letters to his son, 1748-第27部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


very　awkward　air。　　When　you　are　once　well　dressed　for　the　day　think　no　more　of　it　afterward；　and；　without　any　stiffness　for　fear　of　discomposing　that　dress；　let　all　your　motions　be　as　easy　and　natural　as　if　you　had　no　clothes　on　at　all。　　So　much　for　dress；　which　I　maintain　to　be　a　thing　of　consequence　in　the　polite　world。

As　to　manners；　good…breeding；　and　the　Graces；　I　have　so　often　entertained　you　upon　those　important　subjects；　that　I　can　add　nothing　to　what　I　have　formerly　said。　　Your　own　good　sense　will　suggest　to　you　the　substance　of　them；　and　observation；　experience；　and　good　company；　the　several　modes　of　them。　　Your　great　vivacity；　which　I　hear　of　from　many　people；　will　be　no　hindrance　to　your　pleasing　in　good　company：　on　the　contrary；　will　be　of　use　to　you；　if　tempered　by　good…breeding　and　accompanied　by　the　Graces。　But　then；　I　suppose　your　vivacity　to　be　a　vivacity　of　parts；　and　not　a　constitutional　restlessness；　for　the　most　disagreeable　composition　that　I　know　in　the　world；　is　that　of　strong　animal　spirits；　with　a　cold　genius。　Such　a　fellow　is　troublesomely　active；　frivolously　busy；　foolishly　lively；　talks　much　with　little　meaning；　and　laughs　more；　with　less　reason　whereas；　in　my　opinion；　a　warm　and　lively　genius　with　a　cool　constitution；　is　the　perfection　of　human　nature。

Do　what　you　will　at　Berlin；　provided　you　do　but　do　something　all　day　long。　　All　that　I　desire　of　you　is；　that　you　will　never　slattern　away　one　minute　in　idleness　and　in　doing　of　nothing。　　When　you　are　（not）in　company；　learn　what　either　books；　masters；　or　Mr。　Harte；　can　teach　you；　and　when　you　are　in　company；　learn　（what　company　can　only　teach　you）　the　characters　and　manners　of　mankind。　　I　really　ask　your　pardon　for　giving　you　this　advice；　because；　if　you　are　a　rational　creature　and　thinking　being；　as　I　suppose；　and　verily　believe　you　are；　it　must　be　unnecessary；　and　to　a　certain　degree　injurious。　　If　I　did　not　know　by　experience；　that　some　men　pass　their　whole　time　in　doing　nothing；　I　should　not　think　it　possible　for　any　being；　superior　to　Monsieur　Descartes'　automatons；　to　squander　away；　in　absolute　idleness；　one　single　minute　of　that　small　portion　of　time　which　is　allotted　us　in　this　world。

I　have　lately　seen　one　Mr。　Cranmer；　a　very　sensible　merchant；　who　told　me　that　he　had　dined　with　you；　and　seen　you　often　at　Leipsig。　　And　yesterday　I　saw　an　old　footman　of　mine；　whom　I　made　a　messenger；　who　told　me　that　he　had　seen　you　last　August。　　You　will　easily　imagine；　that　I　was　not　the　less　glad　to　see　them　because　they　had　seen　you；　and　I　examined　them　both　narrowly；　in　their　respective　departments；　the　former　as　to　your　mind；　the　latter；　as　to　your　body。　　Mr。　Cranmer　gave　me　great　satisfaction；　not　only　by　what　he　told　me　of　himself　concerning　you；　but　by　what　he　was　commissioned　to　tell　me　from　Mr。　Mascow。　　As　he　speaks　German　perfectly　himself；　I　asked　him　how　you　spoke　it；　and　he　assured　me　very　well　for　the　time；　and　that　a　very　little　more　practice　would　make　you　perfectly　master　of　it。　　The　messenger　told　me　that　you　were　much　grown；　and；　to　the　best　of　his　guess；　within　two　inches　as　tall　as　I　am；　that　you　were　plump；　and　looked　healthy　and　strong；　which　was　all　that　I　could　expect；　or　hope；　from　the　sagacity　of　the　person。

I　send　you；　my　dear　child　（and　you　will　not　doubt　it）；　very　sincerely；　the　wishes　of　the　season。　　May　you　deserve　a　great　number　of　happy　New…　years；　and；　if　you　deserve；　may　you　have　them。　　Many　New…years；　indeed；　you　may　see；　but　happy　ones　you　cannot　see　without　deserving　them。　These；　virtue；　honor；　and　knowledge；　alone　can　merit；　alone　can　procure；　'Dii　tibi　dent　annos；　de　te　nam　cetera　sumes'；　was　a　pretty　piece　of　poetical　flattery；　where　it　was　said：　I　hope　that；　in　time；　it　may　be　no　flattery　when　said　to　you。　　But　I　assure　you；　that　wherever　I　cannot　apply　the　latter　part　of　the　line　to　you　with　truth；　I　shall　neither　say；　think；　or　wish　the　former。　　Adieu！








End