letters to his son, 1746-47-第4部分

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may　have　it　if　you　will；　it　is　in　every　man's　power；　and　miserable　is　the
man　who　has　it　not。　　Good　sense　God　has　given　you。　　Learning　you　already
possess　enough　of；　to　have；　in　a　reasonable　time；　all　that　a　man　need
have。　　With　this；　you　are　thrown　out　early　into　the　world；　where　it　will
be　your　own　fault　if　you　do　not　acquire　all；　the　other　accomplishments
necessary　to　complete　and　adorn　your　character。　　You　will　do　well　to　make
your　compliments　to　Madame　St。　Germain　and　Monsieur　Pampigny；　and　tell
them；　how　sensible　you　are　of　their　partiality　to　you；　in　the　advantageous
testimonies　which；　you　are　informed；　they　have　given　of　you　here。

Adieu。　　Continue　to　deserve　such　testimonies；　and　then　you　will　not　only
deserve；　but　enjoy　my　truest　affection。




LETTER　VII

LONDON；　March　27；　O。　S。　　1747。

DEAR　BOY：　Pleasure　is　the　rock　which　most　young　people　split　upon：　they
launch　out　with　crowded　sails　in　quest　of　it；　but　without　a　compass　to
direct　their　course；　or　reason　sufficient　to　steer　the　vessel；　for　want
of　which；　pain　and　shame；　instead　of　pleasure；　are　the　returns　of　their
voyage。　　Do　not　think　that　I　mean　to　snarl　at　pleasure；　like　a　Stoic；
or　to　preach　against　it；　like　a　parson；　no；　I　mean　to　point　it　out；
and　recommend　it　to　you；　like　an　Epicurean：　I　wish　you　a　great　deal；
and　my　only　view　is　to　hinder　you　from　mistaking　it。

The　character　which　most　young　men　first　aim　at；　is　that　of　a　man　of
pleasure；　but　they　generally　take　it　upon　trust；　and　instead　of
consulting　their　own　taste　and　inclinations；　they　blindly　adopt　whatever
those　with　whom　they　chiefly　converse；　are　pleased　to　call　by　the　name　of
pleasure；　and　a　man　of　pleasure　in　the　vulgar　acceptation　of　that　phrase；
means　only；　a　beastly　drunkard；　an　abandoned　whoremaster；　and　a
profligate　swearer　and　curser。　　As　it　may　be　of　use　to　you。　　I　am　not
unwilling；　though　at　the　same　time　ashamed　to　own；　that　the　vices　of　my
youth　proceeded　much　more　from　my　silly　resolution　of　being；　what　I　heard
called　a　man　of　pleasure；　than　from　my　own　inclinations。　　I　always
naturally　hated　drinking；　and　yet　I　have　often　drunk；　with　disgust　at　the
time；　attended　by　great　sickness　the　next　day；　only　because　I　then
considered　drinking　as　a　necessary　qualification　for　a　fine　gentleman；
and　a　man　of　pleasure。

The　same　as　to　gaming。　　I　did　not　want　money；　and　consequently　had　no
occasion　to　play　for　it；　but　I　thought　play　another　necessary　ingredient
in　the　composition　of　a　man　of　pleasure；　and　accordingly　I　plunged　into
it　without　desire；　at　first；　sacrificed　a　thousand　real　pleasures　to　it；
and　made　myself　solidly　uneasy　by　it；　for　thirty　the　best　years　of　my
life。

I　was　even　absurd　enough；　for　a　little　while；　to　swear；　by　way　of
adorning　and　completing　the　shining　character　which　I　affected；　but　this
folly　I　soon　laid　aside；　upon　finding　berth　the　guilt　and　the　indecency
of　it。

Thus　seduced　by　fashion；　and　blindly　adopting　nominal　pleasures；　I　lost
real　ones；　and　my　fortune　impaired；　and　my　constitution　shattered；　are；
I　must　confess；　the　just　punishment　of　my　errors。

Take　warning　then　by　them：　choose　your　pleasures　for　yourself；　and　do　not
let　them　be　imposed　upon　you。　　Follow　nature　and　not　fashion：　weigh　the
present　enjoyment　of　your　pleasures　against　the　necessary　consequences　of
them；　and　then　let　your　own　common　sense　determine　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；　not　of　imaginary　pleasures。　　I　would
enjoy　the　pleasures　of　the　table；　and　of　wine；　but　stop　short　of　the
pains　inseparably　annexed　to　an　excess　of　either。　　I　would　not；　at　twenty
years；　be　a　preaching　missionary　of　abstemiousness　and　sobriety；　and　I
should　let　other　people　do　as　they　would；　without　formally　and
sententiously　rebuking　them　for　it；　but　I　would　be　most　firmly　resolved
not　to　destroy　my　own　faculties　and　constitution；　in　complaisance　to
those　who　have　no　regard　to　their　own。　　I　would　play　to　give　me　pleasure；
but　not　to　give　me　pain；　that　is；　I　would　play　for　trifles；　in　mixed
companies；　to　amuse　myself；　and　conform　to　custom；　but　I　would　take　care
not　to　venture　for　sums；　which；　if　I　won；　I　should　not　be　the　better　for；
but；　if　I　lost；　should　be　under　a　difficulty　to　pay：　and　when　paid；　would
oblige　me　to　retrench　in　several　other　articles。　　Not　to　mention　the
quarrels　which　deep　play　commonly　occasions。

I　would　pass　some　of　my　time　in　reading；　and　the　rest　in　the　company　of
people　of　sense　and　learning；　and　chiefly　those　above　me；　and　I　would
frequent　the　mixed　companies　of　men　and　women　of　fashion；　which；　though
often　frivolous；　yet　they　unbend　and　refresh　the　mind；　not　uselessly；
because　they　certainly　polish　and　soften　the　manners。

