indolence and Inattention, 555 grew troublefome to the kings and to their minifters, and were but feldoin called, after the power of the crown grew ftrong ; and they have never been heard of fince the year 1615. Richelieu came and (liackled the nation, and Mazarin and Lewis the XlVth riveted the fliackles. There dill fubfift in fome provinces in France, which are called pats cVkats^ an humble Ideal imitation, or ra- ther mimicry, of the great kats^ as in Languedoc, Bre- tagne, &c. They meet, they Ipeak, they grumble, and Anally fubmit to wl\atever the king orders. Independently of the inrrinfic utility of this kind of knowledge to every man of bufinefs, it is a fliame for any man to be ignorant of it, efpecially relatively to y country he has been long in.— Adieu ! LETTER CXXXIL Indolence mid Inattention.., Inqyrovement to be reaped from good Conversation,,, French Laws and Customs. UY DEAR FRIEND, London, January the 2(1. Laziness of mind, or inattention, are as great ene- mies to knov\ ledge as incapacity ; for, in truth, what difference is there between a man who will not and a man who cannot be informed ? This difference only, that the former is juftly to be blamed, the latter to be pitied. And yet how many ar>e there, very capable of receiving knowledge, who, from lazinels, inattention^ and incurioufnefs, will not fo much as alk for it, much lefs take the leafl pains to acquire it ? Our young Englifli travellers generally diftinguiQi themfelves by a voluntary privation of all that ufeful knowledge for which they are fent abroad 4 and yet, at that age, the mod ufeful knowledge is the moll eafy to be acquired ;' converfation being the book, and the beft book, in which it is contained. The drudgery of dry grammatical learning is over, and the fruits of it are mixed with and adorned by the flowers of conver- fation. How many of our young men have been a year at Rome, and as long *at Paris, without knowing the 256 j7nproX'€m€nt froju good Con-cersation, meaning and inflitution of the conclave in the former, and of the parliament in the latter ! and this merely for want of afking the fird people they met with in thofe feveral places, who conid at lead have given them fome general notions of thofe matters. You will, I hope, be wifer, and omit no opportu- nity (for opportunities prefent themfelvcs every hour in the day) of acquainting yourfelf with all thofe po- litical and conftitutional particulars of the kingdom and government of France. For inftance; when you hear people mention Ic chancclier^ or le garde desf^eaiix, is it any great trouble for you to afk, or for others to tell you, what is the nature, the powers, the objecfls, and the profits, of thofe two em.ployments, either when joined together, as they often are, or when feparate, as they are at prefent ? Wlien you hear of a ginivemour^ a lieu^ tenant de roi^ a commandant^ and an intendnnt of the fame province^ is it not natural, is it not becoming, is it not neceifary, for a ilranger to inquire into their re- fpe6live rights and privileges? And yet I dare fay there are very few Engliflimen who know the difference be- tween the civil department of the intendant and the militEry pow-ers of the others. When you hear (as I am perfuaded you mud every day) of the vingtieme^ which is one in twenty, and confequently five per cent, inquire upon what that tax is laid^ w^hether upon lands, money, merchandife, or upon all three; how levied'; and what it is fuppofed to produce. When you find in books (as you will fomet-imes) allulion to par- ticular laws and cufloms, do not refi: till you have traced them up to their foiirce. To give you two ex- amples ; you will meet, in fome French camedies, (?//^ or Clameur de Haro\ afk what it means^ and you will be told that it is a term of the law in Normandy, and means citing, arrefling, or obliging any perfon to ap- pear in the coiirt&ofjuftice, either upon a civil orcrimi- nal account; and that it is derived irom a.Raouly which Raoul was anciently, duke of Normandy, and a prince eminent for his ju (lice; infomuch that when any injuf- tice was co&imitted, the cry immediately was Fenez. a Raoul, a Raoul / which words are now corrupted and jumbled into /ja;o» AnoihcVyLe vol du chapon, that,is,,.a- French Laxvs and Customs, 357 certtnn c]iftri£l of ground immediately contiguous to the nianfibn feat of a family, and anfwers to what we call, in Englidi, de nefnes. It is in France computed at about 1600 feet round the houfe, that being fuppofed to be thr extent of the capon's flight from la bajfe cour. This, little diftric^ muft go along with the manfion feat, however the rtfl: o'f the ellate may be divided. I do not mean that you iliould be a French lawyer; but I would not have you be unacquainted with the ge- neral principles of their law, in matters that occur every . day. Such is the nature of their defcents; tlrat is, the ■inheritance of lands : Do they all go to the eldeft Ton, or are they equally divided among the children of the deceafcd ? In England, all lands unfettled defcend to the ekieft fon, as heir at law, unlefs otherwife difpofed of by the father's will ; except in the county of Kent; where a particular cuflom prevails, called Gavel-kind ; by which, if the father dies inteftate, all the children •divide his lands equally among them. Jn Germany, as you know, all lands that are not fiefs are equally divid- •cd among ail the children, which ruins thole families ; but all male fiefs of the empire defcend unalienabiy to the next male heir, which preferves thofe families. In France, I believe, defcents vary in different pro- vinces. The nature of marriage contracts deferves inquiry. In England, the general pra6lice is, the hufl:)and takes all tlie wife's fortune^ and, in eonfideration of it, fet- tles upon her a proper pin-money, as it is called ; that is, an annuity during his life, and a jointure after his death. In. France it is not fo, particularly at Paris, where communauti des hiens is eRabliflied. Any married woman at Paris (if you are acquainted with one) can inform vou of all thefe particulars. Theie, and other things of the fame nature, are the ufeful and ratit)nal objec^ts of the curiofity of a man of it\\{t and hufinefs. Could they only be attained by la. borious ref^arches in folio books and worm-eaten ma- nufcripfs, I (hould not wonder at a young fellow's be- ing ignorant of them ; but as they are the frequent to- pics of convedation, and to be known by a very liulc $5S State of Fra7ice. degree of curiofity, inquiry, and attention, it is unpar- donable not to know them. Thus I have given you fome hints only for your in- <]uiries; rEtat de la France, V Jllmaiiach Royal^ and twenty other fach fuperficial books, will furnilh you with a thoufand more. Approfondijfe%, How often, and ho^' juflly, have I (ince regretted neg- ligences of this kind in my youth ! And how often have I fince been at great trouble to learn many things, which I could then have learned without any ! Save yourfelf now, then, I beg of you, that regret and trou- ble hereafter. Afk queftions, and many queftions, and leave nothing till you are thoroughly informed of it. Such pertinent queftions are far from being ill-bred, or troublefome to thofe of wliom you afk them ; on the contrary, they are a tacit compliment to their know- ledge ; and people have a better opinion of a young man when they fee him defirous to be informed. I have, by lad pofl, received your two letters of the ill and 5tii January. I am very glad that you have, been at all the fliows at Verfailles : frequent the courts. I can conceive the murmurs of the French at the poor- nefs of the fire-works, by which they thought their king or their country degraded ; and, in truth, were things always as they fliould be, when kings give fliows, they ought to be magnificent. I thank you for the thefe de la Sorbonne^ which you intend to fend me, and which I am impatient to re- ceive. But pray read it carefully yourfelf firfl ; and inform yourfelf what the Sorbonne is^ by whom found- . ed, and for what purpofes. Since you have time, you have done very well to take an Italian and a German mailer j but pray take care to leave yourfelf time enough for company; for it is in company only that you can learn what will be much more ufeful to you than either Italian or Ger- man.— Adieu I I 359 ] LETTER CXXXIII. 7 'he Sorhonne . . . Theological Disputes . . , Jesuits , , . Ignatius Lo?/ala,..Policj/ of the Socle ij/ ...Paschal's Provincial Letters, MY DEAR. FRIEND, London, January the 6th. I RECOMMENDED to you, in my lad, fome inqui- ries into the conllitution of that famous fociety, the Sorhonne-, but as I cannot wholly truft to the dih'gence of tiiofe inquiries, I will give you here the outlines of that eftabliftiment, which may polfibly excite you to inform yourfeif of particulars that yOu are more a pov ice to know than I am. It was founded by Robert de Sorbon, in the year 1256, for fixteen poor fcholars in divinity; four of each nation, of the univerfity of which it made a part ; fince that it hath been much extended and enriched, efpecially by the liberality and pride of cardinal Riche- lieu ; who made it a magnificent building, for fix-and- thirty do6lors of that fociety to live in ; befides which, there are fix profelTors and fchoois for divinity. This fociety hath been long famous for theological know- ledge and exercitations. There unintelligible points are debated with paffion, though they can never be deter- mined by reafon. Logical fubtilties fet common fenfe at defiance, and myflical refinements disfigure and dif- guife the native beauty and fimpliciry of true religion : wild imaginations form fyfiems, which weak minds adopt implicitly, and which fenfe and reafon oppofe in vain; their voice is not llrong enough to be heard in fchoois of divinity. Political views are by no means negleded in thofe facred places ; and queff ions are agi- tated and decided, according to the degree of regard, or rather fubmiflion, which the fovereign is pleafed to fliow the church. Is the king a flave to the church, though a tyrant to the laity ? the leafl refi fiance to his will fliall be declared damnable. But if he will not ac- knowledge the fuperiority of their fpiritual over his temporal, nor even admit their imperium in imperio*^ * An empire in an empire. S60 Theological Disputes., J emits.. J gnat las Loj/ola, which is the Icaft they will compound for^, it becomes meritorious, nor only to reQft, but to depole him. And I fwrpofe that the bold propofitions in the thefis you mention are a return for the valuation of les hkns du clerge '-. 1 would advife you,' by all means, to attend two or three of their public dilputations, in order to be in* formed both of the manner and the fubftance of thofe fcholaftic exercifes. Pray remember to go to all fuch kind oi things. Do not put it otf, as one is too apt to do things which one knows can be done every day, or any day ; for one afterwards repents extremely, when too late, the not having done tliem. But there is another (fo called) religious fociety, of which the minutefl circumflance deferves attention, and furnillies great matter for ufeful refletflions. You eafily guefs that I mean the fociety oi les R. R. P. P. JefuUcs^ eftabliflied but in the year 1540, by a bull of pope Paul III. Its progrefs, and I may fay its victories, were more rapid than thofe of the Romans; for within the fame century it governed all Europe; and in the next it extended its influence over the whole world. Its founder was an abandoned profligate Spanifli officer, Ignatius Loyola, who, in the year 1521, being wounded in the leg at the (lege of Pampelona, went mad from the fl^^art of his wound, the reproaches of his confcience, and his confinement, during which he read the Lives of the Saints. Confcioufr^efs of guilt, a fiery temper, and a uild imagination, the common ingredients of enthu- fiafm, made this madman devote himfelf to the parti- cular fervice of th^ Virgin Mary ; whofe knight-errant he declared him.felf, in the very fame form in which the old knights-errant in romances ufed to declare them- felves the knights and champions of certain beautiful and incomparable princefTes, whom fometimes they bad, but oftener had not feen. For Dulcinea del To- bo-fo was by no means the firil princefs whom her faithful and valorous knight had r^ever feen in his life. The enthufiafl went to the Holy Lrnd, whence here- turned to Spain, where he began to learn Latin and phi- ♦ The eftates of the clergy Policij of the Jesuits, 3 > t loTophy at threc-and- thirty years old, fo that no doubt but he made a great progrefs in both. The better to carry on his mad and wicked defigns, he chofe four dif' ciples, or rather apofties, all Spaniards, viz. Layne:>, Salmeron, Bobadllla, and Rodriguez. He then com* pofed the rules and conftilutioiit; of his order; which, in the year 154.7, was called the Order of the Jefuits, from the church of Jefus in Rome, which was given them. Ignatius died in 1556, aged fixty-five, thn-tv- five years after his conversion, atrd fixteen years after the ellabliilmient of his fociety. He was caroiTifed in the year 1609. If the religious and moral principles of this fociet\r are to be detefted, as they juflly are, the wifdom of their poHtical principles is as jiiftly to be admired. Su- fpec^ed, colle6lively as an order,'bf the greatefl crimes, nnd convi(^ed of manV, they have either efcaped pu* nillimentortriumphed after it, as in France, inthe reign of Henry IV. They have, direc^ily or indirec'liy, go* verned the confciences and the councils of ail the catho- iic pi'inces in Europe: they almoft governed China, ifi the reign of Gang- ghi ; and they are now aflually in pof- feflion of the Paraguay in America, pretending, bnt paying no obedience to the crown of Spain. As a col- leftive body, they are detefted, even by all the catho* lies, not excepting the clergy, both feciilar and regu- lar; and yet, ^s individuals, they are loved, refpeifted; and they govern wherever they are. Two things,' I believe, chiefly contribute to their fuccefs. The firfl, tiiat paiTive, implicit, nnlimited obedience to their general (who always refides^-^.t Rome) and to the fuperiors of their fcveral houfes, appointed by him. This obedience is obferved by them all, to a mod aftonifliing degree; and, I believe, there is no one fociety in the vi'orld, of which fo n^any individuals facrifice their private niterefl: to the general one of the fociety itfelf. The fecond is, the education of youth, which they have in a manner ^ngvo^tA ; there ther give the firft, and the firli: are the ialling impreflions j thofe impreflions are always calculated to be favourable to the fociety. I have known many catholics, edu- cated b.v- the Jefuits, who, though they detefted the % 3^ Paschars Provincial Letters. fociety, from reafon and knowledge, have always re- mained attached lo it, from habit and prejudice. The Jefuits know, better than any ftt of people in the world, the innportance of t!ie art of pleafing, and ftudy it more: they become all things to all men, in order to gain, not a few, but many. In Afia, Africa, and America, they become more than half Pagans, in order to convert the Pagans to be lefs than half Chriftiaiis. — In private families they begin by infinuating themfelves as friends, they grow to be favourites, and they end dire^ars. Their manners are not like thofe of any other regnlars in the world, but gentle, polite, and en- gaging. They are all carefully bred up to that particu- lar deftination to which they feem to have a natural turn; for which reafon one fees moft Jefuits excel in fome particular thing. They even breed up fome for jmartyrdom, in cafe of need ; as the fuperior of a Jefuit feminary at Rome told lord Bolingbroke. Inform yourfelf minutely of every thing concerning this extraordinary eftablifliment: go into their houfes, get acquainted with individuals, hear fome of them preach. The fineft preacher I ever heard in my life is lePereNeufville, who, I believe, preaches ftillat Paris, and is fo much in the beft company, that you may eafily get perfonally acquainted with him. If you would know their morale, read Pafchal's Let* ires Provinciates^ in which it is very truly difplayed from their own writings. Upon the whole, this is certain, that a fociety, of ivhich fo little good is faid, and fo much ill believed, and that ftill not only fubftfts but flourifhes, muft be a very able one. It is always mentioned as a proof of the fuperior abilities of the cardinal Richelieu, that, though hated by all the nation, and dill more by his mafter,-he kept his power in fpight of both. , I would earneiUy wilb you to do every thing now which I vvifli that I had d( n at your age and did not do. Every country has its peculiarities, which one can be much better informed of during one's refidence there than by reading all the books in the world afterwards. While you are in catholic countries, inform yourfelf of all the forms and ceremonies of that tawdry church! French and English Draina. 3^5- fee their convents both of men and women, know their feveral rules and orders, attend their mod re- markable ceremonies ; have their terms of art explained to you, their tierce^ fexte^ nones^ matines^ vepres, com^ plies; their breviaires^ rofaires^ heures^ chapeleis^ agnus^ ^c. things that many people talk of from habit, though few know the true meaning of any one of them. Con- verfe with, and'lhidy the characters of fome of thofe incarcerated enthufiafts. Frequent fome parloirs^ and fee the air and manners of thofe reclufes, who are ^ diftlnd nation themfelves, and like no other. LETTER CXXXIV. Ne-cv Tragedi/... French and English Drama.., Critical Re- marks on Tragedj/, Cofnedy, and Opera. MY DEAR FRIEND, London, January the 23d, Have you feen the new tragedy of Varon'^., and what do you think of it ? Let me know, for I am de- termined to form my tafte upon yours. I hear that the fituations and incidents are well brought on, and the cataflrophe unexpected and furprifing, but the verfes bad. I fuppofe it isthe fubje6t of all the converfations at Paris, where both women and men are judges and critics of all fuch performances : fuch converfations, that both form and improve the tafte and whet the judgment, are finely preferable to the converfations of our mixed companies li^re ; which, if they happen to rife above bragg and whift, infallibly ftop ftiort of every thing either plcafing or inftru<^ive. I take the reafon of this to be, that (as women generally give the tone to the converfation) our Englifli women are not near fo well informed and cultivated as the French ; beddes that they are naturally more ferious and filent. I could wifli there were a treaty made between the French and the Englifli theatres, in which both parties ftiouid make confiderable conceilions. The Enc/lifli ought to give up their notorious violations of all the imitics, and all their maflacres, racks, deaJ bodies, and mangled carcafes, which they fo frequently exhibit * WrUten by the Fkomte de Gravcy and at that time the general topic of cowverfaliou at Paris R a ^6% Critical Remark.9 on Tragcch/. upon their rt;^ge. The French fhould engage to have more sftion, and lefs declamation ; and not to cram and crowd things together, to ahnort a degree of ina- pofTibility, from a too fcrupuloiis adherence to the unities. The Engliili flioiild reftrain the licentioufnefs of their poets, and the French enlarge the liberty of- theirs: theVr poets are the greatefl (laves in their coun- try, and that is a bold word ^ ours are the moft tn- rioltuoiis rubjefts in England, and that is faying a good deal. Under fuch regulations, one might hope to fee a pl?.y in which one fliould not be lulled to fleep by the Jen2,th of a monotonical declamation, nor frightened ;^.nd fliocked by the barbarity of the action. The unity of time extended occafionally to three or four days, and the unity of place broken into, as far as the fame jdreet, or fometimes the fame town ; both whicf), .1 will alrirm, are as probable as four and-twenty hours and the fame room. More indulgence too, in my mind, fnould be fliown tlvm the French are willing to allow to bright thoughts and to fliining images; for though T confefs it is not very natural for a hero or princefs to fiy fine things in all the violence of grief, love, rage, &:c. yet I can as V'eli fuppofe that, as I can that they fliouId talk to themfelves fer half an .hour; which tliey mufl: necef- farily do, or no trag-edy cowld be carried on, unlefs thev had recous-fe to a mtich greater abfurdity, the cho- ru.^:s of the antients. Tragedy is of "a namre that one rnuH- fee it with a degree of (elf-deception ; we muft lend ourfelves a little to the delufion ; and I am very wiliing to carry that complaifance a little farther than the French do. Tragedy muil be i'omething bigger than life,, or it would noi: affe€en King and Parliiunent. MY DEAR FRIEND, London, February the 6th. Your criticifm of Faron is ftn6lly jufl, but, in truth, fevere. Yoti French critics feek for a fault as eagerly as I do for a beauty.: you confider things in the vvorft light to fliovv your (kill, at the expence of your plea- fure; I view them in the beft, that I may have more pleafure, though at the expence of my judgment. But let us fee if we cannot bring oif the author.