,,letters ,,to ,,his ,,son              
#agdf-agdg                        ,by   
the ,,earl ,,of ,,chesterfield          
on the ,fine ,art of becoming a         
,,man ,,of ,,the ,,world                
and a                                   
,,gentleman    ,,pg ,editor's ,notes3   
,o4 ,s4 and ,n4 ,s43 ,on consultation   
with several specialists ,i have learned
 that the abbreviations ,o4 ,s4 and ,n4 
,s4 relate to the difference between the
 old ,julian calender used in ,england  
and the ,gregorian calender which was   
the standard in ,europe4 ,in the mid    
#ahth century it is said that this once 
amounted to a difference of eleven days4
 ,to keep track of the chronology of    
letters back and forth from ,england to 
,france or other countries in mainland  
,europe1 ,chesterfield inserted in dates
 the designation ,o4 ,s4 7old style7 and
 ,n4 ,s4 7new style74  ,chesterfield    
demonstrates his classical education by 
frequent words and sometimes entire     
paragraphs in various languages4 ,in the

 #aija text these were in italics2 in   
this etext edition ,i have substituted  
single quotation marks around these1 as 
in #8bon mot'1 and not attempted to     
include the various accent marks of all 
the languages4  ,only obvious           
typographical errors have been          
corrected4 ,the original and            
occasionally variable spelling is       
retained throughout4 ,d4,w4             
,,special ,,introduction  ,the proud    
,lord ,chesterfield would have turned in
 his grave had he known that he was to  
go down to posterity as a teacher and   
preacher of the gospel of not grace1    
but--8the graces1 the graces1 the       
graces40 ,natural gifts1 social status1 
open opportunities1 and his ambition1   
all conspired to destine him for high   
statesmanship4 ,if anything was lacking 
in his qualifications1 he had the pluck 
and good sense to work hard and         
persistently until the deficiency was   
made up4 ,something remained lacking1   
and not all his consummate mastery of   

arts could conceal that conspicuous     
want1--the want of heart4  ,teacher and 
preacher he assuredly is1 and long will 
be1 yet no thanks are his due from a    
posterity of the common people whom he  
so sublimely despised4 ,his pious       
mission was not to raise the level of   
the multitude1 but to lift a single     
individual upon a pedestal so high that 
his lowly origin should not betray      
itself4 ,that individual was his1 ,lord 
,chesterfield's1 illegitimate son1 whose
 inferior blood should be given the true
 blue hue by concentrating upon him all 
the externals of aristocratic education4
  ,never had pupil so devoted1          
persistent1 lavish1 and brilliant a     
guide1 philosopher1 and friend1 for the 
parental relation was shrewdly merged in
 these4 ,never were devotion and uphill 
struggle against doubts of success more 
bitterly repaid4 ,philip ,stanhope was  
born in #agcb1 when his father was      
thirty-eight4 ,he absorbed readily      
enough the solids of the ideal education

 supplied him1 but1 by perversity of    
fate1 he cared not a fig for 8the       
graces1 the graces1 the graces10 which  
his father so wisely deemed by far the  
superior qualities to be cultivated by  
the budding courtier and statesman4 ,a  
few years of minor services to his      
country were rendered1 though           
,chesterfield was breaking his          
substitute for a heart because his son  
could not or would not play the         
superfine gentleman--on the paternal    
model1 and then came the news of his    
death1 when only thirty-six4 ,what was a
 still greater shock to the lordly      
father1 now deaf1 gouty1 fretful1 and at
 outs with the world1 his informant     
reported that she had been secretly     
married for several years to ,young     
,hopeful1 and was left penniless with   
two boys4 ,lord ,chesterfield was above 
all things a practical philosopher1 as  
hard and as exquisitely rounded and     
polished as a granite column4 ,he       
accepted the vanishing of his lifelong  

dream with the admirable stolidity of a 
fatalist1 and in those last days of his 
radically artificial life he disclosed a
 welcome tenderness1 a touch of the     
divine1 none the less so for being      
common duty1 shown in the few brief     
letters to his son's widow and to 8our  
boys40 ,this1 and his enviable gift of  
being able to view the downs as well as 
the ups of life in the consoling        
humorous light1 must modify the sterner 
judgment so easily passed upon his      
characteristic inculcation1 if not      
practice1 of heartlessness4  ,the       
thirteenth-century mother church in the 
town from which ,lord ,chesterfield's   
title came has a peculiar steeple1      
graceful in its lines1 but it points    
askew1 from whatever quarter it is seen4
 ,the writer of these ,letters1 which he
 never dreamed would be published1 is   
the best self-portrayed ,gentleman in   
literature4 ,in everything he was       
naturally a stylist1 perfected by       
assiduous art1 yet the graceful steeple 

is somehow warped out of the beauty of  
the perpendicular4 ,his ideal ,gentleman
 is the frigid product of a rigid       
mechanical drill1 with the mien of a    
posture master1 the skin-deep           
graciousness of a ,french ,marechal1 the
 calculating adventurer who cuts        
unpretentious worthies to toady to      
society magnates1 who affects the       
supercilious air of a shallow dandy and 
cherishes the heart of a frog4 ,true1 he
 repeatedly insists on the obligation of
 truthfulness in all things1 and of1    
honor in dealing with the world4 ,his   
,gentleman may2 nay1 he must1 sail with 
the stream1 gamble in moderation if it  
is the fashion1 must stoop to wear      
ridiculous clothes and ornaments if they
 are the mode1 though despising his     
weakness all to himself1 and no true    
,gentleman could afford to keep out of  
the little gallantries which so         
effectively advertised him as a man of  
spirit sad charm4 ,those repeated       
injunctions of honor are to be the rule1

 subject to these exceptions1 which     
transcend the common proprieties when   
the subject is the rising young         
gentleman of the period and his goal    
social success4 ,if an undercurrent of  
shady morality is traceable in this     
,chesterfieldian philosophy it must1 of 
course1 be explained away by the less   
perfect moral standard of his period as 
compared with that of our day4 ,whether 
this holds strictly true of men may be  
open to discussion1 but his lordship's  
worldly instructions as to the utility  
of women as stepping-stones to favor in 
high places are equally at variance with
 the principles he so impressively      
inculcates and with modern conceptions  
of social honor4 ,the externals of good 
breeding cannot be over-estimated1 if   
honestly come by1 nor is it necessary to
 examine too deeply into the prime      
motives of those who urge them upon a   
generation in whose eyes matter is more 
important than manner4 ,superficial     
refinement is better than none1 but the 

,chesterfield pulpit cannot afford to   
shirk the duty of proclaiming loud and  
far that the only courtesy worthy of    
respect is that #8politesse de coeur1'  
the politeness of the heart1 which finds
 expression in consideration for others 
as the ruling principle of conduct4     
,this militates to some extent against  
the assumption of fine airs without the 
backing of fine behavior1 and if it     
tends to discourage the effort to use   
others for selfish ends1 it nevertheless
 pays better in the long run4           
,chesterfield's frankness in so many    
confessions of sharp practice almost    
merits his canonization as a minor saint
 of society4 ,dr4 ,johnson has indeed   
placed him on a ,simeon ,stylites       
pillar1 an immortality of penance from  
which no good member of the writers'    
guild is likely to pray his deliverance4
 ,he commends the fine art and high     
science of dissimulation with the gusto 
of an apostle and the authority of an   
expert4 ,dissimulate1 but do not        

simulate1 disguise your real sentiments1
 but do not falsify them4 ,go through   
the world with your eyes and ears open  
and mouth mostly shut4 ,when new or     
stale gossip is brought to you1 never   
let on that you know it already1 nor    
that it really interests you4 ,the      
reading of these ,letters is better than
 hearing the average comedy1 in which   
the wit of a single sentence of         
,chesterfield suffices to carry an act4 
,his man-of-the-world philosophy is as  
old as the ,proverbs of ,solomon1 but   
will always be fresh and true1 and      
enjoyable at any age1 thanks to his     
pithy expression1 his unfailing common  
sense1 his sparkling wit and charming   
humor4 ,this latter gift shows in the   
seeming lapses from his rigid rule      
requiring absolute elegance of          
expression at all times1 when an        
unexpected coarseness1 in some          
provincial colloquialism1 crops out with
 picturesque force4 ,the beau ideal of  
superfineness occasionally enjoys the   

bliss of harking back to mother         
,english4  ,above all the defects that  
can be charged against the ,letters1    
there rises the substantial merit of an 
honest effort to exalt the gentle in    
woman and man--above the merely genteel4
 8,he that is gentil doeth gentil       
deeds10 runs the mediaeval saying which 
marks the distinction between the       
genuine and the sham in behavior4 ,a    
later age had it thus3 8,handsome is as 
handsome does10 and in this larger sense
 we have agreed to accept the motto of  
,william of ,wykeham1 which declares    
that 8,manners maketh ,man40  ,,oliver  
,h4 ,g4 ,,leigh     ,,letter ,i  ,,bath1
 ,october #i1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdf  ,,dear     
,,boy3 ,your distresses in your journey 
from ,heidelberg to ,schaffhausen1 your 
lying upon straw1 your black bread1 and 
your broken #8berline1' are proper      
seasonings for the greater fatigues and 
distresses which you must expect in the 
course of your travels2 and1 if one had 
a mind to moralize1 one might call them 

the samples of the accidents1 rubs1 and 
difficulties1 which every man meets with
 in his journey through life4 ,in this  
journey1 the understanding is the       
#8voiture' that must carry you through2 
and in proportion as that is stronger or
 weaker1 more or less in repair1 your   
journey will be better or worse2 though 
at best you will now and then find some 
bad roads1 and some bad inns4 ,take     
care1 therefore1 to keep that necessary 
#8voiture' in perfect good repair2      
examine1 improve1 and strengthen it     
every day3 it is in the power1 and ought
 to be the care1 of every man to do it2 
he that neglects it1 deserves to feel1  
and certainly will feel1 the fatal      
effects of that negligence4  #8,a       
propos' of negligence3 ,i must say      
something to you upon that subject4 ,you
 know ,i have often told you1 that my   
affection for you was not a weak1       
womanish one2 and1 far from blinding me1
 it makes me but more quick-sighted as  
to your faults2 those it is not only my 

right1 but my duty to tell you of2 and  
it is your duty and your interest to    
correct them4 ,in the strict scrutiny   
which ,i have made into you1 ,i have    
7thank ,god7 hitherto not discovered any
 vice of the heart1 or any peculiar     
weakness of the head3 but ,i have       
discovered laziness1 inattention1 and   
indifference2 faults which are only     
pardonable in old men1 who1 in the      
decline of life1 when health and spirits
 fail1 have a kind of claim to that sort
 of tranquillity4 ,but a young man      
should be ambitious to shine1 and excel2
 alert1 active1 and indefatigable in the
 means of doing it2 and1 like ,caesar1  
#8,nil actum reputans1 si quid          
superesset agendum4' ,you seem to want  
that #8vivida vis animi1' which spurs   
and excites most young men to please1 to
 shine1 to excel4 ,without the desire   
and the pains necessary to be           
considerable1 depend upon it1 you never 
can be so2 as1 without the desire and   
attention necessary to please1 you never

 can please4 #8,nullum numen abest1 si  
sit prudentia1' is unquestionably true1 
with regard to everything except poetry2
 and ,i am very sure that any man of    
common understanding may1 by proper     
culture1 care1 attention1 and labor1    
make himself whatever he pleases1 except
 a good poet4 ,your destination is the  
great and busy world2 your immediate    
object is the affairs1 the interests1   
and the history1 the constitutions1 the 
customs1 and the manners of the several 
parts of ,europe4 ,in this1 any man of  
common sense may1 by common application1
 be sure to excel4 ,ancient and modern  
history are1 by attention1 easily       
attainable4 ,geography and chronology   
the same1 none of them requiring any    
uncommon share of genius or invention4  
,speaking and ,writing1 clearly1        
correctly1 and with ease and grace1 are 
certainly to be acquired1 by reading the
 best authors with care1 and by         
attention to the best living models4    
,these are the qualifications more      

particularly necessary for you1 in your 
department1 which you may be possessed  
of1 if you please2 and which1 ,i tell   
you fairly1 ,i shall be very angry at   
you1 if you are not2 because1 as you    
have the means in your hands1 it will be
 your own fault only4  ,if care and     
application are necessary to the        
acquiring of those qualifications1      
without which you can never be          
considerable1 nor make a figure in the  
world1 they are not less necessary with 
regard to the lesser accomplishments1   
which are requisite to make you         
agreeable and pleasing in society4 ,in  
truth1 whatever is worth doing at all1  
is worth doing well2 and nothing can be 
done well without attention3 ,i         
therefore carry the necessity of        
attention down to the lowest things1    
even to dancing and dress4 ,custom has  
made dancing sometimes necessary for a  
young man2 therefore mind it while you  
learn it that you may learn to do it    
well1 and not be ridiculous1 though in a

 ridiculous act4 ,dress is of the same  
nature2 you must dress2 therefore attend
 to it2 not in order to rival or to     
excel a fop in it1 but in order to avoid
 singularity1 and consequently ridicule4
 ,take great care always to be dressed  
like the reasonable people of your own  
age1 in the place where you are2 whose  
dress is never spoken of one way or     
another1 as either too negligent or too 
much studied4  ,what is commonly called 
an absent man1 is commonly either a very
 weak1 or a very affected man2 but be he
 which he will1 he is1 ,i am sure1 a    
very disagreeable man in company4 ,he   
fails in all the common offices of      
civility2 he seems not to know those    
people to-day1 whom yesterday he        
appeared to live in intimacy with4 ,he  
takes no part in the general            
conversation2 but1 on the contrary1     
breaks into it from time to time1 with  
some start of his own1 as if he waked   
from a dream4 ,this 7as ,i said before7 
is a sure indication1 either of a mind  

so weak that it is not able to bear     
above one object at a time2 or so       
affected1 that it would be supposed to  
be wholly engrossed by1 and directed to1
 some very great and important objects4 
,sir ,isaac ,newton1 ,mr4 ,locke1 and   
7it may be7 five or six more1 since the 
creation of the world1 may have had a   
right to absence1 from that intense     
thought which the things they were      
investigating required4 ,but if a young 
man1 and a man of the world1 who has no 
such avocations to plead1 will claim and
 exercise that right of absence in      
company1 his pretended right should1 in 
my mind1 be turned into an involuntary  
absence1 by his perpetual exclusion out 
of company4 ,however frivolous a company
 may be1 still1 while you are among     
them1 do not show them1 by your         
inattention1 that you think them so2 but
 rather take their tone1 and conform in 
some degree to their weakness1 instead  
of manifesting your contempt for them4  
,there is nothing that people bear more 

impatiently1 or forgive less1 than      
contempt2 and an injury is much sooner  
forgotten than an insult4 ,if1          
therefore1 you would rather please than 
offend1 rather be well than ill spoken  
of1 rather be loved than hated2 remember
 to have that constant attention about  
you which flatters every man's little   
vanity2 and the want of which1 by       
mortifying his pride1 never fails to    
excite his resentment1 or at least his  
ill will4 ,for instance1 most people 7,i
 might say all people7 have their       
weaknesses2 they have their aversions   
and their likings1 to such or such      
things2 so that1 if you were to laugh at
 a man for his aversion to a cat1 or    
cheese 7which are common antipathies71  
or1 by inattention and negligence1 to   
let them come in his way1 where you     
could prevent it1 he would1 in the first
 case1 think himself insulted1 and1 in  
the second1 slighted1 and would remember
 both4 ,whereas your care to procure for
 him what he likes1 and to remove from  

him what he hates1 shows him that he is 
at least an object of your attention2   
flatters his vanity1 and makes him      
possibly more your friend1 than a more  
important service would have done4 ,with
 regard to women1 attentions still below
 these are necessary1 and1 by the custom
 of the world1 in some measure due1     
according to the laws of good-breeding4 
,my long and frequent letters1 which ,i 
send you1 in great doubt of their       
success1 put me in mind of certain      
papers1 which you have very lately1 and 
,i formerly1 sent up to kites1 along the
 string1 which we called messengers2    
some of them the wind used to blow away1
 others were torn by the string1 and but
 few of them got up and stuck to the    
kite4 ,but ,i will content myself now1  
as ,i did then1 if some of my present   
messengers do but stick to you4 ,adieu6 
,,letter ,,ii  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,you are by
 this time 7,i suppose7 quite settled   
and at home at ,lausanne2 therefore pray
 let me know how you pass your time     

there1 and what your studies1 your      
amusements1 and your acquaintances are4 
,i take it for granted1 that you inform 
yourself daily of the nature of the     
government and constitution of the      
,thirteen ,cantons2 and as ,i am        
ignorant of them myself1 must apply to  
you for information4 ,i know the names1 
but ,i do not know the nature of some of
 the most considerable offices there2   
such as the ,avoyers1 the ,seizeniers1  
the ,banderets1 and the ,gros ,sautier4 
,i desire1 therefore1 that you will let 
me know what is the particular business1
 department1 or province of these       
several magistrates4 ,but as ,i imagine 
that there may be some1 though1 ,i      
believe1 no essential difference1 in the
 governments of the several ,cantons1 ,i
 would not give you the trouble of      
informing yourself of each of them2 but 
confine my inquiries1 as you may your   
informations1 to the ,canton you reside 
in1 that of ,berne1 which ,i take to be 
the principal one4 ,i am not sure       

whether the ,pays de ,vaud1 where you   
are1 being a conquered country1 and     
taken from the ,dukes of ,savoy1 in the 
year #aecf1 has the same share in the   
government of the ,canton1 as the       
,german part of it has4 ,pray inform    
yourself and me about it4  ,i have this 
moment received yours from ,berne1 of   
the #b;d ,october1 ,n4 ,s4 and also one 
from ,mr4 ,harte1 of the same date1     
under ,mr4 ,burnaby's cover4 ,i find by 
the latter1 and indeed ,i thought so    
before1 that some of your letters and   
some of ,mr4 ,harte's have not reached  
me4 ,wherefore1 for the future1 ,i      
desire1 that both he and you will direct
 your letters for me1 to be left ches   
,monsieur ,wolters1 ,agent de ,s4 ,m4   
,britanique1 a ,rotterdam1 who will take
 care to send them to me safe4 ,the     
reason why you have not received letters
 either from me or from ,grevenkop was  
that we directed them to ,lausanne1     
where we thought you long ago3 and we   
thought it to no purpose to direct to   

you upon your ,,route1 where it was     
little likely that our letters would    
meet with you4 ,but you have1 since your
 arrival at ,lausanne1 ,i believe1 found
 letters enough from me2 and it may be  
more than you have read1 at least with  
attention4  ,i am glad that you like    
,switzerland so well2 and am impatient  
to hear how other matters go1 after your
 settlement at ,lausanne4 ,god bless    
you6     ,,letter ,,iii  ,,london1      
,december #b1 ,o4,s4 #agdf4  ,,dear     
,,boy3 ,i have not1 in my present       
situation1--,his ,lordship was1 in the  
year #agdf1 appointed one of his        
,majesty's secretaries of state4--time  
to write to you1 either so much or so   
often as ,i used1 while ,i was in a     
place of much more leisure and profit2  
but my affection for you must not be    
judged of by the number of my letters2  
and1 though the one lessens1 the other1 
,i assure you1 does not4  ,i have just  
now received your letter of the #beth   
past1 ,n4 ,s41 and1 by the former post1 

one from ,mr4 ,harte2 with both which ,i
 am very well pleased3 with ,mr4        
,harte's1 for the good account which he 
gives me of you2 with yours1 for the    
good account which you gave me of what  
,i desired to be informed of4 ,pray     
continue to give me further information 
of the form of government of the country
 you are now in2 which ,i hope you will 
know most minutely before you leave it4 
,the inequality of the town of ,lausanne
 seems to be very convenient in this    
cold weather2 because going up hill and 
down will keep you warm4 ,you say there 
is a good deal of good company2 pray1   
are you got into it8 ,have you made     
acquaintances1 and with whom8 ,let me   
know some of their names4 ,do you learn 
,german yet1 to read1 write1 and speak  
it8  ,yesterday1 ,i saw a letter from   
,monsieur ,bochat to a friend of mine2  
which gave me the greatest pleasure that
 ,i have felt this great while2 because 
it gives so very good an account of you4
 ,among other things which ,monsieur    

,bochat says to your advantage1 he      
mentions the tender uneasiness and      
concern that you showed during my       
illness1 for which 7though ,i will say  
that you owe it to me7 ,i am obliged to 
you3 sentiments of gratitude not being  
universal1 nor even common4 ,as your    
affection for me can only proceed from  
your experience and conviction of my    
fondness for you 7for to talk of natural
 affection is talking nonsense71 the    
only return ,i desire is1 what it is    
chiefly your interest to make me2 ,i    
mean your invariable practice of virtue1
 and your indefatigable pursuit of      
knowledge4 ,adieu6 and be persuaded that
 ,i shall love you extremely1 while you 
deserve it2 but not one moment longer4  
,,letter ,,iv  ,,london1 ,december #i1  
,o4 ,s4 #agdf4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,though ,i
 have very little time1 and though ,i   
write by this post to ,mr4 ,harte1 yet  
,i cannot send a packet to ,lausanne    
without a word or two to yourself4 ,i   
thank you for your letter of            

congratulation which you wrote me1      
notwithstanding the pain it gave you4   
,the accident that caused the pain was1 
,i presume1 owing to that degree of     
giddiness1 of which ,i have sometimes   
taken the liberty to speak to you4 ,the 
post ,i am now in1 though the object of 
most people's views and desires1 was in 
some degree inflicted upon me2 and a    
certain concurrence of circumstances    
obliged me to engage in it4 ,but ,i feel
 that to go through with it requires    
more strength of body and mind than ,i  
have3 were you three or four years      
older2 you should share in my trouble1  
and ,i would have taken you into my     
office2 but ,i hope you will employ     
these three or four years so well as to 
make yourself capable of being of use to
 me1 if ,i should continue in it so     
long4 ,the reading1 writing1 and        
speaking the modern languages correctly2
 the knowledge of the laws of nations1  
and the particular constitution of the  
empire2 of history1 geography1 and      

chronology1 are absolutely necessary to 
this business1 for which ,i have always 
intended you4 ,with these qualifications
 you may very possibly be my successor1 
though not my immediate one4  ,i hope   
you employ your whole time1 which few   
people do2 and that you put every moment
 to1 profit of some kind or other4 ,i   
call company1 walking1 riding1 etc41    
employing one's time1 and1 upon proper  
occasions1 very usefully2 but what ,i   
cannot forgive in anybody is sauntering1
 and doing nothing at all1 with a thing 
so precious as time1 and so             
irrecoverable when lost4  ,are you      
acquainted with any ladies at ,lausanne8
 and do you behave yourself with        
politeness enough to make them desire   
your company8  ,i must finish3 ,god     
bless you6     ,,letter ,v  ,,london1   
,february #bd1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdg  ,,sir3 ,in
 order that we may1 reciprocally1 keep  
up our ,french1 which1 for want of      
practice1 we might forget2 you will     
permit me to have the honor of assuring 

you of my respects in that language3 and
 be so good to answer me in the same4   
,not that ,i am apprehensive of your    
forgetting to speak ,french3 since it is
 probable that two-thirds of our daily  
prattle is in that language2 and        
because1 if you leave off writing       
,french1 you may perhaps neglect that   
grammatical purity1 and accurate        
orthography1 which1 in other languages1 
you excel in2 and really1 even in       
,french1 it is better to write well than
 ill4 ,however1 as this is a language   
very proper for sprightly1 gay subjects1
 ,i shall conform to that1 and reserve  
those which are serious for ,english4 ,i
 shall not therefore mention to you1 at 
present1 your ,greek or ,latin1 your    
study of the ,law of ,nature1 or the    
,law of ,nations1 the ,rights of        
,people1 or of ,individuals2 but rather 
discuss the subject of your ,amusements 
and ,pleasures2 for1 to say the truth1  
one must have some4 ,may ,i be permitted
 to inquire of what nature yours are8   

,do they consist in little commercial   
play at cards in good company8 are they 
little agreeable suppers1 at which      
cheerfulness and decency are united8 or1
 do you pay court to some fair one1 who 
requires such attentions as may be of   
use in contributing to polish you8 ,make
 me your confidant upon this subject2   
you shall not find a severe censor3 on  
the contrary1 ,i wish to obtain the     
employment of minister to your          
pleasures3 ,i will point them out1 and  
even contribute to them4  ,many young   
people adopt pleasures1 for which they  
have not the least taste1 only because  
they are called by that name4 ,they     
often mistake so totally1 as to imagine 
that debauchery is pleasure4 ,you must  
allow that drunkenness1 which is equally
 destructive to body and mind1 is a fine
 pleasure4 ,gaming1 that draws you into 
a thousand scrapes1 leaves you          
penniless1 and gives you the air and    
manners of an outrageous madman1 is     
another most exquisite pleasure2 is it  

not8 ,as to running after women1 the    
consequences of that vice are only the  
loss of one's nose1 the total           
destruction of health1 and1 not         
unfrequently1 the being run through the 
body4  ,these1 you see1 are all trifles2
 yet this is the catalogue of pleasures 
of most of those young people1 who never
 reflecting themselves1 adopt1          
indiscriminately1 what others choose to 
call by the seducing name of pleasure4  
,i am thoroughly persuaded you will not 
fall into such errors2 and that1 in the 
choice of your amusements1 you will be  
directed by reason1 and a discerning    
taste4 ,the true pleasures of a         
gentleman are those of the table1 but   
within the bound of moderation2 good    
company1 that is to say1 people of      
merit2 moderate play1 which amuses1     
without any interested views2 and       
sprightly gallant conversations with    
women of fashion and sense4  ,these are 
the real pleasures of a gentleman2 which
 occasion neither sickness1 shame1 nor  

repentance4 ,whatever exceeds them1     
becomes low vice1 brutal passion1       
debauchery1 and insanity of1 mind2 all  
of which1 far from giving satisfaction1 
bring on dishonor and disgrace4 ,adieu4 
,,letter ,,vi  ,,london1 ,march #f1 ,o4 
,s4 #agdg  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,whatever you  
do1 will always affect me1 very         
sensibly1 one way or another2 and ,i am 
now most agreeably affected1 by two     
letters1 which ,i have lately seen from 
,lausanne1 upon your subject2 the one   
from ,madame ,st4 ,germain1 the other   
from ,monsieur ,pampigny3 they both give
 so good an account of you1 that ,i     
thought myself obliged1 in justice both 
to them and1 to you1 to let you know it4
 ,those who deserve a good character1   
ought to have the satisfaction of       
knowing that they have it1 both as a    
reward and as an encouragement4 ,they   
write1 that you are not only            
#8decrotte1' but tolerably well-bred2   
and that the ,english crust of awkward  
bashfulness1 shyness1 and roughness 7of 

which1 by the bye1 you had your share7  
is pretty well rubbed off4 ,i am most   
heartily glad of it2 for1 as ,i have    
often told you1 those lesser talents1 of
 an engaging1 insinuating manner1 an    
easy good-breeding1 a genteel behavior  
and address1 are of infinitely more     
advantage than they are generally       
thought to be1 especially here in       
,england4 ,virtue and learning1 like    
gold1 have their intrinsic value but if 
they are not polished1 they certainly   
lose a great deal of their luster2 and  
even polished brass will pass upon more 
people than rough gold4 ,what a number  
of sins does the cheerful1 easy         
good-breeding of the ,french frequently 
cover8 ,many of them want common sense1 
many more common learning2 but in       
general1 they make up so much by their  
manner1 for those defects1 that         
frequently they pass undiscovered3 ,i   
have often said1 and do think1 that a   
,frenchman1 who1 with a fund of virtue1 
learning and good sense1 has the manners

 and good-breeding of his country1 is   
the perfection of human nature4 ,this   
perfection you may1 if you please1 and  
,i hope you will1 arrive at4 ,you know  
what virtue is3 you may have it if you  
will2 it is in every man's power2 and   
miserable is the man who has it not4    
,good sense ,god has given you4         
,learning you already possess enough of1
 to have1 in a reasonable time1 all that
 a man need have4 ,with this1 you are   
thrown out early into the world1 where  
it will be your own fault if you do not 
acquire all1 the other accomplishments  
necessary to complete and adorn your    
character4 ,you will do well to make    
your compliments to ,madame ,st4        
,germain and ,monsieur ,pampigny2 and   
tell them1 how sensible you are of their
 partiality to you1 in the advantageous 
testimonies which1 you are informed1    
they have given of you here4  ,adieu4   
,continue to deserve such testimonies2  
and then you will not only deserve1 but 
enjoy my truest affection4     ,,letter 

,,vii  ,,london1 ,march #bg1 ,o4 ,s4    
#agdg4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,pleasure is the  
rock which most young people split upon3
 they launch out with crowded sails in  
quest of it1 but without a compass to   
direct their course1 or reason          
sufficient to steer the vessel2 for want
 of which1 pain and shame1 instead of   
pleasure1 are the returns of their      
voyage4 ,do not think that ,i mean to   
snarl at pleasure1 like a ,stoic1 or to 
preach against it1 like a parson2 no1 ,i
 mean to point it out1 and recommend it 
to you1 like an ,epicurean3 ,i wish you 
a great deal2 and my only view is to    
hinder you from mistaking it4  ,the     
character which most young men first aim
 at1 is that of a man of pleasure2 but  
they generally take it upon trust2 and  
instead of consulting their own taste   
and inclinations1 they blindly adopt    
whatever those with whom they chiefly   
converse1 are pleased to call by the    
name of pleasure2 and a man of pleasure 
in the vulgar acceptation of that       

phrase1 means only1 a beastly drunkard1 
an abandoned whoremaster1 and a         
profligate swearer and curser4 ,as it   
may be of use to you4 ,i am not         
unwilling1 though at the same time      
ashamed to own1 that the vices of my    
youth proceeded much more from my silly 
resolution of being1 what ,i heard      
called a man of pleasure1 than from my  
own inclinations4 ,i always naturally   
hated drinking2 and yet ,i have often   
drunk2 with disgust at the time1        
attended by great sickness the next day1
 only because ,i then considered        
drinking as a necessary qualification   
for a fine gentleman1 and a man of      
pleasure4  ,the same as to gaming4 ,i   
did not want money1 and consequently had
 no occasion to play for it2 but ,i     
thought play another necessary          
ingredient in the composition of a man  
of pleasure1 and accordingly ,i plunged 
into it without desire1 at first2       
sacrificed a thousand real pleasures to 
it2 and made myself solidly uneasy by   

it1 for thirty the best years of my     
life4  ,i was even absurd enough1 for a 
little while1 to swear1 by way of       
adorning and completing the shining     
character which ,i affected2 but this   
folly ,i soon laid aside1 upon finding  
berth the guilt and the indecency of it4
  ,thus seduced by fashion1 and blindly 
adopting nominal pleasures1 ,i lost real
 ones2 and my fortune impaired1 and my  
constitution shattered1 are1 ,i must    
confess1 the just punishment of my      
errors4  ,take warning then by them3    
choose your pleasures for yourself1 and 
do not let them be imposed upon you4    
,follow nature and not fashion3 weigh   
the present enjoyment of your pleasures 
against the necessary consequences of   
them1 and then let your own common sense
 determine your choice4  ,were ,i to    
begin the world again1 with the         
experience which ,i now have of it1 ,i  
would lead a life of real1 not of       
imaginary pleasures4 ,i would enjoy the 
pleasures of the table1 and of wine2 but

 stop short of the pains inseparably    
annexed to an excess of either4 ,i would
 not1 at twenty years1 be a preaching   
missionary of abstemiousness and        
sobriety2 and ,i should let other people
 do as they would1 without formally and 
sententiously rebuking them for it2 but 
,i would be most firmly resolved not to 
destroy my own faculties and            
constitution2 in complaisance to those  
who have no regard to their own4 ,i     
would play to give me pleasure1 but not 
to give me pain2 that is1 ,i would play 
for trifles1 in mixed companies1 to     
amuse myself1 and conform to custom2 but
 ,i would take care not to venture for  
sums2 which1 if ,i won1 ,i should not be
 the better for2 but1 if ,i lost1 should
 be under a difficulty to pay3 and when 
paid1 would oblige me to retrench in    
several other articles4 ,not to mention 
the quarrels which deep play commonly   
occasions4  ,i would pass some of my    
time in reading1 and the rest in the    
company of people of sense and learning1

 and chiefly those above me2 and ,i     
would frequent the mixed companies of   
men and women of fashion1 which1 though 
often frivolous1 yet they unbend and    
refresh the mind1 not uselessly1 because
 they certainly polish and soften the   
manners4  ,these would be my pleasures  
and amusements1 if ,i were to live the  
last thirty years over again2 they are  
rational ones2 and1 moreover1 ,i will   
tell you1 they are really the           
fashionable ones2 for the others are    
not1 in truth1 the pleasures of what ,i 
call people of fashion1 but of those who
 only call themselves so4 ,does good    
company care to have a man reeling drunk
 among them8 ,or to see another tearing 
his hair1 and blaspheming1 for having   
lost1 at play1 more than he is able to  
pay8 ,or a whoremaster with half a nose1
 and crippled by coarse and infamous    
debauchery8 ,no2 those who practice1 and
 much more those who brag of them1 make 
no part of good company2 and are most   
unwillingly1 if ever1 admitted into it4 

,a real man of fashion and pleasures    
observes decency3 at least neither      
borrows nor affects vices3 and if he    
unfortunately has any1 he gratifies them
 with choice1 delicacy1 and secrecy4  ,i
 have not mentioned the pleasures of the
 mind 7which are the solid and permanent
 ones72 because they do not come under  
the head of what people commonly call   
pleasures2 which they seem to confine to
 the senses4 ,the pleasure of virtue1 of
 charity1 and of learning is true and   
lasting pleasure2 with which ,i hope you
 will be well and long acquainted4      
,adieu6     ,,letter ,,viii  ,,london1  
,april #c1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdg  ,,dear ,,boy3 
,if ,i am rightly informed1 ,i am now   
writing to a fine gentleman1 in a       
scarlet coat laced with gold1 a brocade 
waistcoat1 and all other suitable       
ornaments4 ,the natural partiality of   
every author for his own works makes me 
very glad to hear that ,mr4 ,harte has  
thought this last edition of mine worth 
so fine a binding2 and1 as he has bound 

it in red1 and gilt it upon the back1 ,i
 hope he will take care that it shall be
 ,,lettered too4 ,a showish binding     
attracts the eyes1 and engages the      
attention of everybody2 but with this   
difference1 that women1 and men who are 
like women1 mind the binding more than  
the book2 whereas men of sense and      
learning immediately examine the inside2
 and if they find that it does not      
answer the finery on the outside1 they  
throw it by with the greater indignation
 and contempt4 ,i hope that1 when this  
edition of my works shall be opened and 
read1 the best judges will find         
connection1 consistency1 solidity1 and  
spirit in it4 ,mr4 ,harte may           
#8recensere' and #8emendare1' as much as
 he pleases2 but it will be to little   
purpose1 if you do not cooperate with   
him4 ,the work will be imperfect4  ,i   
thank you for your last information of  
our success in the ,mediterranean1 and  
you say very rightly that a secretary of
 state ought to be well informed4 ,i    

hope1 therefore1 you will take care that
 ,i shall4 ,you are near the busy scene 
in ,italy2 and ,i doubt not but that1 by
 frequently looking at the map1 you have
 all that theatre of the war very       
perfect in your mind4  ,i like your     
account of the salt works2 which shows  
that you gave some attention while you  
were seeing them4 ,but notwithstanding  
that1 by your account1 the ,swiss salt  
is 7,i dare say7 very good1 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      
delicacy4 ,that same ,attic salt        
seasoned almost all ,greece1 except     
,boeotia1 and a great deal of it was    
exported afterward to ,rome1 where it   
was counterfeited by a composition      
called ,urbanity1 which in some time was
 brought to very near the perfection of 
the original ,attic salt4 ,the more you 
are powdered with these two kinds of    
salt1 the better you will keep1 and the 
more you will be relished4  ,adieu6 ,my 

compliments to ,mr4 ,harte and ,mr4     
,eliot4     ,,letter ,,ix  ,,london1    
,april #ad1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdg4  ,,dear      
,,boy3 ,if you feel half the pleasure   
from the consciousness of doing well1   
that ,i do from the informations ,i have
 lately received in your favor from ,mr4
 ,harte1 ,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 to4   
,mr4 ,harte tells me that you attend1   
that you apply to your studies2 and that
 beginning to understand1 you begin to  
taste them4 ,this pleasure will         
increase1 and keep pace with your       
attention2 so that the balance will be  
greatly to your advantage4 ,you may     
remember1 that ,i have always earnestly 
recommended to you1 to do what you are  
about1 be that what it will2 and to do  
nothing else at the same time4 ,do not  
imagine that ,i mean by this1 that you  
should attend to and plod at your book  
all day long2 far from it2 ,i mean that 

you should have your pleasures too2 and 
that you should attend to them for the  
time2 as much as to your studies2 and1  
if you do not attend equally to both1   
you will neither have improvement nor   
satisfaction from either4 ,a man is fit 
for neither business nor pleasure1 who  
either cannot1 or does not1 command and 
direct his attention to the present     
object1 and1 in some degree1 banish for 
that time all other objects from his    
thoughts4 ,if at a ball1 a supper1 or a 
party of pleasure1 a man were to be     
solving1 in his own mind1 a problem in  
,euclid1 he would be a very bad         
companion1 and make a very poor figure  
in that company2 or if1 in studying a   
problem in his closet1 he were to think 
of a minuet1 ,i am apt to believe that  
he would make a very poor mathematician4
 ,there is time enough for everything1  
in the course of the day1 if you do but 
one thing at once2 but there is not time
 enough in the year1 if you will do two 
things at a time4 ,the ,pensionary de   

,witt1 who was torn to pieces in the    
year #afgb1 did the whole business of   
the ,republic1 and yet had time left to 
go to assemblies in the evening1 and sup
 in company4 ,being asked how he could  
possibly find time to go through so much
 business1 and yet amuse himself in the 
evenings as he did1 he answered1 there  
was nothing so easy2 for that it was    
only doing one thing at a time1 and     
never putting off anything till         
to-morrow that could be done to-day4    
,this steady and undissipated attention 
to one object is a sure mark of a       
superior genius2 as hurry1 bustle1 and  
agitation are the never-failing symptoms
 of a weak and frivolous mind4 ,when you
 read ,horace1 attend to the justness of
 his thoughts1 the happiness of his     
diction1 and the beauty of his poetry2  
and do not think of ,puffendorf de      
,homine el ,cive2 and1 when you are     
reading ,puffendorf1 do not think of    
,madame de ,st4 ,germain2 nor of        
,puffendorf1 when you are talking to    

,madame de ,st4 ,germain4  ,mr4 ,harte  
informs me1 that he has reimbursed you  
of part of your losses in ,germany2 and 
,i consent to his reimbursing you of the
 whole1 now that ,i know you deserve it4
 ,i shall grudge you nothing1 nor shall 
you want anything that you desire1      
provided you deserve it2 so that you    
see1 it is in your own power to have    
whatever you please4  ,there is a little
 book which you read here with ,monsieur
 ,codere entitled1 #8,maniere de bien   
penser dans les ,ouvrages d',esprit1'   
written by ,pyre ,bonhours4 ,i wish you 
would read this book again at your      
leisure hours1 for it will not only     
divert you1 but likewise form your      
taste1 and give you a just manner of    
thinking4 ,adieu6     ,,letter ,x       
,,london1 ,june #cj1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdg      
,,dear ,,boy3 ,i was extremely pleased  
with the account which you gave me in   
your last1 of the civilities that you   
received in your ,swiss progress2 and ,i
 have written1 by this post1 to ,mr4    

,burnaby1 and to the #8,avoyer1' to     
thank them for their parts4 ,if the     
attention you met with pleased you1 as  
,i dare say it did1 you will1 ,i hope1  
draw this general conclusion from it1   
that attention and civility please all  
those to whom they are paid2 and that   
you will please others in proportion as 
you are attentive and civil to them4    
,bishop ,burnet has wrote his travels   
through ,switzerland2 and ,mr4 ,stanyan1
 from a long residence there1 has       
written the best account1 yet extant1 of
 the ,thirteen ,cantons2 but those books
 will be read no more1 ,i presume1 after
 you shall have published your account  
of that country4 ,i hope you will favor 
me with one of the first copies4 ,to be 
serious2 though ,i do not desire that   
you should immediately turn author1 and 
oblige the world with your travels2 yet1
 wherever you go1 ,i would have you as  
curious and inquisitive as if you did   
intend to write them4 ,i do not mean    
that you should give yourself so much   

trouble1 to know the number of houses1  
inhabitants1 signposts1 and tombstones1 
of every town that you go through2 but  
that you should inform yourself1 as well
 as your stay will permit you1 whether  
the town is free1 or to whom it belongs1
 or in what manner3 whether it has any  
peculiar privileges or customs2 what    
trade or manufactures2 and such other   
particulars as people of sense desire to
 know4 ,and there would be no manner of 
harm if you were to take memorandums of 
such things in a paper book to help your
 memory4 ,the only way of knowing all   
these things is to keep the best        
company1 who can best inform you of     
them4 ,i am just now called away2 so    
good night4     ,,letter ,,xi  ,,london1
 ,july #bj1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdg  ,,dear ,,boy3
 ,in your ,mamma's letter1 which goes   
here inclosed1 you will find one from my
 sister1 to thank you for the           
,arquebusade water which you sent her2  
and which she takes very kindly4 ,she   
would not show me her letter to you2 but

 told me that it contained good wishes  
and good advice2 and1 as ,i know she    
will show your letter in answer to hers1
 ,i send you here inclosed the draught  
of the letter which ,i would have you   
write to her4 ,i hope you will not be   
offended at my offering you my          
assistance upon this occasion2 because1 
,i presume1 that as yet1 you are not    
much used to write to ladies4 #8,a      
propos' of letter-writing1 the best     
models that you can form yourself upon  
are1 ,cicero1 ,cardinal d',ossat1       
,madame ,sevigne1 and ,comte ,bussy     
,rebutin4 ,cicero's ,epistles to        
,atticus1 and to his familiar friends1  
are the best examples that you can      
imitate1 in the friendly and the        
familiar style4 ,the simplicity and the 
clearness of ,cardinal d',ossat's       
letters show how letters of business    
ought to be written2 no affected turns1 
no attempts at wit1 obscure or perplex  
his matter2 which is always plainly and 
clearly stated1 as business always      

should be4 ,for gay and amusing letters1
 for #8enjouement and badinage1' there  
are none that equal ,comte ,bussy's and 
,madame ,sevigne's4 ,they are so        
natural1 that they seem to be the       
extempore conversations of two people of
 wit1 rather1 than letters which are    
commonly studied1 though they ought not 
to be so4 ,i would advise you to let    
that book be one in your itinerant      
library2 it will both amuse and inform  
you4  ,i have not time to add any more  
now2 so good night4     ,,letter ,,xii  
,,london1 ,july #cj1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdg      
,,dear ,,boy3 ,it is now four posts     
since ,i have received any letter1      
either from you or from ,mr4 ,harte4 ,i 
impute this to the rapidity of your     
travels through ,switzerland2 which ,i  
suppose are by this time finished4  ,you
 will have found by my late letters1    
both to you and ,mr4 ,harte1 that you   
are to be at ,leipsig by next           
,michaelmas2 where you will be lodged in
 the house of ,professor ,mascow1 and   

boarded in the neighborhood of it1 with 
some young men of fashion4 ,the         
professor will read you lectures upon   
#8,grotius de ,jure ,belli et ,pacis1'  
the #8,institutes of ,justinian' and the
 #8,jus ,publicum ,imperii2' which ,i   
expect that you shall not only hear1 but
 attend to1 and retain4 ,i also expect  
that you make yourself perfectly master 
of the ,german language2 which you may  
very soon do there1 if you please4 ,i   
give you fair warning1 that at ,leipsig 
,i shall have an hundred invisible spies
 about you2 and shall be exactly        
informed of everything that you do1 and 
of almost everything that you say4 ,i   
hope that1 in consequence of those      
minute informations1 ,i may be able to  
say of you1 what ,velleius ,paterculus  
says of ,scipio2 that in his whole life1
 #8nihil non laudandum aut dixit1 aut   
fecit1 aut sensit4' ,there is a great   
deal of good company in ,leipsig1 which 
,i would have you frequent in the       
evenings1 when the studies of the day   

are over4 ,there is likewise a kind of  
court kept there1 by a ,duchess ,dowager
 of ,courland2 at which you should get  
introduced4 ,the ,king of ,poland and   
his ,court go likewise to the fair at   
,leipsig twice a year2 and ,i shall     
write to ,sir ,charles ,williams1 the   
king's minister there1 to have you      
presented1 and introduced into good     
company4 ,but ,i must remind you1 at the
 same time1 that it will be to a very   
little purpose for you to frequent good 
company1 if you do not conform to1 and  
learn their manners2 if you are not     
attentive to please1 and well bred1 with
 the easiness of a man of fashion4 ,as  
you must attend to your manners1 so you 
must not neglect your person2 but take  
care to be very clean1 well dressed1 and
 genteel2 to have no disagreeable       
attitudes1 nor awkward tricks2 which    
many people use themselves to1 and then 
cannot leave them off4 ,do you take care
 to keep your teeth very clean1 by      
washing them constantly every morning1  

and after every meal8 ,this is very     
necessary1 both to preserve your teeth a
 great while1 and to save you a great   
deal of pain4 ,mine have plagued me     
long1 and are now falling out1 merely   
from want of care when ,i was your age4 
,do you dress well1 and not too well8   
,do you consider your air and manner of 
presenting yourself enough1 and not too 
much8 ,neither negligent nor stiff8 ,all
 these things deserve a degree of care1 
a second-rate attention2 they give an   
additional lustre to real merit4 ,my    
,lord ,bacon says1 that a pleasing      
figure is a perpetual letter of         
recommendation4 ,it is certainly an     
agreeable forerunner of merit1 and      
smoothes the way for it4  ,remember that
 ,i shall see you at ,hanover next      
summer1 and shall expect perfection2    
which if ,i do not meet with1 or at     
least something very near it1 you and ,i
 shall1 not be very well together4 ,i   
shall dissect and analyze you with a    
microscope2 so that ,i shall discover   

the least speck or blemish4 ,this is    
fair warning2 therefore take your       
measures accordingly4 ,yours4           
,,letter ,,xiii  ,,london1 ,august #ba1 
,o4 ,s4 #agdg4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,i reckon 
that this letter has but a bare chance  
of finding you at ,lausanne2 but ,i was 
resolved to risk it1 as it is the last  
that ,i shall write to you till you are 
settled at ,leipsig4 ,i sent you by the 
last post1 under cover to ,mr4 ,harte1 a
 letter of recommendation to one of the 
first people at ,munich2 which you will 
take care to present to him in the      
politest manner2 he will certainly have 
you presented to the electoral family2  
and ,i hope you will go through that    
ceremony with great respect1 good       
breeding1 and ease4 ,as this is the     
first court that ever you will have been
 at1 take care to inform yourself if    
there be any particular1 customs or     
forms to be observed1 that you may not  
commit any mistake4 ,at ,vienna men     
always make courtesies1 instead of bows1

 to the emperor2 in ,france nobody bows 
at all to the king1 nor kisses his hand2
 but in ,spain and ,england1 bows are   
made1 and hands are kissed4 ,thus every 
court has some peculiarity or other1 of 
which those who go to them ought        
previously to inform themselves1 to     
avoid blunders and awkwardnesses4  ,i   
have not time to say any more now1 than 
to wish you good journey to ,leipsig2   
and great attention1 both there and in  
going there4 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,xiv 
,,london1 ,september #ba1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdg 
,,dear ,,boy3 ,i received1 by the last  
post1 your letter of the #hth1 ,n4 ,s41 
and ,i do not wonder that you are       
surprised at the credulity and          
superstition of the ,papists at         
,einsiedlen1 and at their absurd stories
 of their chapel4 ,but remember1 at the 
same time1 that errors and mistakes1    
however gross1 in matters of opinion1 if
 they are sincere1 are to be pitied1 but
 not punished nor laughed at4 ,the      
blindness of the understanding is as    

much to be pitied as the blindness of   
the eye2 and there is neither jest nor  
guilt in a man's losing his way in      
either case4 ,charity bids us set him   
right if we can1 by arguments and       
persuasions2 but charity1 at the same   
time1 forbids1 either to punish or      
ridicule his misfortune4 ,every man's   
reason is1 and must be1 his guide2 and  
,i may as well expect that every man    
should be of my size and complexion1 as 
that he should reason just as ,i do4    
,every man seeks for truth2 but ,god    
only knows who has found it4 ,it is1    
therefore1 as unjust to persecute1 as it
 is absurd to ridicule1 people for those
 several opinions1 which they cannot    
help entertaining upon the conviction of
 their reason4 ,it is the man who tells1
 or who acts a lie1 that is guilty1 and 
not he who honestly and sincerely       
believes the lie4 ,i really know nothing
 more criminal1 more mean1 and more     
ridiculous than lying4 ,it is the       
production either of malice1 cowardice1 

or vanity2 and generally misses of its  
aim in every one of these views2 for    
lies are always detected sooner or      
later4 ,if ,i tell a malicious lie1 in  
order to affect any man's fortune or    
character1 ,i may indeed injure him for 
some time2 but ,i shall be sure to be   
the greatest sufferer myself at last2   
for as soon as ever ,i am detected 7and 
detected ,i most certainly shall be71 ,i
 am blasted for the infamous attempt2   
and whatever is said afterward1 to the  
disadvantage of that person1 however    
true1 passes for calumny4 ,if ,i lie1 or
 equivocate 7for it is the same thing71 
in order to excuse myself for something 
that ,i have said or done1 and to avoid 
the danger and the shame that ,i        
apprehend from it1 ,i discover at once  
my fear as well as my falsehood2 and    
only increase1 instead of avoiding1 the 
danger and the shame2 ,i show myself to 
be the lowest and the meanest of        
mankind1 and am sure to be always       
treated as such4 ,fear1 instead of      

avoiding1 invites danger2 for concealed 
cowards will insult known ones4 ,if one 
has had the misfortune to be in the     
wrong1 there is something noble in      
frankly owning it2 it is the only way of
 atoning for it1 and the only way of    
being forgiven4 ,equivocating1 evading1 
shuffling1 in order to remove a present 
danger or inconveniency1 is something so
 mean1 and betrays so much fear1 that   
whoever practices them always deserves  
to be1 and often will be kicked4 ,there 
is another sort of lies1 inoffensive    
enough in themselves1 but wonderfully   
ridiculous2 ,i mean those lies which a  
mistaken vanity suggests1 that defeat   
the very end for which they are         
calculated1 and terminate in the        
humiliation and confusion of their      
author1 who is sure to be detected4     
,these are chiefly narrative and        
historical lies1 all intended to do     
infinite honor to their author4 ,he is  
always the hero of his own romances2 he 
has been in dangers from which nobody   

but himself ever escaped2 he has seen   
with his own eyes1 whatever other people
 have heard or read of3 he has had more 
#8bonnes fortunes' than ever he knew    
women2 and has ridden more miles post in
 one day1 than ever courier went in two4
 ,he is soon discovered1 and as soon    
becomes the object of universal contempt
 and ridicule4 ,remember1 then1 as long 
as you live1 that nothing but strict    
truth can carry you through the world1  
with either your conscience or your     
honor unwounded4 ,it is not only your   
duty1 but your interest2 as a proof of  
which you may always observe1 that the  
greatest fools are the greatest liars4  
,for my own part1 ,i judge of every     
man's truth by his degree of            
understanding4  ,this letter will1 ,i   
suppose1 find you at ,leipsig2 where ,i 
expect and require from you attention   
and accuracy1 in both which you have    
hitherto been very deficient4 ,remember 
that ,i shall see you in the summer2    
shall examine you most narrowly2 and    

will never forget nor forgive those     
faults1 which it has been in your own   
power to prevent or cure2 and be assured
 that ,i have many eyes upon you at     
,leipsig1 besides ,mr4 ,harte's4 ,adieu6
     ,,letter ,,xv  ,,london1 ,october  
#b1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdg  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,by    
your letter of the #ahth past1 ,n4 ,s41 
,i find that you are a tolerably good   
landscape painter1 and can present the  
several views of ,switzerland to the    
curious4 ,i am very glad of it1 as it is
 a proof of some attention2 but ,i hope 
you will be as good a portrait painter1 
which is a much more noble science4 ,by 
portraits1 you will easily judge1 that  
,i do not mean the outlines and the     
coloring of the human figure2 but the   
inside of the heart and mind of man4    
,this science requires more attention1  
observation1 and penetration1 than the  
other2 as indeed it is infinitely more  
useful4 ,search1 therefore1 with the    
greatest care1 into the characters of   
those whom you converse with2 endeavor  

to discover their predominant passions1 
their prevailing weaknesses1 their      
vanities1 their follies1 and their      
humors1 with all the right and wrong1   
wise and silly springs of human actions1
 which make such inconsistent and       
whimsical beings of us rational         
creatures4 ,a moderate share of         
penetration1 with great attention1 will 
infallibly make these necessary         
discoveries4 ,this is the true knowledge
 of the world2 and the world is a       
country which nobody ever yet knew by   
description2 one must travel through it 
one's self to be acquainted with it4    
,the scholar1 who in the dust of his    
closet talks or writes of the world1    
knows no more of it1 than that orator   
did of war1 who judiciously endeavored  
to instruct ,hannibal in it4 ,courts and
 camps are the only places to learn the 
world in4 ,there alone all kinds of     
characters resort1 and human nature is  
seen in all the various shapes and      
modes1 which education1 custom1 and     

habit give it2 whereas1 in all other    
places1 one local mode generally        
prevails1 and producing a seeming though
 not a real sameness of character4 ,for 
example1 one general mode distinguishes 
an university1 another a trading town1 a
 third a seaport town1 and so on2       
whereas1 at a capital1 where the ,prince
 or the ,supreme ,power resides1 some of
 all these various modes are to be seen 
and seen in action too1 exerting their  
utmost skill in pursuit of their several
 objects4 ,human nature is the same all 
over the world2 but its operations are  
so varied by education and habit1 that  
one must see it in all its dresses in   
order to be intimately acquainted with  
it4 ,the passion of ambition1 for       
instance1 is the same in a courtier1  a 
soldier1 or an ecclesiastic2 but1 from  
their different educations and habits1  
they will take very different methods to
 gratify it4 ,civility1 which is a      
disposition to accommodate and oblige   
others1 is essentially the same in every

 country2 but good-breeding1 as it is   
called1 which is the manner of exerting 
that disposition1 is different in almost
 every country1 and merely local2 and   
every man of sense imitates and conforms
 to that local good-breeding of the     
place which he is at4 ,a conformity and 
flexibility of manners is necessary in  
the course of the world2 that is1 with  
regard to all things which are not wrong
 in themselves4 ,the #8versatile        
ingenium' is the most useful of all4 ,it
 can turn itself instantly from one     
object to another1 assuming the proper  
manner for each4 ,it can be serious with
 the grave1 cheerful with the gay1 and  
trifling with the frivolous4 ,endeavor  
by all means1 to acquire this talent1   
for it is a very great one4  ,as ,i     
hardly know anything more useful1 than  
to see1 from time to time1 pictures of  
one's self drawn by different hands1 ,i 
send you here a sketch of yourself1     
drawn at ,lausanne1 while you were      
there1 and sent over here by a person   

who little thought that it would ever   
fall into my hands3 and indeed it was by
 the greatest accident in the world that
 it did4     ,,letter ,,xvi  ,,london1  
,october #i1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdg4  ,,dear     
,,boy3 ,people of your age have1        
commonly1 an unguarded frankness about  
them2 which makes them the easy prey and
 bubbles of the artful and the          
experienced2 they look upon every knave 
or fool1 who tells them that he is their
 friend1 to be really so2 and pay that  
profession of simulated friendship1 with
 an indiscreet and unbounded confidence1
 always to their loss1 often to their   
ruin4 ,beware1 therefore1 now that you  
are coming into the world1 of these     
preferred friendships4 ,receive them    
with great civility1 but with great     
incredulity too2 and pay them with      
compliments1 but not with confidence4   
,do not let your vanity and self-love   
make you suppose that people become your
 friends at first sight1 or even upon a 
short acquaintance4 ,real friendship is 

a slow grower and never thrives unless  
engrafted upon a stock of known and     
reciprocal merit4 ,there is another kind
 of nominal friendship among young      
people1 which is warm for the time1 but 
by good luck1 of short duration4 ,this  
friendship is hastily produced1 by their
 being accidentally thrown together1 and
 pursuing the course of riot and        
debauchery4 ,a fine friendship1 truly2  
and well cemented by drunkenness and    
lewdness4 ,it should rather be called a 
conspiracy against morals and good      
manners1 and be punished as such by the 
civil magistrate4 ,however1 they have   
the impudence and folly to call this    
confederacy a friendship4 ,they lend one
 another money1 for bad purposes2 they  
engage in quarrels1 offensive and       
defensive for their accomplices2 they   
tell one another all they know1 and     
often more too1 when1 of a sudden1 some 
accident disperses them1 and they think 
no more of each other1 unless it be to  
betray and laugh1 at their imprudent    

confidence4 ,remember to make a great   
difference between companions and       
friends2 for a very complaisant and     
agreeable companion may1 and often does1
 prove a very improper and a very       
dangerous friend4 ,people will1 in a    
great degree1 and not without reason1   
form their opinion of you1 upon that    
which they have of your friends2 and    
there is a ,spanish proverb1 which says 
very justly1 ,,tell ,,me ,,who ,,you    
,,live ,,with ,,and ,i ,,will ,,tell    
,,you ,,who ,,you ,,are4 ,one may fairly
 suppose1 that the man who makes a knave
 or a fool his friend1 has something    
very bad to do or to conceal4 ,but1 at  
the same time that you carefully decline
 the friendship of knaves and fools1 if 
it can be called friendship1 there is no
 occasion to make either of them your   
enemies1 wantonly and unprovoked2 for   
they are numerous bodies3 and ,i1 would 
rather choose a secure neutrality1 than 
alliance1 or war with either of them4   
,you may be a declared enemy to their   

vices and follies1 without being marked 
out by them as a personal one4 ,their   
enmity is the next dangerous thing to   
their friendship4 ,have a real reserve  
with almost everybody2 and have a       
seeming reserve with almost nobody2 for 
it is very disagreeable to seem         
reserved1 and very dangerous not to be  
so4 ,few people find the true medium2   
many are ridiculously mysterious and    
reserved upon trifles2 and many         
imprudently communicative of all they   
know4  ,the next thing to the choice of 
your friends1 is the choice of your     
company4 ,endeavor1 as much as you can1 
to keep company with people above you3  
there you rise1 as much as you sink with
 people below you2 for 7as ,i have      
mentioned before7 you are whatever the  
company you keep is4 ,do not mistake1   
when ,i say company above you1 and think
 that ,i mean with regard to1 their     
birth3 that is the least consideration2 
but ,i mean with regard to their merit1 
and the light in which the world        

considers them4  ,there are two sorts of
 good company2 one1 which is called the 
beau monde1 and consists of the people  
who have the lead in courts1 and in the 
gay parts of life2 the other consists of
 those who are distinguished by some    
peculiar merit1 or who excel in some    
particular and valuable art or science4 
,for my own part1 ,i used to think      
myself in company as1 much above me1    
when ,i was with ,mr4 ,addison and ,mr4 
,pope1 as if ,i had been with all the   
princes in ,europe4 ,what ,i mean by low
 company1 which should by all means be  
avoided1 is the company of those1 who1  
absolutely insignificant and            
contemptible in themselves1 think they  
are honored by being in your company2   
and who flatter every vice and every    
folly you have1 in order to engage you  
to converse with them4 ,the pride of    
being the first of the company is but   
too common2 but it is very silly1 and   
very prejudicial4 ,nothing in the world 
lets down a character quicker than that 

wrong turn4  ,you may possibly ask me1  
whether a man has it always in his power
 to get the best company8 and how8 ,i   
say1 ,yes1 he has1 by deserving it2     
providing he is but in circumstances    
which enable him to appear upon the     
footing of a gentleman4 ,merit and      
good-breeding will make their way       
everywhere4 ,knowledge will introduce   
him1 and good-breeding will endear him  
to the best companies3 for1 as ,i have  
often told you1 politeness and          
good-breeding are absolutely necessary  
to adorn any1 or all other good         
qualities or talents4 ,without them1 no 
knowledge1 no perfection whatever1 is   
seen in its best light4 ,the scholar1   
without good-breeding1 is a pedant2 the 
philosopher1 a cynic2 the soldier1 a    
brute2 and every man disagreeable4  ,i  
long to hear1 from my several           
correspondents at ,leipsig1 of your     
arrival there1 and what impression you  
make on them at first2 for ,i have      
,arguses1 with an hundred eyes each1 who

 will watch you narrowly1 and relate to 
me faithfully4 ,my accounts will        
certainly be true2 it depends upon you1 
entirely1 of what kind they shall be4   
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,xvii  ,,london1  
,october #af1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdg  ,,dear     
,,boy3 ,the art of pleasing is a very   
necessary one to possess2 but a very    
difficult one to acquire4 ,it can hardly
 be reduced to rules2 and your own good 
sense and observation will teach you    
more of it than ,i can4 ,do as you would
 be done by1 is the surest method that  
,i know of pleasing4 ,observe carefully 
what pleases you in others1 and probably
 the same thing in you will please      
others4 ,if you are pleased with the    
complaisance and attention of others to 
your humors1 your tastes1 or your       
weaknesses1 depend upon it the same     
complaisance and attention1 on your part
 to theirs1 will equally please them4   
,take the tone of the company that you  
are in1 and do not pretend to give it2  
be serious1 gay1 or even trifling1 as   

you find the present humor of the       
company2 this is an attention due from  
every individual to the majority4 ,do   
not tell stories in company2 there is   
nothing more tedious and disagreeable2  
if by chance you know a very short      
story1 and exceedingly applicable to the
 present subject of conversation1 tell  
it in as few words as possible2 and even
 then1 throw out that you do not love to
 tell stories2 but that the shortness of
 it tempted you4 ,of all things1 banish 
the egotism out of your conversation1   
and never think of entertaining people  
with your own personal concerns1 or     
private1 affairs2 though they are       
interesting to you1 they are tedious and
 impertinent to everybody else2 besides 
that1 one cannot keep one's own private 
affairs too secret4 ,whatever you think 
your own excellencies may be1 do not    
affectedly display them in company2 nor 
labor1 as many people do1 to give that  
turn to the conversation1 which may     
supply you with an opportunity of       

exhibiting them4 ,if they are real1 they
 will infallibly be discovered1 without 
your pointing them out yourself1 and    
with much more advantage4 ,never        
maintain an argument with heat and      
clamor1 though you think or know        
yourself to be in the right3 but give   
your opinion modestly and coolly1 which 
is the only way to convince2 and1 if    
that does not do1 try to change the     
conversation1 by saying1 with good      
humor1 8,we shall hardly convince one   
another1 nor is it necessary that we    
should1 so let us talk of something     
else40  ,remember that there is a local 
propriety to be observed in all         
companies2 and that what is extremely   
proper in one company1 may be1 and often
 is1 highly improper in another4  ,the  
jokes1 the #8bonmots1' the little       
adventures1 which may do very well in   
one company1 will seem flat and tedious1
 when related in another4 ,the          
particular characters1 the habits1 the  
cant of one company1 may give merit to a

 word1 or a gesture1 which would have   
none at all if divested of those        
accidental circumstances4 ,here people  
very commonly err2 and fond of something
 that has entertained them in one       
company1 and in certain circumstances1  
repeat it with emphasis in another1     
where it is either insipid1 or1 it may  
be1 offensive1 by being ill-timed or    
misplaced4 ,nay1 they often do it with  
this silly preamble2 8,i will tell you  
an excellent thing02 or1 8,i will tell  
you the best thing in the world40 ,this 
raises expectations1 which1 when        
absolutely disappointed1 make the       
relater of this excellent thing look1   
very deservedly1 like a fool4  ,if you  
would particularly gain the affection   
and friendship of particular people1    
whether men or women1 endeavor to find  
out the predominant excellency1 if they 
have one1 and their prevailing weakness1
 which everybody has2 and do justice to 
the one1 and something more than justice
 to the other4 ,men have various objects

 in which they may excel1 or at least   
would be thought to excel2 and1 though  
they love to hear justice done to them1 
where they know that they excel1 yet    
they are most and best flattered upon   
those points where they wish to excel1  
and yet are doubtful whether they do or 
not4 ,as1 for example1 ,cardinal        
,richelieu1 who was undoubtedly the     
ablest statesman of his time1 or perhaps
 of any other1 had the idle vanity of   
being thought the best poet too2 he     
envied the great ,corneille his         
reputation1 and ordered a criticism to  
be written upon the 8,cid40 ,those1     
therefore1 who flattered skillfully1    
said little to him of his abilities in  
state affairs1 or at least but #8en     
passant1' and as it might naturally     
occur4 ,but the incense which they gave 
him1 the smoke of which they knew would 
turn his head in their favor1 was as a  
#8bel esprit' and a poet4 ,why8 ,because
 he was sure of one excellency1 and     
distrustful as to the other4 ,you will  

easily discover every man's prevailing  
vanity1 by observing his favorite topic 
of conversation2 for every man talks    
most of what he has most a mind to be   
thought to excel in4 ,touch him but     
there1 and you touch him to the quick4  
,the late ,sir ,robert ,walpole 7who was
 certainly an able man7 was little open 
to flattery upon that head2 for he was  
in no doubt himself about it2 but his   
prevailing weakness was1 to be thought  
to have a polite and happy turn to      
gallantry2 of which he had undoubtedly  
less than any man living3 it was his    
favorite and frequent subject of        
conversation3 which proved1 to those who
 had any penetration1 that it was his   
prevailing weakness4 ,and they applied  
to it with success4  ,women have1 in    
general1 but one object1 which is their 
beauty2 upon which1 scarce any flattery 
is too gross for them to swallow4       
,nature has hardly formed a woman ugly  
enough to be insensible to flattery upon
 her person2 if her face is so shocking1

 that she must in some degree1 be       
conscious of it1 her figure and her air1
 she trusts1 make ample amends for it4  
,if her figure is deformed1 her face1   
she thinks1 counterbalances it4 ,if they
 are both bad1 she comforts herself that
 she has graces2 a certain manner2 a    
#8je ne sais quoi1' still more engaging 
than beauty4 ,this truth is evident1    
from the studied and elaborate dress of 
the ugliest women in the world4 ,an     
undoubted1 uncontested1 conscious       
beauty1 is of all women1 the least      
sensible of flattery upon that head2 she
 knows that it is her due1 and is       
therefore obliged to nobody for giving  
it her4 ,she must be flattered upon her 
understanding2 which1 though she may    
possibly not doubt of herself1 yet she  
suspects that men may distrust4  ,do not
 mistake me1 and think that ,i mean to  
recommend to you abject and criminal    
flattery3 no2 flatter nobody's vices or 
crimes3 on the contrary1 abhor and      
discourage them4 ,but there is no living

 in the world without a complaisant     
indulgence for people's weaknesses1 and 
innocent1 though ridiculous vanities4   
,if a man has a mind to be thought      
wiser1 and a woman handsomer than they  
really are1 their error is a comfortable
 one to themselves1 and an innocent one 
with regard to other people2 and ,i     
would rather make them my friends1 by   
indulging them in it1 than my enemies1  
by endeavoring 7and that to no purpose7 
to undeceive them4  ,there are little   
attentions likewise1 which are          
infinitely engaging1 and which sensibly 
affect that degree of pride and         
self-love1 which is inseparable from    
human nature2 as they are unquestionable
 proofs of the regard and consideration 
which we have for the person to whom we 
pay them4 ,as1 for example1 to observe  
the little habits1 the likings1 the     
antipathies1 and the tastes of those    
whom we would gain2 and then take care  
to provide them with the one1 and to    
secure them from the other2 giving them1

 genteelly1 to understand1 that you had 
observed that they liked such a dish1 or
 such a room2 for which reason you had  
prepared it3 or1 on the contrary1 that  
having observed they had an aversion to 
such a dish1 a dislike to such a person1
 etc41 you had taken care to avoid      
presenting them4 ,such attention to such
 trifles flatters self-love much more   
than greater things1 as it makes people 
think themselves almost the only objects
 of your thoughts and care4  ,these are 
some of the arcana necessary for your   
initiation in the great society of the  
world4 ,i wish ,i had known them better 
at your age2 ,i have paid the price of  
three-and-fifty years for them1 and     
shall not grudge it1 if you reap the    
advantage4 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,xviii 
,,london1 ,october #cj1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdg   
,,dear ,,boy3 ,i am very well pleased   
with your #8,itinerarium1' which you    
sent me from ,ratisbon4 ,it shows me    
that you observe and inquire as you go1 
which is the true end of traveling4     

,those who travel heedlessly from place 
to place1 observing only their distance 
from each other1 and attending only to  
their accommodation at the inn at night1
 set out fools1 and will certainly      
return so4 ,those who only mind the     
raree-shows of the places which they go 
through1 such as steeples1 clocks1      
town-houses1 etc41 get so little by     
their travels1 that they might as well  
stay at home4 ,but those who observe1   
and inquire into the situations1 the    
strength1 the weakness1 the trade1 the  
manufactures1 the government1 and       
constitution of every place they go to2 
who frequent the best companies1 and    
attend to their several manners and     
characters2 those alone travel with     
advantage2 and as they set out wise1    
return wiser4  ,i would advise you      
always to get the shortest description  
or history of every place where you make
 any stay2 and such a book1 however     
imperfect1 will still suggest to you    
matter for inquiry2 upon which you may  

get better informations from the people 
of the place4 ,for example2 while you   
are at ,leipsig1 get some short account 
7and to be sure there are many such7 of 
the present state of the town1 with     
regard to its magistrates1 its police1  
its privileges1 etc41 and then inform   
yourself more minutely upon all those   
heads in1 conversation with the most    
intelligent people4 ,do the same thing  
afterward with regard to the ,electorate
 of ,saxony3 you will find a short      
history of it in ,puffendorf's          
,introduction1 which will give you a    
general idea of it1 and point out to you
 the proper objects of a more minute    
inquiry4 ,in short1 be curious1         
attentive1 inquisitive1 as to           
everything2 listlessness and indolence  
are always blameable1 but1 at your age1 
they are unpardonable4 ,consider how    
precious1 and how important for all the 
rest of your life1 are your moments for 
these next three or four years2 and do  
not lose one of them4 ,do not think ,i  

mean that you should study all day long2
 ,i am far from advising or desiring it3
 but ,i desire that you would be doing  
something or other all day long2 and not
 neglect half hours and quarters of     
hours1 which1 at the year's end1 amount 
to a great sum4 ,for instance1 there are
 many short intervals during the day1   
between studies and pleasures3 instead  
of sitting idle and yawning1 in those   
intervals1 take up any book1 though ever
 so trifling a one1 even down to a      
jest-book2 it is still better than doing
 nothing4  ,nor do ,i call pleasures    
idleness1 or time lost1 provided they   
are the pleasures of a rational being2  
on the contrary1 a certain portion of   
your time1 employed in those pleasures1 
is very usefully employed4 ,such are    
public spectacles1 assemblies of good   
company1 cheerful suppers1 and even     
balls2 but then1 these require          
attention1 or else your time is quite   
lost4  ,there are a great many people1  
who think themselves employed all day1  

and who1 if they were to cast up their  
accounts at night1 would find that they 
had done just nothing4 ,they have read  
two or three hours mechanically1 without
 attending to what they read1 and       
consequently without either retaining   
it1 or reasoning upon it4 ,from thence  
they saunter into company1 without      
taking any part in it1 and without      
observing the characters of the persons1
 or the subjects of the conversation2   
but are either thinking of some trifle1 
foreign to the present purpose1 or often
 not thinking at all2 which silly and   
idle suspension of thought they would   
dignify with the name of ,,absence and  
,,distraction4 ,they go afterward1 it   
may be1 to the play1 where they gape at 
the company and the lights2 but without 
minding the very thing they went to1 the
 play4  ,pray do you be as attentive to 
your pleasures as to your studies4 ,in  
the latter1 observe and reflect upon all
 you read2 and1 in the former1 be       
watchful and attentive to all that you  

see and hear2 and never have it to say1 
as a thousand fools do1 of things that  
were said and done before their faces1  
that1 truly1 they did not mind them1    
because they were thinking of something 
else4 ,why were they thinking of        
something else8 and if they were1 why   
did they come there8 ,the truth is1 that
 the fools were thinking of nothing4    
,remember the #8hoc age1' do what you   
are about1 be what it will2 it is either
 worth doing well1 or not at all4       
,wherever you are1 have 7as the low     
vulgar expression is7 your ears and your
 eyes about you4 ,listen to everything  
that is said1 and see everything that is
 done4 ,observe the looks and           
countenances of those who speak1 which  
is often a surer way of discovering the 
truth than from what they say4 ,but then
 keep all those observations to         
yourself1 for your own private use1 and 
rarely communicate them to others4      
,observe1 without being thought an      
observer1 for otherwise people will be  

upon their guard before you4  ,consider 
seriously1 and follow carefully1 ,i     
beseech you1 my dear child1 the advice  
which from time to time ,i have given1  
and shall continue to give you2 it is at
 once the result of my long experience1 
and the effect of my tenderness for you4
 ,i can have no interest in it but      
yours4 ,you are not yet capable of      
wishing yourself half so well as ,i wish
 you2 follow therefore1 for a time at   
least1 implicitly1 advice which you     
cannot suspect1 though possibly you may 
not yet see the particular advantages of
 it2 but you will one day feel them4    
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,xix  ,,london1   
,november #f1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdg  ,,dear     
,,boy3 ,three mails are now due from    
,holland1 so that ,i have no letter from
 you to acknowledge2 ,i write to you1   
therefore1 now1 as usual1 by way of     
flapper1 to put you in mind of yourself4
 ,doctor ,swift1 in his account of the  
island of ,laputa1 describes some       
philosophers there who were so wrapped  

up and absorbed in their abstruse       
speculations1 that they would have      
forgotten all the common and necessary  
duties of life1 if they had not been    
reminded of them by persons who flapped 
them1 whenever they observed them       
continue too long in any of those       
learned trances4 ,i do not indeed       
suspect you of being absorbed in        
abstruse speculations2 but1 with great  
submission to you1 may ,i not suspect   
that levity1 inattention1 and too little
 thinking1 require a flapper1 as well as
 too deep thinking8 ,if my letters      
should happen to get to you when you are
 sitting by the fire and doing nothing1 
or when you are gaping at the window1   
may they not be very proper flaps1 to   
put you in mind that you might employ   
your time much better8 ,i knew once a   
very covetous1 sordid fellow1 who used  
frequently to say1 8,take care of the   
pence2 for the pounds will take care of 
themselves40 ,this was a just and       
sensible reflection in a miser4 ,i      

recommend to you to take care of the    
minutes2 for hours will take care of    
themselves4 ,i am very sure1 that many  
people lose two or three hours every    
day1 by not taking care of the minutes4 
,never think any portion of time        
whatsoever too short to be employed2    
something or other may always be done in
 it4  ,while you are in ,germany1 let   
all your historical studies be relative 
to ,germany2 not only the general       
history of the empire as a collective   
body2 but the respective electorates1   
principalities1 and towns2 and also the 
genealogy of the most considerable      
families4 ,a genealogy is no trifle in  
,germany2 and they would rather prove   
their two-and-thirty quarters1 than     
two-and-thirty cardinal virtues1 if     
there were so many4 ,they are not of    
,ulysses' opinion1 who says very truly1 
----,genus et proavos1 et qua non       
fecimus ipsi2         ,vix ea nostra    
voco4                           ,good   
night4     ,,letter ,,xx  ,,london1     

,november #bd1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdg  ,,dear    
,,boy3 ,as often as ,i write to you 7and
 that you know is pretty often71 so     
often ,i am in doubt whether it is to   
any purpose1 and whether it is not labor
 and paper lost4 ,this entirely depends 
upon the degree of reason and reflection
 which you are master of1 or think      
proper to exert4 ,if you give yourself  
time to think1 and have sense enough to 
think right1 two reflections must       
necessarily occur to you2 the one is1   
that ,i have a great deal of experience1
 and that you have none3 the other is1  
that ,i am the only man living who      
cannot have1 directly or indirectly1 any
 interest concerning you1 but your own4 
,from which two undeniable principles1  
the obvious and necessary conclusion is1
 that you ought1 for your own sake1 to  
attend to and follow my advice4  ,if1 by
 the application which ,i recommend to  
you1 you acquire great knowledge1 you   
alone are the gainer2 ,i pay for it4 ,if
 you should deserve either a good or a  

bad character1 mine will be exactly what
 it is now1 and will neither be the     
better in the first case1 nor worse in  
the latter4 ,you alone will be the      
gainer or the loser4  ,whatever your    
pleasures may be1 ,i neither can nor    
shall envy you them1 as old people are  
sometimes suspected by young people to  
do2 and ,i shall only lament1 if they   
should prove such as are unbecoming a   
man of honor1 or below a man of sense4  
,but you will be the real sufferer1 if  
they are such4 ,as therefore1 it is     
plain that ,i can have no other motive  
than that of affection in whatever ,i   
say to you1 you ought to look upon me as
 your best1 and1 for some years to come1
 your only friend4  ,true friendship    
requires certain proportions of age and 
manners1 and can never subsist where    
they are extremely different1 except in 
the relations of parent and child1 where
 affection on one side1 and regard on   
the other1 make up the difference4 ,the 
friendship which you may contract with  

people of your own age may be sincere1  
may be warm2 but must be1 for some time1
 reciprocally unprofitable1 as there can
 be no experience on either side4 ,the  
young leading the young1 is like the    
blind leading the blind2 7they will both
 fall into the ditch47 ,the only sure   
guide is1 he who has often gone the road
 which you want to go4 ,let me be that  
guide2 who have gone all roads1 and who 
can consequently point out to you the   
best4 ,if you ask me why ,i went any of 
the bad roads myself1 ,i will answer you
 very truly1 ,that it was for want of a 
good guide3 ill example invited me one  
way1 and a good guide was wanting to    
show me a better4 ,but if anybody1      
capable of advising me1 had taken the   
same pains with me1 which ,i have taken1
 and will continue to take with you1 ,i 
should have avoided many follies and    
inconveniences1 which undirected youth  
run me into4 ,my father was neither     
desirous nor able to advise me2 which is
 what1 ,i hope1 you cannot say of yours4

 ,you see that ,i make use1 only of the 
word advice2 because ,i would much      
rather have the assent of your reason to
 my advice1 than the submission of your 
will to my authority4 ,this1 ,i persuade
 myself1 will happen1 from that degree  
of sense which ,i think you have2 and   
therefore ,i will go on advising1 and   
with hopes of success4  ,you are now    
settled for some time at ,leipsig2 the  
principal object of your stay there is  
the knowledge of books and sciences2    
which if you do not1 by attention and   
application1 make yourself master of    
while you are there1 you will be        
ignorant of them all the rest of your   
life2 and1 take my word for it1 a life  
of ignorance is not only a very         
contemptible1 but a very tiresome one4  
,redouble your attention1 then1 to ,mr4 
,harte1 in your private studies of the  
#8,literae ,humaniores1' especially     
,greek4 ,state your difficulties1       
whenever you have any2 and do not       
suppress them1 either from mistaken     

shame1 lazy indifference1 or in order to
 have done the sooner4 ,do the same when
 you are at lectures with ,professor    
,mascow1 or any other professor2 let    
nothing pass till you are sure that you 
understand it thoroughly2 and accustom  
yourself to write down the capital      
points of what you learn4 ,when you have
 thus usefully employed your mornings1  
you may1 with a safe conscience1 divert 
yourself in the evenings1 and make those
 evenings very useful too1 by passing   
them in good company1 and1 by           
observation and attention1 learning as  
much of the world as ,leipsig can teach 
you4 ,you will observe and imitate the  
manners of the people of the best       
fashion there2 not that they are 7it may
 be7 the best manners in the world2 but 
because they are the best manners of the
 place where you are1 to which a man of 
sense always conforms4 ,the nature of   
things 7as ,i have often told you7 is   
always and everywhere the same2 but the 
modes of them vary more or less1 in     

every country2 and an easy and genteel  
conformity to them1 or rather the       
assuming of them at proper times1 and in
 proper places1 is what particularly    
constitutes a man of the world1 and a   
well-bred man4  ,here is advice enough1 
,i think1 and too much1 it may be1 you  
will think1 for one letter2 if you      
follow it1 you will get knowledge1      
character1 and pleasure by it2 if you do
 not1 ,i only lose #8operam et oleum1'  
which1 in all events1 ,i do not grudge  
you4  ,i send you1 by a person who sets 
out this day for ,leipsig1 a small      
packet from your ,mamma1 containing some
 valuable things which you left behind1 
to which ,i have added1 by way of       
new-year's gift1 a very pretty          
tooth-pick case2 and1 by the way1 pray  
take great care of your teeth1 and keep 
them extremely clean4 ,i have likewise  
sent you the ,greek roots1 lately       
translated into ,english from the       
,french of the ,port ,royal4 ,inform    
yourself what the ,port ,royal is4 ,to  

conclude with a quibble3 ,i hope you    
will not only feed upon these ,greek    
roots1 but likewise digest them         
perfectly4 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,xxi   
,,london1 ,december #ae1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdg  
,,dear ,boy3 ,there is nothing which ,i 
more wish that you should know1 and     
which fewer people do know1 than the    
true use and value of time4 ,it is in   
everybody's mouth2 but in few people's  
practice4 ,every fool1 who slatterns    
away his whole time in nothings1 utters1
 however1 some trite commonplace        
sentence1 of which there are millions1  
to prove1 at once1 the value and the    
fleetness of time4 ,the sun-dials1      
likewise all over ,europe1 have some    
ingenious inscription to that effect2 so
 that nobody squanders away their time1 
without hearing and seeing1 daily1 how  
necessary it is to employ it well1 and  
how irrecoverable it is if lost4 ,but   
all these admonitions are useless1 where
 there is not a fund of good sense and  
reason to suggest them1 rather than     

receive them4 ,by the manner in which   
you now tell me that you employ your    
time1 ,i flatter myself that you have   
that fund2 that is the fund which will  
make you rich indeed4 ,i do not1        
therefore1 mean to give you a critical  
essay upon the use and abuse of time2   
but ,i will only give you some hints    
with regard to the use of one particular
 period of that long time which1 ,i     
hope1 you have before you2 ,i mean1 the 
next two years4 ,remember1 then1 that   
whatever knowledge you do not solidly   
lay the foundation of before you are    
eighteen1 you will never be the master  
of while you breathe4 ,knowledge is a   
comfortable and necessary retreat and   
shelter for us in an advanced age2 and  
if we do not plant it while young1 it   
will give us no shade when we grow old4 
,i neither require nor expect from you  
great application to books1 after you   
are once thrown out into the great      
world4 ,i know it is impossible2 and it 
may even1 in some cases1 be improper2   

this1 therefore1 is your time1 and your 
only time1 for unwearied and            
uninterrupted application4 ,if you      
should sometimes think it a little      
laborious1 consider that labor is the   
unavoidable fatigue of a necessary      
journey4 ,the more hours a day you      
travel1 the sooner you will be at your  
journey's end4 ,the sooner you are      
qualified for your liberty1 the sooner  
you shall have it2 and your manumission 
will entirely depend upon the manner in 
which you employ the intermediate time4 
,i think ,i offer you a very good       
bargain1 when ,i promise you1 upon my   
word1 that if you will do everything    
that ,i would have you do1 till you are 
eighteen1 ,i will do everything that you
 would have me do ever afterward4  ,i   
knew a gentleman1 who was so good a     
manager of his time1 that he would not  
even lose that small portion of it1     
which the calls of nature obliged him to
 pass in the necessary-house2 but       
gradually went through all the ,latin   

poets1 in those moments4 ,he bought1 for
 example1 a common edition of ,horace1  
of which he tore off gradually a couple 
of pages1 carried them with him to that 
necessary place1 read them first1 and   
then sent them down as a sacrifice to   
,cloacina3 this was so much time fairly 
gained2 and ,i recommend you to follow  
his example4 ,it is better than only    
doing what you cannot help doing at     
those moments2 and it will made any     
book1 which you shall read in that      
manner1 very present in your mind4      
,books of science1 and of a grave sort1 
must be read with continuity2 but there 
are very many1 and even very useful     
ones1 which may be read with advantage  
by snatches1 and unconnectedly2 such are
 all the good ,latin poets1 except      
,virgil in his 8,a,eneid03 and such are 
most of the modern poets1 in which you  
will find many pieces worth reading1    
that will not take up above seven or    
eight minutes4 ,bayle's1 ,moreri's1 and 
other dictionaries1 are proper books to 

take and shut up for the little         
intervals of 7otherwise7 idle time1 that
 everybody has in the course of the day1
 between either their studies or their  
pleasures4 ,good night4     ,,letter    
,,xxii  ,,london1 ,december #ah1 ,o4 ,s4
 #agdg4  ,,dear ,boy3 ,as two mails are 
now due from ,holland1  ,i have no      
letters of yours1 or ,mr4 ,harte's to   
acknowledge2 so that this letter is the 
effect of that #8scribendi cacoethes1'  
which my fears1 my hopes1 and my doubts1
 concerning you give me4 ,when ,i have  
wrote you a very long letter upon any   
subject1 it is no sooner gone1 but ,i   
think ,i have omitted something in it1  
which might be of use to you2 and then  
,i prepare the supplement for the next  
post3 or else some new subject occurs to
 me1 upon which ,i fancy ,i can give you
 some informations1 or point out some   
rules which may be advantageous to you4 
,this sets me to writing again1 though  
,god knows whether to any purpose or    
not2 a few years more can only ascertain

 that4 ,but1 whatever my success may be1
 my anxiety and my care can only be the 
effects of that tender affection which  
,i have for you2 and which you cannot   
represent to yourself greater than it   
really is4 ,but do not mistake the      
nature of that affection1 and think it  
of a kind that you may with impunity    
abuse4 ,it is not natural affection1    
there being in reality no such thing2   
for1 if there were1 some inward         
sentiment must necessarily and          
reciprocally discover the parent to the 
child1 and the child to the parent1     
without any exterior indications1       
knowledge1 or acquaintance whatsoever2  
which never happened since the creation 
of the world1 whatever poets1 romance1  
and novel writers1 and such             
sentiment-mongers1 may be pleased to say
 to the contrary4 ,neither is my        
affection for you that of a mother1 of  
which the only1 or at least the chief   
objects1 are health and life3 ,i wish   
you them both most heartily2 but1 at the

 same time1 ,i confess they are by no   
means my principal care4  ,my object is 
to have you fit to live2 which1 if you  
are not1 ,i do not desire that you      
should live at all4 ,my affection for   
you then is1 and only will be1          
proportioned to your merit2 which is the
 only affection that one rational being 
ought to have for another4 ,hitherto ,i 
have discovered nothing wrong in your   
heart1 or your head3 on the contrary ,i 
think ,i see sense in the one1 and      
sentiments in the other4 ,this          
persuasion is the only motive of my     
present affection2 which will either    
increase or diminish1 according to your 
merit or demerit4 ,if you have the      
knowledge1 the honor1 and probity1 which
 you may have1 the marks and warmth of  
my affection shall amply reward them2   
but if you have them not1 my aversion   
and indignation will rise in the same   
proportion2 and1 in that case1 remember1
 that ,i am under no further obligation1
 than to give you the necessary means of

 subsisting4 ,if ever we quarrel1 do not
 expect or depend upon any weakness in  
my nature1 for a reconciliation1 as     
children frequently do1 and often meet  
with1 from silly parents2 ,i have no    
such weakness about me3 and1 as ,i will 
never quarrel with you but upon some    
essential point2 if once we quarrel1 ,i 
will never forgive4 ,but ,i hope and    
believe1 that this declaration 7for it  
is no threat7 will prove unnecessary4   
,you are no stranger to the principles  
of virtue2 and1 surely1 whoever knows   
virtue must love it4 ,as for knowledge1 
you have already enough of it1 to engage
 you to acquire more4 ,the ignorant     
only1 either despise it1 or think that  
they have enough3 those who have the    
most are always the most desirous to    
have more1 and know that the most they  
can have is1 alas6 but too little4      
,reconsider1 from time to time1 and     
retain the friendly advice which ,i send
 you4 ,the advantage will be all your   
own4     ,,letter ,,xxiii  ,,london1    

