letters to his son, 1748-第4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！


sire　a　subject；　pray　send　me　an　account　of　the　Lutheran　establishment　in　Germany；　their　religious　tenets；　their　church　government；　the　maintenance；　authority；　and　titles　of　their　clergy。

'Vittorio　Siri'；　complete；　is　a　very　scarce　and　very　dear　book　here；　but　I　do　not　want　it。　　If　your　own　library　grows　too　voluminous；　you　will　not　know　what　to　do　with　it；　when　you　leave　Leipsig。　　Your　best　way　will　be；　when　you　go　away　from　thence；　to　send　to　England；　by　Hamburg；　all　the　books　that　you　do　not　absolutely　want。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yours。




LETTER　XXXI

BATH；　March　1；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　By　Mr。　Harte's　letter　to　Mr。　Grevenkop；　of　the　21st　February；　N。　S。；　I　find　that　you　had　been　a　great　while　without　receiving　any　letters　from　me；　but　by　this　time；　I　daresay　you　think　you　have　received　enough；　and　possibly　more　than　you　have　read；　for　I　am　not　only　a　frequent；　but　a　prolix　correspondent。

Mr。　Harte　says；　in　that　letter；　that　he　looks　upon　Professor　Mascow　to　be　one　of　the　ablest　men　in　Europe；　in　treaty　and　political　knowledge。　　I　am　extremely　glad　of　it；　for　that　is　what　I　would　have　you　particularly　apply　to；　and　make　yourself　perfect　master　of。　　The　treaty　part　you　must　chiefly　acquire　by　reading　the　treaties　themselves；　and　the　histories　and　memoirs　relative　to　them；　not　but　that　inquiries　and　conversations　upon　those　treaties　will　help　you　greatly；　and　imprint　them　better　in　your　mind。　　In　this　course　of　reading；　do　not　perplex　yourself；　at　first；　by　the　multitude　of　insignificant　treaties　which　are　to　be　found　in　the　Corps　Diplomatique；　but　stick　to　the　material　ones；　which　altered　the　state　of　Europe；　and　made　a　new　arrangement　among　the　great　powers；　such　as　the　treaties　of　Munster；　Nimeguen；　Ryswick；　and　Utrecht。

But　there　is　one　part　of　political　knowledge；　which　is　only　to　be　had　by　inquiry　and　conversation；　that　is；　the　present　state　of　every　power　in　Europe；　with　regard　to　the　three　important　points；　of　strength；　revenue；　and　commerce。　　You　will；　therefore；　do　well；　while　you　are　in　Germany；　to　inform　yourself　carefully　of　the　military　force；　the　revenues；　and　the　commerce　of　every　prince　and　state　of　the　empire；　and　to　write　down　those　informations　in　a　little　book；　for　that　particular　purpose。　　To　give　you　a　specimen　of　what　I　mean：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ELECTORATE　OF　HANOVER

　　　　　The　revenue　is　about　L500；000　a　year。

　　　　　The　military　establishment；　in　time　of　war；　may　be　about　25；000　men；　　　　　　but　that　is　the　utmost。

　　　　　The　trade　is　chiefly　linens；　exported　from　Stade。

　　　　　There　are　coarse　woolen　manufactures　for　home…consumption。

　　　　　The　mines　of　Hartz　produce　about　L100；000　in　silver；　annually。


Such　informations　you　may　very　easily　get；　by　proper　inquiries；　of　every　state　in　Germany　if　you　will　but　prefer　useful　to　frivolous　conversations。

There　are　many　princes　in　Germany；　who　keep　very　few　or　no　troops；　unless　upon　the　approach　of　danger；　or　for　the　sake　of　profit；　by　letting　them　out　for　subsidies；　to　great　powers：　In　that　case；　you　will　inform　yourself　what　number　of　troops　they　could　raise；　either　for　their　own　defense；　or　furnish　to　other　powers　for　subsidies。

There　is　very　little　trouble；　and　an　infinite　use；　in　acquiring　of　this　knowledge。　　It　seems　to　me　even　to　be　a　more　entertaining　subject　to　talk　upon；　than　'la　pluie　et　le　beau　tens'。

Though　I　am　sensible　that　these　things　cannot　be　known　with　the　utmost　exactness；　at　least　by　you　yet；　you　may；　however；　get　so　near　the　truth；　that　the　difference　will　be　very　immaterial。

Pray　let　me　know　if　the　Roman　Catholic　worship　is　tolerated　in　Saxony；　anywhere　but　at　Court；　and　if　public　mass…houses　are　allowed　anywhere　else　in　the　electorate。　　Are　the　regular　Romish　clergy　allowed；　and　have　they　any　convents？

Are　there　any　military　orders　in　Saxony；　and　what？　　Is　the　White　Eagle　a　Saxon　or　a　Polish　order？　　Upon　what　occasion；　and　when　was　it　founded？　What　number　of　knights？