— The great queftinn upon which all turns, is to difcover and ascertain who Cleonice really is. There are doubts concerning her ^tat ; how fliall they be cleared } Had the truth been extorted from Far on (who alone knew) by the rack, it would have been a true tragical denoue- ment* But that would probably not have done with Faron^ who is reprefented as a bold, determined, wicked, and at that time defperate fellow ; for he was in the hands of an enemy who he knew could not for- give him with common prudence or fafety. The rack would therefore have extorted no truth frpm him ; but he would have died enjoying the doubts of his enemies, and the confuiion that mud neceflarily attend thofe doubts. A ftratagem is therefore thought of, to difco- ver what force and terror could not ; and the llratagem fuch as no king or minifter would difdain, to get at an important difcovery. If you call that llratagem a tricky you vilify it, and make it comical ; but call that trick 2i Jiratagem or a meafure^ and you dignify it up to tragedy : fo frequently do ridicule or dignity turn upon one fingle word. It is commonly faid, and more par- ticularly by lord Shafteibury, that ridicule is the befl teft of truth, for that it will not ftick where it is not juft. I deny it. A truth learned in a certain light, and attacked in certain words, by men of wit and humour, may and often doth become ridiculous, at leafl fo far, that the truth is only remembered and repeated for the Ordtr of St Esprit, 367 fake of the ridicule. The overturn of Mary of Medicis into a rivtr, where flie was half drowned, would never have been remembered, if madame de Vernueil, who faVv it, had not faid, La reine holt, Pkafure or mali- gnity often gives ridicule a weight, which it does not deferve. — The verfification, 1 muil confefs, is too much negkded, and too often bad; but, upon the whole, I read the play with pleafure. If there is but a great deal of wit and character in your new comedy, 1 will readily compound for its having little or no pjot. 1 chiefly mind dialogue and character in comedies. Let dull critics feed upon the carcafts of plays ; give me the taile and the drelling. I am very glad you went to Verfailles, to fee the ce- remony of creating the prince de Concie Che-valier de VOrdre ; and I do not doubt but that, upon this occa- fion, you informed youifelf thoroughly of the inftitu- tion and rwles of that order. If you did, you were certainly told it was inftituted by Henry 111. immedi- ately after his return, or rather his fliiyht from Poland; he took the hint of it at Venice, where he had fecn the original manufcript of an order of the St. EJpr'it^ ou droit dejir, which had been inftituted in 1352 by Louis d'Anjou, king of Jerufalem and Sicily, and huiband to Jane, queen of Naples, counttfs of Provence. — This order was under the prote372 Necessity M aimiytg at Perfection. fay they. I reply, * I am not fure of that : perfe<^ion m the abltract I admit to be unattainable; but what is commonly called perfe!is firfl ahrd and addrefs, make people wiili to know ]nm, and inclined to love him : he will fave a great deal of time by it.* 'Indeed,' reply they, 'you are too nice, tobexa6l, and lay too much flrefs upon things that are of very little confequence.^ ' Indeetl,' rejnin I, *you know very little of the nature of mankind, if you take thofc thitigs to be of little confequence : one cannot be too attentive to them ; it is they that always engage the hearty of which the underfli.nding is commonly the bubble. And I would much rather that he erred in a point of grammar, of hifloiy, of philofophy, &c. than in a point of manners and addrefs.* ' But confider, he )s very young; all this will come in time.* ' I hopefo; b'.t that time mu(t be while he is young, or it will never be at all : the right pli niiift be taken young, or it will never be eafy, nor feem natural.* *^ Corned comei'' fay they (fubllit-ining, as is frequently done, aHertion inftead of argument) 'depend upon rt he will do very well ; and you have a great deal of reafon to be fatis- tied with him.* * 1 hope and believe he will do well; but 1 would have him do better than well. I am very well plt-afed with him •; but I would be more, I would be proud of him. I would have him have luftre as veil as weight.*' ' Did you ever know any body that re- united all thefe talents r' ' Yes, I d^d ; lord Boling- Ifoke jointd all the politenefsj the manner?j and ttic Francis's Eugenia.. Sarliafnent of Paris, 87$ graces of a courtier, to the folidity of a ft^tefman, and to the learning of a pedant. He was ownis homo ; and pray what fliould hinder my boy from beitig fo too, if he hath, as I think he hath, all the other (fjAialifications that you allow him ? Nothing can hinder him, but neglet^t of, or inattention to thofe objeds, which his own good fenfe muft tell him are of infinite confe- quetice to him, and which, thtrefore. I will not fup- pofe him capable of either neglecting or defpifina.' This (to tell you the whole tnth) is the refult of a controverfy that pa {fed yefterday, between lady Hervev and myfelf, upon your fiibje6t, and almoft in the very words. I fubmic the decifion of it to yonrfelf; let your own good fenfe determine it, and make you a6t in con- fequence of that determination. The receipt to make this compofition is fliort and infallible j here I give it you. Take variety of the befl: company, wherever you are ; be minutely attentive to every word and acftion; imitate refpcclively tliofe whom you obferve to be diilingiiiQi- ed and confidered for any one accomplilliment ; then mix all thofe feveral accomplifliments together, and fcrve them up yourftlf to others. Francis's Ctnie * hath been ac^ed twice, with mofl univerfal applaufe ; tc-night is his third night, and I am going to it. I did not think it would have fucceedtd fo well, confidering how long our Brithh audiences have been accuilon)ed to murder, racks, and poifon, in every tragedy; but it alteCled the heart fo much, that it triumphed over habit and prrjudice, AU the women cried, and all the men were moved. The pro logue^ which is a very good one, was made entirely by Garrick. The epilogue is old Gibber's; but correded, though not enough, by Francis. He will get a great deal of ir.oney by it; and, confequently, be better able to lend you fix-pence upon any emergency. The parliament of Paris, I find by the newjipapers, has not carried its point, concerning the hofpitals; and though the king has given up the archbiftiop, yet, as he has put them under the management and diredioii * Francis's Eugenia, 374 Grand Conseil, du grand co7j/ell, the parliament is equally out of the queftion. This will naturally put you upon inquiring into the conftitution of the grand co.feiL You will, dou briefs, inform yonrfrlf, who it is compofed of, what things are de fon refnt *, whether or qi t there lies an appeal thence to an) other place, and of all other particulars that may give you a clear notion of this affembly. lliere are alfo three or four ot.er co?ifeils in France, of which you ought to know the conftitution, and the obje6ls: 1 dare fay you do know them already; but if you do not, lofe no time in inforniing yourfelf. Thefe things, as I have often told you, are bcft learned in various French companies; but in no Englifl» ones; for none of our countrymen trouble their heads about them. To ufe a very trite image, collefi:, like the bee, your ftore from every quarter. li\ fome companies you may, by proper inquiries, get a general knowledge, at leaft rf the finances. When you are with des gens de robe^ fuck them with regard to the conftitution, and civil govtrnniCnt, andyfj de cateris f . This fliows you the advantage of keeping a great deal of different Fn nch company, — an advantage much fuperior to any that you can polfibly receive from loitering and faun- tering avi ay evenings in any Englifti company at Paris, not even excepting lord A****'s. Love of eafe, and fear of reftraint, (to both which I doubt you are, for a young fellow, too much a. di6led) may invite you among your countrymen ; but pray withftand thofc mean temptations, for the lake of being in thofe aflem- blies which alone can inforrii your mind and improve your manners. You have n(»t now many months to continue at Paris ; make the moft of them : get into every houfe there, if you can; extend acquaintance, know every thing and every body there; that, when ^'ou leave it for other places, you may be au fait^ and even able to explain whatever you may hear mentioned concerning it. — Adieu! * Within its authority. f So of tbe reft. I 375 ] LETTER CXXXVIII. Criticism on Ariosto. . . French and English Classics. . . Modern . Languages,,. Delicacy of Expremon.,.Fate oj Eugenia, MY DEAF. FRIEND, London, March the 2d» Whereabouts areyou in Arioflo? Orhaveyou gone through that mofl: ingenious contexture of truth and lies, of ferious and extravagant, of knights-errant, magicians, and all that various matter, which he an* nounces in the beginning of his poem : Le donne, i cavalier, I'arme, gli amori, Le cortefie, raudaci imprefe io canto. I am by no means fiire that Homer had fnperior in* vention, or excelled mere in defer ption, than Ariofto. What can be more feducing and voluptuous than the defcription of Alcina's perfon and palace? What more ingenioufly extravagant than the fearch made in the moon for Orlando's> loft wits, and the account of other people's that were found there? The whole is worth your attention, not only as an ingenious poem, but as the fource of all modern tales, novels, fables, and ro- mances; as Ovid's Metamorphofis was of the ancient ones : befides, that when you have read this work, no- thing will be difficult to you in the Italian language. Yon will read TafTo's Gierufalemme^ and the Decamerone di Boccaccio^ with great facility afterward^S ; and when you have read thefe three authors, you will, in my opinion, have read all the works of invention^ that are worth reading, in that language; though the Italians would be very angry at me for laying fo. A gentleman fliould know thofe which I call claflical works, in every language; fuch as Boileau, Corneille, Racine, Moliere, &c. in French; Milton, Dry den, Pope, Swift, &:c. in Engli(h; and the three authors above- mentioned in Italian : whether you have any fuch in German, I am not quite fure, nor, indeed, am I in- quiiitive. Thefe fort of books adorn the mind, im- prove the fancy, are frequently alluded to by, and are often the fubje£ts of converfations of, the beft com- panies. As you have languages to read, and memory 316 Modern Languagffs„,Dekcacy of Expression, to retain them, the knowledge of them is very well worth the little pains it will cod yon, and will enable you to fliine in company. It is not pedantic to quote ^nd allude to them, which it would be with regard to the ancients.. Among the many advantages which you have had in your education, I do not conHder your knowledge of ieveral languages as the leafl. You need not truil to trandations; you can go to the fource : you can both eonverfe and negotiate with peo[)]e of all nations, upon equal terms; which is by no means the cafe of a -man who converfes or negotiates in a language which thofe with whom he hath to do know much bttter than himfelf. In bufinefs, a great deal may depend upon the force and extent of one word ; and in converfation, a moderate thought may gain, or a good one Ibfe, by the propriety or impropriety, the elegancy or inelegancy, of one fingle word. As therefore you know four modern lani gua^es well, I would have you lludy (and, by the wav, it will be very little trouble to yoi\i) to know them cor- rectly, accurately, and delicately. Read fome little books that treat of them, and afl{ queftions concerning their delicacies, of thofe who are able to anfwer you. As for inftance, fliould I fay in French, lakitrequeje vous ai ecrit, or, la lettre que je vous ai 6crite; in which, I think, the French differ among themfelves. There is. a fliort French grammar, by the Port Royal, and another by Pere Puffier, both which are worth ycirr reading; as is alfo a little book called Synoninies Fran^'ois, There are books of that kind upon the Italian language, into fome of which I would advife you to dip: pollibly the German language may have fomething of the fame fort 5 and fince you already fpeak it, the more properly you fpeak it, the better: one would, I think, as far as poffible, do all one does, correclly and elegantly* It is extremely engaging, to people of every nation, to meet with a foreigner who hath taken pains enough to fpeak their language correclly : it flatters that loc; 1 and na- tional pride and prejudice, of which every body hath fome (liare. Francis's Eugenia, which I will fend you, pleafed moil people of good talle here; the boxes were crowded Jttetition to Health.,, Emphpnent qf Time, 377 till the fixth night; when the pk and gallery were to- tally tleferted, and it was dropped. Dillrefs, without death, was not lufHcieiit to affed a true Brit-iili au- dience, fo lang accuftomcd to daggers, racks, and bowls of poifon ; contrary to Horace's rule, they defire to fee ."Medea murder her children upon the (lage. The fenti- ments were too delicate to move them; and their hearts are to be taken by (lorm, not by parley. LETTER CXXXIX. Mtcntion to lltahh necessary.,. Employ mtut qf Time., .Sloth ,,. P'^olt aire's- Rome Sauvce, <^t. MY DEAR FRIEND, London, March the 5lh. As I have received no letter from you by the ufual pofr, I am uneafy upon account of your health; for, had you been well, I am fure you would have written, according to your engagement, and my requilition. You have not the iealt notion of any care of your health; but, though I would not have you be a valetu- . dinarian, I muft tell you, that the beil and mod robuil health requires fome degree of attention to preferve. Young fellows, thinking they have fo much health and time before them, are very apt to negle61 orlavifli both, and beggar themfelves before they are aware : whereas a prudent economy in both would make them rich in» deed ; and fo far from breaking in upon their pleafures, would improve, and almoftperpetuate them. Be you wifer; and, before it is too late, manage both with cara and frugality; and lay out neither, but upon good in* tereft and fecurity. I will now confine myfelf to the employment of your time, which, though I have often touched upon for- merly, is a fubje^ that, from its importance, will bear repetition. You have, it is true, a great deal of tiin^ before you ; but, in this period of your life, one hour ufefuliy employed may be worth more than four-and- twenty hereafter; a minute is precious to you now, whole days may poffibly not be fo forty years hence. Whatever tiaje you allow, or can fnatch for fcriou*. 378 Employment of Tinie. . . Sloth. reading (I fay fnatch, becaufe company and the know- ledge of the world is now your chief obje<5l), employ it in the reading of fome one book, and that a good one, till you have finiflied it : and do not dillra(fl your mind with various matters at the fame time. In this light, I would recommend to you to read Grotius De Jure Belli et Pacis^ tranflated by Barbeyrac, and Puffendorfs Jus Gentium^ tranflated by the fame hand. For acci- dei.tal quarters of hours, read works of invention, wit, and humour, of the bell and not of trivial authors, either ancient or modern. Whatever buiinefs you have, do it the firfl moment you can ; never by halves, but finifh it without inter- ruption, if poflible, Bufinefs muft not be fauntered and trifled with j and you muft not fay to it, as Felix did to Paul, " at a more convenient feafon I will fpeak ** to thee." The moft convenient feafon for bufinefs is the firft; but ftudy and bufinefs, in fome meafure, point out their own times to a man of fenfe; time is much oftencr fquandered away in the wrong choice and improper methods of amufement and pleafures» Many people think that they are in pleafures, pro- vided they are neither in ftudy nor in bufinefs. No- thing like it ; they are doing nothing, and might jufl: as well be afleep. They contract habitudes from lazi- nefs, and they only frequent thofe places where they are free from all reflraints and attentions. Be upon your guard againft this idle profufion of time ; and let every place you go to be either the fcene of quick and lively pleafures, or the fchool of your improvements % let every company you go into either gratify your fenfcs> extend your knowledge, or refine your manners* Have fome rational obje6l of amufement in view at fome places; frequent others, where people of wit and tafle affemble ; get into others, where people of fuperior rank and dignity command refpec^ and attention from the reft of the company ; but pray frequent no neutral places, from mere idlenefs and indolence. Nothing forms a young man fo much as being ufed to keep re- fpe^able and fuperior company, where conftant regard and attention is neceftary. It is true, this is -at firft a difagreeable ftate of rcftraint ; but it foon grows habi- Foltaire*s ' Rome Saiivee.* 379 tual, and confequently eafy ; and you are amply paid for it by the improvement you make, and the credit it gives you. What you faid fome time ago was very true, concerning ie palais royal i to one of your age the fituation is difagreeable enough ; you cannot expert to be much taken notice of: but all that time you can take notice of others, obferve their manners, decyphcr their chara<^ers, and infenfibly you will become one of the company. All this I went through myfelf, when I was of your age. I have fate hours in company without being taken the lead notice of; but then I took notice of them, and learned in their company how to behave myfelf better iu the next, till by decrees I became part of the beft companies myfelf. But I took great care not to lavifli away my tiiiie in thofe companies, where there were neither quick pleafures nor ufeful im- provements to be expected. Sloth, indolence, and molleffe are pernicious, and un- becoming a young man; let rhem be your rejjhuree forty years hence at fooneft. Determine, at all events, and however difagreeable it may be to you in fome re- fpeds, and for fome time, to' keep the mofl diftin- guiflied and fafhionable company of the place you are at, either for their rank or for their learning. This gives you credentials to the beft companies, wherever you go afterwards. Pray, therefore, no indolence, no lazinefs ; but employ every minute of your life in ac- tive pleafures or ufeful employmenrs. I long to read Voltaire's Rome Sawvee^ which, by the very faults that yowr/everc critics find with it, I am fure I (liall like ; for I will, at any time, give up a good deal of regularity for a great deal -f brillant ; and for the Lrillanty furely nobody is tqual to Voltaire. Ca- tiline's confpiracy is an unhappy fubje£l for a trat^edy ; it is too fingle, and gives no opportunity to the poet to excite anv of the tender paflions; the whole is one in- tended ad of horror. Crebillon was fenfible of this dtft£{^ and, to create another intereft, m ^it a )lurdly made Catiline in love with Cicero's daughter, and her with hhn. 3 so Theories of Youth. I am very glad you went to Verfailles, t.nd dined U'ith monfieur de Sr, Contell. That is company to iearn ks bonnes mafijhes \\\ 'y2.n^ it Teems you had ks hons 7norfeaux into the bargain. Though \x>u were no part of the king of France's converfation with the (o- reign minifters, and probably not nuich entertained with it, do you think that it is not very ufcfu! to yoa to hear it, and to obferve the turn and manners of peo- ple of that fort ? It is extremely ufc ful to know it well. The fame in the next rank of people, fuch as minidtrs^ of flate, &:c. in whofe company, though you cannot yer, at your age, be a part, and confequently be di- verted, you will obferve and learn what hereafter it , may be neceffary for you to a6l. Tell Sir John Lambert, that I have this day fixed Mr. Spencer's having his credit upon him ; Mr. Hoarc had alfo recommended him. I believe l!^lr, Spencer will fet out next month for fome place in France, btjt not Paris. I am fiire he wants a great deal of France, for at prefent he is mofl entirely Englifi) ; and yoa know very well of what I think of that. And fo we bid you heartily good night. LETTER CXL. TJifories of Y-(mi\,.. Triumph of the Heart and Passions,,^ Sh{ides of Character,.. Election of King of the Koinans..* Ill Policy in Nations giving a Pretext to neighboiiriv^^, Powers to interfere in their Co^icerfis... Examples. MY DEAR ruiEND, London, March the 16th. HoVi^ do yoa go on v^rith the moft ufeful and mofi rieceHary of all (Indies, the fludy of the world? Do you find that you^ga'n knowledge? and does your daily experience at once extend and demonftrate your improvement? You will poflibly aik me how you can'. judge of that yourfclf. I will tell you a fure way of knowing. Examine yourfelf, and fee whether your noxious of the world are changed, by experience, from v/hat tliey were two years ago in theory ; for that aloner h one favourable fymptom of improvement. At that Triumph of ilie Heart and Tassioiu, 53 1 a^e (I remember it in myfi^lf) every notion tj^t one -forms is erroneous; one hath feen fev modds, and thofe none of the bed, to form one's- felf upon. One thinks th a every thing is to be carried by fpirit and vi- gour; that art is meannefs, and that verfatihty and qomplaifance are the refuge of pufillanimity and weak- neii. This mod miftaken opinion gives an indehcacy and a roughnefs to the manners. Fools, who can never be undeceived, retain them as long as they live : re- flection, with a little experience, makes men of U'n^Q fliake them otf foon. Wlien they come to be a liitJe better acquainted with themfelves, and with their own fpecies, they difcover that plain right reafon is, nine times in ten, the fettered and fliaokled attendant of the triiumph of the heart and the paffionsj confequently, they addrefs themfelves nine times in ten to the con- queror, not to the conquered : and conquerors, you know, muil: be applied to in the gentleO:, the molt t^n- gaging^ and the mod infinuating manner. Have yon difcovercd what variety of little things afFe*^ the heart, ^nd how furely they coiledively gain it .'' If you have, you have madje fome progrefs. I would try a man's knowledge of the world as I would a fchooUboy's knowledge of Horace; not by making him conflrue ^^cenas a^avis edite regilnts^ which h:.