letters to his son, 1746-47-第9部分

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present　purpose；　or　often　not　thinking　at　all；　which　silly　and　idle
suspension　of　thought　they　would　dignify　with　the　name　of　ABSENCE　and
DISTRACTION。　　They　go　afterward；　it　may　be；　to　the　play；　where　they　gape
at　the　company　and　the　lights；　but　without　minding　the　very　thing　they
went　to；　the　play。

Pray　do　you　be　as　attentive　to　your　pleasures　as　to　your　studies。　　In
the　latter；　observe　and　reflect　upon　all　you　read；　and；　in　the　former；
be　watchful　and　attentive　to　all　that　you　see　and。　　hear；　and　never　have
it　to　say；　as　a　thousand　fools　do；　of　things　that　were　said　and　done
before　their　faces；　that；　truly；　they　did　not　mind　them；　because　they
were　thinking　of　something　else。　　Why　were　they　thinking　of　something
else？　and　if　they　were；　why　did　they　come　there？　　The　truth　is；　that　the
fools　were　thinking　of　nothing。　　Remember　the　'hoc　age；'　do　what　you　are
about；　be　what　it　will；　it　is　either　worth　doing　well；　or　not　at　all。
Wherever　you　are；　have　（as　the　low　vulgar　expression　is）　your　ears　and
your　eyes　about　you。　　Listen　to　everything　that　is　said；　and　see
everything　that　is　done。　　Observe　the　looks　and　countenances　of　those　who
speak；　which　is　often　a　surer　way　of　discovering　the　truth　than　from　what
they　say。　　But　then　keep　all　those　observations　to　yourself；　for　your　own
private　use；　and　rarely　communicate　them　to　others。　　Observe；　without
being　thought　an　observer；　for　otherwise　people　will　be　upon　their　guard
before　you。

Consider　seriously；　and　follow　carefully；　I　beseech　you；　my　dear　child；
the　advice　which　from　time　to　time　I　have　given；　and　shall　continue　to
give　you；　it　is　at　once　the　result　of　my　long　experience；　and　the　effect
of　my　tenderness　for　you。　　I　can　have　no　interest　in　it　but　yours。
You　are　not　yet　capable　of　wishing　yourself　half　so　well　as　I　wish　you；
follow　therefore；　for　a　time　at　least；　implicitly；　advice　which　you
cannot　suspect；　though　possibly　you　may　not　yet　see　the　particular
advantages　of　it；　but　you　will　one　day　feel　them。　　Adieu。




LETTER　XIX

LONDON；　November　6；　O。　S。　　1747

DEAR　BOY：　Three　mails　are　now　due　from　Holland；　so　that　I　have　no　letter
from　you　to　acknowledge；　I　write　to　you；　therefore；　now；　as　usual；　by　way
of　flapper；　to　put　you　in　mind　of　yourself。　　Doctor　Swift；　in　his　account
of　the　island　of　Laputa；　describes　some　philosophers　there　who　were　so
wrapped　up　and　absorbed　in　their　abstruse　speculations；　that　they　would
have　forgotten　all　the　common　and　necessary　duties　of　life；　if　they　had
not　been　reminded　of　them　by　persons　who　flapped　them；　whenever　they
observed　them　continue　too　long　in　any　of　those　learned　trances。　　I　do
not　indeed　suspect　you　of　being　absorbed　in　abstruse　speculations；　but；
with　great　submission　to　you；　may　I　not　suspect　that　levity；　inattention；
and　too　little　thinking；　require　a　flapper；　as　well　as　too　deep　thinking？
If　my　letters　should　happen　to　get　to　you　when　you　are　sitting　by　the
fire　and　doing　nothing；　or　when　you　are　gaping　at　the　window；　may　they
not　be　very　proper　flaps；　to　put　you　in　mind　that　you　might　employ　your
time　much　better？　　I　knew　once　a　very　covetous；　sordid　fellow；　who　used
frequently　to　say；　〃Take　care　of　the　pence；　for　the　pounds　will　take　care
of　themselves。〃　　This　was　a　just　and　sensible　reflection　in　a　miser。
I　recommend　to　you　to　take　care　of　the　minutes；　for　hours　will　take　care
of　themselves。　　I　am　very　sure；　that　many　people　lose　two　or　three　hours
every　day；　by　not　taking　care　of　the　minutes。　　Never　think　any　portion　of
time　whatsoever　too　short　to　be　employed；　something　or　other　may　always
be　done　in　it。

While　you　are　in　Germany；　let　all　your　historical　studies　be　relative　to
Germany；　not　only　the　general　history　of　the　empire　as　a　collective　body；
but　the　respective　electorates；　principalities；　and　towns；　and　also　the
genealogy　of　the　most　considerable　families。　　A　genealogy　is　no　trifle　in
Germany；　and　they　would　rather　prove　their　two…and…thirty　quarters；　than
two…and…thirty　cardinal　virtues；　if　there　were　so　many。　　They　are　not　of
Ulysses'　opinion；　who　says　very　truly；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Genus　et　proavos；　et　qua　non　fecimus　ipsi；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Vix　ea　nostra　voco。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Good　night。