,december #bi1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdg  ,,dear    
,,boy3 ,i have received two letters from
 you of the #agth and #bb;d1 ,n4 ,s41 by
 the last of which ,i find that some of 
mine to you must have miscarried2 for ,i
 have never been above two posts without
 writing to you or to ,mr4 ,harte1 and  
even very long letters4 ,i have also    
received a letter from ,mr4 ,harte1     
which gives me great satisfaction3 it is
 full of your praises2 and he answers   
for you1 that1 in two years more1 you   
will deserve your manumission1 and be   
fit to go into the world1 upon a footing
 that will do you honor1 and give me    
pleasure4  ,i thank you for your offer  
of the new edition of #8,adamus ,adami1'
 but ,i do not want it1 having a good   
edition of it at present4 ,when you have
 read that1 you will do well to follow  
it with ,pere ,bougeant's #8,histoire du
 ,traite de ,munster1' in two volumes   
quarto2 which contains many important   
anecdotes concerning that famous treaty1
 that are not in ,adamus ,adami4  ,you  

tell me that your lectures upon the     
#8,jus ,publicum' will be ended at      
,easter2 but then ,i hope that ,monsieur
 ,mascow will begin them again2 for ,i  
would not have you discontinue that     
study one day while you are at ,leipsig4
 ,i suppose that ,monsieur ,mascow will 
likewise give you lectures upon the     
#8,instrumentum ,pacis1' and upon the   
capitulations of the late emperors4     
,your ,german will go on of course2 and 
,i take it for granted that your stay at
 ,leipsig will make you a perfect master
 of that language1 both as to speaking  
and writing2 for remember1 that knowing 
any language imperfectly1 is very little
 better than not knowing it at all3     
people being as unwilling to speak in a 
language which they do not possess      
thoroughly1 as others are to hear them4 
,your thoughts are cramped1 and appear  
to great disadvantage1 in any language  
of which you are not perfect master4    
,let modern history share part of your  
time1 and that always accompanied with  

the maps of the places in question2     
geography and history are very imperfect
 separately1 and1 to be useful1 must be 
joined4  ,go to the ,duchess of         
,courland's as often as she and your    
leisure will permit4 ,the company of    
women of fashion will improve your      
manners1 though not your understanding2 
and that complaisance and politeness1   
which are so useful in men's company1   
can only be acquired in women's4        
,remember always1 what ,i have told you 
a thousand times1 that all the talents  
in the world will want all their lustre1
 and some part of their use too1 if they
 are not adorned with that easy         
good-breeding1 that engaging manner1 and
 those graces1 which seduce and         
prepossess people in your favor at first
 sight4 ,a proper care of your person is
 by no means to be neglected2 always    
extremely clean2 upon proper occasions  
fine4 ,your carriage genteel1 and your  
motions graceful4 ,take particular care 
of your manner and address1 when you    

present yourself in company4 ,let them  
be respectful without meanness1 easy    
without too much familiarity1 genteel   
without affectation1 and insinuating    
without any seeming art or design4  ,you
 need not send me any more extracts of  
the ,german constitution2 which1 by the 
course of your present studies1 ,i know 
you must soon be acquainted with2 but ,i
 would now rather that your letters     
should be a sort of journal of your own 
life4 ,as1 for instance1 what company   
you keep1 what new acquaintances you    
make1 what your pleasures are2 with your
 own reflections upon the whole3        
likewise what ,greek and ,latin books   
you read and understand4 ,adieu6        
,,letters ,,to ,,his ,,son              
#agdh             ,by the ,,earl ,,of   
,,chesterfield             on the ,fine 
,art of becoming a                ,,man 
,,of ,,the ,,world                   and
 a                  ,,gentleman         
,,letter ,,xxiv  ,january #b1 ,o4 ,s4   
#agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,i am edified with

 the allotment of your time at ,leipsig2
 which is so well employed from morning 
till night1 that a fool would say you   
had none left for yourself2 whereas1 ,i 
am sure you have sense enough to know1  
that such a right use of your time is   
having it all to yourself2 nay1 it is   
even more1 for it is laying it out to   
immense interest1 which1 in a very few  
years1 will amount to a prodigious      
capital4  ,though twelve of your        
fourteen #8,commensaux' may not be the  
liveliest people in the world1 and may  
want 7as ,i easily conceive that they   
do7 #8le ton de la bonne campagnie1 et  
les graces'1 which ,i wish you1 yet pray
 take care not to express any contempt1 
or throw out any ridicule2 which ,i can 
assure you1 is not more contrary to good
 manners than to good sense3 but        
endeavor rather to get all the good you 
can out of them2 and something or other 
is to be got out of everybody4 ,they    
will1 at least1 improve you in the      
,german language2 and1 as they come from

 different countries1 you may put them  
upon subjects1 concerning which they    
must necessarily be able to give you    
some useful informations1 let them be   
ever so dull or disagreeable in general3
 they will know something1 at least1 of 
the laws1 customs1 government1 and      
considerable families of their          
respective countries2 all which are     
better known than not1 and consequently 
worth inquiring into4 ,there is hardly  
any body good for every thing1 and there
 is scarcely any body who is absolutely 
good for nothing4 ,a good chemist will  
extract some spirit or other out of     
every substance2 and a man of parts     
will1 by his dexterity and management1  
elicit something worth knowing out of   
every being he converses with4  ,as you 
have been introduced to the ,duchess of 
,courland1 pray go there as often as    
ever your more necessary occupations    
will allow you4 ,i am told she is       
extremely well bred1 and has parts4     
,now1 though ,i would not recommend to  

you1 to go into women's company in      
search of solid knowledge1 or judgment1 
yet it has its use in other respects2   
for it certainly polishes the manners1  
and gives #8une certaine tournure'1     
which is very necessary in the course of
 the world2 and which ,englishmen have  
generally less of than any people in the
 world4  ,i cannot say that your suppers
 are luxurious1 but you must own they   
are solid2 and a quart of soup1 and two 
pounds of potatoes1 will enable you to  
pass the night without great impatience 
for your breakfast next morning4 ,one   
part of your supper 7the potatoes7 is   
the constant diet of my old friends and 
countrymen1--,lord ,chesterfield1 from  
the time he was appointed               
,lord-lieutenant of ,ireland1 #agge1    
used always to call the ,irish his      
countrymen4--the ,irish1 who are the    
healthiest and the strongest bodies of  
men that ,i know in ,europe4  ,as ,i    
believe that many of my letters to you  
and to ,mr4 ,harte have miscarried1 as  

well as some of yours and his to me2    
particularly one of his from ,leipsig1  
to which he refers in a subsequent one1 
and which ,i never received2 ,i would   
have you1 for the future1 acknowledge   
the dates of all the letters which      
either of you shall receive from me2 and
 ,i will do the same on my part4  ,that 
which ,i received by the last mail1 from
 you1 was of the #beth ,november1 ,n4   
,s42 the mail before that brought me    
yours1 of which ,i have forgot the date1
 but which inclosed one to ,lady        
,chesterfield3 she will answer it soon1 
and1 in the mean time1 thanks you for   
it4  ,my disorder was only a very great 
cold1 of which ,i am entirely recovered4
 ,you shall not complain for want of    
accounts from ,mr4 ,grevenkop1 who will 
frequently write you whatever passes    
here1 in the ,german language and       
character2 which will improve you in    
both4 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,xxv        
,,london1 ,january #ae1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  
,,dear ,,boy3 ,i willingly accept the   

new-year's gift which you promise me for
 next year2 and the more valuable you   
make it1 the more thankful ,i shall be4 
,that depends entirely upon you2 and    
therefore ,i hope to be presented1 every
 year1 with a new edition of you1 more  
correct than the former1 and            
considerably enlarged and amended4      
,since you do not care to be an assessor
 of the imperial chamber1 and that you  
desire an establishment in ,england2    
what do you think of being ,greek       
,professor at one of our universities8  
,it is a very pretty sinecure1 and      
requires very little knowledge 7much    
less than1 ,i hope1 you have already7 of
 that language4 ,if you do not approve  
of this1 ,i am at a loss to know what   
else to propose to you2 and therefore   
desire that you will inform me what sort
 of destination you propose for         
yourself2 for it is now time to fix it1 
and to take our measures accordingly4   
,mr4 ,harte tells me that you set up for
 a----------2 if so1 ,i presume it is in

 the view of succeeding me in my        
office2--,a secretary of state4--which  
,i will very willingly resign to you1   
whenever you shall call upon me for it4 
,but1 if you intend to be the--------1  
or the-----------1 there are some       
trifling circumstances upon which you   
should previously take your resolution4 
,the first of which is1 to be fit for   
it3 and then1 in order to be so1 make   
yourself master of ancient and1 modern  
history1 and languages4 ,to know        
perfectly the constitution1 and form of 
government of every nation2 the growth  
and the decline of ancient and modern   
empires2 and to trace out and reflect   
upon the causes of both4 ,to know the   
strength1 the riches1 and the commerce  
of every country4 ,these little things1 
trifling as they may seem1 are yet very 
necessary for a politician to know2 and 
which therefore1 ,i presume1 you will   
condescend to apply yourself to4 ,there 
are some additional qualifications      
necessary1 in the practical part of     

business1 which may deserve some        
consideration in your leisure moments2  
such as1 an absolute command of your    
temper1 so as not to be provoked to     
passion1 upon any account2 patience1 to 
hear frivolous1 impertinent1 and        
unreasonable applications2 with address 
enough to refuse1 without offending1 or1
 by your manner of granting1 to double  
the obligation2 dexterity enough to     
conceal a truth without telling a lie2  
sagacity enough to read other people's  
countenances2 and serenity enough not to
 let them discover anything by yours2 a 
seeming frankness with a real reserve4  
,these are the rudiments of a           
politician2 the world must be your      
grammar4  ,three mails are now due from 
,holland2 so that ,i have no letters    
from you to acknowledge4 ,i therefore   
conclude with recommending myself to    
your favor and protection when you      
succeed4 ,yours4     ,,letter ,,xxvi    
,,london1 ,january #bi1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  
,,dear ,,boy3 ,i find1 by ,mr4 ,harte's 

last letter1 that many of my letters to 
you and him1 have been frozen up on     
their way to ,leipsig2 the thaw has1 ,i 
suppose1 by this time1 set them at      
liberty to pursue their journey to you1 
and you will receive a glut of them at  
once4 ,hudibras alludes1 in this verse1 
8,like words congealed in northern air10
  to a vulgar notion1 that in ,greenland
 words were frozen in their utterance2  
and that upon a thaw1 a very mixed      
conversation was heard in the air1 of   
all those words set at liberty4 ,this   
conversation was1 ,i presume1 too       
various and extensive to be much        
attended to3 and may not that be the    
case of half a dozen of my long letters1
 when you receive them all at once8 ,i  
think that ,i can1 eventually1 answer   
that question1 thus3 ,if you consider my
 letters in their true light1 as        
conveying to you the advice of a friend1
 who sincerely wishes your happiness1   
and desires to promote your pleasure1   
you will both read and attend to them2  

but1 if you consider them in their      
opposite1 and very false light1 as the  
dictates of a morose and sermonizing    
father1 ,i am sure they will be not only
 unattended to1 but unread4 ,which is   
the case1 you can best tell me4 ,advice 
is seldom welcome2 and those who want it
 the most always like it the least4 ,i  
hope that your want of experience1 of   
which you must be conscious1 will       
convince you1 that you want advice2 and 
that your good sense will incline you to
 follow it4  ,tell me how you pass your 
leisure hours at ,leipsig2 ,i know you  
have not many2 and ,i have too good an  
opinion of you to think1 that1 at this  
age1 you would desire more4 ,have you   
assemblies1 or public spectacles8 and of
 what kind are they8 ,whatever they are1
 see them all2 seeing everything1 is the
 only way not to admire anything too    
much4  ,if you ever take up little      
tale-books1 to amuse you by snatches1 ,i
 will recommend two ,french books1 which
 ,i have already mentioned2 they will   

entertain you1 and not without some use 
to your mind and your manners4 ,one is1 
#8,la ,maniere de bien penser dans les  
,ouvrages d',esprit'1 written by ,pere  
,bouhours2 ,i believe you read it once  
in ,england1 with ,monsieur ,coderc2 but
 ,i think that you will do well to read 
it again1 as ,i know of no book that    
will form your taste better4 ,the other 
is1 #8,l',art de plaire dans la         
,conversation'1 by the ,abbe de         
,bellegarde1 and is by no means useless1
 though ,i will not pretend to say1 that
 the art of pleasing can be reduced to a
 receipt2 if it could1 ,i am sure that  
receipt would be worth purchasing at any
 price4 ,good sense1 and good nature1   
are the principal ingredients2 and your 
own observation1 and the good advice of 
others1 must give the right color and   
taste to it4 ,adieu6 ,i shall always    
love you as you shall deserve4          
,,letter ,,xxvii  ,,london1 ,february   
#i1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,you  
will receive this letter1 not from a    

,secretary of ,state but from a private 
man2 for whom1 at his time of life1     
quiet was as fit1 and as necessary1 as  
labor and activity are for you at your  
age1 and for many years yet to come4 ,i 
resigned the seals1 last ,saturday1 to  
the ,king2 who parted with me most      
graciously1 and 7,i may add1 for he said
 so himself7 with regret4 ,as ,i retire 
from hurry to quiet1 and to enjoy1 at my
 ease1 the comforts of private and      
social life1 you will easily imagine    
that ,i have no thoughts of opposition1 
or meddling with business4 #8,otium cum 
dignitate' is my object4 ,the former ,i 
now enjoy2 and ,i hope that my conduct  
and character entitle me to some share  
of the latter4 ,in short1 ,i am now     
happy3 and ,i found that ,i could not be
 so in my former public situation4  ,as 
,i like your correspondence better than 
that of all the kings1 princes1 and     
ministers1 in ,europe1 ,i shall now have
 leisure to carry it on more regularly4 
,my letters to you will be written1 ,i  

am sure1 by me1 and1 ,i hope1 read by   
you1 with pleasure2 which1 ,i believe1  
seldom happens1 reciprocally1 to letters
 written from and to a secretary's      
office4  ,do not apprehend that my      
retirement from business may be a       
hindrance to your advancement in it1 at 
a proper time3 on the contrary1 it will 
promote it2 for1 having nothing to ask  
for myself1 ,i shall have the better    
title to ask for you4 ,but you have     
still a surer way than this of rising1  
and which is wholly in your own power4  
,make yourself necessary2 which1 with   
your natural parts1 you may1 by         
application1 do4 ,we are in general1 in 
,england1 ignorant of foreign affairs3  
and of the interests1 views1            
pretensions1 and policy of other courts4
 ,that part of knowledge never enters   
into our thoughts1 nor makes part of our
 education2 for which reason1 we have   
fewer proper subjects for foreign       
commissions1 than any other country in  
,europe2 and1 when foreign affairs      

happen to be debated in ,parliament1 it 
is incredible with how much ignorance4  
,the harvest of foreign affairs being   
then so great1 and the laborers so few1 
if you make yourself master of them1 you
 will make yourself necessary2 first as 
a foreign1 and then as a domestic       
minister for that department4  ,i am    
extremely well pleased with the account 
which you give me of the allotment of   
your time4 ,do but go on so1 for two    
years longer1 and ,i will ask no more of
 you4 ,your labors will be their own    
reward2 but if you desire any other1    
that ,i can add1 you may depend upon it4
  ,i am glad that you perceive the      
indecency and turpitude of those of your
 #8,commensaux'1 who disgrace and foul  
themselves with dirty w----s and        
scoundrel gamesters4 ,and the light in  
which1 ,i am sure1 you see all          
reasonable and decent people consider   
them1 will be a good warning to you4    
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,xxviii  ,,london1
 ,february #ac1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh  ,,dear   

,,boy3 your last letter gave me a very  
satisfactory account of your manner of  
employing your time at ,leipsig4 ,go on 
so but for two years more1 and1 ,i      
promise you1 that you will outgo all the
 people of your age and time4 ,i thank  
you for your explanation of the         
#8,schriftsassen'1 and #8,amptsassen'2  
and pray let me know the meaning of the 
#8,landsassen'4 ,i am very willing that 
you should take a ,saxon servant1 who   
speaks nothing but ,german1 which will  
be a sure way of keeping up your        
,german1 after you leave ,germany4 ,but 
then1 ,i would neither have that man1   
nor him whom you have already1 put out  
of livery2 which makes them both        
impertinent and useless4 ,i am sure1    
that as soon as you shall have taken the
 other servant1 your present man will   
press extremely to be out of livery1 and
 valet de chambre2 which is as much as  
to say1 that he will curl your hair and 
shave you1 but not condescend to do     
anything else4 ,i therefore advise you1 

never to have a servant out of livery2  
and1 though you may not always think    
proper to carry the servant who dresses 
you abroad in the rain and dirt1 behind 
a coach or before a chair1 yet keep it  
in your power to do so1 if you please1  
by keeping him in livery4  ,i have seen 
,monsieur and ,madame ,flemming1 who    
gave me a very good account of you1 and 
of your manners1 which to tell you the  
plain truth1 were what ,i doubted of the
 most4 ,she told me1 that you were easy1
 and not ashamed3 which is a great deal 
for an ,englishman at your age4  ,i set 
out for ,bath to-morrow1 for a month2   
only to be better than well1 and enjoy1 
in1 quiet1 the liberty which ,i have    
acquired by the resignation of the      
seals4 ,you shall hear from me more at  
large from thence2 and now good night to
 you4     ,,letter ,,xxix  ,,bath1      
,february #ah1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear   
,,boy3 ,the first use that ,i made of my
 liberty was to come here1 where ,i     
arrived yesterday4 ,my health1 though   

not fundamentally bad yet1 for want of  
proper attention of late1 wanted some   
repairs1 which these waters never fail  
giving it4 ,i shall drink them a month1 
and return to ,london1 there to enjoy   
the comforts of social life1 instead of 
groaning under the load of business4 ,i 
have given the description of the life  
that ,i propose to lead for the future1 
in this motto1 which ,i have put up in  
the frize of my library in my new       
house3--       ,nunc veterum libris1    
nunc somno1 et inertibus horis          
,ducere sollicitae jucunda oblivia      
vitas4  ,i must observe to you upon this
 occasion1 that the uninterrupted       
satisfaction which ,i expect to find in 
that library1 will be chiefly owing to  
my having employed some part of my life 
well at your age4 ,i wish ,i had        
employed it better1 and my satisfaction 
would now be complete2 but1 however1 ,i 
planted while young1 that degree of     
knowledge which is now my refuge and my 
shelter4 ,make your plantations still   

more extensive2 they will more than pay 
you for your trouble4 ,i do not regret  
the time that ,i passed in pleasures2   
they were seasonable2 they were the     
pleasures of youth1 and ,i enjoyed them 
while young4 ,if ,i had not1 ,i should  
probably have overvalued them now1 as we
 are very apt to do what we do not know2
 but1 knowing them as ,i do1 ,i know    
their real value1 and how much they are 
generally overrated4 ,nor do ,i regret  
the time that ,i have passed in         
business1 for the same reason2 those who
 see only the outside of it1 imagine it 
has hidden charms1 which they pant      
after2 and nothing but acquaintance can 
undeceive them4 ,i1 who have been behind
 the scenes1 both of pleasure and       
business1 and have seen all the springs 
and pullies of those decorations which  
astonish and dazzle the audience1       
retire1 not only without regret1 but    
with contentment and satisfaction4 ,but 
what ,i do1 and ever shall regret1 is   
the time which1 while young1 ,i lost in 

mere idleness1 and in doing nothing4    
,this is the common effect of the       
inconsideracy of youth1 against which ,i
 beg you will be most carefully upon    
your guard4 ,the value of moments1 when 
cast up1 is immense1 if well employed2  
if thrown away1 their loss is           
irrecoverable4 ,every moment may be put 
to some use1 and that with much more    
pleasure1 than if unemployed4 ,do not   
imagine1 that by the employment of time1
 ,i mean an uninterrupted application to
 serious studies4 ,no2 pleasures are1 at
 proper times1 both as necessary and as 
useful2 they fashion and form you for   
the world2 they teach you characters1   
and show you the human heart in its     
unguarded minutes4 ,but then remember to
 make that use of them4 ,i have known   
many people1 from laziness of mind1 go  
through both pleasure and business with 
equal inattention2 neither enjoying the 
one1 nor doing the other2 thinking      
themselves men of pleasure1 because they
 were mingled with those who were1 and  

men of business1 because they had       
business to do1 though they did not do  
it4 ,whatever you do1 do it to the      
purpose2 do it thoroughly1 not          
superficially4 #8,approfondissez'3 go to
 the bottom of things4 ,any thing half  
done or half known1 is1 in my mind1     
neither done nor known at all4 ,nay     
worse1 it often misleads4 ,there is     
hardly any place or any company1 where  
you may not gain knowledge1 if you      
please2 almost everybody knows some one 
thing1 and is glad to talk upon that one
 thing4 ,seek and you will find1 in this
 world as well as in the next4 ,see     
everything2 inquire into everything2 and
 you may excuse your curiosity1 and the 
questions you ask which otherwise might 
be thought impertinent1 by your manner  
of asking them2 for most things depend a
 great deal upon the manner4 ,as1 for   
example1 ,i ,,am ,,afraid ,,that ,i ,,am
 ,,very ,,troublesome ,,with ,,my       
,,questions2 ,,but ,,nobody ,,can       
,,inform ,,me ,,so ,,well ,,as ,,you2 or

 something of that kind4  ,now that you 
are in a ,lutheran country1 go to their 
churches1 and observe the manner of     
their public worship2 attend to their   
ceremonies1 and inquire the meaning and 
intention of everyone of them4 ,and1 as 
you will soon understand ,german well   
enough1 attend to their sermons1 and    
observe their manner of preaching4      
,inform yourself of their church        
government3 whether it resides in the   
sovereign1 or in consistories and       
synods4 ,whence arises the maintenance  
of their clergy2 whether from tithes1 as
 in ,england1 or from voluntary         
contributions1 or from pensions from the
 state4 ,do the same thing when you are 
in ,roman ,catholic countries2 go to    
their churches1 see all their           
ceremonies3 ask the meaning of them1 get
 the terms explained to you4 ,as1 for   
instance1 ,prime1 ,tierce1 ,sexte1      
,nones1 ,matins1 ,angelus1 ,high ,mass1 
,vespers1 ,complines1 etc4 ,inform      
yourself of their several religious     

orders1 their founders1 their rules1    
their vows1 their habits1 their         
revenues1 etc4 ,but1 when you frequent  
places of public worship1 as ,i would   
have you go to all the different ones   
you meet with1 remember1 that however   
erroneous1 they are none of them objects
 of laughter and ridicule4 ,honest error
 is to be pitied1 not ridiculed4 ,the   
object of all the public worships in the
 world is the same2 it is that great    
eternal ,being who created everything4  
,the different manners of worship are by
 no means subjects of ridicule4 ,each   
sect thinks its own is the best2 and ,i 
know no infallible judge in this world1 
to decide which is the best4 ,make the  
same inquiries1 wherever you are1       
concerning the revenues1 the military   
establishment1 the trade1 the commerce1 
and the police of every country4 ,and   
you would do well to keep a blank paper 
book1 which the ,germans call an        
,,album2 and there1 instead of desiring1
 as they do1 every fool they meet with  

to scribble something1 write down all   
these things as soon as they come to    
your knowledge from good authorities4   
,i had almost forgotten one thing1 which
 ,i would recommend as an object for    
your curiosity and information1 that is1
 the administration of justice2 which1  
as it is always carried on in open      
court1 you may1 and ,i would have you1  
go and see it with attention and        
inquiry4  ,i have now but one anxiety   
left1 which is concerning you4 ,i would 
have you be1 what ,i know nobody        
is--perfect4 ,as that is impossible1 ,i 
would have you as near perfection as    
possible4 ,i know nobody in a fairer way
 toward it than yourself1 if you please4
 ,never were so much pains taken for    
anybody's education as for yours2 and   
never had anybody those opportunities of
 knowledge and improvement which you1   
have had1 and still have1 ,i hope1 ,i   
wish1 ,i doubt1 and fear alternately4   
,this only ,i am sure of1 that you will 
prove either the greatest pain or the   

greatest pleasure of1 ,yours4           
,,letter ,,xxx  ,,bath1 ,february #bb1  
,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear ,boy3 ,every     
excellency1 and every virtue1 has its   
kindred vice or weakness2 and if carried
 beyond certain bounds1 sinks into one  
or the other4 ,generosity often runs    
into profusion1 economy into avarice1   
courage into rashness1 caution into     
timidity1 and so on3--insomuch that1 ,i 
believe1 there is more judgment         
required1 for the proper conduct of our 
virtues1 than for avoiding their        
opposite vices4 ,vice1 in its true      
light1 is so deformed1 that it shocks us
 at first sight1 and would hardly ever  
seduce us1 if it did not1 at first1 wear
 the mask of some virtue4 ,but virtue   
is1 in itself1 so beautiful1 that it    
charms us at first sight2 engages us    
more and more upon further acquaintance2
 and1 as with other beauties1 we think  
excess impossible2 it is here that      
judgment is necessary1 to moderate and  
direct the effects of an excellent      

cause4 ,i shall apply this reasoning1 at
 present1 not to any particular virtue1 
but to an excellency1 which1 for want of
 judgment1 is often the cause of        
ridiculous and blamable effects2 ,i     
mean1 great learning2 which1 if not     
accompanied with sound judgment1        
frequently carries us into error1 pride1
 and pedantry4 ,as1 ,i hope1 you will   
possess that excellency in its utmost   
extent1 and yet without its too common  
failings1 the hints1 which my experience
 can suggest1 may probably not be       
useless to you4  ,some learned men1     
proud of their knowledge1 only speak to 
decide1 and give judgment without       
appeal2 the consequence of which is1    
that mankind1 provoked by the insult1   
and injured by the oppression1 revolt2  
and1 in order to shake off the tyranny1 
even call the lawful authority in       
question4 ,the more you know1 the       
modester you should be3 and 7by the bye7
 that modesty is the surest way of      
gratifying your vanity4 ,even where you 

are sure1 seem rather doubtful2         
represent1 but do not pronounce1 and1 if
 you would convince others1 seem open to
 conviction yourself4  ,others1 to show 
their learning1 or often from the       
prejudices of a school education1 where 
they hear of nothing else1 are always   
talking of the ancients1 as something   
more than men1 and of the moderns1 as   
something less4 ,they are never without 
a classic or two in their pockets2 they 
stick to the old good sense2 they read  
none of the modern trash2 and will show 
you1 plainly1 that no improvement has   
been made1 in any one art or science1   
these last seventeen hundred years4 ,i  
would by no means have you disown your  
acquaintance with the ancients3 but     
still less would ,i have you brag of an 
exclusive intimacy with them4 ,speak of 
the moderns without contempt1 and of the
 ancients without idolatry2 judge them  
all by their merits1 but not by their   
ages2 and if you happen to have an      
,elzevir classic in your pocket neither 

show it nor mention it4  ,some great    
scholars1 most absurdly1 draw all their 
maxims1 both for public and private     
life1 from what they call parallel cases
 in the ancient authors2 without        
considering1 that1 in the first place1  
there never were1 since the creation of 
the world1 two cases exactly parallel2  
and1 in the next place1 that there never
 was a case stated1 or even known1 by   
any historian1 with every one of its    
circumstances2 which1 however1 ought to 
be known1 in order to be reasoned from4 
,reason upon the case itself1 and the   
several circumstances that attend it1   
and act accordingly2 but not from the   
authority of ancient poets1 or          
historians4 ,take into your             
consideration1 if you please1 cases     
seemingly analogous2 but take them as   
helps only1 not as guides4 ,we are      
really so prejudiced by our education1  
that1 as the ancients deified their     
heroes1 we deify their madmen2 of which1
 with all due regard for antiquity1 ,i  

take ,leonidas and ,curtius to have been
 two distinguished ones4 ,and yet a     
solid pedant would1 in a speech in      
parliament1 relative to a tax of two    
pence in the pound upon some community  
or other1 quote those two heroes1 as    
examples of what we ought to do and     
suffer for our country4 ,i have known   
these absurdities carried so far by     
people of injudicious learning1 that ,i 
should not be surprised1 if some of them
 were to propose1 while we are at war   
with the ,gauls1 that a number of geese 
should be kept in the ,tower1 upon      
account of the infinite advantage which 
,rome received ,,in ,a ,,parallel       
,,case1 from a certain number of geese  
in the ,capitol4 ,this way of reasoning1
 and this way of speaking1 will always  
form a poor politician1 and a puerile   
declaimer4  ,there is another species of
 learned men1 who1 though less          
dogmatical and supercilious1 are not    
less impertinent4 ,these are the        
communicative and shining pedants1 who  

adorn their conversation1 even with     
women1 by happy quotations of ,greek and
 ,latin2 and who have contracted such a 
familiarity with the ,greek and ,roman  
authors1 that they1 call them by certain
 names or epithets denoting intimacy4   
,as ,,old ,homer2 that ,,sly ,,rogue    
,horace2 ,,maro1 instead of ,virgil2 and
 ,naso1 ,instead of ,ovid4 ,these are   
often imitated by coxcombs1 who have no 
learning at all2 but who have got some  
names and some scraps of ancient authors
 by heart1 which they improperly and    
impertinently retail in all companies1  
in hopes of passing for scholars4 ,if1  
therefore1 you would avoid the          
accusation of pedantry on one hand1 or  
the suspicion of ignorance on the other1
 abstain from learned ostentation4      
,speak the language of the company that 
you are in2 speak it purely1 and        
unlarded with any other4 ,never seem    
wiser1 nor more learned1 than the people
 you are with4 ,wear your learning1 like
 your watch1 in a private pocket3 and do

 not pull it out and strike it2 merely  
to show that you have one4 ,if you are  
asked what o'clock it is1 tell it2 but  
do not proclaim it hourly and unasked1  
like the watchman4  ,upon the whole1    
remember that learning 7,i mean ,greek  
and ,roman learning7 is a most useful   
and necessary ornament1 which it is     
shameful not to be master of2 but1 at   
the same time most carefully avoid those
 errors and abuses which ,i have        
mentioned1 and which too often attend   
it4 ,remember1 too1 that great modern   
knowledge is still more necessary than  
ancient2 and that you had better know   
perfectly the present1 than the old     
state of ,europe2 though ,i would have  
you well acquainted with both4  ,i have 
this moment received your letter of the 
#agth1 ,n4 ,s4 ,though1 ,i confess1     
there is no great variety in your       
present manner of life1 yet materials   
can never be wanting for a letter2 you  
see1 you hear1 or you read something new
 every day2 a short account of which1   

with your own reflections thereupon1    
will make out a letter very well4 ,but1 
since you desire a subject1 pray send me
 an account of the ,lutheran            
establishment in ,germany2 their        
religious tenets1 their church          
government1 the maintenance1 authority1 
and titles of their clergy4  #8,vittorio
 ,siri'1 complete1 is a very scarce and 
very dear book here2 but ,i do not want 
it4 ,if your own library grows too      
voluminous1 you will not know what to do
 with it1 when you leave ,leipsig4 ,your
 best way will be1 when you go away from
 thence1 to send to ,england1 by        
,hamburg1 all the books that you do not 
absolutely want4                        
,yours4     ,,letter ,,xxxi  ,,bath1    
,march #a1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3
 ,by ,mr4 ,harte's letter to ,mr4       
,grevenkop1 of the #bast ,february1 ,n4 
,s41 ,i find that you had been a great  
while without receiving any letters from
 me2 but by this time1 ,i daresay you   
think you have received enough1 and     

possibly more than you have read2 for ,i
 am not only a frequent1 but a prolix   
correspondent4  ,mr4 ,harte says1 in    
that letter1 that he looks upon         
,professor ,mascow to be one of the     
ablest men in ,europe1 in treaty and    
political knowledge4 ,i am extremely    
glad of it2 for that is what ,i would   
have you particularly apply to1 and make
 yourself perfect master of4 ,the treaty
 part you must chiefly acquire by       
reading the treaties themselves1 and the
 histories and memoirs relative to them2
 not but that inquiries and             
conversations upon those treaties will  
help you greatly1 and imprint them      
better in your mind4 ,in this course of 
reading1 do not perplex yourself1 at    
first1 by the multitude of insignificant
 treaties which are to be found in the  
,corps ,diplomatique2 but stick to the  
material ones1 which altered the state  
of ,europe1 and made a new arrangement  
among the great powers2 such as the     
treaties of ,munster1 ,nimeguen1        

,ryswick1 and ,utrecht4  ,but there is  
one part of political knowledge1 which  
is only to be had by inquiry and        
conversation2 that is1 the present state
 of every power in ,europe1 with regard 
to the three important points1 of       
strength1 revenue1 and commerce4 ,you   
will1 therefore1 do well1 while you are 
in ,germany1 to inform yourself         
carefully of the military force1 the    
revenues1 and the commerce of every     
prince and state of the empire2 and to  
write down those informations in a      
little book1 for that particular        
purpose4 ,to give you a specimen of what
 ,i mean3--              ,,the          
,,electorate ,,of ,,hanover     ,the    
revenue is about ,l#ejj1jjj a year4     
,the military establishment1 in time of 
war1 may be about #be1jjj men2    but   
that is the utmost4     ,the trade is   
chiefly linens1 exported from ,stade4   
,there are coarse woolen manufactures   
for home-consumption4     ,the mines of 
,hartz produce about ,l#ajj1jjj in      

silver1 annually4  ,such informations   
you may very easily get1 by proper      
inquiries1 of every state in ,germany if
 you will but prefer useful to frivolous
 conversations4  ,there are many princes
 in ,germany1 who keep very few or no   
troops1 unless upon the approach of     
danger1 or for the sake of profit1 by   
letting them out for subsidies1 to great
 powers3 ,in that case1 you will inform 
yourself what number of troops they     
could raise1 either for their own       
defense1 or furnish to other powers for 
subsidies4  ,there is very little       
trouble1 and an infinite use1 in        
acquiring of this knowledge4 ,it seems  
to me even to be a more entertaining    
subject to talk upon1 than #8la pluie et
 le beau tens'4  ,though ,i am sensible 
that these things cannot be known with  
the utmost exactness1 at least by you   
yet1 you may1 however1 get so near the  
truth1 that the difference will be very 
immaterial4  ,pray let me know if the   
,roman ,catholic worship is tolerated in

 ,saxony1 anywhere but at ,court2 and if
 public mass-houses are allowed anywhere
 else in the electorate4 ,are the       
regular ,romish clergy allowed2 and have
 they any convents8  ,are there any     
military orders in ,saxony1 and what8   
,is the ,white ,eagle a ,saxon or a     
,polish order8 ,upon what occasion1 and 
when was it founded8 ,what number of    
knights8  ,adieu6 ,god bless you2 and   
may you turn out what ,i wish6          
,,letter ,,xxxii  ,,bath1 ,march #i1 ,o4
 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,i must from 
time to time1 remind you of what ,i have
 often recommended to you1 and of what  
you cannot attend to too much2          
,,sacrifice ,,to ,,the ,,graces4 ,the   
different effects of the same things1   
said or done1 when accompanied or       
abandoned by them1 is almost            
inconceivable4 ,they prepare the way to 
the heart2 and the heart has such an    
influence over the understanding1 that  
it is worth while to engage it in our   
interest4 ,it is the whole of women1 who

 are guided by nothing else3 and it has 
so much to say1 even with men1 and the  
ablest men too1 that it commonly        
triumphs in every struggle with the     
understanding4 ,monsieur de             
,rochefoucault1 in his 8,maxims10 says1 
that #8l'esprit est souvent la dupe du  
coeur4' ,if he had said1 instead of     
#8souvent1 tresque toujours'1 ,i fear he
 would have been nearer the truth4 ,this
 being the case1 aim at the heart4      
,intrinsic merit alone will not do2 it  
will gain you the general esteem of all2
 but not the particular affection1 that 
is1 the heart of any4 ,to engage the    
affections of any particular person1 you
 must1 over and above your general      
merit1 have some particular merit to    
that person by services done1 or        
offered2 by expressions of regard and   
esteem2 by complaisance1 attentions1    
etc41 for him4 ,and the graceful manner 
of doing all these things opens the way 
to the heart1 and facilitates1 or rather
 insures1 their effects4 ,from your own 

observation1 reflect what a disagreeable
 impression an awkward address1 a       
slovenly figure1 an ungraceful manner of
 speaking1 whether stuttering1          
muttering1 monotony1 or drawling1 an    
unattentive behavior1 etc41 make upon   
you1 at first sight1 in a stranger1 and 
how they prejudice you against him1     
though for aught you know1 he may have  
great intrinsic sense and merit4 ,and   
reflect1 on the other hand1 how much the
 opposites of all these things          
prepossess you1 at first sight1 in favor
 of those who enjoy them4 ,you wish to  
find all good qualities in them1 and are
 in some degree disappointed if you do  
not4 ,a thousand little things1 not     
separately to be defined1 conspire to   
form these graces1 this je ne sais quoi1
 that always please4 ,a pretty person1  
genteel motions1 a proper degree of     
dress1 an harmonious voice1 something   
open and cheerful in the countenance1   
but without laughing2 a distinct and    
properly varied manner of speaking3 ,all

 these things1 and many others1 are     
necessary ingredients in the composition
 of the pleasing je ne sais quoi1 which 
everybody feels1 though nobody can      
describe4 ,observe carefully1 then1 what
 displeases or pleases you in others1   
and be persuaded1 that in general2 the  
same things will please or displease    
them in you4 ,having mentioned laughing1
 ,i must particularly warn you against  
it3 and ,i could heartily wish1 that you
 may often be seen to smile1 but never  
heard to laugh while you live4 ,frequent
 and loud laughter is the characteristic
 of folly and in manners2 it is the     
manner in which the mob express their   
silly joy at silly things2 and they call
 it being merry4 ,in my mind1 there is  
nothing so illiberal1 and so ill-bred1  
as audible laughter4 ,true wit1 or      
sense1 never yet made anybody laugh2    
they are above it3 ,they please the     
mind1 and give a cheerfulness to the    
countenance4 ,but it is low buffoonery1 
or silly accidents1 that always excite  

laughter2 and that is what people of    
sense and breeding should show          
themselves above4 ,a man's going to sit 
down1 in the supposition that he has a  
chair behind him1 and falling down upon 
his breech for want of one1 sets a whole
 company a laughing1 when all the wit in
 the world would not do it2 a plain     
proof1 in my mind1 how low and          
unbecoming a thing laughter is3 not to  
mention the disagreeable noise that it  
makes1 and the shocking distortion of   
the face that it occasions4 ,laughter is
 easily restrained1 by a very little    
reflection2 but as it is generally      
connected with the idea of gaiety1      
people do not enough attend to its      
absurdity4 ,i am neither of a melancholy
 nor a cynical disposition1 and am as   
willing and as apt to be pleased as     
anybody2 but ,i am sure that1 since ,i  
have had the full use of my reason1     
nobody has ever heard me laugh4 ,many   
people1 at first1 from awkwardness and  
#8mauvaise honte'1 have got a very      

disagreeable and silly trick of laughing
 whenever they speak2 and ,i know a man 
of very good parts1 ,mr4 ,waller1 who   
cannot say the commonest thing without  
laughing2 which makes those1 who do not 
know him1 take him at first for a       
natural fool4 ,this1 and many other very
 disagreeable habits1 are owing to      
mauvaise honte at their first setting   
out in the world4 ,they are ashamed in  
company1 and so disconcerted1 that they 
do not know what they do1 and try a     
thousand tricks to keep themselves in   
countenance2 which tricks afterward grow
 habitual to them4 ,some put their      
fingers in their nose1 others scratch   
their heads1 others twirl their hats2 in
 short1 every awkward1 ill-bred body has
 his trick4 ,but the frequency does not 
justify the thing1 and all these vulgar 
habits and awkwardnesses1 though not    
criminal indeed1 are most carefully to  
be guarded against1 as they are great   
bars in the way of the art of pleasing4 
,remember1 that to please is almost to  

prevail1 or at least a necessary        
previous step to it4 ,you1 who have your
 fortune to make1 should more           
particularly study this art4 ,you had   
not1 ,i must tell you1 when you left    
,england1 #8les manieres prevenantes'2  
and ,i must confess they are not very   
common in ,england2 but ,i hope that    
your good sense will make you acquire   
them abroad4 ,if you desire to make     
yourself considerable in the world 7as1 
if you have any spirit1 you do71 it must
 be entirely your own doing2 for ,i may 
very possibly be out of the world at the
 time you come into it4 ,your own rank  
and fortune will not assist you2 your   
merit and your manners can alone raise  
you to figure and fortune4 ,i have laid 
the foundations of them1 by the         
education which ,i have given you2 but  
you must build the superstructure       
yourself4  ,i must now apply to you for 
some informations1 which ,i dare say you
 can1 and which ,i desire you will give 
me4  ,can the ,elector of ,saxony put   

any of his subjects to death for high   
treason1 without bringing them first to 
their trial in some public court of     
justice8  ,can he1 by his own authority1
 confine any subject in prison as long  
as he pleases1 without trial8  ,can he  
banish any subject out of his dominions 
by his own authority8  ,can he lay any  
tax whatsoever upon his subjects1       
without the consent of the states of    
,saxony8 and what are those states8 how 
are they elected8 what orders do they   
consist of8 ,do the clergy make part of 
them8 and when1 and how often do they   
meet8  ,if two subjects of the elector's
 are at law1 for an estate situated in  
the electorate1 in what court must this 
suit be tried8 and will the decision of 
that court be final1 or does there lie  
an appeal to the imperial chamber at    
,wetzlaer8  ,what do you call the two   
chief courts1 or two chief magistrates1 
of civil and criminal justice8  ,what is
 the common revenue of the electorate1  
one year with another8  ,what number of 

troops does the elector now maintain8   
and what is the greatest number that the
 electorate is able to maintain8  ,i do 
not expect to have all these questions  
answered at once2 but you will answer   
them1 in proportion as you get the      
necessary and authentic informations4   
,you are1 you see1 my ,german oracle2   
and ,i consult you with so much faith1  
that you need not1 like the oracles of  
old1 return ambiguous answers2          
especially as you have this advantage   
over them1 too1 that ,i only consult you
 about past end present1 but not about  
what is to come4  ,i wish you a good    
,easter-fair at ,leipsig4 ,see1 with    
attention all the shops1 drolls1        
tumblers1 rope-dancers1 and #8hoc genus 
omne'3 but inform yourself more         
particularly of the several parts of    
trade there4 ,adieu4     ,,letter       
,,xxxiii  ,,london1 ,march #be1 ,o4 ,s4 
#agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,i am in great joy
 at the written and the verbal accounts 
which ,i have received lately of you4   

,the former1 from ,mr4 ,harte2 the      
latter1 from ,mr4 ,trevanion1 who is    
arrived here3 they conspire to convince 
me that you employ your time well at    
,leipsig4 ,i am glad to find you consult
 your own interest and your own pleasure
 so much2 for the knowledge which you   
will acquire in these two years is      
equally necessary for both4 ,i am       
likewise particularly pleased to find   
that you turn yourself to that sort of  
knowledge which is more peculiarly      
necessary for your destination3 for ,mr4
 ,harte tells me you have read1 with    
attention1 ,caillieres1 ,pequet1 and    
,richelieu's 8,letters40  ,the          
8,memoirs0 of the ,cardinal de ,retz    
will both entertain and instruct you2   
they relate to a very interesting period
 of the ,french history1 the ministry of
 ,cardinal ,mazarin1 during the minority
 of ,lewis ,,xiv4 ,the characters of all
 the considerable people of that time   
are drawn1 in a short1 strong1 and      
masterly manner2 and the political      

reflections1 which are most of them     
printed in italics1 are the justest that
 ever ,i met with3 they are not the     
labored reflections of a systematical   
closet politician1 who1 without the     
least experience of business1 sits at   
home and writes maxims2 but they are the
 reflections which a great and able man 
formed from long experience and practice
 in great business4 ,they are true      
conclusions1 drawn from facts1 not from 
speculations4  ,as modern history is    
particularly your business1 ,i will give
 you some rules to direct your study of 
it4 ,it begins1 properly with           
,charlemagne1 in the year #hjj4 ,but as1
 in those times of ignorance1 the       
priests and monks were almost the only  
people that could or did write1 we have 
scarcely any histories of those times   
but such as they have been pleased to   
give us1 which are compounds of         
ignorance1 superstition1 and party zeal4
 ,so that a general notion of what is   
rather supposed1 than really known to   

be1 the history of the five or six      
following centuries1 seems to be        
sufficient2 and much time would be but  
ill employed in a minute attention to   
those legends4 ,but reserve your utmost 
care1 and most diligent inquiries1 from 
the fifteenth century1 and downward4    
,then learning began to revive1 and     
credible histories to be written2       
,europe began to take the form1 which1  
to some degree1 it still retains3 at    
least the foundations of the present    
great powers of ,europe were then laid4 
,lewis the ,eleventh made ,france1 in   
truth1 a monarchy1 or1 as he used to say
 himself1 #8la mit hors de ,page'4      
,before his time1 there were independent
 provinces in ,france1 as the ,duchy of 
,brittany1 etc41 whose princes tore it  
to pieces1 and kept it in constant      
domestic confusion4 ,lewis the ,eleventh
 reduced all these petty states1 by     
fraud1 force1 or marriage2 for he       
scrupled no means to obtain his ends4   
,about that time1 ,ferdinand ,king of   

,aragon1 and ,isabella his wife1 ,queen 
of ,castile1 united the whole ,spanish  
monarchy1 and drove the ,moors out of   
,spain1 who had till then kept position 
of ,granada4 ,about that time1 too1 the 
house of ,austria laid the great        
foundations of its subsequent power2    
first1 by the marriage of ,maximilian   
with the heiress of ,burgundy2 and then1
 by the marriage of his son ,philip1    
,archduke of ,austria1 with ,jane1 the  
daughter of ,isabella1 ,queen of ,spain1
 and heiress of that whole kingdom1 and 
of the ,west ,indies4 ,by the first of  
these marriages1 the house of ,austria  
acquired the seventeen provinces1 and by
 the latter1 ,spain and ,america2 all   
which centered in the person of ,charles
 the ,fifth1 son of the above-mentioned 
,archduke ,philip1 the son of           
,maximilian4 ,it was upon account of    
these two marriages1 that the following 
,latin distich was made3          ,bella
 gerant alii1 ,tu felix ,austria nube2  
,nam qua1 ,mars aliis2 dat tibi regna   

,venus4  ,this immense power1 which the 
,emperor ,charles the ,fifth found      
himself possessed of1 gave him a desire 
for universal power 7for people never   
desire all till they have gotten a great
 deal71 and alarmed ,france2 this sowed 
the seeds of that jealousy and enmity1  
which have flourished ever since between
 those two great powers4 ,afterward the 
,house of ,austria was weakened by the  
division made by ,charles the ,fifth of 
his dominions1 between his son1 ,philip 
the ,second of ,spain1 and his brother  
,ferdinand2 and has ever since been     
dwindling to the weak condition in which
 it now is4 ,this is a most interesting 
part of the history of ,europe1 of which
 it is absolutely necessary that you    
should be exactly and minutely informed4
  ,there are in the history of most     
countries1 certain very remarkable eras1
 which deserve more particular inquiry  
and attention than the common run of    
history4 ,such is the revolt of the     
,seventeen ,provinces1 in the reign of  

,philip the ,second of ,spain1 which    
ended in forming the present republic of
 the ,seven ,united ,provinces1 whose   
independency was first allowed by ,spain
 at the treaty of ,munster4 ,such was   
the extraordinary revolution of         
,portugal1 in the year #afdj1 in favor  
of the present ,house of ,braganza4     
,such is the famous revolution of       
,sweden1 when ,christian the ,second of 
,denmark1 who was also king of ,sweden1 
was driven out by ,gustavus ,vasa4 ,and 
such also is that memorable era in      
,denmark1 of #affj2 when the states of  
that kingdom made a voluntary surrender 
of all their rights and liberties to the
 ,crown1 and changed that free state    
into the most absolute monarchy now in  
,europe4 ,the ,acta ,regis1 upon that   
occasion1 are worth your perusing4      
,these remarkable periods of modern     
history deserve your particular         
attention1 and most of them have been   
treated singly by good historians1 which
 are worth your reading4 ,the           

revolutions of ,sweden1 and of          
,portugal1 are most admirably well      
written by ,l',abbe de ,vertot2 they are
 short1 and will not take twelve hours' 
reading4 ,there is another book which   
very well deserves your looking into1   
but not worth your buying at present1   
because it is not portable2 if you can  
borrow or hire it1 you should2 and that 
is1 #8,l' ,histoire des ,traits de      
,paix1 in two volumes1 folio1 which make
 part of the #8,corps ,diplomatique'4   
,you will there find a short and clear  
history1 and the substance of every     
treaty made in ,europe1 during the last 
century1 from the treaty of ,vervins4   
,three parts in four of this book are   
not worth your reading1 as they relate  
to treaties of very little importance2  
but if you select the most considerable 
ones1 read them with attention1 and take
 some notes1 it will be of great use to 
you4 ,attend chiefly to those in which  
the great powers of ,europe are the     
parties2 such as the treaty of the      

,pyrenees1 between ,france and ,spain2  
the treaties of ,nimeguen and ,ryswick2 
but1 above all1 the treaty of ,munster  
should be most circumstantially and     
minutely known to you1 as almost every  
treaty made since has some reference to 
it4 ,for this1 ,pere ,bougeant is the   
best book you can read1 as it takes in  
the thirty years' war1 which preceded   
that treaty4 ,the treaty itself1 which  
is made a perpetual law of the empire1  
comes in the course of your lectures    
upon the #8,jus ,publicum ,imperii'4    
,in order to furnish you with materials 
for a letter1 and at the same time to   
inform both you and myself of what it is
 right that we should know1 pray answer 
me the following questions3  ,how many  
companies are there in the ,saxon       
regiments of foot8 ,how many men in each
 company8  ,how many troops in the      
regiments of horse and dragoons2 and how
 many men in each8  ,what number of     
commissioned and non-commissioned       
officers in a company of foot1 or in a  

troop of horse or dragoons8 ,n4 ,b4     
,noncommissioned officers are all those 
below ensigns and cornets4  ,what is the
 daily pay of a ,saxon foot soldier1    
dragoon1 and trooper8  ,what are the    
several ranks of the #8,etat            
,major-general'8 ,n4 ,b4 ,the ,etat     
,major-general is everything above      
colonel4 ,the ,austrians have no        
brigadiers1 and the ,french have no     
major-generals in their ,etat ,major4   
,what have the ,saxons8 ,adieu6         
,,letter ,,xxxiv  ,,london1 ,march #bg1 
,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,this     
little packet will be delivered to you  
by one ,monsieur ,duval1 who is going to
 the fair at ,leipsig4 ,he is a jeweler1
 originally of ,geneva1 but who has been
 settled here these eight or ten years1 
and a very sensible fellow3 pray do be  
very civil to him4  ,as ,i advised you1 
some time ago1 to inform yourself of the
 civil and military establishments of as
 many of the kingdoms and states of     
,europe1 as you should either be in     

yourself1 or be able to get authentic   
accounts of1 ,i send you here a little  
book1 in which1 upon the article of     
,hanover1 ,i have pointed out the short 
method of putting down these            
informations1 by way of helping your    
memory4 ,the book being lettered1 you   
can immediately turn to whatever article
 you want2 and1 by adding interleaves to
 each letter1 may extend your minutes to
 what particulars you please4 ,you may  
get such books made anywhere2 and       
appropriate each1 if you please1 to a   
particular object4 ,i have myself found 
great utility in this method4 ,if ,i had
 known what to have sent you by this    
opportunity ,i would have done it4 ,the 
,french say1 #8,que les petits presens  
entretiennent l'amite et que les grande 
l'augmentent'2 but ,i could not         
recollect that you wanted anything1 or  
at least anything that you cannot get as
 well at ,leipsig as here4 ,do but      
continue to deserve1 and1 ,i assure you1
 that you shall never want anything ,i  

can give4  ,do not apprehend that my    
being out of employment may be any      
prejudice to you4 ,many things will     
happen before you can be fit for        
business2 and when you are fit1 whatever
 my situation may be1 it will always be 
in my power to help you in your first   
steps2 afterward you must help yourself 
by your own abilities4 ,make yourself   
necessary1 and1 instead of soliciting1  
you will be solicited4 ,the thorough    
knowledge of foreign affairs1 the       
interests1 the views1 and the manners of
 the several courts in ,europe1 are not 
the common growth of this country4 ,it  
is in your power to acquire them2 you   
have all the means4 ,adieu6  ,yours4    
,,letters ,,to ,,his ,,son  ,,letter    
,,xxxv  ,,london1 ,april #a1 ,o4 ,s4    
#agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,i have not       
received any letter1 either from you or 
from ,mr4 ,harte1 these three posts1    
which ,i impute wholly to accidents     
between this place and ,leipsig2 and    
they are distant enough to admit of     

many4 ,i always take it for granted that
 you are well1 when ,i do not hear to   
the contrary2 besides1 as ,i have often 
told you1 ,i am much more anxious about 
your doing well1 than about your being  
well2 and1 when you do not write1 ,i    
will suppose that you are doing         
something more useful4 ,your health will
 continue1 while your temperance        
continues2 and at your age nature takes 
sufficient care of the body1 provided   
she is left to herself1 and that        
intemperance on one hand1 or medicines  
on the other1 do not break in upon her4 
,but it is by no means so with the mind1
 which1 at your age particularly1       
requires great and constant care1 and   
some physic4 ,every quarter of an hour1 
well or ill employed1 will do it        
essential and lasting good or harm4 ,it 
requires also a great deal of exercise1 
to bring it to a state of health and    
vigor4 ,observe the difference there is 
between minds cultivated1 and minds     
uncultivated1 and you will1 ,i am sure1 

think that you cannot take too much     
pains1 nor employ too much of your time 
in the culture of your own4 ,a drayman  
is probably born with as good organs as 
,milton1 ,locke1 or ,newton2 but1 by    
culture1 they are as much more above him
 as he is above his horse4 ,sometimes1  
indeed1 extraordinary geniuses have     
broken out by the force of nature1      
without the assistance of education2 but
 those instances are too rare for       
anybody to trust to2 and even they would
 make a much greater figure1 if they had
 the advantage of education into the    
bargain4 ,if ,shakespeare's genius had  
been cultivated1 those beauties1 which  
we so justly admire in him1 would have  
been undisgraced by those               
extravagancies1 and that nonsense1 with 
which they are frequently accompanied4  
,people are1 in general1 what they are  
made1 by education and company1 from    
fifteen to five-and-twenty2 consider    
well1 therefore1 the importance of your 
next eight or nine years2 your whole    

depends upon them4 ,i will tell you     
sincerely1 my hopes and my fears        
concerning you4 ,i think you will be a  
good scholar2 and that you will acquire 
a considerable stock of knowledge of    
various kinds2 but ,i fear that you     
neglect what are called little1 though1 
in truth1 they are very material things2
 ,i mean1 a gentleness of manners1 an   
engaging address1 and an insinuating    
behavior2 they are real and solid       
advantages1 and none but those who do   
not know the world1 treat them as       
trifles4 ,i am told that you speak very 
quick1 and not distinctly2 this is a    
most ungraceful and disagreeable trick1 
which you know ,i have told you of a    
thousand times2 pray attend carefully to
 the correction of it4 ,an agreeable    
and1 distinct manner of speaking adds   
greatly to the matter2 and ,i have known
 many a very good speech unregarded1    
upon account of the disagreeable manner 
in which it has been delivered1 and many
 an indifferent one applauded1 from the 

contrary reason4 ,adieu6     ,,letter   
,,xxxvi  ,,london1 ,april #ae1 ,o4 ,s4  
#agdh  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,though ,i have no 
letters from you to acknowledge since my
 last to you1 ,i will not let three     
posts go from hence without a letter    
from me4 ,my affection always prompts me
 to write to you2 and ,i am encouraged  
to do it1 by the hopes that my letters  
are not quite useless4 ,you will        
probably receive this in the midst of   
the diversions of ,leipsig fair2 at     
which1 ,mr4 ,harte tells me1 that you   
are to shine in fine clothes1 among fine
 folks4 ,i am very glad of it1 as it is 
time that you should begin to be formed 
to the manners of the world in higher   
life4 ,courts are the best schools for  
that sort of learning4 ,you are         
beginning now with the outside of a     
court2 and there is not a more gaudy one
 than that of ,saxony4 ,attend to it1   
and make your observations upon the turn
 and manners of it1 that you may        
hereafter compare it with other courts  

which you will see2 ,and1 though you are
 not yet able to be informed1 or to     
judge of the political conduct and      
maxims of that court1 yet you may remark
 the forms1 the ceremonies1 and the     
exterior state of it4 ,at least see     
everything that you can see1 and know   
everything that you can know of it1 by  
asking questions4 ,see likewise         
everything at the fair1 from operas and 
plays1 down to the ,savoyard's          
raree-shows4  ,everything is worth      
seeing once2 and the more one sees1 the 
less one either wonders or admires4     
,make my compliments to ,mr4 ,harte1 and
 tell him that ,i have just now received
 his letter1 for which ,i thank him4 ,i 
am called away1 and my letter is        
therefore very much shortened4 ,adieu4  
,i am impatient to receive your answers 
to the many questions that ,i have asked
 you4     ,,letter ,,xxxvii  ,,london1  
,april #bf1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear      
,,boy3 ,i am extremely pleased with your
 continuation of the history of the     

,reformation2 which is one of those     
important eras that deserves your utmost
 attention1 and of which you cannot be  
too minutely informed4 ,you have1       
doubtless1 considered the causes of that
 great event1 and observed that         
disappointment and resentment had a much
 greater share in it1 than a religious  
zeal or an abhorrence of the errors and 
abuses of popery4  ,luther1 an          
,augustine monk1 enraged that his order1
 and consequently himself1 had not the  
exclusive privilege of selling          
indulgences1 but that the ,dominicans   
were let into a share of that profitable
 but infamous trade1 turns reformer1 and
 exclaims against the abuses1 the       
corruption1 and the idolatry1 of the    
church of ,rome2 which were certainly   
gross enough for him to have seen long  
before1 but which he had at least       
acquiesced in1 till what he called the  
rights1 that is1 the profit1 of his     
order came to be touched4 ,it is true1  
the church of ,rome furnished him ample 

matter for complaint and reformation1   
and he laid hold of it ably4  ,this     
seems to me the true cause of that great
 and necessary1 work2 but whatever the  
cause was1 the effect was good2 and the 
,reformation spread itself by its own   
truth and fitness2 was conscientiously  
received by great numbers in ,germany1  
and other countries2 and was soon       
afterward mixed up with the politics of 
princes2 and1 as it always happens in   
religious disputes1 became the specious 
covering of injustice and ambition4     
,under the pretense of crushing heresy1 
as it was called1 the ,house of ,austria
 meant to extend and establish its power
 in the empire2 as1 on the other hand1  
many ,protestant princes1 under the     
pretense of extirpating idolatry1 or at 
least of securing toleration1 meant only
 to enlarge their own dominions or      
privileges4 ,these views respectively1  
among the chiefs on both sides1 much    
more than true religious motives1       
continued what were called the religious

 wars in ,germany1 almost               
uninterruptedly1 till the affairs of the
 two religions were finally settled by  
the treaty of ,munster4  ,were most     
historical events traced up to their    
true causes1 ,i fear we should not find 
them much more noble or disinterested   
than ,luther's disappointed avarice2 and
 therefore ,i look with some contempt   
upon those refining and sagacious       
historians1 who ascribe all1 even the   
most common events1 to some deep        
political cause2 whereas mankind is made
 up of inconsistencies1 and no man acts 
invariably up to his predominant        
character4 ,the wisest man sometimes    
acts weakly1 and the weakest sometimes  
wisely4 ,our jarring passions1 our      
variable humors1 nay1 our greater or    
lesser degree of health and spirits1    
produce such contradictions in our      
conduct1 that1 ,i believe1 those are the
 oftenest mistaken1 who ascribe our     
actions to the most seemingly obvious   
motives2 and ,i am convinced1 that a    

light supper1 a good night's sleep1 and 
a fine morning1 have sometimes made a   
hero of the same man1 who1 by an        
indigestion1 a restless night1 and rainy
 morning1 would1 have proved a coward4  
,our best conjectures1 therefore1 as to 
the true springs of actions1 are but    
very uncertain2 and the actions         
themselves are all that we must pretend 
to know from history4 ,that ,caesar was 
murdered by twenty-three conspirators1  
,i make no doubt3 but ,i very much doubt
 that their love of liberty1 and of     
their country1 was their sole1 or even  
principal motive2 and ,i dare say that1 
if the truth were known1 we should find 
that many other motives at least        
concurred1 even in the great ,brutus    
himself2 such as pride1 envy1 personal  
pique1 and disappointment4 ,nay1 ,i     
cannot help carrying my ,pyrrhonism     
still further1 and extending it often to
 historical facts themselves1 at least  
to most of the circumstances with which 
they are related2 and every day's       

experience confirms me in this          
historical incredulity4 ,do we ever hear
 the most recent fact related exactly in
 the same way1 by the several people who
 were at the same time eyewitnesses of  
it8 ,no4 ,one mistakes1 another         
misrepresents1 and others warp it a     
little to their own1 turn of mind1 or   
private views4 ,a man who has been      
concerned in a transaction will not     
write it fairly2 and a man who has not1 
cannot4 ,but notwithstanding all this   
uncertainty1 history is not the less    
necessary to be known1 as the best      
histories are taken for granted1 and are
 the frequent subjects both of          
conversation and writing4 ,though ,i am 
convinced that ,caesar's ghost never    
appeared to ,brutus1 yet ,i should be   
much ashamed to be ignorant of that     
fact1 as related by the historians of   
those times4 ,thus the ,pagan theology  
is universally received as matter for   
writing and conversation1 though        
believed now by nobody2 and we talk of  

,jupiter1 ,mars1 ,apollo1 etc41 as gods1
 though we know1 that if they ever      
existed at all1 it was only as mere     
mortal men4 ,this historical            
,pyrrhonism1 then1 proves nothing       
against the study and knowledge of      
history2 which1 of all other studies1 is
 the most necessary for a man who is to 
live in the world4 ,it only points out  
to us1 not to be too decisive and       
peremptory2 and to be cautious how we   
draw inferences for our own practice    
from remote facts1 partially or         
ignorantly related2 of which we can1 at 
best1 but imperfectly guess1 and        
certainly not know the real motives4    
,the testimonies of ancient history must
 necessarily be weaker than those of    
modern1 as all testimony grows weaker   
and weaker1 as it is more and more      
remote from us4 ,i would therefore      
advise you to study ancient history1 in 
general1 as other people1 do2 that is1  
not to be ignorant of any or those facts
 which are universally received1 upon   

the faith of the best historians2 and   
whether true or false1 you have them as 
other people have them4 ,but modern     
history1 ,i mean particularly that of   
the last three centuries1 is what ,i    
would have you apply to with the        
greatest attention and exactness4 ,there
 the probability of coming at the truth 
is much greater1 as the testimonies are 
much more recent2 besides1 anecdotes1   
memoirs1 and original letters1 often    
come to the aid of modern history4 ,the 
best memoirs that ,i know of are those  
of ,cardinal de ,retz1 which ,i have    
once before recommended to you2 and     
which ,i advise you to read more than   
once1 with attention4 ,there are many   
political maxims in these memoirs1 most 
of which are printed in italics2 pray   
attend to1 and remember them4 ,i never  
read them but my own experience confirms
 the truth of them4 ,many of them seem  
trifling to people who are not used to  
business2 but those who are1 feel the   
truth of them4  ,it is time to put an   

end to this long rambling letter2 in    
which if any one thing can be of use to 
you1 it will more than pay the trouble  
,i have taken to write it4 ,adieu6      
,yours4     ,,letter ,,xxxviii          
,,london1 ,may #aj1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4      
,,dear ,,boy3 ,i reckon that this letter
 will find you just returned from       
,dresden1 where you have made your first
 court caravanne4 ,what inclination for 
courts this taste of them may have given
 you1 ,i cannot tell2 but this ,i think 
myself sure of1 from your good sense1   
that in leaving ,dresden1 you have left 
dissipation too2 and have resumed at    
,leipsig that application which1 if you 
like courts1 can alone enable you to    
make a good figure at them4 ,a mere     
courtier1 without parts or knowledge1 is
 the most frivolous and contemptible of 
all beings2 as1 on the other hand1 a man
 of parts and knowledge1 who acquires   
the easy and noble manners of a court1  
is the most perfect4 ,it is a trite1    
commonplace observation1 that courts are

 the seats of falsehood and             
dissimulation4 ,that1 like many1 ,i     
might say most1 commonplace             
observations1 is false4 ,falsehood and  
dissimulation are certainly to be found 
at courts2 but where are they not to be 
found8 ,cottages have them1 as well as  
courts2 only with worse manners4 ,a     
couple of neighboring farmers in a      
village will contrive and practice as   
many tricks1 to over-reach each other at
 the next market1 or to supplant each   
other in the favor1 of the squire1 as   
any two courtiers can do to supplant    
each other in the favor of their prince4
  ,whatever poets may write1 or fools   
believe1 of rural innocence and truth1  
and of the perfidy of courts1 this is   
most undoubtedly true that shepherds and
 ministers are both men2 their nature   
and passions the same1 the modes of them
 only different4  ,having mentioned     
commonplace observations1 ,i will       
particularly caution you against either 
using1 believing1 or approving them4    

,they are the common topics of witlings 
and coxcombs2 those1 who really have    
wit1 have the utmost contempt for them1 
and scorn even to laugh at the pert     
things that those would-be wits say upon
 such subjects4  ,religion is one of    
their favorite topics2 it is all        
priest-craft2 and an invention contrived
 and carried on by priests of all       
religions1 for their own power and      
profit2 from this absurd and false      
principle flow the commonplace1 insipid 
jokes1 and insults upon the clergy4     
,with these people1 every priest1 of    
every religion1 is either a public or a 
concealed unbeliever1 drunkard1 and     
whoremaster2 whereas1 ,i conceive1 that 
priests are extremely like other men1   
and neither the better nor the worse for
 wearing a gown or a surplice3 but if   
they are different from other people1   
probably it is rather on the side of    
religion and morality1 or1 at least1    
decency1 from their education and manner
 of life4  ,another common topic for    

false wit1 and cool raillery1 is        
matrimony4 ,every man and his wife hate 
each other cordially1 whatever they may 
pretend1 in public1 to the contrary4    
,the husband certainly wishes his wife  
at the devil1 and the wife certainly    
cuckolds her husband4 ,whereas1 ,i      
presume1 that men and their wives       
neither love nor hate each other the    
more1 upon account of the form of       
matrimony which has been said over them4
 ,the cohabitation1 indeed1 which is the
 consequence of matrimony1 makes them   
either love or hate more1 accordingly as
 they respectively deserve it2 but that 
would be exactly the same between any   
man and woman who lived together without
 being married4  ,these and many other  
commonplace reflections upon nations or 
professions in general 7which are at    
least as often false as true71 are the  
poor refuge of people who have neither  
wit nor invention of their own1 but     
endeavor to shine in company by         
second-hand finery4 ,i always put these 

pert jackanapes out of countenance1 by  
looking extremely grave1 when they      
expect that ,i should laugh at their    
pleasantries2 and by saying ,,well1     
,,and ,,so1 as if they had not done1 and
 that the sting were still to come4     
,this disconcerts them1 as they have no 
resources in themselves1 and have but   
one set of jokes to live upon4 ,men of  
parts are not reduced to these shifts1  
and have the utmost contempt for them1  
they find proper subjects enough for    
either useful or lively conversations2  
they can be witty without satire or     
commonplace1 and serious without being  
dull4 ,the frequentation of courts      
checks this petulancy of manners2 the   
good-breeding and circumspection which  
are necessary1 and only to be learned   
there1 correct those pertnesses4 ,i do  
not doubt but that you are improved in  
your manners by the short visit which   
you have made at ,dresden2 and the other
 courts1 which ,i intend that you shall 
be better acquainted with1 will         

gradually smooth you up to the highest  
polish4 ,in courts1 a versatility of    
genius and softness of manners are      
absolutely necessary2 which some people 
mistake for abject flattery1 and having 
no opinion of one's own2 whereas it is  
only the decent and genteel manner of   
maintaining your own opinion1 and       
possibly of bringing other people to it4
 ,the manner of doing things is often   
more important than the things          
themselves2 and the very same thing may 
become either pleasing or offensive1 by 
the manner of saying or doing it4       
#8,materiam superabat opus'1 is often   
said of works of sculpture2 where though
 the materials were valuable1 as silver1
 gold1 etc41 the workmanship was still  
more so4 ,this holds true1 applied to   
manners2 which adorn whatever knowledge 
or parts people may have2 and even make 
a greater impression upon nine in ten of
 mankind1 than the intrinsic value of   
the materials4 ,on the other hand1      
remember1 that what ,horace says of good

 writing is justly applicable to those  
who would make a good figure in courts1 
and distinguish themselves in the       
shining parts of life2 #8,sapere est    
principium et fons'4 ,a man who1 without
 a good fund of knowledge and parts1    
adopts a court life1 makes the most     
ridiculous figure imaginable4 ,he is a  
machine1 little superior to the court   
clock2 and1 as this points out the      
hours1 he points out the frivolous      
employment of them4 ,he is1 at most1 a  
comment upon the clock2 and according to
 the hours that it strikes1 tells you   
now it is levee1 now dinner1 now supper 
time1 etc4 ,the end which ,i propose by 
your education1 and which 7,,if ,,you   
,,please7 ,i shall certainly attain1 is 
to unite in you all the knowledge of a  
scholar with the manners of a courtier2 
and to join1 what is seldom joined by   
any of my countrymen1 books and the     
world4 ,they are commonly twenty years  
old before they have spoken to anybody  
above their schoolmaster1 and the       

fellows of their college4 ,if they      
happen to have learning1 it is only     
,greek and ,latin1 but not one word of  
modern history1 or modern languages4    
,thus prepared1 they go abroad1 as they 
call it2 but1 in truth1 they stay at    
home all that while2 for being very     
awkward1 confoundedly ashamed1 and not  
speaking the languages1 they go into no 
foreign company1 at least none good2 but
 dine and sup with one another only at  
the tavern4 ,such examples1 ,i am sure1 
you will not imitate1 but even carefully
 avoid4 ,you will always take care to   
keep the best company in the place where
 you are1 which is the only use of      
traveling3 and 7by the way7 the         
pleasures of a gentleman are only to be 
found in the best company2 for that not 
which low company1 most falsely and     
impudently1 call pleasure1 is only the  
sensuality of a swine4  ,i ask hard and 
uninterrupted study from you but one    
year more2 after that1 you shall have   
every day more and more time for your   

amusements4 ,a few hours each day will  
then be sufficient for application1 and 
the others cannot be better employed    
than in the pleasures of good company4  
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,xxxix  ,,london1 
,may #ca1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 
,i received yesterday your letter of the
 #afth1 ,n4 ,s41 and have1 in           
consequence of it1 written this day to  
,sir ,charles ,williams1 to thank him   
for all the civilities he has shown you4
 ,your first setting out at court has1  
,i find1 been very favorable2 and his   
,polish ,majesty has distinguished you4 
,i hope you received that mark of       
distinction with respect and with       
steadiness1 which is the proper behavior
 of a man of fashion4 ,people of a low1 
obscure education cannot stand the rays 
of greatness2 they are frightened out of
 their wits when kings and great men    
speak to them2 they are awkward1        
ashamed1 and do not know what nor how to
 answer2 whereas1 #8les honnetes gens'  
are not dazzled by superior rank3 they  

know1 and pay all the respect that is   
due to it2 but they do it without being 
disconcerted2 and can converse just as  
easily with a king as with any one of   
his subjects4 ,that is the great        
advantage of being introduced young into
 good company1 and being used early to  
converse with one's superiors4 ,how many
 men have ,i seen here1 who1 after      
having had the full benefit of an       
,english education1 first at school1 and
 then at the university1 when they have 
been presented to the king1 did not know
 whether they stood upon their heads or 
their heels6 ,if the king spoke to them1
 they were annihilated2 they trembled1  
endeavored to put their hands in their  
pockets1 and missed them2 let their hats
 fall1 and were ashamed to take them up2
 and in short1 put themselves in every  
attitude but the right1 that is1 the    
easy and natural one4 ,the              
characteristic of a well-bred man1 is to
 converse with his inferiors without    
insolence1 and with his superiors with  

respect and ease4 ,he talks to kings    
without concern2 he trifles with women  
of the first condition with familiarity1
 gayety1 but respect2 and converses with
 his equals1 whether he is acquainted   
with them or not1 upon general common   
topics1 that are not1 however1 quite    
frivolous1 without the least concern of 
mind or awkwardness of body3 neither of 
which can appear to advantage1 but when 
they are perfectly easy4  ,the          
tea-things1 which ,sir ,charles         
,williams has given you1 ,i would have  
you make a present of to your ,mamma1   
and send them to her by ,duval when he  
returns4 ,you owe her not only duty1 but
 likewise great obligations for her care
 and tenderness2 and1 consequently1     
cannot take too many opportunities of   
showing your gratitude4  ,i am impatient
 to receive your account of ,dresden1   
and likewise your answers to the many   
questions that ,i asked you4  ,adieu for
 this time1 and ,god bless you6         
,,letter ,,xl  ,,london1 ,may #bg1 ,o4  

,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,this and the 
two next years make so important a      
period of your life1 that ,i cannot help
 repeating to you my exhortations1 my   
commands1 and 7what ,i hope will be     
still more prevailing with you than     
either7 my earnest entreaties1 to employ
 them well4 ,every moment that you now  
lose1 is so much character and advantage
 lost2 as1 on the other hand1 every     
moment that you now employ usefully1 is 
so much time wisely laid out1 at most   
prodigious interest4 ,these two years   
must lay the foundations of all the     
knowledge that you will ever have2 you  
may build upon them afterward as much as
 you please1 but it will be too late to 
lay any new ones4 ,let me beg of you1   
therefore1 to grudge no labor nor pains 
to acquire1 in time1 that stock of      
knowledge1 without which you never can  
rise1 but must make a very insignificant
 figure in the world4 ,consider your own
 situation2 you have not the advantage  
of rank or fortune to bear you up2 ,i   

shall1 very probably1 be out of the     
world before you can properly be said to
 be in it4 ,what then will you have to  
rely on but your own merit8 ,that alone 
must raise you1 and that alone will     
raise you1 if you have but enough of it4
 ,i have often heard and read of        
oppressed and unrewarded merit1 but ,i  
have oftener 7,i might say always7 seen 
great merit make its way1 and meet with 
its reward1 to a certain degree at      
least1 in spite of all difficulties4 ,by
 merit1 ,i mean the moral virtues1      
knowledge1 and manners2 as to the moral 
virtues1 ,i say nothing to you2 they    
speak best for themselves1 nor can ,i   
suspect that they want any              
recommendation with you2 ,i will        
therefore only assure you1 that without 
them you will be most unhappy4  ,as to  
knowledge1 ,i have often told you1 and  
,i am persuaded you are thoroughly      
convinced1 how absolutely necessary it  
is to you1 whatever your destination may
 be4 ,but as knowledge has a most       

extensive meaning1 and as the life of   
man is not long enough to acquire1 nor  
his mind capable of entertaining and    
digesting1 all parts of knowledge1 ,i   
will point out those to which you should
 particularly apply1 and which1 by      
application1 you may make yourself      
perfect master of4 ,classical knowledge1
 that is1 ,greek and ,latin1 is         
absolutely necessary for everybody2     
because everybody has agreed to think   
and to call it so4 ,and the word        
,,illiterate1 in its common acceptation1
 means a man who is ignorant of those   
two languages4 ,you are by this time1 ,i
 hope1 pretty near master of both1 so   
that a small part of the day dedicated  
to them1 for two years more1 will make  
you perfect in that study4 ,rhetoric1   
logic1 a little geometry1 and a general 
notion of astronomy1 must1 in their     
turns1 have their hours too2 not that ,i
 desire you should be deep in any one of
 these2 but it is fit you should know   
something of them all4 ,the knowledge   

more particularly useful and necessary  
for you1 considering your destination1  
consists of modern languages1 modern    
history1 chronology1 and geography1 the 
laws of nations1 and the #8jus publicum 
,imperii'4 ,you must absolutely speak   
all the modern ,languages1 as purely and
 correctly as the natives of the        
respective countries3 for whoever does  
not speak a language perfectly and      
easily1 will never appear to advantage  
in conversation1 nor treat with others  
in it upon equal terms4 ,as for ,french1
 you have it very well already2 and must
 necessarily1 from the universal usage  
of that language1 know it better and    
better every day3 so that ,i am in no   
pain about that3 ,german1 ,i suppose1   
you know pretty well by this time1 and  
will be quite master of it before you   
leave ,leipsig3 at least1 ,i am sure you
 may4 ,italian and ,spanish will come in
 their turns1 and1 indeed1 they are both
 so easy1 to one who knows ,latin and   
,french1 that neither of them will cost 

you much time or trouble4 ,modern       
history1 by which ,i mean particularly  
the history of the last three centuries1
 should be the object of your greatest  
and constant attention1 especially those
 parts of it which relate more          
immediately to the great powers of      
,europe4 ,this study you will carefully 
connect with chronology and geography2  
that is1 you will remark and retain the 
dates of every important event2 and     
always read with the map by you1 in     
which you will constantly look for every
 place mentioned3 this is the only way  
of retaining geography2 for1 though it  
is soon learned by the lump1 yet1 when  
only so learned1 it is still sooner     
forgot4  ,manners1 though the last1 and 
it may be the least ingredient of real  
merit1 are1 however1 very far from being
 useless in its composition2 they adorn1
 and give an additional force and luster
 to both virtue and knowledge4 ,they    
prepare and smooth the way for the      
progress of both2 and are1 ,i fear1 with

 the bulk of mankind1 more engaging than
 either4 ,remember1 then1 the infinite  
advantage of manners2 cultivate and     
improve your own to the utmost good     
sense will suggest the great rules to   
you1 good company will do the rest4     
,thus you see how much you have to do2  
and how little time to do it in3 for    
when you are thrown out into the world1 
as in a couple of years you must be1 the
 unavoidable dissipation of company1 and
 the necessary avocations of some kind  
of business or other1 will leave you no 
time to undertake new branches of       
knowledge3 you may1 indeed1 by a prudent
 allotment of your time1 reserve some to
 complete and finish the building2 but  
you will never find enough to lay new   
foundations4 ,i have such an opinion of 
your understanding1 that ,i am convinced
 you are sensible of these truths2 and  
that1 however hard and laborious your   
present uninterrupted application may   
seem to you1 you will rather increase   
than lessen it4 ,for ,god's sake1 my    

dear boy1 do not squander away one      
moment of your time1 for every moment   
may be now most usefully employed4 ,your
 future fortune1 character1 and figure  
in the world1 entirely depend upon your 
use or abuse of the two next years4 ,if 
you do but employ them well1 what may   
you not reasonably expect to be1 in     
time8 ,and if you do not1 what may ,i   
not reasonably fear you will be8 ,you   
are the only one ,i ever knew1 of this  
country1 whose education was1 from the  
beginning1 calculated for the department
 of foreign affairs2 in consequence of  
which1 if you will invariably pursue1   
and diligently qualify yourself for that
 object1 you may make yourself          
absolutely necessary to the government1 
and1 after having received orders as a  
minister abroad1 send orders1 in your   
turn1 as ,secretary of ,state at home4  
,most of our ministers abroad have taken
 up that department occasionally1       
without having ever thought of foreign  
affairs before2 many of them1 without   

speaking any one foreign language2 and  
all of them without manners which are   
absolutely necessary toward being well  
received1 and making a figure at foreign
 courts4 ,they do the business          
accordingly1 that is1 very ill3 they    
never get into the secrets of these     
courts1 for want of insinuation and     
address3 they do not guess at their     
views1 for want of knowing their        
interests3 and1 at last1 finding        
themselves very unfit for1 soon grow    
weary of their commissions1 and are     
impatient to return home1 where they are
 but too justly laid aside and          
neglected4 ,every moment's conversation 
may1 if you please1 be of use to you2 in
 this view1 every public event1 which is
 the common topic of conversation1 gives
 you an opportunity of getting some     
information4 ,for example1 the          
preliminaries of peace1 lately concluded
 at ,aix-la-,chapelle1 will be the      
common subject of most conversations2 in
 which you will take care to ask the    

proper questions3 as1 what is the       
meaning of the ,assiento contract for   
negroes1 between ,england and ,spain2   
what the annual ship2 when stipulated2  
upon what account suspended1 etc4 ,you  
will likewise inform yourself about     
,guastalla1 now given to ,don ,philip1  
together with ,parma and ,placentia2 who
 they belonged to before2 what claim or 
pretensions ,don ,philip had to them2   
what they are worth2 in short1          
everything concerning them4 ,the        
cessions made by the ,queen of ,hungary 
to the ,king of ,sardinia1 are1 by these
 preliminaries1 confirmed and secured to
 him3 you will inquire1 therefore1 what 
they are1 and what they are worth4 ,this
 is the kind of knowledge which you     
should be most thoroughly master of1 and
 in which conversation will help you    
almost as much as books3 but both are   
best4 ,there are histories of every     
considerable treaty1 from that of       
,westphalia to that of ,utrecht1        
inclusively2 all which ,i would advise  

you to read4 ,pore ,bougeant's1 of the  
treaty of ,westphalia1 is an excellent  
one2 those of ,nimeguen1 ,ryswick1 and  
,utrecht1 are not so well written2 but  
are1 however1 very useful4              
#8,l',histoire des ,traites de ,paix'1  
in two volumes1 folio1 which ,i         
recommended to you some time ago1 is a  
book that you should often consult1 when
 you hear mention made of any treaty    
concluded in the seventeenth century4   
,upon the whole1 if you have a mind to  
be considerable1 and to shine hereafter1
 you must labor hard now4 ,no quickness 
of parts1 no vivacity1 will do long1 or 
go far1 without a solid fund of         
knowledge2 and that fund of knowledge   
will amply repay all the pains that you 
can take in acquiring it4 ,reflect      
seriously1 within yourself1 upon all    
this1 and ask yourself whether ,i can   
have any view1 but your interest1 in all
 that ,i recommend to you4 ,it is the   
result of my experience1 and flows from 
that tenderness and affection with      

which1 while you deserve them1 ,i shall 
be1 ,yours4  ,make my compliments to    
,mr4 ,harte1 and tell him that ,i have  
received his letter of the #bdth1 ,n4   
,s4     ,,letter ,,xli  ,,london1 ,may  
#ca1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,i    
have received1 with great satisfaction1 
your letter of the #bhth ,n4 ,s41 from  
,dresden3 it finishes your short but    
clear account of the ,reformation which 
is one of those interesting periods of  
modern history1 that can not be too much
 studied nor too minutely known by you4 
,there are many great events in history1
 which1 when once they are over1 leave  
things in the situation in which they   
found them4 ,as1 for instance1 the late 
war2 which1 excepting the establishment 
in ,italy for ,don ,philip1 leave things
 pretty much in state quo2 a mutual     
restitution of all acquisitions being   
stipulated by the preliminaries of the  
peace4 ,such events undoubtedly deserve 
your notice1 but yet not so minutely as 
those1 which are not only important in  

themselves1 but equally 7or it may be   
more7 important by their consequences   
too3 of this latter sort were the       
progress of the ,christian religion in  
,europe2 the ,invasion of the ,goths2   
the division of the ,roman empire into  
,western and ,eastern2 the establishment
 and rapid progress of ,mahometanism2   
and1 lastly1 the ,reformation2 all which
 events produced the greatest changes in
 the affairs of ,europe1 and to one or  
other of which1 the present situation of
 all the parts of it is to be traced up4
  ,next to these1 are those events which
 more immediately effect particular     
states and kingdoms1 and which are      
reckoned entirely local1 though their   
influence may1 and indeed very often    
does1 indirectly1 extend itself further1
 such as civil wars and revolutions1    
from which a total change in the form of
 government frequently flows4 ,the civil
 wars in ,england1 in the reign of ,king
 ,charles ,i41 produced an entire change
 of the government here1 from a limited 

monarchy to a commonwealth1 at first1   
and afterward to absolute power1 usurped
 by ,cromwell1 under the pretense of    
protection1 and the title of ,protector4
  ,the ,revolution in #afhh1 instead of 
changing1 preserved one form of         
government2 which ,king ,james ,,ii4    
intended to subvert1 and establish      
absolute power in the ,crown4  ,these   
are the two great epochs in our ,english
 history1 which ,i recommend to your    
particular attention4  ,the league      
formed by the ,house of ,guise1 and     
fomented by the artifices of ,spain1 is 
a most material part of the history of  
,france4 ,the foundation of it was laid 
in the reign of ,henry ,,ii41 but the   
superstructure was carried on through   
the successive reigns of ,francis ,,ii41
 ,charles ,,ix4 and ,henry ,,iii41 till 
at last it was crushed1 partly1 by the  
arms1 but more by the apostasy of ,henry
 ,,iv4  ,in ,germany1 great events have 
been frequent1 by which the imperial    
dignity has always either gotten or     

lost2 and so it they have affected the  
constitution of the empire4 ,the ,house 
of ,austria kept that dignity to itself 
for near two hundred years1 during which
 time it was always attempting extend   
its power1 by encroaching upon the      
rights and privileges of the other      
states of the empire2 till at the end of
 the bellum tricennale1 the treaty of   
,munster1 of which ,france is guarantee1
 fixed the respective claims4  ,italy   
has been constantly torn to pieces1 from
 the time of the ,goths1 by the ,popes  
and the ,anti-popes1 severally supported
 by other great powers of ,europe1 more 
as their interests than as their        
religion led them2 by the pretensions   
also of ,france1 and the ,house of      
,austria1 upon ,naples1 ,sicily1 and the
 ,milanese2 not to mention the various  
lesser causes of squabbles there1 for   
the little states1 such as ,ferrara1    
,parma1 ,montserrat1 etc4  ,the ,popes1 
till lately1 have always taken a        
considerable part1 and had great        

influence in the affairs of ,europe2    
their excommunications1 bulls1 and      
indulgences1 stood instead of armies in 
the time of ignorance and bigotry2 but  
now that mankind is better informed1 the
 spiritual authority of the ,pope is not
 only less regarded1 but even despised  
by the ,catholic princes themselves2 and
 his ,holiness is actually little more  
than ,bishop of ,rome1 with large       
temporalities1 which he is not likely to
 keep longer than till the other greater
 powers in ,italy shall find their      
conveniency in taking them from him4    
,among the modern ,popes1 ,leo the      
,tenth1 ,alexander the ,sixth1 and      
,sextus ,quintus1 deserve your          
particular notice2 the first1 among     
other things1 for his own learning and  
taste1 and for his encouragement of the 
reviving arts and sciences in ,italy4   
,under his protection1 the ,greek and   
,latin classics were most excellently   
translated into ,italian2 painting      
flourished and arrived at its           

perfection2 and sculpture came so near  
the ancients1 that the works of his     
time1 both in marble and bronze1 are now
 called ,antico-,moderno4  ,alexander   
the ,sixth1 together with his natural   
son ,caesar ,borgia1 was famous for his 
wickedness1 in which he1 and his son    
too1 surpassed all imagination4 ,their  
lives are well worth your reading4 ,they
 were poisoned themselves by the        
poisoned wine which they had prepared   
for others2 the father died of it1 but  
,caesar recovered4  ,sixtus the ,fifth  
was the son of a swineherd1 and raised  
himself to the popedom by his abilities3
 he was a great knave1 but an able and  
singular one4  ,here is history enough  
for to-day3 you shall have some more    
soon4 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,xlii       
,,london1 ,june #ba1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4     
,,dear ,,boy3 ,your very bad enunciation
 runs so much in my head1 and gives me  
such real concern1 that it will be the  
subject of this1 and1 ,i believe1 of    
many more letters4 ,i congratulate both 

you and myself1 that1 was informed of it
 7as ,i hope7 in time to prevent it3 and
 shall ever think myself1 as hereafter  
you will1 ,i am sure think yourself1    
infinitely obliged to ,sir ,charles     
,williams for informing me of it4 ,good 
,god6 if this ungraceful and            
disagreeable manner of speaking had1    
either by your negligence or mine1      
become habitual to you1 as in a couple  
of years more it would have been1 what a
 figure would you have made in company1 
or in a public assembly8 ,who would have
 liked you in the one or attended you2  
in the other8 ,read what ,cicero and    
,quintilian say of enunciation1 and see 
what a stress they lay upon the         
gracefulness of it2 nay1 ,cicero goes   
further1 and even maintains1 that a good
 figure is necessary for an orator2 and 
particularly that he must not be vastus1
 that is1 overgrown and clumsy4 ,he     
shows by it that he knew mankind well1  
and knew the powers of an agreeable     
figure and a graceful1 manner4 ,men1 as 

well as women1 are much oftener led by  
their hearts than by their              
understandings4 ,the way to the heart is
 through the senses2 please their eyes  
and their ears and the work is half     
done4 ,i have frequently known a man's  
fortune decided for ever by his first   
address4 ,if it is pleasing1 people are 
hurried involuntarily into a persuasion 
that he has a merit1 which possibly he  
has not2 as1 on the other hand1 if it is
 ungraceful1 they are immediately       
prejudiced against him1 and unwilling to
 allow him the merit which it may be he 
has4 ,nor is this sentiment so unjust   
and unreasonable as at first it may     
seem2 for if a man has parts1 he must   
know of what infinite consequence it is 
to him to have a graceful manner of     
speaking1 and a genteel and pleasing    
address2 he will cultivate and improve  
them to the utmost4 ,your figure is a   
good one2 you have no natural defect in 
the organs of speech2 your address may  
be engaging1 and your manner of speaking

 graceful1 if you will2 so that if you  
are not so1 neither ,i nor the world can
 ascribe it to anything but your want of
 parts4 ,what is the constant and just  
observation as to all actors upon the   
stage8 ,is it not1 that those who have  
the best sense1 always speak the best1  
though they may happen not to have the  
best voices8 ,they will speak plainly1  
distinctly1 and with the proper         
emphasis1 be their voices ever so bad4  
,had ,roscius spoken ,,quick1 ,,thick1  
and ,,ungracefully1 ,i will answer for  
it1 that ,cicero would not have thought 
him worth the oration which he made in  
his favor4 ,words were given us to      
communicate our ideas by3 and there must
 be something inconceivably absurd in   
uttering them in such a manner as that  
either people cannot understand them1 or
 will not desire to understand them4 ,i 
tell you1 truly and sincerely1 that ,i  
shall judge of your parts by your       
speaking gracefully or ungracefully4 ,if
 you have parts1 you will never be at   

rest till you have brought yourself to a
 habit of speaking most gracefully2 for 
,i aver1 that it is in your power --,you
 will desire ,mr4 ,harte1 that you may  
read aloud to him every day2 and that he
 will interrupt and correct you every   
time that you read too fast1 do not     
observe the proper stops1 or lay a wrong
 emphasis4 ,you will take care to open  
your teeth when you speak2 to articulate
 every word distinctly2 and to beg of   
,mr4 ,harte1 ,mr4 ,eliot1 or whomsoever 
you speak to1 to remind and stop you1 if
 you ever fall into the rapid and       
unintelligible mutter4 ,you will even   
read aloud to yourself1 and time your   
utterance to your own ear2 and read at  
first much slower than you need to do1  
in order to correct yourself of that    
shameful trick of speaking faster than  
you ought4 ,in short1 if you think      
right1 you will make it your business2  
your study1 and your pleasure to speak  
well4 ,therefore1 what ,i have said in  
this1 and in my last1 is more than      

sufficient1 if you have sense2 and ten  
times more would not be sufficient1 if  
you have not2 so here ,i rest it4  ,next
 to graceful speaking1 a genteel        
carriage1 and a graceful manner of      
presenting yourself1 are extremely      
necessary1 for they are extremely       
engaging3 and carelessness in these     
points is much more unpardonable in a   
young fellow than affectation4 ,it shows
 an offensive indifference about        
pleasing4 ,i am told by one here1 who   
has seen you lately1 that you are       
awkward in your motions1 and negligent  
of your person3 ,i am sorry for both2   
and so will you be1 when it will be too 
late1 if you continue so some time      
longer4 ,awkwardness of carriage is very
 alienating2 and a total negligence of  
dress and air is an impertinent insult  
upon custom and fashion4 ,you remember  
,mr4------very well1 ,i am sure1 and you
 must consequently remember his1 extreme
 awkwardness3 which1 ,i can assure you1 
has been a great clog to his parts and  

merit1 that have1 with much difficulty1 
but barely counterbalanced it at last4  
,many1 to whom ,i have formerly         
commended him1 have answered me1 that   
they were sure he could not have parts1 
because he was so awkward3 so much are  
people1 as ,i observed to you before1   
taken by the eye4 ,women have great     
influence as to a man's fashionable     
character2 and an awkward man will never
 have their votes2 which1 by the way1   
are very numerous1 and much oftener     
counted than weighed4 ,you should       
therefore give some attention to your   
dress1 and the gracefulness of your     
motions4 ,i believe1 indeed1 that you   
have no perfect model for either at     
,leipsig1 to form yourself upon2 but1   
however1 do not get a habit of          
neglecting either2 and attend properly  
to both1 when you go to courts1 where   
they are very necessary1 and where you  
will have good masters and good models  
for both4 ,your exercises of riding1    
fencing1 and dancing1 will civilize and 

fashion your body and your limbs1 and   
give you1 if you will but take it1      
#8l'air d'un honnete homme'4  ,i will   
now conclude with suggesting one        
reflection to you2 which is1 that you   
should be sensible of your good fortune1
 in having one who interests himself    
enough in you1 to inquire into your     
faults1 in order to inform you of them4 
,nobody but myself would be so          
solicitous1 either to know or correct   
them2 so that you might consequently be 
ignorant of them yourself2 for our own  
self-love draws a thick veil between us 
and our faults4 ,but when you hear yours
 from me1 you may be sure that you hear 
them from one who for your sake only    
desires to correct them2 from one whom  
you cannot suspect of any1 partiality   
but in your favor2 and from one who     
heartily wishes that his care of you1 as
 a father1 may1 in a little time1 render
 every care unnecessary but that of a   
friend4 ,adieu4  ,p4 ,s4 ,i condole with
 you for the untimely and violent death 

of the tuneful ,matzel4     ,,letter    
,,xliii  ,,london1 ,july #a1 ,o4 ,s4    
#agdh4  ,,dear ,boy3 ,i am extremely    
well pleased with the course of studies 
which ,mr4 ,harte informs me you are now
 in1 and with the degree of application 
which he assures me you have to them4   
,it is your interest to do so1 as the   
advantage will be all your own4 ,my     
affection for you makes me both wish and
 endeavor that you may turn out well2   
and1 according as you do turn out1 ,i   
shall either be proud or ashamed of you4
 ,but as to mere interest1 in the common
 acceptation of that word1 it would be  
mine that you should turn out ill2 for  
you may depend upon it1 that whatever   
you have from me shall be most exactly  
proportioned to your desert4 ,deserve a 
great deal1 and you shall have a great  
deal2 deserve a little1 and you shall   
have but a little2 and be good for      
nothing at all1 and1 ,i assure you1 you 
shall have nothing at all4  ,solid      
knowledge1 as ,i have often told you1 is

 the first and great foundation of your 
future fortune and character2 for ,i    
never mention to you the two much       
greater points of ,religion and         
,morality1 because ,i cannot possibly   
suspect you as to either of them4 ,this 
solid knowledge you are in a fair way of
 acquiring2 you may1 if you please2 and 
,i will add1 that nobody ever had the   
means of acquiring it more in their     
power than you have4 ,but remember1 that
 manners must adorn knowledge1 and      
smooth its way through the world4 ,like 
a great rough diamond1 it may do very   
well in a closet by way of curiosity1   
and also for its intrinsic value2 but it
 will never be worn or shine if it is   
not polished4 ,it is upon this article1 
,i confess1 that ,i suspect you the     
most1 which makes me recur to it so     
often2 for ,i fear that you are apt to  
show too little attention to everybody1 
and too much contempt to many4 ,be      
convinced1 that there are no persons so 
insignificant and inconsiderable1 but   

may1 some time or other1 have it in     
their power to be of use to you2 which  
they certainly will not1 if you have    
once shown them contempt4 ,wrongs are   
often forgiven2 but contempt never is4  
,our pride remembers it forever4 ,it    
implies a discovery of weaknesses1 which
 we are much more careful to conceal    
than crimes4 ,many a man will confess   
his crimes to a common friend1 but ,i   
never knew a man who would tell his     
silly weaknesses to his most intimate   
one--as many a friend will tell us our  
faults without reserve1 who will not so 
much as hint at our follies2 that       
discovery is too mortifying to our      
self-love1 either to tell another1 or to
 be told of one's self4 ,you must1      
therefore1 never expect to hear of your 
weaknesses1 or your follies1 from       
anybody but me2 those ,i will take pains
 to discover1 and whenever ,i do1 shall 
tell you of them4  ,next to manners are 
exterior graces of person and address1  
which adorn manners1 as manners adorn   

knowledge4 ,to say that they please1    
engage1 and charm1 as they most         
indisputably do1 is saying that one     
should do everything possible to acquire
 them4 ,the graceful manner of speaking 
is1 particularly1 what ,i shall always  
holloa in your ears1 as ,hotspur        
holloaed ,,mortimer to ,henry ,,iv41    
and1 like him too1 ,i have aimed to have
 a starling taught to say1 ,,speak      
,,distinctly ,,and ,,gracefully1 and    
send him you1 to replace your loss of   
the unfortunate ,matzel1 who1 by the    
way1 ,i am told1 spoke his language very
 distinctly and gracefully4  ,as by this
 time you must be able to write ,german 
tolerably well1 ,i desire that you will 
not fail to write a ,german letter1 in  
the ,german character1 once every       
fortnight1 to ,mr4 ,grevenkop3 which    
will make it more familiar to you1 and  
enable me to judge how you improve in   
it4  ,do not forget to answer me the    
questions1 which ,i asked you a great   
while ago1 in relation to the           

constitution of ,saxony2 and also the   
meaning of the words #8,landsassii and  
,amptsassii'4  ,i hope you do not forget
 to inquire into the affairs of trade   
and commerce1 nor to get the best       
accounts you can of the commodities and 
manufactures1 exports and imports of the
 several countries where you may be1 and
 their gross value4  ,i would likewise  
have you attend to the respective coins1
 gold1 silver1 copper1 etc41 and their  
value1 compared with our coin's2 for    
which purpose ,i would advise you to put
 up1 in a separate piece of paper1 one  
piece of every kind1 wherever you shall 
be1 writing upon it the name and the    
value4 ,such a collection will be       
curious enough in itself2 and that sort 
of knowledge will be very useful to you 
in your way of business1 where the      
different value of money often comes in 
question4  ,i am doing to ,cheltenham   
to-morrow1 less for my health2 which is 
pretty good1 than for the dissipation   
and amusement of the journey4 ,i shall  

stay about a fortnight4  ,l',abbe       
,mably's #8,droit de l',europe'1 which  
,mr4 ,harte is so kind as to send me1 is
 worth your reading4 ,adieu4            
,,letter ,,xliv4  ,,cheltenham1 ,july   
#f1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,your 
school-fellow1 ,lord ,pulteney1--,only  
child of the ,right ,hon4 ,william      
,pulteney1 ,earl of ,bath4 ,he died     
before his father4--set out last week   
for ,holland1 and will1 ,i believe1 be  
at ,leipsig soon after this letter3 you 
will take care to be extremely civil to 
him1 and to do him any service that you 
can while you stay there2 let him know  
that ,i wrote to you to do so4 ,as being
 older1 he should know more than you2 in
 that case1 take pains to get up to him2
 but if he does not1 take care not to   
let him feel his inferiority4 ,he will  
find it out of himself without your     
endeavors2 and that cannot be helped3   
but nothing is more insulting1 more     
mortifying and less forgiven1 than      
avowedly to take pains to make a man    

feel a mortifying inferiority in        
knowledge1 rank1 fortune1 etc4 ,in the  
two last articles1 it is unjust1 they   
not being in his power3 and in the first
 it is both ill-bred and ill-natured4   
,good-breeding1 and good-nature1 do     
incline us rather to raise and help     
people up to ourselves1 than to mortify 
and depress them1 and1 in truth1 our own
 private interest concurs in it1 as it  
is making ourselves so many friends1    
instead of so many enemies4 ,the        
constant practice of what the ,french   
call #8les ,attentions'1 is a most      
necessary ingredient in the art of      
pleasing2 they flatter the self-love of 
those to whom they are shown2 they      
engage1 they captivate1 more than things
 of much greater importance4 ,the duties
 of social life every man is obliged to 
discharge2 but these attentions are     
voluntary acts1 the free-will offerings 
of good-breeding and good nature2 they  
are received1 remembered1 and returned  
as such4 ,women1 particularly1 have a   

right to them2 and any omission in that 
respect is downright ill-breeding4  ,do 
you employ your whole time in the most  
useful manner8 ,i do not mean1 do you   
study all day long8 nor do ,i require   
it4 ,but ,i mean1 do you make the most  
of the respective allotments of your    
time8 ,while you study1 is it with      
attention8 ,when you divert yourself1 is
 it with spirit8 ,your diversions may1  
if you please1 employ some part of your 
time very usefully4 ,it depends entirely
 upon the nature of them4 ,if they are  
futile and frivolous it is time worse   
than lost1 for they will give you an    
habit of futility4 ,all gaming1         
field-sports1 and such sort of          
amusements1 where neither the           
understanding nor the senses have the   
least share1 ,i look upon as frivolous1 
and as the resources of little minds1   
who either do not think1 or do not love 
to think4 ,but the pleasures of a man of
 parts either flatter the senses or     
improve the mind2 ,i hope at least1 that

 there is not one minute of the day in  
which you do nothing at all4 ,inaction  
at your age is unpardonable4  ,tell me  
what ,greek and ,latin books you can now
 read with ease4 ,can you open          
,demosthenes at a venture1 and          
understand him8 ,can you get through an 
8,oration0 of ,cicero1 or a 8,satire0 of
 ,horace1 without difficulty8 ,what     
,german books do you read1 to make      
yourself master of that language8 ,and  
what ,french books do you read for your 
amusement8 ,pray give me a particular   
and true account of all this2 for ,i am 
not indifferent as to any one thing that
 relates to you4 ,as1 for example1 ,i   
hope you take great care to keep your   
whole person1 particularly your mouth1  
very clean2 common decency requires it1 
besides that great cleanliness is very  
conducive to health4 ,but if you do not 
keep your mouth excessively clean1 by   
washing it carefully every morning1 and 
after every meal1 it will not only be   
apt to smell1 which is very disgusting  

and indecent1 but your teeth will decay 
and ache1 which is both a great loss and
 a great pain4 ,a spruceness of dress is
 also very proper and becoming at your  
age2 as the negligence of it implies an 
indifference about pleasing1 which does 
not become a young fellow4 ,to do       
whatever you do at all to the utmost    
perfection1 ought to be your aim at this
 time of your life2 if you can reach    
perfection1 so much the better2 but at  
least1 by attempting it1 you will get   
much nearer than if you never attempted 
it at all4  ,adieu6 ,,speak ,,gracefully
 ,,and ,,distinctly if you intend to    
converse ever with1 ,yours4  ,p4 ,s4 ,as
 ,i was making up my letter1 ,i received
 yours of the #fth1 ,o4 ,s4 ,i like your
 dissertation upon ,preliminary         
,articles and ,truces4 ,your definitions
 of both are true4 ,those are matters   
which ,i would have you be master of2   
they belong to your future department1  
,but remember too1 that they are matters
 upon which you will much oftener have  

occasion to speak than to write2 and    
that1 consequently1 it is full as       
necessary to speak gracefully and       
distinctly upon them as to write clearly
 and elegantly4 ,i find no authority    
among the ancients1 nor indeed among the
 moderns1 for indistinct and            
unintelligible utterance4 ,the ,oracles 
indeed meant to be obscure2 but then it 
was by the ambiguity of the expression1 
and not by the inarticulation of the    
words4 ,for if people had not thought1  
at least1 they understood them1 they    
would neither have frequented nor       
presented them as they did4 ,there was  
likewise among the ancients1 and is     
still among the moderns1 a sort of      
people called ,ventriloqui1 who speak   
from their bellies1 on make the voice   
seem to come from some other part of the
 room than that where they are4 ,but    
these ,ventriloqui speak very distinctly
 and intelligibly4 ,the only thing1     
then1 that ,i can find like a precedent 
for your way of speaking 7and ,i would  

willingly help you to one if ,i could7  
is the modern art #8de persifler'1      
practiced with great success by the     
#8,petits maitres' at ,paris4 ,this     
noble art consists in picking out some  
grave1 serious man1 who neither         
understands nor expects1 raillery1 and  
talking to him very quick1 and          
inarticulate sounds2 while the man1 who 
thinks that he did not hear well2 or    
attend sufficiently1 says1 #8,monsieur8 
or #8,plait-il'8 a hundred times2 which 
affords matter of much mirth to those   
ingenious gentlemen4 ,whether you would 
follow1 this precedent1 ,i submit to    
you4  ,have you carried no ,english or  
,french comedies of tragedies with you  
to ,leipsig8 ,if you have1 ,i insist    
upon your reciting some passages of them
 every day to ,mr4 ,harte in the most   
distinct and graceful manner1 as if you 
were acting them upon a stage4  ,the    
first part of my letter is more than an 
answer to your questions concerning     
,lord ,pulteney4     ,,letter ,,xlv     