* could do in. the firft form, but by examining him as to the delicacy and ^;/m/i2 /puie heixvcen the King and ParUaj}icnt. Every power fliould be very careful not to give the leaf! pretence to a neighbouring power to meddle with th6 affairs of its interior. Sweden hath already felt the effects of the Czarina's calling herfelf guarantee of its prefent form of government, in confequence of the treaty of Neufladt, confirmed afterwards by that of Abo; though, in truth, that guarantee was rather a provifion againfl: Ruflia's attempting to alter the then new-efiabliOied farm of government in Sweden, than any right given to Ruina to hinder the Svvedes from cdablifhing what form of government they pleafcd. — Readiheni botli, if you can get them. — Adieu ! LETTER CICLI. Dl'ipufehetxveen the King and ra7^U(nncnt..,Vr(rphery of the Frencii Revolution.. J 'oltah-e's yjgc of Loiis XIf\..In' judicious Partnis, Enemies to thnr Cdiidrtn. DEAR FRIEND, London, April the 13th, . I Receive this moment your letter of the igth, with the inclofed pieces relative to the prefent difpute be- tween the king and the parliament, I (liall return them by lord Huntingdon, whom you will foon fee at Pans, and who will likewifc carry you the piece, which I forgot "in making up the packet I fent you by the Spanifli emba'fFador. The rcprefehtation of the par- liament isvery well drawn, yJ/^^W^r invtodo^foriitlr inre. They tell the king very refpecfl fully, that in a certain cafe, vjhich they JJ:ould think it crihiihol to fnffofey they would not obey him. This hath a tendency to what •we call here revolution frriticiples. I do not know vhat the Loi'd'^s anointed, his vicegerent upon earthy divinely appointed by htm, and accountable to none but him for his anions, will eitiier think' or dd upon thefe fymptoms of reafon and good 'fenfe,* which feein to be breaking out all over Era nee ; but4his^ I foVcfeej that, before the end of this century, the trade of, both king and pfitfl will hot be half fo good i one as it' has beeji. . — Du Clos, in his refie6lions/ hath obferved/ and very trulv, Quilya wn j^a^ne de rail on qui commence a fc i^e* yoltaire's Jge of Ltivis IF, 5«-5 veloppcr en France*, A developpement that 0111(1 prove fatal to regal and papal preteiifions. PriHlence may, in many cafes, recommend an occalional fubmiffion to either; but when that ignorance, upon which an im- plicit faith in both could only be founded, is once re- moved, God's vicegerent, and Chriil's vicar, will only be obeyed and believed as" far as what the one orders., and the other fays, is conformable to reafon and tc truth. I am very glad (to ufe a vulgar expreffion) thatyo:, mahe as if you were not u'ell, though you really are ; I am fure it is the likelieft way to keep fo. Pray leave off entirely your greafy, heavy paflry, fat creams, and in- digeftible dumplings ; and then you need not confine yourfelf to white meats, which I do nor take to be otie jot wholefomer than beef, mutton, and partridge. Voltaire fent me from Berlin his hiftory du Sikh da Louis XIV. It came at a very proper time; Lord Bo- lingbroke had juft taught me how hiftory fliould be read ; Voltaire (hows me how it fhould be written. I am fenfible, that it will meet vvith almpfl as many cri- tics as readers, Voltaire muft be criticifed; befides, every man's favourite is attacked; for every prfju dicer is expofed, and our prejudices are our miftrefles; rea- fon is at beft our wife, very often heard indeed, but fei-> dom minded. It is the hillory of the human under- Handing, written by a man of parts, for the ufe of men of parts. Weak minds will not like it, even'though they do not underftand it ; which is commonly the mea- fure of their admiration. Dull ones will want thofe mi* nute and uninterefting details, with which mod other hif- tories are incumbered. He tells me all I want to know, and nothing more. His refiedions are fliort, jud, and produce others in his readers, l^vtt from political and iiational prejudices, he relates all thnfe n-.atters as truly and as impartially as certai.a regards, which mud al- ways be to fome degree obferved, will allow him : for one fees plainly, that he often fays much lefs than he would fay if he might. He has made me much better * Thai f]iG:-c is a g.^rm of reafon which begins to dcvclope iCtii in France, s 5SG ruhaire's Jge of Lcivis H'. acquainted with the times of Lewis XIV. than the innii- meiable volumes which 1 had. read could do ; and hath fuggefled this rei^e6lion to me, which I had never made before — his vanity, not his knowledge^ made him .encourage all, and introduce many arts and fciences in his country. He opened in a manner the human un- derftanding in France^ and brought it to its iitmofl: per- fedionj his age equalled in all, and g;reatly exceeded in many things (pardon me, pedants !) the Auguftan. This was great and rapid ; but flill it might be done by the encouragement^ the applaufe, and the rewards, of a -vain, liberal, and magnificent prince. What is much more furprifing is, that he popped the operations of the human mind juft where he pleafed, and feemed to lay, <• Thus far flialt thou go, and no farther.'* For^ a bigot to his religion, and jealous of his power, free and ra- tional thoughts upon^eithisr never entered into a French head during his reign ; and the gjeatefl: geniufes that ever any age produced, never entertained a doubt of the divine right of kings, or the infallibility of the church. Poets, orators, a4id philofophers, ignorant of their natural rights, cherilhed their chains; and blind ac^iive faith triumphed, in thofe great minds-, over filent krA paflive reafon. The reverfe of this feems now to be the cafe iuFra nee : reafon opens itfelf; fancy and invention fade and decline. I will fend you a copy of this hifjory by lord Hun- tingdon, as l' think it very probable that it is not aJ- iowed to be publiflied and fold at Paris. Pray read it more than once, and with attention, particularly the fecond volume; which contains fliort, but very clear accounts of many very interefting things which are talked of by every body, though fairly underflood by very few. There are two very puerile atfe<5lations, which I wifb this book had been free from ; the one is, the total fubverfion of all the old eftabliflied French orthography ; the other is, the not making ufe of any one capital letter throughout the whole book, except at the beginning of a paragraph. It offends my eyes to fee rome, paris, france, caefar, henry the 4th, &c. begin with .fmall letters ; and I do not con<;:eive that there can be any reafon for domg it half fo ilrong a$ Irijiidkioiis Parents, Eneinles to t-helr Children. 3 ,S7 the reafon of long ufage is to the contrary. This is aa affe^lation below Voltaire. I had a letter, a few days ago, from monficur du Boccage ; in which he fax s, Monjieur Stanhope s^ejl j cue d^7u la politique^ etje crois quily reujjira'' ; you do very well, it is your delHnation ; but remember, that, to I'ucceed in great, things, one mufl fir ft learn to pleafe iit little ones. Engaging manners and addrefs muft pre- pare the way for fiiperior knowledge and abilities to a6t with effed-. The late duke of Marlborough's man- ners and addrefs prevailed with the firl'l king of Pruiiia to let his troops remain in the army of the allies, when neither their reprefentations, nor his own ihare in the common caufe, could do it. The duke of Marlbo- rough had no new matter to urge to him; but had a manner, which he could not, and did not refift. Vol- taire, a'liong a thoufand little delicate ftrokes of that kind, fliys of the duke de la Feuillade, ' Qiiil Holt riionimc /■' plus briUdnt ^t le plus aimabU du rajaume, et quGiquc gendre du general et m'nuftreiy il avo'it pour lui dti faveurpublique §. Various little circumftances of tnat fort will often make a man of great real merit be hated, if he hath not addrefs and manners to make him be loved. Conhder all your own circumftances ferioufly, and you will find that, of all arts, the art of pleafi ig is the moft neceffary for you to (tudy and poiJefs. A iilly tyrant faid, Oderint modo timeant] .-a wife man v.'otild have faid, Modo ament nihil timendum eft mih)%, — Judge, from your own daily experience,- of the efficacy of that plealiiig/V nefgais quoi, when you feel, as you .and every body cerlafniy does, that in men it is more engaging than knowledge, in women than beauty. J long to fee lord and lady ^**, (who are not yet -arrivedf becaufe they have lately feen you; and I al- ways fancy that I can fi (li out fomething new from thole * Mr. Stanhope is involved in the vortex of politics, and I think he will succeed. § Tiiat he was th« moil brilliant and amiable man in the kingdom, aiid, though the fon-in-law'of a general and a mini lie r, was >'et a Ivtvoaiite with the public .. f Let them hate, if they but^ fear. ^ t While they iovc me I have riothmg to fear* Sa., i 5S / 'ari,f.ii€s in the Ihtman Ckaractcr. who have {coin you laft : not that I fliall much rely iipoa their accounts, becaufe I diftruft the judgment of lord snd lady *** in thofe matters -about which 1 am mod inquifitive. They have ruined their own fon, by what they called and thought loving him. They have made him believe that the world was made 'for him, not he for the world; and unlefs he flays abroad a great while, and falls into very good company, he will €xpr6t, what he will never find, the attentions and com- plaifance from others which he has hitherto been nfed to from papa and mamma. This I fear is too much the cafe of Mr. •«•***, who, I doubt, will-be run through the body, and be near dying, before he knows how to live. However you may turn out, you can never make me any of thefe reproaches. I indw.lged no filly, wo- manifli fondnefs for'you : inftead of iiiflifting my ten- dernefs upon you, I have taken all poffible methods to make you deferve it ; and thank God you do; at leail I know but one article in which you are different from ■what I could wifli you, and you very well know what that is. I want* that I and all the world (liould Hke VDU as well as I love vou. Adieu. LETTER CXLII. Varieties and nice Distinctions in the Unman Character..,. Ccwunand oj Temper, MY DEAR FRiKNi , Loiuion, April the 30th. ylrOlR du monde is, in my opuiion, a veryjuft and happy exprtflion for having addrefs, manners, and for kr.ovvino^ how to behave properly in all companies 5 ?,i\A it in)[>lies very truly, that a man that hath not thefe accomplifliments is not of the world. Without them, the bed parts are inefficient, civility is abfurd, and freedom offenfive. A learned parfon, rufting in his cell at Oxford or Cambridge, vvill reafon admirably well upon the nature of man ; will profoundly nnalyfc the head, ti e heart, the reafon, the will, the pafiions, tbc^ fenfts, the fentiments, and all thofe fubdivifions of vve know not what; and yet, unfortunately, he knows Nice Disibictiom hi the Human Oiaracter, 5^0 nothing of man: for he hath not lived with him ; and is ignorant of all the various modes, habits, prejudices, and tafles, that always influence and often determine him. He views man as he does colours in Sir Ifaac Newton's prifm, where only capital ones are {?en ; but an experienced dyer knows all their various fliadcs and gradations, together with the refuit of their feveral mixtures. Few tnen are of one plain, decided colour; moft are mixed, fliaded, and blended ; and vary a^ much, from different fituations, as changeable filks do from different lights. The man tjui a du monde knows all this from his own experience and obfervation : the conceited, cloiftered philofopher knows nothing of it from his own theory; his practice is abfurd and im- proper; and he a£fs as awkwardly as a man would dance who had never {titw others dance, nor learned of a dancing-mafler, but who had only (ludied the notes by whichdances are now pricked down, as well as tunes. Obferve and imitate, then, the addrefs, the arts, and the manners of thofe qui oni du monde : fee by what methods they HrR make, and afterwards improve imprefiions in their favour, Thofe impreffions are much oftener owing to little caufes, than to intrin.^c merit, which is lefs volatile, and hath not i^o fudden an effe^. Strong minds have undoubtedly an afcendant over weak ones, as Galigai marechale d'Ancre very juftly obferved, when, to the difgrace and reproach of thofe times, flie was executed for having governed Mary of Medicis by the arts of witchcraft and magic. But then afcendant is to be gained by degrees, and by ihofcartfj only which experience and the knowledge of the world teaches ; for few are mean enough to be bul- lied, though moft are wcv^k enough to be bubbled. I have often feen people of fuperior, governed by people of much inferior parts, without knowing or even fu- fpe£ling that they were fo governed. This can only happen, when thofe people of inferior parts have more worldly dexterity and experience than thofe they go- vern. ' They fee the weak and unguarded part, and apply to it : thev take it, and all the reft follows. This knowledge of the world teaches us more par- dcularly two things, both of which are of infinite con- S 3 *' 90 Command of Temper. /equence^ and to neither of which nature inclines ii&; I mean the command of our temper, and of our counter- r.ance. A, man who has no mo^cie is inflamed withan- er, or annihilated with lliame at every difagreeable ncident : the one makes him acl and talk like a mad. rtan, the other makes him look like a fool. But a man. ho has du monde^ feems not to underfland what he :mnot or ought not to refent. If he makes a (lip him- elf, he recovers it by his coolnefs, inftead of plunging ee(:«er by his confufion like a Humbling horfe. He va iirm, but gentle; and pra(5^ifcs that moft excellent VC\ciy.\V[\^ fnarciier in nio do, for titer in re. People, unufed to the world, have babbling countenances ; and are iin/kilful enough to fliow what they have fcnfe enov.gh i^ot to fell, in the courfe of the world, a man mull ^ery often put on an eafy, frank countenance, upon ■ ery difagreeable fituations ; he niuil feem pleafed^ be*n Yvr is very much othervvife>; he mufi be able to accoll ^-nd receive with fmiles, thofe whom he would much rat- er nieet with fwords. All this may, nay mud be done, without falfehood and treachery : for it mufl go no farther tlian politenefs and mannerg, and muft nop fliort of afTurances and profellions of fimulated friendfliip. Good manners to thofe one does not love are no more a breach of truth, than " your humble |ervant" at the bottom of a-challenge is; they are uni- verfally agreed upon, and underwood to be things of eourfe. They are necelfary guards of the decency and peace of fociety : they muft only a(^ defenfively ; and then not with arms poifoned with perfidy. Truth, but not the whole truth, muft be the invariable principle of every man who hath either religion, honour, or pru* dence. Thofe who violate it may be cunning, but they are not able. Lies and perfidy are the refuge of fools and co wards. «— Adieu \ LETTER CXLIir. Rojortnceof Casscnidr a... German Courts... y^Uention to tho.^d zvho speak... Favour lie Expression of Fools, MV.DEAR FRIEN'O, Lundon, Mil}' the 11 til. I BREAK my word by writing this letter ; but I break it on the allowable fide^ by doing more than I promifed. I have pleafure in writing to you, and you may poffibly have fome profit in reading what I write: either of the motives were fufKcient for me; both I cannot withftandi By your lafl: I calculate that you will leave Paris this day fevennight; upon that fuppofition this letter may fiill find you there. Colonel Perry arrived here two- or three days ago^ ■^.nd fent me a book from you ; *' Ca(Il\ndra abridged.'* : am fure it cannot be too much abridged. The fpirit f that hi oft voluminous work, fairly extracted, may be ontained in the fmallcft duodecimo ; and it is moft afto- liiflilng that there ever could have been people idle enough to write or read fuch endlefs heaps of the fame ^i]fF. It was, however, the occupation of thoufands In the kfl: century; and is ftill the private, though dif- a vowed, amufement of young girls and fentimental ladies^ A love-fick girl finds, in the captain with whom fhe is in love, ail the courage and all the graces of the tender and accompliflied Oroondates^ and many a grown-up fentimental lady talks delicate Clelia to the hero whom flie would engage to eternal love, or laments with her that love is not eternal. It is, however, very well to have read one of thofe extravagant works (of all which La Galprenede's arc the beft) becaufe it is well to be able to talk, with fome degree of knowledge,, upon all thofe fubjeds that other people talk fometimes upon; and I would by no means have any thing, that is known to others, be totally un- known to you. It is a great advantage for any man to be able to talk, or to hear, neither ignorantly nor ab- furdly, upon any fubjed; for I have known people, who have not faid one word, hear ignorantly and ab- fardly ; it has appeared in their inattentive and uumeau- iiig faces. 392 C^ ^tan Courts.. This, I tfiink, is .; . little likely to happen to you, a^ to any body of yoi^r . gt : and, if you will but add a ver- fatility and eafy •; tormity of manners, J know no company In which vOJ are likely to be ^e trap. This verfatility is-mo^e particularly necelTary for you at this time, now that you are going to fo many diiferent places ; for though the manners and ctifloms cf the feveral courts of Germany are in general the fame, yet every one has its particular characltriHic, fome peculiarity or other which diftinguiilies it from the next. This you (liculd carefully attend to, and imme- diately adopt. Nothing flatters people more, nor makes Grangers fo welcome, as fuch ah occafional conformity. I do not mean by this, that you fhould mimic the air and iliffnefs ©f every awkward German court; no, by no means; but I mean that ypu fiiould only cheerfully com* ply, and fall in with certain local habits, fuch asceremo- jnies, diet, turn of converfation, &c. People who are lately come from Paris, and who have been a good "while there, are generally fufpe be of little confequence, you would regret not having feen, after having been at the places where they were. Thus warned and provided for your journey, God fpeed you, Fdixfauftumqutjit'^! Adieu. ♦ Happy aad propitious be \U [ 393 ] LETTER CXLIV., hijadlcious Conduct of Parents in generaL,.FauIij/ Edif ca- tion. ..Polite Education... Lo*'d ^dtbenuuie„.Dac da Riclic- lieu. MY DEAR FP.IEXD, London, May tho 27!h. I SEND you the inclofed original, from a friend of ours, with my own commentaries upon the text; a text which I have fo often paraphrafed, and commented tipon already, that I believe I can hardly hy any thino- new upop it ; but, however, I cannot give it over till I . am better convinced than I yet am, that you feel all the utility, the importance, and the nec^ffity of it : nay, not only feel, but pra6life it. Your panegyrift allows you, what moft fathers would be more thaniatisfied with in a fon, and chides me for not contenting myfelf with r ejjmticllemeiit bon *; but I, who have been in no ons refpe(fl: like other fathers, cannot neither, like them, content myfelf with V ejftntiellement hon^ becaufe I know that it will not do your bufinefs in the v/orld, while you want quelques couches de vernis f . Y^w fathers care much for their Tons, or, at lead, mod of them care more for their money; and confequently content themfelves with giving tliem, at the cheapeil: rate, the common juu of education; that is,, a fchool till eighteen; the univerli- ty till twenty ; and a, couple of years of riding pod through the feveral towns of Europe, impatient till their boobies come home to be marriexl, and, as they call it, lettled. Of thofe who really love their fons, few know how to do it. Some fpoil them by fondling them while they are young, and then quarrel with them when they are grown up for having been fpoiled ; fome love them like mothers, and attend only to the bodily health atfj ilrength of the hopes of their family, iblemnifc his birth-day, and rejoice, like the fubjec^s of the Great Mogul, at the increafe of his bulk: while others, mind- ing, as they think, .only eflentials, take pains and plea- fure to fee in their heir all their favourite weak neiTes and imperfedtions. I hope and believe that I have kept clear * The e^entially good. f A coat of varr^is}*, S6 SOS FaiiHi/ Ediicatiojh,»Folite Education. of all thefe errors, in the education which I have given you. ' No weaknefTes of my own have warped it, no parfimony has llarved it, no rigour has deformed it. Sound and extenfive learning was the foundation which I meant to lay; I have laid it; but that alone, I knew, would by no means be fufficient : the ornamental, the fhowifli, the pleafing fuperflru6lure was to be begun. In that view I threw you into the great world, entirely your Own mafter, at an age when others either guzzle at the univerfity, or are fent abroad in fervitude to fome awkward, pedantic, Scotch governor. This was to put you in the way, and the only way, of acquiring thofe manners, that a^drefs, and thofe graces, which cxclufively didinguifli people of fafliion ; and without ivhich all moral virtues, and all acquired learning, are f)f no fort of ufe in courts and the great world. They are, indeed, feared and difliked in thofe places, as too fevere, if not fmoothed and introduced by the graces, Now, pray let me afk you, cooly and ferioudy, why are you wanting in thefe graces ? For you may as eafily af- fume them, as you may wear more or lefs -powder in your hair, more or lefs lace upon your coat. I can, therefore, account for your wanting them no other way in the world than from your not being convinced of their full value. You have heard fome Englifli bucks fay, " Damn thefe finical outlandifh airs ; give me a jnanly, refolute manner. They make a rout with their graces, and talk like a parcel of dancing-mafters, and drefs like a parcel of fops ; one good Englifliman will "beat three of them.'' But let your own obfervation un- deceive you of thefe prejudices. I will give you one inflance only, inilead of an hundred that I could give you, of a very fliining fortune and figure, raifed upon »o other foundation whatfoever than that of addrefs, manners, and graces. Between you and me (for this example muft go no farther), what do you think made our friend, lord A****e, colonel of a regiment of. guards, governor of Virginia, groom of the ftole, and cmbalTador to Paris ; amounting in all to fixteen or icventeen thoufand pounds a year? Was it his birth.? No; a Dutch gentleman only. Was it his eftate.