LETTER　XX

LONDON；　November　24；　O。　S。　　1747

DEAR　BOY：　As　often　as　I　write　to　you　（and　that　you　know　is　pretty　often）；
so　often　I　am　in　doubt　whether　it　is　to　any　purpose；　and　whether　it　is
not　labor　and　paper　lost。　　This　entirely　depends　upon　the　degree　of
reason　and　reflection　which　you　are　master　of；　or　think　proper　to　exert。
If　you　give　yourself　time　to　think；　and　have　sense　enough　to　think　right；
two　reflections　must　necessarily　occur　to　you；　the　one　is；　that　I　have　a
great　deal　of　experience；　and　that　you　have　none：　the　other　is；　that　I　am
the　only　man　living　who　cannot　have；　directly　or　indirectly；　any　interest
concerning　you；　but　your　own。　　From　which　two　undeniable　principles；　the
obvious　and　necessary　conclusion　is；　that　you　ought；　for　your　own　sake；
to　attend　to　and　follow　my　advice。

If；　by　the　application　which　I　recommend　to　you；　you　acquire　great
knowledge；　you　alone　are　the　gainer；　I　pay　for　it。　　If　you　should　deserve
either　a　good　or　a　bad　character；　mine　will　be　exactly　what　it　is　now；
and　will　neither　be　the　better　in　the　first　case；　nor　worse　in　the
latter。　　You　alone　will　be　the　gainer　or　the　loser。

Whatever　your　pleasures　may　be；　I　neither　can　nor　shall　envy　you　them；
as　old　people　are　sometimes　suspected　by　young　people　to　do；　and　I　shall
only　lament；　if　they　should　prove　such　as　are　unbecoming　a　man　of　honor；
or　below　a　man　of　sense。　　But　you　will　be　the　real　sufferer；　if　they　are
such。　　As　therefore；　it　is　plain　that　I　can　have　no　other　motive　than
that　of　affection　in　whatever　I　say　to　you；　you　ought　to　look　upon　me　as
your　best；　and；　for　some　years　to　come；　your　only　friend。

True　friendship　requires　certain　proportions　of　age　and　manners；　and　can
never　subsist　where　they　are　extremely　different；　except　in　the　relations
of　parent　and　child；　where　affection　on　one　side；　and　regard　on　the
other；　make　up　the　difference。　　The　friendship　which　you　may　contract
with　people　of　your　own　age　may　be　sincere；　may　be　warm；　but　must　be；
for　some　time；　reciprocally　unprofitable；　as　there　can　be　no　experience
on　either　side。　　The　young　leading　the　young；　is　like　the　blind　leading
the　blind；　（they　will　both　fall　into　the　ditch。）　The　only　sure　guide　is；
he　who　has　often　gone　the　road　which　you　want　to　go。　　Let　me　be　that
guide；　who　have　gone　all　roads；　and　who　can　consequently　point　out　to　you
the　best。　　If　you　ask　me　why　I　went　any　of　the　bad　roads　myself；　I　will
answer　you　very　truly；　That　it　was　for　want　of　a　good　guide：　ill　example
invited　me　one　way；　and　a　good　guide　was　wanting　to　show　me　a　better。
But　if　anybody；　capable　of　advising　me；　had　taken　the　same　pains　with　me；
which　I　have　taken；　and　will　continue　to　take　with　you；　I　should　have
avoided　many　follies　and　inconveniences；　which　undirected　youth　run　me
into。　　My　father　was　neither　desirous　nor　able　to　advise　me；　which　is
what；　I　hope；　you　cannot　say　of　yours。　　You　see　that　I　make　use；　only　of
the　word　advice；　because　I　would　much　rather　have　the　assent　of　your
reason　to　my　advice；　than　the　submission　of　your　will　to　my；　authority。
This；　I　persuade　myself；　will　happen；　from　that　degree　of　sense　which　I
think　you　have；　and　therefore　I　will　go　on　advising；　and　with　hopes　of
success。

You　are　now　settled　for　some　time　at　Leipsig；　the　principal　object　of
your　stay　there　is　the　knowledge　of　books　and　sciences；　which　if　you　do
not；　by　attention　and　application；　make　yourself　master　of　while　you　are
there；　you　will　be　ignorant　of　them　all　the　rest　of　your　life；　and；　take
my　word　for　it；　a　life　of　ignorance　is　not　only　a　very　contemptible；　but
a　very　tiresome　one。　　Redouble　your　attention；　then；　to　Mr。　Harte；　in
your　private　studies　of　the　'Literae　Humaniores；'　especially　Greek。
State　your　difficulties；　whenever　you　have　any；　and　do　not　suppress　them；
either　from　mistaken　shame；　lazy　indifference；　or　in　order　to　have　done
the　sooner。　　Do　the　same　when　you　are　at　lectures　with　Professor　Mascow；
or　any　other　professor；　let　nothing　pass　till　you　are　sure　that　you
understand　it　thoroughly；　and　accustom　yourself　to　write　down　the　capital
points　of　what　you　learn。　　When　you　have　thus　usefully　employed　your
mornings；　you　may；　with　a　safe　conscience；　divert　yourself　in　the
evenings；　and　make　those　evenings　very　useful　too；　by　passing　them　in
good　company；　and；　by　observation　and　attention；　learning　as　much　of　the
world　as　Leipsig　can　teach　you。　　You　will　observe　and　imitate　the　manners
of　the　people　of　the　best　fashion　there；　not　that　they　are　（it　may　be）
the　best　manners　in　the　world；　but　because　they　are　the　best　manners　of
the　place　where　you　are；　to　which　a　man　of　sense　always　conforms。　　The
nature　of　things　（as　I　have　often　told　you）　is　always　and　everywhere　the
same；　but　the　modes　of　them　vary　more　or　less；　in　every　country；　and　an
easy　and　genteel　conformity　to　them；　or　rather　the　assuming　of　them　at
proper　times；　and　in　proper　places；　is　what　particularly　constitutes　a
man　of　t