,,london1 ,july1 #bj1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh     
,,dear ,,boy3 ,there are two sorts of   
understandings2 one of which hinders a  
man from ever being considerable1 and   
the other commonly makes him ridiculous2
 ,i mean the lazy mind1 and the         
trifling1 frivolous mind3 ,yours1 ,i    
hope1 is neither4 ,the lazy mind will   
not take the trouble of going to the    
bottom of anything2 but1 discouraged by 
the first difficulties 7and everything  
worth knowing or having is attained with
 some71 stops short1 contents1 itself   
with easy1 and consequently superficial 
knowledge1 and prefers a great degree of
 ignorance to a small degree of trouble4
 ,these people either think1 or         
represent most things as impossible2    
whereas1 few things are so to industry  
and activity4 ,but difficulties seem to 
them1 impossibilities1 or at least they 
pretend to think them so--by way of     
excuse for their laziness4 ,an hour's   
attention to the same subject is too    
laborious for them2 they take everything

 in the light in which it first presents
 itself2 never consider1 it in all its  
different views2 and1 in short1 never   
think it through4 ,the consequence of   
this is that when they come to speak    
upon these subjects1 before people who  
have considered them with attention2    
they only discover their own ignorance  
and laziness1 and lay themselves open to
 answers that put them in confusion4 ,do
 not then be discouraged by the first   
difficulties1 but #8contra audentior    
ito'2 and resolve to go to the bottom of
 all those things which every gentleman 
ought to know well4 ,those arts or      
sciences which are peculiar to certain  
professions1 need not be deeply known by
 those who are not intended for those   
professions4 ,as1 for instance2         
fortification and navigation2 of both   
which1 a superficial and general        
knowledge1 such as the common course of 
conversation1 with a very little inquiry
 on your part1 will give you1 is        
sufficient4 ,though1 by the way1 a      

little more knowledge of fortification  
may be of some use to you2 as the events
 of war1 in sieges1 make many of the    
terms1 of that science occur frequently 
in common conversation2 and one would be
 sorry to say1 like the ,marquis de     
,mascarille in ,moliere's #8,precieuses 
,ridicules'1 when he hears of #8une     
demie lune1 ,ma foi6 c'etoit bien une   
lune toute entiere'4 ,but those things  
which every gentleman1 independently of 
profession1 should know1 he ought to    
know well1 and dive into all the depth  
of them4 ,such are languages1 history1  
and geography ancient and modern1       
philosophy1 rational logic2 rhetoric2   
and1 for you particularly1 the          
constitutions and the civil and military
 state of every country in ,europe3     
,this1 ,i confess2 is a pretty large    
circle of knowledge1 attended with some 
difficulties1 and requiring some        
trouble2 which1 however2 an active and  
industrious mind will overcome2 and be  
amply repaid4 ,the trifling and         

frivolous mind is always busied1 but to 
little purpose2 it takes little objects 
for great ones1 and throws away upon    
trifles that time and attention which   
only important things deserve4          
,knick-knacks2 butterflies2 shells1     
insects1 etc41 are the subjects of their
 most serious researches4 ,they         
contemplate the dress1 not the          
characters of the company they keep4    
,they attend more to the decorations of 
a play than the sense of it2 and to the 
ceremonies of a court more than to its  
politics4 ,such an employment of time is
 an absolute loss of it4 ,you have now1 
at most1 three years to employ either   
well or ill2 for1 as ,i have often told 
you1 you will be all your life what you 
shall be three years hence4 ,for ,god's 
sake then reflect4 ,will you throw this 
time away either in laziness1 or in     
trifles8 ,or will you not rather employ 
every moment of it in a manner that must
 so soon reward you with so much        
pleasure1 figure1 and character8 ,i     

cannot1 ,i will not doubt of your       
choice4 ,read only useful books2 and    
never quit a subject till you are       
thoroughly master of it1 but read and   
inquire on till then4 ,when you are in  
company1 bring the conversation to some 
useful subject1 but #8a portee' of that 
company4 ,points of history1 matters of 
literature1 the customs of particular   
countries1 the several orders of        
knighthood1 as ,teutonic1 ,maltese1     
etc41 are surely better subjects of     
conversation1 than the weather1 dress1  
or fiddle-faddle stories1 that carry no 
information along with them4 ,the       
characters of kings and great men are   
only to be learned in conversation2 for 
they are never fairly written during    
their lives4 ,this1 therefore1 is an    
entertaining and instructive subject of 
conversation1 and will likewise give you
 an opportunity of observing how very   
differently characters are given1 from  
the different passions and views of     
those who give them4 ,never be ashamed  

nor afraid of asking questions3 for if  
they lead to information1 and if you    
accompany them with some excuse1 you    
will never be reckoned an impertinent or
 rude questioner4 ,all those things1 in 
the common course of life1 depend       
entirely upon the manner2 and1 in that  
respect1 the vulgar saying is true1     
#8,that one man can better steal a      
horse1 than another look over the       
hedge4' ,there are few things that may  
not be said1 in some manner or other2   
either in a seeming confidence1 or a    
genteel irony1 or introduced with wit2  
and one great part of the knowledge of  
the world consists in knowing when and  
where to make use of these different    
manners4 ,the graces of the person1 the 
countenance1 and the way of speaking1   
contribute so much to this1 that ,i am  
convinced1 the very same thing1 said by 
a genteel person in an engaging way1 and
 ,,gracefully and distinctly spoken1    
would please1 which would shock1 if     
,,muttered out by an awkward figure1    

with a sullen1 serious countenance4 ,the
 poets always represent ,venus as       
attended by the three ,graces1 to       
intimate that even beauty will not do   
without3 ,i think they should have given
 ,minerva three also2 for without them1 
,i am sure learning is very             
unattractive4 ,invoke them1 then1       
,,distinctly1 to accompany all your     
words and motions4 ,adieu4  ,p4 ,s4     
,since ,i wrote what goes before1 ,i    
have received your letter1 ,,of ,,no    
,,date1 with the inclosed state of the  
,prussian forces3 of which1 ,i hope1 you
 have kept a copy2 this you should lay  
in a #8portefeuille'1 and add to it all 
the military establishments that you can
 get of other states and kingdoms3 the  
,saxon establishment you may1 doubtless1
 easily find4 ,by the way1 do not forget
 to send me answers to the questions    
which ,i sent you some time ago1        
concerning both the civil and the       
ecclesiastical affairs of ,saxony4  ,do 
not mistake me1 and think ,i only mean  

that you should speak elegantly with    
regard to style1 and the purity of      
language2 but ,i mean1 that you should  
deliver and pronounce what you say      
gracefully and distinctly2 for which    
purpose ,i will have you frequently read
 very loud1 to ,mr4 ,harte1 recite parts
 of orations1 and speak passages of     
plays2 for1 without a graceful and      
pleasing enunciation1 all your elegancy 
of style1 in speaking1 is not worth one 
farthing4  ,i am very glad that ,mr4    
,lyttelton approves of my new house1 and
 particularly of my ,,canonical--,james 
,brydges1 duke of ,chandos1 built a most
 magnificent and elegant house at       
,,cannons1 about eight miles from       
,london4 ,it was superbly furnished with
 fine pictures1 statues1 etc41 which1   
after his death1 were sold1 by auction4 
,lord ,chesterfield purchased the       
hall-pillars1 the floor2 and staircase  
with double flights2 which are now in   
,chesterfield ,house1 ,london4--pillars4
 ,my bust of ,cicero is a very fine one1

 and well preserved2 it will have the   
best place in my library1 unless at your
 return you bring me over as good a     
modern head of your own1 which ,i should
 like still better4 ,i can tell you1    
that ,i shall examine it as attentively 
as ever antiquary did an old one4  ,make
 my compliments to ,mr4 ,harte1 at whose
 recovery ,i rejoice4     ,,letter      
,,xlvi  ,,london1 ,august #b1 ,o4 ,s4   
#agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,duval the        
jeweler1 is arrived1 and was with me    
three or four days ago4 ,you will easily
 imagine that ,i asked him a few        
questions concerning you2 and ,i will   
give you the satisfaction of knowing    
that1 upon the whole1 ,i was very well  
pleased with the account he gave me4    
,but1 though he seemed to be much in    
your interest1 yet he fairly owned to me
 that your utterance was rapid1 thick1  
and ungraceful4 ,i can add nothing to   
what ,i have already said upon this     
subject2 but ,i can and do repeat the   
absolute necessity of speaking          

distinctly and gracefully1 or else of   
not speaking at all1 and having recourse
 to signs4 ,he tells me that you are    
pretty fat for one of your age3 this you
 should attend to in a proper way2 for  
if1 while very young2 you should grow   
fat1 it would be troublesome1           
unwholesome1 and ungraceful2 you should 
therefore1 when you have time1 take very
 strong exercise1 and in your diet avoid
 fattening things4 ,all malt liquors    
fatten1 or at least bloat2 and ,i hope  
you do not deal much in them4  ,i look  
upon wine and water to be1 in every     
respect2 much wholesomer4  ,duval says  
there is a great deal of very good      
company at ,madame ,valentin's and at   
another lady's1 ,i think one ,madame    
,ponce's1 at ,leipsig4 ,do you ever go  
to either of those houses1 at leisure   
times8 ,it would not1 in my mind1 be    
amiss if you did1 and would give you a  
habit of ,,attentions2 they are a       
tribute which all women expect2 and     
which all men1 who would be well        

received by them2 must pay4 ,and1       
whatever the mind may be1 manners at    
least are certainly improved by the     
company of women of fashion4  ,i have   
formerly told you1 that you should      
inform yourself of the several orders1  
whether military or religious1 of the   
respective countries where you may be4  
,the ,teutonic ,order is the great      
,order of ,germany1 of which ,i send you
 inclosed a short account4 ,it may serve
 to suggest questions to you for more   
particular inquiries as to the present  
state of it1 of which you ought to be   
minutely informed4 ,the knights1 at     
present1 make vows1 of which they       
observe none1 except it be that of not  
marrying2 and their only object now is1 
to arrive1 by seniority1 at the         
,commanderies in their respective       
provinces2 which are1 many of them1 very
 lucrative4 ,the ,order of ,malta is1 by
 a very few years1 prior to the         
,teutonic1 and owes its foundation to   
the same causes4 ,these' knights were   

first called ,knights ,hospitaliers of  
,st4 ,john of ,jerusalem1 then ,knights 
of ,rhodes2 and in the year #aecj1      
,knights of ,malta1 the ,emperor        
,charles ,v4 having granted them that   
island1 upon condition of their         
defending his island of ,sicily against 
the ,turks1 which they effectually did4 
,l',abbe de ,vertot has written the     
history of ,malta1 but it is the least  
valuable of all his works2 and moreover1
 too long for you to read4 ,but there is
 a short history1 of all the military   
orders whatsoever1 which ,i would advise
 you to get1 as there is also of all the
 religious orders2 both which are worth 
your having and consulting1 whenever you
 meet with any of them in your way2 as1 
you will very frequently in ,catholic   
countries4 ,for my own part1 ,i find    
that ,i remember things much better1    
when ,i recur1 to my books for them1    
upon some particular occasion1 than by  
reading them #8tout de suite'4 ,as1 for 
example1 if ,i were to read the history 

of all the military or religious orders1
 regularly one after another1 the latter
 puts the former out of my head2 but    
when ,i read the history of any one1    
upon account1 of its having been the    
object of conversation or dispute1 ,i   
remember it much better4 ,it is the same
 in geography1 where1 looking for any   
particular place in the map1 upon some  
particular account1 fixes it in one's   
memory forever4 ,i hope you have worn   
out your maps by frequent1 use of that  
sort4 ,adieu4           ,a ,,short      
,,account ,,of ,,the ,,teutonic ,,order 
,in the ages of ignorance1 which is     
always the mother of superstition1 it   
was thought not only just1 but          
meritorious1 to propagate religion by   
fire and sword1 and to take away the    
lives and properties of unbelievers4    
,this enthusiasm produced the several   
crusades1 in the #aath1 #abth1 and      
following centuries1 the object of which
 was1 to recover the ,holy ,land out of1
 the hands of the ,infidels1 who1 by the

 way1 were the lawful possessors4 ,many 
honest enthusiasts engaged in those     
crusades1 from a mistaken principle of  
religion1 and from the pardons granted  
by the ,popes for all the sins of those 
pious adventurers2 but many more knaves 
adopted these holy wars1 in hopes of    
conquest and plunder4 ,after ,godfrey of
 ,bouillon1 at the head of these knaves 
and fools1 had taken ,jerusalem1 in the 
year #ajii1 ,christians of various      
nations remained in that city2 among the
 rest1 one good honest ,german1 that    
took particular care of his countrymen  
who came thither in pilgrimages4 ,he    
built a house for their reception1 and  
an hospital dedicated to the ,virgin4   
,this little establishment soon became a
 great one1 by the enthusiasm of many   
considerable people who engaged in it1  
in order to drive the ,saracens out of  
the ,holy ,land4 ,this society then     
began to take its first form2 and its   
members were called ,marian ,teutonic   
,knights4 ,marian1 from their chapel    

sacred to the ,virgin ,mary2 ,teutonic1 
from the ,german1 or ,teuton1 who was   
the author of it1 and ,knights from the 
wars which they were to carry on against
 the ,infidels4  ,these knights behaved 
themselves so bravely1 at first2 that   
,duke ,frederick of ,swabia1 who was    
general of the ,german army in the ,holy
 ,land1 sent1 in the year #aaia1 to the 
,emperor ,henry ,,vi4 and ,pope         
,celestine ,,iii4 to desire that this   
brave and charitable fraternity might be
 incorporated into a regular order of   
knighthood2 which was accordingly done1 
and rules and a particular habit were   
given them4 ,forty knights1 all of noble
 families1 were at first created by the 
,king of ,jerusalem and other princes   
then in the army4 ,the first grand      
master of this order was ,henry         
,wallpot1 of a noble family upon the    
,rhine4 ,this order soon began to       
operate in ,europe2 drove all the       
,pagans out of ,prussia1 and took       
possession of it4 ,soon after1 they got 

,livonia and ,courland1 and invaded even
 ,russia1 where they introduced the     
,christian religion4 ,in #aeaj1 they    
elected ,albert1 ,marquis of            
,bradenburg1 for their grand master1    
who1 turning ,protestant1 soon afterward
 took ,prussia from the order1 and kept 
it for himself1 with the consent of     
,sigismund1 ,king of ,poland1 of whom it
 was to hold4 ,he then quitted his grand
 mastership and made himself hereditary 
,duke of that country1 which is thence  
called ,ducal ,prussia4 ,this order now 
consists of twelve provinces2 viz41     
,alsatia1 ,austria1 ,coblentz1 and      
,etsch1 which are the four under the    
,prussian jurisdiction2 ,franconia1     
,hesse1 ,biessen1 ,westphalia1          
,lorraine1 ,thuringia1 ,saxony1 and     
,utrecht1 which eight are of the ,german
 jurisdiction4 ,the ,dutch now possess  
all that the order had in ,utrecht4     
,every one of the provinces have their  
particular ,commanderies2 and the most  
ancient of these ,commandeurs is called 

the ,commandeur ,provincial4 ,these     
twelve ,commandeurs are all subordinate 
to the ,grand ,master of ,germany as    
their chief1 and have the right of      
electing the grand master4 ,the elector 
of ,cologne is at present #8,grand      
,maitre'4  ,this order1 founded by      
mistaken ,christian zeal1 upon the      
anti-,christian principles of violence  
and persecution1 soon grew strong by the
 weakness and ignorance of the time2    
acquired unjustly great possessions1 of 
which they justly lost the greatest part
 by their ambition and cruelty1 which   
made them feared and hated by all their 
neighbors4  ,i have this moment received
 your letter of the #dth1 ,n4 ,s41 and  
have only time to tell you that ,i can  
by no means agree to your cutting off   
your hair4 ,i am very sure that your    
headaches cannot proceed from thence4   
,and as for the pimples upon your head1 
they are only owing to the heat of the  
season1 and consequently will not last  
long4 ,but your own hair is1 at your    

age1 such an ornament1 and a wig1       
however well made1 such a disguise1 that
 ,i will upon no account whatsoever have
 you cut off your hair4 ,nature did not 
give it to you for nothing1 still less  
to cause you the headache4 ,mr4 ,eliot's
 hair grew so ill and bushy1 that he was
 in the right to cut it off4 ,but you   
have not the same reason4     ,,letter  
,,xlvii  ,,london1 ,august #bc1 ,o4 ,s4 
#agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,your friend1 ,mr4
 ,eliot1 has dined with me twice since  
,i returned here1 and ,i can say with   
truth that while ,i had the seals1 ,i   
never examined or sifted a state        
prisoner with so much care and curiosity
 as ,i did him4 ,nay1 ,i did more2 for1 
contrary to the laws of this country1 ,i
 gave him in some manner1 the ,,question
 ordinary and extraordinary2 and ,i have
 infinite pleasure in telling you that  
the rack which ,i put him to1 did not   
extort from him one single word that was
 not such as ,i wished to hear of you4  
,i heartily congratulate you upon such  

an advantageous testimony1 from so      
creditable a witness4 #8,laudati a      
laudato viro'1 is one of the greatest   
pleasures and honors a rational being   
can have2 may you long continue to      
deserve it6 ,your aversion to drinking  
and your dislike to gaming1 which ,mr4  
,eliot assures me are both very strong1 
give me1 the greatest joy imaginable1   
for your sake3 as the former would ruin 
both your constitution and              
understanding1 and the latter your      
fortune and character4 ,mr4 ,harte wrote
 me word some time ago1 and ,mr4 ,eliot 
confirms it now1 that you employ your   
pin money in a very different manner1   
from that in which pin money is commonly
 lavished3 not in gew-gaws and baubles1 
but in buying good and useful books4    
,this is an excellent symptom1 and gives
 me very good hopes4 ,go on thus1 my    
dear boy1 but for these next two years1 
and ,i ask no more4 ,you must then make 
such a figure and such a fortune in the 
world as ,i wish you1 and as ,i have    

taken all these pains to enable you to  
do4 ,after that time ,i allow you to be 
as idle as ever you please2 because ,i  
am sure that you will not then please to
 be so at all4 ,the ignorant and the    
weak are only idle2 but those who have  
once acquired a good stock of knowledge1
 always desire to increase it4          
,knowledge is like power in this        
respect1 that those who have the most1  
are most desirous of having more4 ,it   
does not clog1 by possession1 but       
increases desire2 which is the case of  
very few pleasures4  ,upon receiving    
this congratulatory letter1 and reading 
your own praises1 ,i am sure that it    
must naturally occur to you1 how great a
 share of them you owe to ,mr4 ,harte's 
care and attention2 and1 consequently1  
that your regard and affection for him  
must increase1 if there be room for it1 
in proportion as you reap1 which you do 
daily1 the fruits of his labors4  ,i    
must not1 however1 conceal from you that
 there was one article in which your own

 witness1 ,mr4 ,eliot1 faltered2 for1   
upon my questioning him home as to your 
manner of speaking1 he could not say    
that your utterance was either distinct 
or graceful4 ,i have already said so    
much to you upon this point that ,i can 
add nothing4 ,i will therefore only     
repeat this truth1 which is1 that if you
 will not speak distinctly and graceful1
 nobody will desire to hear you4 ,i am  
glad to learn that ,abbe ,mably's       
#8,droit ,public de l',europe' makes a  
part of your evening amusements4 ,it is 
a very useful book1 and gives a clear   
deduction of the affairs of ,europe1    
from the treaty of ,munster to this     
time4  ,pray read it with attention1 and
 with the proper maps2 always recurring 
to them for the several countries or    
towns yielded1 taken1 or restored4 ,pyre
 ,bougeant's third volume will give you 
the best idea of the treaty of ,munster1
 and open to you the several views of   
the belligerent' and contracting        
parties1 and there never were greater   

than at that time4 ,the ,house of       
,austria1 in the war immediately        
preceding that treaty1 intended to make 
itself absolute in the empire1 and to   
overthrow the rights of the respective  
states of it4 ,the view of ,france was  
to weaken and dismember the ,house of   
,austria to such a degree1 as that it   
should no longer be a counterbalance to 
that of ,bourbon4 ,sweden wanted        
possessions on the continent of         
,germany1 not only to supply the        
necessities of its own poor and barren  
country1 but likewise to hold the       
balance in the empire between the ,house
 of ,austria and the ,states4 ,the      
,house of ,brandenburg wanted to        
aggrandize itself by pilfering in the   
fire2 changed sides occasionally1 and   
made a good bargain at last2 for ,i     
think it got1 at the peace1 nine or ten 
bishoprics secularized4 ,so that we may 
date1 from the treaty of ,munster1 the  
decline of the ,house of ,austria1 the  
great power of the ,house of ,bourbon1  

and the aggrandizement of that of       
,bradenburg3 which1 ,i am much mistaken1
 if it stops where it is now4  ,make my 
compliments to ,lord ,pulteney1 to whom 
,i would have you be not only attentive1
 but useful1 by setting him 7in case he 
wants it7 a good example of application 
and temperance4 ,i begin to believe     
that1 as ,i shall be proud of you1      
others will be proud too of imitating   
you3 ,those expectations of mine seem   
now so well grounded1 that my           
disappointment1 and consequently my     
anger1 will be so much the greater if   
they fail2 but as things stand now1 ,i  
am most affectionately and tenderly1    
,yours4     ,,letter ,,xlviii  ,,london1
 ,august #cj1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh  ,,dear     
,,boy3 ,your reflections upon the       
conduct of ,france1 from the treaty of  
,munster to this time1 are very just2   
and ,i am very glad to find1 by them1   
that you not only read1 but that you    
think and reflect upon what you read4   
,many great readers load their memories1

 without exercising their judgments2 and
 make lumber-rooms of their heads       
instead of furnishing them usefully2    
facts are heaped upon facts without     
order or distinction1 and may justly be 
said to compose that                    
#8-----,rudis indigestaque moles        
,quem dixere chaos'4  ,go on1 then1 in  
the way of reading that you are in2 take
 nothing for granted1 upon the bare     
authority of the author2 but weigh and  
consider1 in your own mind1 the         
probability of the facts and the        
justness of the reflections4 ,consult   
different authors upon the same facts1  
and form your opinion upon the greater  
or lesser degree of probability arising 
from the whole1 which1 in my mind1 is   
the utmost stretch of historical faith2 
certainty 7,i fear7 not being to be     
found4 ,when a historian pretends to    
give you the causes and motives of      
events1 compare those causes and motives
 with the characters and interests of   
the parties concerned1 and judge for    

yourself whether they correspond or not4
 ,consider whether you cannot assign    
others more probable2 and in that       
examination1 do not despise some very   
mean and trifling causes of the actions 
of great men2 for so various and        
inconsistent is human nature1 so strong 
and changeable are our passions1 so     
fluctuating are our wills1 and so much  
are our minds influenced by the         
accidents of our bodies that every man  
is more the man of the day1 than a      
regular consequential character4 ,the   
best have something bad1 and something  
little2 the worst have something good1  
and sometimes something great2 for ,i do
 not believe what ,velleius ,paterculus 
7for the sake of saying a pretty thing7 
says of ,scipio1 #8,qui nihil non       
laudandum aut fecit1 aut dixit1 aut     
sensit'4 ,as for the reflections of     
historians1 with which they think it    
necessary to interlard their histories1 
or at least to conclude their chapters  
7and which1 in the ,french histories1   

are always introduced with a #8tant il  
est vrai'1 and in the ,english1 ,,so    
,,true ,,it ,,is71 do not adopt them    
implicitly upon the credit of the       
author1 but analyze them yourself1 and  
judge whether they are true or not4     
,but to return to the politics of       
,france1 from which ,i have digressed4  
,you have certainly made one further    
reflection1 of an advantage which       
,france has1 over and above its         
abilities in the cabinet and the skill  
of its negotiators1 which is 7if ,i may 
use the expression7 its ,,soleness1     
continuity of riches and power within   
itself1 and the nature of its           
government4 ,near twenty millions of    
people1 and the ordinary revenue of     
above thirteen millions sterling a year1
 are at the absolute disposal of the    
,crown4 ,this is what no other power in 
,europe can say2 so that different      
powers must now unite to make a balance 
against ,france2 which union1 though    
formed upon the principle of their      

common interest1 can never be so        
intimate as to compose a machine so     
compact and simple as that of one great 
kingdom1 directed by one will1 and moved
 by one interest4 ,the ,allied ,powers  
7as we have constantly seen7 have1      
besides the common and declared object  
of their alliance1 some separate and    
concealed view to which they often      
sacrifice the general one2 which makes  
them1 either directly or indirectly1    
pull different ways4 ,thus1 the design  
upon ,toulon failed in the year #agjf1  
only from the secret view of the ,house 
of ,austria upon ,naples3 which made the
 ,court of ,vienna1 notwithstanding the 
representations of the other allies to  
the contrary1 send to ,naples the       
#ab1jjj men that would have done the    
business at ,toulon4 ,in this last war  
too1 the same causes had the same       
effects3 the ,queen of ,hungary in      
secret thought of nothing but recovering
 of ,silesia1 and what she had lost in  
,italy2 and1 therefore1 never sent half 

that quota which she promised1 and we   
paid for1 into ,flanders2 but left that 
country to the maritime powers to defend
 as they could4 ,the ,king of           
,sardinia's real object was ,savona and 
all the ,riviera di ,ponente2 for which 
reason he concurred so lamely in the    
invasion of ,provence1 where the ,queen 
of ,hungary1 likewise1 did not send     
one-third of the force stipulated1      
engrossed as she was by her oblique     
views upon the plunder of ,genoa1 and   
the recovery of ,naples4 ,insomuch that 
the expedition into ,provence1 which    
would have distressed ,france to the    
greatest degree1 and have caused a great
 detachment from their army in          
,flanders1 failed shamefully1 for want  
of every one thing necessary for its    
success4 ,suppose1 therefore1 any four  
or five powers who1 all together1 shall 
be equal1 or even a little superior1 in 
riches and strength to that one power   
against which they are united2 the      
advantage will still be greatly on the  

side of that single power1 because it is
 but one4 ,the power and riches of      
,charles ,v4 were1 in themselves1       
certainly superior to those of ,frances 
,i41 and yet1 upon the whole1 he was not
 an overmatch for him4 ,charles ,v4's   
dominions1 great as they were1 were     
scattered and remote from each other2   
their constitutions different2 wherever 
he did not reside1 disturbances arose2  
whereas the compactness of ,france made 
up the difference in the strength4 ,this
 obvious reflection convinced me of the 
absurdity of the treaty of ,hanover1 in 
#agbe1 between ,france and ,england1 to 
which the ,dutch afterward acceded2 for 
it was made upon the apprehensions1     
either real or pretended1 that the      
marriage of ,don ,carlos with the eldest
 archduchess1 now ,queen of ,hungary1   
was settled in the treaty of ,vienna1 of
 the same year1 between ,spain and the  
late ,emperor ,charles ,,vi41 which     
marriage1 those consummate politicians  
said would revive in ,europe the        

exorbitant power of ,charles ,v4 ,i am  
sure1 ,i heartily wish it had2 as1 in   
that case1 there had been1 what there   
certainly is not now1 one power in      
,europe to counterbalance that of       
,france2 and then the maritime powers   
would1 in reality1 have held the balance
 of ,europe in their hands4 ,even       
supposing that the ,austrian power would
 then have been an overmatch for that of
 ,france 7which1 by the way1 is not     
clear71 the weight of the maritime      
powers1 then thrown into the scale of   
,france1 would infallibly have made the 
balance at least even4 ,in which case   
too1 the moderate efforts of the        
maritime powers on the side of ,france  
would have been sufficient2 whereas now1
 they are obliged to exhaust and beggar 
themselves2 and that too ineffectually1 
in hopes to support the shattered2      
beggared1 and insufficient ,house of    
,austria4  ,this has been a long        
political dissertation2 but ,i am       
informed that political subjects are    

your favorite ones2 which ,i am glad of1
 considering your destination4 ,you do  
well to get your materials all ready1   
before you begin your work4 ,as you buy 
and 7,i am told7 read books of this     
kind1 ,i will point out two or three for
 your purchase and perusal2 ,i am not   
sure that ,i have not mentioned them    
before1 but that is no matter1 if you   
have not got them4 #8,memoires pour     
servir a l',histoire du #ag;ieme        
,siecle'1 is a most useful book for you 
to recur to for all the facts and       
chronology of that country3 it is in    
four volumes octavo1 and very correct   
and exact4 ,if ,i do not mistake1 ,i    
have formerly recommended to you1 #8,les
 ,memoires du ,cardinal de ,retz'2      
however1 if you have not yet read them1 
pray do1 and with the attention which   
they deserve4 ,you will there find the  
best account of a very interesting      
period of the minority of ,lewis ,,xiv4 
,the characters are drawn short1 but in 
a strong and masterly manner2 and the   

political reflections are the only just 
and practical ones that ,i ever saw in  
print3 they are well worth your         
transcribing4 #8,le ,commerce des       
,anciens1 par ,monsieur ,huet4 ,eveque  
d',avranche'1 in one little volume      
octavo1 is worth your perusal1 as       
commerce is a very considerable part of 
political knowledge4 ,i need not1 ,i am 
sure1 suggest to you1 when you read the 
course of commerce1 either of the       
ancients or of the moderns1 to follow it
 upon your map2 for there is no other   
way of remembering geography correctly1 
but by looking perpetually in the map   
for the places one reads of1 even though
 one knows before1 pretty near1 where   
they are4  ,adieu6 ,as all the accounts 
which ,i receive of you grow better and 
better1 so ,i grow more and more        
affectionately1 ,yours4     ,,letter    
,,xlix  ,,london1 ,september #e1 ,o4 ,s4
 #agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,i have received 
yours1 with the inclosed ,german letter 
to ,mr4 ,gravenkop1 which he assures me 

is extremely well written1 considering  
the little time that you have applied   
yourself to that language4 ,as you have 
now got over the most difficult part1   
pray go on diligently1 and make yourself
 absolutely master of the rest4 ,whoever
 does not entirely possess a language1  
will never appear to advantage1 or even 
equal to himself1 either in speaking or 
writing it4 ,his ideas are fettered1 and
 seem imperfect or confused1 if he is   
not master of all the words and phrases 
necessary to express them4 ,i therefore 
desire1 that you will not fail writing a
 ,german letter once every fortnight to 
,mr4 ,gravenkop2 which will make the    
writing of that language familiar to    
you2 and moreover1 when you shall have  
left ,germany and be arrived at ,turin1 
,i shall require you to write even to me
 in ,german2 that you may not forget    
with ease what you have with difficulty 
learned4 ,i likewise desire1 that while 
you are in ,germany1 you will take all  
opportunities of conversing in ,german1 

which is the only way of knowing that1  
or any other language1 accurately4 ,you 
will also desire your ,german master to 
teach you the proper titles and         
superscriptions to be used to people of 
all ranks2 which is a point so material1
 in ,germany1 that ,i have known many a 
letter returned unopened1 because one   
title in twenty has been omitted in the 
direction4  ,st4 ,thomas's day now draws
 near1 when you are to leave ,saxony and
 go to ,berlin2 and ,i take it for      
granted1 that if anything is yet wanting
 to complete your knowledge of the state
 of that electorate1 you will not fail  
to procure it before you go away4 ,i do 
not mean1 as you will easily believe1   
the number of churches1 parishes1 or    
towns2 but ,i mean the constitution1 the
 revenues1 the troops1 and the trade of 
that electorate4 ,a few questions1      
sensibly asked1 of sensible people1 will
 produce you the necessary informations2
 which ,i desire you will enter in your 
little book1 ,berlin will be entirely a 

new scene to you1 and ,i look upon it1  
in a manner1 as your first step into the
 great world2 take care that step be not
 a false one1 and that you do not       
stumble at the threshold4 ,you will     
there be in more company than you have  
yet been2 manners and attentions will   
therefore be more necessary4 ,pleasing  
in company is the only way of being     
pleased in it yourself4 ,sense and      
knowledge are the first and necessary   
foundations for pleasing in company2 but
 they will by no means do alone1 and    
they will never be perfectly welcome if 
they are not accompanied with manners   
and attentions4 ,you will best acquire  
these by frequenting the companies of   
people of fashion2 but then you must    
resolve to acquire them1 in those       
companies1 by proper care and           
observation2 for ,i have known people1  
who1 though they have frequented good   
company all their lifetime1 have done it
 in so inattentive and unobserving a    
manner1 as to be never the better for   

it1 and to remain as disagreeable1 as   
awkward1 and as vulgar1 as if they had  
never seen any person of fashion4 ,when 
you go into good company 7by good       
company is meant the people of the first
 fashion of the place7 observe carefully
 their turn1 their manners1 their       
address2 and conform your own to them4  
,but this is not all neither2 go deeper 
still2 observe their characters1 and    
pray1 as far as you can1 into both their
 hearts and their heads4 ,seek for their
 particular merit1 their predominant    
passion1 or their prevailing weakness2  
and you will then know what to bait your
 hook with to catch them4 ,man is a     
composition of so many1 and such various
 ingredients1 that it requires both time
 and care to analyze him3 for though we 
have all the same ingredients in our    
general composition1 as reason1 will1   
passions1 and appetites2 yet the        
different proportions and combinations  
of them in each individual1 produce that
 infinite variety of characters1 which1 

in some particular or other1            
distinguishes every individual from     
another4 ,reason ought to direct the    
whole1 but seldom does4 ,and he who     
addresses himself singly to another     
man's reason1 without endeavoring to    
engage his heart in his interest also1  
is no more likely to succeed1 than a man
 who should apply only to a king's      
nominal minister1 and neglect his       
favorite4 ,i will recommend to your     
attentive perusal1 now that you are     
going into the world1 two books1 which  
will let you as much into the characters
 of men1 as books can do4 ,i mean1      
#8,les ,reflections ,morales de         
,monsieur de la ,rochefoucault1 and ,les
 ,caracteres de la ,bruyere'3 but       
remember1 at the same time1 that ,i only
 recommend them to you as the best      
general maps to assist you in your      
journey1 and not as marking out every   
particular turning and winding that you 
will meet with4 ,there your own sagacity
 and observation must come to their aid4

 ,la ,rochefoucault1 is1 ,i know1       
blamed1 but ,i think without reason1 for
 deriving all our actions from the      
source of self-love4 ,for my own part1  
,i see a great deal of truth1 and no    
harm at all1 in that opinion4 ,it is    
certain that we seek our own happiness  
in everything we do2 and it is as       
certain1 that we can only find it in    
doing well1 and in conforming all our   
actions to the rule of right reason1    
which is the great law of nature4 ,it is
 only a mistaken self-love that is a    
blamable motive1 when we take the       
immediate and indiscriminate            
gratification of a passion1 or appetite1
 for real happiness4 ,but am ,i blamable
 if ,i do a good action1 upon account of
 the happiness which that honest        
consciousness will give me8 ,surely not4
 ,on the contrary1 that pleasing        
consciousness is a proof of my virtue4  
,the reflection which is the most       
censured in ,monsieur de la             
,rochefoucault's book as a very         

ill-natured one1 is this1 #8,on trouve  
dans le malheur de son meilleur ami1    
quelque chose qui ne des plait pas'4    
,and why not8 ,why may ,i not feel a    
very tender and real concern for the    
misfortune of my friend1 and yet at the 
same time feel a pleasing consciousness 
at having discharged my duty to him1 by 
comforting and assisting him to the     
utmost of my power in that misfortune8  
,give me but virtuous actions1 and ,i   
will not quibble and chicane about the  
motives4 ,and ,i will give anybody their
 choice of these two truths1 which      
amount to the same thing3 ,he who loves 
himself best is the honestest man2 or1  
,the honestest man loves himself best4  
,the characters of ,la ,bruyere are     
pictures from the life2 most of them    
finely drawn1 and highly colored4       
,furnish your mind with them first1 and 
when you meet with their likeness1 as   
you will every day1 they will strike you
 the more4 ,you will compare every      
feature with the original2 and both will

 reciprocally help you to discover the  
beauties and the blemishes4  ,as women  
are a considerable1 or1 at least a      
pretty numerous part of company2 and as 
their suffrages go a great way toward   
establishing a man's character in the   
fashionable part of the world 7which is 
of great importance to the fortune and  
figure he proposes to make in it71 it is
 necessary to please them4 ,i will      
therefore1 upon this subject1 let you   
into certain ,arcana that will be very  
useful for you to know1 but which you   
must1 with the utmost care1 conceal and 
never seem to know4 ,women1 then1 are   
only children of a larger growth2 they  
have an entertaining tattle1 and        
sometimes wit2 but for solid reasoning1 
good sense1 ,i never knew in my life one
 that had it1 or who reasoned or acted  
consequentially for four-and-twenty     
hours together4 ,some little passion or 
humor always breaks upon their best     
resolutions4 ,their beauty neglected or 
controverted1 their age increased1 or   

their supposed understandings           
depreciated1 instantly kindles their    
little passions1 and overturns any      
system of consequential conduct1 that in
 their most reasonable moments they     
might have been capable of forming4 ,a  
man of sense only trifles with them1    
plays with them1 humors and flatters    
them1 as he does with a sprightly       
forward child2 but he neither consults  
them about1 nor trusts them with serious
 matters2 though he often makes them    
believe that he does both2 which is the 
thing in the world that they are proud  
of2 for they love mightily to be        
dabbling in business 7which by the way  
they always spoil72 and being justly    
distrustful that men in general look    
upon them in a trifling light1 they     
almost adore that man who talks more    
seriously to them1 and who seems to     
consult and trust them2 ,i say1 who     
seems2 for weak men really do1 but wise 
ones only seem to do it4 ,no flattery is
 either too high or too low for them4   

,they will greedily swallow the highest1
 and gratefully accept of the lowest2   
and you may safely flatter any woman    
from her understanding down to the      
exquisite taste of her fan4 ,women who  
are either indisputably beautiful1 or   
indisputably ugly1 are best flattered1  
upon the score of their understandings2 
but those who are in a state of         
mediocrity1 are best flattered upon     
their beauty1 or at least their graces2 
for every woman who is not absolutely   
ugly thinks herself handsome2 but not   
hearing often that she is so1 is the    
more grateful and the more obliged to   
the few who tell her so2 whereas a      
decided and conscious beauty looks upon 
every tribute paid to her beauty only as
 her due2 but wants to shine1 and to be 
considered on the side of her           
understanding2 and a woman who is ugly  
enough to know that she is so1 knows    
that she has nothing left for it but her
 understanding1 which is consequently   
and probably 7in more senses than one7  

her weak side4 ,but these are secrets   
which you must keep inviolably1 if you  
would not1 like ,orpheus1 be torn to    
pieces by the whole sex2 on the         
contrary1 a man who thinks of living in 
the great world1 must be gallant1       
polite1 and attentive to please the     
women4 ,they have1 from the weakness of 
men1 more or less influence in all      
courts2 they absolutely stamp every     
man's character in the beau monde1 and  
make it either current1 or cry it down1 
and stop it in payments4 ,it is1        
therefore2 absolutely necessary to      
manage1 please1 and flatter them and    
never to discover the least marks of    
contempt1 which is what they never      
forgive2 but in this they are not       
singular1 for it is the same with men2  
who will much sooner forgive an         
injustice than an insult4 ,every man is 
not ambitious1 or courteous1 or         
passionate2 but every man has pride     
enough in his composition to feel and   
resent the least slight and contempt4   

,remember1 therefore1 most carefully to 
conceal your contempt1 however just1    
wherever you would not make an          
implacable enemy4 ,men are much more    
unwilling to have their weaknesses and  
their imperfections known than their    
crimes2 and if you hint to a man that   
you think him silly1 ignorant1 or even  
ill-bred1 or awkward1 he will hate you  
more and longer1 than if you tell him   
plainly1 that you think him a rogue4    
,never yield to that temptation1 which  
to most young men is very strong2 of    
exposing other people's weaknesses and  
infirmities1 for the sake either of     
diverting the company1 or showing your  
own superiority4 ,you may get the laugh 
on your side by it for the present2 but 
you will make enemies by it forever2 and
 even those who laugh with you then1    
will1 upon reflection1 fear2 and        
consequently hate you2 besides that it  
is ill-natured1 and a good heart desires
 rather to conceal than expose other    
people's weaknesses or misfortunes4 ,if 

you have wit1 use it to please1 and not 
to hurt3 you may shine1 like the sun in 
the temperate zones1 without scorching4 
,here it is wished for2 under the ,line 
it is dreaded4  ,these are some of the  
hints which my long experience in the   
great world enables me to give you2 and 
which1 if you attend to them1 may prove 
useful to you in your journey through   
it4 ,i wish it may be a prosperous one2 
at least1 ,i am sure that it must be    
your own fault if it is not4  ,make my  
compliments to ,mr4 ,harte1 who1 ,i am  
very sorry to hear1 is not well4 ,i hope
 by this time he is recovered4 ,adieu6  
,,letter ,l  ,,london1 ,september #ac1  
,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,i have   
more than once recommended to you the   
8,memoirs0 of the ,cardinal de ,retz1   
and to attend particularly to the       
political reflections interspersed in   
that excellent work4 ,i will now preach 
a little upon two or three of those     
texts4  ,in the disturbances at ,paris1 
,monsieur de ,beaufort1 who was a very  

popular1 though a very weak man1 was the
 ,cardinal's tool with the populace4    
,proud of his popularity1 he was always 
for assembling the people of ,paris     
together1 thinking that he made a great 
figure at the head of them4 ,the        
,cardinal1 who was factious enough1 was 
wise enough at the same time to avoid   
gathering the people together1 except   
when there was occasion1 and when he had
 something particular for them to do4   
,however1 he could not always check     
,monsieur de ,beaufort2 who having      
assembled them once very unnecessarily1 
and without any determined object1 they 
ran riot1 would not be kept within      
bounds by their leaders1 and did their  
cause a great deal of harm3 upon which  
the ,cardinal observes most judiciously1
 #8,que ,monsieur de ,beaufort me savoit
 pas1 que qui assemble le peuple1       
l'emeut'4 ,it is certain1 that great    
numbers of people met together1 animate 
each other1 and will do something1      
either good or bad1 but oftener bad2 and

 the respective individuals1 who were   
separately very quiet1 when met together
 in numbers1 grow tumultuous as a body1 
and ripe for any mischief that may be   
pointed out to them by the leaders2 and1
 if their leaders have no business for  
them1 they will find some for           
themselves4 ,the demagogues1 or leaders 
of popular factions1 should therefore be
 very careful not to assemble the people
 unnecessarily1 and without a settled   
and well-considered object4 ,besides    
that1 by making those popular assemblies
 too frequent1 they make them likewise  
too familiar1 and consequently less     
respected by their enemies4 ,observe any
 meetings of people1 and you will always
 find their eagerness and impetuosity   
rise or fall in proportion to their     
numbers3 when the numbers are very      
great1 all sense and reason seem to     
subside1 and one sudden frenzy to seize 
on all1 even the coolest of them4       
,another very just observation of the   
,cardinal's is1 ,that1 the things which 

happen in our own times1 and which we   
see ourselves1 do not surprise us near  
so much as the things which we read of  
in times past1 though not in the least  
more extraordinary2 and adds1 that he is
 persuaded that when ,caligula made his 
horse a ,consul1 the people of ,rome1 at
 that time1 were not greatly surprised  
at it1 having necessarily been in some  
degree prepared for it1 by an insensible
 gradation of extravagances from the    
same quarter4 ,this is so true that we  
read every day1 with astonishment1      
things which we see every day without   
surprise4 ,we wonder at the intrepidity 
of a ,leonidas1 a ,codrus1 and a        
,curtius2 and are not the least         
surprised to hear of a sea-captain1 who 
has blown up his ship1 his crew1 and    
himself1 that they might not fall into  
the hands of the enemies of his country4
 ,i cannot help reading of ,porsenna and
 ,regulus1 with surprise and reverence1 
and yet ,i remember that ,i saw1 without
 either1 the execution of               

,shepherd1--,james ,shepherd1 a         
coach-painter's apprentice1 was executed
 at ,tyburn for high treason1 ,march    
#ag1 #agah1 in the reign of ,george     
,i4--a boy of eighteen years old1 who   
intended to shoot the late king1 and who
 would have been pardoned1 if he would  
have expressed the least sorrow for his 
intended crime2 but1 on the contrary1 he
 declared that if he was pardoned he    
would attempt it again2 that he thought 
it a duty which he owed to his country1 
and that he died with pleasure for      
having endeavored to perform it4 ,reason
 equals ,shepherd to ,regulus2 but      
prejudice1 and the recency of the fact1 
make ,shepherd a common malefactor and  
,regulus a hero4  ,examine carefully1   
and reconsider all your notions of      
things2 analyze them1 and discover their
 component parts1 and see if habit and  
prejudice are not the principal ones2   
weigh the matter upon which you are to  
form your opinion1 in the equal and     
impartial scales of reason4 ,it is not  

to be conceived how many people1 capable
 of reasoning1 if they would1 live and  
die in a thousand errors1 from laziness2
 they will rather adopt the prejudices  
of others1 than give themselves the     
trouble of forming opinions of their    
own4 ,they say things1 at first1 because
 other people have said them1 and then  
they persist in them1 because they have 
said them themselves4  ,the last        
observation that ,i shall now mention of
 the ,cardinal's is1 8,that a secret is 
more easily kept by a good many people1 
than one commonly imagines40 ,by this he
 means a secret of importance1 among    
people interested in the keeping of it4 
,and it is certain that people of       
business know the importance of secrecy1
 and will observe it1 where they are    
concerned in the event4 ,to go and tell 
any friend1 wife1 or mistress1 any      
secret with which they have nothing to  
do1 is discovering to them such an      
unretentive weakness1 as must convince  
them that you will tell it to twenty    

others1 and consequently that they may  
reveal it without the risk of being     
discovered4 ,but a secret properly      
communicated only to those who are to be
 concerned in the thing in question1    
will probably be kept by them though    
they should be a good many4 ,little     
secrets are commonly told again1 but    
great ones are generally kept4 ,adieu6  
,,letter ,,li  ,,london1 ,september #bj1
 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,i wait  
with impatience for your accurate       
history of the #8,chevaliers ,forte     
,epees'1 which you promised me in your  
last1 and which ,i take to be the       
forerunner of a larger work that you    
intend to give the public1 containing a 
general account of all the religious and
 military orders of ,europe4 ,seriously1
 you will do well to have a general     
notion of all those orders1 ancient and 
modern2 both as they are frequently the 
subjects of conversation1 and as they   
are more or less interwoven with the    
histories of those times4 ,witness the  

,teutonic ,order1 which1 as soon as it  
gained strength1 began its unjust       
depredations in ,germany1 and acquired  
such considerable possessions there2 and
 the ,order of ,malta also1 which       
continues to this day its piracies upon 
the ,infidels4 ,besides one can go into 
no company in ,germany1 without running 
against ,monsieur le ,chevalier1 or     
,monsieur le ,commandeur de l' ,ordre   
,teutonique4 ,it is the same in all the 
other parts of ,europe with regard to   
the ,order of ,malta1 where you never go
 into company without meeting two or    
three ,chevaliers or ,commandeurs1 who  
talk of their #8,preuves'1 their        
#8,langues'1 their #8,caravanes'1 etc41 
of all which things ,i am sure you would
 not willingly be ignorant4 ,on the     
other hand1 ,i do not mean that you     
should have a profound and minute       
knowledge of these matters1 which are of
 a nature that a general knowledge of   
them is fully sufficient4 ,i would not  
recommend you to read ,abbe ,vertot's   

8,history of the ,order of ,malta10 in  
four quarto volumes2 that would be      
employing a great deal of good time very
 ill4 ,but ,i would have you know the   
foundations1 the objects1 the           
,,insignia1 and the short general       
history of them all4  ,as for the       
ancient religious military orders1 which
 were chiefly founded in the eleventh   
and twelfth centuries1 such as ,malta1  
the ,teutonic1 the ,knights ,templars1  
etc41 the injustice and the wickedness  
of those establishments cannot1 ,i am   
sure1 have escaped your observation4    
,their pious object was1 to take away by
 force other people's property1 and to  
massacre the proprietors themselves if  
they refused to give up that property1  
and adopt the opinions of these         
invaders4 ,what right or pretense had   
these confederated ,christians of       
,europe to the ,holy ,land8 ,let them   
produce their grant of it in the ,bible4
 ,will they say1 that the ,saracens had 
possessed themselves of it by force1 and

 that1 consequently1 they had the same  
right8 ,is it lawful then to steal goods
 because they were stolen before8       
,surely not4 ,the truth is1 that the    
wickedness of many1 and the weakness of 
more1 in those ages of ignorance and    
superstition1 concurred to form those   
flagitious conspiracies against the     
lives and properties of unoffending     
people4 ,the ,pope sanctified the       
villany1 and annexed the pardon of sins 
to the perpetration of it4 ,this gave   
rise to the ,crusaders1 and carried such
 swarms of people from ,europe to the   
conquests of the ,holy ,land4 ,peter the
 ,hermit1 an active and ambitious       
priest1 by his indefatigable pains1 was 
the immediate author of the first       
crusade2 kings1 princes1 all professions
 and characters united1 from different  
motives1 in this great undertaking1 as  
every sentiment1 except true religion   
and morality1 invited to it4 ,the       
ambitious hoped for kingdoms2 the greedy
 and the necessitous for plunder2 and   

some were enthusiasts enough to hope for
 salvation1 by the destruction of a     
considerable number of their fellow     
creatures1 who had done them no injury4 
,i cannot omit1 upon this occasion1     
telling you that the ,eastern emperors  
at ,constantinople 7who1 as ,christians1
 were obliged at least to seem to favor 
these expeditions71 seeing the immense  
numbers of the #8,croisez'1 and fearing 
that the ,western ,empire might have    
some mind to the ,eastern ,empire too1  
if it succeeded against the ,infidels1  
as #8l'appetit vient en mangeant'2 these
 ,eastern emperors1 very honestly1      
poisoned the waters where the           
#8,croisez' were to pass1 and so        
destroyed infinite numbers of them4     
,the later orders of knighthood1 such as
 the ,garter in ,england2 the ,elephant 
in ,denmark2 the ,golden ,fleece in     
,burgundy2 the ,st4 ,esprit1 ,st4       
,michel1 ,st4 ,louis1 and ,st4 ,lazare1 
in ,france etc41 are of a very different
 nature and were either the invitations 

to1 or the rewards of2 brave actions in 
fair war2 and are now rather the        
decorations of the favor of the prince1 
than the proofs of the merit of the     
subject4 ,however1 they are worth your  
inquiries to a certain degree1 and      
conversation will give you frequent     
opportunities for them4 ,wherever you   
are1 ,i would advise you to inquire into
 the respective orders of that country1 
and to write down a short account of    
them4 ,for example1 while you are in    
,saxony1 get an account of l',aigle     
,blanc and of what other orders there   
may be1 either ,polish or ,saxon2 and1  
when you shall be at ,berlin1 inform    
yourself of three orders1 l',aigle      
,noir1 la ,generosite et le ,vrai       
,merite1 which are the only ones that ,i
 know of there4 ,but whenever you meet  
with straggling ribands and stars1 as   
you will with a thousand in ,germany1 do
 not fail to inquire what they are1 and 
to take a minute of them in your        
memorandum book2 for it is a sort of    

knowledge that costs little to acquire1 
and yet it is of some use4 ,young people
 have frequently an incuriousness about 
them1 arising either from laziness1 or a
 contempt of the object1 which deprives 
them of several such little parts of    
knowledge1 that they afterward wish they
 had acquired4 ,if you will put         
conversation to profit1 great knowledge 
may be gained by it2 and is it not      
better 7since it is full as easy7 to    
turn it upon useful than upon useless   
subjects8 ,people always talk best upon 
what they know most1 and it is both     
pleasing them and improving one's self1 
to put them upon that subject4 ,with    
people of a particular profession1 or of
 a distinguished eminency in any branch 
of learning1 one is not at a loss2 but  
with those1 whether men or women1 who   
properly constitute what is called the  
beau monde1 one must not choose deep    
subjects1 nor hope to get any knowledge 
above that of orders1 ranks1 families1  
and court anecdotes2 which are therefore

 the proper 7and not altogether useless7
 subjects of that kind of conversation4 
,women1 especially1 are to be talked to 
as below men and above children4 ,if you
 talk to them too deep1 you only        
confound them1 and lose your own labor2 
if you talk to them too frivolously1    
they perceive and resent the contempt4  
,the proper tone for them is1 what the  
,french call the #8,entregent'1 and is1 
in truth1 the polite jargon of good     
company4 ,thus1 if you are a good       
chemist1 you may extract something out  
of everything4  ,a propos of the beau   
monde1 ,i must again and again recommend
 the ,graces to you3 ,there is no doing 
without them in that world2 and1 to make
 a good figure in that world1 is a great
 step toward making one in the world of 
business1 particularly that part of it  
for which you are destined4 ,an         
ungraceful manner of speaking1 awkward  
motions1 and a disagreeable address1 are
 great clogs to the ablest man of       
business1 as the opposite qualifications

 are of infinite advantage to him4 ,i am
 told there is a very good              
dancing-master at ,leipsig4 ,i would    
have you dance a minuet very well1 not  
so much for the sake of the minuet      
itself 7though that1 if danced at all1  
ought to be danced1 well71 as that it   
will give you a habitual genteel        
carriage and manner of presenting       
yourself4  ,since ,i am upon little     
things1 ,i must mention another1 which1 
though little enough in itself1 yet as  
it occurs at1 least once in every day1  
deserves some attention2 ,i mean        
,carving4 ,do you use yourself to carve 
,,adroitly and genteelly1 without       
hacking half an hour across a bone2     
without bespattering the company with   
the sauce2 and without overturning the  
glasses into your neighbor's pockets8   
,these awkwardnesses are extremely      
disagreeable2 and1 if often repeated1   
bring ridicule4 ,they are very easily   
avoided by a little attention and use4  
,how trifling soever these things may   

seem1 or really be in themselves1 they  
are no longer so when above half the    
world thinks them otherwise4 ,and1 as ,i
 would have you #8omnibus               
ornatum--excellere rebus'1 ,i think     
nothing above or below my pointing out  
to you1 or your excelling in4 ,you have 
the means of doing it1 and time before  
you to make use of them4 ,take my word  
for it1 ,i ask nothing now but what you 
will1 twenty years hence1 most heartily 
wish that you had done4 ,attention to   
all these things1 for the next two or   
three years1 will save you infinite     
trouble and endless regrets hereafter4  
,may you1 in the whole course of your   
life1 have no reason for any one just   
regret6 ,adieu4  ,your ,dresden china is
 arrived1 and ,i have sent it to your   
,mamma4     ,,letter ,,lii  ,,london1   
,september #bg1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear  
,,boy3 ,i have received your ,latin     
8,lecture upon ,war10 which though it is
 not exactly the same ,latin that       
,caesar1 ,cicero1 ,horace1 ,virgil1 and 

,ovid spoke1 is1 however1 as good ,latin
 as the erudite ,germans speak or write4
 ,i have always observed that the most  
learned people1 that is1 those who have 
read the most ,latin1 write the worst2  
and that distinguishes the ,latin of    
gentleman scholar from that of a pedant4
 ,a gentleman has1 probably1 read no    
other ,latin than that of the ,augustan 
age2 and therefore can write no other1  
whereas the pedant has read much more   
bad ,latin than good1 and consequently  
writes so too4 ,he looks upon the best  
classical books1 as books for           
school-boys1 and consequently below him2
 but pores over fragments of obscure    
authors1 treasures up the obsolete words
 which he meets with there1 and uses    
them upon all occasions to show his     
reading at the expense of his judgment4 
,plautus is his favorite author1 not for
 the sake of the wit and the vis comica 
of his comedies1 but upon account of the
 many obsolete words1 and the cant of   
low characters1 which are to be met with

 nowhere else4 ,he will rather use      
#8olli' than #8illi'1 #8optume' than    
#8optima'1 and any bad word rather than 
any good one1 provided he can but prove1
 that strictly speaking1 it is ,latin2  
that is1 that it was written by a       
,roman4 ,by this rule1 ,i might now     
write to you in the language of ,chaucer
 or ,spenser1 and assert that ,i wrote  
,english1 because it was ,english in    
their days2 but ,i should be a most     
affected puppy if ,i did so1 and you    
would not understand three words of my  
letter4 ,all these1 and such like       
affected peculiarities1 are the         
characteristics of learned coxcombs and 
pedants1 and are carefully avoided by   
all men of sense4  ,i dipped            
accidentally1 the other day1 into       
,pitiscus's preface to his 8,lexicon10  
where ,i found a word that puzzled me1  
and which ,i did not remember ever to   
have met with before4 ,it is the adverb 
#8praefiscine'1 which means1 ,,in ,a    
,,good ,,hour2 an expression which1 by  

the superstition of it1 appears to be   
low and vulgar4 ,i looked for it3 and at
 last ,i found that it is once or twice 
made use of in ,plautus1 upon the       
strength of which this learned pedant   
thrusts it into his preface4 ,whenever  
you write ,latin1 remember that every   
word or phrase which you make use of1   
but cannot find in ,caesar1 ,cicero1    
,livy1 ,horace1 ,virgil2 and ,ovid1 is  
bad1 illiberal ,latin1 though it may    
have been written by a ,roman4  ,i must 
now say something as to the matter of   
the 8,lecture10 in which ,i confess     
there is one doctrine laid down that    
surprises me3 ,it is this1 #8,quum vero 
hostis sit lenta citave morte omnia dira
 nobis minitans quocunque bellantibus   
negotium est2 parum sane interfuerit quo
 modo eum obruere et interficere        
satagamus1 si ferociam exuere cunctetur4
 ,ergo veneno quoque uti fas est'1 etc41
 whereas ,i cannot conceive that the use
 of poison can1 upon any account1 come  
within the lawful means of self-defense4

 ,force may1 without doubt1 be justly   
repelled by force1 but not by treachery 
and fraud2 for ,i do not call the       
stratagems of war1 such as ambuscades1  
masked batteries1 false attacks1 etc41  
frauds or treachery3 ,they are mutually 
to be expected and guarded against2 but 
poisoned arrows1 poisoned waters1 or    
poison administered to your enemy 7which
 can only be done by treachery71 ,i have
 always heard1 read1 and thought1 to be 
unlawful and infamous means of defense1 
be your danger ever so great3 ,but #8si 
ferociam exuere cunctetur'2 must ,i     
rather die than poison this enemy8 ,yes1
 certainly1 much rather die than do a   
base or criminal action2 nor can ,i be  
sure1 beforehand1 that this enemy may   
not1 in the last moment1 #8ferociam     
exuere'4 ,but the public lawyers1 now1  
seem to me rather to warp the law1 in   
order to authorize1 than to check1 those
 unlawful proceedings of princes and    
states2 which1 by being become common1  
appear less criminal1 though custom can 

never alter the nature of good and ill4 
,pray let no quibbles of lawyers1 no    
refinements of casuists1 break into the 
plain notions of right and wrong1 which 
every man's right reason and plain      
common sense suggest to him4 ,to do as  
you would be done by1 is the plain1     
sure1 and undisputed rule of morality   
and justice4 ,stick to that2 and be     
convinced that whatever breaks into it1 
in any degree1 however speciously it may
 be turned1 and however puzzling it may 
be to answer it1 is1 notwithstanding1   
false in itself1 unjust1 and criminal4  
,i do not know a crime in the world1    
which is not by the casuists among the  
,jesuits 7especially the twenty-four    
collected1 ,i think1 by ,escobar7       
allowed1 in some1 or many cases1 not to 
be criminal4 ,the principles first laid 
down by them are often specious1 the    
reasonings plausible1 but the conclusion
 always a lie3 for it is contrary1 to   
that evident and undeniable rule of     
justice which ,i have mentioned above1  

of not doing to anyone what you would   
not have him do to you4 ,but1 however1  
these refined pieces of casuistry and   
sophistry1 being very convenient and    
welcome to people's passions and        
appetites1 they gladly accept the       
indulgence1 without desiring to detect  
the fallacy or the reasoning3 and indeed
 many1 ,i might say most people1 are not
 able to do it2 which makes the         
publication of such quibblings and      
refinements the more pernicious4 ,i am  
no skillful casuist nor subtle          
disputant2 and yet ,i would undertake to
 justify and qualify the profession of a
 highwayman1 step by step1 and so       
plausibly1 as to make many ignorant     
people embrace the profession1 as an    
innocent1 if not even a laudable one2   
and puzzle people of some degree of     
knowledge1 to answer me point by point4 
,i have seen a book1 entitled           
#8,quidlibet ex ,quolibet'1 or the art  
of making anything out of anything2     
which is not so difficult as it would   

seem1 if once one quits certain plain   
truths1 obvious in gross to every       
understanding1 in order to run after the
 ingenious refinements of warm          
imaginations and speculative reasonings4
 ,doctor ,berkeley1 ,bishop of ,cloyne1 
a very worthy1 ingenious1 and learned   
man1 has written a book1 to prove that  
there is no such thing as matter1 and   
that nothing exists but in idea3 that   
you and ,i only fancy ourselves eating1 
drinking1 and sleeping2 you at ,leipsig1
 and ,i at ,london3 that we think we    
have flesh and blood1 legs1 arms1 etc41 
but that we are only spirit4 ,his       
arguments are1 strictly speaking1       
unanswerable2 but yet ,i am so far from 
being convinced by them1 that ,i am     
determined to go on to eat and drink1   
and walk and ride1 in order to keep that
 ,,matter1 which ,i so mistakenly       
imagine my body at present to consist   
of1 in as good plight as possible4      
,common sense 7which1 in truth1 very    
uncommon7 is the best sense ,i know of3 

abide by it1 it will counsel you best4  
,read and hear1 for your amusement1     
ingenious systems1 nice questions       
subtilly agitated1 with all the         
refinements that warm imaginations      
suggest2 but consider them only as      
exercitations for the mind1 and turn    
always to settle with common sense4  ,i 
stumbled1 the other day1 at a           
bookseller's1 upon 8,comte ,gabalis10 in
 two very little volumes1 which ,i had  
formerly read4 ,i read it over again1   
and with fresh astonishment4 ,most of   
the extravagances are taken from the    
,jewish ,rabbins1 who broached those    
wild notions1 and delivered them in the 
unintelligible jargon which the         
,caballists and ,rosicrucians deal in to
 this day4 ,their number is1 ,i believe1
 much lessened1 but there are still     
some2 and ,i myself have known two2 who 
studied and firmly believed in that     
mystical nonsense4 ,what extravagancy is
 not man capable of entertaining1 when  
once his shackled reason is led in      

triumph by fancy and prejudice6 ,the    
ancient alchemists give very much into  
this stuff1 by which they thought they  
should discover the philosopher's stone2
 and some of the most celebrated        
empirics employed it in the pursuit of  
the universal medicine4 ,paracelsus1 a  
bold empiric and wild ,caballist1       
asserted that he had discovered it1 and 
called it his #8,alkahest'4 ,why or     
wherefore1 ,god knows2 only that those  
madmen call nothing by an intelligible  
name4 ,you may easily get this book from
 ,the ,hague3 read it1 for it will both 
divert and astonish you1 and at the same
 time teach you #8nil admirari'2 a very 
necessary lesson4  ,your letters1 except
 when upon a given subject1 are         
exceedingly laconic1 and neither answer 
my desires nor the purpose of letters2  
which should be familiar conversations1 
between absent friends4 ,as ,i desire to
 live with you upon the footing of an   
intimate friend1 and not of a parent1 ,i
 could wish that your letters gave me   

more particular accounts of yourself1   
and of your lesser transactions4 ,when  
you write to me1 suppose yourself       
conversing freely with me by the        
fireside4 ,in that case1 you would      
naturally mention the incidents of the  
day2 as where you had been1 who you had 
seen1 what you thought of them1 etc4 ,do
 this in your letters3 acquaint me      
sometimes with your studies1 sometimes  
with your diversions2 tell me of any new
 persons and characters that you meet   
with in company1 and add your own       
observations upon them3 in short1 let me
 see more of you in your letters4 ,how  
do you go on with ,lord ,pulteney1 and  
how does he go on at ,leipsig8 ,has he  
learning1 has he parts1 has he          
application8 ,is he good or ill-natured8
 ,in short1 ,what is he8 at least1 what 
do you think him8 ,you may tell me      
without reserve1 for ,i promise you     
secrecy4 ,you are now of an age that ,i 
am desirous to begin a confidential     
correspondence with you2 and as ,i      

shall1 on my part1 write you very freely
 my opinion upon men and things1 which  
,i should often be very unwilling that  
anybody but you and ,mr4 ,harte should  
see1 so1 on your part1 if you write me  
without reserve1 you may depend upon my 
inviolable secrecy4 ,if you have ever   
looked into the 8,letters0 of ,madame de
 ,sevigne to her daughter1 ,madame de   
,grignan1 you must have observed the    
ease1 freedom1 and friendship of that   
correspondence2 and yet1 ,i hope and ,i 
believe1 that they did not love one     
another better than we do4 ,tell me what
 books you are now reading1 either by   
way of study or amusement2 how you pass 
your evenings when at home1 and where   
you pass them when abroad4 ,i know that 
you go sometimes to ,madame ,valentin's 
assembly2 ,what do you do there8 ,do you
 play1 or sup1 or is it only #8la belle 
conversation8' ,do you mind your dancing
 while your dancing-master is with you8 
,as you will be often under the         
necessity of dancing a minuet1 ,i would 

have you dance it very well4 ,remember1 
that the graceful motion of the arms1   
the giving your hand1 and the putting on
 and pulling off your hat genteelly1 are
 the material parts of a gentleman's    
dancing4 ,but the greatest advantage of 
dancing well is1 that it necessarily    
teaches you to present yourself1 to sit1
 stand1 and walk1 genteelly2 all of     
which are of real importance to a man of
 fashion4  ,i should wish that you were 
polished before you go to ,berlin2      
where1 as you will be in a great deal of
 good company1 ,i would have you have   
the right manners for it4 ,it is a very 
considerable article to have #8le ton de
 la bonne compagnie'1 in your           
destination particularly4 ,the principal
 business of a foreign minister is1 to  
get into the secrets1 and to know all   
#8les allures' of the courts at which he
 resides2 this he can never bring about 
but by such a pleasing address1 such    
engaging manners1 and such an           
insinuating behavior1 as may make him   

sought for1 and in some measure         
domestic1 in the best company and the   
best families of the place4 ,he will    
then1 indeed1 be well informed of all   
that passes1 either by the confidences  
made him1 or by the carelessness of     
people in his company1 who are          
accustomed to look upon him as one of   
them1 and consequently are not upon     
their guard before him4 ,for a minister 
who only goes to the court he resides   
at1 in form1 to ask an audience of the  
prince or the minister upon his last    
instructions1 puts them upon their      
guard1 and will never know anything more
 than what they have a mind that he     
should know4 ,here women may be put to  
some use4 ,a king's mistress1 or a      
minister's wife or mistress1 may give   
great and useful informations2 and are  
very apt to do it1 being proud to show  
that they have been trusted4 ,but then1 
in this case1 the height of that sort of
 address1 which1 strikes women1 is      
requisite2 ,i mean that easy politeness1

 genteel and graceful address1 and that 
#8exterieur brilliant' which they cannot
 withstand4 ,there is a sort of men so  
like women1 that they are to be taken   
just in the same way2 ,i mean those who 
are commonly called ,,fine ,,men2 who   
swarm at all courts2 who have little    
reflection1 and less knowledge2 but1 who
 by their good breeding1 and            
#8train-tran' of the world1 are admitted
 into all companies2 and1 by the        
imprudence or carelessness of their     
superiors1 pick up secrets worth        
knowing1 which are easily got out of    
them by proper address4 ,adieu4         
,,letter ,,liii  ,,bath1 ,october #ab1  
,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,i came   
here three days ago upon account of a   
disorder in my stomach1 which affected  
my head and gave me vertigo4 ,i already 
find myself something better2 and       
consequently do not doubt but that the  
course of these waters will set me quite
 right4 ,but however and wherever ,i am1
 your welfare1 your character1 your     

knowledge1 and your morals1 employ my   
thoughts more than anything that can    
happen to me1 or that ,i can fear or    
hope for myself4 ,i am going off the    
stage1 you are coming upon it2 with me  
what has been1 has been1 and reflection 
now would come too late2 with you       
everything is to come1 even1 in some    
manner1 reflection itself2 so that this 
is the very time when my reflections1   
the result of experience1 may be of use 
to you1 by supplying the want of yours4 
,as soon as you leave ,leipsig1 you will
 gradually be going into the great      
world2 where the first impressions that 
you shall give of yourself will be of   
great importance to you2 but those which
 you shall receive will be decisive1 for
 they always stick4 ,to keep good       
company1 especially at your first       
setting out1 is the way to receive good 
impressions4 ,if you ask me what ,i mean
 by good company1 ,i will confess to you
 that it is pretty difficult to define2 
but ,i will endeavor to make you        

understand it as well as ,i can4  ,good 
company is not what respective sets of  
company are pleased either to call or   
think themselves1 but it is that company
 which all the people of the place call1
 and acknowledge to be1 good company1   
notwithstanding some objections which   
they may form to some of the individuals
 who compose it4 ,it consists chiefly   
7but by no means without exception7 of  
people of considerable birth1 rank1 and 
character2 for people of neither birth  
nor rank are frequently1 and very justly
 admitted into it1 if distinguished by  
any peculiar merit1 or eminency in any  
liberal art or science4 ,nay1 so motly a
 thing is good company1 that many       
people1 without birth1 rank1 or merit1  
intrude into it by their own            
forwardness1 and others slide into it by
 the protection of some considerable    
person2 and some even of indifferent    
characters and morals make part of it4  
,but in the main1 the good part         
preponderates1 and people of infamous   

and blasted characters are never        
admitted4 ,in this fashionable good     
company1 the best manners and the best  
language of the place are most          
unquestionably to be learned2 for they  
establish and give the tone to both1    
which are therefore called the language 
and manners of good company3 there being
 no legal tribunal to ascertain either4 
,a company1 consisting wholly of people 
of the first quality1 cannot1 for that  
reason1 be called good company1 in the  
common acceptation of the phrase1 unless
 they are1 into the bargain1 the        
fashionable and accredited company of   
the place2 for people of the very first 
quality can be as silly1 as ill-bred1   
and as worthless1 as people of the      
meanest degree4 ,on the other hand1 a   
company consisting entirely of people of
 very low condition1 whatever their     
merit or parts may be1 can never be     
called good company2 and consequently   
should not be much frequented1 though by
 no means despised4  ,a company wholly  

composed of men of learning1 though     
greatly to be valued and respected1 is  
not meant by the words ,,good ,,company2
 they cannot have the easy manners and1 
#8tournure' of the world1 as they do not
 live in it4 ,if you can bear your part 
well in such a company1 it is extremely 
right to be in it sometimes1 and you    
will be but more esteemed in other      
companies1 for having a place in that4  
,but then do not let it engross you2 for
 if you do1 you will be only considered 
as one of the #8literati' by profession2
 which is not the way either1 to shine1 
or rise in the world4  ,the company of  
professed wits and pests is extremely   
inviting to most young men2 who if they 
have wit themselves1 are pleased with   
it1 and if they have none1 are sillily  
proud of being one of it3 but it should 
be frequented with moderation and       
judgment1 and you should by no means    
give yourself up to it4 ,a wit is a very
 unpopular denomination1 as it carries  
terror along with it2 and people in     

general are as much afraid of a live    
wit1 in company1 as a woman is of a gun1
 which she thinks may go off of itself1 
and do her a mischief4 ,their           
acquaintance is1 however1 worth seeking1
 and their company worth frequenting2   
but not exclusively of others1 nor to   
such a degree as to be considered only  
as one of that particular set4  ,but the
 company1 which of all others you should
 most carefully avoid1 is that low      
company1 which1 in every sense of the   
word1 is low indeed2 low in rank1 low in
 parts1 low in manners1 and low in      
merit4 ,you will1 perhaps1 be surprised 
that ,i should think it necessary to    
warn you against such company1 but yet  
,i do not think it wholly1 unnecessary1 
from the many instances which ,i have   
seen of men of sense and rank1          
discredited1 verified1 and undone1 by   
keeping such company4  ,vanity1 that    
source of many of our follies1 and of   
some of our crimes1 has sunk many a man 
into company1 in every light infinitely1

 below himself1 for the sake of being   
the first man in it4 ,there he dictates1
 is applauded1 admired2 and1 for the    
sake of being the ,coryphceus of that   
wretched chorus1 disgraces and          
disqualifies himself soon for any better
 company4 ,depend upon it1 you will sink
 or rise to the level of the company    
which you commonly keep3 people will    
judge of you1 and not unreasonably1 by  
that4 ,there is good sense in the       
,spanish saying1 8,tell me whom you live
 with1 and ,i will tell you who you     
are40 ,make it therefore your business1 
wherever you are1 to get into that      
company which everybody in the place    
allows to be the best company next to   
their own2 which is the best definition 
that ,i can give you of good company4   
,but here1 too1 one caution is very     
necessary1 for want of which many young 
men have been ruined1 even in good      
company4  ,good company 7as ,i have     
before observed7 is composed of a great 
variety of fashionable people1 whose    

characters and morals are very          
different1 though their manners are     
pretty much the same4 ,when a young man1
 new in the world1 first gets into that 
company1 he very rightly determines to  
conform to1 and imitate it4 ,but then he
 too often1 and fatally1 mistakes the   
objects of his imitation4 ,he has often 
heard that absurd term of genteel and   
fashionable vices4 ,he there sees some  
people who shine1 and who in general are
 admired and esteemed2 and observes that
 these people are whoremasters1         
drunkards1 or gamesters1 upon which he  
adopts their vices1 mistaking their     
defects for their perfections1 and      
thinking that they owe their fashions   
and their luster to those genteel vices4
 ,whereas it is exactly the reverse2 for
 these people have acquired their       
reputation by their parts1 their        
learning1 their good-breeding1 and other
 real accomplishments3 and are only     
blemished and lowered1 in the opinions  
of all reasonable people1 and of their  

own1 in time1 by these genteel and      
fashionable vices4 ,a whoremaster1 in a 
flux1 or without a nose1 is a very      
genteel person1 indeed1 and well worthy 
of imitation4 ,a drunkard1 vomiting up  
at night the wine of the day1 and       
stupefied by the headache all the next1 
is1 doubtless1 a fine model to copy     
from4 ,and a gamester1 tearing his hair1
 and blaspheming1 for having lost more  
than he had in the world1 is surely a   
most amiable character4 ,no2 these are  
alloys1 and great ones too1 which can   
never adorn any character1 but will     
always debase the best4 ,to prove this1 
suppose any man1 without parts and some 
other good qualities1 to be merely a    
whoremaster1 a drunkard1 or a gamester2 
how will he be looked upon by all sorts 
of people8 ,why1 as a most contemptible 
and vicious animal4 ,therefore it is    
plain1 that in these mixed characters1  
the good part only makes people forgive1
 but not approve1 the bad4  ,i will hope
 and believe that you will have no      

vices2 but if1 unfortunately1 you should
 have any1 at least ,i beg of you to be 
content with your own1 and to adopt no  
other body's4  ,the adoption of vice    
has1 ,i am convinced1 ruined ten times  
more young men than natural             
inclinations4  ,as ,i make no difficulty
 of confessing my past errors1 where ,i 
think the confession may be of use to   
you1 ,i will own that when ,i first went
 to the university1 ,i drank and smoked1
 notwithstanding the aversion ,i had to 
wine and tobacco1 only because ,i       
thought it genteel1 and that it made me 
look like a man4 ,when ,i went abroad1  
,i first went to ,the ,hague1 where     
gaming was much in fashion1 and where ,i
 observed that many people of shining   
rank and character gamed too4 ,i was    
then young enough1 and silly enough1 to 
believe that gaming was one of their    
accomplishments2 and1 as ,i aimed at    
perfection1 ,i adopted gaming as a      
necessary step to it4 ,thus ,i acquired 
by error the habit of a vice which1 far 

from adorning my character1 has1 ,i am  
conscious1 been a great blemish in it4  
,imitate then1 with discernment and     
judgment1 the real perfections of the   
good company into which you may get2    
copy their politeness1 their carriage1  
their address1 and the easy and         
well-bred turn of their conversation2   
but remember that1 let them shine ever  
so bright1 their vices1 if they have    
any1 are so many spots which you would  
no more imitate1 than you would make an 
artificial wart upon your face1 because 
some very handsome man had the          
misfortune to have a natural one upon   
his3 but1 on the contrary1 think how    
much handsomer he would have been       
without it4  ,having thus confessed some
 of my #8egaremens'1 ,i will now show   
you a little of my right side4 ,i always
 endeavored to get into the best company
 wherever ,i was1 and commonly          
succeeded4 ,there ,i pleased to some    
degree by showing a desire to please4 ,i
 took care never to be absent or        

#8distrait'2 but on the contrary1       
attended to everything that was said1   
done1 or even looked1 in company2 ,i    
never failed in the minutest attentions 
and was never #8journalier'4 ,these     
things1 and not my #8egaremens'1 made me
 fashionable4 ,adieu6 ,this letter is   
full long enough4     ,,letter ,,liv    
,,bath1 ,october #ai1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4    
,,dear ,,boy3 ,having in my last pointed
 out what sort of company you should    
keep1 ,i will now give you some rules   
for your conduct in it2 rules which my  
own experience and observation enable me
 to lay down1 and communicate to you1   
with some degree of confidence4 ,i have 
often given you hints of this kind      
before1 but then it has been by         
snatches2 ,i will now be more regular   
and methodical4 ,i shall say nothing    
with regard to your bodily carriage and 
address1 but leave them to the care of  
your dancing-master1 and to your own    
attention to the best models2 remember1 
however1 that they are of consequence4  