^ No, he had none. Was it his learning, his parts, his poll- Leisure Hours, . . Useless Books, fyc, 397 tlcal abilities and application ? You can anfwer thefe queftions as eafily, and as foon as I can afk them. What was it then? Many people wondered, but I do not; for I know, and will tell you. It was his air, his ad- drefs, his manners, and his graces. He pleafcd, and by pleafing became a favourite; and by becoming a favourite, became all that he has been fince. Show me any one inftance, where intrinfic worth and merit, un- affifted by exterior accomplifliments, have raifed any man fo high. You know the due de Richelieu, now marechal^ cordon bleu, gentilhomme de la chambre^ twice embaffador, &c. By what mt^ans? Not by the purity of his chara6ler, the depth of his knowledge, or any un- common penetration and fagacity. Women alone formed and ra-fed him. The duchefs of Burgundy took a fancy to him before he was (ixteen years old ; this put him infafliion among the beau monde : and the late regent*s eldefl daughter, now madame de Modene, fell in love with him next, and was near marrying him. Man or woman cannot refift an engaging exterior; it will pleafe, — it will make its way. With your know- ledge and parts, if adorned by manners and graces, what may you not hope one day to be? But without them you will be in the fituation of a man who fliould be very fleet of one leg, but very lame of the other. He eould not run, the lame leg would check and clog the well one, which would be very near ufelcfs. LETTER CXLV. Leisure Hours,.. Useless and frivolous Books... Utilifj/ of reading si^stematically.,. Short Fiew of the History of Europe from the Treaty of Munster,.. Caution to avoid Disputes, MY DEAR FRIEND, Loiidon, May thc3ht. The world is the book, and the only one to which, atprefent, I would have you apply yourfelf. How- ever, as the mod tumultuous life, whether of budncls or pleafure, leaves fome vacant moments every day, m 3.08 Utility of. Rending sysiernaticaUi/. which a book is the refuge of a rational beijig, I mean now to point out to yon the method of en)ploying thofe moments (v/hich will and ought to be but few) in the moll advantageous manner. Throw avvay none of your time upon thofe trivial, futile books, pubhOied by idle or necelTitous authors, for the amufement of idle and ignorant readers : fuch fort of 'books fwarm and buzz •about one every day; flap them away, they have no fling. Certmn pete finem^ have fome one object for thofe leifure moments, and purfue that objed: invariably till you have attained it; and then take fome other. For inftance, con(idering-your deftination, I would advife you to fingle out the moll remarkable and interefting, seras of modern hiflory, and confine all your reading to that ara. If you pitch upon the treaty of Muntlery (and that is the proper period to begin with, in the courfe which I am now recommending) do not inter- rupt it by dipping and deviating into other books, un- relative to it: but confult only the mod authentic hif- tari,es, letters, memoirs, and negotiations, relative to that great tranfadtion; reading and comparing them, with all that caution and diflruft which lord Boling- broke recommends to you, in a better manner and in better words than I can. The next period, worth your particular knowledge, is the treaty of the Pyrenees ; which was calculated to lay, and in effect did lay, the foundation of the fucceiTIon of the houfe of Bourbon to the crown of Spain. Purfue that in the fame manner, fingling,. out of the millions of volumes written upon that occafion, the two or three mofl authentic ones, and particularly letters, which are the bed authorities in matters of negotiation. Next come the treaties of Ni- meguen and Rhyfwick, poflfcripts in a manner t^ thofe of Slunfter and the Pyrenees. Thofe two tranfa6lions have had great light thrown upon them by the publi- cation of many authentic and original letters and pieces. Theconceffions made at the treaty of Rhyfwick, by the then triunjphant Lewis the XlVth, aftonifhed all thofe who viewed things only fuperficially ; but, I fhouid think, muil have been eafily accounted for by thofe who knew ihe (late of the kingdom of Spain, as well as of the health of its king, Charles the lid at that ti^ie. Short riezv rftheJIl^iiGrj/ of Europe, ^ryj The Interval, between the jconclufion of the peace of Rhyfwick, and the breaking out of the great war in 1702, though a fliort, is a moft interefting one. Every week of it. ahmofl produced fome great event. Two partition treaties, the death of the king of Spain, his iinexpeaed will, and the acceptance of it by Lewis the XlVth, in violation of the fecond treaty of partition^ jud r^gned and ratified by him.— Philip the Vth, quietly and cheerfully received in Spain, and acknowledaed as- king of it, by moft of thofe powers, who afterwards joined in an alliance to dethrone him. I cannot help making this obfervation upon that occafion, that cha- radler has 'ofren more to do in great tranfadtions than prudence and found policy : for Lewi> the XlVth ara- tjfied his pcrfonal pride, by giving a. Bourbon king to Spain, at the expenfe of the true inttreft of France ; which would have acquired much more folid and per- manent ftrength by the addition of Naples, Sicily, and Lorraine, upon the foot of the fecond partition treaty " and I think it was fortunate for Europe that he-preferred the will. It is true, he might hope to influence his grandfon; but he could never exped that bis Bourbon pofterity in France fliould influence his Bourbon poft- erity in Spain; he knew too well how weak the ties of blood are among men, and how much weaker ftill they are among princes. The Memoirs of Count Harrach, and of Las Torres, give a good deal of light into the tranfadions of the court of Spain, previous to the death of that weak king; and the Letters of the Marcchal d'Harcourt, then the French embalTador in Spain, of which I have authentic copies in manufcrlpt, frou) the year 1698 to 1701, have cleared up that whole aft^ir to me. I keep that book for yoiu It appears by tliofe letters, that the imprudent conduit of the houfe of Auflria, with regard to the king and queen of Spain, znd madame Beriips, her favourite, together with the knowledge of the partition treaty, which incenfed all Spain, were the true and only reafons of the will in favour of the duke of Anjou. Neither cardinal Porto- car^ro, nor any of the grandees, were bribed by France, as was generally reported and believed at that time; V ca confirms Voltaire's anecdote npon that fubjea. 400 Short Fiexo qfthe Historj/ of Europe, Then opens a new-fcene and a new century: Lewis the XlVth's good fortune forfakes him, til! the duke of Marlborough and prince Eugene make him amends for all the mifchief they had done him, by making the al- lies refufe the terms of peace offered by him at Gcr- truydenberg. How the* difadvantageous peace of Utrecht was afterwards brought on, you have lately read; and you cannot inform yourfelf too minutely of all thofe circumftances, that treaty being the freftieft fource, whence the late tranfattions of Europe have flowed. The alterations which have fince happened, whether by wars or treaties, are fo recent, that all the written accoimts are to be helped out, proved, or con- tradicted, by the oral ones of almoft 'every informed perfon, of a certain age or rank in life. ^For the fac^s, dates, and original pieces of this century, you will find them in Lamberti, till the year 171 5, and after that time in RoulTet's RecueiL I do not mean that you fliould plod hours together in refearches of this kind -, no, you may employ your time more ufefuUy : but I mean, that you fliould make the moft of the moments you do employ, by method, and the purfuit of one fingle obje6l at a time; nor fliould I call it a digreflion from that object, if, when you meet with clafliing and jarring pretenfions of different princes to the fajne thing, you had immediately recourfe to other books, in which thofe feveral pretenfions were clearly ftated; on the contrary, that is the only way of remembering thofe contelied rights and claims : for, were a man to read tout de fuite^ Schiveikrus^s Theatrum PrettnfionuTji'^^ he would only be confounded by the variety, and remember none of them; whereas, by ex- amining them occafionally, as they happen to occur, either in the courfe of your hiflorical reading, or as they are agitated in your own times, you will retain them, by conneding them with thofe hillorical fa<^s which occafioned your inquiry. For example, had you rea<:l, in the courfe of two or three folios of Pretenfions, thofe, among others, of the two kings of England and PruiTia to Oft Frife, it is impoffible that you fhould * From beginning to end, Schweder's Theatre of Pretensions, tftillty of Reading systematkcdl^, ' 401 have remembered them ; but now that they are become the debated objed at the Diet at Ratifbon, and the topic of all political converfations, if you confnlt both books and perfons concerning them,' and inform yoiirfelf thorough])^, you will never forget them as long as vou live. You will hear a great deal of them on one fide, at Hanover ; and as much on the other fide, afterwards, at Berlin : hear both fides, and form your own opinion, but difpiite with neither. Letters from foreign miniHers to their courts, and from their courts to them, are, if genuine, the beft and moft authentic records you can read, as far as they go. Cardinal d'Offat's, prefident Jeannin's, D'Eftrade's, Sir William Temple's, will not only inform your mind, but form your i^yle ; which, in letters of bufinefs, ftiould be very plain and fmiple, but at the fame time exceed- ingly clear, corred, and pure. All that I have faid may be reduced to thefe two or three plain principles; ifl, that you Ihould now read very little, but converfe a great deal : sdiy, to read no ufelefs, unprofitable books; and, 3dly, that thofe which you do read, may all tend to a certain objeifl, and be relative to^ and confequential of each other. la this method, half an hour's reading every day will carry you a great way. People feldom know how to employ their time to the beft advantage till they have too little left to employ^ but if, at your age, in the beginning of life, people would but confider the value of itj and put every moment to intereft, it is incredible what an additional fund of knowledge and pleafurefuch an oeconomy would bring in. I look back with regret upon that large fum of time, which, in my youth, I lavirtied away idly, without either improvement or pleafure. Take warning betimes, and employ every moment; the longeft life is too fliort for knowledge, confequently every moment is precious* [ 402 ] LETTER CXLVr. Court of EerJin,. .Court of Ilmtorer.,. Pleasing l/j/, fihl^ yIttentions.,.Juecdot€, MY DEAR iRiEN-D, Lonclon, JuTie the SGd. I DIRECT this^Ietter to Mayence, where I think it is likely to meet you. Mayence will not, I belies^e, have charms to detain you above a week; fo that I reckoil you will be at Bonn at the end of July. There you may ftay juft as little or as Jong as you plcafe, and then pro- ceed to Hanover. I had a letter, by the lad poif, from a relation o5 mine at Hanover, JVIr, Stanhope Afpinwall, who is in the duke of Newcaftle'5 office, and has lately been ap- pointed the king's minifter to the Dey of Algiers-; a poft " which, notwithitanding your view's of foreign affairs, T betieve you do not envy him. He ttlli* mc, in that letter, there are very good lodgings to be had at one Mrs. Meyers*, the next door to the duke of Newcaiile's. which he offers to take for you : I have defired him to ^o it, in cafe Mrs. Meyers will wait for you till the latter end of AuguO:, or the beginning of September,. which, I fuppof^^, is about the time when you will be at Hanover. As you are entirely mader of the time when you will leave Bonn and go to Hanover, fo are you mailer to flay at Hanover as long as you pleafe, and to go thence _^ where you pleafe; provided that at Chriftmas you are at Berhn, for the beginning of the carnival ; this I would not ^ave you fay at Hanover, coniidering the mutual difpofition of thofe two courts; but, when anybody aflis you where you are to go next, fay that you pro- pofe rambling in Germany till the next fpring;. when you intend to be in Flanders, in your way to England. 1 take Berlin, at this time, to be the politeft, the mod fliining, and the moll ufeful court in Europe for a young man to beat: and therefore I would, upon no account, not have you there, for at lead a couple of months of the carnival. If you are as well received, and pafs ypur time as well at Bonn, as I believe you will, I would advife vou to remain there till about the Pleasing It/ Uttlc Jtieniioju. 4 4CJ ^oih of Auguft; in four days more yon will be at Ha-, never. As. for" your (lay there, it iniift be (lioiter or' longer, according to certain circiimflances ivhich you knovj of : fuppoOng them at the heft, then (lay till with- in a, week or ten days of the king's return to England; but fuppofing them at the vvorft, your flay mtift not be too lljort, for reaiqns wliich you alfo know : no refent- ment muft either appear or be fufpeifled j therefore, at ortt. I think vou muft remain there a month, and at il, as long as ever you pieafe. But 1 am convuiced at.r.ll will turn out very well for you there. ..Every ody is engaged or inclined to help you; the miniflers, both EngiiQi a.nd German," the principal ladies, and ^nofi: of the foreign miniflers; fo that I may ^pply to u nullum nu7nen abefi^ fi fit prudcntia. Du Perron will, i believe, be back there from Turin, much about the time you get thither: pray be very attentit^e to him> 'nd conned yourfelf with' him as much as ever you 13: for, befides that he is a very pretty and wcfl-iii- ioHDed man, he is very much in fafliion at Hanovtr, is perfonally very well with the king, and certain ladies ; fo that a vifible intimacy and conne6lion with him will do you credit and fervice. Pray cultivate monfieur Hop, the Dutch minifter, who has always been very much my friend, and will, I am fure, be yours: his manners,' it is true, are not very engaging ; he is rough, but he is fi.ncere. It is very ufeful fometirries to fee the things which one ought to avoid, as it is right to fsc verv often. thofe which one ought to imitate; and my friend Hop's manners will frequently point out to you what yours ought to be, by the rule of contraries. Congreve points out a fort bftnties, to whom he lays that we are doubly obliged: Rules for good writinEi they ^vitb pains indite, Then ihow us wi.al is fiad, by what they write. It is certain that monfieur Hop; with the beft heart la the world, and a thoufand good qualities has a thou- fand enemies, and hardly a friend ; fingly fi^om the roughncfs of his manners. , t u « .\y^'^A^^ I recommend to you again, though I have alieady done it twice or thrice, to ^P^^^ G7."^^f^^" 't ,,^^^ edlv, while you are at Hanover; which will Hiou that iO t ^^ Court of Hanover, you prefer that language, and be of more ufe to yoxf there whhjbme^oi/y, than you can imagine. When you carry my letters to monfieur Miinchaufen, and mon- fieur Schvviegeldt, addrefs yourfelf to them in German ; the latter fpeaks French very well, but the former ex- tremely ill. Show great attention to madame Mlin- chaufen's daughter, who is a great favourite; thefe little trifles pleafe mothers, and fometimes fathers, ex- treirely. Obferve and you will find, almoft iiniverfally, that the leaft things either pleafe* or difplcafe mod ; be- caufe they necelTarily imiply, either a very ftrong defire of obligingj or an unpardonable indifference about it. I will give you a ridiculous inftance enough of this truth, from my own experience. When J was embaf- fador the iirft time in Holland, comte de WalTenaer and hh wife, people of the firfl rank and confideration, had a little boy of about three years old, of whom they were exceedingly fond : in order to mak^ my court to them, I v.'cis io too, andufed to take the child often upon my lap, aad play with him. One day his nofe was very fnotty, \)pon which I took out my handkerchief and wiped it foV him J this raifed a loud laugh, and they called me a vfry handy nurfe ; but the father and mother were fo pleafed with it, that to this day it is an anecdote in the family; and I never receive a letter from comte Waf- fenaer, but he makes me the 'jompliments ^u nsorveux quefai moiiche autrefois : who, by the way, I am aflTured, is now the prettied young fellow in Holland. Where one would gain people, remember that nothing is little.. Adieu! LETTER CXLVII. Court of IIanorer...Faxour at Courts... floiv acquired,., yJnecdote.,. Cautions agai?ist Gaming, MY DEAR FRIEND, Loiulon, Juuo the 26th. As I, have reafon to fear, from ymir lad letter of the ihth, from Manheim, that all, or at It ad mod of my letters to you, (ince you left Paris, have mifcarried, I think it requifite, at all event5, to repeat in this the Favour at Courts., JIozv acquired, 403 ntceiT^ry parts of thofe feveral letters, as far as they relate to your future motions. [ fuppofe that this will either find you, or be but a ft?vv days before you, at Bonn, where it is directed ; and I fuppofe too, that you faave fixed your time for going thence to Hanover. If things turn out well at Hanover^ as in my opinion they will, ftay there till a week or ten days before the king fets out for England ; but, fliould th^y Unit gut ill^ which I cannot imagine, ftay however a month, that your departure may not feem a ftep of difcontent or peeviQmefs; the very fu- fpicion of which is by all means to be avoided. When- ever you leave Hanover, be it fooner or later, where would you go? VV^ould you pafs the months of No- vember and December at Brunfwick, CafTel, tec. — Would you chufe to go for a couple of months to Ra- tifbon, where you would be very well recommended lo^ and treated by the king's ele(5toral miniiler, the baroa de Behr, and where you would improve your yW^/zZ'//- cum ? Or would you rather godire6tly to Berlin, and ilay there till the ejid of the carnival ? Two or three months at Berlin are, confidering all circumllances, neceflary for you, and the carnival months are the bed. Let mt only know your decree when you have formed It. Your good or ill fuccefs at Hanover will have a very great influence upon your fubfequent chara6ler, figure, and fortune in the world ; therefore I confefs that I am more anxious about it than ever bride was on her wedding-night. It is your firfl crifrs : the chara6ler which you acquire there will, more or kfs, be that which vvill abide by you for the reft of your life. You will be tried and judged there, not as a boy, but as a man; and from that moment there is no appeal for chara6ler : it is fixed. To fonT> that character advan- tageoufly, you have three obje^s particularly to attend to"^: vour character as a man of UiO-Jity, truth, and honour ; your i^nowledge in the objev^^ of your defti- nation, as a man of bufinefs; and youi engagmg and infinuating addrefs, air, and manners, as a coi:rtier; tiie Aire and only fteps to favour. Meru at courts, without favour, will do little or notning ; favour, wiihout merit, will do a good deal i but favour and 4:06 Ftivour at Courts. ^IIoiv acquired. tnerit together will do es^ery tiling. Favour at courts depends upon fo many, fuch trifling, fuch unexpe6ted, and unforeseen events, that a good courtier mud attend •to every circum fiance, however little, that either does or can happen ; he muft have no abfences, no dijirac-^ thns ; he mufl: not fay, '^ I did not mind it; who would have thought it?" He ought both to have minded, and to have thought it. A chamber-maid has fometimes caufed revolution-s in courts, which have produced others in kingdoms. Were I to make my way to favour in a court, i would neither wilfully, nor by negligence, give a dog or a cat there reafon to diflikc me. Two piesgricches^ well inftru£led, you know, made the fortune of De Luines with Lev.is XIII.—- Every ftep a mail makes at court requires as much at- tention arid circumfpe6llon as thofe»which were made formerly between hot plough-fliares in the ordeal or iiery trials ; which, in thofe times of ignorance and fuperilition, w^ere looked upon as demoniirations of in- nocence or guilt. Dire^l your principal battery, at Hanover, at the d of N — 's : there are many verv weak* places in that* citadel; where, with a very "ittle (kill, you cannot fail making a great impreflion, Ji(k for his orders, in every thing you do; talk Auf- trian and Antigallicaii to him ; and, as foon as you are- •jpon a foot of talking eafily to him, tell him, en badi- ua?it^ that his (kill and fuccefs in thirty or forty elec- tions ia England leave you no reafon to doubt of his carrying his eletftion for Frankfort ; and that you look upon the archduke as his member for the empire. In bis hours of feilivity and compotation, drop, that he puts you in mind of what Sir William Temple fays of the penfionary de Wit, who at that time governed half Eu- rope, -^Hhat he appeared at balls, aifemblies, and public places, as if he had nothing elfe to do or think of."- — When he talks to you upon foreign affairs, which he will often do, fay, that you really cannot prefume to give any opinion of your own upon thofe matters, looking upon yourfelf, at prefent, only as a poflfcript to the corps (iiplomatjque ; but that, if his grace will be plCafed to make you an additional volume to it, though but in duodecimo, you will do your beft, that he fUali <^iLaUficaiions c)f a Courtier. 