These　would　be　my　pleasures　and　amusements；　if　I　were　to　live　the　last
thirty　years　over　again；　they　are　rational　ones；　and；　moreover；　I　will
tell　you；　they　are　really　the　fashionable　ones；　for　the　others　are　not；
in　truth；　the　pleasures　of　what　I　call　people　of　fashion；　but　of　those
who　only　call　themselves　so。　　Does　good　company　care　to　have　a　man
reeling　drunk　among　them？　　Or　to　see　another　tearing　his　hair；　and
blaspheming；　for　having　lost；　at　play；　more　than　he　is　able　to　pay？
Or　a　whoremaster　with　half　a　nose；　and　crippled　by　coarse　and　infamous
debauchery？　　No；　those　who　practice；　and　much　more　those　who　brag　of
them；　make　no　part　of　good　company；　and　are　most　unwillingly；　if　ever；
admitted　into　it。　　A　real　man　of　fashion　and　pleasures　observes　decency：
at　least　neither　borrows　nor　affects　vices：　and　if　he　unfortunately　has
any；　he　gratifies　them　with　choice；　delicacy；　and　secrecy。

I　have　not　mentioned　the　pleasures　of　the　mind　（which　are　the　solid　and
permanent　ones）；　because　they　do　not　come　under　the　head　of　what　people
commonly　call　pleasures；　which　they　seem　to　confine　to　the　senses。　　The
pleasure　of　virtue；　of　charity；　and　of　learning　is　true　and　lasting
pleasure；　with　which　I　hope　you　will　be　well　and　long　acquainted。　　Adieu！




LETTER　VIII

LONDON；　April　3；　O。　S。　　1747

DEAR　BOY：　If　I　am　rightly　informed；　I　am　now　writing　to　a　fine　gentleman；
in　a　scarlet　coat　laced　with　gold；　a　brocade　waistcoat；　and　all　other
suitable　ornaments。　　The　natural　partiality　of　every　author　for　his　own
works　makes　me　very　glad　to　hear　that　Mr。　Harte　has　thought　this　last
edition　of　mine　worth　so　fine　a　binding；　and；　as　he　has　bound　it　in　red；
and　gilt　it　upon　the　back；　I　hope　he　will　take　care　that　it　shall　be
LETTERED　too。　　A　showish　binding　attracts　the　eyes；　and　engages　the
attention　of　everybody；　but　with　this　difference；　that　women；　and　men　who
are　like　women；　mind　the　binding　more　than　the　book；　whereas　men　of　sense
and　learning　immediately　examine　the　inside；　and　if　they　find　that　it
does　not　answer　the　finery　on　the　outside；　they　throw　it　by　with　the
greater　indignation　and　contempt。　　I　hope　that；　when　this　edition　of　my
works　shall　be　opened　and　read；　the　best　judges　will　find　connection；
consistency；　solidity；　and　spirit　in　it。　　Mr。　Harte　may　'recensere'　and
'emendare；'　as　much　as　he　pleases；　but　it　will　be　to　little　purpose；　if
you　do　not　cooperate　with　him。　　The　work　will　be　imperfect。

I　thank　you　for　your　last　information　of　our　success　in　the
Mediterranean；　and　you　say　very　rightly　that　a　secretary　of　state　ought
to　be　well　informed。　　I　hope；　therefore；　you　will　take　care　that　I　shall。
You　are　near　the　busy　scene　in　Italy；　and　I　doubt　not　but　that；　by
frequently　looking　at　the　map；　you　have　all　that　theatre　of　the　war　very
perfect　in　your　mind。

I　like　your　account　of　the　salt　works；　which　shows　that　you　gave　some
attention　while　you　were　seeing　them。　　But　notwithstanding　that；　by　your
account；　the　Swiss　salt　is　（I　dare　say）　very　good；　yet　I　am　apt　to
suspect　that　it　falls　a　little　short　of　the　true　Attic　salt　in　which
there　was　a　peculiar　quickness　and　delicacy。　　That　same　Attic　salt
seasoned　almost　all　Greece；　except　Boeotia；　and　a　great　deal　of　it　was
exported　afterward　to　Rome；　where　it　was　counterfeited　by　a　composition
called　Urbanity；　which　in　some　time　was　brought　to　very　near　the
perfection　of　the　original　Attic　salt。　　The　more　you　are　powdered　with
these　two　kinds　of　salt；　the　better　you　will　keep；　and　the　more　you　will
be　relished。

Adieu！　　My　compliments　to　Mr。　Harte　and　Mr。　Eliot。




LETTER　IX

LONDON；　April　14；　O。　S。　　1747。

DEAR　BOY：　If　you　feel　half　the　pleasure　from　the　consciousness　of　doing
well；　that　I　do　from　the　informations　I　have　lately　received　in　your
favor　from　Mr。　Harte；　I　shall　have　little　occasion　to　exhort　or　admonish
you　any　more　to　do　what　your　own　satisfaction　and　self　love　will
sufficiently　prompt　you　to。　　Mr。　Harte　tells　me　that　you　attend；　that　you
apply　to　your　studies；　and　that　beginning　to　understand；　you　begin　to
taste　them。　　This　pleasure　will　increase；　and　keep　pace　with　your
attention；　so　that　the　balance　will　be　greatly　to　your　advantage。　　You
may　remember；　that　I　have　always　earnestly　recommended　to　you；　to　do　what
you　are　about；　be　that　what　it　will；　and　to　do　nothing　else　at　the　same
time。　　Do　not　imagine　that　I　mean　by　this；　that　you　should　attend　to　and
plod　at　your