,talk often1 but never long3 in that    
case1 if you do not please1 at least you
 are sure not to tire your hearers4 ,pay
 your own reckoning1 but do not treat   
the whole company2 this being one of the
 very few cases in which people do not  
care to be treated1 everyone being fully
 convinced that he has wherewithal to   
pay4  ,tell stories very seldom1 and    
absolutely never but where they are very
 apt and very short4 ,omit every        
circumstance that is not material1 and  
beware of digressions4 ,to have frequent
 recourse to narrative betrays great    
want of imagination4  ,never hold       
anybody by the button or the hand1 in   
order to be heard out2 for1 if people   
are not willing to hear you1 you had    
much better hold your tongue than them4 
,most long talkers single out some one  
unfortunate man in company 7commonly him
 whom they observe to be the most       
silent1 or their next neighbor7 to      
whisper1 or at least in a half voice1 to
 convey a continuity of words to4 ,this 

is excessively ill-bred1 and in some    
degree a fraud2 conversation-stock being
 a joint and common property4 ,but1 on  
the other hand1 if one of these         
unmerciful talkers lays hold of you1    
hear him with patience 7and at least    
seeming attention71 if he is worth      
obliging2 for nothing will oblige him   
more than a patient hearing1 as nothing 
would hurt him more than either to leave
 him in the midst of his discourse1 or  
to discover your impatience under your  
affliction4  ,take1 rather than give1   
the tone of the company you are in4 ,if 
you have parts1 you will show them1 more
 or less1 upon every subject2 and if you
 have not1 you had better talk sillily  
upon a subject of other people's than of
 your own choosing4  ,avoid as much as  
you can1 in mixed companies1            
argumentative1 polemical conversations2 
which1 though they should not1 yet      
certainly do1 indispose for a time the  
contending parties toward each other2   
and1 if the controversy grows warm and  

noisy1 endeavor to put an end to it by  
some genteel levity or joke4 ,i quieted 
such a conversation-hubbub once1 by     
representing to them that1 though ,i was
 persuaded none there present would     
repeat1 out of company1 what passed in  
it1 yet ,i could not answer for the     
discretion of the passengers in the     
street1 who must necessarily hear all   
that was said4  ,above all things1 and  
upon all occasions1 avoid speaking of   
yourself1 if it be possible4 ,such is   
the natural pride and vanity of our     
hearts1 that it perpetually breaks out1 
even in people of the best parts1 in all
 the various modes and figures of the   
egotism4  ,some1 abruptly1 speak        
advantageously of themselves1 without   
either pretense or provocation4 ,they   
are impudent4 ,others proceed more      
artfully1 as they imagine2 and forge    
accusations against themselves1 complain
 of calumnies which they never heard1 in
 order to justify themselves1 by        
exhibiting a catalogue of their many    

virtues4 ,they acknowledge it may1      
indeed1 seem odd that they should talk  
in that manner of themselves2 it is what
 they do not like1 and what they never  
would have done2 no2 no tortures should 
ever have forced it from them1 if they  
had1 not been thus unjustly and         
monstrously accused4 ,but1 in these     
cases2 justice is surely due to one's   
self1 as well as to others2 and when our
 character is attacked1 we may say in   
our own justification1 what otherwise we
 never would have said4 ,this thin veil 
of ,modesty drawn before ,vanity1 is    
much too transparent to conceal it1 even
 from very moderate discernment4        
,others go more modestly and more slyly 
still 7as they think7 to work2 but in my
 mind still more ridiculously4 ,they    
confess themselves 7not without some    
degree of shame and confusion7 into all 
the ,cardinal ,virtues1 by first        
degrading them into weaknesses and then 
owning their misfortune in being made up
 of those weaknesses4 ,they cannot see  

people suffer without sympathizing with1
 and endeavoring to help them4 ,they    
cannot see people want1 without         
relieving them1 though truly their own  
circumstances cannot very well afford   
it4 ,they cannot help speaking truth1   
though they know all the imprudence of  
it4 ,in short1 they know that1 with all 
these weaknesses1 they are not fit to   
live in the world1 much less to thrive  
in it4 ,but they are now too old to     
change1 and must rub on as well as they 
can4 ,this sounds too ridiculous and    
#8outre'1 almost1 for the stage2 and    
yet1 take my word for it1 you will      
frequently meet with it upon the common 
stage of the world4 ,and here ,i will   
observe1 by the bye1 that you will often
 meet with characters in nature so      
extravagant1 that a discreet dramatist  
would not venture to set them upon the  
stage in their true and high coloring4  
,this principle of vanity and pride is  
so strong in human nature that it       
descends even to the lowest objects2 and

 one often sees people angling for      
praise1 where1 admitting all they say to
 be true 7which1 by the way1 it seldom  
is71 no just praise is to be caught4    
,one man affirms that he has rode post  
an hundred miles in six hours2 probably 
it is a lie3 but supposing it to be     
true1 what then8 ,why he is a very good 
post-boy1 that is all4 ,another asserts1
 and probably not without oaths1 that he
 has drunk six or eight bottles of wine 
at a sitting2 out of charity1 ,i will   
believe him a liar2 for1 if ,i do not1  
,i must think him a beast4  ,such1 and a
 thousand more1 are the follies and     
extravagances1 which vanity draws people
 into1 and which always defeat their own
 purpose2 and as ,waller says1 upon     
another subject1--       8,make the     
wretch the most despised1      ,where   
most he wishes to be prized40  ,the only
 sure way of avoiding these evils1 is   
never to speak of yourself at all4 ,but 
when1 historically1 you are obliged to  
mention yourself1 take care not to drop 

one single word that can directly or    
indirectly be construed as fishing for  
applause4 ,be your character what it    
will1 it will be known2 and nobody will 
take it upon your own word4 ,never      
imagine that anything you can say       
yourself will varnish your defects1 or  
add lustre to your perfections6 but1 on 
the contrary1 it may1 and nine times in 
ten1 will1 make the former more glaring 
and the latter obscure4 ,if you are     
silent upon your own subject1 neither   
envy1 indignation1 nor ridicule1 will   
obstruct or allay the applause which you
 may really deserve2 but if you publish 
your own panegyric upon any occasion1 or
 in any shape whatsoever1 and however   
artfully dressed or disguised1 they will
 all conspire against you1 and you will 
be disappointed of the very end you aim 
at4  ,take care never to seem dark and  
mysterious2 which is not only a very    
unamiable character1 but a very         
suspicious one too2 if you seem         
mysterious with others1 they will be    

really so with you1 and you will know   
nothing4 ,the height of abilities is to 
have #8volto sciolto' and #8pensieri    
stretti'2 that is1 a frank1 open1 and   
ingenuous exterior1 with a prudent      
interior2 to be upon your own guard1 and
 yet1 by a seeming natural openness1 to 
put people off theirs4 ,depend upon it  
nine in ten of every company you are in 
will avail themselves of every          
indiscreet and unguarded expression of  
yours1 if they can turn it to their own 
advantage4 ,a prudent reserve is        
therefore as necessary as a seeming     
openness is prudent4 ,always look people
 in the face when you speak to them3 the
 not doing it is thought to imply       
conscious guilt2 besides that you lose  
the advantage of serving by their       
countenances what impression your       
discourse makes upon them4 ,in order to 
know people's real sentiments1 ,i trust 
much more to my eyes than to my ears3   
for they can say whatever they have a   
mind ,i should hear2 but they can seldom

 help looking1 what they have no        
intention that ,i should know4  ,neither
 retail nor receive scandal willingly2  
defamation of others may for the present
 gratify the malignity of the pride of  
our hearts2 cool reflection will draw   
very disadvantageous conclusions from   
such a disposition2 and in the case of  
scandal1 as in that of robbery1 the     
receiver is always thought1 as bad as   
the thief4  ,mimicry1 which is the      
common and favorite amusement of little 
low minds1 is in the utmost contempt    
with great ones4 ,it is the lowest and  
most illiberal of all buffoonery4 ,pray1
 neither practice it yourself1 nor      
applaud it in others4 ,besides that the 
person mimicked is insulted2 and1 as ,i 
have often observed to you before1 an   
insult is never forgiven4  ,i need not  
7,i believe7 advise you to adapt your   
conversation to the people you are      
conversing with3 for ,i suppose you     
would not1 without this caution1 have   
talked upon the same subject1 and in the

 same manner1 to a minister of state1 a 
bishop1 a philosopher1 a captain1 and a 
woman4 ,a man of the world must1 like   
the chameleon1 be able to take every    
different hue2 which is by no means a   
criminal or abject1 but a necessary     
complaisance2 for it relates only to    
manners and not to morals4  ,one word   
only as to swearing1 and that1 ,i hope  
and believe1 is more than is necessary4 
,you may sometimes hear some people in  
good company interlard their discourse  
with oaths1 by way of embellishment1 as 
they think1 but you must observe1 too1  
that those who do so are never those who
 contribute1 in any degree1 to give that
 company the denomination of good       
company4 ,they are always subalterns1 or
 people of low education2 for that      
practice1 besides that it has no one    
temptation to plead1 is as silly and as 
illiberal as it is wicked4  ,loud       
laughter is the mirth of the mob1 who   
are only pleased with silly things2 for 
true wit or good sense never excited a  

laugh since the creation of the world4  
,a man of parts and fashion is therefore
 only seen to smile2 but never heard to 
laugh4  ,but to conclude this long      
letter2 all the above-mentioned rules1  
however carefully you may observe them1 
will lose half their effect1 if         
unaccompanied by the ,graces4 ,whatever 
you say1 if you say it with a           
supercilious1 cynical face1 or an       
embarrassed countenance1 or a silly1    
disconcerted grin1 will be ill received4
 ,if1 into the bargain1 ,,you ,,mutter  
,,it1 ,,or ,,utter ,,it ,,indistinctly  
,,and ,,ungracefully1 it will be still  
worse received4 ,if your air and address
 are vulgar1 awkward1 and gauche1 you   
may be esteemed indeed1 if you have     
great intrinsic merit2 but you will     
never1 please2 and without pleasing you 
will rise but heavily4 ,venus1 among the
 ancients1 was synonymous with the      
,graces1 who were always supposed to    
accompany her2 and ,horace tells us that
 even ,youth and ,mercury1 the god of   

,arts and ,eloquence1 would not do      
without her3       #8,parum comis sine  
to ,juventas ,mercuriusque4'  ,they are 
not inexorable ,ladies1 and may be had  
if properly1 and diligently pursued4    
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,lv  ,,bath1      
,october #bi1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear    
,,boy3 ,my anxiety for your success     
increases in proportion as the time     
approaches of your taking your part upon
 the great stage of the world4 ,the     
audience will form their opinion of you 
upon your first appearance 7making the  
proper allowance for your inexperience71
 and so far it will be final1 that1     
though it may vary as to the degrees1 it
 will never totally change4 ,this       
consideration excites that restless     
attention with which ,i am constantly   
examining how ,i can best contribute to 
the perfection of that character1 in    
which the least spot or blemish would   
give me more real concern1 than ,i am   
now capable of feeling upon any other   
account whatsoever4  ,i have long since 

done mentioning your great religious and
 moral duties1 because ,i could not make
 your understanding so bad a compliment 
as to suppose that you wanted1 or could 
receive1 any new instructions upon those
 two important points4 ,mr4 ,harte1 ,i  
am sure1 has not neglected them2 and1   
besides1 they are so obvious to common  
sense and reason1 that commentators may 
7as they often do7 perplex1 but cannot  
make them clearer4 ,my province1        
therefore1 is to supply by my experience
 your hitherto inevitable inexperience  
in the ways of the world4 ,people at    
your age are in a state of natural      
ebriety2 and want rails1 and            
#8gardefous'1 wherever they go1 to      
hinder them from breaking their necks4  
,this drunkenness of youth is not only  
tolerated1 but even pleases1 if kept    
within certain bounds of discretion and 
decency4 ,these bounds are the point    
which it is difficult for the drunken   
man himself to find out2 and there it is
 that the experience of a friend may not

 only serve1 but save him4  ,carry with 
you1 and welcome1 into company all the  
gaiety and spirits1 but as little of the
 giddiness1 of youth as you can4 ,the   
former will charm2 but the latter will  
often1 though innocently1 implacably    
offend4 ,inform yourself of the         
characters and situations of the        
company1 before you give way to what    
your imagination may prompt you to say4 
,there are1 in all companies1 more wrong
 beads than right ones1 and many more   
who deserve1 than who like censure4     
,should you therefore expatiate in the  
praise of some virtue1 which some in    
company notoriously want2 or declaim    
against any vice1 which others are      
notoriously infected with1 your         
reflections1 however general and        
unapplied1 will1 by being applicable1 be
 thought personal and leveled at those  
people4 ,this consideration points out  
to you1 sufficiently1 not to be         
suspicious and captious yourself1 nor to
 suppose that things1 because they may  

be1 are therefore meant at you4 ,the    
manners of well-bred people secure one  
from those indirect and mean attacks2   
but if1 by chance1 a flippant woman or a
 pert coxcomb lets off anything of that 
kind1 it is much better not to seem to  
understand1 than to reply to it4        
,cautiously avoid talking of either your
 own or other people's domestic affairs4
 ,yours are nothing to them but tedious2
 theirs are nothing to you4 ,the subject
 is a tender one3 and it is odds but    
that you touch somebody or other's sore 
place3 for1 in this case1 there is no   
trusting to specious appearances2 which 
may be1 and often are1 so contrary to   
the real situations of things1 between  
men and their wives1 parents and their  
children1 seeming friends1 etc41 that1  
with the best intentions in the world1  
one often blunders disagreeably4        
,remember that the wit1 humor1 and      
jokes1 of most mixed companies are      
local4 ,they thrive in that particular  
soil1 but will not often bear           

transplanting4 ,every company is        
differently circumstanced1 has its      
particular cant and jargon2 which may   
give occasion to wit and mirth within   
that circle1 but would seem flat and    
insipid in any other1 and therefore will
 not bear repeating4 ,nothing makes a   
man look sillier than a pleasantry not  
relished or not understood2 and if he   
meets with a profound silence when he   
expected a general applause1 or1 what is
 worse1 if he is desired to explain the 
bon mot1 his awkward and embarrassed    
situation is easier imagined' than      
described4 #8,a propos' of repeating2   
take great care never to repeat 7,i do  
not mean here the pleasantries7 in one  
company what you hear in another4       
,things1 seemingly indifferent1 may1 by 
circulation1 have much graver           
consequences than you would imagine4    
,besides1 there is a general tacit trust
 in conversation1 by which a man is     
obliged not to report anything out of   
it1 though he is not immediately        

enjoined to secrecy4 ,a retailer of this
 kind is sure to draw himself into a    
thousand scrapes and discussions1 and to
 be shyly and uncomfortably received    
wherever he goes4  ,you will find1 in   
most good company1 some people who only 
keep their place there by a contemptible
 title enough2 these are what we call   
,,very ,,good-,,natured ,,fellows1 and  
the ,french1 #8bons diables'4 ,the truth
 is1 they are people without any parts  
or fancy1 and who1 having no will of    
their own1 readily assent to1 concur in1
 and applaud1 whatever is said or done  
in the company2 and adopt1 with the same
 alacrity1 the most virtuous or the most
 criminal1 the wisest or the silliest   
scheme1 that happens to be entertained  
by the majority of the company4 ,this   
foolish1 and often criminal complaisance
 flows from a foolish cause1--the want  
of any other merit4 ,i hope that you    
will hold your place in company by a    
nobler tenure1 and that you will hold it
 7you can bear a quibble1 ,i believe1   

yet7 #8in capite'4 ,have a will and an  
opinion of your own1 and adhere to them 
steadily2 but then do it with good      
humor1 good-breeding1 and 7if you have  
it7 with urbanity2 for you have not yet 
heard enough either to preach or        
censure4  ,all other kinds of           
complaisance are not only blameless1 but
 necessary in good company4 ,not to seem
 to perceive the little weaknesses1 and 
the idle but innocent affectations of   
the company1 but even to flatter them1  
in a certain manner1 is not only very   
allowable1 but1 in truth1 a sort of     
polite duty4 ,they will be pleased with 
you1 if you do2 and will certainly not  
be reformed by you if you do not4  ,for 
instance3 you will find1 in every group 
of company1 two principal figures1 viz41
 the fine lady and the fine gentleman   
who absolutely give the law of wit1     
language1 fashion1 and taste1 to the    
rest of that society4 ,there is always a
 strict1 and often for the time being1 a
 tender alliance between these two      

figures4 ,the lady looks upon her empire
 as founded upon the divine right of    
beauty 7and full as good a divine right 
it is as any king1 emperor1 or pope1 can
 pretend to72 she requires1 and commonly
 meets with1 unlimited passive          
obedience4 ,and why should she not meet 
with it8 ,her demands go no higher than 
to have her unquestioned preeminence in 
beauty1 wit1 and fashion1 firmly        
established4 ,few sovereigns 7by the    
way7 are so reasonable4 ,the fine       
gentleman's claims of right are1        
#8mutatis mutandis'1 the same2 and      
though1 indeed1 he is not always a wit  
#8de jure'1 yet1 as he is the wit #8de  
facto' of that company1 he is entitled  
to a share of your allegiance1 and      
everybody expects at least as much as   
they are entitled to1 if not something  
more4 ,prudence bids you make your court
 to these joint sovereigns2 and no duty1
 that ,i know of1 forbids it4 ,rebellion
 here is exceedingly dangerous1 and     
inevitably punished by banishment1 and  

immediate forfeiture of all your wit1   
manners1 taste1 and fashion2 as1 on the 
other hand1 a cheerful submission1 not  
without some flattery1 is sure to       
procure you a strong recommendation and 
most effectual pass1 throughout all     
their1 and probably the neighboring1    
dominions4 ,with a moderate share of    
sagacity1 you will1 before you have been
 half an hour in their company1 easily  
discover those two principal figures3   
both by the deference which you will    
observe the whole company pay them1 and 
by that easy1 careless1 and serene air1 
which their consciousness of power gives
 them4 ,as in this case1 so in all      
others1 aim always at the highest2 get  
always into the highest company1 and    
address yourself particularly to the    
highest in it4 ,the search after the    
unattainable philosopher's stone has    
occasioned a thousand useful            
discoveries1 which otherwise would never
 have been made4  ,what the ,french     
justly call #8les manieres nobles' are  

only to be acquired in the very best    
companies4 ,they are the distinguishing 
characteristics of men of fashion3      
people of low education never wear them 
so close1 but that some part or other of
 the original vulgarism appears4 #8,les 
manieres nobles' equally forbid insolent
 contempt1 or low envy and jealousy4    
,low people1 in good circumstances1 fine
 clothes1 and equipages1 will insolently
 show contempt for all those who cannot 
afford as fine clothes1 as good an      
equipage1 and who have not 7as their    
term is7 as much money in their pockets3
 on the other hand1 they are gnawed with
 envy1 and cannot help discovering it1  
of those who surpass them in any of     
these articles2 which are far from being
 sure criterions of merit4 ,they are    
likewise jealous of being slighted2 and1
 consequently1 suspicious and captious2 
they are eager and hot about trifles    
because trifles were1 at first1 their   
affairs of consequence4 #8,les manieres 
nobles' imply exactly the reverse of all

 this4 ,study them early2 you cannot    
make them too habitual and familiar to  
you4  ,just as ,i had written what goes 
before1 ,i received your letter of the  
#bdth1 ,n4 ,s41 but ,i have not received
 that which you mention for ,mr4 ,harte4
 ,yours is of the kind that ,i desire2  
for ,i want to see your private picture1
 drawn by yourself1 at different        
sittings2 for though1 as it is drawn by 
yourself1 ,i presume you will take the  
most advantageous likeness1 yet ,i think
 that ,i have skill enough in that kind 
of painting to discover the true        
features1 though ever so artfully       
colored1 or thrown into skillful lights 
and shades4  ,by your account of the    
,german play1 which ,i do not know      
whether ,i should call tragedy or       
comedy1 the only shining part of it     
7since ,i am in a way of quibbling7     
seems to have been the fox's tail4 ,i   
presume1 too1 that the play has had the 
same fate with the squib1 and has gone  
off no more4 ,i remember a squib much   

better applied1 when it was made the    
device of the colors of a ,french       
regiment of grenadiers2 it was          
represented bursting1 with this motto   
under it3 #8,peream dum luceam'4  ,i    
like the description of your            
,,pic-,,nic2 where ,i take it for       
granted1 that your cards are only to    
break the formality of a circle1 and    
your ,,symposion intended more to       
promote conversation than drinking4     
,such an ,,amicable ,,collision1 as     
,lord ,shaftesbury very prettily calls  
it1 rubs off and smooths those rough    
corners which mere nature has given to  
the smoothest of us4 ,i hope some part1 
at least1 of the conversation is in     
,german4 #8,a propos'3 tell me do you   
speak that language correctly1 and do   
you write it with ease8 ,i have no doubt
 of your mastering the other modern     
languages1 which are much easier1 and   
occur much oftener2 for which reason1 ,i
 desire that you will apply most        
diligently to ,german1 while you are in 

,germany1 that you may speak and write  
that language most correctly4  ,i expect
 to meet ,mr4 ,eliot in ,london1 in     
about three weeks1 after which you will 
soon see him at ,leipsig4 ,adieu4       
,,letter ,,lvi  ,,london1 ,november #ah1
 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,whatever
 ,i see or whatever ,i hear1 my first   
consideration is1 whether it can in any 
way be useful to you4 ,as a proof of    
this1 ,i went accidentally the other day
 into a print-shop1 where1 among many   
others1 ,i found one print from a famous
 design of ,carlo ,maratti1 who died    
about thirty years ago1 and was the last
 eminent painter in ,europe3 the subject
 is #8il ,studio del ,disegno'2 or 8,the
 ,school of ,drawing40 ,an old man1     
supposed to be the master1 points to his
 scholars1 who are variously employed in
 perspective1 geometry1 and the         
observation of the statues of antiquity4
 ,with regard to perspective1 of which  
there are some little specimens1 he has 
wrote1 #8,tanto che basti'1 that is1    

8,as much as is sufficient02 with regard
 to geometry1 #8,tanto che basti' again2
 with regard to the contemplation of the
 ancient statues1 there is written1     
#8,non mai a bastanza'1--8,there never  
can be enough40 ,but in the clouds1 at  
the top of the piece1 are represented   
the three ,graces1 with this just       
sentence written over them1 #8,senza di 
noi ogni fatica e vana'1 that is1       
8,without us1 all labor is vain40 ,this 
everybody allows to be true in painting2
 but all people do not seem to consider1
 as ,i hope you will1 that this truth is
 full as applicable to every other art  
or science2 indeed to everything that is
 to be said or done4 ,i will send you   
the print itself by ,mr4 ,eliot1 when he
 returns2 and ,i will advise you to make
 the same use of it that the ,roman     
,catholics say they do of the pictures  
and images of their saints1 which is1   
only to remind them of those2 for the   
adoration they disclaim4 ,nay1 ,i will  
go further1 as the transition from      

,popery to ,paganism is short and easy1 
,i will classically end poetically      
advise you to invoke1 and sacrifice to  
them every day1 and all the day4 ,it    
must be owned1 that the ,graces do not  
seem to be natives of ,great ,britain2  
and1 ,i doubt1 the best of us here have 
more of rough than polished diamond4    
,since barbarism drove them out of      
,greece and ,rome1 they seem to have    
taken refuge in ,france1 where their    
temples are numerous1 and their worship 
the established one4 ,examine yourself  
seriously1 why such and such people     
please and engage you1 more than such   
and such others1 of equal merit2 and you
 will always find that it is because the
 former have the ,graces and the latter 
not4 ,i have known many a woman with an 
exact shape1 and a symmetrical          
assemblage of beautiful features1 please
 nobody2 while others1 with very        
moderate shapes and features1 have      
charmed everybody4 ,why8 because ,venus 
will not charm so much1 without her     

attendant ,graces1 as they will without 
her4 ,among men1 how often have ,i seen 
the most solid merit and knowledge      
neglected1 unwelcome1 or even rejected1 
for want of them6 ,while flimsy parts1  
little knowledge1 and less merit1       
introduced by the ,graces1 have been    
received1 cherished1 and admired4 ,even 
virtue1 which is moral beauty1 wants    
some of its charms if unaccompanied by  
them4  ,if you ask me how you shall     
acquire what neither you nor ,i can     
define or ascertain1 ,i can only answer1
 ,,by ,,observation4 ,form yourself1    
with regard to others1 upon what you    
feel pleases you in them4 ,i can tell   
you the importance1 the advantage1 of   
having the ,graces2 but ,i cannot give  
them you3 ,i heartily wish ,i could1 and
 ,i certainly would2 for ,i do not know 
a better present that ,i could make you4
 ,to show you that a very wise1         
philosophical1 and retired man thinks   
upon that subject as ,i do1 who have    
always lived in the world1 ,i send you1 

by ,mr4 ,eliot1 the famous ,mr4 ,locke's
 book upon education2 in which you will 
end the stress that he lays upon the    
,graces1 which he calls 7and very truly7
 good-breeding4 ,i have marked all the  
parts of that book that are worth your  
attention2 for as he begins with the    
child1 almost from its birth1 the parts 
relative to its infancy would be useless
 to you4 ,germany is1 still less than   
,england1 the seat of the ,graces2      
however1 you had as good not say so     
while you are there4 ,but the place     
which you are going to1 in a great      
degree1 is2 for ,i have known as many   
well-bred1 pretty men come from ,turin1 
as from any part of ,europe4 ,the late  
,king ,victor ,amedee took great pains  
to form such of his subjects as were of 
any consideration1 both to business and 
manners2 the present king1 ,i am told1  
follows his example3 this1 however1 is  
certain1 that in all courts and         
congresses1 where there are various     
foreign ministers1 those of the ,king of

 ,sardinia are generally the ablest1 the
 politest1 and #8les plus delies'4 ,you 
will therefore1 at ,turin1 have very    
good models to form yourself upon3 and  
remember1 that with regard to the best  
models1 as well as to the antique ,greek
 statues in the print1 #8non mai a      
bastanza'4 ,observe every word1 look1   
and motion of those who are allowed to  
be the most accomplished persons there4 
,observe their natural and careless1 but
 genteel air2 their unembarrassed       
good-breeding2 their unassuming1 but yet
 unprostituted dignity4 ,mind their     
decent mirth1 their discreet frankness1 
and that #8entregent' which1 as much    
above the frivolous as below the        
important and the secret1 is the proper 
medium for conversation in mixed        
companies4 ,i will observe1 by the bye1 
that the talent of that light           
#8entregent' is often of great use to a 
foreign minister2 not only as it helps  
him to domesticate himself in many      
families1 but also as it enables him to 

put by and parry some subjects of       
conversation1 which might possibly lay  
him under difficulties both what to say 
and how to look4  ,of all the men that  
ever ,i knew in my life 7and ,i knew him
 extremely well71 the late ,duke of     
,marlborough possessed the graces in the
 highest degree1 not to say engrossed   
them2 and indeed he got the most by     
them2 for ,i will venture 7contrary to  
the custom of profound historians1 who  
always assign deep causes for great     
events71 to ascribe the better half of  
the ,duke of ,marlborough's greatness   
and riches to those graces4 ,he was     
eminently illiterate2 wrote bad ,english
 and spelled it still worse4 ,he had no 
share of what is commonly called        
,,parts3 that is1 he had no brightness1 
nothing shining in his genius4 ,he had  
most undoubtedly1 an excellent good     
plain understanding with sound judgment4
 ,but these alone1 would probably have  
raised him but something higher than    
they found him2 which was page to ,king 

,james the ,second's queen4 ,there the  
,graces protected and promoted him2 for 
while he was an ensign of the ,guards1  
the ,duchess of ,cleveland1 then        
favorite mistress to ,king ,charles the 
,second1 struck by those very ,graces1  
gave him five thousand pounds1 with     
which he immediately bought an annuity  
for his life of five hundred pounds a   
year1 of my grandfather ,halifax2 which 
was the foundation of his subsequent    
fortune4 ,his figure was beautiful2 but 
his manner was irresistible1 by either  
man or woman4 ,it was by this engaging1 
graceful manner1 that he was enabled1   
during all his war1 to connect the      
various and jarring powers of the ,grand
 ,alliance1 and to carry them on to the 
main object of the war1 notwithstanding 
their private and separate views1       
jealousies1 and wrongheadednesses4      
,whatever court he went to 7and he was  
often obliged to go himself to some     
resty and refractory ones71 he as       
constantly prevailed1 and brought them  

into his measures4 ,the ,pensionary     
,heinsius1 a venerable old minister1    
grown gray in business1 and who had     
governed the republic of the ,united    
,provinces for more than forty years1   
was absolutely governed by the ,duke of 
,marlborough1 as that republic feels to 
this day4 ,he was always cool2 and      
nobody ever observed the least variation
 in his countenance2 he could refuse    
more gracefully than other people could 
grant2 and those who went away from him 
the most dissatisfied as to the         
substance of their business1 were yet   
personally charmed with him and1 in some
 degree1 comforted by his manner4 ,with 
all his gentleness and gracefulness1 no 
man living was more conscious of his    
situation1 nor maintained his dignity   
better4  ,with the share of knowledge   
which you have already gotten1 and with 
the much greater which ,i hope you will 
soon acquire1 what may you not expect to
 arrive at1 if you join all these graces
 to it8 ,in your destination            

particularly1 they are in truth half    
your business3 for1 if you once gain the
 affections as well as the esteem of the
 prince or minister of the court to     
which you are sent1 ,i will answer for  
it1 that will effectually do the        
business of the court that sent you2    
otherwise it is up-hill work4 ,do not   
mistake1 and think that these graces    
which ,i so often and so earnestly      
recommend to you1 should only accompany 
important transactions1 and be worn only
 #8les jours de gala'2 no1 they should1 
if possible1 accompany every1 the least 
thing you do or say2 for1 if you neglect
 them in little things1 they will leave 
you in great ones4 ,i should1 for       
instance1 be extremely concerned to see 
you even drink a cup of coffee          
ungracefully1 and slop yourself with it1
 by your awkward manner of holding it2  
nor should ,i like to see your coat     
buttoned1 or your shoes buckled awry4   
,but ,i should be outrageous1 if ,i     
heard you mutter your words             

unintelligibly1 stammer1 in your speech1
 or hesitate1 misplace1 and mistake in  
your narrations2 and ,i should run away 
from you with greater rapidity1 if      
possible1 than ,i should now run to     
embrace you1 if ,i found you destitute  
of all those graces which ,i have set my
 heart upon their making you one day1   
#8omnibus ornatum excellere rebus'4     
,this subject is inexhaustible1 as it   
extends to everything that is to be said
 or done3 but ,i will leave it for the  
present1 as this letter is already      
pretty long4 ,such is my desire1 my     
anxiety for your perfection1 that ,i    
never think ,i have said enough1 though 
you may possibly think that ,i have said
 too much2 and though1 in truth1 if your
 own good sense is not sufficient to    
direct you1 in many of these plain      
points1 all that ,i or anybody else can 
say will be insufficient4 ,but where you
 are concerned1 ,i am the insatiable man
 in ,horace1 who covets still a little  
corner more to complete the figure of   

his field4 ,i dread every little corner 
that may deform mine1 in which ,i would 
have 7if possible7 no one defect4  ,i   
this moment receive yours of the #agth1 
,n4 ,s41 and cannot condole with you    
upon the secession of your ,german      
#8,commensaux'2 who both by your and    
,mr4 ,harte's description1 seem to be   
#8des gens d'une amiable absence'2 and1 
if you can replace them by any other    
,german conversation1 you will be a     
gainer by the bargain4 ,i cannot        
conceive1 if you understand ,german well
 enough to read any ,german book1 how   
the writing of the ,german character can
 be so difficult and tedious to you1 the
 twenty-four letters being very soon    
learned2 and ,i do not expect that you  
should write yet with the utmost purity 
and correctness1 as to the language3    
what ,i meant by your writing once a    
fortnight to ,grevenkop1 was only to    
make the written character familiar to  
you4 ,however1 ,i will be content with  
one in three weeks or so4  ,i believe   

you are not likely to see ,mr4 ,eliot   
again soon1 he being still in ,cornwall 
with his father2 who1 ,i hear1 is not   
likely to recover4 ,adieu4     ,,letter 
,,lvii  ,,london1 ,november #bi1 ,o4 ,s4
 #agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,i delayed       
writing to you till ,i could give you   
some account of the motions of your     
friend ,mr4 ,eliot2 for whom ,i know you
 have1 and very justly1 the most        
friendly concern4 ,his father and he    
came to town together1 in a post-chaise 
a fortnight ago1 the rest of the family 
remaining in ,cornwall4 ,his father1    
with difficulty1 survived the journey1  
and died last ,saturday was seven-night4
 ,both concern and decency confined your
 friend1 till two days ago1 when ,i saw 
him2 he has determined1 and ,i think    
very prudently1 to go abroad again2 but 
how soon1 it is yet impossible for him  
to know1 as he must necessarily put his 
own private affairs in some order first2
 but ,i conjecture that he may possibly 
join you at ,turin2 sooner1 to be sure1 

not4 ,i am very sorry that you are      
likely to be so long without the company
 and the example of so valuable a       
friend2 and therefore ,i hope that you  
will make it up to yourself1 as well as 
you can at this distance1 by remembering
 and following his example4 ,imitate    
that application of his1 which has made 
him know all thoroughly1 and to the     
bottom4 ,he does not content himself    
with the surface of knowledge2 but works
 in the mine for it1 knowing that it    
lies deep4 ,pope says1 very truly1 in   
his 8,essay on ,criticism03--       ,a  
little learning is a dangerous thing2   
,drink deep1 or taste not the ,pierian  
spring4  ,i shall send you by a ship    
that goes to ,hamburg next week 7and by 
which ,hawkins sends ,mr4 ,harte some   
things that he wrote for7 all those     
which ,i propose sending you by ,mr4    
,eliot1 together with a very little box 
that ,i am desired to forward to ,mr4   
,harte4 ,there will be1 likewise1 two   
letters of recommendation for you to    

,monsieur ,andrie and ,comte ,algarotti1
 at ,berlin1 which you will take care to
 deliver to them1 as soon as you shall  
be rigged and fitted out to appear      
there4 ,they will introduce you into the
 best company1 and ,i depend upon your  
own good sense for your avoiding of bad4
 ,if you fall into bad and low company  
there1 or anywhere else1 you will be    
irrecoverably lost2 whereas1 if you keep
 good company1 and company above        
yourself1 your character and your       
fortune will be immovably fixed4  ,i    
have not time to-day1 upon account of   
the meeting of the parliament1 to make  
this letter of the usual length2 and    
indeed1 after the volumes that ,i have  
written to you1 all ,i can add must be  
unnecessary4 ,however1 ,i shall         
probably1 #8ex abundanti'1 return soon  
to my former prolixity2 and you will    
receive more and more last words from1  
,yours4     ,,letter ,,lviii  ,,london1 
,december #f1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear    
,,boy3 ,i am at present under very great

 concern for the loss of a most         
affectionate brother1 with whom ,i had  
always lived in the closest friendship4 
,my brother ,john died last ,friday     
night1 of a fit of the gout1 which he   
had had for about a month in his hands  
and feet1 and which fell at last upon   
his stomach and head4 ,as he grew1      
toward the last1 lethargic1 his end was 
not painful to himself4 ,at the distance
 which you are at from hence1 you need  
not go into mourning upon this occasion1
 as the time of your mourning would be  
near over1 before you could put it on4  
,by a ship which sails this week for    
,hamburg1 ,i shall send you those things
 which ,i proposed to have sent you by  
,mr4 ,eliot1 viz41 a little box from    
your ,mamma2 a less box for ,mr4 ,harte2
 ,mr4 ,locke's book upon education2 the 
print of ,carlo ,maratti1 which ,i      
mentioned to you some time ago2 and two 
letters of recommendation1 one to       
,monsieur ,andrie and the other to      
,comte ,algarotti1 at ,berlin4 ,both    

those gentlemen will1 ,i am sure1 be as 
willing as they are able to introduce   
you into the best company2 and ,i hope  
you will not 7as many of your countrymen
 are apt to do7 decline it4 ,it is in   
the best companies only2 that you can   
learn the best manners and that         
#8tournure'1 and those graces1 which ,i 
have so often recommended to you1 as the
 necessary means of making a figure in  
the world4  ,i am most extremely pleased
 with the account which ,mr4 ,harte     
gives me of your progress in ,greek1 and
 of your having read ,hesiod almost     
critically4 ,upon this subject ,i       
suggest but one thing to you1 of many   
that ,i might suggest2 which is1 that   
you have now got over the difficulties  
of that language1 and therefore it would
 be unpardonable not to persevere to    
your journey's end1 now that all the    
rest of your way is down hill4  ,i am   
also very well pleased to hear that you 
have such a knowledge of1 and taste for 
curious books and scarce and valuable   

tracts4 ,this is a kind of knowledge    
which very well becomes a man of sound  
and solid learning1 but which only      
exposes a man of slight and superficial 
reading2 therefore1 pray make the       
substance and matter of such books your 
first object1 and their title-pages1    
indexes1 letter1 and binding1 but your  
second4 ,it is the characteristic of a  
man of parts and good judgment to know1 
and give that degree of attention that  
each object deserves4 ,whereas little   
minds mistake little objects for great  
ones1 and lavish away upon the former   
that time and attention which only the  
latter deserve4 ,to such mistakes we owe
 the numerous and frivolous tribes of   
insect-mongers1 shell-mongers1 and      
pursuers and driers of butterflies1 etc4
 ,the strong mind distinguishes1 not    
only between the useful and the useless1
 but likewise between the useful and the
 curious4 ,he applies himself intensely 
to the former2 he only amuses himself   
with the latter4 ,of this little sort of

 knowledge1 which ,i have just hinted   
at1 you will find at least as much as   
you need wish to know1 in a superficial 
but pretty ,french book1 entitled1      
#8,spectacle de la ,nature'2 which will 
amuse you while you read it1 and give   
you a sufficient notion of the various  
parts of nature4 ,i would advise you to 
read it1 at leisure hours4 ,but that    
part of nature1 which ,mr4 ,harte tells 
me you have begun to study with the     
,rector magnificus1 is of much greater  
importance1 and deserves much more      
attention2 ,i mean astronomy4 ,the vast 
and immense planetary system1 the       
astonishing order and regularity of     
those innumerable worlds1 will open a   
scene to you1 which not only deserves   
your attention as a matter of curiosity1
 or rather astonishment2 but still more1
 as it will give you greater1 and       
consequently juster1 ideas of that      
eternal and omnipotent ,being1 who      
contrived1 made1 and still preserves    
that universe1 than all the             

contemplation of this1 comparatively1   
very little orb1 which we at present    
inhabit1 could possibly give you4 ,upon 
this subject1 ,monsieur ,fontenelle's   
#8,pluralite des ,mondes'1 which you may
 read in two hours' time1 will both     
inform and please you4 ,god bless you6  
,yours4     ,,letter ,,lix  ,,london1   
,december #ac1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear   
,,boy3 ,the last four posts have brought
 me no letters1 either from you or from 
,mr4 ,harte1 at which ,i am uneasy2 not 
as a mamma would be1 but as a father    
should be3 for ,i do not want your      
letters as bills of health2 you are     
young1 strong1 and healthy1 and ,i am1  
consequently1 in no pain about that3    
moreover1 were either you or ,mr4 ,harte
 ill1 the other would doubtless write me
 word of it4 ,my impatience for yours or
 ,mr4 ,harte's letters arises from a    
very different cause1 which is my desire
 to hear frequently of the state and    
progress of your mind4 ,you are now at  
that critical period of life when every 

week ought to produce fruit or flowers  
answerable to your culture1 which ,i am 
sure has not been neglected2 and it is  
by your letters1 and ,mr4 ,harte's      
accounts of you1 that1 at this distance1
 ,i can only judge at your gradations to
 maturity2 ,i desire1 therefore1 that   
one of you two will not fail to write to
 me once a week4 ,the sameness of your  
present way of life1 ,i easily conceive1
 would not make out a very interesting  
letter to an indifferent bystander2 but 
so deeply concerned as ,i am in the game
 you are playing1 even the least move is
 to me of importance1 and helps me to   
judge of the final event4  ,as you will 
be leaving ,leipsig pretty soon after   
you shall have received this letter1 ,i 
here send you one inclosed to deliver to
 ,mr4 ,mascow4 ,it is to thank him for  
his attention and civility to you1      
during your stay with him3 and ,i take  
it for granted1 that you will not fail  
making him the proper compliments at    
parting2 for the good name that we leave

 behind at one place often gets before  
us to another1 and is of great use4 ,as 
,mr4 ,mascow is much known and esteemed 
in the republic of letters1 ,i think it 
would be of advantage to you1 if you got
 letters of recommendation from him to  
some of the learned men at ,berlin4     
,those testimonials give a lustre1 which
 is not to be despised2 for the most    
ignorant are forced to seem1 at least1  
to pay a regard to learning1 as the most
 wicked are to virtue4 ,such is their   
intrinsic worth4  ,your friend ,duval   
dined with me the other day1 and        
complained most grievously that he had  
not heard from you above a year2 ,i bid 
him abuse you for it himself2 and       
advised him to do it in verse1 which1 if
 he was really angry1 his indignation   
would enable him to do4 ,he accordingly 
brought me1 yesterday1 the inclosed     
reproaches and challenge1 which he      
desired me to transmit to you4 ,as this 
is his first essay in ,english poetry1  
the inaccuracies in the rhymes and the  

numbers are very excusable4 ,he insists1
 as you will find1 upon being answered  
in verse2 which ,i should imagine that  
you and ,mr4 ,,harte1 together1 could   
bring about2 as the late ,lady          
,dorchester used to say1 that she and   
,dr4 ,radcliffe1 together1 could cure a 
fever4 ,this is however sure1 that it   
now rests upon you2 and no man can say  
what methods ,duval may take1 if you    
decline his challenge4 ,i am sensible   
that you are under some disadvantages in
 this proffered combat4 ,your climate1  
at this time of the year especially1    
delights more in the wood fire1 than in 
the poetic fire2 and ,i conceive the    
,muses1 if there are any at ,leipsig1 to
 be rather shivering than singing2 nay1 
,i question whether ,apollo is even     
known there as god of ,verse1 or as god 
of ,light3 perhaps a little as god of   
,physic4 ,these will be fair excuses1 if
 your performance should fall something 
short2 though ,i do not apprehend that  
it will4  ,while you have been at       

,leipsig1 which is a place of study more
 than of pleasure or company1 you have  
had all opportunities of pursuing your  
studies uninterruptedly2 and have had1  
,i believe1 very few temptations to the 
contrary4 ,but the case will be quite   
different at ,berlin1 where the splendor
 and dissipation of a court and the     
#8beau monde'1 will present themselves  
to you in gaudy shapes1 attractive      
enough to all young people4 ,do not     
think1 now1 that like an old fellow1 ,i 
am going to advise you to reject them1  
and shut yourself up in your closet3    
quite the contrary2 ,i advise you to    
take your share1 and enter into them    
with spirit and pleasure2 but then ,i   
advise you1 too1 to allot your time so  
prudently1 as that learning may keep    
pace with pleasures2 there is full time1
 in the course of the day1 for both1 if 
you do but manage that time right and   
like a good economist4 ,the whole       
morning1 if diligently and attentively  
devoted to solid studies1 will go a     

great way at the year's end2 and the    
evenings spent in the pleasures of good 
company1 will go as far in teaching you 
a knowledge1 not much less necessary    
than the other1 ,i mean the knowledge of
 the world4 ,between these two necessary
 studies1 that of books in the morning1 
and that of the world in the evening1   
you see that you will not have one      
minute to squander or slattern away4    
,nobody ever lent themselves more than  
,i did1 when ,i was young1 to the       
pleasures and dissipation of good       
company4 ,i even did it too much4 ,but  
then1 ,i can assure you1 that ,i always 
found time for serious studies2 and1    
when ,i could find it no other way1 ,i  
took it out of my sleep1 for ,i resolved
 always to rise early in the morning1   
however late ,i went to bed at night2   
and this resolution ,i have kept so     
sacred1 that1 unless when ,i have been  
confined to my bed by illness1 ,i have  
not1 for more than forty years1 ever    
been in bed at nine o'clock in the      

morning but commonly up before eight4   
,when you are at ,berlin1 remember to   
speak ,german as often as you can1 in   
company2 for everybody there will speak 
,french to you1 unless you let them know
 that you can speak ,german1 which then 
they will choose to speak4 ,adieu4      
,,letter ,,lx  ,,london1 ,december #bj1 
,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,i        
received last ,saturday by three mails1 
which came in at once1 two letters from 
,mr4 ,harte1 and yours of the #hth1 ,n4 
,s4  ,it was ,i who mistook your        
meaning1 with regard to your ,german    
letters1 and not you who expressed it   
ill4 ,i thought it was the writing of   
the ,german character that took up so   
much of your time1 and therefore ,i     
advised you1 by the frequent writing of 
that character1 to make it easy and     
familiar to you3 ,but1 since it is only 
the propriety and purity of the ,german 
language which make your writing it so  
tedious and laborious1 ,i will tell you 
,i shall not be nice upon that article2 

and did not expect that you should yet  
be master of all the idioms1 delicacies1
 and peculiarities of that difficult    
language4 ,that can only come by use1   
especially frequent speaking2 therefore1
 when you shall be at ,berlin1 and      
afterward at ,turin1 where you will meet
 many ,germans1 pray take all           
opportunities of conversing in ,german1 
in order not only to keep what you have 
got of that language1 but likewise to   
improve and perfect yourself in it4 ,as 
to the characters1 you form them very   
well1 and as you yourself own1 better   
than your ,english ones2 but then let me
 ask you this question3 ,why do you not 
form your ,roman characters better8 for 
,i maintain1 that it is in every man's  
power to write what hand he pleases2    
and1 consequently1 that he ought to     
write a good one4 ,you form1            
particularly1 your #8ee' and your #8ll' 
in zigzag1 instead of making them       
straight1 as thus1 #8ee'1 #8ll'2 a fault
 very easily mended4 ,you will not1 ,i  

believe1 be angry with this little      
criticism1 when ,i tell you1 that by all
 the accounts ,i have had of late from  
,mr4 ,harte and others1 this is the only
 criticism that you give me occasion to 
make4 ,mr4 ,harte's last letter1 of the 
#adth1 ,n4 ,s41 particularly1 makes me  
extremely happy1 by assuring me that1 in
 every respect1 you do exceedingly well4
 ,i am not afraid1 by what ,i now say1  
of making you too vain2 because ,i do   
not think that a just consciousness and 
an honest pride of doing well1 can be   
called vanity2 for vanity is either the 
silly affectation of good qualities     
which one has not1 or the sillier pride 
of what does not deserve commendation in
 itself4 ,by ,mr4 ,harte's account1 you 
are got very near the goal of ,greek and
 ,latin2 and therefore ,i cannot suppose
 that1 as your sense increases1 your    
endeavors and your speed will slacken in
 finishing the small remains of your    
course4 ,consider what lustre and       
#8eclat' it will give you1 when you     

return here1 to be allowed to be the    
best scholar1 for a gentleman1 in       
,england2 not to mention the real       
pleasure and solid comfort which such   
knowledge will give you throughout your 
whole life4 ,mr4 ,harte tells me another
 thing1 which1 ,i own1 ,i did not       
expect3 it is1 that when you read aloud1
 or repeat parts of plays1 you speak    
very properly and distinctly4 ,this     
relieves me from great uneasiness1 which
 ,i was under upon account of your      
former bad enunciation4 ,go on1 and     
attend most diligently to this important
 article4 ,it is1 of all ,graces 7and   
they are all necessary71 the most       
necessary one4  ,comte ,pertingue1 who  
has been here about a fortnight1 far    
from disavowing1 confirms all that ,mr4 
,harte has said to your advantage4 ,he  
thinks that he shall be at ,turin much  
about the time of your arrival there1   
and pleases himself with the hopes of   
being useful to you4 ,though1 should you
 get there before him1 he says that     

,comte du ,perron1 with whom you are a  
favorite1 will take that care4 ,you see1
 by this one instance1 and in the course
 of your life you will see by a million 
of instances1 of what use a good        
reputation is1 and how swift and        
advantageous a harbinger it is1 wherever
 one goes4 ,upon this point1 too1 ,mr4  
,harte does you justice1 and tells me   
that you are desirous of praise from the
 praiseworthy4 ,this is a right and     
generous ambition2 and without which1 ,i
 fear1 few people would deserve praise4 
,but here let me1 as an old stager upon 
the theatre of the world1 suggest one   
consideration to you2 which is1 to      
extend your desire of praise a little   
beyond the strictly praiseworthy2 or    
else you may be apt to discover too much
 contempt for at least three parts in   
five of the world1 who will never       
forgive it you4 ,in the mass of mankind1
 ,i fear1 there is too great a majority 
of fools and1 knaves2 who1 singly from  
their number1 must to a certain degree  

be respected1 though they are by no     
means respectable4 ,and a man who will  
show every knave or fool that he thinks 
him such1 will engage in a most ruinous 
war1 against numbers much superior to   
those that he and his allies can bring  
into the field4 ,abhor a knave1 and pity
 a fool in your heart2 but let neither  
of them1 unnecessarily1 see that you do 
so4 ,some complaisance and attention to 
fools is prudent1 and not mean2 as a    
silent abhorrence of individual knaves  
is often necessary and not criminal4    
,as you will now soon part with ,lord   
,pulteney1 with whom1 during your stay  
together at ,leipsig1 ,i suppose you    
have formed a connection1 ,i imagine    
that you will continue it by letters1   
which ,i would advise you to do4 ,they  
tell me that he is good-natured1 and    
does not want parts2 which are of       
themselves two good reasons for keeping 
it up2 but there is also a third reason1
 which1 in the course of the world1 is  
not to be despised3 ,his father cannot  

live long1 and will leave him an immense
 fortune2 which1 in all events will make
 him of some consequence2 and1 if he has
 parts into the bargain1 of very great  
consequence2 so that his friendship1 may
 be extremely well worth your           
cultivating1 especially as it will not  
cost you above one letter in one month4 
,i do not know whether this letter will 
find you at ,leipsig3 at least1 it is   
the last that ,i shall direct there4 ,my
 next to either you or ,mr4 ,harte will 
be directed to ,berlin2 but as ,i do not
 know to what house or street there1 ,i 
suppose it will remain at the posthouse 
till you send for it4 ,upon your arrival
 at ,berlin you will send me your       
particular direction2 and also1 pray be 
minute in your accounts of your         
reception there1 by those whom ,i       
recommend you to1 as well as by those to
 whom they present you4 ,remember1 too1 
that you are going to a polite and      
literate court1 where the ,graces will  
best introduce you4  ,adieu4 ,god bless 

you1 and may you continue to deserve my 
love1 as much as you now enjoy it6  ,p4 
,s4 ,lady ,chesterfield bids me tell    
you1 that she decides entirely in your  
favor against ,mr4 ,grevenkop1 and even 
against herself2 for she does not think 
that she could1 at this time1 write     
either so good a character or so good   
,german4 ,pray write her a ,german      
letter upon that subject1 in which you  
may tell her1 that1 like the rest of the
 world1 you approve of her judgment1    
because it is in your favor2 and that   
you true ,germans cannot allow ,danes to
 be competent judges of your language1  
etc4     ,,letter ,,lxi  ,,london1      
,december #cj1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdh4  ,,dear   
,,boy3 ,i direct this letter to ,berlin1
 where1 ,i suppose1 it will either find 
you1 or at least wait but a very little 
time for you4 ,i cannot help being      
anxious for your success1 at this your  
first appearance upon the great stage of
 the world2 for1 though the spectators  
are always candid enough to give great  

allowances1 and to show great indulgence
 to a new actor2 yet1 from the first    
impressions which he makes upon them1   
they are apt to decide1 in their own    
minds1 at least1 whether he will ever be
 a good one1 or not4 ,if he seems to    
understand what he says1 by speaking it 
properly2 if he is attentive to his     
part1 instead of staring negligently    
about him2 and if1 upon the whole1 he   
seems ambitious to please1 they         
willingly pass over little awkwardnesses
 and inaccuracies1 which they ascribe to
 a commendable modesty in a young and   
inexperienced actor4 ,they pronounce    
that he will be a good one in time2 and1
 by the encouragement which they give   
him1 make him so the sooner4 ,this1 ,i  
hope1 will be your case3 you have sense 
enough to understand your part2 a       
constant attention1 and ambition to     
excel in it1 with a careful observation 
of the best actors1 will inevitably     
qualify you1 if not for the first1 at   
least for considerable parts4  ,your    

dress 7as insignificant a thing as dress
 is in itself7 is now become an object  
worthy of some attention2 for1 ,i       
confess1 ,i cannot help forming some    
opinion of a man's sense and character  
from his dress2 and ,i believe most     
people do as well as myself4 ,any       
affectation whatsoever in dress implies1
 in my mind1 a flaw in the              
understanding4 ,most of our young       
fellows here display some character or  
other by their dress2 some affect the   
tremendous1 and wear a great and        
fiercely cocked hat1 an enormous sword1 
a short waistcoat and a black cravat2   
these ,i should be almost tempted to    
swear the peace against1 in my own      
defense1 if ,i were not convinced that  
they are but meek asses in lions' skins4
 ,others go in brown frocks1 leather    
breeches1 great oaken cudgels in their  
hands1 their hats uncocked1 and their   
hair unpowdered2 and imitate grooms1    
stage-coachmen1 and country bumpkins so 
well in their outsides1 that ,i do not  

make the least doubt of their resembling
 them equally in their insides4 ,a man  
of sense carefully avoids any particular
 character in his dress2 he is          
accurately clean for his own sake2 but  
all the rest is for other people's4 ,he 
dresses as well1 and in the same manner1
 as the people of sense and fashion of  
the place where he is4 ,if he dresses   
better1 as he thinks1 that is1 more than
 they1 he is a fop2 if he dresses worse1
 he is unpardonably negligent4 ,but1 of 
the two1 ,i would rather have a young   
fellow too much than too little dressed2
 the excess on that side will wear off1 
with a little age and reflection2 but if
 he is negligent at twenty1 he will be a
 sloven at forty1 and stink at fifty    
years old4 ,dress yourself fine1 where  
others are fine2 and plain where others 
are plain2 but take care always that    
your clothes are well made1 and fit you1
 for otherwise they will give you a very
 awkward air4 ,when you are once well   
dressed for the day think no more of it 

afterward2 and1 without any stiffness   
for fear of discomposing that dress1 let
 all your motions be as easy and natural
 as if you had no clothes on at all4 ,so
 much for dress1 which ,i maintain to be
 a thing of consequence in the polite   
world4  ,as to manners1 good-breeding1  
and the ,graces1 ,i have so often       
entertained you upon those important    
subjects1 that ,i can add nothing to    
what ,i have formerly said4 ,your own   
good sense will suggest to you the      
substance of them2 and observation1     
experience1 and good company1 the       
several modes of them4 ,your great      
vivacity1 which ,i hear of from many    
people1 will be no hindrance to your    
pleasing in good company3 on the        
contrary1 will be of use to you1 if     
tempered by good-breeding and           
accompanied by the ,graces4 ,but then1  
,i suppose your vivacity to be a        
vivacity of parts1 and not a            
constitutional restlessness2 for the    
most disagreeable composition that ,i   

know in the world1 is that of strong    
animal spirits1 with a cold genius4     
,such a fellow is troublesomely active1 
frivolously busy1 foolishly lively2     
talks much with little meaning1 and     
laughs more1 with less reason whereas1  
in my opinion1 a warm and lively genius 
with a cool constitution1 is the        
perfection of human nature4  ,do what   
you will at ,berlin1 provided you do but
 do something all day long4 ,all that ,i
 desire of you is1 that you will never  
slattern away one minute in idleness and
 in doing of nothing4 ,when you are     
7not7 in company1 learn what either     
books1 masters1 or ,mr4 ,harte1 can     
teach you2 and when you are in company1 
learn 7what company can only teach you7 
the characters and manners of mankind4  
,i really ask your pardon for giving you
 this advice2 because1 if you are a     
rational creature and thinking being1 as
 ,i suppose1 and verily believe you are1
 it must be unnecessary1 and to a       
certain degree injurious4 ,if ,i did not

 know by experience1 that some men pass 
their whole time in doing nothing1 ,i   
should not think it possible for any    
being1 superior to ,monsieur ,descartes'
 automatons1 to squander away1 in       
absolute idleness1 one single minute of 
that small portion of time which is     
allotted us in this world4  ,i have     
lately seen one ,mr4 ,cranmer1 a very   
sensible merchant1 who told me that he  
had dined with you1 and seen you often  
at ,leipsig4 ,and yesterday ,i saw an   
old footman of mine1 whom ,i made a     
messenger1 who told me that he had seen 
you last ,august4 ,you will easily      
imagine1 that ,i was not the less glad  
to see them because they had seen you2  
and ,i examined them both narrowly1 in  
their respective departments2 the former
 as to your mind1 the latter1 as to your
 body4 ,mr4 ,cranmer gave me great      
satisfaction1 not only by what he told  
me of himself concerning you1 but by    
what he was commissioned to tell me from
 ,mr4 ,mascow4 ,as he speaks ,german    

perfectly himself1 ,i asked him how you 
spoke it2 and he assured me very well   
for the time1 and that a very little    
more practice would make you perfectly  
master of it4 ,the messenger told me    
that you were much grown1 and1 to the   
best of his guess1 within two inches as 
tall as ,i am2 that you were plump1 and 
looked healthy and strong2 which was all
 that ,i could expect1 or hope1 from the
 sagacity of the person4  ,i send you1  
my dear child 7and you will not doubt   
it71 very sincerely1 the wishes of the  
season4 ,may you deserve a great number 
of happy ,new-years2 and1 if you        
deserve1 may you have them4 ,many       
,new-years1 indeed1 you may see1 but    
happy ones you cannot see without       
deserving them4 ,these1 virtue1 honor1  
and knowledge1 alone can merit1 alone   
can procure1 #8,dii tibi dent annos1 de 
te nam cetera sumes'1 was a pretty piece
 of poetical flattery1 where it was     
said3 ,i hope that1 in time1 it may be  
no flattery when said to you4 ,but ,i   

assure you1 that wherever ,i cannot     
apply the latter part of the line to you
 with truth1 ,i shall neither say1      
think1 or wish the former4 ,adieu6      
,,letters ,,to ,,his ,,son              
#agdi             ,by the ,,earl ,,of   
,,chesterfield             on the ,fine 
,art of becoming a                ,,man 
,,of ,,the ,,world                   and
 a                  ,,gentleman         
,,letter ,,lxii  ,,london1 ,january #aj1
 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,i have  
received your letter of the #cast       
,december1 ,n4 ,s4 ,your thanks for my  
present1 as you call it1 exceed the     
value of the present2 but the use1 which
 you assure me that you will make of it1
 is the thanks which ,i desire to       
receive4 ,due attention to the inside of
 books1 and due contempt for the        
outside1 is the proper relation between 
a man of sense and his books4  ,now that
 you are going a little more into the   
world2 ,i will take this occasion to    
explain my intentions as to your future 

expenses1 that you may know what you    
have to expect from me1 and make your   
plan accordingly4 ,i shall neither deny 
nor grudge you any money1 that may be   
necessary for either your improvement or
 your pleasures3 ,i mean the pleasures  
of a rational being4 ,under the head of 
improvement1 ,i mean the best books1 and
 the best masters1 cost what they will2 
,i also mean all the expense of         
lodgings1 coach1 dress2 servants1 etc41 
which1 according to the several places  
where you may be1 shall be respectively 
necessary to enable you to keep the best
 company4 ,under the head of rational   
pleasures1 ,i comprehend1 first1 proper 
charities1 to real and compassionate    
objects of it2 secondly1 proper presents
 to those to whom you are obliged1 or   
whom you desire to oblige2 thirdly1 a   
conformity of expense to that of the    
company which you keep2 as in public    
spectacles2 your share of little        
entertainments2 a few pistoles at games 
of mere commerce2 and other incidental  

calls of good company4 ,the only two    
articles which ,i will never supply1 are
 the profusion of low riot1 and the idle
 lavishness of negligence and laziness4 
,a fool squanders away1 without credit  
or advantage to himself1 more than a man
 of sense spends with both4 ,the latter 
employs his money as he does his time1  
and never spends a shilling of the one1 
nor a minute of the other1 but in       
something that is either useful or      
rationally pleasing to himself or       
others4 ,the former buys whatever he    
does not want1 and does not pay for what
 he does want4 ,he cannot withstand the 
charms of a toyshop2 snuff-boxes1       
watches1 heads of canes1 etc41 are his  
destruction4 ,his servants and tradesmen
 conspire with his own indolence to     
cheat him2 and1 in a very little time1  
he is astonished1 in the midst of all   
the ridiculous superfluities1 to find   
himself in want of all the real comforts
 and necessaries of life4 ,without care 
and method1 the largest fortune will    

not1 and with them1 almost the smallest 
will1 supply all necessary expenses4 ,as
 far as you can possibly1 pay ready     
money for everything you buy and avoid  
bills4 ,pay that money1 too1 yourself1  
and not through the hands of any        
servant1 who always either stipulates   
poundage1 or requires a present for his 
good word1 as they call it4 ,where you  
must have bills 7as for meat and drink1 
clothes1 etc471 pay them regularly every
 month1 and with your own hand4 ,never1 
from a mistaken economy1 buy a thing you
 do not want1 because it is cheap2 or   
from a silly pride1 because it is dear4 
,keep an account in a book of all that  
you receive1 and of all that you pay2   
for no man who knows what he receives   
and what he pays ever runs out4 ,i do   
not mean that you should keep an account
 of the shillings and half-crowns which 
you may spend in chair-hire1 operas1    
etc43 they are unworthy of the time1 and
 of the ink that they would consume2    
leave such minutia to dull1 penny-wise  

fellows2 but remember1 in economy1 as   
well as in every other part of life1 to 
have the proper attention to proper     
objects1 and the proper contempt for    
little ones4 ,a strong mind sees things 
in their true proportions2 a weak one   
views them through a magnifying medium1 
which1 like the microscope1 makes an    
elephant of a flea3 magnifies all little
 objects1 but cannot receive great ones4
 ,i have known many a man pass for a    
miser1 by saving a penny and wrangling  
for twopence1 who was undoing himself at
 the same time by living above his      
income1 and not attending to essential  
articles which were above his #8portee'4
 ,the sure characteristic of a sound and
 strong mind1 is to find in everything  
those certain bounds1 #8quos ultra      
citrave nequit consistere rectum'4      
,these boundaries are marked out by a   
very fine line1 which only good sense   
and attention can discover2 it is much  
too fine for vulgar eyes4 ,in manners1  
this line is good-breeding2 beyond it1  

is troublesome ceremony2 short of it1 is
 unbecoming negligence and inattention4 
,in morals1 it divides ostentatious     
puritanism from criminal relaxation2 in 
religion1 superstition from impiety3    
and1 in short1 every virtue from its    
kindred vice or weakness4 ,i think you  
have sense enough to discover the line2 
keep it always in your eye1 and learn to
 walk upon it2 rest upon ,mr4 ,harte1   
and he will poise you till you are able 
to go alone4 ,by the way1 there are     
fewer people who walk well upon that    
line1 than upon the slack rope2 and     
therefore a good performer shines so    
much the more4  ,your friend ,comte     
,pertingue1 who constantly inquires     
after you1 has written to ,comte        
,salmour1 the ,governor of the ,academy 
at ,turin1 to prepare a room for you    
there immediately after the ,ascension3 
and has recommended you to him in a     
manner which ,i hope you will give him  
no reason to repent or be ashamed of4   
,as ,comte ,salmour's son1 now residing 

at ,the ,hague1 is my particular        
acquaintance1 ,i shall have regular and 
authentic accounts of all that you do at
 ,turin4  ,during your stay at ,berlin1 
,i expect that you should inform        
yourself thoroughly of the present state
 of the civil1 military1 and            
ecclesiastical government of the ,king  
of ,prussia's dominions2 particularly of
 the military1 which is upon a better   
footing in that country than in any     
other in ,europe4  ,you will attend at  
the reviews1 see the troops exercised1  
and inquire into the numbers of troops  
and companies in the respective         
regiments of horse1 foot1 and dragoons2 
the numbers and titles of the           
commissioned and non-commissioned       
officers in the several troops and      
companies2 and also take care to learn  
the technical military terms in the     
,german language2 for though you are not
 to be a military man1 yet these        
military matters are so frequently the  
subject of conversation1 that you will  

look very awkwardly if you are ignorant 
of them4 ,moreover1 they are commonly   
the objects of negotiation1 and1 as     
such1 fall within your future           
profession4 ,you must also inform       
yourself of the reformation which the   
,king of ,prussia has lately made in the
 law2 by which he has both lessened the 
number1 and shortened the duration of   
law-suits2 a great work1 and worthy of  
so great a prince6 ,as he is            
indisputably the ablest prince in       
,europe1 every part of his government   
deserves your most diligent inquiry1 and
 your most serious attention4 ,it must  
be owned that you set out well1 as a    
young politician1 by beginning at       
,berlin1 and then going to ,turin1 where
 you will see the next ablest monarch to
 that of ,prussia2 so that1 if you are  
capable of making political reflections1
 those two princes will furnish you with
 sufficient matter for them4  ,i would  
have you endeavor to get acquainted with
 ,monsieur de ,maupertuis1 who is so    

eminently distinguished by all kinds of 
learning and merit1 that one should be  
both sorry and ashamed of having been   
even a day in the same place with him1  
and not to have seen him4 ,if you should
 have no other way of being introduced  
to him1 ,i will send you a letter from  
hence4 ,monsieur ,cagenoni1 at ,berlin1 
to whom ,i know you are recommended1 is 
a very able man of business1 thoroughly 
informed of every part of ,europe2 and  
his acquaintance1 if you deserve and    
improve it as you should do1 may be of  
great use to you4  ,remember to take the
 best dancing-master at ,berlin1 more to
 teach you to sit1 stand1 and walk      
gracefully1 than to dance finely4 ,the  
,graces1 the ,graces2 remember the      
,graces6 ,adieu6     ,,letter ,,lxiii   
,,london1 ,january #bd1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4  
,,dear ,,boy3 ,i have received your     
letter of the #abth1 ,n4 ,s41 in which  
,i was surprised to find no mention of  
your approaching journey to ,berlin1    
which1 according to the first plan1 was 

to be on the #bjth1 ,n4 ,s41 and upon   
which supposition ,i have for some time 
directed my letters to you1 and ,mr4    
,harte1 at ,berlin4 ,i should be glad   
that yours were more minute with regard 
to your motions and transactions2 and ,i
 desire that1 for the future1 they may  
contain accounts of what and who you see
 and hear1 in your several places of    
residence2 for ,i interest myself as    
much in the company you keep1 and the   
pleasures you take1 as in the studies   
you pursue2 and therefore1 equally      
desire to be informed of them all4      
,another thing ,i desire1 which is1 that
 you will acknowledge my letters by     
their dates1 that ,i may know which you 
do1 and which you do not receive4  ,as  
you found your brain considerably       
affected by the cold1 you were very     
prudent not to turn it to poetry in that
 situation2 and not less judicious in   
declining the borrowed aid of a stove1  
whose fumigation1 instead of            
inspiration1 would at best have produced

 what ,mr4 ,pope calls a souterkin of   
wit4 ,i will show your letter to ,duval1
 by way of justification for not        
answering his challenge2 and ,i think he
 must allow the validity of it2 for a   
frozen brain is as unfit to answer a    
challenge in poetry1 as a blunt sword is
 for a single combat4  ,you may if you  
please1 and therefore ,i flatter myself 
that you will1 profit considerably by   
your stay at ,berlin1 in the article of 
manners and useful knowledge4 ,attention
 to what you will see and hear there1   
together with proper inquiries1 and a   
little care and method in taking notes  
of what is more material1 will procure  
you much useful knowledge4 ,many young  
people are so light1 so dissipated1 and 
so incurious1 that they can hardly be   
said to see what they see1 or hear what 
they hear3 that is1 they hear in so     
superficial and inattentive a manner1   
that they might as well not see nor hear
 at all4 ,for instance1 if they see a   
public building1 as a college1 an       

hospital1 an arsenal1 etc41 they content
 themselves with the first #8coup       
d'oeil'1 and neither take the time nor  
the trouble of informing themselves of  
the material parts of them2 which are   
the constitution1 the rules1 and the    
order and economy in the inside4 ,you   
will1 ,i hope1 go deeper1 and make your 
way into the substance of things4 ,for  
example1 should you see a regiment      
reviewed at ,berlin or ,potsdam1 instead
 of contenting yourself with the general
 glitter of the collective corps1 and   
saying1 #8par maniere d'acquit'1 that is
 very fine1 ,i hope you will ask what   
number of troops or companies it        
consists of2 what number of officers of 
the ,etat ,major1 and what number of    
subalternes2 how many #8bas officiers'1 
or non-commissioned officers1 as        
sergeants1 corporals1 #8anspessades1    
frey corporals'1 etc41 their pay1 their 
clothing1 and by whom2 whether by the   
colonels1 or captains1 or commissaries  
appointed for that purpose2 to whom they

 are accountable2 the method of         
recruiting1 completing1 etc4  ,the same 
in civil matters3 inform yourself of the
 jurisdiction of a court of justice2 of 
the rules and numbers and endowments of 
a college1 or an academy1 and not only  
of the dimensions of the respective     
edifices2 and let your letters to me    
contain these informations1 in          
proportion as you acquire them4  ,i     
often reflect1 with the most flattering 
hopes1 how proud ,i shall be of you1 if 
you should profit1 as you may1 of the   
opportunities which you have had1 still 
have1 and will have1 of arriving at     
perfection2 and1 on the other hand1 with
 dread of the grief and shame you will  
give me if you do not4 ,may the first be
 the case6 ,god bless you6     ,,letter 
,,lxiv  ,,london1 ,february #g1 ,o4 ,s4 
#agdi4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,you are now come 
to an age capable of reflection1 and ,i 
hope you will do1 what1 however1 few    
people at your age do1 exert it for your
 own sake in the search of truth and    

sound knowledge4 ,i will confess 7for ,i
 am not unwilling to discover my secrets
 to you7 that it is not many years since
 ,i have presumed to reflect for myself4
 ,till sixteen or seventeen ,i had no   
reflection2 and for many years after    
that1 ,i made no use of what ,i had4 ,i 
adopted the notions of the books ,i     
read1 or the company ,i kept1 without   
examining whether they were just or not2
 and ,i rather chose to run the risk of 
easy error1 than to take the time and   
trouble of investigating truth4 ,thus1  
partly from laziness1 partly from       
dissipation1 and partly from the        
#8mauvaise honte' of rejecting          
fashionable notions1 ,i was 7as ,i have 
since found7 hurried away by prejudices1
 instead of being guided by reason2 and 
quietly cherished error1 instead of     
seeking for truth4 ,but since ,i have   
taken the trouble of reasoning for      
myself1 and have had the courage to own 
that ,i do so1 you cannot imagine how   
much my notions of things are altered1  

and in how different a light ,i now see 
them1 from that in which ,i formerly    
viewed them1 through the deceitful      
medium of prejudice or authority4 ,nay1 
,i may possibly still retain many       
errors1 which1 from long habit1 have    
perhaps grown into real opinions2 for it
 is very difficult to distinguish       
habits1 early acquired and long         
entertained1 from the result of our     
reason and reflection4  ,my first       
prejudice 7for ,i do not mention the    
prejudices of boys1 and women1 such as  
hobgoblins1 ghosts1 dreams1 spilling    
salt1 etc47 was my classical enthusiasm1
 which ,i received from the books ,i    
read1 and the masters who explained them
 to me4 ,i was convinced there had been 
no common sense nor common honesty in   
the world for these last fifteen hundred
 years2 but that they were totally      
extinguished with the ancient ,greek and
 ,roman governments4 ,homer and ,virgil 
could have no faults1 because they were 
ancient2 ,milton and ,tasso could have  

no merit1 because they were modern4 ,and
 ,i could almost have said1 with regard 
to the ancients1 what ,cicero1 very     
absurdly and unbecomingly for a         
philosopher1 says with regard to ,plato1
 #8,cum quo errare malim quam cum aliis 
recte sentire'4 ,whereas now1 without   
any extraordinary effort of genius1 ,i  
have discovered that nature was the same
 three thousand years ago as it is at   
present2 that men were but men then as  
well as now2 that modes and customs vary
 often1 but that human nature is always 
the same4 ,and ,i can no more suppose   
that men were better1 braver1 or wiser1 
fifteen hundred or three thousand years 
ago1 than ,i can suppose that the       
animals or vegetables were better then  
than they are now4 ,i dare assert too1  
in defiance of the favorers of the      
ancients1 that ,homer's hero1 ,achilles1
 was both a brute and a scoundrel1 and  
consequently an improper character for  
the hero of an epic poem2 he had so     
little regard for his country1 that he  

would not act in defense of it1 because 
he had quarreled with ,agamemnon about a
 w---e2 and then afterward1 animated by 
private resentment only1 he went about  
killing people basely1 ,i will call it1 
because he knew himself invulnerable2   
and yet1 invulnerable as he was1 he wore
 the strongest armor in the world2 which
 ,i humbly apprehend to be a blunder2   
for a horse-shoe clapped to his         
vulnerable heel would have been         
sufficient4 ,on the other hand1 with    
submission to the favorers of the       
moderns1 ,i assert with ,mr4 ,dryden1   
that the devil is in truth the hero of  
,milton's poem2 his plan1 which he lays1
 pursues1 and at last executes1 being   
the subject of the poem4 ,from all which
 considerations ,i impartially conclude 
that the ancients had their excellencies
 and their defects1 their virtues and   
their vices1 just like the moderns2     
pedantry and affectation of learning    
decide clearly in favor of the former2  
vanity and ignorance1 as peremptorily in

 favor of the latter4 ,religious        
prejudices kept pace with my classical  
ones2 and there was a time when ,i      
thought it impossible for the honestest 
man in the world to be saved out of the 
pale of the ,church of ,england1 not    
considering that matters of opinion do  
not depend upon the will2 and that it is
 as natural1 and as allowable1 that     
another man should differ in opinion    
from me1 as that ,i should differ from  
him2 and that if we are both sincere1 we
 are both blameless2 and should         
consequently have mutual indulgence for 
each other4  ,the next prejudices that  
,i adopted were those of the #8beau     
monde'1 in which as ,i was determined to
 shine1 ,i took what are commonly called
 the genteel vices to be necessary4 ,i  
had heard them reckoned so1 and without 
further inquiry ,i believed it1 or at   
least should have been ashamed to have  
denied it1 for fear of exposing myself  
to the ridicule of those whom ,i        
considered as the models of fine        

gentlemen4 ,but ,i am now neither       
ashamed nor afraid to assert that those 
genteel vices1 as they are falsely      
called1 are only so many blemishes in   
the character of even a man of the world
 and what is called a fine gentleman1   
and degrade him in the opinions of those
 very people1 to whom he1 hopes to      
recommend himself by them4 ,nay1 this   
prejudice often extends so far1 that ,i 
have known people pretend to vices they 
had not1 instead of carefully concealing
 those they had4  ,use and assert your  
own reason2 reflect1 examine1 and       
analyze everything1 in order to form a  
sound and mature judgment2 let no       
7authority7 impose upon your            
understanding1 mislead your actions1 or 
dictate your conversation4 ,be early    
what1 if you are not1 you will when too 
late wish you had been4 ,consult your   
reason betimes3 ,i do not say that it   
will always prove an unerring guide2 for
 human reason is not infallible2 but it 
will prove the least erring guide that  

you can follow4 ,books and conversation 
may assist it2 but adopt neither blindly
 and implicitly2 try both by that best  
rule1 which ,god has given to direct us1
 reason4 ,of all the troubles1 do not   
decline1 as many people do1 that of     
thinking4 ,the herd of mankind can      
hardly be said to think2 their notions  
are almost all adoptive2 and1 in        
general1 ,i believe it is better that it
 should be so1 as such common prejudices
 contribute more to order and quiet than
 their own separate reasonings would do1
 uncultivated and unimproved as they    
are4 ,we have many of those useful      
prejudices in this country1 which ,i    
should be very sorry to see removed4    
,the good ,protestant conviction1 that  
the ,pope is both ,antichrist and the   
,whore of ,babylon1 is a more effectual 
preservative in this country against    
popery1 than all the solid and          
unanswerable arguments of               
,chillingworth4  ,the idle story of the 
pretender's having been introduced in a 

warming pan into the queen's bed1 though
 as destitute of all probability as of  
all foundation1 has been much more      
prejudicial to the cause of ,jacobitism 
than all that ,mr4 ,locke and others    
have written1 to show the               
unreasonableness and absurdity of the   
doctrines of indefeasible hereditary    
right1 and unlimited passive obedience4 
,and that silly1 sanguine notion1 which 
is firmly entertained here1 that one    
,englishman can beat three ,frenchmen1  
encourages1 and has sometimes enabled1  
one ,englishman in reality to beat two4 
,a ,frenchman ventures1 his life with   
alacrity #8pour l'honneur du ,roi'2 were
 you to change the object1 which he has 
been taught to have in view1 and tell   
him that it was #8pour le bien de la    
,patrie'1 he would very probably run    
away4 ,such gross local prejudices      
prevail with the herd of mankind1 and do
 not impose upon cultivated1 informed1  
and reflecting minds4 ,but then they are
 notions equally false1 though not so   

glaringly absurd1 which are entertained 
by people of superior and improved      
understandings1 merely for want of the  
necessary pains to investigate1 the     
proper attention to examine1 and the    
penetration requisite to determine the  
truth4 ,those are the prejudices which  
,i would have you guard against by a    
manly exertion and attention of your    
reasoning faculty4 ,to mention one      
instance of a thousand that ,i could    
give you3 ,it is a general prejudice1   
and has been propagated for these       
sixteen hundred years1 that arts and    
sciences cannot flourish under an       
absolute government2 and that genius    
must necessarily be cramped where       
freedom is restrained4 ,this sounds     
plausible1 but is false in fact4        
,mechanic arts1 as agriculture1 etc41   
will indeed be discouraged where the    
profits and property are1 from the      
nature of the government1 insecure4 ,but
 why the despotism of a government      
should cramp the genius of a            

mathematician1 an astronomer1 a poet1 or
 an orator1 ,i confess ,i never could   
discover4 ,it may indeed deprive the    
poet or the orator of the liberty of    
treating of certain subjects in the     
manner they would wish1 but it leaves   
them subjects enough to exert genius    
upon1 if they have it4 ,can an author   
with reason complain that he is cramped 
and shackled1 if he is not at liberty to
 publish blasphemy1 bawdry1 or sedition8
 all which are equally prohibited in the
 freest governments1 if they are wise   
and well regulated ones4 ,this is the   
present general complaint of the ,french
 authors2 but indeed chiefly of the bad 
ones4 ,no wonder1 say they1 that        
,england produces so many great         
geniuses2 people there may think as they
 please1 and publish what they think4   
,very true1 but what hinders them from  
thinking as they please8 ,if indeed they
 think in manner destructive of all     
religion1 morality1 or good manners1 or 
to the disturbance of the state1 an     

absolute government will certainly more 
effectually prohibit them from1 or      
punish them for publishing such         
thoughts1 than a free one could do4 ,but
 how does that cramp the genius of an   
epic1 dramatic1 or lyric poet8 or how   
does it corrupt the eloquence of an     
orator in the pulpit or at the bar8 ,the
 number of good ,french authors1 such as
 ,corneille1 ,racine1 ,moliere1         
,boileau1 and ,la ,fontaine1 who seemed 
to dispute it with the ,augustan age1   
flourished under the despotism of ,lewis
 ,,xiv42 and the celebrated authors of  
the ,augustan age did not shine till    
after the fetters were riveted upon the 
,roman people by that cruel and         
worthless ,emperor4 ,the revival of     
letters was not owing1 neither1 to any  
free government1 but to the             
encouragement and protection of ,leo ,x4
 and ,francis ,i2 the one as absolute a 
pope1 and the other as despotic a       
prince1 as ever reigned4 ,do not        
mistake1 and imagine that while ,i am   

only exposing a prejudice1 ,i am        
speaking in favor of arbitrary power2   
which from my soul ,i abhor1 and look   
upon as a gross and criminal violation  
of the natural rights of mankind4       
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,lxv  ,,london1   
,february #bh1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4  ,,dear   
,,boy3 ,i was very much pleased with the
 account that you gave me of your       
reception at ,berlin2 but ,i was still  
better pleased with the account which   
,mr4 ,harte sent me of your manner of   
receiving that reception2 for he says   
that you behaved yourself to those      
crowned heads with all the respect and  
modesty due to them2 but at the same    
time1 without being any more embarrassed
 than if you had been conversing with   
your equals4 ,this easy respect is the  
perfection of good-breeding1 which      
nothing but superior good sense1 or a   
long usage of the world1 can produce1   
and as in your case it could not be the 
latter1 it is a pleasing indication to  
me of the former4  ,you will now1 in the

 course of a few months1 have been      
rubbed at three of the considerable     
courts of ,europe1-,berlin1 ,dresden1   
and ,vienna2 so that ,i hope you will   
arrive at ,turin tolerably smooth and   
fit for the last polish4 ,there you may 
get the best1 there being no court ,i   
know of that forms more well-bred1 and  
agreeable people4 ,remember now1 that   
good-breeding1 genteel carriage1        
address1 and even dress 7to a certain   
degree71 are become serious objects1 and
 deserve a part of your attention4  ,the
 day1 if well employed1 is long enough  
for them all4 ,one half of it bestowed  
upon your studies and your exercises1   
will finish your mind and your body2 the
 remaining part of it1 spent in good    
company1 will form your manners1 and    
complete your character4 ,what would ,i 
not give to have you read ,demosthenes  
critically in the morning1 and          
understand him better than anybody2 at  
noon1 behave yourself better than any   
person at court2 and in the evenings1   

trifle more agreeably than anybody in   
mixed companies8 ,all this you may      
compass if you please2 you have the     
means1 you have the opportunities4      
,employ them1 for ,god's sake1 while you
 may1 and make yourself that            
all-accomplished man that ,i wish to    
have you4 ,it entirely depends upon     
these two years2 they are the decisive  
ones4  ,i send you here inclosed a      
letter of recommendation to ,monsieur   
,capello1 at ,venice1 which you will    
deliver him immediately upon your       
arrival1 accompanying it with           
compliments from me to him and ,madame1 
both of whom you have seen here4 ,he    
will1 ,i am sure1 be both very civil and
 very useful to you there1 as he will   
also be afterward at ,rome1 where he is 
appointed to go ambassador4 ,by the way1
 wherever you are1 ,i would advise you  
to frequent1 as much as you can1 the    
,venetian ,ministers2 who are always    
better informed of the courts they      
reside at than any other minister2 the  

strict and regular accounts1 which they 
are obliged to give to their own        
government1 making them very diligent   
and inquisitive4  ,you will stay at     
,venice as long as the ,carnival lasts2 
for though ,i am impatient to have you  
at ,turin1 yet ,i would wish you to see 
thoroughly all that is to be seen at so 
singular a place as ,venice1 and at so  
showish a time as the ,carnival4 ,you   
will take also particular care to view  
all those meetings of the government1   
which strangers are allowed to see2 as  
the ,assembly of the ,senate1 etc41 and 
also to inform yourself of that peculiar
 and intricate form of government4      
,there are books which give an account  
of it1 among which the best is ,amelot  
de la ,houssaye1 which ,i would advise  
you to read previously2 it will not only
 give you a general notion of that      
constitution1 but also furnish you with 
materials for proper questions and oral 
informations upon the place1 which are  
always the best4 ,there are likewise    

many very valuable remains1 in sculpture
 and paintings1 of the best masters1    
which deserve your attention4  ,i       
suppose you will be at ,vienna as soon  
as this letter will get thither2 and ,i 
suppose1 too1 that ,i must not direct   
above one more to you there4 ,after     
which1 my next shall be directed to you 
at ,venice1 the only place where a      
letter will be likely to find you1 till 
you are at ,turin2 but you may1 and ,i  
desire that you will write to me1 from  
the several places in your way1 from    
whence the post goes4  ,i will send you 
some other letters for ,venice1 to      
,vienna1 or to your banker at ,venice1  
to whom you will1 upon your arrival     
there1 send for them3 ,for ,i will take 
care to have you so recommended from    
place to place1 that you shall not run  
through them1 as most of your countrymen
 do1 without the advantage of seeing and
 knowing what best deserves to be seen  
and known2 ,i mean the men and the      
manners4  ,god bless you1 and make you  

answer my wishes3 ,i will now say1 my   
hopes6 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,lxvi      
,,dear ,,boy3 ,i direct this letter to  
your banker at ,venice1 the surest place
 for you to meet with it1 though ,i     
suppose that it will be there some time 
before you2 for1 as your intermediate   
stay anywhere else will be short1 and as
 the post from hence1 in this season of 
easterly winds is uncertain1 ,i direct  
no more letters to ,vienna2 where ,i    
hope both you and ,mr4 ,harte will have 
received the two letters which ,i sent  
you respectively2 with a letter of      
recommendation to ,monsieur ,capello1 at
 ,venice1 which was inclosed in mine to 
you4 ,i will suppose too1 that the      
inland post on your side of the water   
has not done you justice2 for ,i        
received but one single letter from you1
 and one from ,mr4 ,harte1 during your  
whole stay at ,berlin2 from whence ,i   
hoped for1 and expected very particular 
accounts4  ,i persuade myself1 that the 
time you stay at ,venice will be        

properly employed1 in seeing all that is
 to be seen in that extraordinary place3
 and in conversing with people who can  
inform you1 not of the raree-shows of   
the town1 but of the constitution of the
 government2 for which purpose ,i send  
you the inclosed letters of             
recommendation from ,sir ,james ,grey1  
the ,king's ,resident at ,venice1 but   
who is now in ,england4 ,these1 with    
mine to ,monsieur ,capello1 will carry  
you1 if you will go1 into all the best  
company at ,venice4  ,but the important 
point2 and the important place1 is      
,turin2 for there ,i propose your       
staying a considerable time1 to pursue  
your studies1 learn your exercises1 and 
form your manners4 ,i own1 ,i am not    
without my anxiety for the consequence  
of your stay there1 which must be either
 very good or very bad4 ,to you it will 
be entirely a new scene4 ,wherever you  
have hitherto been1 you have conversed1 
chiefly1 with people wiser and          
discreeter than yourself2 and have been 

equally out of the way of bad advice or 
bad example2 but in the ,academy at     
,turin you will probably meet with both1
 considering the variety of young       
fellows about your own age2 among whom  
it is to be expected that some will be  
dissipated and idle1 others vicious and 
profligate4 ,i will believe1 till the   
contrary appears1 that you have sagacity
 enough to distinguish the good from the
 bad characters2 and both sense and     
virtue enough to shun the latter1 and   
connect yourself with the former3 but   
however1 for greater security1 and for  
your sake alone1 ,i must acquaint you   
that ,i have sent positive orders to    
,mr4 ,harte to carry you off1 instantly1
 to a place which ,i have named to him1 
upon the very first symptom which he    
shall discover in you1 of drinking1     
gaming1 idleness1 or disobedience to his
 orders2 so that1 whether ,mr4 ,harte   
informs me or not of the particulars1 ,i
 shall be able to judge of your conduct 
in general by the time of your stay at  

,turin4 ,if it is short1 ,i shall know  
why2 and ,i promise you1 that you shall 
soon find that ,i do2 but if ,mr4 ,harte
 lets you continue there1 as long as ,i 
propose that you should1 ,i shall then  
be convinced that you make the proper   
use of your time2 which is the only     
thing ,i have to ask of you4 ,one year  
is the most that ,i propose you should  
stay at ,turin2 and that year1 if you   
employ it well1 perfects you4 ,one year 
more of your late application1 with ,mr4
 ,harte1 will complete your classical   
studies4 ,you will be likewise master of
 your exercises in that time2 and will  
have formed yourself so well at that    
court1 as to be fit to appear           
advantageously at any other4 ,these will
 be the happy effects of your year's    
stay at ,turin1 if you behave1 and apply
 yourself there as you have done at     
,leipsig2 but if either ill advice1 or  
ill example1 affect and seduce you1 you 
are ruined forever4 ,i look upon that   
year as your decisive year of probation2

 go through it well1 and you will be all
 accomplished1 and fixed in my tenderest
 affection forever2 but should the      
contagion of vice of idleness lay hold  
of you there1 your character1 your      
fortune1 my hopes1 and consequently my  
favor are all blasted1 and you are      
undone4 ,the more ,i love you now1 from 
the good opinion ,i have of you1 the    
greater will be my indignation if ,i    
should have reason to change it4        
,hitherto you have had every possible   
proof of my affection1 because you have 
deserved it2 but when you cease to      
deserve it1 you may expect every        
possible mark of my resentment4 ,to     
leave nothing doubtful upon this        
important point ,i will tell you fairly1
 beforehand1 by what rule ,i shall judge
 of your conduct--by ,mr4 ,harte's      
accounts4 ,he will not ,i am sure1 nay1 
,i will say more1 he cannot be in the   
wrong with regard to you4 ,he can have  
no other view but your good2 and you    
will1 ,i am sure1 allow that he must be 

a better judge of it than you can       
possibly be at your age4 ,while he is   
satisfied1 ,i shall be so too2 but      
whenever he is dissatisfied with you1 ,i
 shall be much more so4 ,if he          
complains1 you must be guilty2 and ,i   
shall not have the least regard for     
anything that you may allege in your own
 defense4  ,i will now tell you what ,i 
expect and insist upon from you at      
,turin3 ,first1 that you pursue your    
classical and other studies every       
morning with ,mr4 ,harte1 as long and in
 whatever manner ,mr4 ,harte shall be   
pleased to require2 secondly1 that you  
learn1 uninterruptedly1 your exercises  
of riding1 dancing1 and fencing2        
thirdly1 that you make yourself master  
of the ,italian language2 and lastly1   
that you pass your evenings in the best 
company4 ,i also require a strict       
conformity to the hours and rules of the
 ,academy4 ,if you will but finish your 
year in this manner at ,turin1 ,i have  
nothing further to ask of you2 and ,i   

will give you everything that you can   
ask of me4 ,you shall after that be     
entirely your own master2 ,i shall think
 you safe2 shall lay aside all authority
 over you1 and friendship shall be our  
mutual and only tie4 ,weigh this1 ,i beg
 of you1 deliberately in your own mind2 
and consider whether the application and
 the degree of restraint which ,i       
require but for one year more1 will not 
be amply repaid by all the advantages1  
and the perfect liberty1 which you will 
receive at the end of it4 ,your own good
 sense will1 ,i am sure1 not allow you  
to hesitate one moment in your choice4  
,god bless you6 ,adieu4  ,p4 ,s4 ,sir   
,james ,grey's letters not being yet    
sent to me1 as ,i thought they would1 ,i
 shall inclose them in my next1 which ,i
 believe will get to ,venice as soon as 
you4     ,,letter ,,lxvii  ,,london1    
,april #ab1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4  ,,dear      
,,boy3 ,i received1 by the last mail1 a 
letter from ,mr4 ,harte1 dated ,prague1 
,april the #ast1 ,n4 ,s41 for which ,i  

desire you will return him my thanks1   
and assure him that ,i extremely approve
 of what he has done1 and proposes      
eventually to do1 in your way to ,turin4
 ,who would have thought you were old   
enough to have been so well acquainted  
with the heroes of the #8,bellum        
,tricennale'1 as to be looking out for  
their great-grandsons in ,bohemia1 with 
that affection with which1 ,i am        
informed1 you seek for the ,wallsteins1 
the ,kinskis1 etc4 ,as ,i cannot ascribe
 it to your age1 ,i must to your        
consummate knowledge of history1 that   
makes every country1 and every century1 
as it were1 your own4 ,seriously1 ,i am 
told1 that you are both very strong and 
very correct in history2 of which ,i am 
extremely glad4 ,this is useful         
knowledge4  ,comte du ,perron and ,comte
 ,lascaris are arrived here3 the former 
gave me a letter from ,sir ,charles     
,williams1 the latter brought me your   
orders4 ,they are very pretty men1 and  
have both knowledge and manners2 which1 

though they always ought1 seldom go     
together4 ,i examined them1 particularly
 ,comte ,lascaris1 concerning you2 their
 report is a very favorable one1        
especially on the side of knowledge2 the
 quickness of conception which they     
allow you ,i can easily credit2 but the 
attention which they add to it pleases  
me the more1 as ,i own ,i expected it   
less4 ,go on in the pursuit and the     
increase of knowledge2 nay1 ,i am sure  
you will1 for you now know too much to  
stop2 and1 if ,mr4 ,harte would let you 
be idle1 ,i am convinced you would not4 
,but now that you have left ,leipsig1   
and are entered into the great world1   
remember there is another object that   
must keep pace with1 and accompany      
knowledge2 ,i mean manners1 politeness1 
and the ,graces2 in which ,sir ,charles 
,williams1 though very much your friend1
 owns that you are very deficient4 ,the 
manners of ,leipsig must be shook off2  
and in that respect you must put on the 
new man4 ,no scrambling at your meals1  

as at a ,german ordinary2 no awkward    
overturns of glasses1 plates1 and       
salt-cellars2 no horse play4 ,on the    
contrary1 a gentleness of manners1 a    
graceful carriage1 and an insinuating   
address1 must take their place4 ,i      
repeat1 and shall never cease repeating 
to you1 ,,the ,,graces1 ,,the ,,graces4 
,i desire that as soon as ever you get  
to ,turin you will apply yourself       
diligently to the ,italian language2    
that before you leave that place1 you   
may know it well enough to be able to   
speak tolerably when you get to ,rome2  
where you will soon make yourself       
perfectly master of ,italian1 from the  
daily necessity you will be under of    
speaking it4 ,in the mean time1 ,i      
insist upon your not neglecting1 much   
less forgetting1 the ,german you already
 know2 which you may not only continue  
but improve1 by speaking it constantly  
to your ,saxon boy1 and as often as you 
can to the several ,germans you will    
meet in your travels4 ,you remember1 no 

doubt1 that you must never write to me  
from ,turin1 but in the ,german language
 and character4  ,i send you the        
inclosed letter of recommendation to    
,mr4 ,smith the ,king's ,consul at      
,venice2 who can1 and ,i daresay will1  
be more useful to you there than        
anybody4 ,pray make your court1 and     
behave your best1 to ,monsieur and      
,madame ,capello1 who will be of great  
use to you at ,rome4 ,adieu6 ,yours     
tenderly4     ,,letter ,,lxviii         
,,london1 ,april #ai1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4    
,,dear ,,boy3 ,this letter will1 ,i     
believe1 still find you at ,venice in   
all the dissipation of masquerades1     
ridottos1 operas1 etc4 ,with all my     
heart2 they are decent evening's        
amusements1 and very properly succeed   
that serious application to which ,i am 
sure you devote your mornings4 ,there   
are liberal and illiberal pleasures as  
well as liberal and illiberal arts3     
,there are some pleasures that degrade a
 gentleman as much as some trades could 

do4 ,sottish drinking1 indiscriminate   
gluttony1 driving coaches1 rustic       
sports1 such as fox-chases1 horse-races1
 etc41 are in my opinion infinitely     
below the honest and industrious        
profession of a tailor and a shoemaker1 
which are said to #8deroger'4  ,as you  
are now in a musical country1 where     
singing1 fiddling1 and piping1 are not  
only the common topics of conversation1 
but almost the principal objects of     
attention1 ,i cannot help cautioning you
 against giving in to those 7,i will    
call them illiberal7 pleasures 7though  
music is commonly reckoned one of the   
liberal arts7 to the degree that most of
 your countrymen do1 when they travel in
 ,italy4 ,if you love music1 hear it2 go
 to operas1 concerts1 and pay fiddlers  
to play to you2 but ,i insist upon your 
neither piping nor fiddling yourself4   
,it puts a gentleman in a very          
frivolous1 contemptible light2 brings   
him into a great deal of bad company2   
and takes up a great deal of time1 which

 might be much better employed4 ,few    
things would mortify me more1 than to   
see you bearing a part in a concert1    
with a fiddle under your chin1 or a pipe
 in your mouth4  ,i have had a great    
deal of conversation with ,comte du     
,perron and ,comte ,lascaris upon your  
subject3 and ,i will tell you1 very     
truly1 what ,comte du ,perron 7who is1  
in my opinion1 a very pretty man7 said  
of you3 #8,il a de l'esprit1 un savoir  
peu commun a son age1 une grande        
vivacite1 et quand il aura pris des     
manieres il sera parfait2 car il faut   
avouer qu'il sent encore le college2    
mars cela viendra'4 ,i was very glad to 
hear1 from one whom ,i think so good a  
judge1 that you wanted nothing but #8des
 manieres'1 which ,i am convinced you   
will now soon acquire1 in the company   
which henceforward you are likely to    
keep4 ,but ,i must add1 too1 that if you
 should not acquire them1 all the rest  
will be of little use to you4 ,by       
#8manieres'1 ,i do not mean bare common 

civility2 everybody must have that who  
would not be kicked out of company2 but 
,i mean engaging1 insinuating1 shining  
manners2 distinguished politeness1 an   
almost irresistible address2 a superior 
gracefulness in all you say and do4 ,it 
is this alone that can give all your    
other talents their full lustre and     
value2 and1 consequently1 it is this    
which should now be thy principal object
 of your attention4 ,observe minutely1  
wherever you go1 the allowed and        
established models of good-breeding1 and
 form yourself upon them4 ,whatever     
pleases you most in others1 will        
infallibly please others in you4 ,i have
 often repeated this to you2 now is your
 time of putting it in practice4  ,pray 
make my compliments to ,mr4 ,harte1 and 
tell him ,i have received his letter    
from ,vienna of the #afth ,n4 ,s41 but  
that ,i shall not trouble him with an   
answer to it till ,i have received the  
other letter which he promises me1 upon 
the subject of one of my last4 ,i long  

to hear from him after your settlement  
at ,turin3 the months that you are to   
pass there will be very decisive ones   
for you4 ,the exercises of the ,academy1
 and the manners of courts must be      
attended to and acquired2 and1 at the   
same time1 your other studies continued4
 ,i am sure you will not pass1 nor      
desire1 one single idle hour there3 for 
,i do not foresee that you can1 in any  
part of your life1 put out six months to
 greater interest1 than those next six  
at ,turin4  ,we will talk hereafter     
about your stay at ,rome and in other   
parts of ,italy4 ,this only ,i will now 
recommend to you2 which is1 to extract  
the spirit of every place you go to4 ,in
 those places which are only            
distinguished by classical fame1 and    
valuable remains of antiquity1 have your
 classics in your hand and in your head2
 compare the ancient geography and      
descriptions with the modern1 and never 
fail to take notes4 ,rome will furnish  
you with business enough of that sort2  

but then it furnishes you with many     
other objects well deserving your       
attention1 such as deep ecclesiastical  
craft and policy4 ,adieu4     ,,letter  
,,lxix  ,,london1 ,april #bg1 ,o4 ,s4   
#agdi4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,i have received  
your letter from ,vienna1 of the #aith  
,n4 ,s41 which gives me great uneasiness
 upon ,mr4 ,harte's account4 ,you and ,i
 have reason to interest ourselves very 
particularly in everything that relates 
to him4 ,i am glad1 however1 that no    
bone is broken or dislocated2 which     
being the case1 ,i hope he will have    
been able to pursue his journey to      
,venice4 ,in that supposition ,i direct 
this letter to you at ,turin2 where it  
will either find1 or at least not wait  
very long for you1 as ,i calculate that 
you will be there by the end of next    
month1 ,n4 ,s4 ,i hope you reflect how  
much you have to do there1 and that you 
are determined to employ every moment of
 your time accordingly4 ,you have your  
classical and severer studies to        

continue with ,mr4 ,harte2 you have your
 exercises to learn2 the turn and       
manners of a court to acquire2 reserving
 always some time for the decent        
amusements and pleasures of a gentleman4
 ,you see ,i am never against pleasures2
 ,i loved them myself when ,i was of    
your age1 and it is as reasonable that  
you should love them now4 ,but ,i insist
 upon it that pleasures are very        
combinable with both business and       
studies1 and have a much better relish  
from the mixture4 ,the man who cannot   
join business and pleasure is either a  
formal coxcomb in the one1 or a sensual 
beast in the other4 ,your evenings ,i   
therefore allot for company1 assemblies1
 balls1 and such sort of amusements1 as 
,i look upon those to be the best       
schools for the manners of a gentleman2 
which nothing can give but use1         
observation1 and experience4 ,you have1 
besides1 ,italian to learn1 to which ,i 
desire you will diligently apply2 for   
though ,french is1 ,i believe1 the      

language of the court at ,turin1 yet    
,italian will be very necessary for you 
at ,rome1 and in other parts of ,italy2 
and if you are well grounded in it while
 you are at ,turin 7as you easily may1  
for it is a very easy language71 your   
subsequent stay at ,rome will make you  
perfect in it4 ,i would also have you   
acquire a general notion of             
fortification2 ,i mean so far as not to 
be ignorant of the terms1 which you will
 often hear mentioned in company1 such  
as ravelin1 bastion2 glacis1            
contrescarpe1 etc4 ,in order to this1 ,i
 do not propose that you should make a  
study of fortification1 as if you were  
to be an engineer1 but a very easy way  
of knowing as much as you need know of  
them1 will be to visit often the        
fortifications of ,turin1 in company    
with some old officer or engineer1 who  
will show and explain to you the several
 works themselves2 by which means you   
will get a clearer notion of them than  
if you were to see them only upon paper 

for seven years together4 ,go to        
originals whenever you can1 and trust to
 copies and descriptions as little as   
possible4 ,at your idle hours1 while you
 are at ,turin1 pray read the history of
 the ,house of ,savoy1 which has        
produced a great many very great men4   
,the late king1 ,victor ,amedee1 was    
undoubtedly one1 and the present king   
is1 in my opinion1 another4 ,in general1
 ,i believe that little princes are more
 likely to be great men than those whose
 more extensive dominions and superior  
strength flatter them with a security1  
which commonly produces negligence and  
indolence4 ,a little prince1 in the     
neighborhood of great ones1 must be     
alert and look out sharp1 if he would   
secure his own dominions3 much more     
still if he would enlarge them4 ,he must
 watch for conjunctures or endeavor to  
make them4 ,no princes have ever        
possessed this art better than those of 
the ,house of ,savoy2 who have enlarged 
their dominions prodigiously within a   

century by profiting of conjunctures4   
,i send you here inclosed a letter from 
,comte ,lascaris1 who is a warm friend  
of yours3 ,i desire that you will answer
 it very soon and cordially1 and        
remember to make your compliments in it 
to ,comte du ,perron4 ,a young man      
should never be wanting in those        
attentions2 they cost little and bring  
in a great deal1 by getting you people's
 good word and affection4 ,they gain the
 heart1 to which ,i have always advised 
you to apply yourself particularly2 it  
guides ten thousand for one that1 reason
 influences4  ,i cannot end this letter 
or 7,i believe7 any other1 without      
repeating my recommendation of ,,the    
,,graces4 ,they are to be met with at   
,turin3 for ,god's sake1 sacrifice to   
them1 and they will be propitious4      
,people mistake grossly1 to imagine that
 the least awkwardness1 either in matter
 or manner1 mind or body1 is an         
indifferent thing and not worthy of     
attention4 ,it may possibly be a        

weakness in me1 but in short we are all 
so made3 ,i confess to you fairly1 that 
when you shall come home and that ,i    
first see you1 if ,i find you ungraceful
 in your address1 and awkward in your   
person and dress1 it will be impossible 
for me to love you half so well as ,i   
should otherwise do1 let your intrinsic 
merit and knowledge be ever so great4   
,if that would be your case with me1 as 
it really would1 judge how much worse it
 might be with others1 who have not the 
same affection and partiality for you1  
and to whose hearts you must make your  
own way4  ,remember to write to me      
constantly while you are in ,italy1 in  
the ,german language and character1 till
 you can write to me in ,italian2 which 
will not be till you have been some time
 at ,rome4  ,adieu1 my dear boy3 may you
 turn out what ,mr4 ,harte and ,i wish  
you4 ,i must add that if you do not1 it 
will be both your own fault and your own
 misfortune4     ,,letter ,,lxx         
,,london1 ,may #ae1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4      