407 iieitlier be aftiamed nor repent of it. He loves to have a favourite, and to open himfelf to that favourite : he has now no fuch perfon with him ; the place is vacant, and if you ha-ve dexterity you may fill it. In one thing alone, do not humour him ; I mean drinking ; for as I believe you have never yet been drunk, you do not yourfelf know how you can bear wine, and what a little too much of it may make you dp or fay : you miyht pofTibly kick down all you had done before. You do not love gaming, and I thank God for it; but at Hanover I would have you fliow and profefs a particular diflike to play, fo as to decline it upon all Gccafions, unlefs where one may be wanted to make a fourth at whifr or quadrille ; and then take care to de- clare it the refult of your complaifance, not of your inclinations. Without fuch precaution you may vtry poflibly be fnfpecfted, though unjuftly, of loving play, upon accouFit of my former paffion for it; and Vuch a iufpicion would do you a great deal of hurt, efpecially with the king, who detefts gaming. I mult eiid this abruptly. — Gooblefsyou. LETTER CXLVHI. Klualificaiions of a Courtier... Cautions against Dn?iJcing„, Hanover. ,.Conri of Brunsiv^ick,.. George the Second, MY DEAR FRIE>7D, VePvSATILITY as a courtier may be almofl decidve to you hereafter; that is, it may conduce to or retard your preferment *in your- own deflination. The firft reputation goes a great way ; and, if you fix a good one at Hanover, it will operate alfo to your advantage in England. The trade of a courtier is as much a trade as that of a flioemaker; and he who applies him- felf the mofl, will work the beft : the only difficulty is to diftinguifli (what I am fure you have ^i:i\^t enough to diftinguifli) between the right and proper qualifica- tions, and their kindred faults ; for there is but a line between every perfection and its neighbouring imper- feaion. As, for example, you mull be extremely well- 40S Cautions ngaimt Drinking." bred and polite, but without the troiiblefome forms and flifFnefs of ceremony. You muft be rcfpecHiful and affenting, but without being ftrvile and abje(fl. You muft be frank, but without indifcrction ; -and clofe, without being coflive. You muft keep up dignity of chara6>er, without the leaft pride of birth or rank. — You muft be gay, within all the bounds of decency and refpe^^t ; and grave, without the afftiflation of wif- dom, which does not become ttie age of twenty. You muft be effentially fecret, without being dark and myf- terious. You muft be firm, but with modefty. With thefe qualifications, which, by the way, are all in your own power, I will anfwer for your fuccefs, not only at Hanover but at any court in Europe. And I am not forry that you begin your apprenticeftiip at a- Kttle one; becaiife yod muft be more circumfpec!^, and. more npon your guard there, than at a great one where every little thing is not know^n nor reported. When you write to me, or to any body elfe, take care that your letters contain commendations of all you fee and hear there, for they will moft of them be opened and read; but, as frequent couriers will come from Hanover to England, you may fometimes write to me without referve ; and put your letters into a very little box, which you may fend fafely by fome of them. I muft not omit mentioning to you, that, at the duke of Newcaftle's table, where you will frequently dine, there is a great deal of drinking ; be upon your guard againft it, both ^pon account of your health, which would not bear it, and of the confequences of your being fluftered and heated with wine : it might engage you in fcrapes and frolics, which the king (who is a very fober man himfelf) detefts. On the other hand, you (liouid not feem too grave and too wife to drink like the reft of the company ; therefore mix water with vour wine ; do not drink all that is in the glafs; and if dere('led, and preffed to drink more, do not cry out fobrit'ty ; but fay, that you muft beg to be excufed for the prefent. A young fellow ought to be wifer than he fliouldfcem to be; and an old fellow ought to feem wife, wheiher he really be fo or not. ^oart of Brumwtd\..G€orgf the ^ecDnd. 40?? During your (lay at Hanover, I would have you make two or three excurfions to parts of that eled^orate; to Hartz, where the filver mines are; Gotritigen, for the univerfity; Stade, for what commerce there is.^ You (lioiild alfo go to Zell. In fiiort, fee everv thing that IS to be feen there, and inforin yonrfelf well of all the details of that country. Go to Hamburgh for three or four days, know the conftitution of tliat little Han- featic republic, and inform yourfelf well of the nature of the king of Denmark's pretenfions to it. If all things turn out right for you at Hanover, I "uould have you make it your head quarttrs til' about a week or ten days before the king leaves it ; and then go to Brunfwick, which, though a little j is a very po- litc pretty court. You may ftay there a fortnight or three weeks, as you like it: and the' ; - o;o to Cafltl^ and there ftay till you go to Berlin, vould have you be by Chriftmas. At Hanovt: very eafiiy get good letters of recommendation ro Brunfwick ancj to Caflel. You do not want any to Bt'-lin ; however I will fend you one for Voltaire. A-prom of Berlin ; be very referved and cautious, v.Lile ^t Hanover, as to that king and that country ; both whi( h - re detelTed, becaufe feared by every body theici, frc;m his majefl-y down to the meanefl peafant : but, however, they both extremely deferve your utrnoii attention, and yen will iee the arts and wifdom of govermnent better in thar coun- try, now, than in any other in Europe. You may flay three months at Berlin, if you like it, as I believe yo:-^ will ; and after that I hope Ve fiiall meet here again. Of all the places in the world (I repeat it once more) eflablifli a good reputation at Hanover. Jndeed it i^ of the greateft importance to you, and will make any future application to the king in your behalf very eafy. He is more taken by the manners, graces, and other little things, than any man, or even woman^ that I ever knew in my life; and 1 do not wonder at him. — In fliort, exert to the utmoft all your means and powers to pleafe ; and remember, that he who pleafesthe moft will rife the fooneft, and tiie 'higheft. Try but once the pleafureand advantage of pleafing, and I will aa- fwer that you will never more negled the means, T 410 George the Second... Duke of Keivcastle: I fend you liertwith two letters, the one to inonfieiir Munchaufen, the other to monfieur Schwiegeldt, an old friend of mine, and a very fenfible knowing man. They will both, I am fiire, be extremely civil to you, and carry you into the beft company; and then it is your bufinefs to pleafe that company. I never was more anxious about any period of your life, than I am about this your Hanover expedition, it being of fo much more confequence to you than any other. If I hear that you are liked and loved there, for your air, your manners, and addrefs, as well as efte^med for your knowledge, I fliall be the happieft man in the world ; judge then what I muft be if it happens other- Vfe. Adieu ! LETTER CXLIX. Georrre the Second,,. Duke of ]S cdi^ca'dle... ^4 uthor's Account of ]imself...lVit,..Ccutlcn€.s's and Complaisance more powerful Recommendaiions. . MY DEAR I-RIE.VD, London, July tlie 21 ll. SjY my calculation, this letter may piobably arrive at Hanover three or four days before you. By what you have already feen of the German courts, I am fure you muft have obferved that they are much more nice and fcrupulous, in points of ceremony, refpccft, and atten- •ion, than the greater courts of France and England'. Vou will therefore, I am perfuaded, attend to the m,i- nutefl circumftances of addrtfs and behaviour. No- body in the world is more exa(5l in ali points of good- breeding than the king 5 and it is the part of every man's chara£ler that he informs himfelf of firft. The Icaft negligence, or the flighteft inattention, reported to him, may do you infinite prejudice ; as th^ con- traries would fervice. If lord Albemarle (as I believe he did) trufled you with the fecret affairs of his department, let the duke of Newcaftle know that he did f o ; which will be an inducement to him to trull you too, and poiTibly to J iUhors Account of Himself. 411 einploy you in affairs of confequence. TeH hiin that, though you are young, you know the importance of lecrccy in bufinefs, and can keep a fecret ; that I have always inculcated this doctrine into you, and hav^ moreover ftrldlly forbidden you ever to communicate even to me, any matters of a fecret nature which you may happen to be trufted with in the courfe of bu- finefs . As for bufinefs, I think I can truft you to yourfelf ; but I wifli I could fay as much for you with regard to thofe exterior accomplifliments, which are abfolutely neceffary to fmooth and fliorten the way to it. I wi!l let you into one fecret concerning myfelf ; which is, that I owe much more of the fuccefs winch I have had in the world to my manners, than to any fuperior de- gree of merit or knowledge. I defired to pleafe, and I negle(5led none of the means. This I can afTureyou, without any falfe modefty, is the truth. You have more knowledge than I had at your age, but then I had much more attention and good-breeding than you. Call it vanity, if you pleafe, and poflibly it was f o ; but my great obje6t was to make every man I met with refpecl me, and every woman like me. I often fnc- ceeded : but why ? By taking great pains ; for otherwifc 1 never fliould ; my figure by no means entitled me to it, and I had certainly an up-hill game: whereas your (•ountenance would help you, if you made tiie moil of it, and profcribed forever the guilty, gloomy, and fu- nereal part of it. If you have time to read at Hanover, pray let the books you read be all relative to the hiflory and confti- tution of that country, which I would have you kno\t as corref^ly as any Hanoverian in the whole de<51orate. Inform yourfelf of the powers of the flates, and of tho nature and extent of the feveral judicatures ; the par- ticular articles of trade and commerce of Bremen^ Harburg, and Stade ; the details and vakie of the mines of t^e Hartz. Two or three {l)ort books^wilj give you the outlines of all tiiefe thin.gs 5 and converfation, turned upon thofe fubje6ts, will do the red, and better than books can, T 2 412 IFiU As I love to provide eventually for every thing that can poflibly happen, I will fuppofe the vvoift that can befall yon at Hanover. In that cafe, I would have you go inimediately to the dnke of Newcaflle, and beg his grace's advice, or rather orders, what you fljonld do ; adding, that his advice will always be orders to you. You will tell him, that, though you are exceedingly mortified, you are much lefs fo than you fhould other- wife be, from the confideration, that, being utterly un- known to his M , his objection could not be per- fbnal lo you, and could only arife from cireum* ftances which it was not in your power either to prevent or remedy : that if his grace thought that your conti- nuing any longer there would be difa;jreeab]e, you en- treated him to tell you fo; and that, upon the whole, you referred yourfelf entirely to him, whole orders you fliould moft fcrupuloufly obey. But this precaution, I dare fay, will prove unneceflary ; however, it is always right to be prepared for all events, the worfl as well as the beft; it prevents hurry and furprife, tu'O danger- ous fituations in bufinefs : for 1 know no one thing fo iifeful, fo necefl'ary in all bufinefs, as great coolnefs and lleadinefs; they give an incredible advantage over whorhever one has to do with. I wrote, above a month ago, to lord Albemarle, to thank him for all his kindneffes to you ; but pray have you done as much ? Thofe are the neceflary attentions which fhould never be omitted, efpecially in the be- ginning of life when a character is to be eftablifhcd. That ready wit which you fo partially allow me, and fo juflly Sir Charles Williams, may create many ad- mirers, but, take my word for it, it makes few friends. It fliines and dazzles like the noon-day fun, but, like tiiat too, is very apt to fcorch, and therefore is always feared. The milder morning and evening light and heat of that planet footh and calm our minds. — Good fenfe, complaifance, gentlenefs of manners, at- tentions, and graces, are the only things that truly en- gage and durably keep the heart at long run. Never feck for wit; if it prefents itfelf, well and good; but, even in that cafe, let your judgment interpofe^ and Negotiatiant at Hanorer, ^e, 4 1 ^ ^ke care that it be not at the expence of anv body.— Pope fays, very truly, There are vbom Heaven has bleft Avith fiore of wit. Yet want as much again to gorern it. And in another place, I doubt with too much truth. For wit and judgment ever are at ftrife, Though meant each other's aid, like man and wife. The Germans are very feldom troubled with any ex- traordinary ebullitions or effervefcences of vvit, and it is not prudent to try it upon them ; whoever does, offendet folido'^ , Remember to wnte m© very minute accounts of all your tranfadlions at Hanover, for they excite both my impaticiice and anxiety. Adieu \ LETTER CL. Negotiations at Hanover.,, Election of King of the Romans... IVeakness of the House of AiLsiria,..Fieivs of the' dif- ferent Parties. MY DEAR FRIEND, Loudon, Auguft the 4th. -Hanover, wher^ I take it for granted you are, iff at prefent the feat and centre of foreign negotiation? ; there are minifters from almofl: every court in Europe; and you have a fine opportunity of difplaying with mo- xieily, in converfation, your knowledge of the inatterg now in agitation. The chief I take to be the elecflion of the king of the Romans, which, though I defpair of, I heartily wifli was brought about, for two reafons. The firft is, that I think it may prevent a war upon the death of the prefent emperor, who, though young and healthy, may pollibly die, as young and healthy people often do. The other is the very reafon that makes fome powers oppofe it, and others diOike it who do not openly oppofe it ; I mean, that it may tend to make the imperial dignity hereditary in the houfeof. Auflria ; which I heartily wifli, together with a very great increafe of power in the empire ; till when, Gec- * Will flrike again ft a folid maf^. T3 414 fFeakncssoftheHodseofAiiHria, many will never be any thing near a match for Franee, Cardinal Richelieu (liowed his-fuperior abilities in no- thing more than in thinking no pains nor expence too great to break the power of the houfe of Auflria in the empire. Ferdinand had certainly made himfelf abfo- lute, and the empire confequently formidable to France, if that cardinal had not piouily adopted the Proteflant caufe, and put the empire, by the treaty of Weflphalia, in pretty much the fame dif-jointed fituation in which France itfelf was before Lewis the Xlth^ when princes of the blood at the head of provinces, and dukes of Britanny, &:c. always oppofed, and often gave laws to the crown. Nothing but making the empire hereditary in the houfe of Autiria can give it that flrength and efficiency which I wiili it had, for the fake of the balance of power. For while the princes of the empire are fo in- dependent of the emperor, fo divided among them- felves, and fo open to the corruption of the bed bid- ders, it is ridiculous to expecft that Germany ever will or can 2.€t as a com.pad and well-united body againfl France. But as this notion of mine would as little pleafe feme of our friends^ as many of our enemies, I would not advife you, though you fliould be of the fame opinion, to declare yourfelf too freely fo. Could the ele6tor palatine be fatisfied, which I confefs will be difficult, confidering the nature of his pretenfions, the tenacioufnefs and haughtinefs of the court of Vienna, and our inability to do, as we have too often done, their work for them ; I fay, if the eledor palatine could be engaged to give his vote, I (liould think it v^-ould be right to proceed to the ejection with a clear majority of iive votes; and leave the king of Pruffia, and the elec- •tcv of Cologne, to proteH and remonftrate as much as ever they pleafe. The former is too wife, and the lat- ter too weak, in every refpe6l, to adl in confequence of thofe protefts. The diOra^led fituation of France, with its ccclefiaftical and parliamentary quarrels, not to mention the ihnefs and poffibly the death of the dauphin, vyill make the king of Pruffia, who is cer- tainly no Frenchman in his heart, very cautious how he ads as one. The eledor of Saxony will be influ- enced by tl.e king of Poland, who muft be determined" Manners of different Countries.. 415 by Russia, confidering his views upon Poland, which, by the bye, I hope he will never obtain ; I mean, as to making that crown hereditary in his family. As for his fon's having it by the precarious tenure of ele(5tion, by which his father now holds it, a la lonne heure. But fliould Poland have a good government under heredi- tary kings, there would be a new devil raifed in Europe, that I do not know who could lay : I am fure I would not raife him, though on my own fide for the prefent. I do not know how I came to trouble my head fo much about politics to-day, which has been fo. very ix^t from them for fome years ; I fuppofe it was be- caufe I knew that I was writing to the moft confum- mate politician of this, and his age. If I err, you \yill fet me right; Ji quid novijii redius ijiis^ candidus imperii^ ^c, * I am exceilively impatient for your next letter, which I expe6t by the firfi: poft from Hanover, to remove my anxiety, as I hope it will, not only with regard to your hcahh, but likewife to other things ; in the mean time, in the language of a pedant, but with the tcndernefs of a parent, Jubeo te bene valere |. LETTER CLT. Manners of different Countries... Absurdity of drinking Healths. . .fashionable Manners. MY DFAR ^FirND, Lonian, September the 22d. The dav after the date of my lafl, I received your letter of ihe 8tb. I approve extremely of your in- tended progrefs, and am very glad that you go t«) the G^hr with cdmte Schullemburg. I would have you (cq every tliing with your own eyes, and hear every thing with* vour own ears ; for I know, by very long experi- ence,' that it IS verv unfdfe to tiuft to other people's.-^ Vanity and intercft'caufe many mifrcprelentations, and folly canfes many more. Few people have parts enough to relate exaaiy and judiciouflvi and thole who have, * If you know better. cnndiJly impart ys>ur i:i\owifcdge< H- 1 coinnatii \oa to be «•*!. T 4 A'le^^.^^'^hsfrdity of drinking Healths. for fome reafon or other, never fail to link or to add fome circumftances. The reception which you have met with at Hanover, I look upon as an omen of your being well received every where elfe ; for, to tell you the truth, it was the place that I diiirufled the moll in that particular. But there is a certain condud, there are certain manners that will Jtnd mull get the better of all difficulties of that kind ; it is to acquire them that you flill continue abroad, and go from court to court : they are perfonal, local, and temporal ; they are modes which vary, and owe their cxidence to accidents, whim,' and humour; all the fenfe and reafon in the world would never point them out; nothing but experience, obfervation, and what is called knowledge of the world, can pofiibly teach them. For example, it' is refpeftful to bow to the king of England ; it is difrefpedful to bow to the king of France ; it is the rule to courtefy to the empe- ror ; and the proikation of the whole body is required by eaftern monarchs. Thefe are ellabliflied ceremonies, and murt be complied with; but why they were ella- bliflied, I defy fenfe and reafon to tell us. It is the fame among all rahks, where certain cufloms are re- ceived, and mull: nccefTariiy be complied with, though by no means the refult of fenfe and reafon. As for in- fiance, the very abfurd, though almofi: univerfal cuftom of drinking people's healths. Can there be any thing in the world lefs relative to any other man's health than my drinking a glafs of wine? Common fenfe, certainly, never poiritcd it out 5 but yet common fenfe tells me I muft conform to. it. Good fenfe bids one be civil, and endeavour to pleafe; though nothing but ex- perience and obfervation can teach one the means pro- perly adapted to time, place, andperfons. This know- ledge is the true obje6l of a gentleman's travelling, if lie travels as he ought to do. By frequenting good company in every country, hehimfelf becomes of every country ; he is no longer an EngliQiman, a Frenchman, or an Italian, but he is an European : he adopts, refpe^l- ively, the beft manners of every country; and is a Frenchman at Paris, an Italian at Rome, an Englifti- man at London. FashlonaLk Maimers, 417 This advantage, I muft confefs, very feldom accrues to my countrymen from their travelling; as they have neither the defire nor the means of getting into good company abroad : for, in the firft place, they are con- foundedly bafiiful; and, in the next place, they either fpeak no foreign language at all, or, if they do, it is barbaroufly. You pofTefs all the advantages that the/ want; you know the languages in perfedion, and have conftantly kept the belt company in the places where you have been ; fo that you ought to be an European. Your canvas is folid and flrong, your outlines are good;, but remember, that you ftiil want the beautiful colour- ing of Titian, and the delicate graceful touches of Guido. Now is your time to get them. There is, in all good company, a fafiiionable air, countenance, manner, and phrafeology, which can only be acquired by being. in good company, and very attentive to all that pall'es there. When you dine or fup at any well-bred man's houfe, obferve carefully how he does the honours of his table to the different guefts. Attend to the complin ments of congratulation, or condolence, that you hjar a well-bred man make to his fuperiors, to his equals^ and to his inferiors; watch even his countenance and his tone of voice, for they all confpire in the main- point of pleafing. There is a certain diftinguifhing diclion of a man of faihion : he will not content himr felf with faying, like John Trott, to a new-married- man, " Sir, I wifh you much joy ;'' or to a man who has- loft his fon, **Sir, I am forry for your lofs ;" and both with a countenance equally unmoved : but he will {iiy in efr€6V the fame thing in a more elegant and Icis^ trivial manner, and with a countenance adapted to th€ occasion. He will advance with warmth, vivacity, and a cheerful countenance, to the new-married man, and, embracing him, perhaps fay to him, *' If you. do " juftice to my