Adieu！　God　bless　you；　and　may　you　turn　out　what　I　wish！




LETTER　XXXII

BATH；　March　9；　O。　S。　　1748。

DEAR　BOY：　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；　SACRIFICE　TO　THE　GRACES。　　The　different　effects　of　the　same　things；　said　or　done；　when　accompanied　or　abandoned　by　them；　is　almost　inconceivable。　　They　prepare　the　way　to　the　heart；　and　the　heart　has　such　an　influence　over　the　understanding；　that　it　is　worth　while　to　engage　it　in　our　interest。　It　is　the　whole　of　women；　who　are　guided　by　nothing　else：　and　it　has　so　much　to　say；　even　with　men；　and　the　ablest　men　too；　that　it　commonly　triumphs　in　every　struggle　with　the　understanding。　　Monsieur　de　Rochefoucault；　in　his　〃Maxims；〃　says；　that　'l'esprit　est　souvent　la　dupe　du　coeur。'　　If　he　had　said；　instead　of　'souvent；　tresque　toujours'；　I　fear　he　would　have　been　nearer　the　truth。　　This　being　the　case；　aim　at　the　heart。　　Intrinsic　merit　alone　will　not　do；　it　will　gain　you　the　general　esteem　of　all；　but　not　the　particular　affection；　that　is；　the　heart　of　any。　　To　engage　the　affections　of　any　particular　person；　you　must；　over　and　above　your　general　merit；　have　some　particular　merit　to　that　person　by　services　done；　or　offered；　by　expressions　of　regard　and　esteem；　by　complaisance；　attentions；　etc。；　for　him。　　And　the　graceful　manner　of　doing　all　these　things　opens　the　way　to　the　heart；　and　facilitates；　or　rather　insures；　their　effects。　　From　your　own　observation；　reflect　what　a　disagreeable　impression　an　awkward　address；　a　slovenly　figure；　an　ungraceful　manner　of　speaking；　whether　stuttering；　muttering；　monotony；　or　drawling；　an　unattentive　behavior；　etc。；　make　upon　you；　at　first　sight；　in　a　stranger；　and　how　they　prejudice　you　against　him；　though　for　aught　you　know；　he　may　have　great　intrinsic　sense　and　merit。　　And　reflect；　on　the　other　hand；　how　much　the　opposites　of　all　these　things　prepossess　you；　at　first　sight；　in　favor　of　those　who　enjoy　them。　　You　wish　to　find　all　good　qualities　in　them；　and　are　in　some　degree　disappointed　if　you　do　not。　　A　thousand　little　things；　not　separately　to　be　defined；　conspire　to　form　these　graces；　this　je　ne　sais　quoi；　that　always　please。　　A　pretty　person；　genteel　motions；　a　proper　degree　of　dress；　an　harmonious　voice；　something　open　and　cheerful　in　the　countenance；　but　without　laughing；　a　distinct　and　properly　varied　manner　of　speaking：　All　these　things；　and　many　others；　are　necessary　ingredients　in　the　composition　of　the　pleasing　je　ne　sais　quoi；　which　everybody　feels；　though　nobody　can　describe。　　Observe　carefully；　then；　what　displeases　or　pleases　you　in　others；　and　be　persuaded；　that　in　general；　the　same　things　will　please　or　displease　them　in　you。　　Having　mentioned　laughing；　I　must　particularly　warn　you　against　it：　and　I　could　heartily　wish；　that　you　may　often　be　seen　to　smile；　but　never　heard　to　laugh　while　you　live。　　Frequent　and　loud　laughter　is　the　characteristic　of　folly　and　in　manners；　it　is　the　manner　in　which　the　mob　express　their　silly　joy　at　silly　things；　and　they　call　it　being　merry。　　In　my　mind；　there　is　nothing　so　illiberal；　and　so　ill…bred；　as　audible　laughter。　　True　wit；　or　sense；　never　yet　made　anybody　laugh；　they　are　above　it：　They　please　the　mind；　and　give　a　cheerfulness　to　the　countenance。　　But　it　is　low　buffoonery；　or　silly　accidents；　that　always　excite　laughter；　and　that　is　what　people　of　sense　and　breeding　should　show　themselves　above。　　A　man's　going　to　sit　down；　in　the　supposition　that　he　has　a　chair　behind　him；　and　falling　down　upon　his　breech　for　want　of　one；　sets　a　whole　company　a　laughing；　when　all　the　wit　in　the　world　would　not　do　it；　a　plain　proof；　in　my　mind；　how　low　and　unbecoming　a　thing　laughter　is：　not　to　mention　the　disagreeable　noise　that　it　makes；　and　the　shocking　distortion　of　the　face　that　it　occasions。　　Laughter　is　easily　restrained；　by　a　very　little　reflection；　but　as　it　is　generally　connected　with　the　idea　of　gaiety；　people　do　not　enough　attend　to　its　absurdity。　　I　am　neither　of　a　melancholy　nor　a　cynical　disposition；　and　am　as　willing　and　as　apt　to　be　pleased　as　anybody；　but　I　am　sure　that；　since　I　have　had　the　full　use　of　my　reason；　nobody　has　ever　heard　me　laugh。　　Many　people；　at　first；　from　awkwardness　and　'mauvaise　honte'；　have　got　a　very　disagreeable　and　silly　trick　of　laughing　whenever　they　speak；　and　I　know　a　man　of　very　good　parts；　Mr。　Waller；　who　cannot　say　the　commonest　thing　without　laughing；　which　makes　those；　who　do　not　know　him；　take　him　at　first　for　a　natural　fool。　　This；　and　many　other　very　disagreeable　habits；　are　owing　to　mauvaise　honte　at　their　first　setting　out　in　the　world。　　They　are　ashamed　in　company；　and　so　disconcerted；　that　they　do　not　know　what　they　do；　and　try　a　thousand　tricks　to　keep　themselves　in　countenance；　which　tricks　afterward　grow　habitual　to　them。　　Some　put　their　fingers　in　their　nose；　others　scratch　their　heads；　others　twirl　their　hats；　in　short；　every　awkward；　ill…bred　body　has　his　trick。　　But　the　frequency　does　not　justify　the　thing；　and　all　these　vulgar　habits　and　awkwardnesses；　though　not　criminal　indeed；　are　most　carefully　to　be　guarded　against；　as　they　are　great　bars　in　the　way　of　the　art　of　pleasing。　　Remember；　that　to　please　is　almost　to　pre