,,dear ,,boy3 ,this letter will1 ,i     
hope1 find you settled to your serious  
studies1 and your necessary exercises at
 ,turin1 after the hurry and the        
dissipation of the ,carnival at ,venice4
 ,i mean that your stay at ,turin       
should1 and ,i flatter myself that it   
will1 be an useful and ornamental period
 of your education2 but at the same time
 ,i must tell you1 that all my affection
 for you has never yet given me so much 
anxiety1 as that which ,i now feel4     
,while you are in danger1 ,i shall be in
 fear2 and you are in danger at ,turin4 
,mr4 ,harte will by his care arm you as 
well as he can against it2 but your own 
good sense and resolution can alone make
 you invulnerable4 ,i am informed1 there
 are now many ,english at the ,academy  
at ,turin2 and ,i fear those are just so
 many dangers for you to encounter4 ,who
 they are1 ,i do not know2 but ,i well  
know the general ill conduct1 the       
indecent behavior1 and the illiberal    
views1 of my young countrymen4 abroad2  

especially wherever they are in numbers 
together4 ,ill example is of itself     
dangerous enough2 but those who give it 
seldom stop there2 they add their       
infamous exhortations and invitations2  
and1 if they fail1 they have recourse to
 ridicule1 which is harder for one of   
your age and inexperience to withstand  
than either of the former4 ,be upon your
 guard1 therefore1 against these        
batteries1 which will all be played upon
 you4 ,you are not sent abroad to       
converse with your own countrymen3 among
 them1 in general1 you will get1 little 
knowledge1 no languages1 and1 ,i am     
sure1 no manners4 ,i desire that you    
will form no connections1 nor 7what they
 impudently call7 friendships with these
 people2 which are1 in truth1 only      
combinations and conspiracies against   
good morals and good manners4 ,there is 
commonly1 in young people1 a facility   
that makes them unwilling to refuse     
anything that is asked of them2 a       
#8mauvaise honte' that makes them       

ashamed to refuse2 and1 at the same     
time1 an ambition of pleasing and       
shining in the company they keep3 these 
several causes produce the best effect  
in good company1 but the very worst in  
bad4 ,if people had no vices but their  
own1 few would have so many as they     
have4 ,for my own part1 ,i would sooner 
wear other people's clothes than their  
vices2 and they would sit upon me just  
as well4 ,i hope you will have none2 but
 if ever you have1 ,i beg1 at least1    
they may be all your own4 ,vices of     
adoption are1 of all others1 the most   
disgraceful and unpardonable4 ,there are
 degrees in vices1 as well as in        
virtues2 and ,i must do my countrymen   
the justice to say1 that they generally 
take their vices in the lower degree4   
,their gallantry is the infamous mean   
debauchery of stews1 justly attended and
 rewarded by the loss of their health1  
as well as their character4 ,their      
pleasures of the table end in beastly   
drunkenness1 low riot1 broken windows1  

and very often 7as they well deserve71  
broken bones4 ,they game for the sake of
 the vice1 not of the amusement2 and    
therefore carry it to excess2 undo1 or  
are undone by their companions4 ,by such
 conduct1 and in such company abroad1   
they come home1 the unimproved1         
illiberal1 and ungentlemanlike creatures
 that one daily sees them1 that is1 in  
the park and in the streets1 for one    
never meets them in good company2 where 
they have neither manners to present    
themselves1 nor merit to be received4   
,but1 with the manners of footmen and   
grooms1 they assume their dress too2 for
 you must have observed them in the     
streets here1 in dirty blue frocks1 with
 oaken sticks in their ends1 and their  
hair greasy and unpowdered1 tucked up   
under their hats of an enormous size4   
,thus finished and adorned by their     
travels1 they become the disturbers of  
play-houses2 they break the windows1 and
 commonly the landlords1 of the taverns 
where they drink2 and are at once the   

support1 the terror1 and the victims1 of
 the bawdy-houses they frequent4 ,these 
poor mistaken people think they shine1  
and so they do indeed2 but it is as     
putrefaction shines in the dark4  ,i am 
not now preaching to you1 like an old   
fellow1 upon their religious or moral   
texts2 ,i am persuaded that you do not  
want the best instructions of that kind3
 but ,i am advising you as a friend1 as 
a man of the world1 as one who would not
 have you old while you are young1 but  
would have you to take all the pleasures
 that reason points out1 and that       
decency warrants4 ,i will therefore     
suppose1 for argument's sake 7for upon  
no other account can it be supposed71   
that all the vices above mentioned were 
perfectly innocent in themselves3 they  
would still degrade1 vilify1 and sink   
those who practiced them2 would obstruct
 their rising in the world by debasing  
their characters2 and give them low turn
 of mind1 and manners absolutely        
inconsistent with their making any      

figure in upper life and great business4
  ,what ,i have now said1 together with 
your own good sense1 is1 ,i hope1       
sufficient to arm you against the       
seduction1 the invitations1 or the      
profligate exhortations 7for ,i cannot  
call them temptations7 of those         
unfortunate young people4 ,on the other 
hand1 when they would engage you in     
these schemes1 content yourself with a  
decent but steady refusal2 avoid        
controversy upon such plain points4 ,you
 are too young to convert them2 and1 ,i 
trust1 too wise to be converted by them4
 ,shun them not only in reality1 but    
even in appearance1 if you would be well
 received in good company2 for people   
will always be shy of receiving a man   
who comes from a place where the plague 
rages1 let him look ever so healthy4    
,there are some expressions1 both in    
,french and ,english1 and some          
characters1 both in those two and in    
other countries1 which have1 ,i dare    
say1 misled many young men to their     

ruin4 #8,une honnete debauche1 une jolie
 debauche2 8,an agreeable rake1 a man of
 pleasure40 ,do not think that this     
means debauchery and profligacy2 nothing
 like it4 ,it means1 at most1 the       
accidental and unfrequent irregularities
 of youth and vivacity1 in opposition to
 dullness1 formality1 and want of       
spirit4 ,a #8commerce galant'1          
insensibly formed with a woman of       
fashion2 a glass of wine or two too     
much1 unwarily taken in the warmth and  
joy of good company2 or some innocent   
frolic1 by which nobody is injured1 are 
the utmost bounds of that life of       
pleasure1 which a man of sense and      
decency1 who has a regard for his       
character1 will allow himself1 or be    
allowed by others4 ,those who transgress
 them in the hopes of shining1 miss     
their aim1 and become infamous1 or at   
least1 contemptible4  ,the length or    
shortness of your stay at ,turin will   
sufficiently inform me 7even though ,mr4
 ,harte should not7 of your conduct     

there2 for1 as ,i have told you before1 
,mr4 ,harte has the strictest orders to 
carry you away immediately from thence1 
upon the first and least symptom of     
infection that he discovers about you2  
and ,i know him to be too               
conscientiously scrupulous1 and too much
 your friend and mine not to execute    
them exactly4 ,moreover1 ,i will inform 
you1 that ,i shall have constant        
accounts of your behavior from ,comte   
,salmour1 the ,governor of the ,academy1
 whose son is now here1 and my          
particular friend4 ,i have1 also1 other 
good channels of intelligence1 of which 
,i do not apprise you4 ,but1 supposing  
that all turns out well at ,turin1 yet1 
as ,i propose your being at ,rome for   
the jubilee1 at ,christmas1 ,i desire   
that you will apply yourself diligently 
to your exercises of dancing1 fencing1  
and riding at the ,academy2 as well for 
the sake of your health and growth1 as  
to fashion and supple you4 ,you must not
 neglect your dress neither1 but take   

care to be #8bien mis'4 ,pray send for  
the best operator for the teeth at      
,turin1 where ,i suppose there is some  
famous one2 and let him put yours in    
perfect order2 and then take care to    
keep them so1 afterward1 yourself4 ,you 
had very good teeth1 and ,i hope they   
are so still2 but even those who have   
bad ones1 should keep them clean2 for a 
dirty mouth is1 in my mind1 ill manners4
 ,in short1 neglect nothing that can    
possibly please4 ,a thousand nameless   
little things1 which nobody can         
describe1 but which everybody feels1    
conspire to form that ,,whole of        
pleasing2 as the several pieces of a    
,mosaic work though1 separately1 of     
little beauty or value1 when properly   
joined1 form those beautiful figures    
which please everybody4 ,a look1 a      
gesture1 an attitude1 a tone of voice1  
all bear their parts in the great work  
of pleasing4 ,the art of pleasing is    
more particularly necessary in your     
intended profession than perhaps in any 

other2 it is1 in truth1 the first half  
of your business2 for if you do not     
please the court you are sent to1 you   
will be of very little use to the court 
you are sent from4 ,please the eyes and 
the ears1 they will introduce you to the
 heart2 and nine times in ten1 the heart
 governs the understanding4  ,make your 
court particularly1 and show            
distinguished attentions to such men and
 women as are best at court1 highest in 
the fashion1 and in the opinion of the  
public2 speak advantageously of them    
behind their backs1 in companies whom   
you have reason to believe will tell    
them again4 ,express your admiration of 
the many great men that the ,house of   
,savoy has produced2 observe that       
nature1 instead of being exhausted by   
those efforts1 seems to have redoubled  
them1 in the person of the present      
,king1 and the ,duke of ,savoy2 wonder1 
at this rate1 where it will end1 and    
conclude that it must end in the        
government of all ,europe4 ,say this1   

likewise1 where it will probably be     
repeated2 but say it unaffectedly1 and1 
the last especially1 with a kind of     
#8enjouement'4 ,these little arts are   
very allowable1 and must be made use of 
in the course of the world2 they are    
pleasing to one party1 useful to the    
other1 and injurious to nobody4  ,what  
,i have said with regard to my          
countrymen in general1 does not extend  
to them all without exception2 there are
 some who have both merit and manners4  
,your friend1 ,mr4 ,stevens1 is among   
the latter2 and ,i approve of your      
connection with him4 ,you may happen to 
meet with some others1 whose friendship 
may be of great use to you hereafter1   
either from their superior talents1 or  
their rank and fortune2 cultivate them2 
but then ,i desire that ,mr4 ,harte may 
be the judge of those persons4  ,adieu  
my dear child6 ,consider seriously the  
importance of the two next years to your
 character1 your figure1 and your       
fortune4     ,,letter ,,lxxi  ,,london1 

,may #bb1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4  ,,dear ,,boy3 
,i recommended to you1 in my last1 an   
innocent piece of art2 that of          
flattering people behind their backs1 in
 presence of those who1 to make their   
own court1 much more than for your sake1
 will not fail to repeat and even       
amplify the praise to the party         
concerned4 ,this is1 of all flattery1   
the most pleasing1 and consequently the 
most effectual4 ,there are other1 and   
many other1 inoffensive arts of this    
kind1 which are necessary in the course 
of the world1 and which he who practices
 the earliest1 will please the most1 and
 rise the soonest4 ,the spirits and     
vivacity of youth are apt to neglect    
them as useless1 or reject them as      
troublesome4 ,but subsequent knowledge  
and experience of the world reminds us  
of their importance1 commonly when it is
 too late4 ,the principal of these      
things is the mastery of one's temper1  
and that coolness of mind1 and serenity 
of countenance1 which hinders us from   

discovering by words1 actions1 or even  
looks1 those passions or sentiments by  
which we are inwardly moved or agitated2
 and the discovery of which gives cooler
 and abler people such infinite         
advantages over us1 not only in great   
business1 but in all the most common    
occurrences of life4 ,a man who does not
 possess himself enough to hear         
disagreeable things without visible     
marks of anger and change of            
countenance1 or agreeable ones1 without 
sudden bursts of joy and expansion of   
countenance1 is at the mercy of every   
artful knave or pert coxcomb2 the former
 will provoke or please you by design1  
to catch unguarded words or looks by    
which he will easily decipher the       
secrets of your heart1 of which you     
should keep the key yourself1 and trust 
it with no man living4 ,the latter will1
 by his absurdity1 and without intending
 it1 produce the same discoveries of    
which other people will avail           
themselves4 ,you will say1 possibly1    

that this coolness must be              
constitutional1 and consequently does   
not depend upon the will3 and ,i will   
allow that constitution has some power  
over us2 but ,i will maintain1 too1 that
 people very often1 to excuse           
themselves1 very unjustly accuse their  
constitutions4 ,care and reflection1 if 
properly used1 will get the better3 and 
a man may as surely get a habit of      
letting his reason prevail over his     
constitution1 as of letting1 as most    
people do1 the latter prevail over the  
former4 ,if you find yourself subject to
 sudden starts of passion or madness    
7for ,i see no difference between them  
but in their duration71 resolve within  
yourself1 at least1 never to speak one  
word while you feel that emotion within 
you4 ,determine1 too1 to keep your      
countenance as unmoved and unembarrassed
 as possible2 which steadiness you may  
get a habit of1 by constant attention4  
,i should desire nothing better1 in any 
negotiation1 than to have to do with one

 of those men of warm1 quick passions2  
which ,i would take care to set in      
motion4 ,by artful provocations ,i would
 extort rash unguarded expressions2 and1
 by hinting at all the several things   
that ,i could suspect1 infallibly       
discover the true one1 by the alteration
 it occasioned in the countenance of the
 person4 #8,volto sciolto con pensieri  
stretti'1 is a most useful maxim in     
business4 ,it is so necessary at some   
games1 such as #8,berlan ,quinze'1 etc41
 that a man who had not the command of  
his temper and countenance1 would       
infallibly be outdone by those who had1 
even though they played fair4 ,whereas1 
in business1 you always play with       
sharpers2 to whom1 at least1 you should 
give no fair advantages4 ,it may be     
objected1 that ,i am now recommending   
dissimulation to you2 ,i both own and   
justify it4 ,it has been long said1     
#8,qui nescit dissimulare nescit        
regnare'3 ,i go still further1 and say1 
that without some dissimulation no      

business can be carried on at all4 ,it  
is ,,simulation that is false1 mean1 and
 criminal3 that is the cunning which    
,lord ,bacon calls crooked or           
left-handed wisdom1 and which is never  
made use of but by those who have not   
true wisdom4 ,and the same great man    
says1 that dissimulation is only to hide
 our own cards1 whereas simulation is   
put on1 in order to look into other     
people's4 ,lord ,bolingbroke1 in his    
8,idea of a ,patriot ,king10  which he  
has lately published1 and which ,i will 
send you by the first opportunity1 says 
very justly that simulation is a        
,,stiletto1--not only an unjust but an  
unlawful weapon1 and the use of it very 
rarely to be excused1 never justified4  
,whereas dissimulation is a shield1 as  
secrecy is armor2 and it is no more     
possible to preserve secrecy in         
business1 without same degree of        
dissimulation1 than it is to succeed in 
business without secrecy4 ,he goes on1  
and says1 that those two arts of        

dissimulation and secrecy are like the  
alloy mingled with pure ore3 a little is
 necessary1 and will not debase the coin
 below its proper standard2 but if more 
than that little be employed 7that is1  
simulation and cunning71 the coin loses 
its currency1 and the coiner his credit4
  ,make yourself absolute master1       
therefore1 of your temper and your      
countenance1 so far1 at least1 as that  
no visible change do appear in either1  
whatever you may feel inwardly4 ,this   
may be difficult1 but it is by no means 
impossible2 and1 as a man of sense never
 attempts impossibilities on one hand1  
on the other1 he is never discouraged by
 difficulties3 on the contrary1 he      
redoubles his industry and his          
diligence2 he perseveres1 and infallibly
 prevails at last4 ,in any point which  
prudence bids you pursue1 and which a   
manifest utility attends1 let           
difficulties only animate your industry1
 not deter you from the pursuit4 ,if one
 way has failed1 try another2 be active1

 persevere1 and you will conquer4 ,some 
people are to be reasoned1 some         
flattered1 some intimidated1 and some   
teased into a thing2 but1 in general1   
all are to be brought into it at last1  
if skillfully applied to1 properly      
managed1 and indefatigably attacked in  
their several weak places4 ,the time    
should likewise be judiciously chosen2  
every man has his #8mollia tempora'1 but
 that is far from being all day long2   
and you would choose your time very ill1
 if you applied to a man about one      
business1 when his head was full of     
another1 or when his heart was full of  
grief1 anger1 or any other disagreeable 
sentiment4  ,in order to judge of the   
inside of others1 study your own2 for   
men in general are very much alike2 and 
though one has one prevailing passion1  
and another has another1 yet their      
operations are much the same2 and       
whatever engages or disgusts1 pleases or
 offends you1 in others will1 #8mutatis 
mutandis'1 engage1 disgust1 please1 or  

offend others1 in you4 ,observe with the
 utmost attention all the operations of 
your own mind1 the nature of your       
passions1 and the various motives that  
determine your will2 and you may1 in a  
great degree1 know all mankind4 ,for    
instance1 do you find yourself hurt and 
mortified when another makes you feel   
his superiority1 and your own           
inferiority1 in knowledge1 parts1 rank1 
or fortune8 ,you will certainly take    
great care not to make a person whose   
good will1 good word1 interest1 esteem1 
or friendship1 you would gain1 feel that
 superiority in you1 in case you have   
it4 ,if disagreeable insinuations1 sly  
sneers1 or repeated contradictions1     
tease and irritate you1 would you use   
them where you wish to engage and       
please8 ,surely not1 and ,i hope you    
wish to engage and please1 almost       
universally4 ,the temptation of saying a
 smart and witty thing1 or #8bon mot'2  
and the malicious applause with which it
 is commonly received1 has made people  

who can say them1 and1 still oftener1   
people who think they can1 but cannot1  
and yet try1 more enemies1 and          
implacable ones too1 than any one other 
thing that ,i know of3 ,when such       
things1 then1 shall happen to be said at
 your expense 7as sometimes they        
certainly will71 reflect seriously upon 
the sentiments of uneasiness1 anger1 and
 resentment which they excite in you2   
and consider whether it can be prudent1 
by the same means1 to excite the same   
sentiments in others against you4 ,it is
 a decided folly to lose a friend for a 
jest2 but1 in my mind1 it is not a much 
less degree of folly to make an enemy of
 an indifferent and neutral person1 for 
the sake of a #8bon mot'4 ,when things  
of this kind happen to be said of you1  
the most prudent way is to seem not to  
suppose that they are meant at you1 but 
to dissemble and conceal whatever degree
 of anger you may feel inwardly2 but1   
should they be so plain that you cannot 
be supposed ignorant of their meaning1  

to join in the laugh of the company     
against yourself2 acknowledge the hit to
 be a fair one1 and the jest a good one1
 and play off the whole thing in seeming
 good humor2 but by no means reply in   
the same way2 which only shows that you 
are hurt1 and publishes the victory     
which you might have concealed4 ,should 
the thing said1 indeed injure your honor
 or moral character1 there is but one   
proper reply2 which ,i hope you never   
will have occasion to make4  ,as the    
female part of the world has some       
influence1 and often too much1 over the 
male1 your conduct with regard to women 
7,i mean women of fashion1 for ,i cannot
 suppose you capable of conversing with 
any others7 deserves some share in your 
reflections4 ,they are a numerous and   
loquacious body3 their hatred would be  
more prejudicial than their friendship  
can be advantageous to you4 ,a general  
complaisance and attention to that sex  
is therefore established by custom1 and 
certainly necessary4 ,but where you     

would particularly please anyone1 whose 
situation1 interest1 or connections1 can
 be of use to you1 you must show        
particular preference4 ,the least       
attentions please1 the greatest charm   
them4 ,the innocent but pleasing        
flattery of their persons1 however      
gross1 is greedily swallowed and kindly 
digested3 but a seeming regard for their
 understandings1 a seeming desire of1   
and deference for1 their advice1        
together with a seeming confidence in   
their moral virtues1 turns their heads  
entirely in your favor4 ,nothing shocks 
them so much as the least appearance of 
that contempt which they are apt to     
suspect men of entertaining of their    
capacities2 and you may be very sure of 
gaining their friendship if you seem to 
think it worth gaining4 ,here           
dissimulation is very often necessary1  
and even simulation sometimes allowable2
 which1 as it pleases them1 may1 be     
useful to you1 and is injurious to      
nobody4  ,this torn sheet1 which ,i did 

not observe when ,i began upon it1 as it
 alters the figure1 shortens1 too1 the  
length of my letter4 ,it may very well  
afford it3 my anxiety for you carries me
 insensibly to these lengths4 ,i am apt 
to flatter myself1 that my experience1  
at the latter end of my life1 may be of 
use to you at the beginning of yours2   
and ,i do not grudge the greatest       
trouble1 if it can procure you the least
 advantage4 ,i even repeat frequently   
the same things1 the better to imprint  
them on your young1 and1 ,i suppose1 yet
 giddy mind2 and ,i shall think that    
part of my time the best employed1 that 
contributes to make you employ yours    
well4 ,god bless you1 child6            
,,letter ,,lxxii  ,,london1 ,june #af1  
,o4 ,s4 #agdi4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,i do not 
guess where this letter will find you1  
but ,i hope it will find you well3 ,i   
direct it eventually to ,laubach2 from  
whence ,i suppose you have taken care to
 have your letters sent after you4 ,i   
received no account from ,mr4 ,harte by 

last post1 and the mail due this day is 
not yet come in2 so that my informations
 come down no lower than the #b;d ,june1
 ,n4 ,s41 the date of ,mr4 ,harte's last
 letter4 ,as ,i am now easy about your  
health1 ,i am only curious about your   
motions1 which ,i hope have been either 
to ,inspruck or ,verona2 for ,i         
disapprove extremely of your proposed   
long and troublesome journey to         
,switzerland4 ,wherever you may be1 ,i  
recommend to you to get as much ,italian
 as you can1 before you go either to    
,rome or ,naples3 a little will be of   
great use to you upon the road2 and the 
knowledge of the grammatical part1 which
 you can easily acquire in two or three 
months1 will not only facilitate your   
progress1 but accelerate your perfection
 in that language1 when you go to those 
places where it is generally spoken2 as 
,naples1 ,rome1 ,florence1 etc4  ,should
 the state of your health not yet admit 
of your usual application to books1 you 
may1 in a great degree1 and ,i hope you 

will1 repair that loss by useful and    
instructive conversations with ,mr4     
,harte3 you may1 for example1 desire him
 to give you in conversation the        
outlines1 at least1 of ,mr4 ,locke's    
logic2 a general notion of ethics1 and a
 verbal epitome of rhetoric2 of all     
which ,mr4 ,harte will give you clearer 
ideas in half an hour1 by word of mouth1
 than the books of most of the dull     
fellows who have written upon those     
subjects would do in a week4  ,i have   
waited so long for the post1 which ,i   
hoped would come1 that the post1 which  
is just going out1 obliges me to cut    
this letter short4 ,god bless you1 my   
dear child6 and restore you soon to     
perfect health6  ,my compliments to ,mr4
 ,harte2 to whose care your life is the 
least thing that you owe4     ,,letter  
,,lxxiii  ,,london1 ,june #bb1 ,o4 ,s4  
#agdi4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,the outside of   
your letter of the #gth ,n4 ,s41        
directed by your own hand1 gave me more 
pleasure than the inside of any other   

letter ever did4 ,i received it         
yesterday at the same time with one from
 ,mr4 ,harts of the #fth4 ,they arrived 
at a very proper time1 for they found a 
consultation of physicians in my room1  
upon account of a fever which ,i had for
 four or five days1 but which has now   
entirely left me4 ,as ,mr4 ,harte ,says 
,,that ,,your ,,lungs ,,now ,,and ,,then
 ,,give ,,you ,a ,,little ,,pain1 and   
that ,,your ,,swellings ,,come ,,and    
,,go ,,variably1 but as he mentions     
nothing of your coughing1 spitting1 or  
sweating1 the doctors take it for       
granted that you are entirely free from 
those three bad symptoms3 and from      
thence conclude1 that1 the pain which   
you sometimes feel upon your lungs is   
only symptomatical of your rheumatic    
disorder1 from the pressure of the      
muscles which hinders the free play of  
the lungs4 ,but1 however1 as the lungs  
are a point of the utmost importance and
 delicacy1 they insist upon your        
drinking1 in all events1 asses' milk    

twice a day1 and goats' whey as often as
 you please1 the oftener the better3 in 
your common diet1 they recommend an     
attention to pectorals1 such as sago1   
barley1 turnips1 etc4 ,these rules are  
equally good in rheumatic as in         
consumptive cases2 you will therefore1  
,i hope1 strictly observe them2 for ,i  
take it for granted that you are above  
the silly likings or dislikings1 in     
which silly people indulge their tastes1
 at the expense of their health4  ,i    
approve of your going to ,venice1 as    
much as ,i disapproved of your going to 
,switzerland4 ,i suppose that you are by
 this time arrived2 and1 in that        
supposition1 ,i direct this letter      
there4 ,but if you should find the heat 
too great1 or the water offensive1 at   
this time of the year1 ,i would have you
 go immediately to ,verona1 and stay    
there till the great heats are over1    
before you return to ,venice4  ,the time
 which you will probably pass at ,venice
 will allow you to make yourself master 

of that intricate and singular form of  
government1 of which few of our         
travelers know anything4 ,read1 ask1 and
 see everything that is relative to it4 
,there are likewise many valuable       
remains of the remotest antiquity1 and  
many fine pieces of the ,antico-moderno1
 all which deserve a different sort of  
attention from that which your          
countrymen commonly give them4 ,they go 
to see them1 as they go to see the      
lions1 and kings on horseback1 at the   
,tower here1 only to say that they have 
seen them4 ,you will1 ,i am sure1 view  
them in another light2 you will consider
 them as you would a poem1 to which     
indeed they are akin4 ,you will observe 
whether the sculptor has animated his   
stone1 or the painter his canvas1 into  
the just expression of those sentiments 
and passions which should characterize  
and mark their several figures4 ,you    
will examine1 likewise1 whether in their
 groups there be a unity of action1 or  
proper relation2 a truth of dress and   

manners4 ,sculpture and painting are    
very justly called liberal arts2 a      
lively and strong imagination1 together 
with a just observation1 being          
absolutely necessary to excel in either2
 which1 in my opinion1 is by no means   
the case of music1 though called a      
liberal art1 and now in ,italy placed   
even above the other two2 a proof of the
 decline of that country4 ,the ,venetian
 school produced many great painters1   
such as ,paul ,veronese1 ,titian1       
,palma1 etc41 of whom you will see1 as  
well in private houses as in churches1  
very fine pieces4 ,the ,last ,supper1 of
 ,paul ,veronese1 in the church of ,st4 
,george1 is reckoned his capital        
performance1 and deserves your          
attention2 as does also the famous      
picture of the ,cornaro ,family1 by     
,titian4 ,a taste for sculpture and     
painting is1 in my mind1 as becoming as 
a taste for fiddling and piping is      
unbecoming1 a man of fashion4 ,the      
former is connected with history and    

poetry2 the latter1 with nothing that ,i
 know of but bad company4  ,learn       
,italian as fast as ever you can1 that  
you may be able to understand it        
tolerably1 and speak it a little before 
you go to ,rome and ,naples3 ,there are 
many good historians in that language1  
and excellent translations of the       
ancient ,greek and ,latin authors2 which
 are called the ,collana2 but the only  
two ,italian poets that deserve your    
acquaintance are ,ariosto and ,tasso2   
and they undoubtedly have great merit4  
,make my compliments to ,mr4 ,harte1 and
 tell him that ,i have consulted about  
his leg1 and that if it was only a      
sprain1 he ought to keep a tight bandage
 about the part1 for a considerable     
time1 and do nothing else to it4 ,adieu6
 #8,jubeo te bene valere'4     ,,letter 
,,lxxiv  ,,london1 ,july #f1 ,o4 ,s4    
#agdi4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,as ,i am now no  
longer in pain about your health1 which 
,i trust is perfectly restored2 and as1 
by the various accounts ,i have had of  

you1 ,i need not be in pain about your  
learning1 our correspondence may1 for   
the future1 turn upon less important    
points1 comparatively2 though still very
 important ones3 ,i mean1 the knowledge 
of the world1 decorum1 manners1 address1
 and all those 7commonly called little7 
accomplishments1 which are absolutely   
necessary to give greater               
accomplishments their full1 value and   
lustre4  ,had ,i the admirable ring of  
,gyges1 which rendered the wearer       
invisible2 and had ,i1 at the same time1
 those magic powers1 which were very    
common formerly1 but are now very       
scarce1 of transporting myself1 by a    
wish1 to any given place1 my first      
expedition would be to ,venice1 there to
 ,,reconnoitre you1 unseen myself4 ,i   
would first take you in the morning1 at 
breakfast with ,mr4 ,harte1 and attend  
to your natural and unguarded           
conversation with him2 from whence1 ,i  
think1 ,i could pretty well judge of    
your natural turn of mind4 ,how ,i      

should rejoice if ,i overheard you      
asking him pertinent questions upon     
useful subjects6 or making judicious    
reflections upon the studies of that    
morning1 or the occurrences of the      
former day6 ,then ,i would follow you   
into the different companies of the day1
 and carefully observe in what manner   
you presented yourself to1 and behaved  
yourself with1 men of sense and dignity2
 whether your address was respectful1   
and yet easy2 your air modest1 and yet  
unembarrassed2 and ,i would1 at the same
 time1 penetrate into their thoughts1 in
 order to know whether your first       
#8abord' made that advantageous         
impression upon their fancies1 which a  
certain address1 air1 and manners1 never
 fail doing4 ,i would afterward follow  
you to the mixed companies of the       
evening2 such as assemblies1 suppers1   
etc41 and there watch if you trifled    
gracefully and genteelly3 if your       
good-breeding and politeness made way   
for your parts and knowledge4 ,with what

 pleasure should ,i hear people cry out1
 #8,che garbato cavaliere1 com' e       
pulito1 disinvolto1 spiritoso'6 ,if all 
these things turned out to my mind1 ,i  
would immediately assume my own shape1  
become visible1 and embrace you3 but if 
the contrary happened1 ,i would preserve
 my invisibility1 make the best of my   
way home again1 and sink my             
disappointment upon you and the world4  
,as1 unfortunately1 these supernatural  
powers of genii1 fairies1 sylphs1 and   
gnomes1 have had the fate of the oracles
 they succeeded1 and have ceased for    
some time1 ,i must content myself 7till 
we meet naturally1 and in the common    
way7 with ,mr4 ,harte's written accounts
 of you1 and the verbal ones which ,i   
now and then receive from people who    
have seen you4 ,however1 ,i believe it  
would do you no harm1 if you would      
always imagine that ,i were present1 and
 saw and heard everything you did and   
said4  ,there is a certain concurrence  
of various little circumstances which   

compose what the ,french call           
#8l'aimable'2 and which1 now that you   
are entering into the world1 you ought  
to make it your particular study to     
acquire4 ,without them1 your learning   
will be pedantry1 your conversation     
often improper1 always unpleasant1 and  
your figure1 however good in itself1    
awkward and unengaging4 ,a diamond1     
while rough1 has indeed its intrinsic   
value2 but1 till polished1 is of no use1
 and would neither be sought for nor    
worn4 ,its great lustre1 it is true1    
proceeds from its solidity and strong   
cohesion of parts2 but without the last 
polish1 it would remain forever a dirty1
 rough mineral1 in the cabinets of some 
few curious collectors4 ,you have2 ,i   
hope1 that solidity and cohesion of     
parts2 take now as much pains to get the
 lustre4 ,good company1 if you make the 
right use of it1 will cut you into      
shape1 and give you the true brilliant  
polish4 ,a propos of diamonds3 ,i have  
sent you by ,sir ,james ,gray1 the      

,king's ,minister1 who will be at       
,venice about the middle of ,september1 
my own diamond buckles2 which are fitter
 for your young feet than for my old    
ones3 they will properly adorn you2 they
 would only expose me4 ,if ,sir ,james  
finds anybody whom he can trust1 and who
 will be at ,venice before him1 he will 
send them by that person2 but if he     
should not1 and that you should be gone 
from ,venice before he gets there1 he   
will in that case give them to your     
banker1 ,monsieur ,cornet1 to forward to
 you1 wherever you may then be4 ,you are
 now of an age1 at which the adorning   
your person is not only not ridiculous1 
but proper and becoming4 ,negligence    
would imply either an indifference about
 pleasing1 or else an insolent security 
of pleasing1 without using those means  
to which others are obliged to have     
recourse4 ,a thorough cleanliness in    
your person is as necessary for your own
 health1 as it is not to be offensive to
 other people4 ,washing yourself1 and   

rubbing your body and limbs frequently  
with a fleshbrush1 will conduce as much 
to health as to cleanliness4 ,a         
particular attention to the cleanliness 
of your mouth1 teeth1 hands1 and nails1 
is but common decency1 in order not to  
offend people's eyes and noses4  ,i send
 you here inclosed a letter of          
recommendation to the ,duke of          
,nivernois1 the ,french ,ambassador at  
,rome2 who is1 in my opinion1 one of the
 prettiest men ,i ever knew in my life4 
,i do not know a better model for you to
 form yourself upon2 pray observe and   
frequent him as much as you can4 ,he    
will show you what manners and graces   
are4 ,i shall1 by successive posts1 send
 you more letters1 both for ,rome and   
,naples1 where it will be your own fault
 entirely if you do not keep the very   
best company4  ,as you will meet swarms 
of ,germans wherever you go1 ,i desire  
that you will constantly converse with  
them in their own language1 which will  
improve you in that language1 and be1 at

 the same time1 an agreeable piece of   
civility to them4  ,your stay in ,italy 
will1 ,i do not doubt1 make you         
critically master of ,italian2 ,i know  
it may1 if you please1 for it is a very 
regular1 and consequently a very easy   
language4 ,adieu6 ,god bless you6       
,,letter ,,lxxv  ,,london1 ,july #bj1   
,o4 ,s4 #agdi4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,i wrote  
to ,mr4 ,harte last ,monday1 the #agth1 
,o4 ,s41 in answer to his letter of the 
#bjth ,june1 ,n4 ,s41 which ,i had      
received but the day before1 after an   
interval of eight posts2 during which ,i
 did not know whether you or he existed1
 and indeed ,i began to think that you  
did not4 ,by that letter you ought at   
this time to be at ,venice2 where ,i    
hope you are arrived in perfect health1 
after the baths of ,tiefler1 in case you
 have made use of them4 ,i hope they are
 not hot baths1 if your lungs are still 
tender4  ,your friend1 the ,comte       
d',einsiedlen1 is arrived here3 he has  
been at my door1 and ,i have been at    

his2 but we have not yet met4 ,he will  
dine with me some day this week4 ,comte 
,lascaris inquires after you very       
frequently1 and with great affection2   
pray answer the letter which ,i         
forwarded to you a great while ago from 
him4 ,you may inclose your answer to me1
 and ,i will take care to give it him4  
,those attentions ought never to be     
omitted2 they cost little1 and please a 
great deal2 but the neglect of them     
offends more than you can yet imagine4  
,great merit1 or great failings1 will   
make you be respected or despised2 but  
trifles1 little attentions1 mere        
nothings1 either done1 or neglected1    
will make you either liked or disliked1 
in the general run of the world4        
,examine yourself why you like such and 
such people1 and dislike such and such  
others2 and you will find1 that those   
different sentiments proceed from very  
slight causes4 ,moral virtues are the   
foundation of society in general1 and of
 friendship in particular2 but          

attentions1 manners1 and graces1 both   
adorn and strengthen them4 ,my heart is 
so set upon your pleasing1 and          
consequently succeeding in the world1   
that possibly ,i have already 7and      
probably shall again7 repeat the same   
things over and over to you4 ,however1  
to err1 if ,i do err1 on the surer side1
 ,i shall continue to communicate to you
 those observations upon the world which
 long experience has enabled me to make1
 and which ,i have generally found to   
hold true4 ,your youth and talents1     
armed with my experience1 may go a great
 way2 and that armor is very much at    
your service1 if you please to wear it4 
,i premise that it is not my            
imagination1 but my memory1 that gives  
you these rules3 ,i am not writing      
pretty2 but useful reflections4 ,a man  
of sense soon discovers1 because he     
carefully observes1 where1 and how long1
 he is welcome2 and takes care to leave 
the company1 at least as soon as he is  
wished out of it4 ,fools never perceive 

where they are either ill-timed or      
illplaced4  ,i am this moment agreeably 
stopped1 in the course of my            
reflections1 by the arrival of ,mr4     
,harte's letter of the #acth ,july1 ,n4 
,s41 to ,mr4 ,grevenkop1 with one       
inclosed for your ,mamma4 ,i find by it 
that many of his and your letters to me 
must have miscarried2 for he says that  
,i have had regular accounts of you3    
whereas all those accounts have been    
only his letter of the #fth and yours of
 the #gth ,june1 ,n4 ,s42 his of the    
#bjth ,june1 ,n4 ,s41 to me2 and now his
 of the #acth ,july1 ,n4 ,s41 to ,mr4   
,grevenkop4 ,however1 since you are so  
well1 as ,mr4 ,harte says you are1 all  
is well4 ,i am extremely glad that you  
have no complaint upon your lungs2 but  
,i desire that you will think you have1 
for three or four months to come4 ,keep 
in a course of asses' or goats' milk1   
for one is as good as the other1 and    
possibly the latter is the best2 and let
 your common food be as pectoral as you 

can conveniently make it4 ,pray tell    
,mr4 ,harte that1 according to his      
desire1 ,i have wrote a letter of thanks
 to ,mr4 ,firmian4 ,i hope you write to 
him too1 from time to time4 ,the letters
 of recommendation of a man of his merit
 and learning will1 to be sure1 be of   
great use to you among the learned world
 in ,italy2 that is1 provided you take  
care to keep up to the character he     
gives you in them2 otherwise they will  
only add to your disgrace4  ,consider   
that you have lost a good deal of time  
by your illness2 fetch it up now that   
you are well4 ,at present you should be 
a good economist of your moments1 of    
which company and sights will claim a   
considerable share2 so that those which 
remain for study must be not only       
attentively1 but greedily employed4 ,but
 indeed ,i do not suspect you of one    
single moment's idleness in the whole   
day4 ,idleness is only the refuge of    
weak minds1 and the holiday of fools4 ,i
 do not call good company and liberal   

pleasures1 idleness2 far from it3 ,i    
recommend to you a good share of both4  
,i send you here inclosed a letter for  
,cardinal ,alexander ,albani1 which you 
will give him1 as soon as you get to    
,rome1 and before you deliver any       
others2 the ,purple expects that        
preference2 go next to the ,duc de      
,nivernois1 to whom you are recommended 
by several people at ,paris1 as well as 
by myself4 ,then you may carry your     
other letters occasionally4  ,remember  
to pry narrowly into every part of the  
government of ,venice3 inform yourself  
of the history of that republic1        
especially of its most remarkable eras2 
such as the ,ligue de eambray1 in #aeji1
 by which it had like to have been      
destroyed2 and the conspiracy formed by 
the ,marquis de ,bedmar1 the ,spanish   
,ambassador1 to subject it to the ,crown
 of ,spain4 ,the famous disputes between
 that republic and the ,pope are worth  
your knowledge2 and the writings of the 
celebrated and learned ,fra ,paolo di   

,sarpi1 upon that occasion1 worth your  
reading4 ,it was once the greatest      
commercial power in ,europe1 and in the 
#adth and #aeth centuries made a        
considerable figure2 but at present its 
commerce is decayed1 and its riches     
consequently decreased2 and1 far from   
meddling now with the affairs of the    
,continent1 it owes its security to its 
neutrality and inefficiency2 and that   
security will last no longer than till  
one of the great ,powers in ,europe     
engrosses the rest of ,italy2 an event  
which this century possibly may1 but    
which the next probably will see4  ,your
 friend ,comte d',ensiedlen and his     
governor1 have been with me this moment1
 and delivered me your letter from      
,berlin1 of ,february the #bhth1 ,n4 ,s4
 ,i like them both so well that ,i am   
glad you did2 and still gladder to hear 
what they say of you4 ,go on1 and       
continue to deserve the praises of those
 who deserve praises themselves4 ,adieu4
  ,i break open this letter to          

acknowledge yours of the #cjth ,june1   
,n4 ,s41 which ,i have but this instant 
received1 though thirteen days          
antecedent in date to ,mr4 ,harte's     
last4 ,i never in my life heard of      
bathing four hours a day2 and ,i am     
impatient to hear of your safe arrival  
at ,venice1 after so extraordinary an   
operation4     ,,letter ,,lxxvi         
,,london1 ,july #cj1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4     
,,dear ,,boy3 ,mr4 ,harte's letters and 
yours drop in upon me most irregularly2 
for ,i received1 by the last post1 one  
from ,mr4 ,harte1 of the #ith1 ,n4 ,s41 
and that which ,mr4 ,grevenkop had      
received from him1 the post before1 was 
of the #acth2 at last1 ,i suppose1 ,i   
shall receive them all4  ,i am very glad
 that my letter1 with ,dr4 ,shaw's      
opinion1 has lessened your bathing2 for 
since ,i was born1 ,i never heard of    
bathing four hours a-day2 which would   
surely be too much1 even in ,medea's    
kettle1 if you wanted 7as you do not    
yet7 new boiling4  ,though1 in that     

letter of mine1 ,i proposed your going  
to ,inspruck1 it was only in opposition 
to ,lausanne1 which ,i thought much too 
long and painful a journey for you2 but 
you will have found1 by my subsequent   
letters1 that ,i entirely approved of   
,venice2 where ,i hope you have now been
 some time1 and which is a much better  
place for you to reside at1 till you go 
to ,naples1 than either ,tieffer or     
,laubach4 ,i love capitals extremely2 it
 is in capitals that the best company is
 always to be found2 and consequently1  
the best manners to be learned4 ,the    
very best provincial places have some   
awkwardness1 that distinguish their     
manners from those of the metropolis4   
#8,a propos' of capitals1 ,i send you   
here two letters of recommendation to   
,naples1 from ,monsieur ,finochetti1 the
 ,neapolitan ,minister at ,the ,hague2  
and in my next ,i shall send you two    
more1 from the same person1 to the same 
place4  ,i have examined ,comte         
d',einsiedlen so narrowly concerning    

you1 that ,i have extorted from him a   
confession that you do not care to speak
 ,german1 unless to such as understand  
no other language4 ,at this rate1 you   
will never speak it well1 which ,i am   
very desirous that you should do1 and of
 which you would1 in time1 find the     
advantage4 ,whoever has not the command 
of a language1 and does not speak it    
with facility1 will always appear below 
himself when he converses in that       
language2 the want of words and phrases 
will cramp and lame his thoughts4 ,as   
you now know ,german enough to express  
yourself tolerably1 speaking it very    
often will soon make you speak it very  
well3 and then you will appear in it    
whatever you are4 ,what with your own   
,saxon servant and the swarms of        
,germans you will meet with wherever you
 go1 you may have opportunities of      
conversing in that language half the    
day2 and ,i do very seriously desire    
that you will1 or else all the pains    
that you have already taken about it are

 lost4 ,you will remember likewise1     
that1 till you can write in ,italian1   
you are always to write to me in        
,german4  ,mr4 ,harte's conjecture      
concerning your distemper seems to be a 
very reasonable one2 it agrees entirely 
with mine1 which is the universal rule  
by which every man judges of another    
man's opinion4 ,but1 whatever may have  
been the cause of your rheumatic        
disorder1 the effects are still to be   
attended to2 and as there must be a     
remaining acrimony in your blood1 you   
ought to have regard to that1 in your   
common diet as well as in your          
medicines2 both which should be of a    
sweetening alkaline nature1 and         
promotive of perspiration4 ,rheumatic   
complaints are very apt to return1 and  
those returns would be very vexatious   
and detrimental to you2 at your age1 and
 in your course of travels4 ,your time  
is1 now particularly1 inestimable2 and  
every hour of it1 at present1 worth more
 than a year will be to you twenty years

 hence4 ,you are now laying the         
foundation of your future character and 
fortune2 and one single stone wanting in
 that foundation is of more consequence 
than fifty in the superstructure2 which 
can always be mended and embellished if 
the foundation is solid4 ,to carry on   
the metaphor of building3 ,i would wish 
you to be a ,corinthian edifice upon a  
,tuscan foundation2 the latter having   
the utmost strength and solidity to     
support1 and the former all possible    
ornaments to decorate4 ,the ,tuscan     
column is coarse1 clumsy1 and           
unpleasant2 nobody looks at it twice2   
the ,corinthian fluted column is        
beautiful and attractive2 but without a 
solid foundation1 can hardly be seen    
twice1 because it must soon tumble down4
 ,yours affectionately4     ,,letter    
,,lxxvii  ,,london1 ,august #g1 ,o4 ,s4 
#agdi4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,by ,mr4 ,harte's 
letter to me of the #ahth ,july ,n4 ,s41
 which ,i received by the last post1 ,i 
am at length informed of the particulars

 both of your past distemper1 and of    
your future motions4 ,as to the former1 
,i am now convinced1 and so is ,dr4     
,shaw1 that your lungs were only        
symptomatically affected2 and that the  
rheumatic tendency is what you are      
chiefly now to guard against1 but 7for  
greater security7 with due attention    
still to your lungs1 as if they had     
been1 and still were1 a little affected4
 ,in either case1 a cooling1 pectoral   
regimen is equally good4 ,by cooling1 ,i
 mean cooling in its consequences1 not  
cold to the palate2 for nothing is more 
dangerous than very cold liquors1 at the
 very time that one longs for them the  
most2 which is1 when one is very hot4   
,fruit1 when full ripe1 is very         
wholesome2 but then it must be within   
certain bounds as to quantity2 for ,i   
have known many of my countrymen die of 
bloody-fluxes1 by indulging in too great
 a quantity of fruit1 in those countries
 where1 from the goodness and ripeness  
of it1 they thought it could do them no 

harm4 #8,ne quid nimis'1 is a most      
excellent rule in everything2 but       
commonly the least observed1 by people  
of your age1 in anything4  ,as to your  
future motions1 ,i am very well pleased 
with them1 and greatly prefer your      
intended stay at ,verona to ,venice1    
whose almost stagnating waters must1 at 
this time of the year1 corrupt the air4 
,verona has a pure and clear air1 and1  
as ,i am informed1 a great deal of good 
company4 ,marquis ,maffei1 alone1 would 
be worth going there for4 ,you may1 ,i  
think1 very well leave ,verona about the
 middle of ,september1 when the great   
heats will be quite over1 and then make 
the best of your way to ,naples2 where1 
,i own1 ,i want to have you by way of   
precaution 7,i hope it is rather over   
caution7 in case of the last remains of 
a pulmonic disorder4 ,the amphitheatre  
at ,verona is worth your attention2 as  
are also many buildings there and at    
,vicenza1 of the famous ,andrea         
,palladio1 whose taste and style of     

buildings were truly antique4 ,it would 
not be amiss1 if you employed three or  
four days in learning the five orders of
 architecture1 with their general       
proportions2 and you may know all that  
you need know of them in that time4     
,palladio's own book of architecture is 
the best you can make use of for that   
purpose1 skipping over the mechanical   
part of it1 such as the materials1 the  
cement1 etc4  ,mr4 ,harte tells me1 that
 your acquaintance with the classics is 
renewed2 the suspension of which has    
been so short1 that ,i dare say it has  
produced no coldness4 ,i hope and       
believe1 you are now so much master of  
them1 that two hours every day1         
uninterruptedly1 for a year or two more1
 will make you perfectly so2 and ,i     
think you cannot now allot them a       
greater share than that of your time1   
considering the many other things you   
have to learn and to do4 ,you must know 
how to speak and write ,italian         
perfectly2 you must learn some logic1   

some geometry1 and some astronomy2 not  
to mention your exercises1 where they   
are to be learned2 and1 above all1 you  
must learn the world1 which is not soon 
learned2 and only to be learned by      
frequenting good and various companies4 
,consider1 therefore1 how precious every
 moment of time is to you now4 ,the more
 you apply to your business1 the more   
you will taste your pleasures4 ,the     
exercise of the mind in the morning     
whets the appetite for the pleasures of 
the evening1 as much as the exercise of 
the body whets the appetite for dinner4 
,business and pleasure1 rightly         
understood1 mutually assist each other1 
instead of being enemies1 as silly or   
dull people often think them4 ,no man   
tastes pleasures truly1 who does not    
earn them by previous business1 and few 
people do business well1 who do nothing 
else4 ,remember that when ,i speak of   
pleasures1 ,i always mean the elegant   
pleasures of a rational being1 and1 not 
the brutal ones of a swine4 ,i mean #8la

 bonne ,chere'1 short of gluttony2 wine1
 infinitely short of drunkenness2 play1 
without the least gaming2 and gallantry 
without debauchery4 ,there is a line in 
all these things which men of sense1 for
 greater security1 take care to keep a  
good deal on the right side of2 for     
sickness1 pain1 contempt and infamy1 lie
 immediately on the other side of it4   
,men of sense and merit1 in all other   
respects1 may have had some of these    
failings2 but then those few examples1  
instead of inviting us to imitation1    
should only put us the more upon our    
guard against such weaknesses3 and      
whoever thinks them fashionable1 will   
not be so himself2 ,i have often known a
 fashionable man have some one vice2 but
 ,i never in my life knew a vicious man 
a fashionable man4 ,vice is as degrading
 as it is criminal4 ,god bless you1 my  
dear child6     ,,letter ,,lxxviii      
,,london1 ,august #bj1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4   
,,dear ,,boy3 ,let us resume our        
reflections upon men1 their characters1 

their manners1 in a word1 our           
reflections upon the world4 ,they may   
help you to form yourself1 and to know  
others2 a knowledge very useful at all  
ages1 very rare at yours4 ,it seems as  
if it were nobody's business to         
communicate it to young men4 ,their     
masters teach them1 singly1 the         
languages or the sciences of their      
several departments2 and are indeed     
generally incapable of teaching them the
 world3 their parents are often so too1 
or at least neglect doing it1 either    
from avocations1 indifference1 or from  
an opinion that throwing them into the  
world 7as they call it7 is the best way 
of teaching it them4 ,this last notion  
is in a great degree true2 that is1 the 
world can doubtless never be well known 
by theory3 practice is absolutely       
necessary2 but surely it is of great use
 to a young man1 before he sets out for 
that country full of mazes1 windings1   
and turnings1 to have at least a general
 map of it1 made by some experienced    

traveler4  ,there is a certain dignity  
of manners absolutely necessary1 to make
 even the most valuable character either
 respected or respectable4--,meaning    
worthy of respect4  ,horse-play1        
romping1 frequent and loud fits of      
laughter1 jokes1 waggery1 and           
indiscriminate familiarity1 will sink   
both merit and knowledge into a degree  
of contempt4 ,they compose at most a    
merry fellow2 and a merry fellow was    
never yet a respectable man4            
,indiscriminate familiarity either      
offends your superiors1 or else dubbs   
you their dependent and led captain4 ,it
 gives your inferiors just1 but         
troublesome and improper claims of      
equality4 ,a joker is near akin to a    
buffoon2 and neither of them is the     
least related to wit4 ,whoever is       
admitted or sought for1 in company1 upon
 any other account than that of his     
merit and manners1 is never respected   
there1 but only made use of4 ,we will   
have such-a-one1 for he sings prettily2 

we will invite such-a-one to a ball1 for
 he dances well2 we will have such-a-one
 at supper1 for he is always joking and 
laughing2 we will ask another1 because  
he plays deep at all games1 or because  
he can drink a great deal4 ,these are   
all vilifying distinctions1 mortifying  
preferences1 and exclude all ideas of   
esteem and regard4 ,whoever is ,,had 7as
 it is called7 in company for the sake  
of any one thing singly1 is singly that 
thing and will never be considered in   
any other light2 consequently never     
respected1 let his merits be what they  
will4  ,this dignity of manners1 which  
,i recommend so much to you1 is not only
 as different from pride1 as true       
courage is from blustering1 or true wit 
from joking2 but is absolutely          
inconsistent with it2 for nothing       
vilifies and degrades more than pride4  
,the pretensions of the proud man are   
oftener treated with sneer and contempt1
 than with indignation2 as we offer     
ridiculously too little to a tradesman1 

who asks ridiculously too much for his  
goods2 but we do not haggle with one who
 only asks a just and reasonable price4 
,abject flattery and indiscriminate     
assentation degrade as much as          
indiscriminate contradiction and noisy  
debate disgust4 ,but a modest assertion 
of one's own opinion1 and a complaisant 
acquiescence to other people's1 preserve
 dignity4  ,vulgar1 low expressions1    
awkward motions and address1 vilify1 as 
they imply either a very low turn of    
mind1 or low education and low company4 
,frivolous curiosity about trifles1 and 
a laborious attention to little objects 
which neither require nor deserve a     
moment's thought1 lower a man2 who from 
thence is thought 7and not unjustly7    
incapable of greater matters4 ,cardinal 
de ,retz1 very sagaciously1 marked out  
,cardinal ,chigi for a little mind1 from
 the moment that he told him he had     
wrote three years with the same pen1 and
 that it was an excellent good one      
still4  ,a certain degree of exterior   

seriousness in looks and motions gives  
dignity1 without excluding wit and      
decent cheerfulness1 which are always   
serious themselves4 ,a constant smirk   
upon the face1 and a whifing activity of
 the body1 are strong indications of    
futility4 ,whoever is in a hurry1 shows 
that the thing he is about is too big   
for him4 ,haste and hurry are very      
different things4  ,i have only         
mentioned some of those things which    
may1 and do1 in the opinion of the      
world1 lower and sink characters1 in    
other respects valuable enough1--but ,i 
have taken no notice of those that      
affect and sink the moral characters4   
,they are sufficiently obvious4 ,a man  
who has patiently been kicked may as    
well pretend to courage1 as a man       
blasted by vices and crimes may to      
dignity of any kind4 ,but an exterior   
decency and dignity of manners will even
 keep such a man longer from sinking1   
than otherwise he would be3 of such     
consequence is the 999999991 even though

 affected and put on6 ,pray read        
frequently1 and with the utmost         
attention1 nay1 get by heart1 if you    
can1 that incomparable chapter in       
,cicero's 8,offices10 upon the 999999991
 or the ,decorum4 ,it contains whatever 
is necessary for the dignity of manners4
  ,in my next ,i will send you a general
 map of courts2 a region yet unexplored 
by you1 but which you are one day to    
inhabit4 ,the ways are generally crooked
 and full of turnings1 sometimes strewed
 with flowers1 sometimes choked up with 
briars2 rotten ground and deep pits     
frequently lie concealed under a smooth 
and pleasing surface2 all the paths are 
slippery1 and every slip is dangerous4  
,sense and discretion must accompany you
 at your first setting out2 but1        
notwithstanding those1 till experience  
is your guide1 you will every now and   
then step out of your way1 or stumble4  
,lady ,chesterfield has just now        
received your ,german letter1 for which 
she thanks you2 she says the language is

 very correct2 and ,i can plainly see   
that the character is well formed1 not  
to say better than your ,english        
character4 ,continue to write ,german   
frequently1 that it may become quite    
familiar to you4 ,adieu4     ,,letter   
,,lxxix  ,,london1 ,august #ba1 ,o4 ,s4 
#agdi4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,by the last      
letter that ,i received from ,mr4       
,harte1 of the #cast ,july1 ,n4 ,s41 ,i 
suppose you are now either at ,venice or
 ,verona1 and perfectly re covered of   
your late illness3 which ,i am daily    
more and more convinced had no          
consumptive tendency2 however1 for some 
time still1 #8faites comme s'il y en    
avoit'1 be regular1 and live pectorally4
  ,you will soon be at courts1 where1   
though you will not be concerned1 yet   
reflection and observation upon what you
 see and hear there may be of use to    
you1 when hereafter you may come to be  
concerned in courts yourself4 ,nothing  
in courts is exactly as it appears to   
be2 often very different2 sometimes     

directly contrary4 ,interest1 which is  
the real spring of everything there1    
equally creates and dissolves           
friendship1 produces and reconciles     
enmities3 or1 rather1 allows of neither 
real friendships nor enmities2 for1 as  
,dryden very justly observes1           
,,politicians ,,neither ,,love ,,nor    
,,hate4 ,this is so true1 that you may  
think you connect yourself with two     
friends to-day1 and be obliged tomorrow 
to make your option between them as     
enemies2 observe1 therefore1 such a     
degree of reserve with your friends as  
not to put yourself in their power1 if  
they should become your enemies2 and    
such a degree of moderation with your   
enemies1 as not to make it impossible   
for them to become your friends4        
,courts are1 unquestionably1 the seats  
of politeness and good-breeding2 were   
they not so1 they would be the seats of 
slaughter and desolation4 ,those who now
 smile upon and embrace1 would affront  
and stab each other1 if manners did not 

interpose2 but ambition and avarice1 the
 two prevailing passions at courts1     
found dissimulation more effectual than 
violence2 and dissimulation introduced  
that habit of politeness1 which         
distinguishes the courtier from the     
country gentleman4 ,in the former case  
the strongest body would prevail2 in the
 latter1 the strongest mind4  ,a man of 
parts and efficiency need not flatter   
everybody at court2 but he must take    
great care to offend nobody personally2 
it being in the power of every man to   
hurt him1 who cannot serve him4 ,homer  
supposes a chain let down from ,jupiter 
to the earth1 to connect him with       
mortals4 ,there is1 at all courts1 a    
chain which connects the prince or the  
minister with the page of the back      
stairs1 or the chamber-maid4 ,the king's
 wife1 or mistress1 has an influence    
over him2 a lover has an influence over 
her2 the chambermaid1 or the valet de   
chambre1 has an influence over both1 and
 so ad infinitum4 ,you must1 therefore1 

not break a link of that chain1 by which
 you hope to climb up to the prince4    
,you must renounce courts if you will   
not connive at knaves1 and tolerate     
fools4 ,their number makes them         
considerable4 ,you should as little     
quarrel as connect yourself with either4
  ,whatever you say or do at court1 you 
may depend upon it1 will be known2 the  
business of most of those1 who crowd    
levees and antichambers1 being to repeat
 all that they see or hear1 and a great 
deal that they neither see nor hear1    
according as they are inclined to the   
persons concerned1 or according to the  
wishes of those to whom they hope to    
make their court4 ,great caution is     
therefore necessary2 and if1 to great   
caution1 you can join seeming frankness 
and openness1 you will unite what       
,machiavel reckons very difficult but   
very necessary to be united2 #8volto    
sciolto e pensieri stretti'4  ,women are
 very apt to be mingled in court        
intrigues2 but they deserve attention   

better than confidence2 to hold by them 
is a very precarious tenure4  ,i am     
agreeably interrupted in these          
reflections by a letter which ,i have   
this moment received from ,baron        
,firmian4 ,it contains your panegyric1  
and with the strongest protestations    
imaginable that he does you only        
justice4 ,i received this favorable     
account of you with pleasure1 and ,i    
communicate it to you with as much4     
,while you deserve praise1 it is        
reasonable you should know that you meet
 with it2 and ,i make no doubt1 but that
 it will encourage you in persevering to
 deserve it4 ,this is one paragraph of  
the ,baron's letter3 ,ses moeurs dans un
 age si tendre1 reglees selon toutes les
 loix d'une morale exacte et sensee2 son
 application 7that is what ,i like7 a   
tout ce qui s'appelle etude serieuse1 et
 ,belles ,lettres1--8,notwithstanding   
his great youth1 his manners are        
regulated by the most unexceptionable   
rules of sense and of morality4 ,his    

application ,,that ,,is ,,what ,i ,,like
 to every kind of serious study1 as well
 as to polite literature1 without even  
the least appearance of ostentatious    
pedantry1 render him worthy of your most
 tender affection2 and ,i have the honor
 of assuring you1 that everyone cannot  
but be pleased with the acquisition of  
his acquaintance or of his friendship4  
,i have profited of it1 both here and at
 ,vienna2 and shall esteem myself very  
happy to make use of the permission he  
has given me of continuing it by        
letter40  ,reputation1 like health1 is  
preserved and increased by the same     
means by which it is acquired4 ,continue
 to desire and deserve praise1 and you  
will certainly find it4 ,knowledge1     
adorned by manners1 will infallibly     
procure it4 ,consider1 that you have but
 a little way further to get to your    
journey's end2 therefore1 for ,god's    
sake1 do not slacken your pace2 one year
 and a half more of sound application1  
,mr4 ,harte assures me1 will finish this

 work2 and when this work is finished   
well1 your own will be very easily done 
afterward4 #8,les ,manieres et les      
,graces' are no immaterial parts of that
 work2 and ,i beg that you will give as 
much of your attention to them as to    
your books4 ,everything depends upon    
them2 #8senza di noi ogni fatica e      
vana'4 ,the various companies you now go
 into will procure them you1 if you will
 carefully observe1 and form yourself   
upon those who have them4  ,adieu6 ,god 
bless you6 and may you ever deserve that
 affection with which ,i am now1 ,yours4
     ,,letter ,,lxxx  ,,london1         
,september #e1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4  ,,dear   
,,boy3 ,i have received yours from      
,laubach1 of the #agth of ,august1 ,n4  
,s41 with the inclosed for ,comte       
,lascaris2 which ,i have given him1 and 
with which he is extremely pleased1 as  
,i am with your account of ,carniola4 ,i
 am very glad that you attend to1 and   
inform yourself of1 the political       
objects of the country you go through4  

,trade and manufactures are very        
considerable1 not to say the most       
important ones2 for1 though armies and  
navies are the shining marks of the     
strength of countries1 they would be    
very ill paid1 and consequently fight   
very ill1 if manufactures and commerce  
did not support them4 ,you have         
certainly observed in ,germany the      
inefficiency of great powers1 with great
 tracts of country and swarms of men2   
which are absolutely useless1 if not    
paid by other powers who have the       
resources of manufactures and commerce4 
,this we have lately experienced to be  
the case of the two empresses of        
,germany and ,russia3 ,england1 ,france1
 and ,spain1 must pay their respective  
allies1 or they may as well be without  
them4  ,i have not the least objection  
to your taking1 into the bargain1 the   
observation of natural curiosities2 they
 are very welcome1 provided they do not 
take up the room of better things4 ,but 
the forms of government1 the maxims of  

policy1 the strength or weakness1 the   
trade and commerce1 of the several      
countries you see or hear of are the    
important objects1 which ,i recommend to
 your most minute inquiries1 and most   
serious attention4 ,i thought that the  
republic of ,venice had by this time    
laid aside that silly and frivolous     
piece of policy1 of endeavoring to      
conceal their form of government2 which 
anybody may know1 pretty nearly1 by     
taking the pains to read four or five   
books1 which explain all the great parts
 of it2 and as for some of the little   
wheels of that machine1 the knowledge of
 them would be as little useful to      
others as dangerous to themselves4      
,their best policy 7,i can tell them7 is
 to keep quiet1 and to offend no one    
great power1 by joining with another4   
,their escape1 after the ,ligue of      
,cambray1 should prove a useful lesson  
to them4  ,i am glad you frequent the   
assemblies at ,venice4 ,have you seen   
,monsieur and ,madame ,capello1 and how 

did they receive you8 ,let me know who  
are the ladies whose houses you frequent
 the most4 ,have you seen the ,comptesse
 d',orselska1 ,princess of ,holstein8   
,is ,comte ,algarotti1 who was the      
,,tenant there1 at ,venice8  ,you will1 
in many parts of ,italy1 meet with      
numbers of the ,pretender's people      
7,english1 ,scotch1 and ,irish          
fugitives71 especially at ,rome2        
probably the ,pretender himself4 ,it is 
none of your business to declare war to 
these people1 as little as it is your   
interest1 or1 ,i hope1 your inclination1
 to connect yourself with them2 and     
therefore ,i recommend to you a perfect 
neutrality4 ,avoid them as much as you  
can with decency and good manners2 but  
when you cannot1 avoid any political    
conversation or debates with them2 tell 
them that you do not concern yourself   
with political matters3 that you are    
neither maker nor a deposer of kings2   
that when you left ,england1 you left a 
king in it1 and have not since heard    

either of his death1 or of any          
revolution that has happened2 and that  
you take kings and kingdoms as you find 
them2 but enter no further into matters 
with them1 which can be of no use1 and  
might bring on heats and quarrels4 ,when
 you speak of the old ,pretender1 you   
will call him only the ,chevalier de    
,st4 ,george2--but mention him as seldom
 as possible4 ,should he chance to speak
 to you at any assembly 7as1 ,i am told1
 he sometimes does to the ,english71 be 
sure that you seem not to know him2 and 
answer him civilly1 but always either in
 ,french or in ,italian2 and give him1  
in the former1 the appellation of       
,monsieur1 and in the latter1 of        
,signore4 ,should you meet with the     
,cardinal of ,york1 you will be under no
 difficulty2 for he has1 as ,cardinal1  
an undoubted right to #8,eminenza'4     
,upon the whole1 see any of those people
 as little as possible2 when you do see 
them1 be civil to them1 upon the footing
 of strangers2 but never be drawn into  

any altercations with them about the    
imaginary right of their king1 as they  
call him4  ,it is to no sort of purpose 
to talk to those people of the natural  
rights of mankind1 and the particular   
constitution of this country4 ,blinded  
by prejudices1 soured by misfortunes1   
and tempted by their necessities1 they  
are as incapable of reasoning rightly1  
as they have hitherto been of acting    
wisely4 ,the late ,lord ,pembroke never 
would know anything that he had not a   
mind to know2 and1 in this case1 ,i     
advise you to follow his example4 ,never
 know either the father or the two sons1
 any otherwise than as foreigners2 and  
so1 not knowing their pretensions1 you  
have no occasion to dispute them4  ,i   
can never help recommending to you the  
utmost attention and care1 to acquire   
#8les ,manieres1 la ,tournure1 et les   
,graces1 d'un galant homme1 et d'un     
homme de cour'4 ,they should appear in  
every look1 in every action2 in your    
address1 and even in your dress1 if you 

would either please or rise in the      
world4 ,that you may do both 7and both  
are in your power7 is most ardently     
wished you1 by ,yours4  ,p4 ,s4 ,i made 
,comte ,lascaris show me your letter1   
which ,i liked very well2 the style was 
easy and natural1 and the ,french pretty
 correct4 ,there were so few faults in  
the orthography1 that a little more     
observation of the best ,french authors 
would make you a correct master of that 
necessary language4  ,i will not conceal
 from you1 that ,i have lately had      
extraordinary good accounts of you1 from
 an unexpected and judicious person1 who
 promises me that1 with a little more of
 the world1 your manners and address    
will equal your knowledge4 ,this is the 
more pleasing to me1 as those were the  
two articles of which ,i was the most   
doubtful4 ,these commendations will not1
 ,i am persuaded1 make you vain and     
coxcomical1 but only encourage you to go
 on in the right way4     ,,letter      
,,lxxxi  ,,london1 ,september #ab1 ,o4  

,s4 #agdi4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,it seems     
extraordinary1 but it is very true1 that
 my anxiety for you increases in        
proportion to the good accounts which ,i
 receive of you from all hands4 ,i      
promise myself so much from you1 that ,i
 dread the least disappointment4 ,you   
are now so near the port1 which ,i have 
so long wished and labored to bring you 
safe into1 that my concern would be     
doubled1 should you be shipwrecked      
within sight of it4 ,the object1        
therefore1 of this letter is 7laying    
aside all the authority of a parent7 to 
conjure you as a friend1 by the         
affection you have for me 7and surely   
you have reason to have some71 and by   
the regard you have for yourself1 to go 
on1 with assiduity and attention1 to    
complete that work which1 of late1 you  
have carried on so well1 and which is   
now so near being finished4 ,my wishes  
and my plan were to make you shine and  
distinguish yourself equally in the     
learned and the polite world4 ,few have 

been able to do it4 ,deep learning is   
generally tainted with pedantry1 or at  
least unadorned by manners3 as1 on the  
other hand1 polite manners and the turn 
of the world are too often unsupported  
by knowledge1 and consequently end      
contemptibly1 in the frivolous          
dissipation of drawing-rooms and        
ruelles4 ,you are now got over the dry  
and difficult parts of learning2 what   
remains requires much more time than    
trouble4 ,you have lost time by your    
illness2 you must regain it now or      
never4 ,i therefore most earnestly      
desire1 for your own sake1 that for     
these next six months1 at least six     
hours every morning1 uninterruptedly1   
may be inviolably sacred to your studies
 with ,mr4 ,harte4 ,i do not know       
whether he will require so much2 but ,i 
know that ,i do1 and hope you will1 and 
consequently prevail with him to give   
you that time2 ,i own it is a good deal3
 but when both you and he consider that 
the work will be so much better1 and so 

much sooner done1 by such an assiduous  
and continued application1 you will1    
neither of you1 think it too much1 and  
each will find his account in it4 ,so   
much for the mornings1 which from your  
own good sense1 and ,mr4 ,harte's       
tenderness and care of you1 will1 ,i am 
sure1 be thus well employed4 ,it is not 
only reasonable1 but useful too1 that   
your evenings should be devoted to      
amusements and pleasures3 and therefore 
,i not only allow1 but recommend1 that  
they should be employed at assemblies1  
balls1 ,,spectacles1 and in the best    
companies2 with this restriction only1  
that the consequences of the evening's  
diversions may not break in upon the    
morning's studies1 by breakfastings1    
visits1 and idle parties into the       
country4 ,at your age1 you need not be  
ashamed1 when any of these morning      
parties are proposed1 to say that you   
must beg to be excused1 for you are     
obliged to devote your mornings to ,mr4 
,harte2 that ,i will have it so2 and    

that you dare not do otherwise4 ,lay it 
all upon me2 though ,i am persuaded it  
will be as much your own inclination as 
it is mine4 ,but those frivolous1 idle  
people1 whose time hangs upon their own 
hands1 and who desire to make others    
lose theirs too1 are not to be reasoned 
with3 and indeed it would be doing them 
too much honor4 ,the shortest civil     
answers are the best2 ,i ,,cannot1 ,i   
,,dare ,,not1 instead of ,i ,,will      
,,not2 for if you were to enter with    
them into the necessity of study end the
 usefulness of knowledge1 it would only 
furnish them with matter for silly      
jests2 which1 though ,i would not have  
you mind1 ,i would not have you invite4 
,i will suppose you at ,rome studying   
six hours uninterruptedly with ,mr4     
,harte1 every morning1 and passing your 
evenings with the best company of ,rome1
 observing their manners and forming    
your own2 and ,i will suppose a number  
of idle1 sauntering1 illiterate         
,english1 as there commonly is there1   

living entirely with one another1       
supping1 drinking1 and sitting up late  
at each other's lodgings2 commonly in   
riots and scrapes when drunk1 and never 
in good company when sober4 ,i will take
 one of these pretty fellows1 and give  
you the dialogue between him and        
yourself2 such as1 ,i dare say1 it will 
be on his side2 and such as1 ,i hope1 it
 will be on yours3--  ,englishman4 ,will
 you come and breakfast with me         
tomorrow8 there will be four or five of 
our countrymen2 we have provided        
chaises1 and we will drive somewhere out
 of town after breakfast4  ,stanhope4 ,i
 am very sorry ,i cannot2 but ,i am     
obliged to be at home all morning4      
,englishman4 ,why1 then1 we will come   
and breakfast with you4  ,stanhope4 ,i  
can't do that neither2 ,i am engaged4   
,englishman4 ,well1 then1 let it be the 
next day4  ,stanhope4 ,to tell you the  
truth1 it can be no day in the morning2 
for ,i neither go out1 nor see anybody  
at home before twelve4  ,englishman4    

,and what the devil do you do with      
yourself till twelve o'clock8           
,stanhope4 ,i am not by myself2 ,i am   
with ,mr4 ,harte4  ,englishman4 ,then   
what the devil do you do with him8      
,stanhope4 ,we study different things2  
we read1 we converse4  ,englishman4     
,very pretty amusement indeed6 ,are you 
to take orders then8  ,stanhope4 ,yes1  
my father's orders1 ,i believe ,i must  
take4  ,englishman4 ,why hast thou no   
more spirit1 than to mind an old fellow 
a thousand miles off8  ,stanhope4 ,if ,i
 don't mind his orders he won't mind my 
draughts4  ,englishman4 ,what1 does the 
old prig threaten then8 threatened folks
 live long2 never mind threats4         
,stanhope4 ,no1 ,i can't say that he has
 ever threatened me in his life2 but ,i 
believe ,i had best not provoke him4    
,englishman4 ,pooh6 you would have one  
angry letter from the old fellow1 and   
there would be an end of it4  ,stanhope4
 ,you mistake him mightily2 he always   
does more than he says4 ,he has never   

been angry with me yet1 that ,i         
remember1 in his life2 but if ,i were to
 provoke him1 ,i am sure he would never 
forgive me2 he would be coolly          
immovable1 and ,i might beg and pray1   
and write my heart out to no purpose4   
,englishman4 ,why1 then1 he is an old   
dog1 that's all ,i can say2 and pray are
 you to obey your dry-nurse too1 this   
same1 and what's his name--,mr4 ,harte8 
,stanhope4 ,yes4  ,englishman4 ,so he   
stuffs you all morning with ,greek1 and 
,latin1 and ,logic1 and all that4 ,egad 
,i have a dry-nurse too1 but ,i never   
looked into a book with him in my life2 
,i have not so much as seen the face of 
him this week1 and don't care a louse if
 ,i never see it again4  ,stanhope4 ,my 
dry-nurse never desires anything of me  
that is not reasonable1 and for my own  
good2 and therefore ,i like to be with  
him4  ,englishman4 ,very sententious and
 edifying1 upon my word6 at this rate   
you will be reckoned a very good young  
man4  ,stanhope4 ,why1 that will do me  

no harm4  ,englishman4 ,will you be with
 us to-morrow in the evening1 then8 ,we 
shall be ten with you2 and ,i have got  
some excellent good wine2 and we'll be  
very merry4  ,stanhope4 ,i am very much 
obliged to you1 but ,i am engaged for   
all the evening1 to-morrow2 first at    
,cardinal ,albani's2 and then to sup at 
the ,venetian ,ambassadress's4          
,englishman4 ,how the devil can you like
 being always with these foreigners8 ,i 
never go among them with all their      
formalities and ceremonies4 ,i am never 
easy in company with them1 and ,i don't 
know why1 but ,i am ashamed4  ,stanhope4
 ,i am neither ashamed nor afraid2 ,i am
 very1 easy with them2 they are very    
easy with me2 ,i get the language1 and  
,i see their characters1 by conversing  
with them2 and that is what we are sent 
abroad for1 is it not8  ,englishman4 ,i 
hate your modest women's company2 your  
women of fashion as they call #8em2 ,i  
don't know what to say to them1 for my  
part4  ,stanhope4 ,have you ever        

conversed with them8  ,englishman4 ,no2 
,i never conversed with them2 but have  
been sometimes in their company1 though 
much against my will4  ,stanhope4 ,but  
at least they have done you no hurt2    
which is1 probably1 more than you can   
say of the women you do converse with4  
,englishman4 ,that's true1 ,i own2 but  
for all that1 ,i would rather keep      
company with my surgeon half the year1  
than with your women of fashion the year
 round4  ,stanhope4 ,tastes are         
different1 you know1 and every man      
follows his own4  ,englishman4 ,that's  
true2 but thine's a devilish odd one1   
,stanhope4 ,all morning with thy        
dry-nurse2 all the evening in formal    
fine company2 and all day long afraid of
 ,old ,daddy in ,england4 ,thou art a   
queer fellow1 and ,i am afraid there is 
nothing to be made of thee4  ,stanhope4 
,i am afraid so too4  ,englishman4      
,well1 then1 good night to you2 you have
 no objection1 ,i hope1 to my being     
drunk to-night1 which ,i certainly will 

be4  ,stanhope4 ,not in the least2 nor  
to your being sick tomorrow1 which you  
as certainly will be2 and so good night1
 too4  ,you will observe1 that ,i have  
not put into your mouth those good      
arguments which upon such an occasion   
would1 ,i am sure1 occur to you2 as     
piety and affection toward me2 regard   
and friendship for ,mr4 ,harte2 respect 
for your own moral character1 and for   
all the relative duties of man1 son1    
pupil1 and citizen4 ,such solid         
arguments would be thrown away upon such
 shallow puppies4 ,leave them to their  
ignorance and to their dirty1           
disgraceful vices4 ,they will severely  
feel the effects of them1 when it will  
be too late4 ,without the comfortable   
refuge of learning1 and with all the    
sickness and pains of a ruined stomach1 
and a rotten carcass1 if they happen to 
arrive at old age1 it is an uneasy and  
ignominious one4 ,the ridicule which    
such fellows endeavor to throw upon     
those who are not like them1 is1 in the 

opinion of all men of sense1 the most   
authentic panegyric4 ,go on1 then1 my   
dear child1 in the way you are in1 only 
for a year and a half more3 that is all 
,i ask of you4 ,after that1 ,i promise  
that you shall be your own master1 and  
that ,i will pretend to no other title  
than that of your best and truest       
friend4 ,you shall receive advice1 but  
no orders1 from me2 and in truth you    
will want no other advice but such as   
youth and inexperience must necessarily 
require4 ,you shall certainly want      
nothing that is requisite1 not only for 
your conveniency1 but also for your     
pleasures2 which ,i always desire shall 
be gratified4 ,you will suppose that ,i 
mean the pleasures #8d'un honnete       
homme'4  ,while you are learning        
,italian1 which ,i hope you do with     
diligence1 pray take care to continue   
your ,german1 which you may have        
frequent opportunities of speaking4 ,i  
would also have you keep up your        
knowledge of the #8,jus ,publicum       