attachment to you, you will judge of the ** joy that I feel upon this occafion, better than I can «' cxprefs it," &c. To the other in affliction he will ad- vance llowly, with a grave compofure of countenance^, in a more deliberate manner, and with a lower voice perhaps fay, " I hope you do me the juftice to be con- ** vinced that I feel whatever you feel, and Qiali ever «' be affected where you are concerned," T S [ '^is ] LETTER CLII. Court of Berlin, .JWdaire. ..Epic Foetry. ..Homer. . .Virgil.., Milton,.. Tasso... Charles XII. ..Heroes-. MY DEAR FRIEND, Ealh, Odobcr thc 4th. I CONSIDER you now as at the court of Auguftus, where, if ever the defire of pleafing aniirated you, it niuft make you exert all the means of doing it. You will fee there, full as well, I dare fay, as Horace did at Rome, how ftates are defended by arms, adorned by man- ners, and improved by laws. Nay, you have an Ho- race there, as well as an Auguftus ; I have lately read over all his works that are publiflied, though I had read them more than once before. I was induced to this by his Siccle de Louis XIF. You are fo fevere a clafTic, that I queftion whether you will allow me to call his Henriadezn epic poem, for want of the proper number of gods, devils, witches, and other abfurdities requifite for the machinery: which machinery is (it f&ems) neceflary to conftitute the Epopee. But whether you do or nor, I will declare (though poffibly to my own fliame) that \ never read any epic poem with near fomuch pleafure. I am grown old, and have poffibly loll a great deal of that fire which formerly made me love iire in others at any rare, and however attended with fmoke : but now J[ mufl have all fenfe, and cannot, for the fake of five righteous lines, forgive a thoufand abfurd ones. In this difpolition of mind, judge whether I can read all Homer through. I admire his beauties ; but, fo tell you the truth, when he ilumbers I deep. Virgil, I con- fefs, is all fenfe, and therefore I like him better than his model; but he is often languid, efpecially in his five ov fix laft books, during which I am abliged^otake a good deal of fnufF. Befides, 1 profefs myfelf an ally of Tur- nus, againft the pious ^neas, who, like many y&/Wi- fafit ^ pious people, does the mod flagrant injuflice and violence, in order to execute what they impudently call the will of heaven. But what will you fay, when I tell you truly, that I cannot poiTibly read our countryman Milton through ? I acknowledge him to have fome moil * Self-named. Ch arles X IL . . Heroes, 4 1 9 fublimepa(raoes,foiTje prodigious flafliesoflight; but then you mult acknowledge, that light is often followed by. darknefs vifible^ to ufe his own expreffion. Befides, not having the honour to be acquainted with any of the parties in his poem, except the man and the woman, the charaders and fpeeches of a dozen or two of angels, and of as many devils, are as much above my reach as my entertainment. Keep this fecret for me; f6r if it fliould be kno vn, I fliould be abufed by every taflelefs pedant in England. Whatever 1 have faid to the dif- advantage of thefe three poems, holds much ftfonger againil Taflb's Gierufalemme : it is true he has very fine and glaring rays of poetry 5 but then they are only me- teors; they dazzle, then difappear; and are fucceeded by falfe thoughts, poor concetti^ and abfurd impoilibilities : witnefs the filh and the parrot ; extravagances unwor- thy of an heroic poem, and would much better have be- come Ariofto. I have never read the Lufiad of Camoens, except in a profe trandation, confequently 1 have never read it at all, fo iliail fay nothfng of it ; but the Henriade is all fenfe from the beginning to the end. What hero ever interefted more than Henry the Fourth, who, according to the rules of epic poetry, carries on one great and long aaion, and fucceeds in'it at lad? What defcription ever excited more horror tlian thofe, firfl of the malTa- cre, and then of the famine, at Paris ? Was love ever painted with more truth and morbide^za than in the ninth book ? Not better, in my mind, even i\\ the fourth of Virgil. Upon the whole,' with all your claffical ri- gour, if you will but fuppofe St. Lours a god, a devil, or a witch, and that he appears in perfon, and not in a dream, the Henriade will be an epic poem, according to the flriaeft ftatute laws of the Epop6e ; but in my court of equity it is one as it is. ^ I could expatiate as much upon all his diltcrent works, but that I Hiould exceed the bounds of a letter, and run into a difTertation. How delightful is his hif- tory of that northern brute, the king of ^-^^^^d^tn ! for I cannot call him a man ; and I Hiould be forry to have bim pafs for a hero, out of regard to thofe true heroes ; fuch as Julius C^far, Titus, Trajan, and the prefent T ^-0 Popular Alonarchs, king of Prudia ; who cultivated and encouraged arts and fciences ; vvhofe anirf.-il courage was accompanied by the tender and focial fentiments of humanity ; and who had more pleafure in improving, than in deftroy- mg their fellow-creatures. Good-night to you, cliild ! for I am going to bed, juft at the hour at which I fuppofe you are beginning to live at Berlin. LETTER CLIII. Popular Monarchs.,,Art of Pleasing... Impedhyients to it in the Young. ..Pride . Inattention. . . Bashful ness. ..Duke of Onnond...Duke of iMarlboraiigh^.Jdvice to associate ivith Superiors in Age and Rank, MY DEAR FRIEND, Bath, NoTcmber the lUh. iT is a very old and very true maxim, that thofe kings reign the mod fecure, and the mofl abfolute, who rcigii i n the hearts of their people. Their popularity is a bet* ter guard than their army ; and the affecflions of their fubjeds a better pledge of their obedience than their fears. This rule is, in proportion, full as true, tiiough upon a different fcaie, with regard to private people. A man who pofTefTes that great art of pleafing univerfally, and of gaining the affeftions of thofe with whom he con- verfes, pofTefles a ftrength which nothing elfe can give him: a firength, which facilitates and helps his rife; and which, in cafe of accidents, breaks his fall. Few people of your age fufficiently confider this great point of popularity ; and, when they grow older and wifer, ilrive in vain to recover what they loft by their negli- gence. There are three principal caufes . that hinder them from acquiring this ufeful flrength ; pride, inat- tention, and mauvaife honte. The firfl, I will not, I cannot fufpe<5l you of; it is too much below your un* derflanding. You cannot, and I am fure you do not, think yourfelf fuperior by nature to the Savoyard who cleans your room or the footman who cleans your flioes ; but you may rejoice, and with reafon, at the difference that Providence has made in your favour. Enjoy all thofe advantages ; but without iniulting thofe who are unfortunate enough to want them, or evtn uirt of Pleasing, ,Jmp€dimc?its to it in Youth, 421 doing any thing iinnecefTarily that may remind thenj of that want. For my own part, I am more upoa my guard as to my behaviour to my fervantg, and others who are called my inferiors, than I am towards my equals; for fear of being fufpefted of that mean and ungenerous fentiment, of dedring to make others feel that difference which fortune has, and perhaps, too, un- defervedly, made between us. Young people do not enough attend to this; but falfely imagine that the im- perative mood, and a rough tone of authority and dc- ciiion, are indications of fpirit and courage. Inat- tention is always looked upon, though fometimes un- juflly, as the effe<5l- of pride and contempt; and where it is thought {o^ is never forgiven. In this ar- ticle, young people are generally exceedingly to blame, and oifend extremely. Their whole attention is en- grofled by their particular fet of acquaintance, and by fome few glaring and exalted objects of rank, beauty, or parts : all the reft they think fo little worth their care, that they negledl even common civility towards them. I will frankly confefs to you, that this was one of my great faults when I was of your age. Very at- tentive to pleafe that narrow court circle in which I (food enchanted, I confidered every thing elfe as bour^ gfotsy and unworthy of common civility ; I paid my court afTiduoufly and fkilfully enough to^ fliining and diftinguiflied figures, fuch as minifters, wits, and beau^ ties; but then I moft abfurdly and imprudently neg- leded, and confequently offended all others. By this folly I made myfelf a thoufand enemies of both fexes ; who, though 1 thought them very infignificant, found means to hurt me effentially, where I wanted to recommend myfelf the mod. I was thought proud, though I was only imprudent. A general eafy civility and attention to the common run of ugly women, and of middling men, both which I fillily thought, called, and treated as odd people, would have made me as many friends as, by the contrary condu<5l, I made my- felf enemies. All this too was a pureperte ; for I might equally, and even more fuccefsfully, have made my court where T hid particular views to gratify. I will allow that this tafk is often very unpleafant, and that 422 Inattention., . Bashfulness, one pays, with Tome unwillingnefs, that tribute of at- tention to dull and tedious men, and to old and ugly women ; but it is the lowefl price of popularity and ge- neral applaufe, which are very well worth purchafing, were they much dearer. I conclude this head with this advice to you : gain, by particular affiduity and addrtfs, the men and women you want 3 and, by an univerfal civility and attention, pleafe every body fo far as to have their good word, if not their good will; or, at leafl, as to fecure a partial neutrality. Mauvaife honie not only hinders young people from making a great many friends, but makes them a great many enemies. They are afliamed of doing the thing that they know to be right, and would otherwife do, for fear of the momentary laugh of fome fine gentle- man or lady. I have been in this cafe, and have often wiflied an obfcure acquaintance at tlie d — 1, for meet- \wo and taking notice of me, when I was in what I thought and called fine company. I have returned their notice fliily, awkwardly, and confequently of- fenfively, for fear of a momentary joke ; not confi- dering, as I ought to have done, that the very peo* pie who would have joked upon me at firll, would have efteemed me the more for it afterwards. An example explains a rule bed : fuppofe you were walking in the Tuilleries with fome fine folks, and that you (liould un- expectedly meet your old acquaintance, little crooked Giierfon; what would you do ? I will tell you what you (hould do, by telling you what I would now do in that cafe myfclf. I would run up to him, and embrace him; fay fome kind things to him, and tlien re- turn to my company. There I ftjould be immedi- ately afked \ Mais qu^'ejt ce que c'eji rionc q^ue ce petit fa^ faiQU que vo'ns avez • emhraJJ'e Ji tenchement ? Pour cela V accolade a etc charmante^ ; with a great deal more fefti- vity of that fort. To this I fhould anfwer, without being the lead afhamed, but en badinant : O! je ne vous diraipas qui c'eft; cejl un petit ami que je tiens incognito, qui a Jon merite^ et qui, a force d'etre connu^ fait ouhlier fafi* * Who is that HUle monkey that you have been embi?.cins; i^y tenderly? The reception was chaniiijig. Jrt of Phasing. ..Pride, 42.3 gure. Que me donnerez-'vous^ et je vous le prefentcral ^ ^ And then, with a little more ferioufnefs, I would add, J^fais cPailleurs c^ejl que je ne dcfavoue jamais mes eon » noiffancesy a caufe de Icur etat ou de leur figure. II faut avoir bien pen de fentiments pour le faire \. This would at once put an end to that momentary pleafantry, and give them all a better opinion of me than they had be- fore. Purfue fteadily, in a word, and without fear or fliame, whatever your reafon tells you is right, and what you fee is pradlifed by people of more experience than yourfelf, and of eftablifllcd charadlers of good fenfe and good-bretding. After all this, perhaps you will fay that it is im- poflible to pleafe every body. I grant it : but it does not follow that one fliould not therefore endeavour to pleafe as many as one can. Nay, I will go farther, and admit that it is impoffible for any man not to have fome enemies. But this truth, from long experience, I affert, that he who has the moft friends, and the fewefb enemies, is the ftrongefl ; will rife the highefl: with the lead envy ; and fall,, if he does fall, the gen- tleil, and the mofl pitied. This is furely an obje<5l worth purfuing. Purfue it according to the rules I have here given you. I will add one obfervation more, and two examples to enforce it ; and then, as the par- fons fay, conclude. There i no one creature {o obfcure, fo low, or fo poor, who may not, by the flrange and unaccountable changes and vicilTitudes of human affairs, fomehow or other, and fome time or other, become an ufeful friend, or a troublefome enemy, to the greatefl and the richefh The late duke of Ormond was almoft the weakeft, but, at the fame time, the bed bred, and the moft po- pular man in this kingdom. His education in courts and camps, joined to an eafy, gentle nature, had given him that habitual affability, thofe engaging manners, * In pleafantry: O ! I won't tcH you who he is; he is a little Drivate friend of mine, mHo has great merit, which, when known, vould make you forget his appearance. What will you give me if \ introduce him to you r ^ . • f But I mufl tell you, that I never difavow my acquaintances, either on. account of their fituakion or appearance ; a man reuft have no feutiment to do.iU 424. Duke of Ormond,..jbittf€- (^ Afarlbjrough, and tbofe mechanical attentions, that ainooft fupplied tlie place of every talent he wanted,— and he wanted almolt ev^ery one. They procured him the love of all men, without the efteem of any. He was impeached after the death of queen Anne, only becaufe that, hav- ing been engaged in the fame meafures with thofe who were neceflarily to be impeached, his impeachment, for form's fake, became neceffary. But he was impeached without acrimony, and without the leaft intention that he fliould fuiFer, notwithftanding the party violence of thofe times. The queftion for his impeachment, in the houfe of commons, was carried by many fewer votes than any other queftion of impeachment ; and earl Stanhope, then Mr. Stanhope, and fecretary of flate, who impeached him, very foon after negotiated anpd concluded his accommodation with the late king, to whom he was to have been prefented the next day. But the late biftiop of Rochefter, Atterbury, who thought that the Jacobite canfe might fuffer by lofing the duke of Ormond, went in all hafte, and prevailed with the poor weak man to run away, afTuring him, that be was only to be gulled into a difgraceful fubmif^ fion, and not to be pardoned in confequence of it. When his fubfequent attainder paflTed, it excited mobs and difturbances in town. He had not a perfonal enemy in the world, and had a thoufmd friends. All this was fingly owing to his natural defire of pleafing,. and to the mechanical means that his education, not his parts, had given him of doing it. — The other in- ftance is the late duke of Marlborough, who lludied the art of pieafing, becaufe he well knew the importance of it : he enjoyed and iifed it more than ever man did. He gained whoever he had a mind to gain j and he had a mind to gain every bodv, becaufe he knew that every body was more or lefs worth gaining. Though his power, as minifter and general, made him many poli- tical and party enemies, it did not make him one per- fonal one ; and the very people who would gladly have difplaced, difgraced, and perhaps attainted the duke of Marlborough, at the fame time perfonally loved Mr. Churchill, even though his private charaifler was ble- miftied by fordid avarice, the moll unamiable of all f^'oltain's Hiatory of the Crusades, 4'C. A23 rices. He had wound up and turned his whole ma- chine to pleafe and engage. He had an inimitable fweetnefs and gentlenefs in his countenance, a tender- nefs in his manner of fpeaking, a graceful dignity in every motion, and an univerf^l and minute attention to the lead things that could poffibly plcale the lead p^r- ion. This was all art in him ; art, of which he well knew and enjoyed the advantages; for no man ever had more interior ambition, pride, and avarice, than he had. LETTER CLiV. Voltairt^s History af the Crusades, and of the Human Mind . . . Micromegas . . . Madmen and Knaves, . .Popes, . . 2 he New Year. @ MY DEAR FRIEND, Londoii, New-Ycar's Day, I HAVE lately read, with great pleafure, Voltaire's two little Hiftories of les Croifades^ and rEfprit Humain\ which I recommend to your perufal, if you have not already read them. They are bound up with a moft poor performance, called Micromegas^ which is faid to be Voltaire's too; but I cannot believe it, it is fo very unworthy of him : it confifts only o^ thoughts flolen from Swift, but miferably mangled and disfigured. But i)ls hiflory of the Croifades fliows, in a very fliort a^id ftrong light, the moft immoral and wicked icheme, that was ever contrived by knaves, and executed by madmen and fools, againfl: humanity. There is a ftrange, but never- failing relation, between honed madmen and Oiilful knaves; and wherever one meets with collected numbers of the former, -one may be very fure that they are fecredy directed by the latter. The popes, who have generally been both the ablefl and the g/eateft knaves in Europe, wanted all the power and money of the ead : for they had all that was in Europe already. The times and the minds favoured their de- (ign, for they were dark and uninformed; and Peter the hermit, at once a knave and a madman, was a fine papal tool for fo wild and wicked an undertaking. I 4'2d Countamnce, 4'i wear \^\\y worft countenances, nobody elfc will venture upon either of you ; and they call her now Mrs. Stanhope. To complete this dcuceur of counte- nance and motions, which 1 fo earneflly recommend to you, you (liould carry it alfoto your exju'effionsand manner of thinking ; take the gentle, the favourable, the indulgent fide of moll: queftions. I own, tliat the manly and fublime John Trott, your countryman, fel- dom does ; but, to (liow his fpirit and decifion, takes the rough and harQi fide, wliich he generally adorns with an oath^ to feem more formidable. This he only thinks fine; ior^ to do John juflice, he is commonly as good-natured as any body. Thefe are among the many little things which you have not, and I have liv- ed long enough in the world to know of what infinite confequt'nce they are, in the courfe of life, lleafon then, I repeat it again, within yourfelf, confeqiunt tally ; and let not the painsyou have taken, and ilill take, to pleafe in fome things, be a pure perte"^ ^ by your negli- gejice of, and inattention to others, of much lefs trou- ble, and much more confequence. I have been of late much engaged, or rather bewil- dered, in oriental hiilory, particularly that of the Jews, fincc the dc{l:ru6tion of their temple, and their dilper- fion by Titus ; but the confufion and uncertainty of the whole, and the monflrous extravagances and falfe- * Entirely to Ids. Cahulistical IVriters,, Turkish Histoiy, 429 hoods of the grcateft part of it, difgufted me extremely. Their Thalmnd, their Milchnah, their Targums, and other traditions and writings of their rabbins and doc- tors, who were mod of them cabalifls, are really more extravagant and abfurd, if polTible, than all that you have read in comte de Gabalis ; and indeed mod of his flu fF is taken from them. Take this fample of their nonfenfe, which is tranfmitted in the writings of one of their mod confiderable rabbins. " One Abas Saul, a man of ten feet high, was digging a grave, and hap- pened to find the eye of Goliath, in which he thought proper to bury himfelf ; and fo he did, all but his head, which the giant's eye was unfortunately not quite deep enough to receive." This, I aifure you, is the mod modeft lie of ten thoufand. I have alfo read the Turkifh hiftory, which, excepting the religious part, is not fabulous, though very poffibly not true. For the Turks, having no notion of letters, and being, even by their religion, forbidden the ufe of them, except for reading and tranfcribing the Koran, they have no hif- torians of their OA'n, nor any authentic records or me- morials for other hiftoriansto work upon ; fo that what hiftories we have of that country are written by fo- reigners, as Piatina, Sir Paul Rycaut, Prince Cantemir, &c. or elfe fnatches only of particular and fliort pe- riods, by fome who happened to refide there at thofe times, fuch as Bulbequius, whom I have juft finiih- ed, I like him, as far as he goes, much the belt of any of them: but then his account is, properly, only an account of his own embalTy from the emperor Charles the Vth to Solyman the Magnificent, However, there he gives, epifodically, the beft account I know, of the cuftoms and manners of the Turks, and of ihc nature of that government, which is a moft extraordinary one. For, defpotic as it always feemf, and fometimes is, it is in truth a military republic; and the real power re- fides in the janilTaries, who fometimes order their ful- tan to ftrangle his vizir, and fometimes the vizir to de- pofe or flrangk his fultan, according as they happen to be angry at the one or the other. 1 own 1 am glad that the capital Wrangler fhould, in his turn, htjhan^k. ahky and now and then ftrangled ; for I know of na 430 Court of Manheim. brute fo fierce, nor criminal fo guilty, as the creature called a fovereign, whether king, fultan, or fophy, who thinks himfelf, erther by divine or human right, veiled with an abfolute power of deftroying his fellow-crea- tures; or who, without inquiring into his right, lawlcfsly exerts that power. The moft excufable of allthofe human inonfters are the. Turks, vvhofe religion teaches them inevitable fatalifm. I do not yet hear one jot the better for all my bi^things and pumpings, though I have been here already full half my time; I confeqnently go very little into com- pany, being very little fit for any. I hope you keep company enough for us both; you will get more by that, than I fliall by all my reading. I read fingly tp amufe myfelf, and fill up my time, of which 1 have too much; but you have two much better reafons for going into company, pleafureand profit. May you find a great deal of both, in a great deal of conipany. — Adieu ! LETTER CLVI. Court of Man]ieivi...Good-hreediug secures a good Recep- tion.., Jffairs of France., .Danger to established Govern- ments from, the Miiitajy.,,Jnother Prophecy of the French Rei'olution... The Reasons. MY DEAR FRIEND, LoFidon, Dcccmbcr the Q:nh. Yesterday again I received two letters at once from you, the one of the 7th, the other of the 15th, from Manheim. You never had in your life fo good a reafon for not writing, either to me or to any body tlfe, as yonr fore finger lately furniflied you. ' I believe it was painful, and I am glad it is cured ; but a fore finger, however painful, is a rriuch lefTer evil than lazinefs, of either body or mind, and attended by fewer ill confequences. I am very glad to hear that you were diflinguiflied at the court of Manheim, from the reil of vour country- men and fellow-travellers: it is a fign that you had better manners and addrefs thatr they; for, take it for granted, the befl-bred people will always be the befl Good'B reeding.,. JJairs of France. 43 1 received, wherever they go. Good manners are the fettled medium of focial, 2isfpecie. is of commercial life ; returns are equally expeded for both ; and people will no more advance their civility to a bear, t+ian their money to a bankrupt. I really both hope and believe that the German courts will do you a great deal of good ; their ceremony and reflraint being the proper corredives and antidotes for your negligence and inat- tention. I believe they would not greatly relidi your weltering in your own lazinefs and an eafy chair ; nor take it very kindly, if, when they fpoke to you, or you to them, you looked another way ; as much as to fay, Kifs my b — h. As they give, fo they require attention; and, by the way, take this maxim for an undoubted truth, that no young man can poffibly improve in any company for which he has not refpe^l enough to be under fome degree of reflraint. As my letters to you frequently mifcarry, I will re- peat in this that part of my laft which related to your future motions. Whenever you fliall be tired of Ber- lin, go to Drefden; where Sir Charles Williams will be, who will receive you with open arms^ He dined with me to-day; and fets out for bxt{(}i^w in about fix weeks. He fpoke of you with great kindnefs, and impatience to fee you again. He will truft and employ you in bufinefs (and he is now in the whole fecret of import- ance) till we fix our place to meet in ; which, proba- bly, will be Spa. Wherever you are, inform yourfelf minutely of, and attend particularly to the affairs of France ; they grow ferious, and, in my opinion, will grow more and more io every da}*. The king is de- fpifed, and I do not wonder at it; but he has brought it about to be hated at the fame time, which feldom hap- pens to the fame man. His minifters are known to be as difunited as incapable: he hefitates between the church and the parliaments, like the afs in the fable, that ftarved between two hampers of hay; too much in love with his midrefs to part with her, and too iBUch afraid for his foul to enjoy her : jealous of the parliaments, who would fupport his authority; and a devoted bigot to the church, that would deftroy it. The people are poor, confequently difcontented : thofe 452 Praphtcy of the French Resolution, who have religion are divided in their notions of it; which is faying, that they hate one another. The clergy never do forgive, much lefs will they forgive the parliament : the parliament never will forgive them. The army muft, without doubt, take, in their own minds at leafl, different parts in all thefe difputes, which, upon occafion, would break out. Armies, though always the fupporters and tools of abfolutc power for the time being, are always the deftroyers of it too, by frequently changing the hands in which they think proper, to lodge it. This was the cafe of the praetorian bands, who depofed and murdered the mon- ikers they had raifed to opprefs mankind. The janif- faries in Turkey, and the regiments of guards in Ruflia, do the fame now^. The French nation reafons freely, which they never did before, upon matters of religion and government; the officers do fo too: in fliort, all the fymptoms, which I have ever met with in hiilory, previous to great changes and revolutions in govern- ment, now exill, and daily increafe in France. I am glad of it ; the reft of Europe will be the quieter, and have time to recover. England, I am fure, wants reft; for it wants men and money: the republic of the United Provinces wants both, ftill more : the other powers cannot well dance, when neither France, nor the maritime powers, can, as they ufed to do, pay the piper. The firft fquabble in Europe, that I forefee, will be about the crown of Poland, fliould the prefent king die j and therefore I wifli his majefty a long life, and a merry Chriftmas. So much for foreign politics: but, a-prop!QS of them, pray take care, while you are in thofe parts of Germany, to inform yourfelf corre<5lly of all the details, difcufTions, and agreements, which the feveral v^^ars, confifcations, bans, and treaties, occafion- ed between the Bavarian and Palatine elecf^ orates; they are interefting and curious* [ 43:3 ] LETTER CLVII. Parliament, ..Means of acquiring Distinction there. ..Nc^ cesriti/ qf not over-rating ManJdnd, MY DEAR FRIES' I?, London, February the 15tli. I CAN now with great truth apply your own motto to you, Nullum nnmeft ahefi^ Ji Jit prudentia. You are lure of being, as early as your age will permit, a mem- ber of that houfe, which is the only road to figure and fortune in this country. Thofe indeed who are bred lip to, and diftinguifli themfelves in particular profef- fions, as the army, the navy, and the law, may by their own merit raife themfelves to a certain degree; but you may obferve too, that they never get to the top, without the affiftance of parliamentary talents and influence. The means of dillinguifliing yourfelf in parliament are much more eafily attained than I believe you imagine. . Clofe atfendance to the bufinefs of the houfe w}llfoon give you the parliamentary routine; and ■ ftri^t attention to your ftyle will foon make you, not jnly a fpeaker, but a good one. The vulgar bok upon a man who is reckoned a fine fpeaker as a phrenome- non, a fupernatural being, and endowed with fome peculiar ^ift of heaven : thty flare at him if he walk:i in the Park, and cry, T'haris he ! You will, I am fure, view him in a jufter light, and mdla formidine "*" , You will confider him only as a man of good fenfe, who adorns commion thoughts with the graces of elocution and the elegancy of ftyle. The miracle will then ceafe; and you will be convinced, that, with the fame appli- cation and attention to the fime objects, you may mofl ccrtainlv equal, and perhaps furpafs this prodii^y. ^ir W— ^"y --— , with not a quarter of your parts, and not a thoufandth part of your knowledge, has, by a glibnefs of tongue fingly, raifed himfelt fuccefiively to the beft employments of the kingdom: he has been lord of the Admiralty, lord of the Treafury, iecretary at -war, and is now vice-treafurer of Ireland ; and all this with a moft fuilied, not to fay blafted charaiftcr. Re- # With v.Q fear. 434 Merms qf acquiring Didinction in FarUamerd, prefent the thing to yoiirfelf, ss it really is, eafily at- tainable, and you will find it fo. Have but ambition €xiough paffionately to defire the obje6l, and fpirit enough to ufe the means, and I will be anfwerable for your fuccefs. When I was younger than you are, I relolved within myfelf that I would in all events be a fpeaker in parliament, and a good one too, if I could. 1 confequently never lofl fight of that object, and iiever negle7 of iublcnbing yonrfelf My Excellency's, ^xtc. Retire- ment and quiet were my choice fonie years ago, wliile I had all my fenfes, and health and fpirits enough fa carry on bufinefs ; but now I hav^e loll my hearing, and find my conflitution declining daily, they are become my neceffary ^ind only refuge. I know myfelf, (no common piece of knowledge, let me tell you) I know what I can, what I cannot, and confequently what I ought to do. I ought not, and therefore will not, re- turn to bufinefs, when I am much lef^ fit for it than I was when 1 quitted it. Still lefs will I go to Ireland, where, from my deafnefs and infirmities, I mufl: ne- cefiarilymake a different figure from that which I once made there. My pride would be too much mortified by that difference. The two important fenfes of feeing and hearing fliould not only be good, but quick in bufinefs; and the bufinefs of a lord lieutenant of Ire- land (if he will do it himfelf ) requires both thofe fenfes in the highefl perfedion. It was the duke of Dorfet's not doing the bufinefs himfelf, but giving it up to fa^ Tourites, that has occafioned all this confiifion in Ire- land ; and it was my doing the whole myfelf, without either favourite, minifler, or miilrefs, that made my adniiniflration fo fmooth and quiet. I remember,, when I named the late Mr. Liddel for my' fecrfjtary, every body was much furprifed at it ; and fonie of my friends reprefcnted to me, that he was no man of bufi- nefs, but only a very genteel, pretty young fellow ; I a,flured them, and with truth, that that was the very reafon why I chpfe him : for that I was refolved to do all the bufinefs myfelf, and without even the fufpicioa of having a minifier ; which the lord lieutenant's fecre- tary, if he is a man of bufinefs, is always fuppofed, and commonlv with reafon, to be. My only remaining ambition is now to be the counfellor and minifier of your rifing ambition. Let me fee my own youth re- vived in you ; let me be your mentor, and, with your parts and knowledge, I promife you, you fiiall go far. You mull bring, on your part, adivity andattention, and I will point out to you the proper objeas for them. I own Ifeaj but one thing for you, and that is what one has generally the leail reafon to fear, from one of U3 43 S Evils of Procrastination. your age, I mean your lazinefs; which, if you indulge, will make you ftagnate. in a contemptible obfcurity all your life. It will hinder you from doing any thing that will deferve to be written, or from writing any- thing that may deferve to be read; and yet one or other of thefe two objects fliould be at leafl: aimed at by every rational being. I look upon indolence as a fort o{ fuicide ; for the man is effectually deftroyed, though the appetites of the brute may furvive. Ufe yourfelf, therefore^ in time to be alert and diligent in your little concerns: never procraftinate, never put off till to-morrow, what you can do to-day ; and never do two things at a time: purfue your obje6V, be it what it will, fteadily and indefatigably; and let any difficul- ties (if furmountable) rather animate than flacken your endeavours. Perfeverance has furprifing effects. I wifti you would ufe yourfelf to tranflate, every day, only three or four lines, from any book, in any lan- guage, into the corre61e(l and mdfl elegant Englifli that you can think of; you cannot imagine how it will in- fenfibly form your ftyle, and give you an habitual ele- gancy : it would not take you up a quarter of an hour *in a day. This letter is fo long, that it will hardly leave you that quarter of an hour, the day you receive it. So good night. LETTER CLIX. Death cf Mr, Pelham... Ministerial Changes,,, Jhsurd Po^ litical S peculations „,Mr, Fox, MY DEAR FRIEND, Lonclon, Marcli the 8th. A GREAT and unexpected event has lately happened in our miniflerial world — Mr. Felham died lafl Monday, of a fever and mortification, occafioned by a general corruption of his whole niafs of blood, which had broken out into fores in his back. 1 regret him as an old ac- quaintance, a pretty near relation, and a private man, with whom I have lived many years in a focial and friendly way. He meaned well to the public, and was incorrupt in a pofl where corruption is commonly con- Mini sic rial Changes., .Mr. Fox, 4S9 tagioiis. If he was no fliiiiing, enterprifing miniiler, he was a fafe one, which I like better. Very lliining mi- nifters, like the fun, are apt to fcorch when they iliine the brighteft : in our conftitution, I prefer the milder iiglit of a lefs gla**ing minifter. His fucceffor is not yet, at lead publicly, dcfignatus. You will eafily fup- pofe that many are very willing, and very few able to f\\\ that pofl. Various perfons are talked of, by diffe- rent people, for it, according as their interefl prompts them to wifli, or their ignorance to conjedure. Mr. Fox is the mod talked of; he is ftrongly fupported by the duke of Cumberland. Mr. Legge, the folicitor- general, and Dr. Lee, are like wife nil fpoken of, upon the foot of the duke of Newcaftle^s and the chancellor's intereft. Should it be any one of the three lall, I think: no great alterations will enfue; but fliould Mr. Fox prevail, it would, in my opinion, foon produce changes by no means favourable to the duke of Nevvcaftle. \\\ the mean time, the wild conje(5lures of volunteer poli- ticians, and the ridiculous importance which, upon thefe occafions, blockheads always endeavour to give them- felves, by grave looks, fignificant flirugs, and infignifi- cant whifpers, are very entertaining to a bye-ftander,as, thank God, I now am. One knows fomething-.^ but is not yet at liberty to tell it; another has heard fomething irom a very good hand; a third congratulates himfelt* upon a certain degree of intimacy which he has long had with every one of the candidates, though, perhaps, he has never Ypoken twice to any one of them. In iliort, in thefe fort of intervals, vanity, intereft, and abfurdity, always difplay themfelves in the moft ridicu- lous light. One who has been fo long behind the fcenes, as I have, is. much more diverted with the entertain- ment than thofe can be who only fee it from the pit and boxes. I know the whole machinery of the interior, and can laugh the better at the filly wonder and wild conjeftures of the uninformed fpe^^ators. I am this moment informed, and I believe truly, that Mr. Fox * is to fucceed Mr. Pelham as iirft commif- * HcnrvFwX; created lord Holland, Laroa of Foxlcy, in the year 440 2\'€C€ssity of Self 'Command, iioner of the Trcafury and chancellor of the Exchequer ; and your friend Mr. Yorke, of the Hague, to fucceecl Mr. Fox as fecretary at war. I am not forry for this promotion of Mr. Fox, as 1 have always been upon civil terms with him, and found him ready to do me any little fervices. He is frank and gentleman-like in his manner; and, to a certain degree, I really believe will be your friend upon my account; if you can after- wards make him yours, upon your own, tant mieux* I have nothing more to fay now, but adieu ! > f LETTER CLX, Necessiti/ of Self-command.., Florid Style,,, Philosophy qf Cicero and Plato. MY BEAR FRiEN^D, Loiidon, March the 26th. Yesterday I received yourletterof the 15th, from Manheim, where I find you have been received in the iifual gracious manner; which I hope you return in ;V graceful ont, I am very glad that you wrote the letter to lord , which, in every different cafe that can poiTibly be fuppofed, was, I am fure, both a decent and a prudent flep. You will find it very difficult, when- ever we meet, to convince me that you could have any good reafons for not doing it ; for I will, for argument's fake, fuppofe, what I cannot in reality believe, that he has both faid and done thevvorfl he could, of and by you. What then ? How will you help yourfelf? Are you in a fituation to hurt him ? Ctrtainly not; but he certainly is in at fituation to hurt you. Would you lliow a fallen, pouting, impotent refentment? 1 hope Jiot: leave that filly unavailing fort of refentment to women, and men like them, who are always guided by humour, never by reafon and prudence. That petti fli pouting condu£t'is a great deal too young, and implies too little knowledge or the world forgone who has feea fo much of it as you have. Whoever cannot mafter his humour, fliould leave the world, and retire to fome hermitage in an unfrequented defert. By fliowing an unavailing and fullen refentment, you authorife the re- Florid Style,.. Philosophy of Cicero and Plato. 44V fentment of thofe who can hurt you^ and whom you cannot hurt ; and give them that very pretence, which, perhaps, they wifliedfor, of breaking with, and injuring you; whereas the. contrary behaviour would lay them* under the reflraints of decency at leaft ; and either lliackle or expofe their malice. Befides, captioufnefs, fullennefsy and pouting, are moft exceedingly illiberal and vulgar. lam extremely glad to hear that you are foon to have Voltaire at Manheim : immediately upon his arrival, pray make him a thoufand compliments from me. I long to read his own corre6l edition of Les Anftales de VEmpire^ of which the Ahrcge Chronologique de l*Hifioire s Univerfclle^ which I have read, is, I fuppofe, a ftoleu and imperfe^l part; however, imperfeft as it is, it has explained to me that chaos of hiilory, of feven hundred years, more clearly than any other book had done be- fore. You judge very rightly, that I love le ftyle Icger et fimri *. I do, and fo does every body who has any parts and tafle. It fhould, I confefs, be more or Msjleuri^ according to the fubje6l ; but at the fame time I aflert, that there is no fubjed that may not properly, and which ought not to be adorned, by a certain elegancy and beautv of ftyle. What can be more adorned than Cicero's philofophical works? What more than Plato's? It is their eloquence only that has preferved and tranfmitted them down to us through fo many centuries; for the philofophy of them is wretched, and the reafoning part miferable.' But eloquence will always pleafe, and has always pleafed, Study it therefore; make it the object of your thoughts and attention. Ufe yourfelf to relate elegantly; that is a good ftep towards fpeaking well in parliament. Take fome political fubjeft, turn it m your thoughts, confider what may be faid both for and againft it, then put thofe arguments into writing Jn the moa correa: and elegant Englilli you can. Forvin- ftance, a (landing army, a place- bill, &c. As to the for- mer, confider, on one fide, the dangers arrfing to a free country from a great {landing military force ;■ on the other fide, confider the neceffity of a force to repel force * Livelv and florid* ^^2 rhilosophy of Cicero and Plato, with. Examine whether a ftanding army, though in it- felf an evil, may not, from circumftances, become a ne- cefTary evil, and preventive of greater dangers. As to* the latter, confider how far places may bias and warp the condu6l of men, from the fervice of their country, into an unwarrantable complaifance to the court; and, on the other hand, confider whether they can be fiip- pofed to have that effeft upon the condudl of people of probity and property, who are more folidly interefted in the permanent good of their country, than they can be in an uncertain and precarious employment. Seek for, and anfwer in yonr own mind, all the arguments that can be urged on either fide, and write them down in an elegant flyle. This will prepare you for debating, and give you an habitual eloquence; for I would not give a farthing for a mere holiday eloquence, difplayed once or twice in a feflion, in a fet declamation; but I want an every-day, ready, and habitual eloquence, to adorn extempore and debating fpeeches ; to make bufinefsnot only clear but agreeable, and to pleafe eventhofe whom you cannot inform, and who do not defire to be in- formed. When we meet at Spa, next July, we muft have a great many ferious converfations; in which I will pour out all my experience of the world, and which, I hope, you will truft to, more than to your own young notions of men and things. You will in time difcover mod of them to have been erroneous; and, if you follow them long, you will perceive your error too late; but, if you will be led by a guide, who, you are fure, does not mean to miflead you, you will unite two things feldom united in the iame perfon ; the vivacity and fpirit of youth, with the caution and experience of age. Lafl: Saturday, Sir Thomas Robinfon '*, who had been the king's mini Iter at Vienna, was declared fecretary of flate for the fouthern department, lord Holdernefs having taken the northern. Sir Thomas accepted it unwillingly, and, as 1 hear, with a promife that he fliall not keep it long. Both his health and fpirits are bad, * Created lord Grantham in thfi year 17^1, and fince embafTador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to tliecourt of Spain, 7ranslcUio7is,,,FauUs in Style, S^^c, 443 two very difqualifying circiimftances for that employ, ment ; yours, I hope, will enable yon, fome time or other, to go through with it. In all events, aim at it, and if you fail or fall, let it at lead be faid of you, magnis tainen excidit aujis *, Adieu. LETTER CLXI, Translations,,, Faults in Style.., Fashion in Style.,. Siiigu- larity, MY DEAR FRIEND, Loiulon, April the 5th. I AM very glad that you ufe yourfelf to tranflations; and I do not care of what, provide^ you lludy the cor- rectnefs and elegancy of your ftyle. The life of Sextiis Quintus is the beft book, of the innumerable books written by Gregorio Leti^ but I would rather that you chofe fome pieces of oratory for your tranflations; whether ancient or modern, Latin or French ; which would give you a more oratorical train of thought, and turn of exprellion. In your letter to me, you make life of two words, which, though true and correal Englifli, are, however^ from long difufe, become inelegant, and feem now to be ftilf, formal, and in fome degree fcrip- tural: the firfl is the word namely^ which you introduce thus, you inform me of a very agreeable piece of nezvs, namely, that my cle^ion isfecured, Inflead of v^;;?