,imperii'1 by looking over1 now and     
then1 those ,,inestimable ,,manuscripts 
which ,sir ,charles ,williams1 who      
arrived here last week1 assures me you  
have made upon that subject4 ,it will be
 of very great use to you1 when you come
 to be concerned in foreign affairs2 as 
you shall be 7if you qualify yourself   
for them7 younger than ever any other   
was3 ,i mean before you are twenty4 ,sir
 ,charles tells me1 that he will answer 
for your learning2 and that1 he         
believes1 you will acquire that address1
 and those graces1 which are so         
necessary to give it its full lustre and
 value4 ,but he confesses1 that he      
doubts more of the latter than of the   
former4 ,the justice which he does ,mr4 
,harte1 in his panegyrics of him1 makes 
me hope that there is likewise a great  
deal of truth in his encomiums of you4  
,are you pleased with1 and proud of the 
reputation which you have already       
acquired8 ,surely you are1 for ,i am    
sure ,i am4 ,will you do anything to    

lessen or forfeit it8 ,surely you will  
not4 ,and will you not do all you can to
 extend and increase it8 ,surely you    
will4 ,it is only going on for a year   
and a half longer1 as you have gone on  
for the two years last past1 and        
devoting half the day only to           
application2 and you will be sure to    
make the earliest figure and fortune in 
the world1 that ever man made4 ,adieu4  
,,letter ,,lxxxii  ,,london1 ,september 
#bb1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,if  
,i had faith in philters and love       
potions1 ,i should suspect that you had 
given ,sir ,charles ,williams some1 by  
the manner in which he speaks of you1   
not only to me1 but to everybody else4  
,i will not repeat to you what he says  
of the extent and correctness of your   
knowledge1 as it might either make you  
vain1 or persuade you that you had      
already enough of what nobody can have  
too much4 ,you will easily imagine how  
many questions ,i asked1 and how        
narrowly ,i sifted him upon your        

subject2 he answered me1 and ,i dare say
 with truth1 just as ,i could have      
wished2 till satisfied entirely with his
 accounts of your character and         
learning1 ,i inquired into other        
matters1 intrinsically indeed of less   
consequence1 but still of great         
consequence to every man1 and of more to
 you than to almost any man3 ,i mean1   
your address1 manners1 and air4 ,to     
these questions1 the same truth which he
 had observed before1 obliged him to    
give me much less satisfactory answers4 
,and as he thought himself1 in          
friendship both to you and me1 obliged  
to tell me the disagreeable as well as  
the agreeable truths1 upon the same     
principle ,i think myself obliged to    
repeat them to you4  ,he told me then1  
that in company you were frequently most
 ,,provokingly inattentive1 absent2 and 
distrait2 that you came into a room1 and
 presented yourself1 very awkwardly2    
that at table you constantly threw down 
knives1 forks1 napkins1 bread1 etc41 and

 that you neglected your person and     
dress1 to a degree unpardonable at any  
age1 and much more so at yours4  ,these 
things1 howsoever immaterial they may   
seem to people who do not know the      
world1 and the nature of mankind1 give  
me1 who know them to be exceedingly     
material1 very great concern4 ,i have   
long distrusted you1 and therefore      
frequently admonished you1 upon these   
articles2 and ,i tell you plainly1 that 
,i shall not be easy till ,i hear a very
 different account of them4 ,i know no  
one thing more offensive to a company   
than that inattention and ,,distraction4
 ,it is showing them the utmost         
contempt2 and people never forgive      
contempt4 ,no man is distrait with the  
man he fears1 or the woman he loves2    
which is a proof that every man can get 
the better of that ,,distraction1 when  
he thinks it worth his while to do so2  
and1 take my word for it1 it is always  
worth his while4 ,for my own part1 ,i   
would rather be in company with a dead  

man1 than with an absent one2 for if the
 dead man gives me no pleasure2 at least
 he shows me no contempt2 whereas1 the  
absent man1 silently indeed1 but very   
plainly1 tells me that he does not think
 me worth his attention4 ,besides1 can  
an absent man make any observations upon
 the characters customs1 and manners of 
the company8 ,no4 ,he may be in the best
 companies all his lifetime 7if they    
will admit him1 which1 if ,i were they1 
,i would not7 and never be one jot the  
wiser4 ,i never will converse with an   
absent man2 one may as well talk to a   
deaf one4 ,it is1 in truth1 a practical 
blunder1 to address ourselves to a man  
who we see plainly neither hears1 minds1
 or understands us4 ,moreover1 ,i aver  
that no man is1 in any degree1 fit for  
either business or conversation1 who    
cannot and does not direct and command  
his attention to the present object1 be 
that what it will4 ,you know1 by        
experience1 that ,i grudge no expense in
 your education1 but ,i will positively 

not keep you a ,flapper4 ,you may read1 
in ,dr4 ,swift1 the description of these
 flappers1 and the use they were of to  
your friends the ,laputans2 whose minds 
7,gulliver says7 are so taken up with   
intense speculations1 that they neither 
can speak nor attend to the discourses  
of others1 without being roused by some 
external traction upon the organs of    
speech and hearing2 for which reason1   
those people who are able to afford it1 
always keep a flapper in their family1  
as one of their domestics2 nor ever walk
 about1 or make visits without him4     
,this flapper is likewise employed      
diligently to attend his master in his  
walks2 and1 upon occasion1 to give a    
soft flap upon his eyes1 because he is  
always so wrapped up in cogitation1 that
 he is in manifest danger of falling    
down every precipice1 and bouncing his  
head against every post1 and1 in the    
streets1 of jostling others1 or being   
jostled into the kennel himself4 ,if    
,,christian will undertake this province

 into the bargain1 with all my heart2   
but ,i will not allow him any increase  
of wages upon that score4 ,in short1 ,i 
give you fair warning1 that1 when we    
meet1 if you are absent in mind1 ,i will
 soon be absent in body2 for it will be 
impossible for me to stay in the room2  
and if at table you throw down your     
knife1 plate1 bread1 etc41 and hack the 
wing of a chicken for half an hour1     
without being able to cut it off1 and   
your sleeve all the time in another     
dish1 ,i must rise from the table to    
escape the fever you would certainly    
give me4 ,good ,god6 how ,i should be   
shocked1 if you came into my room1 for  
the first time1 with two left legs1     
presenting yourself with all the graces 
and dignity of a tailor1 and your       
clothes hanging upon you1 like those in 
,monmouth street1 upon tenter-hooks6    
whereas1 ,i expect1 nay1 require1 to see
 you present yourself with the easy and 
genteel air of a man of fashion1 who has
 kept good company4 ,i expect you not   

only well dressed but very well dressed2
 ,i expect a gracefulness in all your   
motions1 and something particularly     
engaging in your address1 ,all this ,i  
expect1 and all this it is in your      
power1 by care and attention1 to make me
 find2 but to tell you the plain truth1 
if ,i do not find it1 we shall not      
converse very much together2 for ,i     
cannot stand inattention and            
awkwardness2 it would endanger my       
health4 ,you have often seen1 and ,i    
have as often made you observe ,l----#8s
 distinguished inattention and          
awkwardness4 ,wrapped up1 like a        
,laputan1 in intense thought1 and       
possibly sometimes in no thought at all 
7which1 ,i believe1 is very often the   
case with absent people71 he does not   
know his most intimate acquaintance by  
sight1 or answers them as if he were at 
cross purposes4 ,he leaves his hat in   
one room1 his sword in another1 and     
would leave his shoes in a third1 if his
 buckles1 though awry1 did not save     

them3 his legs and arms1 by his awkward 
management of them1 seem to have        
undergone the question extraordinaire2  
and his head1 always hanging upon one or
 other of his shoulders1 seems to have  
received the first stroke upon a block4 
,i sincerely value and esteem him for   
his parts1 learning1 and virtue2 but1   
for the soul of me1 ,i cannot love him  
in company4 ,this will be universally   
the case1 in common life1 of every      
inattentive1 awkward man1 let his real  
merit and knowledge be ever so great4   
,when ,i was of your age1 ,i desired to 
shine1 as far as ,i was able1 in every  
part of life2 and was as attentive to my
 manners1 my dress1 and my air1 in      
company of evenings1 as to my books and 
my tutor in the mornings4 ,a young      
fellow should be ambitious to shine in  
everything--and1 of the two1 always     
rather overdo than underdo4 ,these      
things are by no means trifles3 they are
 of infinite consequence to those who   
are to be thrown into the great world1  

and who would make a figure or a fortune
 in it4 ,it is not sufficient to deserve
 well2 one must please well too4        
,awkward1 disagreeable merit will never 
carry anybody far4 ,wherever you find a 
good dancing-master1 pray let him put   
you upon your haunches2 not so much for 
the sake of dancing1 as for coming into 
a room1 and presenting yourself         
genteelly and gracefully4 ,women1 whom  
you ought to endeavor to please1 cannot 
forgive vulgar and awkward air and      
gestures2 #8il leur faut du brillant'4  
,the generality of men are pretty like  
them1 and are equally taken by the same 
exterior graces4  ,i am very glad that  
you have received the diamond buckles   
safe2 all ,i desire in return for them  
is1 that they may be buckled even upon  
your feet1 and that your stockings may  
not hide them4 ,i should be sorry that  
you were an egregious fop2 but1 ,i      
protest1 that of the two1 ,i would      
rather have you a fop than a sloven4 ,i 
think negligence in my own dress1 even  

at my age1 when certainly ,i expect no  
advantages from my dress1 would be      
indecent with regard to others4 ,i have 
done with fine clothes2 but ,i will have
 my plain clothes fit me1 and made like 
other people's3 ,in the evenings1 ,i    
recommend to you the company of women of
 fashion1 who have a right to attention 
and will be paid it4 ,their company will
 smooth your manners1 and give you a    
habit of attention and respect1 of which
 you will find the advantage among men4 
,my plan for you1 from the beginning1   
has been to make you shine equally in   
the learned and in the polite world2 the
 former part is almost completed to my  
wishes1 and will1 ,i am persuaded1 in a 
little time more1 be quite so4 ,the     
latter part is still in your power to   
complete2 and ,i flatter myself that you
 will do it1 or else the former part    
will avail you very little2 especially  
in your department1 where the exterior  
address and graces do half the business2
 they must be the harbingers of your    

merit1 or your merit will be very coldly
 received2 all can1 and do judge of the 
former1 few of the latter4  ,mr4 ,harte 
tells me that you have grown very much  
since your illness2 if you get up to    
five feet ten1 or even nine inches1 your
 figure will probably be a good one2 and
 if well dressed and genteel1 will      
probably please2 which is a much greater
 advantage to a man than people commonly
 think4 ,lord ,bacon calls it a letter  
of recommendation4  ,i would wish you to
 be the omnis homo1 #8l'homme           
universel'4 ,you are nearer it1 if you  
please1 than ever anybody was at your   
age2 and if you will but1 for the course
 of this next year only1 exert your     
whole attention to your studies in the  
morning1 and to your address1 manners1  
air and tournure in the evenings1 you   
will be the man ,i wish you1 and the man
 that is rarely seen4  ,our letters go1 
at best1 so irregularly1 and so often   
miscarry totally1 that for greater      
security ,i repeat the same things4 ,so1

 though ,i acknowledged by last post    
,mr4 ,harte's letter of the #hth        
,september1 ,n4 ,s41 ,i acknowledge it  
again by this to you4 ,if this should   
find you still at ,verona1 let it inform
 you that ,i wish you would set out soon
 for ,naples2 unless ,mr4 ,harte should 
think it better for you to stay at      
,verona1 or any other place on this side
 ,rome1 till you go there for the       
,jubilee4 ,nay1 if he likes it better1  
,i am very willing that you should go   
directly from ,verona to ,rome2 for you 
cannot have too much of ,rome1 whether  
upon account of the language1 the       
curiosities1 or the company4 ,my only   
reason for mentioning ,naples1 is for   
the sake of the climate1 upon account of
 your health2 but if ,mr4 ,harte thinks 
that your health is now so well restored
 as to be above climate1 he may steer   
your course wherever he thinks proper3  
and1 for aught ,i know1 your going      
directly to ,rome1 and consequently     
staying there so much the longer1 may be

 as well as anything else4 ,i think you 
and ,i cannot put our affairs in better 
hands than in ,mr4 ,harte's2 and ,i will
 stake his infallibility against the    
,pope's1 with some odds on his side4    
,apropos of the ,pope3 remember to be   
presented to him before you leave ,rome1
 and go through the necessary ceremonies
 for it1 whether of kissing his slipper 
or his b---h2 for ,i would never deprive
 myself of anything that ,i wanted to do
 or see1 by refusing to comply with an  
established custom4 ,when ,i was in     
,catholic countries1 ,i never declined  
kneeling in their churches at the       
elevation1 nor elsewhere1 when the ,host
 went by4 ,it is a complaisance due to  
the custom of the place1 and by no      
means1 as some silly people have        
imagined1 an implied approbation of     
their doctrine4 ,bodily attitudes and   
situations are things so very           
indifferent in themselves1 that ,i would
 quarrel with nobody about them4 ,it    
may1 indeed1 be improper for ,mr4 ,harte

 to pay that tribute of complaisance1   
upon account of his character4  ,this   
letter is a very long1 and possibly a   
very tedious one2 but my anxiety for    
your perfection is so great1 and        
particularly at this critical and       
decisive period of your life1 that ,i am
 only afraid of omitting1 but never of  
repeating1 or dwelling too long upon    
anything that ,i think may be of the    
least use to you4 ,have the same anxiety
 for yourself1 that ,i have for you1 and
 all will do well4 ,adieu6 my dear      
child4     ,,letter ,,lxxxiii  ,,london1
 ,september #bg1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4  ,,dear 
,,boy3 ,a vulgar1 ordinary way of       
thinking1 acting1 or speaking1 implies a
 low education1 and a habit of low      
company4 ,young people contract it at   
school1 or among servants1 with whom    
they are too often used to converse2 but
 after they frequent good company1 they 
must want attention and observation very
 much1 if they do not lay it quite      
aside2 and1 indeed1 if they do not1 good

 company will be very apt to lay them   
aside4 ,the various kinds of vulgarisms 
are infinite2 ,i cannot pretend to point
 them out to you2 but ,i will give some 
samples1 by which you may guess at the  
rest4  ,a vulgar man is captious and    
jealous2 eager and impetuous about      
trifles4 ,he suspects himself to be     
slighted1 thinks everything that is said
 meant at him3 if the company happens to
 laugh1 he is persuaded they laugh at   
him2 he grows angry and testy1 says     
something very impertinent1 and draws   
himself into a scrape1 by showing what  
he calls a proper spirit1 and asserting 
himself4 ,a man of fashion does not     
suppose himself to be either the sole or
 principal object of the thoughts1      
looks1 or words of the company2 and     
never suspects that he is either        
slighted or laughed at1 unless he is    
conscious that he deserves it4 ,and if  
7which very seldom happens7 the company 
is absurd or ill-bred enough to do      
either1 he does not care twopence1      

unless the insult be so gross and plain 
as to require satisfaction of another   
kind4 ,as he is above trifles1 he is    
never vehement and eager about them2    
and1 wherever they are concerned1 rather
 acquiesces than wrangles4 ,a vulgar    
man's conversation always savors        
strongly of the lowness of his education
 and company4 ,it turns chiefly upon his
 domestic affairs1 his servants1 the    
excellent order he keeps in his own     
family1 and the little anecdotes of the 
neighborhood2 all which he relates with 
emphasis1 as interesting matters4 ,he is
 a man gossip4  ,vulgarism in language  
is the next and distinguishing          
characteristic of bad company and a bad 
education4 ,a man of fashion avoids     
nothing with more care than that4       
,proverbial expressions and trite       
sayings are the flowers of the rhetoric 
of a vulgar man4 ,would he say that men 
differ in their tastes2 he both supports
 and adorns that opinion by the good old
 saying1 as he respectfully calls it1   

that ,,what ,,is ,,one ,,man',s ,,meat1 
,,is ,,another ,,man',s ,,poison4 ,if   
anybody attempts being ,,smart1 as he   
calls it1 upon him1 he gives them ,,tit 
,,for ,,tat1 aye1 that he does4 ,he has 
always some favorite word for the time  
being2 which1 for the sake of using     
often1 he commonly abuses4 ,such as     
,,vastly angry1 ,,vastly kind1 ,,vastly 
handsome1 and ,,vastly ugly4 ,even his  
pronunciation of proper words carries   
the mark of the beast along with it4 ,he
 calls the earth ,,yearth2 he is        
,,obleiged1 not ,,obliged to you4 ,he   
goes ,,to ,,wards1 and not ,,towards1   
such a place4 ,he sometimes affects hard
 words1 by way of ornament1 which he    
always mangles like a learned woman4 ,a 
man of fashion never has recourse to    
proverbs and vulgar aphorisms2 uses     
neither favorite words nor hard words2  
but takes great care to speak very      
correctly and grammatically1 and to     
pronounce properly2 that is1 according  
to the usage of the best companies4  ,an

 awkward address1 ungraceful attitudes  
and actions1 and a certain              
left-handedness 7if ,i may use that     
word71 loudly proclaim low education and
 low company2 for it is impossible to   
suppose that a man can have frequented  
good company1 without having catched    
something1 at least1 of their air and   
motions4 ,a new raised man is           
distinguished in a regiment by his      
awkwardness2 but he must be impenetrably
 dull1 if1 in a month or two's time1 he 
cannot perform at least the common      
manual exercise1 and look like a        
soldier4 ,the very accoutrements of a   
man of fashion are grievous encumbrances
 to a vulgar man4 ,he is at a loss what 
to do with his hat1 when it is not upon 
his head2 his cane 7if unfortunately he 
wears one7 is at perpetual war with     
every cup of tea or coffee he drinks2   
destroys them first1 and then           
accompanies them in their fall4 ,his    
sword is formidable only to his own     
legs1 which would possibly carry him    

fast enough out of the way of any sword 
but his own4 ,his clothes fit him so    
ill1 and constrain him so much1 that he 
seems rather1 their prisoner than their 
proprietor4 ,he presents himself in     
company like a criminal in a court of   
justice2 his very air condemns him2 and 
people of fashion will no more connect  
themselves with the one1 than people of 
character will with the other4 ,this    
repulse drives and sinks him into low   
company2 a gulf from whence no man1     
after a certain age1 ever emerged4      
#8,les manieres nobles et aisees1 la    
tournure d'un homme de condition1 le ton
 de la bonne compagnie1 les graces1 le  
jeune sais quoi1 qui plait'1 are as     
necessary to adorn and introduce your   
intrinsic merit and knowledge1 as the   
polish is to the diamond2 which1 without
 that polish1 would never be worn1      
whatever it might weigh4 ,do not imagine
 that these accomplishments are only    
useful with women2 they are much more so
 with men4 ,in a public assembly1 what  

an advantage has a graceful speaker1    
with genteel motions1 a handsome figure1
 and a liberal air1 over one who shall  
speak full as much good sense1 but      
destitute of these ornaments8 ,in       
business1 how prevalent are the graces1 
how detrimental is the want of them8 ,by
 the help of these ,i have known some   
men refuse favors less offensively than 
others granted them4 ,the utility of    
them in courts and negotiations is      
inconceivable4 ,you gain the hearts1 and
 consequently the secrets1 of nine in   
ten1 that you have to do with1 in spite 
even of their prudence2 which will1 nine
 times in ten1 be the dupe of their     
hearts and of their senses4 ,consider   
the importance of these things as they  
deserve1 and you will not lose one      
minute in the pursuit of them4  ,you are
 traveling now in a country once so     
famous both for arts and arms1 that     
7however degenerate at present7 it still
 deserves your attention and reflection4
 ,view it therefore with care1 compare  

its former with its present state1 and  
examine into the causes of its rise and 
its decay4 ,consider it classically and 
politically1 and do not run through it1 
as too many of your young countrymen do1
 musically1 and 7to use a ridiculous    
word7 ,,knick-,,knackically4 ,no piping 
nor fiddling1 ,i beseech you2 no days   
lost in poring upon almost imperceptible
 #8intaglios and cameos'3 and do not    
become a virtuoso of small wares4 ,form 
a taste of painting1 sculpture1 and     
architecture1 if you please1 by a       
careful examination of the works of the 
best ancient and modern artists2 those  
are liberal arts1 and a real taste and  
knowledge of them become a man of       
fashion very well4 ,but1 beyond certain 
bounds1 the man of taste ends1 and the  
frivolous virtuoso begins4  ,your friend
 ,mendes1 the good ,samaritan1 dined    
with me yesterday4 ,he has more         
good-nature and generosity than parts4  
,however1 ,i will show him all the      
civilities that his kindness to you so  

justly deserves4 ,he tells me that you  
are taller than ,i am1 which ,i am very 
glad of3 ,i desire that you may excel me
 in everything else too2 and1 far from  
repining1 ,i shall rejoice at your      
superiority4 ,he commends your friend   
,mr4 ,stevens extremely2 of whom too ,i 
have heard so good a character from     
other people1 that ,i am very glad of   
your connection with him4 ,it may prove 
of use to you hereafter4 ,when you meet 
with such sort of ,englishmen abroad1   
who1 either from their parts or their   
rank1 are likely to make a figure at    
home1 ,i would advise you to cultivate  
them1 and get their favorable testimony 
of you here1 especially those who are to
 return to ,england before you4 ,sir    
,charles ,williams has puffed you 7as   
the mob call it7 here extremely4 ,if    
three or four more people of parts do   
the same1 before you come back1 your    
first appearance in ,london will be to  
great advantage4 ,many people do1 and   
indeed ought1 to take things upon trust2

 many more do1 who need not2 and few    
dare dissent from an established        
opinion4 ,adieu6     ,,letter ,,lxxxiv  
,,london1 ,october #b1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4   
,,dear ,,boy3 ,i received by the last   
post your letter of the #bb;d           
,september1 ,n4 ,s41 but ,i have not    
received that from ,mr4 ,harte to which 
you refer1 and which you say contained  
your reasons for leaving ,verona1 and   
returning to ,venice2 so that ,i am     
entirely ignorant of them4 ,indeed the  
irregularity and negligence of the post 
provoke me1 as they break the thread of 
the accounts ,i want to receive from    
you1 and of the instructions and orders 
which ,i send you1 almost every post4   
,of these last twenty posts4  ,i am sure
 that ,i have wrote eighteen1 either to 
you or to ,mr4 ,harte1 and it does not  
appear by your letter1 that all or even 
any of my letters have been received4 ,i
 desire for the future1 that both you   
and ,mr4 ,harte will constantly1 in your
 letters1 mention the dates of mine4    

,had it not been for their miscarriage1 
you would not have1 been in the         
uncertainty you seem to be in at        
present1 with regard to your future     
motions4 ,had you received my letters1  
you would have been by this time at     
,naples3 but we must now take things    
where they are4  ,upon the receipt1     
then1 of this letter1 you will as soon  
as conveniently you can1 set out for    
,rome2 where you will not arrive too    
long before the jubilee1 considering the
 difficulties of getting lodgings1 and  
other accommodations there at this time4
 ,i leave the choice of the route to    
you2 but ,i do by no means intend that  
you should leave ,rome after the        
jubilee1 as you seem to hint in your    
letter3 on the contrary1 ,i will have   
,rome your headquarters for six months  
at least2 till you shall have1 in a     
manner1 acquired the #8,jus ,civitatis' 
there4 ,more things are to be seen and  
learned there1 than in any other town in
 ,europe2 there are the best masters to 

instruct1 and the best companies to     
polish you4 ,in the spring you may make 
7if you please7 frequent excursions to  
,naples2 but ,rome must still be your   
headquarters1 till the heats of ,june   
drive you from thence to some other     
place in ,italy1 which we shall think of
 by that time4 ,as to the expense which 
you mention1 ,i do not regard it in the 
least2 from your infancy to this day1 ,i
 never grudged any expense in your      
education1 and still less do it now1    
that it is become more important and    
decisive3 ,i attend to the objects of   
your expenses1 but not to the sums4 ,i  
will certainly not pay one shilling for 
your losing your nose1 your money1 or   
your reason2 that is1 ,i will not       
contribute to women1 gaming1 and        
drinking4 ,but ,i will most cheerfully  
supply1 not only every necessary1 but   
every decent expense you can make4 ,i do
 not care what the best masters cost4 ,i
 would have you as well dressed1 lodged1
 and attended1 as any reasonable man of 

fashion is in his travels4 ,i would have
 you have that pocket-money that should 
enable you to make the proper expense   
#8d'un honnete homme'4 ,in short1 ,i bar
 no expense1 that has neither vice nor  
folly for its object2 and under those   
two reasonable restrictions1 draw1 and  
welcome4  ,as for ,turin1 you may go    
there hereafter1 as a traveler1 for a   
month or two2 but you cannot            
conveniently reside there as an         
academician1 for reasons which ,i have  
formerly communicated to ,mr4 ,harte1   
and which ,mr4 ,villettes1 since his    
return here1 has shown me in a still    
stronger light than he had done by his  
letters from ,turin1 of which ,i sent   
copies to ,mr4 ,harte1 though probably  
he never received them4  ,after you have
 left ,rome1 ,florence is one of the    
places with which you should be         
thoroughly acquainted4 ,i know that     
there is a great deal of gaming there2  
but1 at the same time1 there are in     
every place some people whose fortunes  

are either too small1 or whose          
understandings are too good to allow    
them to play for anything above trifles2
 and with those people you will         
associate yourself1 if you have not 7as 
,i am assured you have not1 in the      
least7 the spirit of gaming in you4     
,moreover1 at suspected places1 such as 
,florence1 ,turin1 and ,paris1 ,i shall 
be more attentive to your draughts1 and 
such as exceed a proper and handsome    
expense will not be answered2 for ,i can
 easily know whether you game or not    
without being told4  ,mr4 ,harte will   
determine your route to ,rome as he     
shall think best2 whether along the     
coast of the ,adriatic1 or that of the  
,mediterranean1 it is equal to me2 but  
you will observe to come back a         
different way from that you went4       
,since your health is so well restored1 
,i am not sorry that you have returned  
to ,venice1 for ,i love capitals4       
,everything is best at capitals2 the    
best masters1 the best companions1 and  

the best manners4 ,many other places are
 worth seeing1 but capitals only are    
worth residing at4 ,i am very glad that 
,madame ,capello received you so well4  
,monsieur ,i was sure would3 pray assure
 them both of my respects1 and of my    
sensibility of their kindness to you4   
,their house will be a very good one for
 you at ,rome2 and ,i would advise you  
to be domestic in it if you can4 ,but   
,madame1 ,i can tell you1 requires great
 attentions4 ,madame ,micheli has       
written a very favorable account of you 
to my friend the ,abbe ,grossa ,testa1  
in a letter which he showed me1 and in  
which there are so many civil things to 
myself1 that ,i would wish to tell her  
how much ,i think myself obliged to her4
 ,i approve very much of the allotment  
of your time at ,venice2 pray go on so  
for a twelvemonth at least1 wherever you
 are4 ,you will find your own account in
 it4  ,i like your last letter1 which   
gives me an account of yourself1 and    
your own transactions2 for though ,i do 

not recommend the ,,egotism to you1 with
 regard to anybody else1 ,i desire that 
you will use it with me1 and with me    
only4 ,i interest myself in all that you
 do2 and as yet 7excepting ,mr4 ,harte7 
nobody else does4 ,he must of course    
know all1 and ,i desire to know a great 
deal4  ,i am glad you have received1 and
 that you like the diamond buckles4 ,i  
am very willing that you should make1   
but very unwilling that you should ,,cut
 a figure with them at the jubilee2 the 
,,cutting ,a ,,figure being the very    
lowest vulgarism in the ,english        
language2 and equal in elegancy to ,yes1
 my ,lady1 and ,no1 my ,lady4 ,the word 
,,vast and ,,vastly1 you will have found
 by my former letter that ,i had        
proscribed out of the diction of a      
gentleman1 unless in their proper       
signification of sizes and ,,bulk4 ,not 
only in language1 but in everything     
else1 take great care that the first    
impressions you give of yourself may be 
not only favorable1 but pleasing1       

engaging1 nay1 seducing4 ,they are often
 decisive2 ,i confess they are a good   
deal so with me3 and ,i cannot wish for 
further acquaintance with a man whose   
first #8abord' and address displease me4
  ,so many of my letters have           
miscarried1 and ,i know so little which1
 that ,i am forced to repeat the same   
thing over and over again eventually4   
,this is one4 ,i have wrote twice to    
,mr4 ,harte1 to have your picture drawn 
in miniature1 while you were at ,venice2
 and send it me in a letter3 it is all  
one to me whether in enamel or in       
watercolors1 provided it is but very    
like you4 ,i would have you drawn       
exactly as you are1 and in no whimsical 
dress3 and ,i lay more stress upon the  
likeness of the picture1 than upon the  
taste and skill of the painter4 ,if this
 be not already done1 ,i desire that you
 will have it done forthwith before you 
leave ,venice2 and inclose it in a      
letter to me1 which letter1 for greater 
security1 ,i would have you desire ,sir 

,james ,gray to inclose in his packet to
 the office2 as ,i1 for the same1       
reason1 send this under his cover4 ,if  
the picture be done upon vellum1 it will
 be the most portable4 ,send me1 at the 
same time1 a thread of silk of your own 
length exactly4 ,i am solicitous about  
your figure2 convinced1 by a thousand   
instances1 that a good one is a real    
advantage4 #8,mens sana in corpore      
sano'1 is the first and greatest        
blessing4 ,i would add #8et pulchro'1 to
 complete it4 ,may you have that and    
every other6 ,adieu4  ,have you received
 my letters of recommendation to        
,cardinal ,albani and the ,duke de      
,nivernois1 at ,rome8     ,,letter      
,,lxxxv  ,,london1 ,october #i1 ,o4 ,s4 
#agdi4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,if this letter   
finds you at all1 of which ,i am very   
doubtful1 it will find you at ,venice1  
preparing for your journey to ,rome2    
which1 by my last letter to ,mr4 ,harte1
 ,i advised you to make along the coast 
of the ,adriatic1 through ,rimini1      

,loretto1 ,ancona1 etc41 places that are
 all worth seeing2 but not worth staying
 at4 ,and such ,i reckon all places     
where the eyes only are employed4       
,remains of antiquity1 public buildings1
 paintings1 sculptures1 etc41 ought to  
be seen1 and that with a proper degree  
of attention2 but this is soon done1 for
 they are only outsides4 ,it is not so  
with more important objects2 the insides
 of which must be seen2 and they require
 and deserve much more attention4 ,the  
characters1 the heads1 and the hearts of
 men1 are the useful science of which ,i
 would have you perfect master4 ,that   
science is best taught and best learned 
in capitals1 where every human passion  
has its object1 and exerts all its force
 or all its art in the pursuit4 ,i      
believe there is no place in the world1 
where every passion is busier1 appears  
in more shapes1 and is conducted with   
more art1 than at ,rome4 ,therefore1    
when you are there1 do not imagine that 
the ,capitol1 the ,vatican1 and the     

,pantheon1 are the principal objects of 
your curiosity4 ,but for one minute that
 you bestow upon those1 employ ten days 
in informing yourself of the nature of  
that government1 the rise and decay of  
the papal power1 the politics of that   
court1 the #8,brigues' of the cardinals1
 the tricks of the ,conclaves2 and1 in  
general1 everything that relates to the 
interior of that extraordinary          
government1 founded originally upon the 
ignorance and superstition of mankind1  
extended by the weakness of some        
princes1 and the ambition of others2    
declining of late in proportion as      
knowledge has increased2 and owing its  
present precarious security1 not to the 
religion1 the affection1 or the fear of 
the temporal powers1 but to the jealousy
 of each other4 ,the ,pope's            
excommunications are no longer dreaded2 
his indulgences little solicited1 and   
sell very cheap2 and his territories    
formidable to no power1 are coveted by  
many1 and will1 most undoubtedly1 within

 a century1 be scantled out among the   
great powers1 who have now a footing in 
,italy1 whenever they can agree upon the
 division of the bear's skin4 ,pray     
inform yourself thoroughly of the       
history of the popes and the popedom2   
which1 for many centuries1 is interwoven
 with the history of all ,europe4 ,read 
the best authors who treat of these     
matters1 and especially ,fra ,paolo1    
#8,de ,beneficiis'1 a short1 but very   
material book4 ,you will find at ,rome  
some of all the religious orders in the 
,christian world4 ,inform yourself      
carefully of their origin1 their        
founders1 their rules1 their reforms1   
and even their dresses3 get acquainted  
with some of all of them1 but           
particularly with the ,jesuits2 whose   
society ,i look upon to be the most able
 and best governed society in the world4
 ,get acquainted1 if you can1 with their
 ,general1 who always resides at ,rome2 
and who1 though he has no seeming power 
out of his own society1 has 7it may be7 

more real influence over the whole      
world1 than any temporal prince in it4  
,they have almost engrossed the         
education of youth2 they are1 in        
general1 confessors to most of the      
princes of ,europe2 and they are the    
principal missionaries out of it2 which 
three articles give them a most         
extensive influence and solid           
advantages2 witness their settlement in 
,paraguay4 ,the ,catholics in general   
declaim against that society2 and yet   
are all governed by individuals of it4  
,they have1 by turns1 been banished1 and
 with infamy1 almost every country in   
,europe2 and have always found means to 
be restored1 even with triumph4 ,in     
short1 ,i know no government in the     
world that is carried on upon such deep 
principles of policy1 ,i will not add   
morality4 ,converse with them1 frequent 
them1 court them2 but know them4        
,inform yourself1 too1 of that infernal 
court1 the ,inquisition2 which1 though  
not so considerable at ,rome as in      

,spain and ,portugal1 will1 however1 be 
a good sample to you of what the        
villainy of some men can contrive1 the  
folly of others receive1 and both       
together establish1 in spite of the     
first natural principles of reason1     
justice1 and equity4  ,these are the    
proper and useful objects of the        
attention of a man of sense1 when he    
travels2 and these are the objects for  
which ,i have sent you abroad2 and ,i   
hope you will return thoroughly informed
 of them4  ,i receive this very moment  
,mr4 ,harte's letter of the #ast        
,october1 ,n4 ,s41 but ,i never received
 his former1 to which he refers in this1
 and you refer in your last2 in which he
 gave me the reasons for your leaving   
,verona so soon2 nor have ,i ever       
received that letter in which your case 
was stated by your physicians4 ,letters 
to and from me have worse luck than     
other people's2 for you have written to 
me1 and ,i to you1 for these last three 
months1 by way of ,germany1 with as     

little success as before4  ,i am edified
 with your morning applications1 and    
your evening gallantries at ,venice1 of 
which ,mr4 ,harte gives me an account4  
,pray go on with both there1 and        
afterward at ,rome2 where1 provided you 
arrive in the beginning of ,december1   
you may stay at ,venice as much longer  
as you please4  ,make my compliments to 
,sir ,james ,gray and ,mr4 ,smith1 with 
my acknowledgments for the great        
civilities they show you4  ,i wrote to  
,mr4 ,harte by the last post1 ,october  
the #fth1 ,o4 ,s41 and will write to him
 in a post or two upon the contents of  
his last4 ,adieu6 #8,point de           
distractions'2 and remember the         
,,graces4     ,,letter ,,lxxxvi         
,,london1 ,october #ag1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4  
,,dear ,,boy3 ,i have at last received  
,mr4 ,harte's letter of the #aith       
,september1 ,n4 ,s41 from ,verona4 ,your
 reasons for leaving that place were    
very good ones2 and as you stayed there 
long enough to see what was to be seen1 

,venice 7as a capital7 is1 in my        
opinion1 a much better place for your   
residence4 ,capitals are always the     
seats of arts and sciences1 and the best
 companies4 ,i have stuck to them all my
 lifetime1 and ,i advise you to do so   
too4  ,you will have received in my     
three or four last letters my directions
 for your further motions to another    
capital1 where ,i propose that your stay
 shall be pretty considerable4 ,the     
expense1 ,i am well aware1 will be so   
too2 but that1 as ,i told you before1   
will have no weight when your           
improvement and advantage are in the    
other scale4 ,i do not care a groat what
 it is1 if neither vice nor folly are   
the objects of it1 and if ,mr4 ,harte   
gives his sanction4  ,i am very well    
pleased with your account of ,carniola2 
those are the kind of objects worthy of 
your inquiries and knowledge4 ,the      
produce1 the taxes1 the trade1 the      
manufactures1 the strength1 the         
weakness1 the government of the several 

countries which a man of sense travels  
through1 are the material points to     
which he attends2 and leaves the        
steeples1 the market-places1 and the    
signs1 to the laborious and curious     
researches of ,dutch and ,german        
travelers4  ,mr4 ,harte tells me1 that  
he intends to give you1 by means of     
,signor ,vicentini1 a general notion of 
civil and military architecture2 with   
which ,i am very well pleased4 ,they are
 frequent subjects of conversation2 and 
it is very right that you should have   
some idea of the latter1 and a good     
taste of the former2 and you may very   
soon learn as much as you need know of  
either4 ,if you read about one-third of 
,palladio's book of architecture with   
some skillful person1 and then1 with    
that person1 examine the best buildings 
by those rules1 you will know the       
different proportions of the different  
orders2 the several diameters of their  
columns2 their intercolumniations1 their
 several uses1 etc4 ,the ,corinthian    

,order is chiefly used in magnificent   
buildings1 where ornament and decoration
 are the principal objects2 the ,doric  
is calculated for strength1 and the     
,ionic partakes of the ,doric strength1 
and of the ,corinthian ornaments4 ,the  
,composite and the ,tuscan orders are   
more modern1 and were unknown to the    
,greeks2 the one is too light1 the other
 too clumsy4 ,you may soon be acquainted
 with the considerable parts of civil   
architecture2 and for the minute and    
mechanical parts of it1 leave them to   
masons1 bricklayers1 and ,lord          
,burlington1 who has1 to a certain      
extent1 lessened himself by knowing them
 too well4 ,observe the same method as  
to military architecture2 understand the
 terms1 know the general rules1 and then
 see them in execution with some        
skillful person4 ,go with some engineer 
or old officer1 and view with care the  
real fortifications of some strong      
place2 and you will get a clearer idea  
of bastions1 half-moons1 horn-works1    

ravelins1 glacis1 etc41 than all the    
masters in the world could give you upon
 paper4 ,and thus much ,i would1 by all 
means1 have you know of both civil and  
military architecture4  ,i would also   
have you acquire a liberal taste of the 
two liberal arts of painting and        
sculpture2 but without descending into  
those minutia1 which our modern virtuosi
 most affectedly dwell upon4 ,observe   
the great parts attentively2 see if     
nature be truly represented2 if the     
passions are strongly expressed2 if the 
characters are preserved2 and leave the 
trifling parts1 with their little       
jargon1 to affected puppies4 ,i would   
advise you also1 to read the history of 
the painters and sculptors1 and ,i know 
none better than ,felibien's4 ,there are
 many in ,italian2 you will inform      
yourself which are the best4 ,it is a   
part of history very entertaining1      
curious enough1 and not quite useless4  
,all these sort of things ,i would have 
you know1 to a certain degree2 but      

remember1 that they must only be the    
amusements1 and not the business of a   
man of parts4  ,since writing to me in  
,german would take up so much of your   
time1 of which ,i would not now have one
 moment wasted1 ,i will accept of your  
composition1 and content myself with a  
moderate ,german letter once a          
fortnight1 to ,lady ,chesterfield or    
,mr4 ,gravenkop4 ,my meaning was only   
that you should not forget what you had 
already learned of the ,german language 
and character2 but1 on the contrary1    
that by frequent use it should grow more
 easy and familiar4 ,provided you take  
care of that1 ,i do not care by what    
means3 but ,i do desire that you will   
every day of your life speak ,german to 
somebody or other 7for you will meet    
with ,germans enough71 and write a line 
or two of it every day to keep your hand
 in4 ,why should you not 7for instance7 
write your little memorandums and       
accounts in that language and character8
 by which1 too1 you would have this     

advantage into the bargain1 that1 if    
mislaid1 few but yourself could read    
them4  ,i am extremely glad to hear that
 you like the assemblies at ,venice well
 enough to sacrifice some suppers to    
them2 for ,i hear that you do not       
dislike your suppers neither4 ,it is    
therefore plain1 that there is somebody 
or something at those assemblies1 which 
you like better than your meat4 ,and as 
,i know that there is none but good     
company at those assemblies1 ,i am very 
glad to find that you like good company 
so well4 ,i already imagine that you are
 a little1 smoothed by it2 and that you 
have either reasoned yourself1 or that  
they have laughed you out of your       
absences and ,,distractions2 for ,i     
cannot suppose that you go there to     
insult them4 ,i likewise imagine1 that  
you wish to be welcome where you wish to
 go2 and consequently1 that you both    
present and behave yourself there #8en  
galant homme1 et pas in bourgeois'4  ,if
 you have vowed to anybody there one of 

those eternal passions which ,i have    
sometimes known1 by great accident1 last
 three months1 ,i can tell you that     
without great attention1 infinite       
politeness1 and engaging air and        
manners1 the omens will be sinister1 and
 the goddess unpropitious4 ,pray tell me
 what are the amusements of those       
assemblies8 ,are they little commercial 
play1 are they music1 are they #8la     
belle conversation'1 or are they all    
three8 #8,y file-t-on le parfait amour8 
,y debite-t-on les beaux sentimens8 ,ou 
est-ce yu'on y parle ,epigramme8 ,and   
pray which is your department8 #8,tutis 
depone in auribus'4 ,whichever it is1   
endeavor to shine and excel in it4 ,aim 
at least at the perfection of everything
 that is worth doing at all2 and you    
will come nearer it than you would      
imagine2 but those always crawl         
infinitely short of it whose aim is only
 mediocrity4 ,adieu4  ,p4 ,s4 ,by an    
uncommon diligence of the post1 ,i have 
this moment received yours of the #ith1 

,n4 ,s4     ,,letter ,,lxxxvii          
,,london1 ,october #bd1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4  
,,dear ,,boy3 ,by my last ,i only       
acknowledged1 by this ,i answer1 your   
letter of the #ith ,october1 ,n4 ,s4  ,i
 am very glad that you approved of my   
letter of ,september the #abth1 ,o4 ,s41
 because it is upon that footing that ,i
 always propose living with you4 ,i will
 advise you seriously1 as a friend of   
some experience1 and ,i will converse   
with you cheerfully as a companion2 the 
authority of a parent shall forever be  
laid aside2 for1 wherever it is exerted1
 it is useless2 since1 if you have      
neither sense nor sentiments enough to  
follow my advice as a friend1 your      
unwilling obedience to my orders as a   
father will be a very awkward and       
unavailing one both to yourself and me4 
,tacitus1 speaking of an army that      
awkwardly and unwillingly obeyed its    
generals only from the fear of          
punishment1 says1 they obeyed indeed1   
#8,sed ut qua mallent jussa ,imperatorum

 interpretari1 quam exequi'4 ,for my own
 part1 ,i disclaim such obedience4  ,you
 think1 ,i find1 that you do not        
understand ,italian2 but ,i can tell    
you1 that1 like the #8,bourgeois        
,gentilhomme'1 who spoke prose without  
knowing it1 you understand a great deal1
 though you do not know that you do2 for
 whoever understands ,french and ,latin 
so well as you do1 understands at least 
half the ,italian language1 and has very
 little occasion for a dictionary4 ,and 
for the idioms1 the phrases1 and the    
delicacies of it1 conversation and a    
little attention will teach them you1   
and that soon2 therefore1 pray speak it 
in company1 right or wrong1 #8a tort ou 
a travers'1 as soon as ever you have got
 words enough to ask a common question1 
or give a common answer4 ,if you can    
only say #8buon giorno'1 say it1 instead
 of saying #8bon jour'1 ,i mean to every
 ,italian2 the answer to it will teach  
you more words1 and insensibly you will 
be very soon master of that easy        

language4 ,you are quite right in not   
neglecting your ,german for it1 and in  
thinking that it will be of more use to 
you2 it certainly will1 in the course of
 your business2 but ,italian has its use
 too1 and is an ornament into the       
bargain2 there being many very polite   
and good authors in that language4 ,the 
reason you assign for having hitherto   
met with none of my swarms of ,germans  
in ,italy1 is a very solid one2 and ,i  
can easily conceive1 that the expense   
necessary for a traveler must amount to 
a number of thalers1 groschen1 and      
kreutzers1 tremendous to a ,german      
fortune4 ,however1 you will find several
 at ,rome1 either ecclesiastics1 or in  
the suite of the ,imperial ,minister2   
and more1 when you come into the        
,milanese1 among the ,queen of          
,hungary's officers4 ,besides1 you have 
a ,saxon servant1 to whom ,i hope you   
speak nothing but ,german4  ,i have had 
the most obliging letter in the world   
from ,monsieur ,capello1 in which he    

speaks very advantageously of you1 and  
promises you his protection at ,rome4 ,i
 have wrote him an answer by which ,i   
hope ,i have domesticated you at his    
hotel there2 which ,i advise you to     
frequent as much as you can4 #8,il est  
vrai qui'il ne paie pas beaucaup de sa  
figure'2 but he has sense and knowledge 
at bottom1 with a great experience of   
business1 having been already           
,ambassador at ,madrid1 ,vienna1 and    
,london4 ,and ,i am very sure that he   
will be willing to give you any         
informations1 in that way1 that he can4 
,madame was a capricious1 whimsical1    
fine lady1 till the smallpox1 which she 
got here1 by lessening her beauty1      
lessened her humors too2 but1 as ,i     
presume it did not change her sex1 ,i   
trust to that for her having such a     
share of them left1 as may contribute to
 smooth and polish you4 ,she1 doubtless1
 still thinks that she has beauty enough
 remaining to entitle her to the        
attentions always paid to beauty2 and   

she has certainly rank enough to require
 respect4 ,those are the sort of women  
who polish a young man the most1 and who
 give him that habit of complaisance1   
and that flexibility and versatility of 
manners which prove of great use to him 
with men1 and in the course of business4
  ,you must always expect to hear1 more 
or less1 from me1 upon that important   
subject of manners1 graces1 address1 and
 that undefinable #8je ne sais quoi'    
that ever pleases4 ,i have reason to    
believe that you want nothing else2 but 
,i have reason to fear too1 that you    
want those3 and that want will keep you 
poor in the midst of all the plenty of  
knowledge which you may have treasured  
up4 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,lxxxviii     
,,london1 ,november #c1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4  
,,dear ,,boy3 ,from the time that you   
have had life1 it has been the principle
 and favorite object of mine1 to make   
you as perfect as the imperfections of  
human nature will allow3 in this view1  
,i have grudged no pains nor expense in 

your education2 convinced that          
education1 more than nature1 is the     
cause of that great difference which you
 see in the characters of men4 ,while   
you were a child1 ,i endeavored to form 
your heart habitually to virtue and     
honor1 before your understanding was    
capable of showing you their beauty and 
utility4 ,those principles1 which you   
then got1 like your grammar rules1 only 
by rote1 are now1 ,i am persuaded1 fixed
 and confirmed by reason4 ,and indeed   
they are so plain and clear1 that they  
require but a very moderate degree of   
understanding1 either to comprehend or  
practice them4 ,lord ,shaftesbury says1 
very prettily1 that he would be virtuous
 for his own sake1 though nobody were to
 know it2 as he would be clean for his  
own sake1 though nobody were to see him4
 ,i have therefore1 since you have had  
the use of your reason1 never written to
 you upon those subjects3 they speak    
best for themselves2 and ,i should now  
just as soon think of warning you       

gravely not to fall into the dirt or the
 fire1 as into dishonor or vice4 ,this  
view of mine1 ,i consider as fully      
attained4 ,my next object was sound and 
useful learning4 ,my own care first1    
,mr4 ,harte's afterward1 and ,,of ,,late
 7,i will own it to your praise7 your   
own application1 have more than answered
 my expectations in that particular2    
and1 ,i have reason to believe1 will    
answer even my wishes4 ,all that remains
 for me then to wish1 to recommend1 to  
inculcate1 to order1 and to insist upon1
 is good-breeding2 without which1 all   
your other qualifications will be lame1 
unadorned1 and to a certain degree      
unavailing4 ,and here ,i fear1 and have 
too much reason to believe1 that you are
 greatly deficient4 ,the remainder of   
this letter1 therefore1 shall be 7and it
 will not be the last by a great many7  
upon that subject4  ,a friend of yours  
and mine has very justly defined        
good-breeding to be1 ,,the ,,result ,,of
 ,,much ,,good ,,sense1 ,,some ,,good   

,,nature1 ,,and ,a ,,little             
,,self-,,denial ,,for ,,the ,,sake ,,of 
,,others1 ,,and ,,with ,a ,,view ,,to   
,,obtain ,,the ,,same ,,indulgence      
,,from ,,them4 ,taking this for granted 
7as ,i think it cannot be disputed71 it 
is astonishing to me that anybody who   
has good sense and good nature 7and ,i  
believe you have both71 can essentially 
fail in good-breeding4 ,as to the modes 
of it1 indeed1 they vary according to   
persons1 and places1 and circumstances2 
and are only to be acquired by          
observation and experience3 but the     
substance of it is everywhere and       
eternally the same4 ,good manners are1  
to particular societies1 what good      
morals are to society in general2 their 
cement and their security4 ,and1 as laws
 are enacted to enforce good morals1 or 
at least to prevent the ill effects of  
bad ones2 so there are certain rules of 
civility1 universally implied and       
received1 to enforce good manners and   
punish bad ones4 ,and1 indeed1 there    

seems to me to be less difference1 both 
between the crimes and between the      
punishments than at first one would     
imagine4 ,the immoral man1 who invades  
another man's property1 is justly hanged
 for it2 and the ill-bred man1 who1 by  
his ill-manners1 invades and disturbs   
the quiet and comforts of private life1 
is by common consent as justly banished 
society4 ,mutual complaisances1         
attentions1 and sacrifices of little    
conveniences1 are as natural an implied 
compact between civilized people1 as    
protection and obedience are between    
kings and subjects2 whoever1 in either  
case1 violates that compact1 justly     
forfeits all advantages arising from it4
 ,for my own part1 ,i really think1 that
 next to the consciousness of doing a   
good action1 that of doing a civil one  
is the most pleasing2 and the epithet   
which ,i should covet the most1 next to 
that of ,aristides1 would be that of    
well-bred4 ,thus much for good-breeding 
in general2 ,i will now consider some of

 the various modes and degrees of it4   
,very few1 scarcely any1 are wanting in 
the respect which they should show to   
those whom they acknowledge to be       
infinitely their superiors2 such as     
crowned heads1 princes1 and public      
persons of distinguished and eminent    
posts4 ,it is the manner of showing that
 respect which is different4 ,the man of
 fashion and of the world1 expresses it 
in its fullest extent2 but naturally1   
easily1 and without concern3 whereas a  
man1 who is not used to keep good       
company1 expresses it awkwardly2 one    
sees that he is not used to it1 and that
 it costs him a great deal3 but ,i never
 saw the worst-bred man living guilty of
 lolling1 whistling1 scratching his     
head1 and such-like indecencies1 in     
company that he respected4 ,in such     
companies1 therefore1 the only point to 
be attended to is to show that respect1 
which everybody means to show1 in an    
easy1 unembarrassed1 and graceful       
manner4 ,this is what observation and   

experience must teach you4  ,in mixed   
companies1 whoever is admitted to make  
part of them1 is1 for the time at least1
 supposed to be upon a footing of       
equality with the rest3 and             
consequently1 as there is no one        
principal object of awe and respect1    
people are apt to take a greater        
latitude in their behavior1 and to be   
less upon their guard2 and so they may1 
provided it be within certain bounds1   
which are upon no occasion to be        
transgressed4 ,but1 upon these          
occasions1 though no one is entitled to 
distinguished marks of respect1 everyone
 claims1 and very justly1 every mark of 
civility and good-breeding4 ,ease is    
allowed1 but carelessness and negligence
 are strictly forbidden4 ,if a man      
accosts you1 and talks to you ever so   
dully or frivolously1 it is worse than  
rudeness1 it is brutality1 to show him1 
by a manifest inattention to what he    
says1 that you think him a fool or a    
blockhead1 and not worth hearing4 ,it is

 much more so with regard to women2 who1
 of whatever rank they are1 are         
entitled1 in consideration of their sex1
 not only to an attentive1 but an       
officious good-breeding from men4 ,their
 little wants1 likings1 dislikes1       
preferences1 antipathies1 fancies1      
whims1 and even impertinencies1 must be 
officiously attended to1 flattered1 and1
 if possible1 guessed at and anticipated
 by a well-bred man4 ,you must never    
usurp to yourself those conveniences and
 #8agremens' which are of common right2 
such as the best places1 the best       
dishes1 etc41 but on the contrary1      
always decline them yourself1 and offer 
them to others2 who1 in their turns1    
will offer them to you2 so that1 upon   
the whole1 you will in your turn enjoy  
your share of the common right4 ,it     
would be endless for me to enumerate all
 the particular instances in which a    
well-bred man shows his good-breeding in
 good company2 and it would be injurious
 to you to suppose that your own good   

sense will not point them out to you2   
and then your own good-nature will      
recommend1 and your self-interest       
enforce the practice4  ,there is a third
 sort of good-breeding1 in which people 
are the most apt to fail1 from a very   
mistaken notion that they cannot fail at
 all4 ,i mean with regard to one's most 
familiar friends and acquaintances1 or  
those who really are our inferiors2 and 
there1 undoubtedly1 a greater degree of 
ease is not only allowed1 but proper1   
and contributes much to the comforts of 
a private1 social life4 ,but that ease  
and freedom have their bounds too1 which
 must by no means be violated4 ,a       
certain degree of negligence and        
carelessness becomes injurious and      
insulting1 from the real or supposed    
inferiority of the persons3 and that    
delightful liberty of conversation among
 a few friends is soon destroyed1 as    
liberty often has been1 by being carried
 to licentiousness4 ,but example        
explains things best1 and ,i will put a 

pretty strong case4 ,suppose you and me 
alone together2 ,i believe you will     
allow that ,i have as good a right to   
unlimited freedom in your company1 as   
either you or ,i can possibly have in   
any other2 and ,i am apt to believe too1
 that you would indulge me in that      
freedom as far as anybody would4 ,but1  
notwithstanding this1 do you imagine    
that ,i should think there were no      
bounds to that freedom8 ,i assure you1  
,i should not think so2 and ,i take     
myself to be as much tied down by a     
certain degree of good manners to you1  
as by other degrees of them to other    
people4 ,were ,i to show you1 by a      
manifest inattention to what you said to
 me1 that ,i was thinking of something  
else the whole time2 were ,i to yawn    
extremely1 snore1 or break wind in your 
company1 ,i should think that ,i behaved
 myself to you like a beast1 and should 
not expect that you would care to       
frequent me4 ,no4 ,the most familiar and
 intimate habitudes1 connections1 and   

friendships1 require a degree of        
good-breeding1 both to preserve and     
cement them4 ,if ever a man and his     
wife1 or a man and his mistress1 who    
pass nights as well as days together1   
absolutely lay aside all good-breeding1 
their intimacy will soon degenerate into
 a coarse familiarity1 infallibly       
productive of contempt or disgust4 ,the 
best of us have our bad sides1 and it is
 as imprudent1 as it is ill-bred1 to    
exhibit them4 ,i shall certainly not use
 ceremony with you2 it would be         
misplaced between us3 but ,i shall      
certainly observe that degree of        
good-breeding with you1 which is1 in the
 first place1 decent1 and which ,i am   
sure is absolutely necessary to make us 
like one another's company long4  ,i    
will say no more1 now1 upon this        
important subject of good-breeding1 upon
 which ,i have already dwelt too long1  
it may be1 for one letter2 and upon     
which ,i shall frequently refresh your  
memory hereafter2 but ,i will conclude  

with these axioms3  ,that the deepest   
learning1 without good-breeding1 is     
unwelcome and tiresome pedantry1 and of 
use nowhere but in a man's own closet2  
and consequently of little or no use at 
all4  ,that a man1 ,who is not perfectly
 well-bred1 is unfit for good company   
and unwelcome in it2 will consequently  
dislike it soon1 afterward renounce it2 
and be reduced to solitude1 or1 what is 
worse1 low and bad company4  ,that a man
 who is not well-bred1 is full as unfit 
for business as for company4  ,make     
then1 my dear child1 ,i conjure you1    
good-breeding the great object of your  
thoughts and actions1 at least half the 
day4 ,observe carefully the behavior and
 manners of those who are distinguished 
by their good-breeding2 imitate1 nay1   
endeavor to excel1 that you may at least
 reach them2 and be convinced that      
good-breeding is1 to all worldly        
qualifications1 what charity is to all  
,christian virtues4 ,observe how it     
adorns merit1 and how often it covers   

the want of it4 ,may you wear it to     
adorn1 and not to cover you6 ,adieu4    
,,letter ,,lxxxix  ,,london1 ,november  
#ad1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4  ,,dear ,,boy3      
,there is a natural good-breeding which 
occurs to every man of common sense1 and
 is practiced by every man1 of common   
good-nature4 ,this good-breeding is     
general1 independent of modes1 and      
consists in endeavors to please and     
oblige our fellow-creatures by all good 
offices1 short of moral duties4 ,this   
will be practiced by a good-natured     
,american savage1 as essentially as by  
the best-bred ,european4 ,but then1 ,i  
do not take it to extend to the         
sacrifice of our own conveniences1 for  
the sake of other people's4 ,utility    
introduced this sort of good-breeding as
 it introduced commerce2 and established
 a truck of the little #8agremens' and  
pleasures of life4 ,i sacrifice such a  
conveniency to you1 you sacrifice       
another to me2 this commerce circulates1
 and every individual finds his account 

in it upon the whole4 ,the third sort of
 good-breeding is local1 and is         
variously modified1 in not only         
different countries1 but in different   
towns of the same country4 ,but it must 
be founded upon the two former sorts2   
they are the matter to which1 in this   
case1 fashion and custom only give the  
different shapes and impressions4       
,whoever has the two first sorts will   
easily acquire this third sort of       
good-breeding1 which depends singly upon
 attention and observation4 ,it is1     
properly1 the polish1 the lustre1 the   
last finishing stroke of good-breeding4 
,it is to be found only in capitals1 and
 even there it varies2 the good-breeding
 of ,rome differing1 in some things1    
from that of ,paris2 that of ,paris1 in 
others1 from that of ,madrid2 and that  
of ,madrid1 in many things1 from that of
 ,london4 ,a man of sense1 therefore1   
carefully attends to the local manners  
of the respective places where he is1   
and takes for his models those persons  

whom he observes to be at the head of   
fashion and good-breeding4 ,he watches  
how they address themselves to their    
superiors1 how they accost their equals1
 and how they treat their inferiors2 and
 lets none of those little niceties     
escape him which are to good-breeding   
what the last delicate and masterly     
touches are to a good picture2 and of   
which the vulgar have no notion1 but by 
which good judges distinguish the       
master4 ,he attends even to their air1  
dress1 and motions1 and imitates them1  
liberally1 and not servilely2 he copies1
 but does not mimic4 ,these personal    
graces are of very great consequence4   
,they anticipate the sentiments1 before 
merit can engage the understanding2 they
 captivate the heart1 and give rise1 ,i 
believe1 to the extravagant notions of  
charms and philters4 ,their effects were
 so surprising1 that they were reckoned 
supernatural4 ,the most graceful and    
best-bred men1 and the handsomest and   
genteelest women1 give the most         

philters2 and1 as ,i verily believe1    
without the least assistance of the     
devil4 ,pray be not only well dressed1  
but shining in your dress2 let it have  
#8du brillant'4 ,i do not mean by a     
clumsy load of gold and silver1 but by  
the taste and fashion of it4 ,the women 
like and require it2 they think it an   
attention due to them2 but1 on the other
 hand1 if your motions and carriage are 
not graceful1 genteel1 and natural1 your
 fine clothes will only display your    
awkwardness the more4 ,but ,i am        
unwilling to suppose you still awkward2 
for surely1 by this time1 you must have 
catched a good air in good company4     
,when you went from hence you were      
naturally awkward2 but your awkwardness 
was adventitious and ,westmonasterial4  
,leipsig1 ,i apprehend1 is not the seat 
of the ,graces2 and ,i presume you      
acquired none there4 ,but now1 if you   
will be pleased to observe what people  
of the first fashion do with their legs 
and arms1 heads and bodies1 you will    

reduce yours to certain decent laws of  
motion4 ,you danced pretty well here1   
and ought to dance very well before you 
come home2 for what one is obliged to do
 sometimes1 one ought to be able to do  
well4 ,besides1 #8la belle danse donne  
du brillant a un jeune homme'4 ,and you 
should endeavor to shine4 ,a calm       
serenity1 negative merit and graces1 do 
not become your age4 ,you should be     
#8alerte1 adroit1 vif'2 be wanted1      
talked of1 impatiently expected1 and    
unwillingly parted with in company4 ,i  
should be glad to hear half a dozen     
women of fashion say1 #8,ou est donc le 
petit ,stanhope8 due ne vient-il8 ,il   
faut avouer qu'il est aimable'4 ,all    
this ,i do not mean singly with regard  
to women as the principal object2 but1  
with regard to men1 and with a view of  
your making yourself considerable4 ,for 
with very small variations1 the same    
things that please women please men2 and
 a man whose manners are softened and   
polished by women of fashion1 and who is

 formed by them to an habitual attention
 and complaisance1 will please1 engage1 
and connect men1 much easier and more   
than he would otherwise4 ,you must be   
sensible that you cannot rise in the    
world1 without forming connections1 and 
engaging different characters to        
conspire in your point4 ,you must make  
them your dependents without their      
knowing it1 and dictate to them while   
you seem to be directed by them4 ,those 
necessary connections can never be      
formed1 or preserved1 but by an         
uninterrupted series of complaisance1   
attentions1 politeness1 and some        
constraint4 ,you must engage their      
hearts1 if you would have their support2
 you must watch the #8mollia tempora'1  
and captivate them by the #8agremens'   
and charms of conversation4 ,people will
 not be called out to your service1 only
 when you want them2 and1 if you expect 
to receive strength from them1 they must
 receive either pleasure or advantage   
from you4  ,i received in this instant a

 letter from ,mr4 ,harte1 of the #b;d   
,n4 ,s41 which ,i will answer soon2 in  
the meantime1 ,i return him my thanks   
for it1 through you4 ,the constant good 
accounts which he gives me of you1 will 
make me suspect him of partiality1 and  
think him #8le medecin tant mieux'4     
,consider1 therefore1 what weight any   
future deposition of his against you    
must necessarily have with me4 ,as1 in  
that case1 he will be a very unwilling1 
he must consequently be a very important
 witness4 ,adieu6     ,,letter ,,xc     
,,dear ,boy3 ,my last was upon the      
subject of good-breeding2 but ,i think  
it rather set before you the unfitness  
and disadvantages of ill-breeding1 than 
the utility and necessity of good2 it   
was rather negative than positive4      
,this1 therefore1 should go further1 and
 explain to you the necessity1 which    
you1 of all people living1 lie under1   
not only of being positively and        
actively well-bred1 but of shining and  
distinguishing yourself by your         

good-breeding4 ,consider your own       
situation in every particular1 and judge
 whether it is not essentially your     
interest1 by your own good-breeding to  
others1 to secure theirs to you and     
that1 let me assure you1 is the only way
 of doing it2 for people will repay1 and
 with interest too1 inattention with    
inattention1 neglect with neglect1 and  
ill manners with worse3 which may engage
 you in very disagreeable affairs4 ,in  
the next place1 your profession         
requires1 more than any other1 the      
nicest and most distinguished           
good-breeding4 ,you will negotiate with 
very little success1 if you do not      
previously1 by your manners1 conciliate 
and engage the affections of those with 
whom you are to negotiate4 ,can you ever
 get into the confidence and the secrets
 of the courts where you may happen to  
reside1 if you have not those pleasing1 
insinuating manners1 which alone can    
procure them8 ,upon my word1 ,i do not  
say too much1 when ,i say that superior 

good-breeding1 insinuating manners1 and 
genteel address1 are half your business4
 ,your knowledge will have but very     
little influence upon the mind1 if your 
manners prejudice the heart against you2
 but1 on the other hand1 how easily will
 you ,,dupe the understanding1 where you
 have first engaged the heart8 and      
hearts are by no means to be gained by  
that mere common civility which         
everybody practices4 ,bowing again to   
those who bow to you1 answering dryly   
those who speak to you1 and saying      
nothing offensive to anybody1 is such   
negative good-breeding that it is only  
not being a brute2 as it would be but a 
very poor commendation of any man's     
cleanliness to say that he did not      
stink4 ,it is an active1 cheerful1      
officious1 seducing1 good-breeding that 
must gain you the good-will and first   
sentiments of men1 and the affections of
 the women4 ,you must carefully watch   
and attend to their passions1 their     
tastes1 their little humors and         

weaknesses1 and #8aller au devant'4 ,you
 must do it at the same time with       
alacrity and #8empressement'1 and not as
 if you graciously condescended to humor
 their weaknesses4  ,for instance1      
suppose you invited anybody to dine or  
sup with you1 you ought to recollect if 
you had observed that they had any      
favorite dish1 and take care to provide 
it for them2 and when it came you should
 say1 ,you ,,seemed ,,to ,,me1 ,,at     
,,such ,,and ,,such ,a ,,place1 ,,to    
,,give ,,this ,,dish ,a ,,preference1   
,,and ,,therefore ,i ,,ordered ,,it2    
,,this ,,is ,,the ,,wine ,,that ,i      
,,observed ,,you ,,liked1 ,,and         
,,therefore ,i ,,procured ,,some4 ,the  
more trifling these things are1 the more
 they prove your attention for the      
person1 and are consequently the more   
engaging4 ,consult your own breast1 and 
recollect how these little attentions1  
when shown you by others1 flatter that  
degree of self-love and vanity from     
which no man living is free4 ,reflect   

how they incline and attract you to that
 person1 and how you are propitiated    
afterward to all which that person says 
or does4 ,the same causes will have the 
same effects in your favor4 ,women1 in a
 great degree1 establish or destroy     
every man's reputation of good-breeding2
 you must1 therefore1 in a manner1      
overwhelm them with these attentions3   
they are used to them1 they expect them1
 and1 to do them justice1 they commonly 
requite them4 ,you must be sedulous1 and
 rather over officious than under1 in   
procuring them their coaches1 their     
chairs1 their conveniences in public    
places3 not see what you should not see2
 and rather assist1 where you cannot    
help seeing4 ,opportunities of showing  
these attentions present themselves     
perpetually2 but if they do not1 make   
them4 ,as ,ovid advises his lover1 when 
he sits in the ,circus near his         
mistress1 to wipe the dust off her neck1
 even if there be none3 #8,si nullus1   
tamen excute nullum'4 ,your conversation

 with women should always be respectful2
 but1 at the same time1 enjoue1 and     
always addressed to their vanity4       
,everything you say or do should        
convince them of the regard you have    
7whether you have it or not7 for their  
beauty1 their wit1 or their merit4 ,men 
have possibly as much vanity as women1  
though of another kind2 and both art and
 good-breeding require1 that1 instead of
 mortifying1 you should please and      
flatter it1 by words and looks of       
approbation4 ,suppose 7which is by no   
means improbable7 that1 at your return  
to ,england1 ,i should place you near   
the person of some one of the royal     
family2 in that situation1              
good-breeding1 engaging address1 adorned
 with all the graces that dwell at      
courts1 would very probably make you a  
favorite1 and1 from a favorite1 a       
minister2 but all the knowledge and     
learning in the world1 without them1    
never would4 ,the penetration of princes
 seldom goes deeper than the surface4   

,it is the exterior that always engages 
their hearts2 and ,i would never advise 
you to give yourself much trouble about 
their understanding4 ,princes in general
 7,i mean those #8,porphyrogenets' who  
are born and bred in purple7 are about  
the pitch of women2 bred up like them1  
and are to be addressed and gained in   
the same manner4 ,they always see1 they 
seldom weigh4 ,your lustre1 not your    
solidity1 must take them2 your inside   
will afterward support and secure what  
your outside has acquired4 ,with weak   
people 7and they undoubtedly are three  
parts in four of mankind7 good-breeding1
 address1 and manners are everything2   
they can go no deeper2 but let me assure
 you that they are a great deal even    
with people of the best understandings4 
,where the eyes are not pleased1 and the
 heart is not flattered1 the mind will  
be apt to stand out4 ,be this right or  
wrong1 ,i confess ,i am so made myself4 
,awkwardness and ill-breeding shock me  
to that degree1 that where ,i meet with 

them1 ,i cannot find in my heart to     
inquire into the intrinsic merit of that
 person--,i hastily decide in myself    
that he can have none2 and am not sure  
that ,i should not even be sorry to know
 that he had any4 ,i often paint you in 
my imagination1 in your present         
#8lontananza'1 and1 while ,i view you in
 the light of ancient and modern        
learning1 useful and ornamental         
knowledge1 ,i am charmed with the       
prospect2 but when ,i view you in       
another light1 and represent you        
awkward1 ungraceful1 ill-bred1 with     
vulgar air and manners1 shambling toward
 me with inattention and ,,distractions1
 ,i shall not pretend to describe to you
 what ,i feel2 but will do as a skillful
 painter did formerly--draw a veil      
before the countenance of the father4   
,i dare say you know already enough of  
architecture1 to know that the ,tuscan  
is the strongest and most solid of all  
the orders2 but at the same time1 it is 
the coarsest and clumsiest of them4 ,its

 solidity does extremely well for the   
foundation and base floor of a great    
edifice2 but if the whole building be   
,tuscan1 it will attract no eyes1 it    
will stop no passengers1 it will invite 
no interior examination2 people will    
take it for granted that the finishing  
and furnishing cannot be worth seeing1  
where the front is so unadorned and     
clumsy4 ,but if1 upon the solid ,tuscan 
foundation1 the ,doric1 the ,ionic1 and 
the ,corinthian orders rise gradually   
with all their beauty1 proportions1 and 
ornaments1 the fabric seizes the most   
incurious eye1 and stops the most       
careless passenger2 who solicits        
admission as a favor1 nay1 often        
purchases it4 ,just so will it fare with
 your little fabric1 which1 at present1 
,i fear1 has more of the ,tuscan than of
 the ,corinthian order4 ,you must       
absolutely change the whole front1 or   
nobody will knock at the door4 ,the     
several parts1 which must compose this  
new front1 are elegant1 easy1 natural1  

superior good-breeding2 an engaging     
address2 genteel motions2 an insinuating
 softness in your looks1 words1 and     
actions2 a spruce1 lively air1          
fashionable dress2 and all the glitter  
that a young fellow should have4  ,i am 
sure you would do a great deal for my   
sake2 and therefore consider at your    
return here1 what a disappointment and  
concern it would be to me1 if ,i could  
not safely depute you to do the honors  
of my house and table2 and if ,i should 
be ashamed to present you to those who  
frequent both4 ,should you be awkward1  
inattentive1 and distrait1 and happen to
 meet ,mr4 ,l-----at my table1 the      
consequences of that meeting must be    
fatal2 you would run your heads against 
each other1 cut each other's fingers1   
instead of your meat1 or die by the     
precipitate infusion of scalding soup4  
,this is really so copious a subject1   
that there is no end of being either    
serious or ludicrous upon it4 ,it is    
impossible1 too1 to enumerate or state  

to you the various cases in             
good-breeding2 they are infinite2 there 
is no situation or relation in the world
 so remote or so intimate1 that does not
 require a degree of it4 ,your own good 
sense must point it out to you2 your own
 good-nature must incline1 and your     
interest prompt you to practice it2 and 
observation and experience must give you
 the manner1 the air and the graces     
which complete the whole4  ,this letter 
will hardly overtake you1 till you are  
at or near ,rome4 ,i expect a great deal
 in every way from your six months' stay
 there4 ,my morning hopes are justly    
placed in ,mr4 ,harte1 and the masters  
he will give you2 my evening ones1 in   
the ,roman ladies3 pray be attentive to 
both4 ,but ,i must hint to you1 that the
 ,roman ladies are not #8les femmes     
savantes1 et ne vous embrasseront point 
pour ,pamour du ,grec4 ,they must have  
#8ilgarbato1 il leggiadro1 it           
disinvolto1 il lusinghiero1 quel non so 
che1 che piace1 che alletta1 che        

incanta'4  ,i have often asserted1 that 
the profoundest learning and the        
politest manners were by no means       
incompatible1 though so seldom found    
united in the same person2 and ,i have  
engaged myself to exhibit you1 as a     
proof of the truth of this assertion4   
,should you1 instead of that1 happen to 
disprove me1 the concern indeed would be
 mine1 but the loss will be yours4 ,lord
 ,bolingbroke is a strong instance on my
 side of the question2 he joins to the  
deepest erudition1 the most elegant     
politeness and good-breeding that ever  
any courtier and man of the world was   
adorned with4 ,and ,pope very justly    
called him 8,all-accomplished ,st4      
,john10 with regard to his knowledge and
 his manners4 ,he had1 it is true1 his  
faults2 which proceeded from unbounded  
ambition1 and impetuous passions2 but   
they have now subsided by age and       
experience2 and ,i can wish you nothing 
better than to be1 what he is now1      
without being what he has been formerly4

 ,his address pre-engages1 his eloquence
 persuades1 and his knowledge informs   
all who approach him4 ,upon the whole1  
,i do desire1 and insist1 that from     
after dinner till you go to bed1 you    
make good-breeding1 address1 and        
manners1 your serious object and your   
only care4 ,without them1 you will be   
nobody2 with them1 you may be anything4 
,adieu1 my dear child6 ,my compliments  
to ,mr4 ,harte4     ,,letter ,,xci      
,,london1 ,november #bd1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4 
,,dear ,boy3 ,every rational being 7,i  
take it for granted7 proposes to himself
 some object more important than mere   
respiration and obscure animal          
existence4 ,he desires to distinguish   
himself among his fellow-creatures2 and1
 #8alicui negotio intentus1 prreclari   
facinoris1 aut artis bonae1 faman       
quaerit'4 ,caesar1 when embarking in a  
storm1 said1 that it was not necessary  
he should live2 but that it was         
absolutely necessary he should get to   
the place to which he was going4 ,and   

,pliny leaves mankind this only         
alternative2 either of doing what       
deserves to be written1 or of writing   
what deserves to be read4 ,as for those 
who do neither1 #8eorum vitam mortemque 
juxta aestumo2 quoniam de utraque       
siletur'4 ,you have1 ,i am convinced1   
one or both of these objects in view2   
but you must know and use the necessary 
means1 or your pursuit will be vain and 
frivolous4 ,in either case1 #8,sapere   
est princihium et fons'2 but it is by no
 means all4 ,that knowledge must be     
adorned1 it must have lustre as well as 
weight1 or it will be oftener taken1 for
 lead than for gold4 ,knowledge you     
have1 and will have3 ,i am easy upon    
that article4 ,but my business1 as your 
friend1 is not to compliment you upon   
what you have1 but to tell you with     
freedom what you want2 and ,i must tell 
you plainly1 that ,i fear you want      
everything but knowledge4  ,i have      
written to you so often1 of late1 upon  
good-breeding1 address1 #8les manieres  

liantes'1 the ,graces1 etc41 that ,i    
shall confine this letter to another    
subject1 pretty near akin to them1 and  
which1 ,i am sure1 you are full as      
deficient in2 ,i mean ,style4  ,style is
 the dress of thoughts2 and let them be 
ever so just1 if your style is homely1  
coarse1 and vulgar1 they will appear to 
as much disadvantage1 and be as ill     
received as your person1 though ever so 
well proportioned1 would1 if dressed in 
rags1 dirt1 and tatters4 ,it is not     
every understanding that can judge of   
matter2 but every ear can and does      
judge1 more or less1 of style3 and were 
,i either to speak or write to the      
public1 ,i should prefer moderate       
matter1 adorned with all the beauties   
and elegancies of style1 to the         
strongest matter in the world1          
ill-worded and ill-delivered4 ,your     
business is negotiation abroad1 and     
oratory in the ,house of ,commons at    
home4 ,what figure can you make1 in     
either case1 if your style be inelegant1

 ,i do not say bad8 ,imagine yourself   
writing an office-letter to a secretary 
of state1 which letter is to be read by 
the whole ,cabinet ,council1 and very   
possibly afterward laid before          
parliament2 any one barbarism1 solecism1
 or vulgarism in it1 would1 in a very   
few days1 circulate through the whole   
kingdom1 to your disgrace and ridicule4 
,for instance1 ,i will suppose you had  
written the following letter from ,the  
,hague to the ,secretary of ,state at   
,london2 and leave you to suppose the   
consequences of it3  ,,my ,,lord3 ,i    
,,had1 last night1 the honor of your    
,lordship's letter of the #bdth2 and    
will ,,set ,,about ,,doing the orders   
contained ,,therein2 and ,,if so ,,be   
that ,i can get that affair done by the 
next post1 ,i will not fail ,,for ,,to  
give your ,lordship an account of it by 
,,next ,,post4 ,i have told the ,french 
,minister1 ,,as ,,how ,,that ,,if that  
affair be not soon concluded1 your      
,lordship would think it ,,all ,,long   

,,of ,,him2 and that he must have       
neglected ,,for ,,to have wrote to his  
court about it4 ,i must beg leave to put
 your ,lordship in mind ,,as ,,how1 that
 ,i am now full three quarter in arrear2
 and if ,,so ,,be that ,i do not very   
soon receive at least one half year1 ,i 
shall ,,cut ,a ,,very ,,bad ,,figure2   
,,for ,,this ,,here place is very dear4 
,i shall be ,,vastly ,,beholden to your 
,lordship for ,,that ,,there mark of    
your favor2 and so ,i ,,rest or         
,,remain1 ,your1 etc4  ,you will tell   
me1 possibly1 that this is a caricatura 
of an illiberal and inelegant style3 ,i 
will admit it2 but assure you1 at the   
same time1 that a dispatch with less    
than half these faults would blow you up
 forever4 ,it is by no means sufficient 
to be free from faults1 in speaking and 
writing2 but you must do both correctly 
and elegantly4 ,in faults of this kind1 
it is not #8ille optimus qui minimis    
arguetur'2 but he is unpardonable who   
has any at all1 because it is his own   

fault3 he need only attend to1 observe1 
and imitate the best authors4  ,it is a 
very true saying1 that a man must be    
born a poet1 but that he may make       
himself an orator2 and the very first   
principle of an orator is to speak his  
own language1 particularly1 with the    
utmost purity and elegance4 ,a man will 
be forgiven even great errors in a      
foreign language2 but in his own1 even  
the least slips are justly laid hold of 
and ridiculed4  ,a person of the ,house 
of ,commons1 speaking two years ago upon
 naval affairs2 asserted1 that we had   
then the finest navy ,,upon ,,the ,,face
 ,,of ,,the ,,yearth4 ,this happy       
mixture of blunder and vulgarism1 you   
may easily imagine1 was matter of       
immediate ridicule2 but ,i can assure   
you that it continues so still1 and will
 be remembered as long as he lives and  
speaks4 ,another1 speaking in defense of
 a gentleman1 upon whom a censure was   
moved1 happily said that he thought that
 gentleman was more ,,liable to be      

thanked and rewarded1 than censured4    
,you know1 ,i presume1 that ,,liable can
 never be used in a good sense4  ,you   
have with you three or four of the best 
,english authors1 ,dryden1 ,atterbury1  
and ,swift2 read them with the utmost   
care1 and with a particular view to     
their language1 and they may possibly   
correct that ,,curious ,,infelicity ,,of
 ,,diction1 which you acquired at       
,westminster4 ,mr4 ,harte excepted1 ,i  
will admit that you have met with very  
few ,english abroad1 who could improve  
your style2 and with many1 ,i dare say1 
who speak as ill as yourself1 and1 it   
may be1 worse2 you must1 therefore1 take
 the more pains1 and consult your       
authors and ,mr4 ,harte the more4 ,i    
need not tell you how attentive the     
,romans and ,greeks1 particularly the   
,athenians1 were to this object4 ,it is 
also a study among the ,italians and the
 ,french2 witness their respective      
academies and dictionaries for improving
 and fixing their languages4 ,to our    

shame be it spoken1 it is less attended 
to here than in any polite country2 but 
that is no reason why you should not    
attend to it2 on the contrary1 it will  
distinguish you the more4 ,cicero says1 
very truly1 that it is glorious to excel
 other men in that very article1 in     
which men excel brutes2 ,,speech4       
,constant experience has shown me1 that 
great purity and elegance of style1 with
 a graceful elocution1 cover a multitude
 of faults1 in either a speaker or a    
writer4 ,for my own part1 ,i confess    
7and ,i believe most people are of my   
mind7 that if a speaker should          
ungracefully mutter or stammer out to me
 the sense of an angel1 deformed by     
barbarism and solecisms1 or larded with 
vulgarisms1 he should never speak to me 
a second time1 if ,i could help it4     
,gain the heart1 or you gain nothing2   
the eyes and the ears are the only roads
 to the heart4 ,merit and knowledge will
 not gain hearts1 though they will      
secure them when gained4 ,pray1 have    

that truth ever in your mind4 ,engage   
the eyes by your address1 air1 and      
motions2 soothe the ears by the elegance
 and harmony of your diction2 the heart 
will certainly follow2 and the whole    
man1 or woman1 will as certainly follow 
the heart4 ,i must repeat it to you1    
over and over again1 that with all the  
knowledge which you may have at present1
 or hereafter acquire1 and with all     
merit that ever man had1 if you have not
 a graceful address1 liberal and        
engaging manners1 a prepossessing air1  
and a good degree of eloquence in       
speaking and writing2 you will be       
nobody2 but will have the daily         
mortification of seeing people1 with not
 one-tenth part of your merit or        
knowledge1 get the start of you1 and    
disgrace you1 both in company and in    
business4  ,you have read 8,quintilian10
 the best book in the world to form an  
orator2 pray read #8,cicero de          
,oratore'1 the best book in the world to
 finish one4 ,translate and retranslate 

from and to ,latin1 ,greek1 and         
,english2 make yourself a pure and      
elegant ,english style3 it requires     
nothing but application4 ,i do not find 
that ,god has made you a poet2 and ,i am
 very glad that he has not3 therefore1  
for ,god's sake1 make yourself an       
orator1 which you may do4 ,though ,i    
still call you boy1 ,i consider you no  
longer as such2 and when ,i reflect upon
 the prodigious quantity of manure that 
has been laid upon you1 ,i expect that  
you should produce more at eighteen1    
than uncultivated soils do at           
eight-and-twenty4  ,pray tell ,mr4      
,harte that ,i have received his letter 
of the #acth1 ,n4 ,s4 ,mr4 ,smith was   
much in the right not to let you go1 at 
this time of the year1 by sea2 in the   
summer you may navigate as much as you  
please2 as1 for example1 from ,leghorn  
to ,genoa1 etc4 ,adieu4     ,,letter    
,,xcii  ,,london1 ,november #bg1 ,o4 ,s4
 #agdi4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,while the ,roman
 ,republic flourished1 while glory was  

pursued1 and virtue practiced1 and while
 even little irregularities and         
indecencies1 not cognizable by law1     
were1 however1 not thought below the    
public care1 censors were established1  
discretionally to supply1 in particular 
cases1 the inevitable defects of the    
law1 which must and can only be general4
 ,this employment ,i assume to myself   
with regard to your little republic1    
leaving the legislative power entirely  
to ,mr4 ,harte2 ,i hope1 and believe1   
that he will seldom1 or rather never1   
have occasion to exert his supreme      
authority2 and ,i do by no means suspect
 you of any faults that may require that
 interposition4 ,but1 to tell you the   
plain truth1 ,i am of opinion that my   
censorial power will not be useless to  
you1 nor a sinecure to me4 ,the sooner  
you make it both1 the better for us     
both4 ,i can now exercise this          
employment only upon hearsay1 or1 at    
most1 written evidence2 and therefore   
shall exercise it with great lenity and 

some diffidence2 but when we meet1 and  
that ,i can form my judgment upon ocular
 and auricular evidence1 ,i shall no    
more let the least impropriety1         
indecorum1 or irregularity pass         
uncensured1 than my predecessor ,cato   
did4 ,i shall read you with the         
attention of a critic1 not with the     
partiality of an author3 different in   
this respect1 indeed1 from most critics1
 that ,i shall seek for faults only to  
correct and not to expose them4 ,i have 
often thought1 and still think1 that    
there are few things which people in    
general know less1 than how to love and 
how to hate4 ,they hurt those they love 
by a mistaken indulgence1 by a          
blindness1 nay1 often by a partiality to
 their faults4 ,where they hate they    
hurt themselves1 by ill-timed passion   
and rage4 ,fortunately for you1 ,i never
 loved you in that mistaken manner4     
,from your infancy1 ,i made you the     
object of my most serious attention1 and
 not my plaything4 ,i consulted your    

real good1 not your humors or fancies2  
and ,i shall continue to do so while you
 want it1 which will probably be the    
case during our joint lives2 for1       
considering the difference of our ages1 
in the course of nature1 you will hardly
 have acquired experience enough of your
 own1 while ,i shall be in condition of 
lending you any of mine4 ,people in     
general will much better bear being1    
told of their vices or crimes1 than of  
their little failings and weaknesses4   
,they1 in some degree1 justify or excuse
 7as they think7 the former1 by strong  
passions1 seductions1 and artifices of  
others1 but to be told of1 or to        
confess1 their little failings and      
weaknesses1 implies an inferiority of   
parts1 too mortifying to that self-love 
and vanity1 which are inseparable from  
our natures4 ,i have been intimate      
enough with several people to tell them 
that they had said or done a very       
criminal thing2 but ,i never was        
intimate enough with any man1 to tell   

him1 very seriously1 that he had said or
 done a very foolish one4 ,nothing less 
than the relation between you and me can
 possibly authorize that freedom2 but   
fortunately for you1 my parental rights1
 joined to my censorial powers1 give it 
me in its fullest extent1 and my concern
 for you will make me exert it4         
,rejoice1 therefore1 that there is one  
person in the world who can and will    
tell you what will be very useful to you
 to know1 and yet what no other man     
living could or would tell you4         
,whatever ,i shall tell you of this     
kind1 you are very sure1 can have no    
other motive than your interest2 ,i can 
neither be jealous nor envious of your  
reputation or fortune1 which ,i must be 
both desirous and proud to establish and
 promote2 ,i cannot be your rival either
 in love or in business2 on the         
contrary1 ,i want the rays of your      
rising to reflect new lustre upon my    
setting light4 ,in order to this1 ,i    
shall analyze you minutely1 and censure 

you freely1 that you may not 7if        
possible7 have one single spot1 when in 
your meridian4  ,there is nothing that a
 young fellow1 at his first appearance  
in the world1 has more reason to dread1 
and consequently should take more pains 
to avoid1 than having any ridicule fixed
 upon him4 ,it degrades him with the    
most reasonable part of mankind2 but it 
ruins him with the rest2 and ,i have    
known many a man undone by acquiring a  
ridiculous nickname3 ,i would not1 for  
all the riches in the world1 that you   
should acquire one when you return to   
,england4 ,vices and crimes excite      
hatred and reproach2 failings1          
weaknesses1 and awkwardnesses1 excite   
ridicule2 they are laid hold of by      
mimics1 who1 though very contemptible   
wretches themselves1 often1 by their    
buffoonery1 fix ridicule upon their     
betters4 ,the little defects in manners1
 elocution1 address1 and air 7and even  
of figure1 though very unjustly71 are   
the objects of ridicule1 and the causes 

of nicknames4 ,you cannot imagine the   
grief it would give me1 and the         
prejudice it would do you1 if1 by way of
 distinguishing you from others of your 
name1 you should happen to be called    
,muttering ,stanhope1 ,absent ,stanhope1
 ,ill-bred ,stanhope1 or ,awkward1      
,left-legged ,stanhope3 therefore1 take 
great care to put it out of the power of
 ,ridicule itself to give you any of    
these ridiculous epithets2 for1 if you  
get one1 it will stick to you1 like the 
envenomed shirt4 ,the very first day    
that ,i see you1 ,i shall be able to    
tell you1 and certainly shall tell you1 
what degree of danger you are in2 and ,i
 hope that my admonitions1 as censor1   
may prevent the censures of the public4 
,admonitions are always useful2 is this 
one or not8 ,you are the best judge2 it 
is your own picture which ,i send you1  
drawn1 at my request1 by a lady at      
,venice3 pray let me know how far1 in   
your conscience1 you think it like2 for 
there are some parts of it which ,i wish

 may1 and others1 which ,i should be    
sorry were4 ,i send you1 literally1 the 
copy of that part of her letter1 to her 
friend here1 which relates to you4--,in 
compliance to your orders1 ,i have      
examined young ,stanhope carefully1 and 
think ,i have penetrated into his       
character4 ,this is his portrait1 which 
,i take to be a faithful one4 ,his face 
is pleasing1 his countenance sensible1  
and his look clever4 ,his figure is at  
present rather too square2 but if he    
shoots up1 which he has matter and years
 for1 he will then be of a good size4   
,he has1 undoubtedly1 a great fund of   
acquired knowledge2 ,i am assured that  
he is master of the learned languages4  
,as for ,french1 ,i know he speaks it   
perfectly1 and1 ,i am told1 ,german as  
well4 ,the questions he asks are        
judicious2 and denote a thirst after    
knowledge4 ,i cannot say that he appears
 equally desirous of pleasing1 for he   
seems to neglect attentions and the     
graces4 ,he does not come into a room   

well1 nor has he that easy1 noble       
carriage1 which would be proper for him4
 ,it is true1 he is as yet young and    
inexperienced2 one may therefore        
reasonably hope that his exercises1     
which he has not yet gone through1 and  
good company1 in which he is still a    
novice1 will polish1 and give all that  
is wanting to complete him4 ,what seems 
necessary for that purpose1 would1 be an
 attachment to some woman of fashion1   
and who knows the world4 ,some ,madame  
de l',ursay would be the proper person4 
,in short1 ,i can assure you1 that he   
has everything which ,lord ,chesterfield
 can wish him1 excepting that carriage1 
those graces1 and the style used in the 
best company2 which he will certainly   
acquire in time1 and by frequenting the 
polite world4 ,if he should not1 it     
would be great pity1 since he so well   
deserves to possess them4 ,you know     
their importance4 ,my ,lord1 his father1
 knows it too1 he being master of them  
all4 ,to conclude1 if little ,stanhope  

acquires the graces1 ,i promise you he  
will make his way2 if not1 he will be   
stopped in a course1 the goal of which  
he might attain with honor4  ,tell ,mr4 
,harte that ,i have this moment received
 his letter of the #bb;d1 ,n4 ,s41 and  
that ,i approve extremely of the long   
stay you have made at ,venice4 ,i love  
long residences at capitals2 running    
post through different places is a most 
unprofitable way of traveling1 and      
admits of no application4 ,adieu4  ,you 
see1 by this extract1 of what           
consequence other people think these    
things4 ,therefore1 ,i hope you will no 
longer look upon them as trifles4 ,it is
 the character of an able man to despise
 little things in great business3 but   
then he knows what things are little1   
and what not4 ,he does not suppose      
things are little1 because they are     
commonly called so3 but by the          
consequences that may or may not attend 
them4 ,if gaining people's affections1  
and interesting their hearts in your    

favor1 be of consequence1 as it         
undoubtedly is1 he knows very well that 
a happy concurrence of all those1       
commonly called little things1 manners1 
air1 address1 graces1 etc41 is of the   
utmost consequence1 and will never be at
 rest till he has acquired them4 ,the   
world is taken by the outside of things1
 and we must take the world as it is2   
you nor ,i cannot set it right4 ,i know1
 at this time1 a man of great quality   
and station1 who has not the parts of a 
porter2 but raised himself to the       
station he is in1 singly by having a    
graceful figure1 polite manners1 and an 
engaging address2 which1 by the way1 he 
only acquired by habit2 for he had not  
sense enough to get them by reflection4 
,parts and habit should conspire to     
complete you4 ,you will have the habit  
of good company1 and you have reflection
 in your power4     ,,letter ,,xciii    
,,london1 ,december #e1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4  
,,dear ,,boy3 ,those who suppose that   
men in general act rationally1 because  

they are called rational creatures1 know
 very little of the world1 and if they  
act themselves upon that supposition1   
will nine times in ten find themselves  
grossly mistaken4 ,that man is1 #8animal
 bipes1 implume1 risibile'1 ,i entirely 
agree2 but for the #8rationale'1 ,i can 
only allow it him #8in actu primo' 7to  
talk logic7 and seldom in #8actu        
secundo'4 ,thus1 the speculative1       
cloistered pedant1 in his solitary cell1
 forms systems of things as they should 
be1 not as they are2 and writes as      
decisively and absurdly upon war1       
politics1 manners1 and characters1 as   
that pedant talked1 who was so kind as  
to instruct ,hannibal in the art of war4
 ,such closet politicians never fail to 
assign the deepest motives for the most 
trifling actions2 instead of often      
ascribing the greatest actions to the   
most trifling causes1 in which they     
would be much seldomer mistaken4 ,they  
read and write of kings1 heroes1 and    
statesmen1 as never doing anything but  

upon the deepest principles of sound    
policy4 ,but those who see and observe  
kings1 heroes1 and statesmen1 discover  
that they have headaches1 indigestions1 
humors1 and passions1 just like other   
people2 everyone of which1 in their     
turns1 determine their wills1 in        
defiance of their reason4 ,had we only  
read in the 8,life of ,alexander10 that 
he burned ,persepolis1 it would         
doubtless have been accounted for from  
deep policy3 we should have been told1  
that his new conquest could not have    
been secured without the destruction of 
that capital1 which would have been the 
constant seat of cabals1 conspiracies1  
and revolts4 ,but1 luckily1 we are      
informed at the same time1 that this    
hero1 this demi-god1 this son and heir  
of ,jupiter ,ammon1 happened to get     
extremely drunk with his w---e2 and1 by 
way of frolic1 destroyed one of the     
finest cities in the world4 ,read men1  
therefore1 yourself1 not in books but in
 nature4 ,adopt no systems1 but study   

them yourself4 ,observe their           
weaknesses1 their passions1 their       
humors1 of all which their              
understandings are1 nine times in ten1  
the dupes4 ,you will then know that they
 are to be gained1 influenced1 or led1  
much oftener by little things than by   
great ones2 and1 consequently1 you will 
no longer think those things little1    
which tend to such great purposes4  ,let
 us apply this now to the particular    
object of this letter2 ,i mean1 speaking
 in1 and influencing public assemblies4 
,the nature of our constitution makes   
eloquence more useful1 and more         
necessary1 in this country than in any  
other in ,europe4 ,a certain degree of  
good sense and knowledge is requisite   
for that1 as well as for everything     
else2 but beyond that1 the purity of    
diction1 the elegance of style1 the     
harmony of periods1 a pleasing          
elocution1 and a graceful action1 are   
the things which a public speaker should
 attend to the most2 because his        

audience certainly does1 and understands
 them the best2 or rather indeed        
understands little else4 ,the late ,lord
 ,chancellor ,cowper's strength as an   
orator lay by no means in his           
reasonings1 for he often hazarded very  
weak ones4 ,but such was the purity and 
elegance of his style1 such the         
propriety and charms of his elocution1  
and such the gracefulness of his action1
 that he never spoke without universal  
applause2 the ears and the eyes gave him
 up the hearts and the understandings of
 the audience4 ,on the contrary1 the    
late ,lord ,townshend always spoke      
materially1 with argument and knowledge1
 but never pleased4 ,why8 ,his diction  
was not only inelegant1 but frequently  
ungrammatical1 always vulgar2 his       
cadences false1 his voice unharmonious1 
and his action ungraceful4 ,nobody heard
 him with patience2 and the young       
fellows used to joke upon him1 and      
repeat his inaccuracies4 ,the late ,duke
 of ,argyle1 though the weakest         

reasoner1 was the most pleasing speaker 
,i ever knew in my life4 ,he charmed1 he
 warmed1 he forcibly ravished the       
audience2 not by his matter certainly1  
but by his manner of delivering it4 ,a  
most genteel figure1 a graceful1 noble  
air1 an harmonious voice1 an elegance of
 style1 and a strength of emphasis1     
conspired to make him the most          
affecting1 persuasive1 and applauded    
speaker ,i ever saw4 ,i was captivated  
like others2 but when ,i came home1 and 
coolly considered what he had said1     
stripped of all those ornaments in which
 he had dressed it1 ,i often found the  
matter flimsy1 the arguments weak1 and  
,i was convinced of the power of those  
adventitious concurring circumstances1  
which ignorance of mankind only calls   
trifling ones4 ,cicero1 in his book     
#8,de ,oratore'1 in order to raise the  
dignity of that profession which he well
 knew himself to be at the head of1     
asserts that a complete orator must be a
 complete everything1 lawyer1           

philosopher1 divine1 etc4 ,that would be
 extremely well1 if it were possible3   
but man's life is not long enough2 and  
,i hold him to be the completest orator1
 who speaks the best upon that subject  
which occurs2 whose happy choice of     
words1 whose lively imagination1 whose  
elocution and action adorn and grace his
 matter1 at the same time that they     
excite the attention and engage the     
passions of his audience4  ,you will be 
of the ,house of ,commons as soon as you
 are of age2 and you must first make a  
figure there1 if you would make a       
figure1 or a fortune1 in your country4  
,this you can never do without that     
correctness and elegance in your own    
language1 which you now seem to neglect1
 and which you have entirely to learn4  
,fortunately for you1 it is to be       
learned4 ,care and observation will do  
it2 but do not flatter yourself1 that   
all the knowledge1 sense1 and reasoning 
in the world will ever make you a       
popular and applauded speaker1 without  

the ornaments and the graces of style1  
elocution1 and action4 ,sense and       
argument1 though coarsely delivered1    
will have their weight in a private     
conversation1 with two or three people  
of sense2 but in a public assembly they 
will have none1 if naked and destitute  
of the advantages ,i have mentioned4    
,cardinal de ,retz observes1 very       
justly1 that every numerous assembly is 
a mob1 influenced by their passions1    
humors1 and affections1 which nothing   
but eloquence ever did or ever can      
engage4 ,this is so important a         
consideration for everybody in this     
country1 and more particularly for you1 
that ,i earnestly recommend it to your  
most serious care and attention4 ,mind  
your diction1 in whatever language you  
either write or speak2 contract a habit 
of correctness and elegance4 ,consider  
your style1 even in the freest          
conversation and most familiar letters4 
,after1 at least1 if not before1 you    
have said a thing1 reflect if you could 

not have said it better4 ,where you     
doubt of the propriety or elegance of a 
word or a phrase1 consult some good dead
 or living authority in that language4  
,use yourself to translate1 from various
 languages into ,english2 correct those 
translations till they satisfy your ear1
 as well as your understanding4 ,and be 
convinced of this truth1 that the best  
sense and reason in the world will be as
 unwelcome in a public assembly1 without
 these ornaments1 as they will in public
 companies1 without the assistance of   
manners and politeness4 ,if you will    
please people1 you must please them in  
their own way2 and1 as you cannot make  
them what they should be1 you must take 
them as they are4 ,i repeat it again1   
they are only to be taken by            
#8agremens'1 and by what flatters their 
senses and their hearts4 ,rabelais first
 wrote a most excellent book1 which     
nobody liked2 then1 determined to       
conform to the public taste1 he wrote   
,gargantua and ,pantagruel1 which       

everybody liked1 extravagant as it was4 
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,xciv  ,,london1  
,december #i1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4  ,,dear    
,,boy3 ,it is now above forty years     
since ,i have never spoken nor written  
one single word1 without giving myself  
at least one moment's time to consider  
whether it was a good or a bad one1 and 
whether ,i could not find out a better  
in its place4 ,an unharmonious and      
rugged period1 at this time1 shocks my  
ears2 and ,i1 like all the rest of the  
world1 will willingly exchange and give 
up some degree of rough sense1 for a    
good degree of pleasing sound4 ,i will  
freely and truly own to you1 without    
either vanity or false modesty1 that    
whatever reputation ,i have acquired as 
a speaker1 is more owing to my constant 
attention to my diction than to my      
matter1 which was necessarily just the  
same as other people's4 ,when you come  
into parliament1 your reputation as a   
speaker will depend much more upon your 
words1 and your periods1 than upon the  

subject4 ,the same matter occurs equally
 to everybody of common sense1 upon the 
same question2 the dressing it well1 is 
what excites the attention and          
admiration of the audience4  ,it is in  
parliament that ,i have set my heart    
upon your making a figure2 it is there  
that ,i want to have you justly proud of
 yourself1 and to make me justly proud  
of you4 ,this means that you must be a  
good speaker there2 ,i use the word     
,,must1 because ,i know you may if you  
will4 ,the vulgar1 who are always       
mistaken1 look upon a speaker and a     
comet with the same astonishment and    
admiration1 taking them both for        
preternatural phenomena4 ,this error    
discourages many young men from         
attempting that character2 and good     
speakers are willing to have their      
talent considered as something very     
extraordinary1 if not1 a peculiar gift  
of ,god to his elect4 ,but let you and  
me analyze and simplify this good       
speaker2 let us strip him of those      

adventitious plumes with which his own  
pride1 and the ignorance of others1 have
 decked him1 and we shall find the true 
definition of him to be no more than    
this3 ,a man of good common sense who   
reasons justly and expresses himself    
elegantly on that subject upon which he 
speaks4 ,there is1 surely1 no witchcraft
 in this4 ,a man of sense1 without a    
superior and astonishing degree of      
parts1 will not talk nonsense upon any  
subject2 nor will he1 if he has the     
least taste or application1 talk        
inelegantly4 ,what then does all this   
mighty art and mystery of speaking in   
parliament amount to8 ,why1 no more than
 this3 that the man who speaks in the   
,house of ,commons1 speaks in that      
,house1 and to four hundred people1 that
 opinion upon a given subject which he  
would make no difficulty of speaking in 
any house in ,england1 round the fire1  
or at table1 to any fourteen people     
whatsoever2 better judges1 perhaps1 and 
severer critics of what he says1 than   

any fourteen gentlemen of the ,house of 
,commons4  ,i have spoken frequently in 
parliament1 and not always without some 
applause2 and therefore ,i can assure   
you1 from my experience1 that there is  
very little in it4 ,the elegance of the 
style1 and the turn of the periods1 make
 the chief impression upon the hearers4 
,give them but one or two round and     
harmonious periods in a speech1 which   
they will retain and repeat2 and they   
will go home as well satisfied as people
 do from an opera1 humming all the way  
one or two favorite tunes that have     
struck their ears1 and were easily      
caught4 ,most people have ears1 but few 
have judgment2 tickle those ears1 and   
depend upon it1 you will catch their    
judgments1 such as they are4  ,cicero1  
conscious that he was at the top of his 
profession 7for in his time eloquence   
was a profession71 in order to set      
himself off1 defines in his treatise    
#8,de ,oratore'1 an orator to be such a 
man as never was1 nor never will be2    

and1 by his fallacious argument1 says   
that he must know every art and science 
whatsoever1 or how shall he speak upon  
them8 ,but1 with submission to so great 
an authority1 my definition of an orator
 is extremely different from1 and ,i    
believe much truer than his4 ,i call    
that man an orator1 who reasons justly1 
and expresses himself elegantly1 upon   
whatever subject he treats4 ,problems in
 geometry1 equations in algebra1        
processes in chemistry1 and experiments 
in anatomy1 are never1 that ,i have     
heard of1 the object of eloquence2 and  
therefore ,i humbly conceive1 that a man
 may be a very fine speaker1 and yet    
know nothing of geometry1 algebra1      
chemistry1 or anatomy4 ,the subjects of 
all parliamentary debates are subjects  
of common sense singly4  ,thus ,i write 
whatever occurs to me1 that ,i think may
 contribute either to form or inform    
you4 ,may my labor not be in vain6 and  
it will not1 if you will but have half  
the concern for yourself that ,i have   

for you4 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,xcv     
,,london2 ,december #ab1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4 
,,dear ,,boy3 ,lord ,clarendon in his   
history says of ,mr4 ,john ,hampden     
,,that ,,he ,,had ,a ,,head ,,to        
,,contrive1 ,a ,,tongue ,,to ,,persuade1
 ,,and ,a ,,hand ,,to ,,execute ,,any   
,,mischief4 ,i shall not now enter into 
the justness of this character of ,mr4  
,hampden1 to whose brave stand against  
the illegal demand of ship-money we owe 
our present liberties2 but ,i mention it
 to you as the character1 which with the
 alteration of one single word1 ,,good1 
instead of ,,mischief1 ,i would have you
 aspire to1 and use your utmost         
endeavors to deserve4 ,the head to      
contrive1 ,god must to a certain degree 
have given you2 but it is in your own   
power greatly to improve it1 by study1  
observation1 and reflection4 ,as for the
 ,,tongue ,,to ,,persuade1 it wholly    
depends upon yourself2 and without it   
the best head will contrive to very     
little purpose4 ,the hand to execute    

depends likewise1 in my opinion1 in a   
great measure upon yourself4 ,serious   
reflection will always give courage in a
 good cause2 and the courage arising    
from reflection is of a much superior   
nature to the animal and constitutional 
courage of a foot soldier4 ,the former  
is steady and unshaken1 where the       
#8nodus' is #8dignus vindice'2 the      
latter is oftener improperly than       
properly exerted1 but always brutally4  
,the second member of my text 7to speak 
ecclesiastically7 shall be the subject  
of my following discourse2 ,,the        
,,tongue ,,to ,,persuade--as judicious1 
preachers recommend those virtues1 which
 they think their several audiences want
 the most2 such as truth and continence1
 at court2 disinterestedness1 in the    
city2 and sobriety1 in the country4     
,you must certainly1 in the course of   
your little experience1 have felt the   
different effects of elegant and        
inelegant speaking4 ,do you not suffer1 
when people accost you in a stammering  

or hesitating manner1 in an untuneful   
voice1 with false accents and cadences2 
puzzling and blundering through         
solecisms1 barbarisms1 and vulgarisms2  
misplacing even their bad words1 and    
inverting all method8 ,does not this    
prejudice you against their matter1 be  
it what it will2 nay1 even against their
 persons8 ,i am sure it does me4 ,on the
 other hand1 do you not feel yourself   
inclined1 prepossessed1 nay1 even       
engaged in favor of those who address   
you in the direct contrary manner8 ,the 
effects of a correct and adorned style  
of method and perspicuity1 are          
incredible toward persuasion2 they often
 supply the want of reason and argument1
 but1 when used in the support of reason
 and argument1 they are irresistible4   
,the ,french attend very much to the    
purity and elegance of their style1 even
 in common conversation2 insomuch that  
it is a character to say of a man       
#8qu'il narre bien'4 ,their             
conversations frequently turn upon the  

delicacies of their language1 and an    
academy is employed in fixing it4 ,the  
#8,crusca'1 in ,italy1 has the same     
object2 and ,i have met with very few   
,italians1 who did not speak their own  
language correctly and elegantly4 ,how  
much more necessary is it for an        
,englishman to do so1 who is to speak it
 in a public assembly1 where the laws   
and liberties of his country are the    
subjects of his deliberation8 ,the      
tongue that would persuade there1 must  
not content itself with mere            
articulation4 ,you know what pains      
,demosthenes took to correct his        
naturally bad elocution2 you know that  
he declaimed by the seaside in storms1  
to prepare himself for the noise of the 
tumultuous assemblies he was to speak   
to2 and you can now judge of the        
correctness and elegance of his style4  
,he thought all these things of         
consequence1 and he thought right2 pray 
do you think so too8 ,it is of the      
utmost consequence to you to be of that 

opinion4 ,if you have the least defect  
in your elocution1 take the utmost care 
and pains to correct it4 ,do not neglect
 your style1 whatever language you speak
 in1 or whoever you speak to1 were it   
your footman4 ,seek always for the best 
words and the happiest expressions you  
can find4 ,do not content yourself with 
being barely understood2 but adorn your 
thoughts1 and dress them as you would   
your person2 which1 however well        
proportioned it might be1 it would be   
very improper and indecent to exhibit   
naked1 or even worse dressed than people
 of your sort are4  ,i have sent you in 
a packet which your ,leipsig            
acquaintance1 ,duval1 sends to his      
correspondent at ,rome1 ,lord           
,bolingbroke's book1--8,letters on the  
,spirit of ,patriotism10 on the ,idea of
 a ,patriot ,king which he published    
about a year ago4--,i desire that you   
will read it over and over again1 with  
particular attention to the style1 and  
to all those beauties of oratory with   

which it is adorned4 ,till ,i read that 
book1 ,i confess ,i did not know all the
 extent and powers of the ,english      
language4 ,lord ,bolingbroke has both a 
tongue and a pen to persuade2 his manner
 of speaking in private conversation is 
full as elegant as his writings2        
whatever subject he either speaks or    
writes upon1 he adorns with the most    
splendid eloquence2 not a studied or    
labored eloquence1 but such a flowing   
happiness of diction1 which 7from care  
perhaps at first7 is become so habitual 
to him1 that even his most familiar     
conversations1 if taken down in writing1
 would bear the press1 without the least
 correction either as to method or      
style4 ,if his conduct1 in the former   
part of his life1 had been equal to all 
his natural and acquired talents1 he    
would most justly have merited the      
epithet of all-accomplished4 ,he is     
himself sensible of his past errors3    
those violent passions which seduced him
 in his youth1 have now subsided by age2

 and take him as he is now1 the         
character of all-accomplished is more   
his due than any man's ,i ever knew in  
my life4  ,but he has been a most       
mortifying instance of the violence of  
human passions and of the weakness of   
the most exalted human reason4 ,his     
virtues and his vices1 his reason and   
his passions1 did not blend themselves  
by a gradation of tints1 but formed a   
shining and sudden contrast4 ,here the  
darkest1 there the most splendid colors2
 and both rendered more shining from    
their proximity4 ,impetuosity1 excess1  
and almost extravagance1 characterized  
not only his passions1 but even his     
senses4 ,his youth was distinguished by 
all the tumult and storm of pleasures1  
in which he most licentiously triumphed1
 disdaining all decorum4 ,his fine      
imagination has often been heated and   
exhausted1 with his body1 in celebrating
 and deifying the prostitute of the     
night2 and his convivial joys were      
pushed to all the extravagance of       

frantic ,bacchanals4 ,those passions    
were interrupted but by a stronger      
ambition4 ,the former impaired both his 
constitution and his character1 but the 
latter destroyed both his fortune and   
his reputation4  ,he has noble and      
generous sentiments1 rather than fixed  
reflected principles of good nature and 
friendship2 but they are more violent   
than lasting1 and suddenly and often    
varied to their opposite extremes1 with 
regard to the same persons4 ,he receives
 the common attentions of civility as   
obligations1 which he returns with      
interest2 and resents with passion the  
little inadvertencies of human nature1  
which he repays with interest too4 ,even
 a difference of opinion upon a         
philosophical subject would provoke1 and
 prove him no practical philosopher at  
least4  ,notwithstanding the dissipation
 of his youth1 and the tumultuous       
agitation of his middle age1 he has an  
infinite fund of various and almost     
universal knowledge1 which1 from the    

clearest and quickest conception1 and   
happiest memory1 that ever man was      
blessed with1 he always carries about   
him4 ,it is his pocket-money1 and he    
never has occasion to draw upon a book  
for any sum4 ,he excels more            
particularly in history1 as his         
historical works plainly prove4 ,the    
relative political and commercial       
interests of every country in ,europe1  
particularly of his own1 are better     
known to him1 than perhaps to any man in
 it2 but how steadily he has pursued the
 latter1 in his public conduct1 his     
enemies1 of all parties and             
denominations1 tell with joy4  ,he      
engaged young1 and distinguished himself
 in business2 and his penetration was   
almost intuition4 ,i am old enough to   
have heard him speak in parliament4 ,and
 ,i remember that1 though prejudiced    
against him by party1 ,i felt all the   
force and charms of his eloquence4 ,like
 ,belial in ,milton1 8he made the worse 
appear the better cause40 ,all the      

internal and external advantages and    
talents of an orator are undoubtedly    
his4 ,figure1 voice1 elocution1         
knowledge1 and1 above all1 the purest   
and most florid diction1 with the       
justest metaphors and happiest images1  
had raised him to the post of ,secretary
 at ,war1 at four-and-twenty years old1 
an age at which others are hardly       
thought fit for the smallest            
employments4  ,during his long exile in 
,france1 he applied himself to study    
with his characteristical ardor2 and    
there he formed and chiefly executed the
 plan of a great philosophical work4    
,the common bounds of human knowledge   
are too narrow for his warm and aspiring
 imagination4 ,he must go #8extra       
flammantia maenia ,mundi'1 and explore  
the unknown and unknowable regions of   
metaphysics2 which open an unbounded    
field for the excursion of an ardent    
imagination2 where endless conjectures  
supply the defect of unattainable       
knowledge1 and too often usurp both its 

name and its influence4  ,he has had a  
very handsome person1 with a most       
engaging address in his air and manners2
 he has all the dignity and             
good-breeding which a man of quality    
should or can have1 and which so few1 in
 this country at least1 really have4    
,he professes himself a deist2 believing
 in a general ,providence1 but doubting 
of1 though by no means rejecting 7as is 
commonly supposed7 the immortality of   
the soul and a future state4  ,upon the 
whole1 of this extraordinary man1 what  
can we say1 but1 alas1 poor human       
nature6  ,in your destination1 you will 
have frequent occasions to speak in     
public2 to princes and states abroad2 to
 the ,house of ,commons at home2 judge1 
then1 whether eloquence is necessary for
 you or not2 not only common eloquence1 
which is rather free from faults than   
adorned by beauties2 but the highest1   
the most shining degree of eloquence4   
,for ,god's sake1 have this object      
always in your view and in your         

thoughts4 ,tune your tongue early to    
persuasion2 and let no jarring1         
dissonant accents ever fall from it1    
,contract a habit of speaking well upon 
every occasion1 and neglect yourself in 
no one4 ,eloquence and good-breeding1   
alone1 with an exceeding small degree of
 parts and knowledge1 will carry a man a
 great way2 with your parts and         
knowledge1 then1 how far will they not  
carry you8 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,xcvi  
,,london1 ,december #af1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4 
,,dear ,boy3 ,this letter will1 ,i hope1
 find you safely arrived and well       
settled at ,rome1 after the usual       
distresses and accidents of a winter    
journey2 which are very proper to teach 
you patience4 ,your stay there ,i look  
upon as a very important period of your 
life2 and ,i do believe that you will   
fill it up well4 ,i hope you will employ
 the mornings diligently with ,mr4      
,harte1 in acquiring weight2 and the    
evenings in the best companies at ,rome1
 in acquiring lustre4 ,a formal1 dull   

father1 would recommend to you to plod  
out the evenings1 too1 at home1 over a  
book by a dim taper2 but ,i recommend to
 you the evenings for your pleasures1   
which are as much a part of your        
education1 and almost as necessary a    
one1 as your morning studies4 ,go to    
whatever assemblies or ,,spectacles     
people of fashion go to1 and when you   
are there do as they do4 ,endeavor to   
outshine those who shine there the most1
 get the #8,garbo'1 the #8,gentilezza'1 
the #8,leggeadria' of the ,italians2    
make love to the most impertinent beauty
 of condition that you meet with1 and be
 gallant with all the rest4 ,speak      
,italian1 right or wrong1 to everybody2 
and if you do but laugh at yourself     
first for your bad ,italian1 nobody else
 will laugh at you for it4 ,that is the 
only way to speak it perfectly2 which ,i
 expect you will do1 because ,i am sure 
you may1 before you leave ,rome4 ,view  
the most curious remains of antiquity   
with a classical spirit2 and they will  

clear up to you many passages of the    
classical authors2 particularly the     
,trajan and ,antonine ,columns2 where   
you find the warlike instruments1 the   
dresses1 and the triumphal ornaments of 
the ,romans4 ,buy also the prints and   
explanations of all those respectable   
remains of ,roman grandeur1 and compare 
them with the originals4 ,most young    
travelers are contented with a general  
view of those things1 say they are very 
fine1 and then go about their business4 
,i hope you will examine them in a very 
different way4 #8,approfondissez'       
everything you see or hear2 and learn1  
if you can1 the ,,why and the           
,,wherefore4 ,inquire into the meaning  
and the objects of the innumerable      
processions1 which you will see at ,rome
 at this time4 ,assist at all the       
ceremonies1 and know the reason1 or at  
least the pretenses of them1 and however
 absurd they may be1 see and speak of   
them with great decency4 ,of all things1
 ,i beg of you not to herd with your own

 countrymen1 but to be always either    
with the ,romans1 or with the foreign   
ministers residing at ,rome4 ,you are   
sent abroad to see the manners and      
characters1 and learn the languages of  
foreign countries2 and not to converse  
with ,english1 in ,english2 which would 
defeat all those ends4 ,among your      
graver company1 ,i recommend 7as ,i have
 done before7 the ,jesuits to you2 whose
 learning and address will both please  
and improve you2 inform yourself1 as    
much as you can1 of the history1 policy1
 and practice of that society1 from the 
time of its founder1 ,ignatius of       
,loyola1 who was himself a madman4 ,if  
you would know their morality1 you will 
find it fully and admirably stated in   
#8,les ,lettres d'un ,provincial'1 by   
the famous ,monsieur ,pascal2 and it is 
a book very well worth your reading4    
,few people see what they see1 or hear  
what they hear2 that is1 they see and   
hear so inattentively and superficially1
 that they are very little the better   

for what they do see and hear4 ,this1 ,i
 dare say1 neither is1 nor will be your 
case4 ,you will understand1 reflect     
upon1 and consequently retain1 what you 
see and hear4 ,you have still two years 
good1 but no more1 to form your         
character in the world decisively2 for1 
within two months after your arrival in 
,england1 it will be finally and        
irrevocably determined1 one way or      
another1 in the opinion of the public4  
,devote1 therefore1 these two years to  
the pursuit of perfection2 which ought  
to be everybody's object1 though in some
 particulars unattainable2 those who    
strive and labor the most1 will come the
 nearest to it4 ,but1 above all things1 
aim at it in the two important arts of  
speaking and pleasing2 without them all 
your other talents are maimed and       
crippled4 ,they are the wings upon which
 you must soar above other people2      
without them you will only crawl with   
the dull mass of mankind4 ,prepossess by
 your air1 address1 and manners2        

persuade by your tongue2 and you will   
easily execute what your head has       
contrived4 ,i desire that you will send 
me very minute accounts from ,rome1 not 
of what you see1 but1 of who you see2 of
 your pleasures and entertainments4     
,tell me what companies you frequent    
most1 and how you are received4         
,,letter ,,xcvii  ,,london1 ,december   
#ai1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,the 
knowledge of mankind is a very use ful  
knowledge for everybody2 a most         
necessary one for you1 who are destined 
to an active1 public life4 ,you will    
have to do with all sorts of characters2
 you should1 therefore1 know them       
thoroughly1 in order to manage them     
ably4 ,this knowledge is not to be      
gotten systematically2 you must acquire 
it yourself by your own observation and 
sagacity2 ,i will give you such hints as
 ,i think may be useful land-marks in   
your intended progress4  ,i have often  
told you 7and it is most true7 that1    
with regard to mankind1 we must not draw

 general conclusions from certain       
particular principles1 though1 in the   
main1 true ones4 ,we must not suppose   
that1 because a man is a rational       
animal1 he will therefore always act    
rationally2 or1 because he has such or  
such a predominant passion1 that he will
 act invariably and consequentially in  
the pursuit of it4 ,no4 ,we are         
complicated machines3 and though we have
 one main-spring1 that gives motion to  
the whole1 we have an infinity of little
 wheels1 which1 in their turns1 retard1 
precipitate1 and sometimes stop that    
motion4 ,let us exemplify4 ,i will      
suppose ambition to be 7as it commonly  
is7 the predominant passion of a        
minister of state2 and ,i will suppose  
that minister to be an able one4 ,will  
he1 therefore1 invariably pursue the    
object of that predominant passion8 ,may
 ,i be sure that he will do so and so1  
because he ought8 ,nothing less4        
,sickness or low spirits1 may damp this 
predominant passion2 humor and          

peevishness may triumph over it2        
inferior passions may1 at times1        
surprise it and prevail4 ,is this       
ambitious statesman amorous8 ,indiscreet
 and unguarded confidences1 made in     
tender moments1 to his wife or his      
mistress1 may defeat all his schemes4   
,is he avaricious8 ,some great lucrative
 object1 suddenly presenting itself1 may
 unravel all the work of his ambition4  
,is he passionate8 ,contradiction and   
provocation 7sometimes1 it may be1 too1 
artfully intended7 may extort rash and  
inconsiderate expressions1 or actions   
destructive of his main object4 ,is he  
vain1 and open to flattery8 ,an artful1 
flattering favorite may mislead him2 and
 even laziness may1 at certain moments1 
make him neglect or omit the necessary  
steps to that height at which he wants  
to arrive4 ,seek first1 then1 for the   
predominant passion of the character    
which you mean to engage and influence1 
and address yourself to it2 but without 
defying or despising the inferior       

passions2 get them in your interest too1
 for now and then they will have their  
turns4 ,in many cases1 you may not have 
it in your power to contribute to the   
gratification of the prevailing passion2
 then take the next best to your aid4   
,there are many avenues to every man2   
and when you cannot get at him through  
the great one1 try the serpentine ones1 
and you will arrive at last4  ,there are
 two inconsistent passions1 which1      
however1 frequently accompany each      
other1 like man and wife2 and which1    
like man and wife too1 are commonly     
clogs upon each other4 ,i mean ambition 
and avarice3 the latter is often the    
true cause of the former1 and then is   
the predominant passion4 ,it seems to   
have been so in ,cardinal ,mazarin1 who 
did anything1 submitted to anything1 and
 forgave anything1 for the sake of      
plunder4 ,he loved and courted power1   
like a usurer1 because it carried profit
 along with it4 ,whoever should have    
formed his opinion1 or taken his        

measures1 singly1 from the ambitious    
part of ,cardinal ,mazarin's character1 
would have found himself often mistaken4
 ,some who had found this out1 made     
their fortunes by letting him cheat them
 at play4 ,on the contrary1 ,cardinal   
,richelieu's prevailing passion seems to
 have been ambition1 and his immense    
riches only the natural consequences of 
that ambition gratified2 and yet1 ,i    
make no doubt1 but that ambition had now
 and then its turn with the former1 and 
avarice with the latter4 ,richelieu 7by 
the way7 is so strong a proof of the    
inconsistency of human nature1 that ,i  
cannot help observing to you1 that while
 he absolutely governed both his king   
and his country1 and was1 in a great    
degree1 the arbiter of the fate of all  
,europe1 he was more jealous of the     
great reputation of ,corneille than of  
the power of ,spain2 and more flattered 
with being thought 7what he was not7 the
 best poet1 than with being thought     
7what he certainly was7 the greatest    

statesman in ,europe2 and affairs stood 
still while he was concerting the       
criticism upon the ,cid4 ,could one     
think this possible1 if one did not know
 it to be true8 ,though men are all of  
one composition1 the several ingredients
 are so differently proportioned in each
 individual1 that no two are exactly    
alike2 and no one at all times like     
himself4 ,the ablest man will sometimes 
do weak things2 the proudest man1 mean  
things2 the honestest man1 ill things2  
and the wickedest man1 good ones4 ,study
 individuals then1 and if you take 7as  
you ought to do17 their outlines from   
their prevailing passion1 suspend your  
last finishing strokes till you have    
attended to1 and discovered the         
operations of their inferior passions1  
appetites1 and humors4 ,a man's general 
character may be that of the honestest  
man of the world3 do not dispute it2 you
 might be thought envious or            
ill-natured2 but1 at the same time1 do  
not take this probity upon trust to such

 a degree as to put your life1 fortune1 
or reputation in his power4 ,this honest
 man may happen to be your rival in     
power1 in interest1 or in love2 three   
passions that often put honesty to most 
severe trials1 in which it is too often 
cast2 but first analyze this honest man 
yourself2 and then only you will be able
 to judge how far you may1 or may not1  
with safety trust him4  ,women are much 
more like each other than men3 they     
have1 in truth1 but two passions1 vanity
 and love2 these are their universal    
characteristics4 ,an ,agrippina may     
sacrifice them to ambition1 or a        
,messalina to lust2 but those instances 
are rare2 and1 in general1 all they say1
 and all they do1 tends to the          
gratification of their vanity or their  
love4 ,he who flatters them most1       
pleases them best2 and they are the most
 in love with him1 who they think is the
 most in love with them4 ,no adulation  
is too strong for them2 no assiduity too
 great2 no simulation of passion too    

gross2 as1 on the other hand1 the least 
word or action that can possibly be     
construed into a slight or contempt1 is 
unpardonable1 and never forgotten4 ,men 
are in this respect tender too1 and will
 sooner forgive an injury than an       
insult4 ,some men are more captious than
 others2 some are always wrongheaded2   
but every man living has such a share of
 vanity1 as to be hurt by marks of      
slight and contempt4 ,every man does not
 pretend to be a poet1 a mathematician1 
or a statesman1 and considered as such2 
but every man pretends to common sense1 
and to fill his place in the world with 
common decency2 and1 consequently1 does 
not easily forgive those negligences1   
inattentions and slights which seem to  
call in question1 or utterly deny him   
both these pretensions4  ,suspect1 in   
general1 those who remarkably affect any
 one virtue2 who raise it above all     
others1 and who1 in a manner1 intimate  
that they possess it exclusively4 ,i say
 suspect them1 for they are commonly    

impostors2 but do not be sure that they 
are always so2 for ,i have sometimes    
known saints really religious1          
blusterers really brave1 reformers of   
manners really honest1 and prudes really
 chaste4 ,pry into the recesses of their
 hearts yourself1 as far as you are     
able1 and never implicitly adopt a      
character upon common fame2 which1      
though generally right as to the great  
outlines of characters1 is always wrong 
in some particulars4  ,be upon your     
guard against those who upon very slight
 acquaintance1 obtrude their unasked and
 unmerited friendship and confidence    
upon you2 for they probably cram you    
with them only for their own eating2    
but1 at the same time1 do not roughly   
reject them upon that general           
supposition4 ,examine further1 and see  
whether those unexpected offers flow    
from a warm heart and a silly head1 or  
from a designing head and a cold heart2 
for knavery and folly have often the    
same symptoms4 ,in the first case1 there

 is no danger in accepting them1        
#8valeant quantum valere possunt'4 ,in  
the latter case1 it may be useful to    
seem to accept them1 and artfully to    
turn the battery upon him who raised it4
  ,there is an incontinency of          
friendship among young fellows1 who are 
associated by their mutual pleasures    
only1 which has1 very frequently1 bad   
consequences4 ,a parcel of warm hearts  
and inexperienced heads1 heated by      
convivial mirth1 and possibly a little  
too much wine1 vow1 and really mean at  
the time1 eternal friendships to each   
other1 and indiscreetly pour out their  
whole souls in common1 and without the  
least reserve4 ,these confidences are as
 indiscreetly repealed as they were     
made2 for new pleasures and new places  
soon dissolve this ill-cemented         
connection2 and then very ill uses are  
made of these rash confidences4 ,bear   
your part1 however1 in young companies2 
nay1 excel1 if you can1 in all the      
social and convivial joy and festivity  

that become youth4 ,trust them with your
 love tales1 if you please2 but keep    
your serious views secret4 ,trust those 
only to some tried friend1 more         
experienced than yourself1 and who1     
being in a different walk of life from  
you1 is not likely to become your rival2
 for ,i would not advise you to depend  
so much upon the heroic virtue of       
mankind1 as to hope or believe that your
 competitor will ever be your friend1 as
 to the object of that competition4     
,these are reserves and cautions very   
necessary to have1 but very imprudent to
 show2 the #8volto sciolto' should      
accompany them4 ,adieu4     ,,letter    
,,xcviii  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,great talents  
and great virtues 7if you should have   
them7 will procure you the respect and  
the admiration of mankind2 but it is the
 lesser talents1 the #8leniores         
virtutes'1 which must procure you their 
love and affection4 ,the former1        
unassisted and unadorned by the latter1 
will extort praise2 but will1 at the    

same time1 excite both fear and envy2   
two sentiments absolutely incompatible  
with love and affection4  ,caesar had   
all the great vices1 and ,cato all the  
great virtues1 that men could have4 ,but
 ,caesar had the #8leniores virtutes'   
which ,cato wanted1 and which made him  
beloved1 even by his enemies1 and gained
 him the hearts of mankind1 in spite of 
their reason3 while ,cato was not even  
beloved by his friends1 notwithstanding 
the esteem and respect which they could 
not refuse to his virtues2 and ,i am apt
 to think1 that if ,caesar had wanted1  
and ,cato possessed1 those #8leniores   
virtutes'1 the former would not have    
attempted 7at least with success71 and  
the latter could have protected1 the    
liberties of ,rome4 ,mr4 ,addison1 in   
his 8,cato10 says of ,caesar 7and ,i    
believe with truth71       8,curse on   
his virtues1 they've undone his         
country40  ,by which he means those     
lesser1 but engaging virtues of         
gentleness1 affability1 complaisance1   

and good humor4 ,the knowledge of a     
scholar1 the courage of a hero1 and the 
virtue of a ,stoic1 will be admired2 but
 if the knowledge be accompanied with   
arrogance1 the courage with ferocity1   
and the virtue with inflexible severity1
 the man will never be loved4 ,the      
heroism of ,charles ,,xii4 of ,sweden   
7if his brutal courage deserves that    
name7 was universally admired1 but the  
man nowhere beloved4 ,whereas ,henry    
,,iv4 of ,france1 who had full as much  
courage1 and was much longer engaged in 
wars1 was generally beloved upon account
 of his lesser and social virtues4 ,we  
are all so formed1 that our             
understandings are generally the ,,dupes
 of our hearts1 that is1 of our         
passions2 and the surest way to the     
former is through the latter1 which must
 be engaged by the #8leniores virtutes' 
alone1 and the manner of exerting them4 
,the insolent civility of a proud man is
 7for example7 if possible1 more        
shocking than his rudeness could be2    

because he shows you by his manner that 
he thinks it mere condescension in him2 
and that his goodness alone bestows upon
 you what you have no pretense to claim4
 ,he intimates his protection1 instead  
of his friendship1 by a gracious nod1   
instead of a usual bow2 and rather      
signifies his consent that you may1 than
 his invitation that you should sit1    
walk1 eat1 or drink with him4  ,the     
costive liberality of a purse-proud man 
insults the distresses it sometimes     
relieves2 he takes care to make you feel
 your own misfortunes1 and the          
difference between your situation and   
his2 both which he insinuates to be     
justly merited3 yours1 by your folly2   
his1 by his wisdom4 ,the arrogant pedant
 does not communicate1 but promulgates  
his knowledge4 ,he does not give it you1
 but he inflicts it upon you2 and is 7if
 possible7 more desirous to show you    
your own ignorance than his own         
learning4 ,such manners as these1 not   
only in the particular instances which  

,i have mentioned1 but likewise in all  
others1 shock and revolt that little    
pride and vanity which every man has in 
his heart2 and obliterate in us the     
obligation for the favor conferred1 by  
reminding us of the motive which        
produced1 and the manner which          
accompanied it4  ,these faults point out
 their opposite perfections1 and your   
own good sense will naturally suggest   
them to you4  ,but besides these lesser 
virtues1 there are what may be called   
the lesser talents1 or accomplishments1 
which are of great use to adorn and     
recommend all the greater2 and the more 
so1 as all people are judges of the one1
 and but few are of the other4          
,everybody feels the impression1 which  
an engaging address1 an agreeable manner
 of speaking1 and an easy politeness1   
makes upon them2 and they prepare the   
way for the favorable reception of their
 betters4 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,xcix   
,,london1 ,december #bf1 ,o4 ,s4 #agdi4 
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,the new year is  

the season in which custom seems more   
particularly to authorize civil and     
harmless lies1 under the name of        
compliments4 ,people reciprocally       
profess wishes which they seldom form2  
and concern1 which they seldom feel4    
,this is not the case between you and   
me1 where truth leaves no room for      
compliments4  #8,dii tibi dent annos1 de
 to nam caetera sumes'1 was said        
formerly to one by a man who certainly  
did not think it4 ,with the variation of
 one word only1 ,i will with great truth
 say it to you4 ,i will make the first  
part conditional by changing1 in the    
second1 the #8nam' into #8si'4 ,may you 
live as long as you are fit to live1 but
 no longer6 or may you rather die before
 you cease to be fit to live1 than      
after6 ,my true tenderness for you makes
 me think more of the manner than of the
 length of your life1 and forbids me to 
wish it prolonged1 by a single day1 that
 should bring guilt1 reproach1 and shame
 upon you4 ,i have not malice enough in 

my nature1 to wish that to my greatest  
enemy4 ,you are the principal object of 
all my cares1 the only object of all my 
hopes2 ,i have now reason to believe1   
that you will reward the former1 and    
answer the latter2 in that case1 may you
 live long1 for you must live happy2    
#8de te nam caetera sumes'4 ,conscious  
virtue is the only solid foundation of  
all happiness2 for riches1 power1 rank1 
or whatever1 in the common acceptation  
of the word1 is supposed to constitute  
happiness1 will never quiet1 much less  
cure1 the inward pangs of guilt4 ,to    
that main wish1 ,i will add those of the
 good old nurse of ,horace1 in his      
epistle to ,tibullus3 #8,sapere'1 you   
have it in a good degree already4 #8,et 
fari ut possit quae sentiat'4 ,have you 
that8 ,more1 much more is meant by it1  
than common speech or mere articulation4
 ,i fear that still remains to be wished
 for1 and ,i earnestly wish it to you4  
#8,gratia and ,fama' will inevitably    
accompany the above-mentioned           

qualifications4 ,the #8,valetudo' is the
 only one that is not in your own power2
 ,heaven alone can grant it you1 and may
 it do so abundantly6 ,as for the       
#8mundus victus1 non deficiente         
crumena'1 do you deserve1 and ,i will   
provide them4  ,it is with the greatest 
pleasure that ,i consider the fair      
prospect which you have before you4 ,you
 have seen1 read1 and learned more1 at  
your age1 than most young fellows have  
done at two or three-and-twenty4 ,your  
destination is a shining one1 and leads 
to rank1 fortune1 and distinction4 ,your
 education has been calculated for it2  
and1 to do you justice1 that education  
has not been thrown away upon you4 ,you 
want but two things1 which do not want  
conjuration1 but only care1 to acquire3 
eloquence and manners2 that is1 the     
graces of speech1 and the graces of     
behavior4 ,you may have them2 they are  
as much in your power as powdering your 
hair is2 and will you let the want of   
them obscure 7as it certainly will do7  

that shining prospect which presents    
itself to you4 ,i am sure you will not4 
,they are the sharp end1 the point of   
the nail that you are driving1 which    
must make way first for the larger and  
more solid parts to enter4 ,supposing   
your moral character as pure1 and your  
knowledge as sound1 as ,i really believe
 them both to be2 you want nothing for  
that perfection1 which ,i have so       
constantly wished you1 and taken so much
 pains to give you1 but eloquence and   
politeness4 ,a man who is not born with 
a poetical genius1 can never be a poet1 
or at best an extremely bad one2 but    
every man1 who can speak at all1 can    
speak elegantly and correctly if he     
pleases1 by attending to the best       
authors and orators2 and1 indeed1 ,i    
would advise those who do not speak     
elegantly1 not to speak at all2 for ,i  
am sure they will get more by their     
silence than by their speech4 ,as for   
politeness3 whoever keeps good company1 
and is not polite1 must have formed a   

resolution1 and take some pains not to  
be so2 otherwise he would naturally and 
insensibly take the air1 the address1   
and the turn of those he converses with4
 ,you will1 probably1 in the course of  
this year1 see as great a variety of    
good company in the several capitals you
 will be at1 as in any one year of your 
life2 and consequently must 7,i should  
hope7 catch some of their manners1      
almost whether you will or not2 but1 as 
,i dare say you will endeavor to do it1 
,i am convinced you will succeed1 and   
that ,i shall have pleasure of finding  
you1 at your return here1 one of the    
best-bred men in ,europe4  ,i imagine1  
that when you receive my letters1 and   
come to those parts of them which relate
 to eloquence and politeness1 you say1  
or at least think1 ,what1 will he never 
have done upon those two subjects8 ,has 
he not said all he can say upon them8   
,why the same thing over and over again8
 ,if you do think or say so1 it must    
proceed from your not yet knowing the   

infinite importance of these two        
accomplishments1 which ,i cannot        
recommend to you too often1 nor         
inculcate too strongly4 ,but if1 on the 
contrary1 you are convinced of the      
utility1 or rather the necessity of     
those two accomplishments1 and are      
determined to acquire them1 my repeated 
admonitions are only unnecessary2 and ,i
 grudge no trouble which can possibly be
 of the least use to you4  ,i flatter   
myself1 that your stay at ,rome will go 
a great way toward answering all my     
views3 ,i am sure it will1 if you employ
 your time1 and your whole time1 as you 
should4 ,your first morning hours1 ,i   
would have you devote to your graver    
studies with ,mr4 ,harte2 the middle    
part of the day ,i would have employed  
in seeing things2 and the evenings in   
seeing people4 ,you are not1 ,i hope1 of
 a lazy1 inactive turn1 in either body  
or mind2 and1 in that case1 the day is  
full long enough for everything2        
especially at ,rome1 where it is not the

 fashion1 as it is here and at ,paris1  
to embezzle at least half of it at      
table4 ,but if1 by accident1 two or     
three hours are sometimes wanting for   
some useful purpose1 borrow them from   
your sleep4 ,six1 or at most seven hours
 sleep is1 for a constancy1 as much as  
you or anybody can want2 more is only   
laziness and dozing2 and is1 ,i am      
persuaded1 both unwholesome and         
stupefying4 ,if1 by chance1 your        
business1 or your pleasures1 should keep
 you up till four or five o'clock in the
 morning1 ,i would advise you1 however1 
to rise exactly at your usual time1 that
 you may not lose the precious morning  
hours2 and that the want of sleep may   
force you to go to bed earlier the next 
night4 ,this is what ,i was advised to  
do when very young1 by a very wise man2 
and what1 ,i assure you1 ,i always did  
in the most dissipated part of my life4 
,i have very often gone to bed at six in
 the morning and rose1 notwithstanding1 
at eight2 by which means ,i got many    

hours in the morning that my companions 
lost2 and the want of sleep obliged me  
to keep good hours the next1 or at least
 the third night4 ,to this method ,i owe
 the greatest part of my reading3 for1  
from twenty to forty1 ,i should         
certainly have read very little1 if ,i  
had not been up while my acquaintances  
were in bed4 ,know the true value of    
time2 snatch1 seize1 and enjoy every    
moment of it4 ,no idleness1 no laziness1
 no procrastination2 never put off till 
to-morrow what you can do today4 ,that  
was the rule of the famous and          
unfortunate ,pensionary ,de ,witt2 who1 
by strictly following it1 found time1   
not only to do the whole business of the
 republic1 but to pass his evenings at  
assemblies and suppers1 as if he had had
 nothing else to do or think of4        
,adieu1 my dear friend1 for such ,i     
shall call you1 and as such ,i shall1   
for the future1 live with you2 for ,i   
disclaim all titles which imply an      
authority1 that ,i am persuaded you will

 never give me occasion to exercise4    
#8,multos et felices'1 most sincerely1  
to ,mr4 ,harte4                         
,,letters ,,to ,,his ,,son              
#agej             ,by the ,,earl ,,of   
,,chesterfield             on the ,fine 
,art of becoming a                ,,man 
,,of ,,the ,,world                   and
 a                  ,,gentleman         
,,letter ,c  ,,london1 ,january #h1 ,o4 
,s4 #agej  ,,dear ,,boy3 ,i have seldom 
or never written to you upon the subject
 of religion and morality2 your own     
reason1 ,i am persuaded1 has given you  
true notions of both2 they speak best   
for themselves2 but if they wanted      
assistance1 you have ,mr4 ,harte at     
hand1 both for precept and example2 to  
your own reason1 therefore1 and to ,mr4 
,harte1 shall ,i refer you for the      
reality of both1 and confine myself in  
this letter to the decency1 the utility1
 and the necessity of scrupulously      
preserving the appearances of both4     
,when ,i say the appearances of         

religion1 ,i do not mean that you should
 talk or act like a missionary or an    
enthusiast1 nor that you should take up 
a controversial cudgel against whoever  
attacks the sect you are of2 this would 
be both useless and unbecoming your age2
 but ,i mean that you should by no means
 seem to approve1 encourage1 or applaud1
 those libertine notions1 which strike  
at religions equally1 and which are the 
poor threadbare topics of halfwits and  
minute philosophers4 ,even those who are
 silly enough to laugh at their jokes1  
are still wise enough to distrust and   
detest their characters2 for putting    
moral virtues at the highest1 and       
religion at the lowest1 religion must   
still be allowed to be a collateral     
security1 at least1 to virtue1 and every
 prudent man will sooner trust to two   
securities than to one4 ,whenever1      
therefore1 you happen to be in company  
with those pretended #8,esprits forts'1 
or with thoughtless libertines1 who     
laugh at all religion to show their wit1

 or disclaim it1 to complete their riot1
 let no word or look of yours intimate  
the least approbation2 on the contrary1 
let a silent gravity express your       
dislike3 but enter not into the subject 
and decline such unprofitable and       
indecent controversies4 ,depend upon    
this truth1 that every man is the worse 
looked upon1 and the less trusted for   
being thought to have no religion2 in   
spite of all the pompous and specious   
epithets he may assume1 of #8,esprit    
fort'1 freethinker1 or moral            
philosopher2 and a wise atheist 7if such
 a thing there is7 would1 for his own   
interest and character in this world1   
pretend to some religion4  ,your moral  
character must be not only pure1 but1   
like ,caesar's wife1 unsuspected4 ,the  
least speck or blemish upon it is fatal4
 ,nothing degrades and vilifies more1   
for it excites and unites detestation   
and contempt4 ,there are1 however1      
wretches in the world profligate enough 
to explode all notions of moral good and

 evil2 to maintain that they are merely 
local1 and depend entirely upon the     
customs and fashions of different       
countries2 nay1 there are still1 if     
possible1 more unaccountable wretches2  
,i mean those who affect to preach and  
propagate such absurd and infamous      
notions without believing them          
themselves4 ,these are the devil's      
hypocrites4 ,avoid1 as much as possible1
 the company of such people2 who reflect
 a degree of discredit and infamy upon  
all who converse with them4 ,but as you 
may1 sometimes1 by accident1 fall into  
such company1 take great care that no   
complaisance1 no good-humor1 no warmth  
of festal mirth1 ever make you seem even
 to acquiesce1 much less to approve or  
applaud1 such infamous doctrines4 ,on   
the other hand1 do not debate nor enter 
into serious argument upon a subject so 
much below it3 but content yourself with
 telling these ,,apostles that you know 
they are not1 serious2 that you have a  
much better opinion of them than they   

would have you have2 and that1 you are  
very sure1 they would not practice the  
doctrine they preach4 ,but put your     
private mark upon them1 and shun them   
forever afterward4  ,there is nothing so
 delicate as your moral character1 and  
nothing which it is your interest so    
much to preserve pure4 ,should you be   
suspected of injustice1 malignity1      
perfidy1 lying1 etc41 all the parts and 
knowledge in the world will never       
procure you esteem1 friendship1 or      
respect4 ,a strange concurrence of      
circumstances has sometimes raised very 
bad men to high stations1 but they have 
been raised like criminals to a pillory1
 where their persons and their crimes1  
by being more conspicuous1 are only the 
more known1 the more detested1 and the  
more pelted and insulted4 ,if1 in any   
case whatsoever1 affectation and        
ostentation are pardonable1 it is in the
 case of morality2 though even there1 ,i
 would not advise you to a pharisaical  
pomp of virtue4 ,but ,i will recommend  

to you a most scrupulous tenderness for 
your moral character1 and the utmost    
care not to say or do the least thing   
that may ever so slightly taint it4     
,show yourself1 upon all occasions1 the 
advocate1 the friend1 but not the bully 
of virtue4 ,colonel ,chartres1 whom you 
have certainly heard of 7who was1 ,i    
believe1 the most notorious blasted     
rascal in the world1 and who had1 by all
 sorts of crimes1 amassed immense       
wealth71 was so sensible of the         
disadvantage of a bad character1 that ,i
 heard him once say1 in his impudent1   
profligate manner1 that though he would 
not give one farthing for virtue1 he    
would give ten thousand pounds for a    
character2 because he should get a      
hundred thousand pounds by it2 whereas1 
he was so blasted1 that he had no longer
 an opportunity of cheating people4 ,is 
it possible1 then1 that an honest man   
can neglect what a wise rogue would     
purchase so dear8  ,there is one of the 
vices above mentioned1 into which people

 of good education1 and1 in the main1 of
 good principles1 sometimes fall1 from  
mistaken notions of skill1 dexterity1   
and self-defense1 ,i mean lying2 though 
it is inseparably attended with more    
infamy and loss than any other4 ,the    
prudence and necessity of often         
concealing the truth1 insensibly seduces
 people to violate it4 ,it is the only  
art of mean capacities1 and the only    
refuge of mean spirits4 ,whereas1       
concealing the truth1 upon proper       
occasions1 is as prudent and as         
innocent1 as telling a lie1 upon any    
occasion1 is infamous and foolish4 ,i   
will state you a case in your own       
department4 ,suppose you are employed at
 a foreign court1 and that the minister 
of that court is absurd or impertinent  
enough to ask you what your instructions
 are8 will you tell him a lie1 which as 
soon as found out 7and found out it     
certainly will be7 must destroy your    
credit1 blast your character1 and render
 you useless there8 ,no4 ,will you tell 

him the truth then1 and betray your     
trust8 ,as certainly1 ,no4 ,but you will
 answer with firmness1 ,that you are    
surprised at such a question1 that you  
are persuaded he does not expect an     
answer to it2 but that1 at all events1  
he certainly will not have one4 ,such an
 answer will give him confidence in you2
 he will conceive an opinion of your    
veracity1 of which opinion you may      
afterward make very honest and fair     
advantages4 ,but if1 in negotiations1   
you are looked upon as a liar and a     
trickster1 no confidence will be placed 
in you1 nothing will be communicated to 
you1 and you will be in the situation of
 a man who has been burned in the cheek2
 and who1 from that mark1 cannot        
afterward get an honest livelihood if he
 would1 but must continue a thief4      
,lord ,bacon1 very justly1 makes a      
distinction between simulation and      
dissimulation2 and allows the latter    
rather than the former2 but still       
observes1 that they are the weaker sort 

of politicians who have recourse to     
either4 ,a man who has strength of mind 
and strength of parts1 wants neither of 
them4 ,certainly 7says he7 the ablest   
men that ever were1 have all had an     
openness and frankness of dealing1 and a
 name of certainty and veracity2 but    
then1 they were like horses well        
managed2 for they could tell1 passing   
well1 when to stop or turn2 and at such 
times1 when they thought the case indeed
 required some dissimulation1 if then   
they used it1 it came to pass that the  
former opinion spread abroad of their   
good faith and clearness of dealing1    
made them almost invisible4  ,there are 
people who indulge themselves in a sort 
of lying1 which they reckon innocent1   
and which in one sense is so2 for it    
hurts nobody but themselves4 ,this sort 
of lying is the spurious offspring of   
vanity1 begotten upon folly3 these      
people deal in the marvelous2 they have 
seen some things that never existed2    
they have seen other things which they  

never really saw1 though they did exist1
 only because they were thought worth   
seeing4 ,has anything remarkable been   
said or done in any place1 or in any    
company8 they immediately present and   
declare themselves eye or ear witnesses 
of it4 ,they have done feats themselves1
 unattempted1 or at least unperformed by
 others4 ,they are always the heroes of 
their own fables2 and think that they   
gain consideration1 or at least present 
attention1 by it4 ,whereas1 in truth1   
all that they get is ridicule and       
contempt1 not without a good degree of  
distrust2 for one must naturally        
conclude1 that he who will tell any lie 
from idle vanity1 will not scruple      
telling a greater for interest4 ,had ,i 
really seen anything so very            
extraordinary as to be almost incredible
 ,i would keep it to myself1 rather than
 by telling it give anybody room to     
doubt1 for one minute1 of my veracity4  
,it is most certain1 that the reputation
 of chastity is not so necessary for a  

women1 as that of veracity is for a man2
 and with reason2 for it is possible for
 a woman to be virtuous1 though not     
strictly chaste1 but it is not possible 
for a man to be virtuous without strict 
veracity4 ,the slips of the poor women  
are sometimes mere bodily frailties2 but
 a lie in a man is a vice of the mind   
and of the heart4 ,for ,god's sake be   
scrupulously jealous of the purity of   
your moral character2 keep it           
immaculate1 unblemished1 unsullied2 and 
it will be unsuspected4 ,defamation and 
calumny never attack1 where there is no 
weak place2 they magnify1 but they do   
not create4  ,there is a very great     
difference between the purity of        
character1 which ,i so earnestly        
recommend to you1 and the stoical       
gravity and austerity of character1     
which ,i do by no means recommend to    
you4 ,at your age1 ,i would no more wish
 you to be a ,cato than a ,clodius4 ,be1
 and be reckoned1 a man of pleasure as  
well as a man of business4 ,enjoy this  

happy and giddy time of your life2 shine
 in the pleasures1 and in the company of
 people of your own age4 ,this is all to
 be done1 and indeed only can be done1  
without the least taint to the purity of
 your moral character2 for those        
mistaken young fellows1 who think to    
shine by an impious or immoral          
licentiousness1 shine only from their   
stinking1 like corrupted flesh1 in the  
dark4 ,without this purity1 you can have
 no dignity of character2 and without   
dignity of character it is impossible to
 rise in the world4 ,you must be        
respectable1 if you will be respected4  
,i have known people slattern away their
 character1 without really polluting it2
 the consequence of which has been1 that
 they have become innocently            
contemptible2 their merit has been      
dimmed1 their pretensions unregarded1   
and all their views defeated4 ,character
 must be kept bright1 as well as clean4 
,content yourself with mediocrity in    
nothing4 ,in purity of character and in 

politeness of manners labor to excel    
all1 if you wish to equal many4 ,adieu4 
,,letter ,,ci  ,,london1 ,january #aa1  
,o4 ,s4 #agej  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3    
,yesterday ,i received a letter from    
,mr4 ,harte1 of the #cast ,december1 ,n4
 ,s41 which ,i will answer soon2 and for
 which ,i desire you to return him my   
thanks now4 ,he tells me two things that
 give me great satisfaction3 one is that
 there are very few ,english at ,rome2  
the other is1 that you frequent the best
 foreign companies4 ,this last is a very
 good symptom2 for a man of sense is    
never desirous to frequent those        
companies1 where he is not desirous to  
please1 or where he finds that he       
displeases2 it will not be expected in  
those companies1 that1 at your age1 you 
should have the #8,garbo'1 the          
#8,disinvoltura'1 and the #8,leggiadria'
 of a man of five-and-twenty1 who has   
been long used to keep the best         
companies2 and therefore do not be      
discouraged1 and think yourself either  

slighted or laughed at1 because you see 
others1 older and more used to the      
world1 easier1 more familiar1 and       
consequently rather better received in  
those companies than yourself4 ,in time 
your turn will come2 and if you do but  
show an inclination1 a desire to please1
 though you should be embarrassed or    
even err in the means1 which must       
necessarily happen to you at first1 yet 
the will 7to use a vulgar expression7   
will be taken for the deed2 and people1 
instead of laughing at you1 will be glad
 to instruct you4 ,good sense can only  
give you the great outlines of          
good-breeding2 but observation and usage
 can alone give you the delicate        
touches1 and the fine coloring4 ,you    
will naturally endeavor to show the     
utmost respect to people of certain     
ranks and characters1 and consequently  
you will show it2 but the proper1 the   
delicate manner of showing that respect1
 nothing but observation and time can   
give4  ,i remember that when1 with all  

the awkwardness and rust of ,cambridge  
about me1 ,i was first introduced into  
good company1 ,i was frightened out of  
my wits4 ,i was determined to be1 what  
,i thought1 civil2 ,i made fine low     
bows1 and placed myself below everybody2
 but when ,i was spoken to1 or attempted
 to speak myself1 #8obstupui1           
steteruntque comae1 et vox faucibus     
haesit'4 ,if ,i saw people whisper1 ,i  
was sure it was at me2 and ,i thought   
myself the sole object of either the    
ridicule or the censure of the whole    
company1 who1 ,god knows1 did not       
trouble their heads about me4 ,in this  
way ,i suffered1 for some time1 like a  
criminal at the bar2 and should         
certainly have renounced all polite     
company forever1 if ,i had not been so  
convinced of the absolute necessity of  
forming my manners upon those of the    
best companies1 that ,i determined to   
persevere and suffer anything1 or       
everything1 rather than not compass that
 point4 ,insensibly it grew easier to   

me2 and ,i began not to bow so          
ridiculously low1 and to answer         
questions without great hesitation or   
stammering3 if1 now and then1 some      
charitable people1 seeing my            
embarrassment1 and being #8desoevre'    
themselves1 came and spoke to me1 ,i    
considered them as angels sent to       
comfort me1 and that gave me a little   
courage4 ,i got more soon afterward1 and
 was intrepid enough to go up to a fine 
woman1 and tell her that ,i thought it a
 warm day2 she answered me1 very        
civilly1 that she thought so too2 upon  
which the conversation ceased1 on my    
part1 for some time1 till she1          
good-naturedly resuming it1 spoke to me 
thus3 8,i see your embarrassment1 and ,i
 am sure that the few words you said to 
me cost you a great deal2 but do not be 
discouraged for that reason1 and avoid  
good company4 ,we see that you desire to
 please1 and that is the main point2 you
 want only the manner1 and you think    
that you want it still more than you do4

 ,you must go through your noviciate    
before you can profess good-breeding3   
and1 if you will be my novice1 ,i will  
present you my acquaintance as such40   
,you will easily imagine how much this  
speech pleased me1 and how awkwardly ,i 
answered it2 ,i hemmed once or twice    
7for it gave me a bur in my throat7     
before ,i could tell her that ,i was    
very much obliged to her2 that it was   
true1 that ,i had a great deal of reason
 to distrust my own behavior1 not being 
used to fine company2 and that ,i should
 be proud of being her novice1 and      
receiving her instructions4  ,as soon as
 ,i had fumbled out this answer1 she    
called up three or four people to her1  
and said3 ,savez-vous 7for she was a    
foreigner1 and ,i was abroad7 que j'ai  
entrepris ce jeune homme1 et qu'il le   
faut rassurer8 ,pour moi1 je crois en   
avoir fait----,do you know that ,i have 
undertaken this young man1 and he must  
be encouraged8 ,as for me1 ,i think ,i  
have made a conquest of him2 for he just

 now ventured to tell me1 although      
tremblingly1 that it is warm4 ,you will 
assist me in polishing him4 ,he must    
necessarily have a passion for somebody2
 if he does not think me worthy of being
 the object1 he will seek out some      
other4 ,however1 my novice1 do not      
disgrace yourself by frequenting opera  
girls and actresses2 who will not       
require of you sentiments and           
politeness1 but will be your ruin in    
every respect4 ,i repeat it to you1 my  
friend1 if you should get into low1 mean
 company1 you will be undone4 ,those    
creatures will destroy your fortune and 
your health1 corrupt your morals1 and   
you will never acquire the style of good
 company4  ,the company laughed at this 
lecture1 and ,i was stunned with it4 ,i 
did not know whether she was serious or 
in jest4 ,by turns ,i was pleased1      
ashamed1 encouraged1 and dejected4 ,but 
when ,i found afterward1 that both she1 
and those to whom she had presented me1 
countenanced and protected me in        

company1 ,i gradually got more          
assurance1 and began not to be ashamed  
of endeavoring to be civil4 ,i copied   
the best masters1 at first servilely1   
afterward more freely1 and at last ,i   
joined habit and invention4  ,all this  
will happen to you1 if you persevere in 
the desire of pleasing and shining as a 
man of the world2 that part of your     
character is the only one about which ,i
 have at present the least doubt4 ,i    
cannot entertain the least suspicion of 
your moral character2 your learned      
character is out of question4 ,your     
polite character is now the only        
remaining object that gives me the least
 anxiety2 and you are now in the right  
way of finishing it4 ,your constant     
collision with good company will1 of    
course1 smooth and polish you4 ,i could 
wish that you would say1 to the five or 
six men or women with whom you are the  
most acquainted1 that you are sensible  
that1 from youth and inexperience1 you  
must make many mistakes in              

good-breeding2 that you beg of them to  
correct you1 without reserve1 wherever  
they see you fail2 and that you shall   
take such admonition as the strongest   
proofs of their friendship4 ,such a     
confession and application will be very 
engaging to those to whom you make them4
 ,they will tell others of them1 who    
will be pleased with that disposition1  
and1 in a friendly manner1 tell you of  
any little slip or error4 ,the ,duke de 
,nivernois--,at that time ,ambassador   
from the ,court of ,france to           
,rome4--would1 ,i am sure1 be charmed1  
if you dropped such a thing to him2     
adding1 that you loved to address       
yourself always to the best masters4    
,observe also the different modes of    
good-breeding of several nations1 and   
conform yourself to them respectively4  
,use an easy civility with the ,french1 
more ceremony with the ,italians1 and   
still more with the ,germans2 but let it
 be without embarrassment and with ease4
 ,bring it by use to be habitual to you2

 for1 if it seems unwilling and forced2 
it will never please4 #8,omnis          
,aristippum decuit color1 et res'4      
,acquire an easiness and versatility of 
manners1 as well as of mind2 and1 like  
the chameleon1 take the hue of the      
company you are with4  ,there is a sort 
of veteran women of condition1 who      
having lived always in the #8grande     
monde'1 and having possibly had some    
gallantries1 together with the          
experience of five-and-twenty1 or thirty
 years1 form a young fellow better than 
all the rules that can be given him4    
,these women1 being past their bloom1   
are extremely flattered by the least    
attention from a young fellow2 and they 
will point out to him those manners and 
,,attentions that pleased and engaged   
them1 when they were in the pride of    
their youth and beauty4 ,wherever you   
go1 make some of those women your       
friends2 which a very little matter will
 do4 ,ask their advice1 tell them your  
doubts or difficulties as to your       

behavior2 but take great care not to    
drop one word of their experience2 for  
experience implies age2 and the         
suspicion of age1 no woman1 let her be  
ever so old1 ever forgives4 ,i long for 
your picture1 which ,mr4 ,harte tells me
 is now drawing4 ,i want to see your    
countenance1 your air1 and even your    
dress2 the better they all three are1   
the better ,i am not wise enough to     
despise any one of them4 ,your dress1 at
 least1 is in your own power1 and ,i    
hope that you mind it to a proper       
degree4 ,yours1 ,adieu4     ,,letter    
,,cii  ,,london1 ,january #ah1 ,o4 ,s4  
#agej  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i consider
 the solid part of your little edifice  
as so near being finished and completed1
 that my only remaining care is about   
the embellishments2 and that must now be
 your principal care too4 ,adorn        
yourself with all those graces and      
accomplishments1 which1 without         
solidity1 are frivolous2 but without    
which solidity is1 to a great degree1   

useless4 ,take one man1 with a very     
moderate degree of knowledge1 but with a
 pleasing figure1 a prepossessing       
address1 graceful in all that he says   
and does1 polite1 #8liant'1 and1 in     
short1 adorned with all the lesser      
talents3 and take another man1 with     
sound sense and profound knowledge1 but 
without the above-mentioned advantages2 
the former will not only get the better 
of the latter1 in every pursuit of every
 ,,kind1 but in truth there will be no  
sort of competition between them4 ,but  
can every man acquire these advantages8 
,i say1 ,yes1 if he please1 suppose he  
is in a situation and in circumstances  
to frequent good company4 ,attention1   
observation1 and imitation1 will most   
infallibly do it4  ,when you see a man  
whose first #8abord' strikes you1       
prepossesses you in his favor1 and makes
 you entertain a good opinion of him1   
you do not know why1 analyze that       
#8abord'1 and examine1 within yourself1 
the several parts that composed it2 and 

you will generally find it to be the    
result1 the happy assemblage of modesty 
unembarrassed1 respect without timidity1
 a genteel1 but unaffected attitude of  
body and limbs1 an open1 cheerful1 but  
unsmirking countenance1 and a dress1 by 
no means negligent1 and yet not foppish4
 ,copy him1 then1 not servilely1 but as 
some of the greatest masters of painting
 have copied others2 insomuch that their
 copies have been equal to the          
originals1 both as to beauty and        
freedom4 ,when you see a man who is     
universally allowed to shine as an      
agreeable1 well-bred man1 and a fine    
gentleman 7as1 for example1 the ,duke de
 ,nivernois71 attend to him1 watch him  
carefully2 observe in what manner he    
addresses himself to his superiors1 how 
he lives with his equals1 and how he    
treats his inferiors4 ,mind his turn of 
conversation in the several situations  
of morning visits1 the table1 and the   
evening amusements4 ,imitate1 without   
mimicking him2 and be his duplicate1 but

 not his ape4 ,you will find that he    
takes care never to say or do any thing 
that can be construed into a slight1 or 
a negligence2 or that can1 in any       
degree1 mortify people's vanity and     
self-love2 on the contrary1 you will    
perceive that he makes people pleased   
with him1 by making them first pleased  
with themselves3 he shows respect1      
regard1 esteem and attention1 where they
 are severally proper3 he sows them with
 care1 and he reaps them in plenty4     
,these amiable accomplishments are all  
to be acquired by use and imitation2 for
 we are1 in truth1 more than half what  
we are by imitation4 ,the great point   
is1 to choose good models and to study  
them with care4 ,people insensibly      
contract1 not only the air1 the manners1
 and the vices1 of those with whom they 
commonly converse1 but their virtues    
too1 and even their way of thinking4    
,this is so true1 that ,i have known    
very plain understandings catch a       
certain degree of wit1 by constantly    

conversing with those who had a great   
deal4 ,persist1 therefore1 in keeping   
the best company1 and you will          
insensibly become like them2 but if you 
add attention and observation1 you will 
very soon become one of them4 ,the      
inevitable contagion of company shows   
you the necessity of keeping the best1  
and avoiding all other2 for in everyone1
 something will stick4 ,you have        
hitherto1 ,i confess1 had very few      
opportunities of keeping polite company4
 ,westminster school is1 undoubtedly1   
the seat of illiberal manners and brutal
 behavior4 ,leipsig1 ,i suppose1 is not 
the seat of refined and elegant manners4
 ,venice1 ,i believe1 has done          
something2 ,rome1 ,i hope1 will do a    
great deal more2 and ,paris will1 ,i    
dare say1 do all that you want2 always  
supposing that you frequent the best    
companies1 and in the intention of      
improving and forming yourself2 for     
without that intention nothing will do4 
,i here subjoin a list of all those     

necessary1 ornamental accomplishments   
7without which1 no man living can either
 please1 or rise in the world7 which    
hitherto ,i fear you want1 and which    
only require your care and attention to 
possess4  ,to speak elegantly1 whatever 
language you speak in2 without which    
nobody will hear you with pleasure1 and 
consequently you will speak to very     
little purpose4  ,an agreeable and      
distinct elocution2 without which nobody
 will hear you with patience3 this      
everybody may acquire1 who is not born  
with some imperfection in the organs of 
speech4 ,you are not2 and therefore it  
is wholly in your power4 ,you need take 
much less pains for it than ,demosthenes
 did4  ,a distinguished politeness of   
manners and address2 which common sense1
 observation1 good company1 and         
imitation1 will infallibly give you if  
you will accept it4  ,a genteel carriage
 and graceful motions1 with the air of a
 man of fashion3 a good dancing-master1 
with some care on your part1 and some   

imitation of those who excel1 will soon 
bring this about4  ,to be extremely     
clean in your person1 and perfectly well
 dressed1 according to the fashion1 be  
that what it will3 ,your negligence of  
your dress while you were a schoolboy   
was pardonable1 but would not be so now4
  ,upon the whole1 take it for granted1 
that without these accomplishments1 all 
you know1 and all you can do1 will avail
 you very little4 ,adieu4     ,,letter  
,,ciii  ,,london1 ,january #be1 ,o4 ,s4 
#agej  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,it is so  
long since ,i have heard from you1 that 
,i suppose ,rome engrosses every moment 
of your time2 and if it engrosses it in 
the manner ,i could wish1 ,i willingly  
give up my share of it4 ,i would rather 
#8prodesse quam conspici'4 ,put out your
 time1 but to good interest2 and ,i do  
not desire to borrow much of it4 ,your  
studies1 the respectable remains of     
antiquity1 and your evening amusements  
cannot1 and indeed ought not1 to leave  
you much time to write4 ,you will1      

probably1 never see ,rome again2 and    
therefore you ought to see it well now2 
by seeing it well1 ,i do not mean only  
the buildings1 statues1 and paintings1  
though they undoubtedly deserve your    
attention3 but ,i mean seeing into the  
constitution and government of it4 ,but 
these things certainly occur to your own
 common sense4  ,how go1 your pleasures 
at ,rome8 ,are you in fashion there8    
that is1 do you live with the people who
 are8--the only way of being so         
yourself1 in time4 ,are you domestic    
enough in any considerable house to be  
called #8le petit ,stanhope'8 ,has any  
woman of fashion and good-breeding taken
 the trouble of abusing and laughing at 
you amicably to your face8 ,have you    
found a good #8decrotteuse'4  ,for those
 are the steps by which you must rise to
 politeness4 ,i do not presume to ask if
 you have any attachment1 because ,i    
believe you will not make me your       
confident2 but this ,i will say1        
eventually1 that if you have one1 #8il  

faut bien payer d'attentions et de      
petits soin'1 if you would have your    
sacrifice propitiously received4 ,women 
are not so much taken by beauty as men  
are1 but prefer those men who show them 
the most attention4          ,would you 
engage the lovely fair8         ,with   
gentlest manners treat her2             
,with tender looks and graceful air1    
,in softest accents greet her4          
,verse were but vain1 the ,muses fail1  
,without the ,graces' aid2         ,the 
,god of ,verse could not prevail        
,to stop the flying maid4               
,attention by attentions gain1          
,and merit care by cares2         ,so   
shall the nymph reward your pain2       
,and ,venus crown your prayers4         
,probatum est4  ,a man's address and    
manner weigh much more with them than   
his beauty2 and1 without them1 the      
,abbati and ,monsignori will get the    
better of you4 ,this address and manner 
should be exceedingly respectful1 but at
 the same time easy and unembarrassed4  

,your chit-chat or #8entregent' with    
them neither can1 nor ought to be very  
solid2 but you should take care to turn 
and dress up your trifles prettily1 and 
make them every now and then convey     
indirectly some little piece of         
flattery4 ,a fan1 a riband1 or a        
head-dress1 are great materials for     
gallant dissertations1 to one who has   
got #8le ton leger et aimable de la     
bonne compagnie'4 ,at all events1 a man 
had better talk too much to women1 than 
too little2 they take silence for       
dullness1 unless where they think that  
the passion they have inspired occasions
 it2 and in that case they adopt the    
notion that            ,silence in love 
betrays more woe           ,than words1 
though ne'er so witty2           ,the   
beggar that is dumb1 we know1           
,deserves a double pity4  #8,a propos'  
of this subject3 what progress do you   
make in that language1 in which ,charles
 the ,fifth said that he would choose to
 speak to his mistress8 ,have you got   

all the tender diminutives1 in #8etta1  
ina'1 and #8ettina'1 which1 ,i presume1 
he alluded to8 ,you already possess1    
and1 ,i hope1 take care not to forget1  
that language which he reserved for his 
horse4 ,you are absolutely master1 too1 
of that language in which he said he    
would converse with men2 ,french4 ,but1 
in every language1 pray attend carefully
 to the choice of your words1 and to the
 turn of your expression4 ,indeed1 it is
 a point of very great consequence4 ,to 
be heard with success1 you must be heard
 with pleasure3 words are the dress of  
thoughts2 which should no more be       
presented in rags1 tatters1 and dirt1   
than your person should4 ,by the way1 do
 you mind your person and your dress    
sufficiently8 ,do you take great care of
 your teeth8 ,pray have them put in     
order by the best operator at ,rome4    
,are you be-laced1 bepowdered1 and      
be-feathered1 as other young fellows    
are1 and should be8 ,at your age1 #8il  
faut du brillant1 et meme un peu de     

fracas1 mais point de mediocre2 il faut 
un air vif1 aise et noble4 ,avec les    
hommes1 un maintien respectueux et en   
meme tems respectable2 avec les femmes1 
un caquet leger1 enjoue1 et badin1 mais 
toujours fort poli'4  ,to give you an   
opportunity of exerting your talents1 ,i
 send you1 here inclosed1 a letter of   
recommendation from ,monsieur ,villettes
 to ,madame de ,simonetti at ,milan2 a  
woman of the first fashion and          
consideration there2 and ,i shall in my 
next send you another from the same     
person to ,madame ,clerici1 at the same 
place4 ,as these two ladies' houses are 
the resort of all the people of fashion 
at ,milan1 those two recommendations    
will introduce you to them all4 ,let me 
know1 in due time1 if you have received 
these two letters1 that ,i may have them
 renewed1 in case of accidents4  ,adieu1
 my dear friend6 ,study hard2 divert    
yourself heartily2 distinguish carefully
 between the pleasures of a man of      
fashion1 and the vices of a scoundrel2  

pursue the former1 and abhor the latter1
 like a man of sense4     ,,letter ,,civ
  ,,london1 ,february #e1 ,o4 ,s4 #agej 
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,very few people  
are good economists of their fortune1   
and still fewer of their time2 and yet  
of the two1 the latter is the most      
precious4 ,i heartily wish you to be a  
good economist of both3 and you are now 
of an age to begin to think seriously of
 those two important articles4 ,young   
people are apt to think that they have  
so much time before them1 that they may 
squander what they please of it1 and yet
 have enough left2 as very great        
fortunes have frequently seduced people 
to a ruinous profusion4 ,fatal mistakes1
 always repented of1 but always too     
late6 ,old ,mr4 ,lowndes1 the famous    
,secretary of the ,treasury in the      
reigns of ,king ,william1 ,queen ,anne1 
and ,king ,george the ,first1 used to   
say1--,,take ,,care ,,of ,,the ,,pence1 
,,and ,,the ,,pounds ,,will ,,take      
,,care ,,of ,,themselves4 ,to this      

maxim1 which he not only preached but   
practiced1 his two grandsons at this    
time owe the very considerable fortunes 
that he left them4  ,this holds equally 
true as to time2 and ,i most earnestly  
recommend to you the care of those      
minutes and quarters of hours1 in the   
course of the day1 which people think   
too short to deserve their attention2   
and yet1 if summed up at the end of the 
year1 would amount to a very            
considerable portion of time4 ,for      
example3 you are to be at such a place  
at twelve1 by appointment2 you go out at
 eleven1 to make two or three visits    
first2 those persons are not at home1   
instead of sauntering away that         
intermediate time at a coffeehouse1 and 
possibly alone1 return home1 write a    
letter1 beforehand1 for the ensuing     
post1 or take up a good book1 ,i do not 
mean ,descartes1 ,malebranche1 ,locke1  
or ,newton1 by way of dipping2 but some 
book of rational amusement and detached 
pieces1 as ,horace1 ,boileau1 ,waller1  

,la ,bruyere1 etc4 ,this will be so much
 time saved1 and by no means ill        
employed4 ,many people lose a great deal
 of time by reading3 for they read      
frivolous and idle books1 such as the   
absurd romances of the two last         
centuries2 where characters1 that never 
existed1 are insipidly displayed1 and   
sentiments that were never felt1        
pompously described3 the ,oriental      
ravings and extravagances of the        
8,arabian ,nights10 and ,mogul tales2   
or1 the new flimsy brochures that now   
swarm in ,france1 of fairy tales1       
#8,reflections sur le coeur et l'esprit1
 metaphysique de l'amour1 analyse des   
beaux sentimens'1 and such sort of idle 
frivolous stuff1 that nourishes and     
improves the mind just as much as       
whipped cream would the body4 ,stick to 
the best established books in every     
language2 the celebrated poets1         
historians1 orators1 or philosophers4   
,by these means 7to use a city metaphor7
 you will make fifty ,,per ,,cent4 ,of  

that time1 of which others do not make  
above three or four1 or probably nothing
 at all4  ,many people lose a great deal
 of their time by laziness2 they loll   
and yawn in a great chair1 tell         
themselves that they have not time to   
begin anything then1 and that it will do
 as well another time4 ,this is a most  
unfortunate disposition1 and the        
greatest obstruction to both knowledge  
and business4 ,at your age1 you have no 
right nor claim to laziness2 ,i have1 if
 ,i please1 being emeritus4 ,you are but
 just listed in the world1 and must be  
active1 diligent1 indefatigable4 ,if    
ever you propose commanding with        
dignity1 you must serve up to it with   
diligence4 ,never put off till tomorrow 
what you can do to-day4  ,dispatch is   
the soul of business2 and nothing       
contributes more to dispatch than       
method4 ,lay down a method for          
everything1 and stick to it inviolably1 
as far as unexpected incidents may      
allow4 ,fix one certain hour and day in 

the week for your accounts1 and keep    
them together in their proper order2 by 
which means they will require very      
little time1 and you can never be much  
cheated4 ,whatever letters and papers   
you keep1 docket and tie them up in     
their respective classes1 so that you   
may instantly have recourse to any one4 
,lay down a method also for your        
reading1 for which you allot a certain  
share of your mornings2 let it be in a  
consistent and consecutive course1 and  
not in that desultory and unmethodical  
manner1 in which many people read scraps
 of different authors1 upon different   
subjects4 ,keep a useful and short      
commonplace book of what you read1 to   
help your memory only1 and not for      
pedantic quotations4 ,never read history
 without having maps and a chronological
 book1 or tables1 lying by you1 and     
constantly recurred to2 without which   
history is only a confused heap of      
facts4 ,one method more ,i recommend to 
you1 by which ,i have found great       

benefit1 even in the most dissipated    
part of my life2 that is1 to rise early1
 and at the same hour every morning1 how
 late soever you may have sat up the    
night before4 ,this secures you an hour 
or two1 at least1 of reading or         
reflection before the common            
interruptions of the morning begin2 and 
it will save your constitution1 by      
forcing you to go to bed early1 at least
 one night in three4  ,you will say1 it 
may be1 as many young people would1 that
 all this order and method is very      
troublesome1 only fit for dull people1  
and a disagreeable restraint upon the   
noble spirit and fire of youth4 ,i deny 
it2 and assert1 on the contrary1 that it
 will procure you both more time and    
more taste for your pleasures2 and1 so  
far from being troublesome to you1 that 
after you have pursued it a month1 it   
would be troublesome to you to lay it   
aside4 ,business whets the appetite1 and
 gives a taste to pleasure1 as exercise 
does to food2 and business can never be 

done without method2 it raises the      
spirits for pleasures2 and a            
,,spectacle1 a ball1 an assembly1 will  
much more sensibly affect a man who has 
employed1 than a man who has lost1 the  
preceding part of the day2 nay1 ,i will 
venture to say1 that a fine lady will   
seem to have more charms to a man of    
study or business1 than to a saunterer4 
,the same listlessness runs through his 
whole conduct1 and he is as insipid in  
his pleasures1 as inefficient in        
everything else4  ,i hope you earn your 
pleasures1 and consequently taste them2 
for1 by the way1 ,i know a great many   
men1 who call themselves men of         
pleasure1 but who1 in truth1 have none4 
,they adopt other people's              
indiscriminately1 but without any taste 
of their own4 ,i have known them often  
inflict excesses upon themselves because
 they thought them genteel2 though they 
sat as awkwardly upon them as other     
people's clothes would have done4 ,have 
no pleasures but your own1 and then you 

will shine in them4 ,what are yours8    
,give me a short history of them4       
#8,tenez-vous votre coin a table1 et    
dans les bonnes compagnies8 y           
brillez-vous du cote de la politesse1 de
 d'enjouement1 du badinage8 ,etes-vous  
galant8 ,filex-vous le parfait amour8   
,est-il question de flechir par vos     
soins et par vos attentions les rigueurs
 de quelque fiere ,princesse'8 ,you may 
safely trust me2 for though ,i am a     
severe censor of vice and folly1 ,i am a
 friend and advocate for pleasures1 and 
will contribute all in my power to      
yours4  ,there is a certain dignity to  
be kept up in pleasures1 as well as in  
business4 ,in love1 a man may lose his  
heart with dignity2 but if he loses his 
nose1 he loses his character into the   
bargain4 ,at table1 a man may with      
decency have a distinguishing palate2   
but indiscriminate voraciousness        
degrades him to a glutton4 ,a man may   
play with decency2 but if he games1 he  
is disgraced4 ,vivacity and wit make a  

man shine in company2 but trite jokes   
and loud laughter reduce him to a       
buffoon4 see ,mark ,twain's identical   
advice in his #8,speeches' ,d4,w4 ,every
 virtue1 they say1 has its kindred vice2
 every pleasure1 ,i am sure1 has its    
neighboring disgrace4 ,mark carefully1  
therefore1 the line that separates them1
 and rather stop a yard short1 than step
 an inch beyond it4  ,i wish to ,god    
that you had as much pleasure in        
following my advice1 as ,i have in      
giving it you6 and you may the more     
easily have it1 as ,i give you none that
 is inconsistent with your pleasure4 ,in
 all that ,i say to you1 it is your     
interest alone that ,i consider3 trust  
to my experience2 you know you may to my
 affection4 ,adieu4  ,i have received no
 letter yet from you or ,mr4 ,harte4    
,,letter ,,cv  ,,london1 ,february #h1  
,o4 ,s4 #agej  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3    
,you have1 by this time1 ,i hope and    
believe1 made such a progress in the    
,italian language1 that you can read it 

with ease2 ,i mean1 the easy books in   
it2 and indeed1 in that1 as well as in  
every other language1 the easiest books 
are generally the best2 for1 whatever   
author is obscure and difficult in his  
own language1 certainly does not think  
clearly4 ,this is1 in my opinion1 the   
case of a celebrated ,italian author2 to
 whom the ,italians1 from the admiration
 they have of him1 have given the       
epithet of il divino2 ,i mean ,dante4   
,though ,i formerly knew ,italian       
extremely well1 ,i could never          
understand him2 for which reason ,i had 
done with him1 fully convinced that he  
was not worth the pains necessary to    
understand him4  ,the good ,italian     
authors are1 in my mind1 but few2 ,i    
mean1 authors of invention2 for there   
are1 undoubtedly1 very good historians  
and excellent translators4 ,the two     
poets worth your reading1 and1 ,i was   
going to say1 the only two1 are ,tasso  
and ,ariosto4 ,tasso's #8,gierusalemme  
,liberata' is altogether unquestionably 

a fine poem1 though--it has some low1   
and many false thoughts in it3 and      
,boileau very justly makes it the mark  
of a bad taste1 to compare #8le         
,clinquant ,tasse a l' ,or de ,virgile'4
 ,the image1 with which he adorns the   
introduction of his epic poem1 is low   
and disgusting2 it is that of a froward1
 sick1 puking child1 who is deceived    
into a dose of necessary physic by #8du 
bon-bon'4 ,these verses are these3      
8,cosi all'egro fanciul porgiamo aspersi
      ,di soavi licor gli orli del vaso3
      ,succhi amari ingannato intanto ei
 beve1      ,e dall' inganno suo vita   
riceve40  ,however1 the poem1 with all  
its faults about it1 may justly be      
called a fine one4  ,if fancy1          
imagination1 invention1 description1    
etc41 constitute a poet1 ,ariosto is1   
unquestionably1 a great one4 ,his       
8,orlando10 it is true1 is a medley of  
lies and truths--sacred and             
profane--wars1 loves1 enchantments1     
giants1 madheroes1 and adventurous      

damsels1 but then1 he gives it you very 
fairly for what it is1 and does not     
pretend to put it upon you for the true 
#8epopee'1 or epic poem4 ,he says3      
8,le ,donne1 i ,cavalier1 l'arme1 gli   
amori      ,le cortesie1 l'audaci       
imprese1 io canto40  ,the connections of
 his stories are admirable1 his         
reflections just1 his sneers and ironies
 incomparable1 and his painting         
excellent4 ,when ,angelica1 after having
 wandered over half the world alone with
 ,orlando1 pretends1 notwithstanding1   
8---ch'el fior virginal cosi avea salvo1
      ,come selo porto dal matern'      
alvo40  ,the author adds1 very          
gravely1--       8,forse era ver1 ma non
 pero credibile      ,a chi del senso   
suo fosse ,signore40  ,astolpho's being 
carried to the moon by ,st4 ,john1 in   
order to look for ,orlando's lost wits1 
at the end of the #cdth book1 and the   
many lost things that he finds there1 is
 a most happy extravagancy1 and         
contains1 at the same time1 a great deal

 of sense4 ,i would advise you to read  
this poem with attention4 ,it is1 also1 
the source of half the tales1 novels1   
and plays1 that have been written since4
  ,the #8,pastor ,fido' of ,guarini is  
so celebrated1 that you should read it2 
but in reading it1 you will judge of the
 great propriety of the characters4 ,a  
parcel of shepherds and shepherdesses1  
with the ,,true ,,pastoral'             
,,simplicity1 talk metaphysics1         
epigrams1 #8concetti'1 and quibbles1 by 
the hour to each other4  ,the ,aminto   
del ,tasso1 is much more what it is     
intended to be1 a pastoral3 the         
shepherds1 indeed1 have their           
#8concetti' and their antitheses2 but   
are not quite so sublime and abstracted 
as those in ,pastor ,fido4 ,i think that
 you will like it much the best of the  
two4  ,petrarca is1 in my mind1 a       
sing-song1 love-sick poet2 much admired1
 however1 by the ,italians3 but an      
,italian who should think no better of  
him than ,i do1 would certainly say that

 he deserved his #8,laura' better than  
his #8,lauro'2 and that wretched quibble
 would be reckoned an excellent piece of
 ,italian wit4  ,the ,italian           
prose-writers 7of invention ,i mean7    
which ,i would recommend to your        
acquaintance1 are ,machiavello and      
,boccacio2 the former1 for the          
established reputation which he has     
acquired1 of a consummate politician    
7whatever my own private sentiments may 
be of either his politics or his        
morality73 the latter1 for his great    
invention1 and for his natural and      
agreeable manner of telling his stories4
  ,guicciardini1 ,bentivoglio1 ,davila1 
etc41 are excellent historians1 and     
deserved being read with attention4 ,the
 nature of history checks1 a little1 the
 flights of ,italian imaginations2      
which1 in works of invention1 are very  
high indeed4 ,translations curb them    
still more3 and their translations of   
the classics are incomparable2          
particularly the first ten1 translated  

in the time of ,leo the ,tenth1 and     
inscribed to him1 under the title of    
,collana4 ,that original ,collana has   
been lengthened since2 and if ,i mistake
 not1 consist now of one hundred and ten
 volumes4  ,from what ,i have said1 you 
will easily guess that ,i meant to put  
you upon your guard2 and not let your   
fancy be dazzled and your taste         
corrupted by the concetti1 the          
quaintnesses1 and false thoughts1 which 
are too much the characteristics of the 
,italian and ,spanish authors4 ,i think 
you are in no great danger1 as your     
taste has been formed upon the best     
ancient models1 the ,greek and ,latin   
authors of the best ages1 who indulge   
themselves in none of the puerilities ,i
 have hinted at4 ,i think ,i may say1   
with truth2 that true wit1 sound taste1 
and good sense1 are now1 as it were1    
engrossed by ,france and ,england4 ,your
 old acquaintances1 the ,germans1 ,i    
fear1 are a little below them2 and your 
new acquaintances1 the ,italians1 are a 

great deal too much above them4 ,the    
former1 ,i doubt1 crawl a little2 the   
latter1 ,i am sure1 very often fly out  
of sight4  ,i recommended to you a good 
many years ago1 and ,i believe you then 
read1 ,la maniere de bien penser dans   
les ouvrages d'esprit par le ,pere      
,bouhours2 and ,i think it is very well 
worth your reading again1 now that you  
can judge of it better4 ,i do not know  
any book that contributes more to form a
 true taste2 and you find there1 into   
the bargain1 the most celebrated        
passages1 both of the ancients and the  
moderns1 which refresh your memory with 
what you have formerly read in them     
separately4 ,it is followed by a book   
much of the same size1 by the same      
author1 entitled1 #8,suite des ,pensees 
ingenieuses'4  ,to do justice to the    
best ,english and ,french authors1 they 
have not given into that false taste2   
they allow no thoughts to be good1 that 
are not just and founded upon truth4    
,the age of ,lewis ,,xiv4 was very like 

the ,augustan2 ,boileau1 ,moliere1 ,la  
,fontaine1 ,racine1 etc41 established   
the true1 and exposed the false taste4  
,the reign of ,king ,charles ,,ii4      
7meritorious in no other respect7       
banished false taste out of ,england1   
and proscribed puns1 quibbles1          
acrostics1 etc4 ,since that1 false wit  
has renewed its attacks1 and endeavored 
to recover its lost empire1 both in     
,england and ,france2 but without       
success2 though1 ,i must say1 with more 
success in ,france than in ,england4    
,addison1 ,pope1 and ,swift1 have       
vigorously defended the rights of good  
sense1 which is more than can be said of
 their contemporary ,french authors1 who
 have of late had a great tendency to   
#8le faux brillant'1 #8le raffinement1  
et l'entortillement'4 ,and ,lord        
,roscommon would be more in the right   
now1 than he was then1 in saying that1  
8,the ,english bullion of one sterling  
line1      ,drawn to ,french wire1 would
 through whole pages shine40  ,lose no  

time1 my dear child1 ,i conjure you1 in 
forming your taste1 your manners1 your  
mind1 your everything2 you have but two 
years' time to do it in2 for whatever   
you are1 to a certain degree1 at twenty1
 you will be1 more or less1 all the rest
 of your life4 ,may it be a long and    
happy one4 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,cvi   
,,london1 ,february #bb1 ,o4 ,s4 #agej  
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,if the ,italian  
of your letter to ,lady ,chesterfield   
was all your own1 ,i am very well       
satisfied with the progress which you   
have made in that language in so short a
 time2 according to that gradation1 you 
will1 in a very little time more1 be    
master of it4 ,except at the ,french    
,ambassador's1 ,i believe you hear only 
,italian spoke2 for the ,italians speak 
very little ,french1 and that little    
generally very ill4 ,the ,french are    
even with them1 and generally speak     
,italian as ill2 for ,i never knew a    
,frenchman in my life who could         
pronounce the ,italian ce1 ci1 or ge1   

gi4 ,your desire of pleasing the ,roman 
ladies will of course give you not only 
the desire1 but the means of speaking to
 them elegantly in their own language4  
,the ,princess ,borghese1 ,i am told1   
speaks ,french both ill and unwillingly2
 and therefore you should make a merit  
to her of your application to her       
language4 ,she is1 by a kind of         
prescription 7longer than she would     
probably wish71 at the head of the      
#8beau monde' at ,rome2 and can1        
consequently1 establish or destroy a    
young fellow's fashionable character4   
,if she declares him #8amabile e        
leggiadro'1 others will think him so1 or
 at least those who do not will not dare
 to say so4 ,there are in every great   
town some such women1 whose rank1       
beauty1 and fortune have conspired to   
place them at the head of the fashion4  
,they have generally been gallant1 but  
within certain decent bounds4 ,their    
gallantries have taught1 both them and  
their admirers1 good-breeding2 without  

which they could keep up no dignity1 but
 would be vilified by those very        
gallantries which put them in vogue4 ,it
 is with these women1 as with ministers 
and favorites at court2 they decide upon
 fashion and characters1 as these do of 
fortunes and preferments4 ,pay          
particular court1 therefore1 wherever   
you are1 to these female sovereigns of  
the #8beau monde'2 their recommendation 
is a passport through all the realms of 
politeness4 ,but then1 remember that    
they require minute officious           
attentions4 ,you should1 if possible1   
guess at and anticipate all their little
 fancies and inclinations2 make yourself
 familiarly and domestically useful to  
them1 by offering yourself for all their
 little commissions1 and assisting in   
doing the honors of their houses1 and   
entering with seeming unction into all  
their little grievances1 bustles1 and   
views2 for they are always busy4 ,if you
 are once #8ben ficcato' at the ,palazzo
 ,borghese1 you twill soon be in fashion

 at ,rome2 and being in fashion will    
soon fashion you2 for that is what you  
must now think of very seriously4  ,i am
 sorry that there is no good            
dancing-master at ,rome1 to form your   
exterior air and carriage2 which1 ,i    
doubt1 are not yet the genteelest in the
 world4 ,but you may1 and ,i hope you   
will1 in the meantime1 observe the air  
and carriage of those who are reckoned  
to have the best1 and form your own upon
 them4 ,ease1 gracefulness1 and dignity1
 compose the air and address of a man of
 fashion2 which is as unlike the        
affected attitudes and motions of a     
#8petit maitre'1 as it is to the        
awkward1 negligent1 clumsy1 and         
slouching manner of a booby4  ,i am     
extremely pleased with the account ,mr4 
,harte has given me of the allotment of 
your time at ,rome4 ,those five hours   
every morning1 which you employ in      
serious studies with ,mr4 ,harte1 are   
laid out with great interest1 and will  
make you rich all the rest of your life4