^'/)', ]• would always ufe, fJiich is, or t/iat is, that my ele(fiion Js fecured. The otlier word is, mi/ie ozvn hicUnations this is certainly correal before a fubfequent word that begins with a vowel ; but it is too corre<6i:, and is now dif- iifedastoo formal, notvvithflanding the/^/W?^joccafioned by myo'wn. Every language has its peculiarities; they arc eftabliflied by ufage, and, whether right or wrong, they mull: be complied with. I could inflancemany very ab- furd ones in different languages; biitfo authorifcd by the jus et norma loquen(ii'\, that they mnft be fubmitted to. Namely, and to v^it, are very good words in themfelves, lind contribute to clearnefs, more than the relatives '^hich * He fell in attemotintr grrat things. fThe law and cuftom of fpeecl- U6 il"l«^ Necessity of Jttaiiion, we now fubllitnre in their room ; but, however, they can- not be Lifed, except in a lermon, or fome very grave and formal compofitions. It is with language as with manners; they are both eftablidied by the ufa-e of people of fafliion ; it mnft be im'itated, it inuft be i om- plied with. Singularity is only pardonable in old age and retirement; I may now be as fingular as I pleaie, but you may not. We will, when we meet, difcufs thefe and many other points, provided you will give n^e at- tention and credit; without both which it is to no pur- pofe to advife either you or any body elfe. Adieu. With this letter the fyftem of education purfued and recommended by lord Cheflerfield may be confidered as terminated. Young Stanhope returned to England im- mediately after the receipt of it. He took his feat in parliament in the courfe of the fpring; and was after- wards appointed envoy to the court of Drefden, whence he returned from indifpofition, and died on the i6th of November 1768. . MAXIMS. BY THE EARL OF CHESTERFIELD. - A PROPER fecrecy is the only myfiery of able men ; n)y(lery is the only fecrecy of weak and cunning ones, A man who tells nothing, or who tells all, will equally iiave iinthing told him. If a faol knows a fecret, he tells it becaufe he is a fool ; if a knave knows one^ he tells it wherever it is his iatereft to tell it. But women, and young men, are very apt to tell what fecrcts they know, from the vanity of having been trufred. Truil none of thefe, whenever you can help it. Inattention to the prefent bufinefs, be it what it will; rhe doing one thing, and thinking at the fame time of mother, or the attempting to do two things at once, are the neveivfailing figns of a little, frivolous mind. A man who cannot command his temper, his atten- tion, and his countenance, fliould not think of being a man of bufinefs. The weakeft man in the world can Maxi?HS, 445 avail himfelf of the paffions of the wlfeft. The inatten- tive maa cannot know the bufinefs, and Gonfequently cannot do it. And he who cannot command his coun- tenance, may e'en as well tell his thoughts as fliow them. Diilnifl all thofe who love you extremely upon a very flight acquaintance, and without any vifible reafon. Be upon your guard, too, againfl thofe who confefs, as their weaknefles, all the cardinal virtues. In your friendQiips, and in your eimiities, let your confidence and your hoftilities have certain bounds': make not the formerdangerous, nor the latter irrecon- cileable. There are flrange vicifTitudes In bufinefs! Smooth your way to the head, through the heart. The way of reafon is a good one ; but it is commonly fome- thing longer, and perhaps not fo fure. Spirit is now a very fafliionabie word : to a6l with fpirit, to fpeak with fpirit, means onlv, to aclraflily, and to talk indifcreetly. An able man fhows his f6irit by gentle words and refolute anions : he is neither hot nor timid. When a man of fenfe happens to be in that difagree- able fituation in which he is obliged to aOv himfelf more than once, What JJiall I do f he will anfwer him- felf. Nothing. When his reafon points jout to him no good way, or at leaft no one way lefs bad than another, he will flop fliort;, and wait for Light. A little bufy mind runs on at all events, mull: be doing; and, like a — ^lind horfe, fears no dangers, becaufe he fees none. 11 f aut f(j, avoir s^ennuier^ Patience is a mofl necefTary qualification for bufinefs ; many a man would rather you heard his flory, than _j;|ranted his requefl. One muit feem to hear the un- ■^afonable demands of the petulant, unmoved, and the tedious details of the dull, untired. . That is the leafb. price that a man mud: pay for a high fiation. It is always right to deteci a fraud, and to perceive a folly; but it is often very wrong to expofe either. ,A. man of bufinefs fliould always have his eyes open; but mufl often feem to have them flnit. In courts, nobody fliould be below your management ei^.^nd attention : the links that form the court chain are innumerable and inconceivable. You mufl hear with patience the dull grievances of a gentleman ulher, or a 44.^ Maxims, page of the back-flairs, who, very probably, intrigues with fome near refation of the favourite maid, of the fa- vourite miflrefs, of the favourite minifter, or, perhaps, of the king hirnfelf ; and who, confequently, may do you more dark arid indired good, or harm, than the firft man of quality. One good patron at court may be fufficient, provided you have no perfonal enemies ; and, in order to have none, you muft facrifice (as the Indians do to the devil) moft of your paflions, and much of your time, to the numberlefs evil beings that infell it : in order to pre- vent and avert the mifchiefs they can do you. A young man, be his merit what it will, can never raife him.felf; but muft, like the ivy round the oak, twine himfelf round fome man of great power and in- tereft. You muft belong to a minifter fome time, be- fore any body will belong to you 3 and an inviolable fidelity to that minifter, even in his difgrace, will be meritorious, and recommend you to the next. Minifters love a perfonal, much more than a party attachment. As kings are begotten and born like other men, it is to be prefumed that they are of the human fpecies ; and, perhaps, had they the fame education, they might prove I'ke other men. But, flattered from their cradles, their hearts are corrupted, and their heads are turned, fo that they {^ern to be a fpecies by themfelves. No king ever faid to himfelf, Homo J urn ^ nihil humani a me alienum putd. Flattery cannot be too ftrong for them; drunk with it from their infancy,, like old drinkers, they require drams. They prefer a perfonal attachment to a public fer- viee, and reward it better. They are vain and weak enough to look upon it as a free-will offering to their merit, and not as a burnt-facrifice to their power. If you would be a favourite of your king, addrefs yourftif to his weakneftes. An application to his reafori will feldom prove very fuccefsful. In courts, baflifulnefs and timidity are as prejudicial on one hand as impudence and raftincfs are on the other. A proper aflurance, and a cool intrepidity, with, a rational modefty, are the true and neceftary medium. Never apply for what you fee very little probability, of oS)taining; for you will, by afliing improper and- unattainable things, accuftom the minifters to refufe you Maxims. 4..J.7 fo often, that they will find it eafy to rcfufe you the properefi: and moil reafonable ones. It is a common but a mod miftaken rule at court, to afk for every thina' in order to get fomething : you do get fomething by i^| it is true ; but it is refufals and ridicule. There is a court jargon, a chit-chat, ia fmall talk, which turns lingly upon trifles; and which, in a great many words, fays little or nothing. It (lands fools ia flead of what they cannot fay, and men of fenfe inflead of what they lliould not fay. It is the proper language of levees, drawing rooms, and anti-chambers: it is ne- cefTary to know it. Whatever a man is at court, he mufl: be genteel and well-bred; that cloak covers as many follies, as that of charity does fins. I knew a man of great quality, and in a great ftation at court, confidered and refpe^led, whofe highefi: charader was, that he was humbly proud, and genteelly dulL At court, people embrace without acquaintance, ferve one another without friendfiiip, and injure one another without hatred. Intereft, not fentiment, is the growth of that foil. A difference of opinion, though in the merefl trifles, alienates little minds, efpecially of high rank. It is full as eafy to commend as to blame a great man's cook, or his taylor : it is fhorter too ; and the objeds are no more worth difputing about, than the people are worth dif- puting with. It is impofllble to inform, but very eafy to difpleafe them. A cheerful, eafy countenance and behaviour, are very ufeful at court : they make fools think you a good- natured man; and they make defigning men think you an undefigning one. Ceremony is neceflary in courts, as the outwork and defence of manners. Compliment, though a bafe coin, is the necefTary pocket-money at court; where,- by cuftomand confenf, it has obtained fuch a currency, that it is no longer a fraudulent, but a legal payment. If a minifier refufes you a reafonable requefi, and either flights or injures you, if you have not the power to gratify vour refentment, have the wifdom to conceal it. Seeming good-humour on your part may prevent 44-S 'Maxims, rancour on his, and, perhaps, bring things right again : but if you have the power to hurt, hint modefllvi that, if provoked, you may polTibly have the will too. Fear, when real, and well founded, is, perhaps, a more prevailing motive at courts than love. At court, many more people can hurt than can help you : pleafe the former, but eng ;ge the latter. Awkwardnefs is a more real difadvaiitage than it is generally thought to be ; it often occafions ridicule, it always leilens dignity. A man's c5wn good-breeding is his befl fecurity againfl other people's ill manners. Good-breeding carries along with it a dignity, that is relpe^Ved by the moil: petulant. Ill-breeding invites and authorises the familiarity of the moft timid. No man ever faid a pert thiivg t^ the duke of Marlborough, No man ever faid a civil one (though many a flattering one) to Sir Robert Walpole. When the old clipped money was called in for a new coinage in king William's time, to prevent the like for the future, they ftamped on the edges of the crown- pieces thefe words, Et decus et tutameiu That is exadly the cafe of ^ood- breeding. Knowledge mav give weight, but accompliftiments o.nly give luftre; and many more people fee than weigh. Mod arts require long iiudy and application ; but the mofl ufeful art of all, that of pleafing, requires only the It is to be prefC oed^ that a man of common fenfe, who does not defire to pleafe, defires nothing at all ; fince he muft know that he cannot obtain any thing without it. A (liilful negotiator will mod carefully difllnguifli between the little and the great objeds of his bufinefs, and will be as frank and open in the former as he will be lecret and pertinacious in the latter. He will, by his manners and addrefs, endeavour, at lead, to make his public adverfaries his perfonal friends. He will flatter and engage the man, while he counter- works the minider ; and he will never alienate people's minds from him, by wrangling for points, either abfo- lutely unattainable, or not "worth attaining. He wilt make even a merit of giving up what he could not ot Maxims, 44^ would not carry, nnd fell a trifle for a thoufand times its value. A foreign minider, who is concerned in great affairs, miift neceffarily have fpies in his pay; but he mult not too eafily credit their informations, vvhich are never exactly true, often very falfe. His bed fpies will always be thofe whom he does not pay, but whom he has en- gaged in his fervice by his dexterity and addrefs, and who think themfelves nothing lefs than fpies. There is a certain jargon, which, in French, I (hould call un perjifinge d'affaires^ that a foreign minifter ought to be perfedly niafter of, and may ufe very advan- tageoufly at great entertainments, in, mixed companies, and in all occafions where he mull fpeak, and fliould fay nothing. Well turned and well fpoken, it feems to mean fomething, though in truth it means nothing. It is a kind of political badinage^ which prevents or re- moves a thoufand difficulties, to which a foreign mi- nifter is expofed in mixed converfations. If ever the volto fciolto^ and the penjierijlretti are ne- ceffary, they are fo in thefe affairs. A grave, dark, referved, and myfterious air, h^^sfoenum in cornu. An even, eafy,unembarrafred one, invites confidence, and leaves no room for gue(?es and conjectures. A foreign minifler fhould be a mofl exa6l economift; an expence proportioned to his appointments and for- tune is necelTary : but, on the other hand, debt is in- evitable ruin to him. It finks him into difgrace at the court where he refides, and into the mod fervile and abje6t dependance on the court that fent him. As he cannot relent ill ufage, he is fure to have enough of it. The due de Sully obferves very juftly, in his Me- moirs, that nothing contributed more to his rife than that prudent economy which he had obferved from his youth ; and by which he had always a fum of money before-hand, in cafe of emergencies. It is very difficult to fix the particular point of economy; the beft error of the two is on the parfi- monious fide. That mar be correded, the other can- not. The reputation of generofity is to be purchafed pretty cheap; it does not depend io much upon a man's ge- neral expence, as it does upon his giving handfomely ^•50 Maxbiis, where it is proper to give at all. A man, for inflance, who fliould give a ieivant four iliillings, would pafs for covetous, while he who gave him a crown would be reckoned generous : fo that the difference of thofe two oppolite characters turns upon one fliiiling. A man's charader, in that particular, depends a great deal upon the report of his own fervants ] a mere trifle above common wages makes their report favourable. Take care always to form your eflablifliment {o much within your income, as to leave a fufficient fund for unexpeCled contingences and a prudent liberality. There is hardly a year, in any man's life, in which 2 fmall fum of ready money may not be employed ta great advantage. MAXIMS of the Cardinal de Retz. I. A MIDDLING underflanding, being fufceptiblc of unjuft fufpicions, is, confequently, of all charaders, the lead fit to head a faction — As the mod indifpen fa- ble qualification in fuch a chief is, to fupprefs, on many occafions, and to conceal in all^ even the bed- grounded fufpicions. 2. Nothing animates and gives flrength to a commo- tion fo much as the ridicule of him againft whom it is raifed. 3. Among people ufed to affairs of moment, fecrecy is much lefs uncommon than is generally believed. 4. Defcending to the little is the furell: way of at- taining to an equality with the great. 5. Sufferings, in people of the firft rank, fupply the want of virtue. 6. The greateft powers cannot injure a man's cha- racter, whofe reputation is unblemiflied among his party. 7. We are as often duped by diffidence, as by con- fidence. 8. The greateft evils are not arrived at their utmofl period, until thofe who are in power have loft all fenfe of fliame. At fuch a time, thofe who iliould obey {hake off all refpedl and^ fubordination. Then is le- thargic indolence roufed j but roufed by convulfions. Mazims, 4-5 1 9. A veil ought always to be drawn over whatever may be laid or thought concerning the rights of the people, or of kings; which agree bed when leaft men- lioned *. 10. There are, at times, fituations fo very unfortu- nate, that whatever is undertaken mull be wrong, ^Chance, alone, never throws people into fuch dilem- mas; and they happen only to thofe who bring them upon themfelves. 11. It is more unbecoming a minifter to fay, than to do filly things. 12. The advice given to a minifler by an obnoxious perfon is always thought bad. 13. It is aj> dangerous, and almoft as criminal, with princes, to have the power of doing good, as the will of doing evil. 14. Timorous minds are much more inclined^o de- liberate than to refoJve. 15. It appears ridiculous to aflert, but it is not the lefs true, that at Paris, during popular commotions, the mofi violent will not quit their homes pad a ftated hour. 16. Flexibility is the mofl requifite qualificatton for the management of great affairs. 1 7. It is more difficult for the member of a fadion to live with thofe of his own party, than to ad a^ainft thofe who oppofe it. 18. Violent meafures are always dangerous; but, when neceffary, may then be looked upon as wife. They have, however, the advantage of never being matter of indifFerency ; and, when well concerted, mufl: be decidve. 19. There may be circumftances, in which even prudence dire(5ls us to truft entirely to chance. ^ 20. Every thing in this world has its critical mo- ment; and the height of good conduct confifls in knowing, and feizing it. 21. Profligacy, joined to ridicule, form the molt abominable and mod dangerous of all characters. 22. Weak minds never yield when they ought. 23. Examples taken from pad times have infinitely * This maxim, as well as feveral otliors, evidently prove tUcy Vere writlea by a man lubjeCl to defpotjfjovernmciit. 452 Maxims, more power over tlie minds of men than any of tht age in which they live. Whatever we fee, grows fa* miliar; and perhaps the confiiifliip of Caligula's horfe might not have aftoniflied us fo much as we are apt to imagine. 24. Weak minds are commonly overpowered by clamour. 25. We ought never to contend for what we are not likely to obtain. 26. The indant in which we receive the mod favour- able accounts, is juft that wherein we ought to re- double our vigilance, even in regard to the moft tri- fling circumflances. 27. It is dangerous to have a known influence over the people 3 as thereby we become refponfible even for what is done againft our will. 28. One of the greateft difficulties in civil war is, that more art is required to know what fliould be cori-j ccaled from our friends, than what ought to be done againft our enemies. 29. The poflibility of remedying imprudent a<5lion» is commonly an inducement to commit them. 30. In momentous affairs, no ftep is indifferent. 31. Nothing convinces perfons of a weak under- ftanding fo effedually, as what they do not comprehend. 32. When jfa(5lions are only upon thedefenfive, they ought never to do that which may be delayed. Upon fuch occafions, nothing is fo troublefome as the r^ft- lefTiiefs of fubalterns, v;ho think a itate of inadion tGtal deftrudion. 33. Thofe who head faftions have no \vay of main-- taining their authority, but by preventing or quieting difcontent. 34. A certain degree of fear produces the fame ef- fects as raftinefs. 35. In affairs of importance, the choice of words is of as much confequence as it would be fupeifiuous ia thofe of little moment. 36. During thofe calms which immediately fucceed violent florms, nothing is more difficult for minifters than to a6t properly ; becaufe, while flattery increafes, fufpicipns are not vet fubfidcd, ElEMENTAiLX, [ 453 ] ELEMENTARY BOOKS FOR THE USE OF SCHOOLS, ^ND OF YOUNG PERSONS IN GENERAL, Lately Published by R. PHILLIPS, N^ 71, St. PauPs Church-yard, and to be had of all Booksellers. |fi0ta %tnz.—T/ie ^ant o/ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BOOKS, ly Rcjlte£iuble and Experienced }Vr iters j /tas long been lamented by tvery intelligent Parent and Tutor. 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This work contains the Lives of all the raoft illuftrious Charaifler? of Antiquity, and is free from the prolixity and collateral detail which have hitlierto caufed even the beft tranflations of this excel- lent author to be fo little reliflied by young perfons. Subjoined is an Alphabetical Lift of Proper Names, accurately divided and ac- cented. Price alfo 4s. 6d. neatly bound. IV.— DR. MAVOR'S SYSTEM OF SHORT'IIJND WRITING ; Adapted for every purpofe, and attainable in a feu' hours. This Short-hand i^ that which has been adopted in the Courts of Law, and other public places upwards, of Twenty Years pafu la one volume oclavo, price 7s. 6d. v.— An indifpenfable Book in public and private Libraries, in pu!>iic Subfcription-Rooms, and for the Vi'i*^ of u-Jl Students, Schools, &c. THE UNIVERSAL BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL DICTIONARY, Of all Ag€S and Countries^ And containing TWO THOUSAND Nanus more than are con- tained in the General Biographical Dictionary in fiftpen Vo- ^ Jumes, or in any other Biotgraphica-i Work extant in any Lan- £;iiage. By JOHN WATKINS, A.M. LL.D. In oj^e very large Volume O^avo, conAfting of 900 clofely printed Pages, Price 10s. t3d. in Boards. n 4^5 A AVr^' School-hook'. yi. — ^'4 very Important PeriodicallForkfor Youth of both ' Sexes, WITH USE^JJL AND INTERESTING PRIZES, VALUE^IFTEF.X GUINEAS PER. MONTH. On )}ie Fi'yjl Day of ivery Month is TuhliJJied^ Price One Shillings Pecoraled with Twol Three, or Four Coppcr-Plales, ccloutei J and plain. THE MONTHLY PRECEPTOR; Or, JUVENILE LIBRARY; Adapted tp the capacities of Young Perfons, and defigned ck* prefsly 'as an improved Class-Eook for the Ufe of Schools. • Each Number of this Work contaiasj I. A FAMILIAR Leclure, adapted to the capacities of Youth, on feme ufeful objcd of Science, commencing with fuch Branches of Natural Philofophy as are fuiied to the minds of Yodiig Perfonsj and atterwards treating of the other Sciences in orderfi-*fo that this part of the Work will form^ in due lime, A complete- encyclo- pedia, or circle of the sciences. -• , II- The defcripticn of fome Animal, with entarlammg Anec- dotes cf its Economy, Habits, and Properties — taking the whole' animated creation according to the order and clafli||(p»tioR'of L;;;- ticeus. This department of the Work will confcquently prefent a COMPLETE VIEW of-NATUR'AL HisTORY. III. The life of fome perfon «iminently confpicuous for pietvj virtue, or talents. The Work will, tiiereforc, comprehend .^ feries of INSTRUCTIVE GENER AL Bl O GRAPH Y. IV. 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