 ,i do not look upon the subsequent     
morning hours1 which you pass with your 
,ciceroni1 to be ill-disposed of2 there 
is a kind of connection between them2   
and your evening diversions in good     
company are1 in their way1 as useful and
 necessary4 ,this is the way for you to 
have both weight and lustre in the      
world2 and this is the object which ,i  
always had in view in your education4   
,adieu1 my friend6 go on and prosper4   
,mr4 ,grevenkop has just received ,mr4  
,harte's letter of the #aith ,n4 ,s4    
,,letter ,,cvii  ,,london1 ,march #h1   
,o4 ,s4 #agej  ,young as you are1 ,i    
hope you are in haste to live2 by       
living1 ,i mean living with lustre and  
honor to yourself1 with utility to      
society2 doing what may deserve to be   
written1 or writing what may deserve to 
be read2 ,i should wish both4 ,those who
 consider life in that light1 will not  
idly lavish one moment4 ,the present    
moments are the only ones we are sure   
of1 and as such the most valuable2 but  

yours are doubly so at your age2 for the
 credit1 the dignity1 the comfort1 and  
the pleasure of all your future moments1
 depend upon the use you make of your   
present ones4  ,i am extremely satisfied
 with your present manner of employing  
your time2 but will you always employ it
 as well8 ,i am far from meaning always 
in the same way2 but ,i mean as well in 
proportion1 in the variation of age and 
circumstances4 ,you now1 study five     
hours every morning2 ,i neither suppose 
that you will1 nor desire that you      
should do so for the rest of your life4 
,both business and pleasure will justly 
and equally break in upon those hours4  
,but then1 will you always employ the   
leisure they leave you in useful        
studies8 ,if you have but an hour1 will 
you improve that hour1 instead of idling
 it away8 ,while you have such a friend 
and monitor with you as ,mr4 ,harte1 ,i 
am sure you will4 ,but suppose that     
business and situations should1 in six  
or seen months1 call ,mr4 ,harte away   

from you2 tell me truly1 what may ,i    
expect and depend upon from you1 when   
left to yourself8 ,may ,i be sure that  
you will employ some part of every day1 
in adding something to that stock of    
knowledge which he will have left you8  
,may ,i hope that you will allot one    
hour in the week to the care of your own
 affairs1 to keep them in that order and
 method which every prudent man does8   
,but1 above all1 may ,i be convinced    
that your pleasures1 whatever they may  
be1 will be confined within the circle  
of good company1 and people of fashion8 
,those pleasures ,i recommend to you2 ,i
 will promote them ,i will pay for them2
 but ,i will neither pay for1 nor       
suffer1 the unbecoming1 disgraceful1 and
 degrading pleasures 7they should not be
 called pleasures71 of low and          
profligate company4 ,i confess the      
pleasures of high life are not always   
strictly philosophical2 and ,i believe a
 ,stoic would blame1 my indulgence2 but 
,i am yet no ,stoic1 though turned of   

five-and-fifty2 and ,i am apt to think  
that you are rather less so1 at         
eighteen4 ,the pleasures of the table1  
among people of the first fashion1 may  
indeed sometimes1 by accident1 run into 
excesses3 but they will never sink into 
a continued course of gluttony and      
drunkenness4 ,the gallantry of high     
life1 though not strictly justifiable1  
carries1 at least1 no external marks of 
infamy about it4 ,neither the heart nor 
the constitution is corrupted by it2    
neither nose nor character lost by it2  
manners1 possibly1 improved4 ,play1 in  
good company1 is only play1 and not     
gaming2 not deep1 and consequently not  
dangerous nor dishonorable4 ,it is only 
the interacts of other amusements4      
,this1 ,i am sure1 is not talking to you
 like an old man1 though it is talking  
to you like an old friend2 these are not
 hard conditions to ask of you4 ,i am   
certain you have sense enough to know   
how reasonable they are on my part1 how 
advantageous they are on yours3 but have

 you resolution enough to perform them8 
,can you withstand the examples1 and the
 invitations1 of the profligate1 and    
their infamous missionaries8 ,for ,i    
have known many a young fellow seduced  
by a #8mauvaise honte'1 that made him   
ashamed to refuse4 ,these are           
resolutions which you must form1 and    
steadily execute for yourself1 whenever 
you lose the friendly care and          
assistance of your ,mentor4 ,in the     
meantime1 make a greedy use of him2     
exhaust him1 if you can1 of all his     
knowledge2 and get the prophet's mantle 
from him1 before he is taken away       
himself4  ,you seem to like ,rome4 ,how 
do you go on there8 ,are you got into   
the inside of that extraordinary        
government8 ,has your ,abbate ,foggini  
discovered many of those mysteries to   
you8 ,have you made an acquaintance with
 some eminent ,jesuits8 ,i know no      
people in the world more instructive4   
,you would do very well to take one or  
two such sort of people home with you to

 dinner every day4 ,it would be only a  
little #8minestra' and #8macaroni' the  
more2 and a three or four hours'        
conversation #8de suite' produces a     
thousand useful informations1 which     
short meetings and snatches at third    
places do not admit of2 and many of     
those gentlemen are by no means         
unwilling to dine #8gratis'4 ,whenever  
you meet with a man eminent in any way1 
feed him1 and feed upon him at the same 
time2 it will not only improve you1 but 
give you a reputation of knowledge1 and 
of loving it in others4  ,i have been   
lately informed of an ,italian book1    
which ,i believe may be of use to you1  
and which1 ,i dare say1 you may get at  
,rome1 written by one ,alberti1 about   
fourscore or a hundred years ago1 a     
thick quarto4 ,it is a classical        
description of ,italy2 from whence1 ,i  
am assured1 that ,mr4 ,addison1 to save 
himself trouble1 has taken most of his  
remarks and classical references4 ,i am 
told that it is an excellent book for a 

traveler in ,italy4  ,what ,italian     
books have you read1 or are you reading8
 ,ariosto4 ,i hope1 is one of them4     
,pray apply yourself diligently to      
,italian2 it is so easy a language1 that
 speaking it constantly1 and reading it 
often1 must1 in six months more1 make   
you perfect master of it3 in which case 
you will never forget it2 for we only   
forget those things of which we know but
 little4  ,but1 above all things1 to all
 that you learn1 to all that you say1   
and to all that you do1 remember to join
 the ,graces4 ,all is imperfect without 
them2 with them everything is at least  
tolerable4 ,nothing could hurt me more  
than to find you unattended by them4    
,how cruelly should ,i be shocked1 if1  
at our first meeting1 you should present
 yourself to me without them6 ,invoke   
them1 and sacrifice to them every       
moment2 they are always kind1 where they
 are assiduously courted4 ,for ,god's   
sake1 aim at perfection in everything3  
#8,nil actum reputans si quid superesset

 agendum4 ,adieu4 ,yours most tenderly4 
,,letter ,,cviii  ,,london1 ,march #ai1 
,o4 ,s4 #agej4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i
 acknowledge your last letter of the    
#bdth ,february1 ,n4 ,s4 ,in return for 
your earthquake1 ,i can tell you that we
 have had here more than our share of   
earthquakes2 for we had two very strong 
ones in eight-and-twenty days4 ,they    
really do too much honor to our cold    
climate2 in your warm one1 they are     
compensated by favors from the sun1     
which we do not enjoy4  ,i did not think
 that the present ,pope was a sort of   
man to build seven modern little chapels
 at the expense of so respectable a     
piece of antiquity as the ,coliseum4    
,however1 let his ,holiness's taste of  
#8virtu' be ever so bad1 pray get       
somebody to present you to him before   
you leave ,rome2 and without hesitation 
kiss his slipper1 or whatever else the  
etiquette of that ,court requires4 ,i   
would have you see all those ceremonies2
 and ,i presume that you are1 by this   

time1 ready enough at ,italian to       
understand and answer #8il ,santo       
,padre' in that language4 ,i hope1 too1 
that you have acquired address and usage
 enough of the world to be presented to 
anybody1 without embarrassment or       
disapprobation4 ,if that is not yet     
quite perfect1 as ,i cannot suppose it  
is entirely1 custom will improve it     
daily1 and habit at last complete it4 ,i
 have for some time told you1 that the  
great difficulties are pretty well      
conquered4 ,you have acquired knowledge1
 which is the #8principium et fons'2 but
 you have now a variety of lesser things
 to attend to1 which collectively make  
one great and important object4 ,you    
easily guess that ,i mean the graces1   
the air1 address1 politeness1 and1 in   
short1 the whole #8tournure' and        
#8agremens' of a man of fashion2 so many
 little things conspire to form that    
#8tournure'1 that though separately they
 seem too insignificant to mention1 yet 
aggregately they are too material for me

 7who think for you down to the very    
lowest things7 to omit4 ,for instance1  
do you use yourself to carve1 eat and   
drink genteelly1 and with ease8 ,do you 
take care to walk1 sit1 stand1 and      
present yourself gracefully8 ,are you   
sufficiently upon your guard against    
awkward attitudes1 and illiberal1       
ill-bred1 and disgusting habits1 such as
 scratching yourself1 putting your      
fingers in your mouth1 nose1 and ears8  
,tricks always acquired at schools1     
often too much neglected afterward2 but1
 however1 extremely ill-bred and        
nauseous4 ,for ,i do not conceive that  
any man has a right to exhibit1 in      
company1 any one excrement more than    
another4 ,do you dress well1 and think a
 little of the brillant in your person8 
,that1 too1 is necessary1 because it is 
#8prevenant'4 ,do you aim at easy1      
engaging1 but1 at the same time1 civil  
or respectful manners1 according to the 
company you are in8 ,these1 and a       
thousand other things1 which you will   

observe in people of fashion better than
 ,i can describe them1 are absolutely   
necessary for every man2 but still more 
for you1 than for almost any man living4
 ,the showish1 the shining1 the engaging
 parts of the character of a fine       
gentleman1 should 7considering your     
destination7 be the principal objects1  
of your present attention4  ,when you   
return here1 ,i am apt to think that you
 will find something better to do than  
to run to ,mr4 ,osborne's at ,gray's    
,inn1 to pick up scarce books4 ,buy good
 books and read them2 the best books are
 the commonest1 and the last editions   
are always the best1 if the editors are 
not blockheads1 for they may profit of  
the former4 ,but take care not to       
understand editions and title-pages too 
well4 ,it always smells of pedantry1 and
 not always of learning4 ,what curious  
books ,i have--they are indeed but      
few--shall be at your service4 ,i have  
some of the old ,collana1 and the       
,machiavel of #aeej4 ,beware of the     

#8,bibliomanie'4  ,in the midst of      
either your studies or your pleasures1  
pray never lose view of the object of   
your destination3 ,i mean the political 
affairs of ,europe4 ,follow them        
politically1 chronologically1 and       
geographically1 through the newspapers1 
and trace up the facts which you meet   
with there to their sources3 as1 for    
example1 consult the treaties ,neustadt 
and ,abo1 with regard to the disputes1  
which you read of every day in the      
public papers1 between ,russia and      
,sweden4 ,for the affairs of ,italy1    
which are reported to be the objects of 
present negotiations1 recur to the      
quadruple alliance of the year #agah1   
and follow them down through their      
several variations to the treaty of     
,aix-la-,chapelle1 #agdh2 in which 7by  
the bye7 you will find the very         
different tenures by which the ,infant  
,don ,philip1 your namesake1 holds      
,parma and ,placentia4 ,consult1 also1  
the ,emperor ,charles the ,sixth's ,act 

of ,cession of the kingdoms of ,naples  
and ,sicily1 being a point which1 upon  
the death of the present ,king of       
,spain1 is likely to occasion some      
disputes2 do not lose the thread of     
these matters2 which is carried on with 
great ease1 but if once broken1 is      
resumed with difficulty4  ,pray tell    
,mr4 ,harte1 that ,i have sent his      
packet to ,baron ,firmian by ,count     
,einsiedlen1 who is gone from hence this
 day for ,germany1 and passes through   
,vienna in his way to ,italy2 where he  
is in hopes of crossing upon you        
somewhere or other4 ,adieu1 my friend4  
,,letter ,,cix  ,,london1 ,march #bi1   
,o4 ,s4 #agej  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3    
,you are now1 ,i suppose1 at ,naples1 in
 a new scene of #8,virtu'1 examining all
 the curiosities of ,herculaneum1       
watching the eruptions of ,mount        
,vesuvius1 and surveying the magnificent
 churches and public buildings1 by which
 ,naples is distinguished4  ,you have a 
court there into the bargain1 which1 ,i 

hope1 you frequent and attend to4       
,polite manners1 a versatility of mind1 
a complaisance even to enemies1 and the 
#8volto sciolto'1 with the #8pensieri   
stretti'1 are only to be learned at     
courts1 and must be well learned by     
whoever would either shine or thrive in 
them4 ,though they do not change the    
nature1 they smooth and soften the      
manners of mankind4 ,vigilance1         
dexterity1 and flexibility supply the   
place of natural force2 and it is the   
ablest mind1 not the strongest body that
 prevails there4 ,monsieur and ,madame  
,fogliani will1 ,i am sure1 show you all
 the politeness of courts2 for ,i know  
no better bred people than they are4    
,domesticate yourself there while you   
stay at ,naples1 and lay aside the      
,english coldness and formality4 ,you   
have also a letter to ,comte ,mahony1   
whose house ,i hope you frequent1 as it 
is the resort of the best company4 ,his 
sister1 ,madame ,bulkeley1 is now here2 
and had ,i known of your going so soon  

to ,naples1 ,i would have got you1 #8ex 
abundanti'1 a letter from her to her    
brother4 ,the conversation of the       
moderns in the evening is full as       
necessary for you1 as that of the       
ancients in the morning4  ,you would do 
well1 while you are at ,naples1 to read 
some very short history of that kingdom4
 ,it has had great variety of masters1  
and has occasioned many wars2 the       
general history of which will enable you
 to ask many proper questions1 and to   
receive useful informations in return4  
,inquire into the manner and form of    
that government2 for constitution it has
 none1 being an absolute one2 but the   
most absolute governments have certain  
customs and forms1 which are more or    
less observed by their respective       
tyrants4 ,in ,china it is the fashion   
for the emperors1 absolute as they are1 
to govern with justice and equity2 as in
 the other ,oriental monarchies1 it is  
the custom to govern by violence and    
cruelty4 ,the ,king of ,france1 as      

absolute1 in fact1 as any of them1 is by
 custom only more gentle2 for ,i know of
 no constitutional bar to his will4     
,england is now1 the only monarchy in   
the world1 that can properly be said to 
have a constitution2 for the people's   
rights and liberties are secured by     
laws2 and ,i cannot reckon ,sweden and  
,poland to be monarchies1 those two     
kings having little more to say than the
 ,doge of ,venice4 ,i do not presume to 
say anything of the constitution of the 
empire to you1 who are #8jurisperitorum 
,germanicorum facile princeps'4  ,when  
you write to me1 which1 by the way1 you 
do pretty seldom1 tell me rather whom   
you see1 than what you see4 ,inform me  
of your evening transactions and        
acquaintances2 where1 and how you pass  
your evenings2 what people of learning  
you have made acquaintance with2 and1 if
 you will trust me with so important an 
affair1 what belle passion inflames you4
 ,i interest myself most in what        
personally concerns you most2 and this  

is a very critical year in your life4   
,to talk like a virtuoso1 your canvas   
is1 ,i think1 a good one1 and ,,raphael 
,,harte has drawn the outlines          
admirably2 nothing is now wanting but   
the coloring of ,titian1 and the        
,graces1 the #8morbidezza' of ,guido2   
but that is a great deal4 ,you must get 
them soon1 or you will never get them at
 all4 #8,per la lingua ,italiana1 sono  
sicuro ch'ella n'e adesso professore1 a 
segno tale ch'io non ardisca dirle altra
 cosa in quela lingua se non4 ,addio'4  
,,letter ,,cx  ,,london1 ,april #bf1 ,o4
 ,s4 #agef4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,as  
your journey to ,paris approaches1 and  
as that period will1 one way or another1
 be of infinite consequence to you1 my  
letters will henceforward be principally
 calculated for that meridian4 ,you will
 be left there to your own discretion1  
instead of ,mr4 ,harte's1 and you will  
allow me1 ,i am sure1 to distrust a     
little the discretion of eighteen4 ,you 
will find in the ,academy a number of   

young fellows much less discreet than   
yourself4 ,these will all be your       
acquaintances2 but look about you first1
 and inquire into their respective      
characters1 before you form any         
connections among them2 and1 #8caeteris 
paribus'1 single out those of the most  
considerable rank and family4 ,show them
 a distinguishing attention2 by which   
means you will get into their respective
 houses1 and keep the best company4 ,all
 those ,french young fellows are        
excessively #8etourdis'2 be upon your   
guard against scrapes and quarrels2 have
 no corporal pleasantries with them1 no 
#8jeux de mains'1 no #8coups de         
chambriere'1 which frequently bring on  
quarrels4 ,be as lively as they1 if you 
please1 but at the same time be a little
 wiser than they4 ,as to letters1 you   
will find most of them ignorant2 do not 
reproach them with that ignorance1 nor  
make them feel your superiority4 ,it is 
not their faults1 they are all bred up  
for the army2 but1 on the other1 hand1  

do not allow their ignorance and        
idleness to break in upon those morning 
hours which you may be able to allot to 
your serious1 studies4 ,no breakfastings
 with them1 which consume a great deal  
of time2 but tell them 7not             
magisterially and sententiously7 that   
you will read two or three hours in the 
morning1 and that for the rest of the   
day you are very much at their service4 
,though1 by the way1 ,i hope you will   
keep wiser company in the evenings4  ,i 
must insist upon your never going to    
what is called the ,english coffee-house
 at ,paris1 which is the resort of all  
the scrub ,english1 and also of the     
fugitive and attainted ,scotch and      
,irish2 party quarrels and drunken      
squabbles are very frequent there2 and  
,i do not know a more degrading place in
 all ,paris4 ,coffee-houses and taverns 
are by no means creditable at ,paris4   
,be cautiously upon your guard against  
the infinite number of fine-dressed and 
fine-spoken #8chevaliers d'industrie'   

and #8avanturiers' which swarm at       
,paris3 and keep everybody civilly at   
arm's length1 of whose real character or
 rank you are not previously informed4  
,monsieur le ,comte or ,monsieur le     
,chevalier1 in a handsome laced coat1   
#8et tres bien mis'1 accosts you at the 
play1 or some other public place2 he    
conceives at first sight an infinite    
regard for you3 he sees that you are a  
stranger of the first distinction2 he   
offers you his services1 and wishes     
nothing more ardently than to           
contribute1 as far as may be in his     
little power1 to procure you #8les      
agremens de ,paris'4 ,he is acquainted  
with some ladies of condition1 #8qui    
prefrent une petite societe agreable1 et
 des petits soupers aimables d'honnetes 
gens1 au tumulte et a la dissipation de 
,paris'2 and he will with the greatest  
pleasure imaginable have the honor of   
introducing you to those ladies of      
quality4 ,well1 if you were to accept of
 this kind offer1 and go with him1 you  

would find #8au troisieme2 a handsome1  
painted and p----d strumpet1 in a       
tarnished silver or gold second-hand    
robe1 playing a sham party at cards for 
livres1 with three or four sharpers well
 dressed enough1 and dignified by the   
titles of ,marquis1 ,comte1 and         
,chevalier4 ,the lady receives you in   
the most polite and gracious manner1 and
 with all those #8complimens de routine'
 which every ,french woman has equally4 
,though she loves retirement1 and shuns 
#8le grande monde'1 yet she confesses   
herself obliged to the ,marquis for     
having procured her so inestimable1 so  
accomplished an acquaintance as         
yourself2 but her concern is how to     
amuse you3 for she never suffers play at
 her house for above a livre2 if you can
 amuse yourself with that low play till 
supper1 #8a la bonne heure'4            
,accordingly you sit down to that little
 play1 at which the good company takes  
care that you shall win fifteen or      
sixteen livres1 which gives them an     

opportunity of celebrating both your    
good luck and your good play4 ,supper   
comes up1 and a good one it is1 upon the
 strength of your being able to pay for 
it4 #8,la ,marquise en fait les honneurs
 au mieux1 talks sentiments1 #8moeurs et
 morale'1 interlarded with              
#8enjouement'1 and accompanied with some
 oblique ogles1 which bid you not       
despair in time4 ,after supper1 pharaoh1
 lansquenet1 or quinze1 happen          
accidentally to be mentioned3 the       
,marquise exclaims against it1 and vows 
she will not suffer it1 but is at last  
prevailed upon by being assured #8que ce
 ne sera que pour des riens'4 ,then the 
wished-for moment is come1 the operation
 begins3 you are cheated1 at best1 of   
all the money in your pocket1 and if you
 stay late1 very probably robbed of your
 watch and snuff-box1 possibly murdered 
for greater security4 ,this ,i can      
assure you1 is not an exaggerated1 but a
 literal description of what happens    
every day to some raw and inexperienced 

stranger at ,paris4 ,remember to receive
 all these civil gentlemen1 who take    
such a fancy to you at first sight1 very
 coldly1 and take care always to be     
previously engaged1 whatever party they 
propose to you4 ,you may happen         
sometimes1 in very great and good       
companies1 to meet with some dexterous  
gentlemen1 who may be very desirous1 and
 also very sure1 to win your money1 if  
they can but engage you to play with    
them4 ,therefore lay it down as an      
invariable rule never to play with men1 
but only with women of fashion1 at low  
play1 or with women and men mixed4 ,but1
 at the same time1 whenever you are     
asked to play deeper than you would1 do 
not refuse it gravely and sententiously1
 alleging the folly of staking what     
would be very inconvenient to one to    
lose1 against what one does not want to 
win2 but parry those invitations        
ludicrously1 #8et en badinant'4 ,say    
that1 if you were sure to lose1 you     
might possibly play1 but that as you may

 as well win1 you dread #8l'embarras des
 richesses'1 ever since you have seen   
what an encumbrance they were to poor   
,harlequin1 and that1 therefore1 you are
 determined never to venture the winning
 above two louis a-day2 this sort of    
light trifling way of declining         
invitations to vice and folly1 is more  
becoming your age1 and at the same time 
more effectual1 than grave philosophical
 refusals4 ,a young fellow who seems to 
have no will of his own1 and who does   
everything that is asked of him1 is     
called a very good-natured1 but at the  
same time1 is thought a very silly young
 fellow4 ,act wisely1 upon solid        
principles1 and from true motives1 but  
keep them to yourself1 and never talk   
sententiously4 ,when you are invited to 
drink1 say that you wish you could1 but 
that so little makes you both drunk and 
sick1 #8que le jeu me vaut pas la       
chandelle'4  ,pray show great attention1
 and make your court to ,monsieur de la 
,gueriniere2 he is well with ,prince    

,charles and many people of the first   
distinction at ,paris2 his commendations
 will raise your character there1 not to
 mention that his favor will be of use  
to you in the ,academy itself4 ,for the 
reasons which ,i mentioned to you in my 
last1 ,i would have you be interne in   
the ,academy for the first six months2  
but after that1 ,i promise you that you 
shall have lodgings of your own #8dans  
un hotel garni'1 if in the meantime ,i  
hear well of you1 and that you frequent1
 and are esteemed in the best ,french   
companies4 ,you want nothing now1 thank 
,god1 but exterior advantages1 that last
 polish1 that #8tournure du monde'1 and 
those graces1 which are so necessary to 
adorn1 and give efficacy to1 the most   
solid merit4 ,they are only to be       
acquired in the best companies1 and     
better in the best ,french companies    
than in any other4 ,you will not want   
opportunities1 for ,i shall send you    
letters that will establish you in the  
most distinguished companies1 not only  

of the beau monde1 but of the beaux     
esprits1 too4 ,dedicate1 therefore1 ,i  
beg of you1 that whole year to your own 
advantage and final improvement1 and do 
not be diverted from those objects by   
idle dissipations1 low seduction1 or bad
 example4 ,after that year1 do whatever 
you please2 ,i will interfere no longer 
in your conduct2 for ,i am sure both you
 and ,i shall be safe then4 ,adieu6     
,,letter ,,cxi  ,,london1 ,april #cj1   
,o4 ,s4 #agej  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3    
,mr4 ,harte1 who in all his letters     
gives you some dash of panegyric1 told  
me in his last a thing that pleases me  
extremely2 which was that at ,rome you  
had constantly preferred the established
 ,italian assemblies to the ,english    
conventicles setup against them by      
dissenting ,english ladies4 ,that shows 
sense1 and that you know what you are   
sent abroad for4 ,it is of much more    
consequence to know the #8mores multorem
 hominum' than the #8urbes'4 ,pray      
continue this judicious conduct wherever

 you go1 especially at ,paris1 where1   
instead of thirty1 you will find above  
three hundred ,english1 herding together
 and conversing with no one ,french     
body4  ,the life of #8les ,milords      
,anglois' is regularly1 or1 if you will1
 irregularly1 this4 ,as soon as they    
rise1 which is very late1 they breakfast
 together1 to the utter loss of two good
 morning hours4 ,then they go by        
coachfuls to the ,palais1 the           
,invalides1 and ,notre-,dame2 from      
thence to the ,english coffee-house1    
where they make up their tavern party   
for dinner4 ,from dinner1 where they    
drink quick1 they adjourn in clusters to
 the play1 where they crowd up the      
stage1 dressed up in very fine clothes1 
very ill-made by a ,scotch or ,irish    
tailor4 ,from the play to the tavern    
again1 where they get very drunk1 and   
where they either quarrel among         
themselves1 or sally forth1 commit some 
riot in the streets1 and are taken up by
 the watch4 ,those who do not speak     

,french before they go1 are sure to     
learn none there4 ,their tender vows are
 addressed to their ,irish laundress1   
unless by chance some itinerant         
,englishwoman1 eloped from her husband1 
or her creditors1 defrauds her of them4 
,thus they return home1 more petulant1  
but not more informed1 than when they   
left it2 and show1 as they think1 their 
improvement by affectedly both speaking 
and dressing in broken ,french3--       
8,hunc to ,romane caveito40  ,connect   
yourself1 while you are in ,france1     
entirely with the ,french2 improve      
yourself with the old1 divert yourself  
with the young2 conform cheerfully to   
their customs1 even to their little     
follies1 but not to their vices4 ,do    
not1 however1 remonstrate or preach     
against them1 for remonstrances do not  
suit with your age4 ,in ,french         
companies in general you will not find  
much learning1 therefore take care not  
to brandish yours in their faces4       
,people hate those who make them feel   

their own inferiority4 ,conceal all your
 learning carefully1 and reserve it for 
the company of les ,gens d',eglise1 or  
les ,gens de ,robe2 and even then let   
them rather extort it from you1 than    
find you over-willing to draw it4 ,your 
are then thought1 from that seeming     
unwillingness1 to have still more       
knowledge than it may be you really     
have1 and with the additional merit of  
modesty into the bargain4 ,a man who    
talks of1 or even hints at1 his #8bonnes
 fortunes'1 is seldom believed1 or1 if  
believed1 much blamed2 whereas a man who
 conceals with care is often supposed to
 have more than he has1 and his         
reputation of discretion gets him       
others4 ,it is just so with a man of    
learning2 if he affects to show it1 it  
is questioned1 and he is reckoned only  
superficial2 but if afterward it appears
 that he really has it1 he is pronounced
 a pedant4 ,real merit of any kind1     
#8ubi est non potest diu celari'2 it    
will be discovered1 and nothing can     

depreciate it but a man's exhibiting it 
himself4 ,it may not always be rewarded 
as it ought1 but it will always be      
known4 ,you will in general find the    
women of the beau monde at ,paris more  
instructed than the men1 who are bred up
 singly for the army1 and thrown into it
 at twelve or thirteen years old2 but   
then that sort of education1 which makes
 them ignorant of books1 gives them a   
great knowledge of the world1 an easy   
address1 and polite manners4  ,fashion  
is more tyrannical at ,paris than in any
 other place in the world2 it governs   
even more absolutely than their king1   
which is saying a great deal4 ,the least
 revolt against it is punished by       
proscription4 ,you must observe1 and    
conform to all the #8minutiae' of it1 if
 you will be in fashion there yourself2 
and if you are not in fashion1 you are  
nobody4 ,get1 therefore1 at all events1 
into the company of those men and women 
#8qui donnent le ton'2 and though at    
first you should be admitted upon that  

shining theatre only as a #8persona     
muta'1 persist1 persevere1 and you will 
soon have a part given you4 ,take great 
care never to tell in one company what  
you see or hear in another1 much less to
 divert the present company at the      
expense of the last2 but let discretion 
and secrecy be known parts of your      
character4 ,they will carry you much    
further1 and much safer than more       
shining talents4 ,be upon your guard    
against quarrels at ,paris2 honor is    
extremely nice there1 though the        
asserting of it is exceedingly penal4   
,therefore1 #8point de mauvaises        
plaisanteries1 point de jeux de main1 et
 point de raillerie piquante'4  ,paris  
is the place in the world where1 if you 
please1 you may the best unite the      
#8utile' and the #8dulce'4 ,even your   
pleasures will be your improvements1 if 
you take them with the people of the    
place1 and in high life4 ,from what you 
have hitherto done everywhere else1 ,i  
have just reason to believe1 that you   

will do everything that you ought at    
,paris4 ,remember that it is your       
decisive moment2 whatever you do there  
will be known to thousands here1 and    
your character there1 whatever it is1   
will get before you here4 ,you will meet
 with it at ,london4 ,may you and ,i    
both have reason to rejoice at that     
meeting6 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,cxii    
,,london1 ,may #h1 ,o4 ,s4 #agej  ,,my  
,,dear ,,friend3 ,at your age the love  
of pleasures is extremely natural1 and  
the enjoyment of them not unbecoming3   
but the danger1 at your age1 is         
mistaking the object1 and setting out   
wrong in the pursuit4 ,the character of 
a man of pleasure dazzles young eyes2   
they do not see their way to it         
distinctly1 and fall into vice and      
profligacy4 ,i remember a strong        
instance of this a great many years ago4
 ,a young fellow1 determined to shine as
 a man of pleasure1 was at the play     
called the 8,libertine ,destroyed10 a   
translation of #8,le ,festin de ,pierre'

 of ,molieire's4 ,he was so struck with 
what he thought the fine character of   
the libertine1 that he swore he would be
 the ,,libertine ,,destroyed4 ,some     
friends asked him1 whether he had not   
better content himself with being only  
the libertine1 but without being        
,,destroyed8 to which he answered with  
great warmth1 8,no1 for that being      
destroyed was the perfection of the     
whole40 ,this1 extravagant as it seems  
in this light1 is really the case of    
many an unfortunate young fellow1 who1  
captivated by the name of pleasures1    
rushes indiscriminately1 and without    
taste1 into them all1 and is finally    
,,destroyed4 ,i am not stoically        
advising1 nor parsonically preaching to 
you to be a ,stoic at your age2 far from
 it3 ,i am pointing out to you the paths
 to pleasures1 and am endeavoring only  
to quicken and heighten them for you4   
,enjoy pleasures1 but let them be your  
own1 and then you will taste them2 but  
adopt none2 trust to nature for genuine 

ones4 ,the pleasures that you would feel
 you must earn2 the man who gives       
himself up to all1 feels none sensibly4 
,sardanapalus1 ,i am convinced1 never   
felt any in his life4 ,those only who   
join serious occupations with pleasures1
 feel either as they should do4         
,alcibiades1 though addicted to the most
 shameful excesses1 gave some time to   
philosophy1 and some to business4       
,julius ,caesar joined business with    
pleasure so properly1 that they mutually
 assisted each other2 and though he was 
the husband of all the wives at ,rome1  
he found time to be one of the best     
scholars1 almost the best orator1 and   
absolutely the best general there4 ,an  
uninterrupted life of pleasures is as   
insipid as contemptible4 ,some hours    
given every day to serious business must
 whet both the mind and the senses1 to  
enjoy those of pleasure4 ,a surfeited   
glutton1 an emaciated sot1 and an       
enervated rotten whoremaster1 never     
enjoy the pleasures to which they devote

 themselves2 but they are only so many  
human sacrifices to false gods4 ,the    
pleasures of low life are all of this   
mistaken1 merely sensual1 and           
disgraceful nature2 whereas1 those of   
high life1 and in good company 7though  
possibly in themselves not more moral7  
are more delicate1 more refined1 less   
dangerous1 and less disgraceful2 and1 in
 the common course of things1 not       
reckoned disgraceful at all4 ,in short1 
pleasure must not1 nay1 cannot1 be the  
business of a man of sense and          
character2 but it may be1 and is1 his   
relief1 his reward4 ,it is particularly 
so with regard to the women2 who have   
the utmost contempt for those men1 that1
 having no character nor consideration  
with their own sex1 frivolously pass    
their whole time in #8ruelles' and at   
#8toilettes'4 ,they look upon them as   
their lumber1 and remove them whenever  
they can get better furniture4 ,women   
choose their favorites more by the ear  
than by any other of their senses or    

even their understandings4 ,the man whom
 they hear the most commended by the    
men1 will always be the best received by
 them4 ,such a conquest flatters their  
vanity1 and vanity is their universal1  
if not their strongest passion4 ,a      
distinguished shining character is      
irresistible with them2 they crowd to1  
nay1 they even quarrel for the danger in
 hopes of the triumph4 ,though1 by the  
way 7to use a vulgar expression71 she   
who conquers only catches a ,tartar1 and
 becomes the slave of her captive4      
#8,mais c'est la leur affaire'4 ,divide 
your time between useful occupations and
 elegant pleasures4 ,the morning seems  
to belong to study1 business1 or serious
 conversations with men of learning and 
figure2 not that ,i exclude an          
occasional hour at a toilette4 ,from    
sitting down to dinner1 the proper      
business of the day is pleasure1 unless 
real business1 which must never be      
postponed for pleasure1 happens         
accidentally to interfere4 ,in good     

company1 the pleasures of the table are 
always carried to a certain point of    
delicacy and gratification1 but never to
 excess and riot4 ,plays1 operas1 balls1
 suppers1 gay conversations in polite   
and cheerful companies1 properly        
conclude the evenings2 not to mention   
the tender looks that you may direct and
 the sighs that you may offer1 upon     
these several occasions1 to some        
propitious or unpropitious female deity1
 whose character and manners will       
neither disgrace nor corrupt yours4     
,this is the life of a man of real sense
 and pleasure2 and by this distribution 
of your time1 and choice of your        
pleasures1 you will be equally qualified
 for the busy1 or the #8beau monde'4    
,you see ,i am not rigid1 and do not    
require that you and ,i should be of the
 same age4 ,what ,i say to you1         
therefore1 should have the more weight1 
as coming from a friend1 not a father4  
,but low company1 and their low vices1  
their indecent riots and profligacy1 ,i 

never will bear nor forgive4  ,i have   
lately received two volumes of treaties1
 in ,german and ,latin1 from ,hawkins1  
with your orders1 under your own hand1  
to take care of them for you1 which     
orders ,i shall most dutifully and      
punctually obey1 and they wait for you  
in my library1 together with your great 
collection of rare books1 which your    
,mamma sent me upon removing from her   
old house4  ,i hope you not only keep   
up1 but improve in your ,german1 for it 
will be of great use to you when you    
cone into business2 and the more so1 as 
you will be almost the only ,englishman 
who either can speak or understand it4  
,pray speak it constantly to all        
,germans1 wherever you meet them1 and   
you will meet multitudes of them at     
,paris4 ,is ,italian now become easy and
 familiar to you8 ,can you speak it with
 the same fluency that you can speak    
,german8 ,you cannot conceive what an   
advantage it will give you in           
negotiations to possess ,italian1       

,german1 and ,french perfectly1 so as to
 understand all the force and finesse of
 those three languages4 ,if two men of  
equal talents negotiate together1 he who
 best understands the language in which 
the negotiation is carried on1 will     
infallibly get the better of the other4 
,the signification and force of one     
single word is often of great           
consequence in a treaty1 and even in a  
letter4  ,remember the ,,graces1 for    
without them #8ogni fatica e vana'4     
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,cxiii  ,,london1 
,may #ag1 ,o4 ,s4 #agej  ,,my ,,dear    
,,friend3 ,your apprenticeship is near  
out1 and you are soon to set up for     
yourself2 that approaching moment is a  
critical one for you1 and an anxious one
 for me4 ,a tradesman who would succeed 
in his way1 must begin by establishing a
 character of integrity and good        
manners2 without the former1 nobody will
 go to his shop at all2 without the     
latter1 nobody will go there twice4     
,this rule does not exclude the fair    

arts of trade4 ,he may sell his goods at
 the best price he can1 within certain  
bounds4 ,he may avail himself of the    
humor1 the whims1 and the fantastical   
tastes of his customers2 but what he    
warrants to be good must be really so1  
what he seriously asserts must be true1 
or his first fraudulent profits will    
soon end in a bankruptcy4 ,it is the    
same in higher life1 and in the great   
business of the world4 ,a man who does  
not solidly establish1 and really       
deserve1 a character of truth1 probity1 
good manners1 and good morals1 at his   
first setting out in the world1 may     
impose1 and shine like a meteor for a   
very short time1 but will very soon     
vanish1 and be extinguished with        
contempt4 ,people easily pardon1 in     
young men1 the common irregularities of 
the senses3 but they do not forgive the 
least vice of the heart4 ,the heart     
never grows better by age2 ,i fear      
rather worse2 always harder4 ,a young   
liar will be an old one2 and a young    

knave will only be a greater knave as he
 grows older4 ,but should a bad young   
heart1 accompanied with a good head     
7which1 by the way1 very seldom is the  
case71 really reform in a more advanced 
age1 from a consciousness of its folly1 
as well as of its guilt2 such a         
conversion would only be thought        
prudential and political1 but never     
sincere4 ,i hope in ,god1 and ,i verily4
 believe1 that you want no moral virtue4
 ,but the possession of all the moral   
virtues1 in #8actu primo'1 as the       
logicians call it1 is not sufficient2   
you must have them in #8actu secundo'   
too2 nay1 that is not sufficient        
neither--you must have the reputation of
 them also4 ,your character in the world
 must be built upon that solid          
foundation1 or it will soon fall1 and   
upon your own head4 ,you cannot1        
therefore1 be too careful1 too nice1 too
 scrupulous1 in establishing this       
character at first1 upon which your     
whole depends4 ,let no conversation1 no 

example1 no fashion1 no #8bon mot'1 no  
silly desire of seeming to be above1    
what most knaves1 and many fools1 call  
prejudices1 ever tempt you to avow1     
excuse1 extenuate1 or laugh at the least
 breach of morality2 but show upon all  
occasions1 and take all occasions to    
show1 a detestation and abhorrence of   
it4 ,there1 though young1 you ought to  
be strict2 and there only1 while young1 
it becomes you to be strict and severe4 
,but there1 too1 spare the persons while
 you lash the crimes4 ,all this relates1
 as you easily judge1 to the vices of   
the heart1 such as lying1 fraud1 envy1  
malice1 detraction1 etc41 and ,i do not 
extend it to the little frailties of    
youth1 flowing from high spirits and    
warm blood4 ,it would ill become you1 at
 your age1 to declaim against them1 and 
sententiously censure a gallantry1 an   
accidental excess of the table1 a       
frolic1 an inadvertency2 no1 keep as    
free from them yourself as you can3 but 
say nothing against them in others4     

,they certainly mend by time1 often by  
reason2 and a man's worldly character is
 not affected by them1 provided it be   
pure in all other respects4  ,to come   
now to a point of much less1 but yet of 
very great consequence at your first    
setting out4 ,be extremely upon your    
guard against vanity1 the common failing
 of inexperienced youth2 but            
particularly against that kind of vanity
 that dubs a man a coxcomb2 a character 
which1 once acquired1 is more indelible 
than that of the priesthood4 ,it is not 
to be imagined by how many different    
ways vanity defeats its own purposes4   
,one man decides peremptorily upon every
 subject1 betrays his ignorance upon    
many1 and shows a disgusting presumption
 upon the rest4 ,another desires to     
appear successful among the women2 he   
hints at the encouragement he has       
received1 from those of the most        
distinguished rank and beauty1 and      
intimates a particular connection with  
some one2 if it is true1 it is          

ungenerous2 if false1 it is infamous3   
but in either case he destroys the      
reputation he wants to get4 ,some       
flatter their vanity by little          
extraneous objects1 which have not the  
least relation to themselves2 such as   
being descended from1 related to1 or    
acquainted with1 people of distinguished
 merit and eminent characters4 ,they    
talk perpetually of their grandfather   
such-a-one1 their uncle such-a-one1 and 
their intimate friend ,mr4 ,such-a-one1 
with whom1 possibly1 they are hardly    
acquainted4 ,but admitting it all to be 
as they would have it1 what then8 ,have 
they the more merit for those accidents8
 ,certainly not4 ,on the contrary1 their
 taking up adventitious1 proves their   
want of intrinsic merit2 a rich man     
never borrows4 ,take this rule for      
granted1 as a never-failing one3 ,that  
you must never seem to affect the       
character in which you have a mind to   
shine4 ,modesty is the only sure bait   
when you angle for praise4 ,the         

affectation of courage will make even a 
brave man pass only for a bully2 as the 
affectation of wit will make a man of   
parts pass for a coxcomb4 ,by this      
modesty ,i do not mean timidity and     
awkward bashfulness4 ,on the contrary1  
be inwardly firm and steady1 know your  
own value whatever it may be1 and act   
upon that principle2 but take great care
 to let nobody discover that you do know
 your own value4 ,whatever real merit   
you have1 other people will discover1   
and people always magnify their own     
discoveries1 as they lessen those of    
others4  ,for ,god's sake1 revolve all  
these things seriously in your thoughts1
 before you launch out alone into the   
ocean of ,paris4 ,recollect the         
observations that you have yourself made
 upon mankind1 compare and connect them 
with my instructions1 and then act      
systematically and consequentially from 
them2 not #8au jour la journee'4 ,lay   
your little plan now1 which you will    
hereafter extend and improve by your own

 observations1 and by the advice of     
those who can never mean to mislead you2
 ,i mean ,mr4 ,harte and myself4        
,,letter ,,cxiv  ,,london1 ,may #bd41   
,o4 ,s4 #agej  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i 
received yesterday your letter of the   
#gth1 ,n4 ,s41 from ,naples1 to which   
place ,i find you have traveled1        
classically1 critically1 and #8da       
virtuoso'4 ,you did right1 for whatever 
is worth seeing at1 all1 is worth seeing
 well1 and better than most people see  
it4 ,it is a poor and frivolous excuse1 
when anything curious is talked of that 
one has seen1 to say1 ,i ,,saw ,,it1    
,,but ,,really ,i ,,did ,,not ,,much    
,,mind ,,it4 ,why did they go to see it1
 if they would not mind it8 or why not  
mind it when they saw it8 ,now that you 
are at ,naples1 you pass part of your   
time there #8en honnete homme1 da       
garbato cavaliere'1 in the court and the
 best companies4 ,i am told that        
strangers are received with the utmost  
hospitality at ,prince-------#8s1 #8que 

lui il fait bonne chere1 et que ,madame 
la ,princesse donne chere entire2 mais  
que sa chair est plus que hazardee ou   
mortifiee meme'2 which in plain ,english
 means1 that she is not only tender1 but
 rotten4 ,if this be true1 as ,i am     
pretty sure it is1 one may say to her in
 a little sense1 #8juvenumque prodis1   
publics cura'4  ,mr4 ,harte informs me  
that you are clothed in sumptuous       
apparel2 a young fellow should be so2   
especially abroad1 where fine clothes   
are so generally the fashion4 ,next to  
their being fine1 they should be well   
made1 and worn easily for a man is only 
the less genteel for a fine coat1 if1 in
 wearing it1 he shows a regard for it1  
and is not as easy in it as if it were a
 plain one4  ,i thank you for your      
drawing1 which ,i am impatient to see1  
and which ,i shall hang up in a new     
gallery that ,i am building at          
,blackheath1 and very fond of2 but ,i am
 still more impatient for another copy1 
which ,i wonder ,i have not yet         

received1 ,i mean the copy of your      
countenance4 ,i believe1 were that a    
whole length1 it would still fall a good
 deal short of the dimensions of the    
drawing after ,dominichino1 which you   
say is about eight feet high2 and ,i    
take you1 as well as myself1 to be of   
the family of the ,piccolomini4 ,mr4    
,bathurst tells me that he thinks you   
rather taller than ,i am2 if so1 you may
 very possibly get up to five feet eight
 inches1 which ,i would compound for1   
though ,i would wish you five feet ten4 
,in truth1 what do ,i not wish you1 that
 has a tendency to perfection8 ,i say a 
tendency only1 for absolute perfection  
is not in human nature1 so that it would
 be idle to wish it4 ,but ,i am very    
willing to compound for your coming     
nearer to perfection than the generality
 of your contemporaries3 without a      
compliment to you1 ,i think you bid fair
 for that4 ,mr4 ,harte affirms 7and if  
it were consistent with his character   
would1 ,i believe1 swear7 that you have 

no vices of the heart2 you have         
undoubtedly a stock of both ancient and 
modern learning1 which ,i will venture  
to say nobody of your age has1 and which
 must now daily increase1 do what you   
will4 ,what1 then1 do you want toward   
that practicable degree of perfection   
which ,i wish you8 ,nothing but the     
knowledge1 the turn1 and the manners of 
the world2 ,i mean the #8beau monde'4   
,these it is impossible that you can yet
 have quite right2 they are not given1  
they must be learned4 ,but then1 on the 
other hand1 it is impossible not to     
acquire them1 if one has a mind to them2
 for they are acquired insensibly1 by   
keeping good company1 if one has but the
 least attention to their characters and
 manners4  ,every man becomes1 to a     
certain degree1 what the people he      
generally converses with are4 ,he       
catches their air1 their manners1 and   
even their way of thinking4 ,if he      
observes with attention1 he will catch  
them soon1 but if he does not1 he will  

at long run contract them insensibly4 ,i
 know nothing in the world but poetry   
that is not to be acquired by           
application and care4 ,the sum total of 
this is a very comfortable one for you1 
as it plainly amounts to this in your   
favor1 that you now want nothing but    
what even your pleasures1 if they are   
liberal ones1 will teach you4 ,i        
congratulate both you and myself upon   
your being in such a situation1 that1   
excepting your exercises1 nothing is now
 wanting but pleasures to complete you4 
,take them1 but 7as ,i am sure you will7
 with people of the first fashion1      
whereever you are1 and the business is  
done2 your exercises at ,paris1 which ,i
 am sure you will attend to1 will supple
 and fashion your body2 and the company 
you will keep there will1 with some     
degree of observation on your part1 soon
 give you their air1 address1 manners1  
in short1 #8le ton de la bonne          
compagnie'4 ,let not these              
considerations1 however1 make you vain3 

they are only between you and me but as 
they are very comfortable ones1 they may
 justly give you a manly assurance1 a   
firmness1 a steadiness1 without which a 
man can neither be well-bred1 or in any 
light appear to advantage1 or really    
what he is4 ,they may justly remove all1
 timidity1 awkward bashfulness1 low     
diffidence of one's self1 and mean      
abject complaisance to every or         
anybody's opinion4 ,la ,bruyere says1   
very truly1 #8on ne vaut dans ce monde1 
que ce que l'on veut valoir'4 ,it is a  
right principle to proceed upon in the  
world1 taking care only to guard against
 the appearances and outward symptoms of
 vanity4 ,your whole then1 you see1     
turns upon the company you keep for the 
future4 ,i have laid you in variety of  
the best at ,paris1 where1 at your      
arrival you will find a cargo of letters
 to very different sorts of people1 as  
#8beaux esprils1 savants1 et belles     
dames'4 ,these1 if you will frequent    
them1 will form you1 not only by their  

examples1 advice1 and admonitions in    
private1 as ,i have desired them to do2 
and consequently add to what you have   
the only one thing now needful4  ,pray  
tell me what ,italian books you have    
read1 and whether that language is now  
become familiar to you4  ,read ,ariosto 
and ,tasso through1 and then you will   
have read all the ,italian poets who in 
my opinion are worth reading4 ,in all   
events1 when you get to ,paris1 take a  
good ,italian master to read ,italian   
with you three times a week2 not only to
 keep what you have already1 which you  
would otherwise forget1 but also to     
perfect you in the rest4 ,it is a great 
pleasure1 as well as a great advantage1 
to be able to speak to people of all    
nations1 and well1 in their own         
language4 ,aim at perfection in         
everything1 though in most things it is 
unattainable2 however1 they who aim at  
it1 and persevere1 will come much nearer
 it1 than those whose laziness and      
despondency make them give it up as     

unattainable4 #8,magnis tamen excidit   
ausis' is a degree of praise which will 
always attend a noble and shining       
temerity1 and a much better sign in a   
young fellow1 than #8serpere humi1 tutus
 nimium timidusque procellae'4 ,for men 
as well as women3                       
8---------born to be controlled1        
,stoop to the forward and the bold40  ,a
 man who sets out in the world with real
 timidity and diffidence has not an     
equal chance for it2 he will be         
discouraged1 put by1 or trampled upon4  
,but to succeed1 a man1 especially a    
young one1 should have inward firmness1 
steadiness1 and intrepidity1 with       
exterior modesty and ,,seeming          
diffidence4 ,he must modestly1 but      
resolutely1 assert his own rights and   
privileges4 #8,suaviter in modo'1 but   
#8fortiter in re'4 ,he should have an   
apparent frankness and openness1 but    
with inward caution and closeness4 ,all 
these things will come to you by        
frequenting and observing good company4 

,and by good company1 ,i mean that sort 
of company which is called good company 
by everybody of that place4 ,when all   
this is over1 we shall meet2 and then we
 will talk over1 tete-a-tete1 the       
various little finishing strokes which  
conversation and1 acquaintance          
occasionally suggest1 and which cannot  
be methodically written4  ,tell ,mr4    
,harte that ,i have received his two    
letters of the #b;d and #hth ,n4 ,s41   
which1 as soon as ,i have received a    
third1 ,i will answer4 ,adieu1 my dear6 
,i find you will do4     ,,letter ,,cxv 
,,london1 ,june #e1 ,o4 ,s4 #agej  ,,my 
,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have received your  
picture1 which ,i have long waited for  
with impatience3 ,i wanted to see your  
countenance from whence ,i am very apt1 
as ,i believe most people are1 to form  
some general opinion of the mind4 ,if   
the painter has taken you as well as he 
has done ,mr4 ,harte 7for his picture is
 by far the most like ,i ever saw in my 
life71 ,i draw good conclusions from    

your countenance1 which has both spirit 
and finesse in it4 ,in bulk you are     
pretty well increased since ,i saw you2 
if your height has not increased in     
proportion1 ,i desire that you will make
 haste to1 complete it4 ,seriously1 ,i  
believe that your exercises at ,paris   
will make you shoot up to a good size2  
your legs1 by all accounts1 seem to     
promise it4 ,dancing excepted1 the      
wholesome part is the best part of those
 academical exercises4 #8,ils           
degraissent leur homme'4  #8,a propos'  
of exercises1 ,i have prepared          
everything for your reception at        
,monsieur de la ,gueriniere's1 and your 
room1 etc41 will be ready at your       
arrival4 ,i am sure you must be sensible
 how much better it will be for you to  
be interne in the ,academy for the first
 six or seven months at least1 than to  
be #8en hotel garni'1 at some distance  
from it1 and obliged to go to it every  
morning1 let the weather be what it     
will1 not to mention the loss of time   

too2 besides1 by living and boarding in 
the ,academy1 you will make an          
acquaintance with half the young fellows
 of fashion at ,paris2 and in a very    
little while be looked upon as one of   
them in all ,french companies3 an       
advantage that has never yet happened to
 any one ,englishman that ,i have known4
 ,i am sure you do not suppose that the 
difference of the expense1 which is but 
a trifle1 has any weight with me in this
 resolution4 ,you have the ,french      
language so perfectly1 and you will     
acquire the ,french #8tournure' so soon1
 that ,i do not know anybody likely to  
pass their time so well at ,paris as    
yourself4 ,our young countrymen have    
generally too little ,french1 and too   
bad address1 either to present          
themselves1 or be well received in the  
best ,french companies2 and1 as a proof 
of it1 there is no one instance of an   
,englishman's having ever been suspected
 of a gallantry with a ,french woman of 
condition1 though every ,french woman of

 condition is more than suspected of    
having a gallantry4 ,but they take up   
with the disgraceful and dangerous      
commerce of prostitutes1 actresses1     
dancing-women1 and that sort of trash2  
though1 if they had common address1     
better achievements would be extremely  
easy4 #8,un arrangement'1 which is in   
plain ,english a gallantry1 is1 at      
,paris1 as necessary a part of a woman  
of fashion's establishment1 as her      
house1 stable1 coach1 etc4 ,a young     
fellow must therefore be a very awkward 
one1 to be reduced to1 or of a very     
singular taste1 to prefer drabs and     
danger to a commerce 7in the course of  
the world not disgraceful7 with a woman 
of health1 education1 and rank4 ,nothing
 sinks a young man into low company1    
both of women and men1 so surely as     
timidity and diffidence of himself4 ,if 
he thinks that he shall not1 he may     
depend upon it he will not please4 ,but 
with proper endeavors to please1 and a  
degree of persuasion that he shall1 it  

is almost certain that he will4 ,how    
many people does one meet with          
everywhere1 who1 with very moderate     
parts1 and very little knowledge1 push  
themselves pretty far1 simply by being  
sanguine1 enterprising1 and persevering8
 ,they will take no denial from man or  
woman2 difficulties do not discourage   
them2 repulsed twice or thrice1 they    
rally1 they charge again1 and nine times
 in ten prevail at last4 ,the same means
 will much sooner1 and1 more certainly1 
attain the same ends1 with your parts   
and knowledge4 ,you have a fund to be   
sanguine upon1 and good forces to rally4
 ,in business 7talents supposed7 nothing
 is more effectual or successful1 than a
 good1 though concealed opinion of one's
 self1 a firm resolution1 and an        
unwearied perseverance4 ,none but madmen
 attempt impossibilities2 and whatever  
is possible1 is one way or another to be
 brought about4 ,if one method fails1   
try another1 and suit your methods to   
the characters you have to do with4 ,at 

the treaty of the ,pyrenees1 which      
,cardinal ,mazarin and ,don ,louis de   
,haro concluded1 #8dans l',isle des     
,faisans'1 the latter carried some very 
important points by his constant and    
cool perseverance4  ,the ,cardinal had  
all the ,italian vivacity and           
impatience2 ,don ,louis all the ,spanish
 phlegm and tenaciousness4 ,the point   
which the ,cardinal had most at heart   
was1 to hinder the re-establishment of  
the ,prince of ,conde1 his implacable   
enemy2 but he was in haste to conclude1 
and impatient to return to ,court1 where
 absence is always dangerous4 ,don      
,louis observed this1 and never failed  
at every conference to bring the affair 
of the ,prince of ,conde upon the tapis4
 ,the ,cardinal for some time refused   
even to treat upon it4 ,don ,louis1 with
 the same #8sang froid'1 as constantly  
persisted1 till he at last prevailed3   
contrary to the intentions and the      
interest both of the ,cardinal and of   
his ,court4 ,sense must distinguish     

between what is impossible1 and what is 
only difficult2 and spirit and          
perseverance will get the better of the 
latter4 ,every man is to be had one way 
or another1 and every woman almost any  
way4 ,i must not omit one thing1 which  
is previously necessary to this1 and1   
indeed1 to everything else2 which is    
attention1 a flexibility of attention2  
never to be wholly engrossed by any past
 or future object1 but instantly        
directed to the present one1 be it what 
it will4 ,an absent man can make but few
 observations2 and those will be        
disjointed and imperfect ones1 as half  
the circumstance must necessarily escape
 him4 ,he can pursue nothing steadily1  
because his absences make him lose his  
way4 ,they are very disagreeable1 and   
hardly to be tolerated in old age2 but  
in youth they cannot be forgiven4 ,if   
you find that you have the least        
tendency to them1 pray watch yourself   
very carefully1 and you may prevent them
 now2 but if you let them grow into     

habit1 you will find it very difficult  
to cure them hereafter1 and a worse     
distemper ,i do not know4  ,i heard with
 great satisfaction the other day1 from 
one who has been lately at ,rome1 that  
nobody was better received in the best  
companies than yourself4 ,the same      
thing1 ,i dare say1 will happen to you  
at ,paris2 where they are particularly  
kind to all strangers1 who will be civil
 to them1 and show a desire of pleasing4
 ,but they must be flattered a little1  
not only by words1 but by a seeming     
preference given to their country1 their
 manners1 and their customs2 which is   
but a very small price to pay for a very
 good reception4 ,were ,i in ,africa1 ,i
 would pay it to a negro for his        
goodwill4 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,cxvi   
,,london1 ,june #aa1 ,o4 ,s4 #agej  ,,my
 ,,dear ,,friend3 ,the ,president       
,montesquieu 7whom you will be          
acquainted with at ,paris71 after having
 laid down in his book1 #8,de l',esprit 
des ,lois'1 the nature and principles of

 the three different kinds of           
government1 viz1 the democratical1 the  
monarchical1 and the despotic1 treats of
 the education necessary for each       
respective form4 ,his chapter upon the  
education proper for the monarchical ,i 
thought worth transcribing and sending  
to you4 ,you will observe that the      
monarchy which he has in his eye is     
,france3--  8,in monarchies1 the        
principal branch of education is not    
taught in colleges or academies4 ,it    
commences1 in some measure1 at our      
setting out in the world2 for this is   
the school of what we call honor1 that  
universal preceptor1 which ought        
everywhere to be our guide4  8,here it  
is that we constantly hear three rules  
or maxims1 viz3 ,that we should have a  
certain nobleness in our virtues1 a kind
 of frankness in our morals1 and a      
particular politeness in our behavior4  
8,the virtues we are here taught1 are   
less what we owe to others1 than to     
ourselves2 they are not so much what    

draws us toward society1 as what        
distinguishes us from our               
fellow-citizens4  8,here the actions of 
men are judged1 not as virtuous1 but as 
shining2 not as just1 but as great2 not 
as reasonable1 but as extraordinary4    
8,when honor here meets with anything   
noble in our actions1 it is either a    
judge that approves them1 or a sophister
 by whom they are excused4  8,it allows 
of gallantry1 when united with the idea 
of sensible affection1 or with that of  
conquest2 this is the reason why we     
never meet with so strict a purity of   
morals in monarchies as in republican   
governments4  8,it allows of cunning and
 craft1 when joined with the notion of  
greatness of soul or importance of      
affairs2 as1 for instance1 in politics1 
with whose finenesses it is far from    
being offended4  8,it does not forbid   
adulation1 but when separate from the   
idea of a large fortune1 and connected  
only with the sense of our mean         
condition4  8,with regard to morals1 ,i 

have observed1 that the education of    
monarchies ought to admit of a certain  
frankness and open carriage4 ,truth1    
therefore1 in conversation1 is here a   
necessary point4 ,but is it for the sake
 of truth4 ,by no means4 ,truth is      
requisite only1 because a person        
habituated to veracity has an air of    
boldness and freedom4 ,and1 indeed1 a   
man of this stamp seems to lay a stress 
only on the things themselves1 not on   
the manner in which they are received4  
8,hence it is1 that in proportion as    
this kind of frankness is commended1    
that of the common people is despised1  
which has nothing but truth and         
simplicity for its object4  8,in fine1  
the education of monarchies requires a  
certain politeness of behavior4 ,man1 a 
sociable animal1 is formed to please in 
society2 and a person that would break  
through the rules of decency1 so as to  
shock those he conversed with1 would    
lose the public esteem1 and become      
incapable of doing any good4  8,but     

politeness1 generally speaking1 does not
 derive its original from so pure a     
source4 ,it arises from a desire of     
distinguishing ourselves4 ,it is pride  
that renders us polite2 we are flattered
 with being taken notice of for a       
behavior that shows we are not of a mean
 condition1 and that we have not been   
bred up with those who in all ages are  
considered as the scum of the people4   
8,politeness1 in monarchies1 is         
naturalized at court4 ,one man          
excessively great renders everybody else
 little4 ,hence that regard which is    
paid to our fellow-subjects2 hence that 
politeness1 equally pleasing to those by
 whom1 as to those toward whom1 it is   
practiced2 because it gives people to   
understand that a person actually       
belongs1 or at least deserves to belong1
 to the court4  8,a court air consists  
in quitting a real for a borrowed       
greatness4 ,the latter pleases the      
courtier more than the former4 ,it      
inspires him with a certain disdainful  

modesty1 which shows itself externally1 
but whose pride insensibly diminishes in
 proportion to his distance from the    
source of this greatness4  8,at court we
 find a delicacy of taste in everything2
 a delicacy arising from the constant   
use of the superfluities of life2 from  
the variety1 and especially the satiety 
of pleasures2 from the multiplicity and 
even confusion of fancies1 which1 if    
they are not agreeable1 are sure of     
being well received4  8,these are the   
things which properly fall within the   
province of education1 in order to form 
what we call a man of honor1 a man      
possessed of all the qualities and      
virtues requisite in this kind of       
government4  8,here it is that honor    
interferes with everything1 mixing even 
with people's manner of thinking1 and   
directing their very principles4  8,to  
this whimsical honor it is owing that   
the virtues are only just what it       
pleases2 it adds rules of its own       
invention to everything prescribed to   

us2 it extends or limits our duties     
according to its own fancy1 whether they
 proceed from religion1 politics1 or    
morality4  8,there is nothing so        
strongly inculcated in monarchies1 by   
the laws1 by religion1 and honor1 as    
submission to the ,prince's will1 but   
this very honor tells us1 that the      
,prince never ought to command a        
dishonorable action1 because this would 
render us incapable of serving him4     
8,crillon refused to assassinate the    
,duke of ,guise1 but offered to fight   
him4 ,after the massacre of ,st4        
,bartholomew1 ,charles ,,ix41 having    
sent orders to the governors in the     
several provinces for the ,huguenots to 
be murdered1 ,viscount ,dorte1 who      
commanded at ,bayonne1 wrote thus to the
 ,king3 #8,sire1 ,among the inhabitants 
of this town1 and your ,majesty's       
troops1 ,i could not find so much as one
 executioner2 they are honest citizens  
and brave soldiers4 ,we jointly1        
therefore1 beseech your ,majesty to     

command our arms and lives in things    
that are practicable4' ,this great and  
generous soul looked upon a base action 
as a thing impossible4  8,there is      
nothing that honor more strongly        
recommends to the nobility1 than to     
serve their ,prince in a military       
capacity4 ,and indeed this is their     
favorite profession1 because its        
dangers1 its success1 and even its      
miscarriages1 are the road to grandeur4 
,yet this very law1 of its own making1  
honor chooses to explain2 and in case of
 any affront1 it requires or permits us 
to retire4  8,it insists also1 that we  
should be at liberty either to seek or  
to reject employments2 a liberty which  
it prefers even to an ample fortune4    
8,honor1 therefore1 has its supreme     
laws1 to which education is obliged to  
conform4 ,the chief of these are1 that  
we are permitted to set a value upon our
 fortune1 but are absolutely forbidden  
to set any upon our lives4  8,the second
 is1 that when we are raised to a post  

or preferment1 we should never do or    
permit anything which may seem to imply 
that we look upon ourselves as inferior 
to the rank we hold4  8,the third is1   
that those things which honor forbids   
are more rigorously forbidden1 when the 
laws do not concur in the prohibition2  
and those it commands are more strongly 
insisted upon1 when they happen not to  
be commanded by law40  ,though our      
government differs considerably from the
 ,french1 inasmuch as we have fixed laws
 and constitutional barriers for the    
security of our liberties and           
properties1 yet the ,president's        
observations hold pretty near as true in
 ,england as in ,france4 ,though        
monarchies may differ a good deal1 kings
 differ very little4 ,those who are     
absolute desire to continue so1 and     
those who are not1 endeavor to become   
so2 hence the same maxims and manners   
almost in all courts3 voluptuousness and
 profusion encouraged1 the one to sink  
the people into indolence1 the other    

into poverty--consequently into         
dependence4 ,the court is called the    
world here as well as at ,paris2 and    
nothing more is meant by saying that a  
man knows the world1 than that he knows 
courts4 ,in all courts you must expect  
to meet with connections without        
friendship1 enmities without hatred1    
honor without virtue1 appearances saved1
 and realities sacrificed2 good manners 
with bad morals2 and all vice and       
virtues so disguised1 that whoever has  
only reasoned upon both would know      
neither when he first met them at court4
 ,it is well that you should know the   
map of that country1 that when you come 
to travel in it1 you may do it with     
greater safety4  ,from all this you will
 of yourself draw this obvious          
conclusion3 ,that you are in truth but  
now going to the great and important    
school1 the world2 to which ,westminster
 and ,leipsig were only the little      
preparatory schools1 as ,marylebone1    
,windsor1 etc41 are to them4 ,what you  

have already acquired will only place   
you in the second form of this new      
school1 instead of the first4 ,but if   
you intend1 as ,i suppose you do1 to get
 into the shell1 you have very different
 things to learn from ,latin and ,greek3
 and which require much more sagacity   
and attention than those two dead       
languages2 the language of pure and     
simple nature2 the language of nature   
variously modified and corrupted by     
passions1 prejudices1 and habits2 the   
language of simulation and              
dissimulation3 very hard1 but very      
necessary to decipher4 ,homer has not   
half so many1 nor so difficult dialects1
 as the great book of the school you are
 now going to4 ,observe1 therefore1     
progressively1 and with the greatest    
attention1 what the best scholars in the
 form immediately above you do1 and so  
on1 until you get into the shell        
yourself4 ,adieu4  ,pray tell ,mr4      
,harte that ,i have received his letter 
of the #bgth ,may1 ,n4 ,s41 and that ,i 

advise him never to take the ,english   
newswriters literally1 who never yet    
inserted any one thing quite right4 ,i  
have both his patent and his mandamus1  
in both which he is ,walter1 let the    
newspapers call him what they please4   
,,letter ,,cxvii  ,,london1 ,july #i1   
,o4 ,s4 #agej4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i
 should not deserve that appellation in 
return from you1 if ,i did not freely   
and explicitly inform you of every      
corrigible defect which ,i may either   
hear of1 suspect1 or at any time        
discover in you4 ,those who1 in the     
common course of the world1 will call   
themselves your friends2 or whom1       
according to the common notions of      
friendship1 you may possibly think such1
 will never tell you of your faults1    
still less of your weaknesses4 ,but1 on 
the contrary1 more desirous to make you 
their friend1 than to prove themselves  
yours1 they will flatter both1 and1 in  
truth1 not be sorry for either4         
,interiorly1 most people enjoy the      

inferiority of their best friends4 ,the 
useful and essential part of friendship1
 to you1 is reserved singly for ,mr4    
,harte and myself3 our relations to you 
stand pure and unsuspected of all       
private views4 ,in whatever we say to   
you1 we can have no interest but yours4 
,we are therefore authorized to         
represent1 advise1 and remonstrate2 and 
your reason must tell you that you ought
 to attend to and believe us4  ,i am    
credibly informed1 that there is still a
 considerable hitch or hobble in your   
enunciation2 and that when you speak    
fast you sometimes speak unintelligibly4
 ,i have formerly and frequently laid my
 thoughts before you so fully upon this 
subject1 that ,i can say nothing new    
upon it now4 ,i must therefore only     
repeat1 that your whole depends upon it4
 ,your trade is to speak well1 both in  
public and in private4 ,the manner of   
your speaking is full as important as   
the matter1 as more people have ears to 
be tickled1 than understandings to      

judge4 ,be your productions ever so     
good1 they will be of no use1 if you    
stifle and strangle them in their birth4
 ,the best compositions of ,corelli1 if 
ill executed and played out of tune1    
instead of touching1 as they do when    
well performed1 would only excite the   
indignation of the hearer's1 when       
murdered by an unskillful performer4    
,but to murder your own productions1 and
 that #8coram ,populo'1 is a ,,medean   
,,cruelty1 which ,horace absolutely     
forbids4 ,remember of what importance   
,demosthenes1 and one of the ,gracchi1  
thought ,,enunciation2 and read what    
stress ,cicero and ,quintilian lay upon 
it2 even the herb-women at ,athens were 
correct judges of it4 ,oratory1 with all
 its graces1 that of enunciation in     
particular1 is full as necessary in our 
government as it ever was in ,greece or 
,rome4 ,no man can make a fortune or a  
figure in this country1 without         
speaking1 and speaking well in public4  
,if you will persuade1 you must first   

please2 and if you will please1 you must
 tune your voice to harmony1 you must   
articulate every syllable distinctly1   
your emphasis and cadences must be      
strongly and properly marked2 and the   
whole together must be graceful and     
engaging3 ,if you do not speak in that  
manner1 you had much better not speak at
 all4 ,all the learning you have1 or    
ever can have1 is not worth one groat   
without it4 ,it may be a comfort and an 
amusement to you in your closet1 but can
 be of no use to you in the world4 ,let 
me conjure you1 therefore1 to make this 
your only object1 till you have         
absolutely conquered it1 for that is in 
your power2 think of nothing else1 read 
and speak for nothing else4 ,read aloud1
 though alone1 and read articulately and
 distinctly1 as if you were reading in  
public1 and on the most important       
occasion4 ,recite pieces of eloquence1  
declaim scenes of tragedies to ,mr4     
,harte1 as if he were a numerous        
audience4 ,if there is any particular   

consonant which you have a difficulty in
 articulating1 as ,i think you had with 
the ,r1 utter it millions and millions  
of times1 till you have uttered it      
right4 ,never speak quick1 till you have
 first learned to speak well4 ,in short1
 lay aside every book1 and every        
thought1 that does not directly tend to 
this great object1 absolutely decisive  
of your future fortune and figure4  ,the
 next thing necessary in your           
destination1 is writing correctly1      
elegantly1 and in a good hand too2 in   
which three particulars1 ,i am sorry to 
tell you1 that you hitherto fail4 ,your 
handwriting is a very bad one1 and would
 make a scurvy figure in an office-book 
of letters1 or even in a lady's         
pocket-book4 ,but that fault is easily  
cured by care1 since every man1 who has 
the use of his eyes and of his right    
hand1 can write whatever hand he        
pleases4 ,as to the correctness and     
elegance of your writing1 attention to  
grammar does the one1 and to the best   

authors the other4 ,in your letter to me
 of the #bgth ,june1 ,n4 ,s41 you       
omitted the date of the place1 so that  
,i only conjectured from the contents   
that you were at ,rome4  ,thus ,i have1 
with the truth and freedom of the       
tenderest affection1 told you all your  
defects1 at least all that ,i know or   
have heard of4 ,thank ,god1 they are all
 very curable2 they must be cured1 and  
,i am sure1 you will cure them4 ,that   
once done1 nothing remains for you to   
acquire1 or for me to wish you1 but the 
turn1 the manners1 the address1 and the 
,,graces1 of the polite world2 which    
experience1 observation1 and good       
company2 will insensibly give you4 ,few 
people at your age have read1 seen1 and 
known1 so much as you have2 and         
consequently few are so near as yourself
 to what ,i call perfection1 by which ,i
 only1 mean being very near as well as  
the best4 ,far1 therefore1 from being   
discouraged by what you still want1 what
 you already have should encourage you  

to attempt1 and convince you that by    
attempting you will inevitably obtain   
it4 ,the difficulties which you have    
surmounted were much greater than any   
you have now to encounter4 ,till very   
lately1 your way has been only through  
thorns and briars2 the few that now     
remain are mixed with roses4 ,pleasure  
is now the principal remaining part of  
your education4 ,it will soften and     
polish your manners2 it will make you   
pursue and at last overtake the         
,,graces4 ,pleasure is necessarily      
reciprocal2 no one feels1 who does not  
at the same time give it4 ,to be pleased
 one must please4 ,what pleases you in  
others1 will in general please them in  
you4 ,paris is indisputably the seat of 
the ,,graces2 they will even court you1 
if you are not too coy4 ,frequent and   
observe the best companies there1 and   
you will soon be naturalized among them2
 you will soon find how particularly    
attentive they are to the correctness   
and elegance of their language1 and to  

the graces of their enunciation3 they   
would even call the understanding of a  
man in question1 who should neglect or  
not know the infinite advantages arising
 from them4 #8,narrer1 reciter1 declamer
 bien'1 are serious studies among them1 
and well deserve to be so everywhere4   
,the conversations1 even among the      
women1 frequently turn upon the         
elegancies and minutest delicacies of   
the ,french language4 ,an #8enjouement'1
 a gallant turn1 prevails in all their  
companies1 to women1 with whom they     
neither are1 nor pretend to be1 in love2
 but should you 7as may very possibly   
happen7 fall really in love there with  
some woman of fashion and sense 7for ,i 
do not suppose you capable of falling in
 love with a strumpet71 and that your   
rival1 without half your parts or       
knowledge1 should get the better of you1
 merely by dint of manners1             
#8enjouement1 badinage'1 etc41 how would
 you regret not having sufficiently     
attended to those accomplishments which 

you despised as superficial and         
trifling1 but which you would then find 
of real consequence in the course of the
 world6 ,and men1 as well as women1 are 
taken by those external graces4 ,shut up
 your books1 then1 now as a business1   
and open them only as a pleasure2 but   
let the great book of the world be your 
serious study2 read it over and over1   
get it by heart1 adopt its style1 and   
make it your own4  ,when ,i cast up your
 account as it now stands1 ,i rejoice to
 see the balance so much in your favor2 
and that the items per contra are so    
few1 and of such a nature1 that they may
 be very easily cancelled4 ,by way of   
debtor and creditor1 it stands thus3    
,creditor4  ,by ,french                 
,debtor4 ,to ,english         ,german   
,enunciation         ,italian           
,manners         ,latin         ,greek  
,logic         ,ethics         ,history 
,naturae       ,jus ,gentium            
,publicum  ,this1 my dear friend1 is a  
very true account2 and a very           

encouraging one for you4 ,a man who owes
 so little can clear it off in a very   
little time1 and1 if he is a prudent    
man1 will2 whereas a man who1 by long   
negligence1 owes a great deal1 despairs 
of ever being able to pay2 and therefore
 never looks into his account at all4   
,when you go to ,genoa1 pray observe    
carefully all the environs of it1 and   
view them with somebody who can tell you
 all the situations and operations of   
the ,austrian army1 during that famous  
siege1 if it deserves to be called one2 
for in reality the town never was       
besieged1 nor had the ,austrians any one
 thing necessary for a siege4 ,if       
,marquis ,centurioni1 who was last      
winter in ,england1 should happen to be 
there1 go to him with my compliments1   
and he will show you all imaginable     
civilities4  ,i could have sent you some
 letters to ,florence1 but that ,i knew 
,mr4 ,mann would be of more use to you  
than all of them4 ,pray make him my     
compliments4 ,cultivate your ,italian1  

while you are at ,florence1 where it is 
spoken in its utmost purity1 but ill    
pronounced4  ,pray save me the seed of  
some of the best melons you eat1 and put
 it up dry in paper4 ,you need not send 
it me2 but ,mr4 ,harte will bring it in 
his pocket when he comes over4 ,i should
 likewise be glad of some cuttings of   
the best figs1 especially la ,pica      
gentile and the ,maltese2 but as this is
 not the season for them1 ,mr4 ,mann    
will1 ,i dare say1 undertake that       
commission1 and send them to me at the  
proper time by ,leghorn4 ,adieu4        
,endeavor to please others1 and divert  
yourself as much as ever you can1 in    
#8honnete et galant homme'4  ,p4 ,s4 ,i 
send you the inclosed to deliver to     
,lord ,rochford1 upon your arrival at   
,turin4     ,,letter ,,cxviii4          
,,london1 ,august #f1 ,o4 ,s4 #agej     
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,since your letter
 from ,sienna1 which gave me a very     
imperfect account both of your illness  
and your recovery1 ,i have not received 

one word either from you or ,mr4 ,harte4
 ,i impute this to the carelessness of  
the post simply3 and the great distance 
between us at present exposes our       
letters to those accidents4 ,but when   
you come to ,paris1 from whence the     
letters arrive here very regularly1 ,i  
shall insist upon you writing to me     
constantly once a week2 and that upon   
the same day1 for instance1 every       
,thursday1 that ,i may know by what mail
 to expect your letter4 ,i shall also   
require you to be more minute in your   
account of yourself than you have       
hitherto been1 or than ,i have required1
 because of the informations which ,i   
receive from time to time from ,mr4     
,harte4 ,at ,paris you will be out of   
your time1 and must set up for yourself2
 it is then that ,i shall be very       
solicitous to know how you carry on your
 business4 ,while ,mr4 ,harte was your  
partner1 the care was his share1 and the
 profit yours4 ,but at ,paris1 if you   
will have the latter1 you must take the 

former along with it4 ,it will be quite 
a new world to you2 very different from 
the little world that you have hitherto 
seen2 and you will have much more to do 
in it4 ,you must keep your little       
accounts constantly every morning1 if   
you would not have them run into        
confusion1 and swell to a bulk that     
would frighten you from ever looking    
into them at all4 ,you must allow some  
time for learning what you do not know1 
and some for keeping what you do know2  
and you must leave a great deal of time 
for your pleasures2 which 7,i repeat it1
 again7 are now become the most         
necessary part of your education4 ,it is
 by conversations1 dinners1 suppers1    
entertainments1 etc41 in the best       
companies1 that you must be formed for  
the world4 #8,les manieres les agremens1
 les graces' cannot be learned by       
theory2 they are only to be got by use  
among those who have them2 and they are 
now the main object of your life1 as    
they are the necessary steps to your    

fortune4 ,a man of the best parts1 and  
the greatest learning1 if he does not   
know the world by his own experience and
 observation1 will be very absurd2 and  
consequently very unwelcome in company4 
,he may say very good things2 but they  
will probably be so ill-timed1          
misplaced1 or improperly addressed1 that
 he had much better hold his tongue4    
,full of his own matter1 and uninformed 
of2 or inattentive to1 the particular   
circumstances and situations of the     
company1 he vents it indiscriminately2  
he puts some people out of countenance2 
he shocks others2 and frightens all1 who
 dread what may come out next4 ,the most
 general rule that ,i can give you for  
the world1 and which your experience    
will convince you of the truth of1 is1  
,never to give the tone to the company1 
but to take it from them2 and to labor  
more to put them in conceit with        
themselves1 than to make them admire    
you4 ,those whom you can make like      
themselves better1 will1 ,i promise you1

 like you very well4  ,a system-monger1 
who1 without knowing anything of the    
world by experience1 has formed a       
system1 of it in his dusty cell1 lays it
 down1 for example1 that 7from the      
general nature of mankind7 flattery is  
pleasing4 ,he will therefore flatter4   
,but how8 ,why1 indiscriminately4 ,and  
instead of repairing and heightening the
 piece judiciously1 with soft colors and
 a delicate pencil1--with a coarse brush
 and a great deal of whitewash1 he daubs
 and besmears the piece he means to     
adorn4 ,his flattery offends even his   
patron2 and is almost too gross for his 
mistress4 ,a man of the world knows the 
force of flattery as well as he does2   
but then he knows how1 when1 and where  
to give it2 he proportions his dose to  
the constitution of the patient4 ,he    
flatters by application1 by inference1  
by comparison1 by hint1 and seldom      
directly4 ,in the course of the world1  
there is the same difference in         
everything between system and practice4 

,i long to have you at ,paris1 which is 
to be your great school2 you will be    
then in a manner within reach of me4    
,tell me1 are you perfectly recovered1  
or do you still find any remaining      
complaint upon your lungs8 ,your diet   
should be cooling1 and at the same time 
nourishing4 ,milks of all kinds are     
proper for you2 wines of all kinds bad4 
,a great deal of gentle1 and no violent 
exercise1 is good for you4 ,adieu4      
#8,gratia1 fama1 et valetudo1 contingat1
 abunde6'     ,,letter ,,cxix  ,,london1
 ,october #bb1 ,o4 ,s4 #agej  ,,my      
,,dear ,,friend3 ,this letter will1 ,i  
am persuaded1 find you1 and ,i hope     
safely1 arrived at ,montpelier2 from    
whence ,i trust that ,mr4 ,harte's      
indisposition will1 by being totally    
removed1 allow you to get to ,paris     
before ,christmas4 ,you will there find 
two people who1 though both ,english1 ,i
 recommend in the strongest manner      
possible to your attention2 and advise  
you to form the most intimate           

connections with them both1 in their    
different ways4 ,the one is a man whom  
you already know something of1 but not  
near enough3 it is the ,earl of         
,huntingdon2 who1 next to you1 is the   
truest object of my affection and       
esteem2 and who 7,i am proud to say it7 
calls me1 and considers me as his       
adopted father4 ,his parts are as quick 
as his knowledge is extensive2 and if   
quality were worth putting into an      
account1 where every other item is so   
much more valuable1 he is the first     
almost in this country3 the figure he   
will make in it1 soon after he returns  
to it1 will1 if ,i am not more mistaken 
than ever ,i was in my life1 equal his  
birth and my hopes4 ,such a connection  
will be of infinite advantage to you2   
and1 ,i can assure you1 that he is      
extremely disposed to form it upon my   
account2 and will1 ,i hope and believe1 
desire to improve and cement it upon    
your own4  ,in our parliamentary        
government1 connections are absolutely  

necessary2 and1 if prudently formed and 
ably maintained1 the success of them is 
infallible4 ,there are two sorts of     
connections1 which ,i would always      
advise you to have in view4 ,the first  
,i will call equal ones2 by which ,i    
mean those1 where the two connecting    
parties reciprocally find their account1
 from pretty near an equal degree of    
parts and abilities4 ,in those1 there   
must be a freer communication2 each must
 see that the other is able1 and be     
convinced that he is willing to be of   
use to him4 ,honor must be the principle
 of such connections2 and there must be 
a mutual dependence1 that present and   
separate interest shall not be able to  
break them4 ,there must be a joint      
system of action2 and1 in case of       
different opinions1 each must recede a  
little1 in order at last to form an     
unanimous one4 ,such1 ,i hope1 will be  
your connection with ,lord ,huntingdon4 
,you will both come into parliament at  
the same time2 and if you have an equal 

share of abilities and application1 you 
and he1 with other young people1 with   
whom you will naturally associate1 may  
form a band which will be respected by  
any administration1 and make a figure in
 the public4 ,the other sort of         
connections ,i call unequal ones2 that  
is1 where the parts are all on one side1
 and the rank and fortune on the other4 
,here1 the advantage is all on one side2
 but that advantage must be ably and    
artfully concealed4 ,complaisance1 an   
engaging manner1 and a patient          
toleration of certain airs of           
superiority1 must cement them4 ,the     
weaker party must be taken by the heart1
 his head giving no hold2 and he must be
 governed by being made to believe that 
he governs4 ,these people1 skillfully   
led1 give great weight to their leader4 
,i have formerly pointed out to you a   
couple that ,i take to be proper objects
 for your skill2 and you will meet with 
twenty more1 for they are very rife4    
,the other person whom ,i recommended to

 you is a woman2 not as a woman1 for    
that is not immediately my business2    
besides1 ,i fear that she is turned of  
fifty4 ,it is ,lady ,hervey1 whom ,i    
directed you to call upon at ,dijon1 but
 who1 to my great joy1 because to your  
great advantage1 passes all this winter 
at ,paris4 ,she has been bred all her   
life at courts2 of which she has        
acquired all the easy good-breeding and 
politeness1 without the frivolousness4  
,she has all the reading that a woman   
should have2 and more than any woman    
need have2 for she understands ,latin   
perfectly well1 though she wisely       
conceals it4 ,as she will look upon you 
as her son1 ,i desire that you will look
 upon her as my delegate3 trust1        
consult1 and apply to her without       
reserve4 ,no woman ever had more than   
she has1 #8le ton de la parfaitement    
bonne compagnie1 les manieres           
engageantes1 et le je ne sais quoi qui  
plait'4 ,desire her to reprove and      
correct any1 and every the least error  

and inaccuracy in your manners1 air1    
address1 etc4 ,no woman in ,europe can  
do it so well2 none will do it more     
willingly1 or in a more proper and      
obliging manner4 ,in such a case she    
will not put you out of countenance1 by 
telling you of it in company2 but either
 intimate it by some sign1 or wait for  
an opportunity when you are alone       
together4 ,she is also in the best      
,french company1 where she will not only
 introduce but ,,puff you1 if ,i may use
 so low a word4 ,and ,i can assure you  
that it is no little help1 in the #8beau
 monde'1 to be puffed there by a        
fashionable woman4 ,i send you the      
inclosed billet to carry her1 only as a 
certificate of the identity of your     
person1 which ,i take it for granted she
 could not know again4  ,you would be so
 much surprised to receive a whole      
letter from me without any mention of   
the exterior ornaments necessary for a  
gentleman1 as manners1 elocution1 air1  
address1 graces1 etc41 that1 to comply  

with your expectations1 ,i will touch   
upon them2 and tell you1 that when you  
come to ,england1 ,i will show you some 
people1 whom ,i do not now care to name1
 raised to the highest stations singly  
by those exterior and adventitious      
ornaments1 whose parts would never have 
entitled them to the smallest office in 
the excise4 ,are they then necessary1   
and worth acquiring1 or not8 ,you will  
see many instances of this kind at      
,paris1 particularly a glaring one1 of a
 person--,m4 le ,marechal de            
,richelieu--raised to the highest posts 
and dignities in ,france1 as well as to 
be absolute sovereign of the #8beau     
monde'1 simply by the graces of his     
person and address2 by woman's          
chit-chat1 accompanied with important   
gestures2 by an imposing air and        
pleasing abord4 ,nay1 by these helps1 he
 even passes for a wit1 though he hath  
certainly no uncommon share of it4 ,i   
will not name him1 because it would be  
very imprudent in you to do it4 ,a young

 fellow1 at his first entrance into the 
#8beau monde'1 must not offend the king 
#8de facto' there4 ,it is very often    
more necessary to conceal contempt than 
resentment1 the former forgiven1 but the
 latter sometimes forgot4  ,there is a  
small quarto book entitled1 #8,histoire 
,chronologique de la ,france'1 lately   
published by ,le ,president ,henault1 a 
man of parts and learning1 with whom you
 will probably get acquainted at ,paris4
 ,i desire that it may always lie upon  
your table1 for your recourse as often  
as you read history4 ,the chronology1   
though chiefly relative to the history  
of ,france1 is not singly confined to   
it2 but the most interesting events of  
all the rest of ,europe are also        
inserted1 and many of them adorned by   
short1 pretty1 and just reflections4    
,the new edition of #8,les ,memoires de 
,sully'1 in three quarto volumes1 is    
also extremely well worth your reading1 
as it will give you a clearer1 and truer
 notion of one of the most interesting  

periods of the ,french history1 than you
 can yet have formed from all the other 
books you may have read upon the        
subject4 ,that prince1 ,i mean ,henry   
the ,fourth1 had all the accomplishments
 and virtues of a hero1 and of a king1  
and almost of a man4 ,the last are the  
most rarely seen4 ,may you possess them 
all6 ,adieu4  ,pray make my compliments 
to ,mr4 ,harte1 and let him know that ,i
 have this moment received his letter of
 the #abth1 ,n4 ,s41 from ,antibes4 ,it 
requires no immediate answer2 ,i shall  
therefore delay mine till ,i have       
another from him4 ,give him the         
inclosed1 which ,i have received from   
,mr4 ,eliot4     ,,letter ,,cxx         
,,london1 ,november #a1 ,o4 ,s4 #agej   
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i hope that this 
letter will not find you still at       
,montpelier1 but rather be sent after   
you from thence to ,paris1 where1 ,i am 
persuaded1 that ,mr4 ,harte could find  
as good advice for his leg as at        
,montpelier1 if not better2 but if he is

 of a different opinion1 ,i am sure you 
ought to stay there1 as long as he      
desires4  ,while you are in ,france1 ,i 
could wish that the hours you allot for 
historical amusement should be entirely 
devoted to the history of ,france4 ,one 
always reads history to most advantage  
in that country to which it is relative2
 not only books1 but persons being ever 
at hand to solve doubts and clear up    
difficulties4 ,i do by no means advise  
you to throw away your time in          
ransacking1 like a dull antiquarian1 the
 minute and unimportant parts of remote 
and fabulous times4 ,let blockheads read
 what blockheads wrote4 ,and a general  
notion of the history of ,france1 from  
the conquest of that country by the     
,franks1 to the reign of ,louis the     
,eleventh1 is sufficient for use1       
consequently sufficient for you4 ,there 
are1 however1 in those remote times1    
some remarkable eras that deserve more  
particular attention2 ,i mean those in  
which some notable alterations happened 

in the constitution and form of         
government4 ,as1 for example1 in the    
settlement of ,clovis in ,gaul1 and the 
form of government which he then        
established2 for1 by the way2 that form 
of government differed in this          
particular from all the other ,gothic   
governments1 that the people1 neither   
collectively nor by representatives1 had
 any share in it4 ,it was a mixture of  
monarchy and aristocracy3 and what were 
called the ,states ,general of ,france  
consisted only of the nobility and      
clergy till the time of ,philip le ,bel1
 in the very beginning of the fourteenth
 century1 who first called the people to
 those assemblies1 by no means for the  
good of the people1 who were only amused
 by this pretended honor1 but1 in truth1
 to check the nobility and clergy1 and  
induce them to grant the money he wanted
 for his profusion2 this was a scheme of
 ,enguerrand de ,marigny1 his minister1 
who governed both him and his kingdom to
 such a degree as to1 be called the     

coadjutor and governor of the kingdom4  
,charles ,martel laid aside these       
assemblies1 and governed by open force4 
,pepin restored them1 and attached them 
to him1 and with them the nation2 by    
which means he deposed ,childeric and   
mounted the throne4 ,this is a second   
period worth your attention4 ,the third 
race of kings1 which begins with ,hugues
 ,capet1 is a third period4 ,a judicious
 reader of history will save himself a  
great deal of time and trouble by       
attending with care only to those       
interesting periods of history which    
furnish remarkable events1 and make     
eras1 and going slightly over the common
 run of events4 ,some people read       
history as others read the 8,pilgrim's  
,progress02 giving equal attention to1  
and indiscriminately loading their      
memories with1 every part alike4 ,but ,i
 would have you read it in a different  
manner2 take the shortest general       
history you can find of every country2  
and mark down in that history the most  

important periods1 such as conquests1   
changes of kings1 and alterations of the
 form of government2 and then have      
recourse to more extensive histories or 
particular treatises1 relative to those 
great points4 ,consider them well1 trace
 up their causes1 and follow their      
consequences4 ,for instance1 there is a 
most excellent1 though very short       
history of ,france1 by ,le ,gendre4     
,read that with attention1 and you will 
know enough of the general history2 but 
when you find there such remarkable     
periods as are above mentioned1 consult 
,mezeray1 and other of the best and     
minutest historians1 as well as         
political treatises upon those subjects4
 ,in later times1 memoirs1 from those of
 ,philip de ,commines1 down to the      
innumerble ones in the reign of ,louis  
the ,fourteenth1 have been of great use1
 and thrown great light upon particular 
parts of history4  ,conversation in     
,france1 if you have the address and    
dexterity to turn it upon useful        

subjects1 will exceedingly improve your 
historical knowledge2 for people there1 
however classically ignorant they may   
be1 think it a shame to be ignorant of  
the history of their own country3 they  
read that1 if they read nothing else1   
and having often read nothing else1 are 
proud of having read that1 and talk of  
it willingly2 even the women are well   
instructed in that sort of reading4 ,i  
am far from meaning by this that you    
should always be talking wisely in      
company1 of books1 history1 and matters 
of knowledge4 ,there are many companies 
which you will1 and ought to keep1 where
 such conversations would be misplaced  
and ill-timed2 your own good sense must 
distinguish the company and the time4   
,you must trifle only with triflers2 and
 be serious only with the serious1 but  
dance to those who pipe4 #8,cur in      
theatrum ,cato severs venisti8' was     
justly said to an old man3 how much more
 so would it be to one of your age8     
,from the moment that you are dressed   

and go out1 pocket all your knowledge   
with your watch1 and never pull it out  
in company unless desired3 the producing
 of the one unasked1 implies that you   
are weary of the company2 and the       
producing of the other unrequired1 will 
make the company weary of you4 ,company 
is a republic too jealous of its        
liberties1 to suffer a dictator even for
 a quarter of an hour2 and yet in that1 
as in republics1 there are some few who 
really govern2 but then it is by seeming
 to disclaim1 instead of attempting to  
usurp the power2 that is the occasion in
 which manners1 dexterity1 address1 and 
the undefinable #8je ne sais quoi'      
triumph2 if properly exerted1 their     
conquest is sure1 and the more lasting  
for not being perceived4 ,remember1 that
 this is not only your first and        
greatest1 but ought to be almost your   
only object1 while you are in ,france4  
,i know that many of your countrymen are
 apt to call the freedom and vivacity of
 the ,french petulancy and illbreeding2 

but1 should you think so1 ,i desire upon
 many accounts that you will not say so2
 ,i admit that it may be so in some     
instances of #8petits maitres           
,etourdis'1 and in some young people    
unbroken to the world2 but ,i can assure
 you1 that you will find it much        
otherwise with people of a certain rank 
and age1 upon whose model you will do   
very well to form yourself4 ,we call    
their steady assurance1 impudence why8  
,only because what we call modesty is   
awkward bashfulness and #8mauvaise      
honte'4 ,for my part1 ,i see no         
impudence1 but1 on the contrary1        
infinite utility and advantage in       
presenting one's self with the same     
coolness and unconcern in any and every 
company4 ,till one can do that1 ,i am   
very sure that one can never present    
one's self well4 ,whatever is done under
 concern and embarrassment1 must be ill 
done1 and1 till a man is absolutely easy
 and unconcerned in every company1 he   
will never be thought to have kept good 

company1 nor be very welcome in it4 ,a  
steady assurance1 with seeming modesty1 
is possibly the most useful             
qualification that a man can have in    
every part of life4 ,a man would        
certainly make a very considerable      
fortune and figure in the world1 whose  
modesty and timidity should often1 as   
bashfulness always does 7put him in the 
deplorable and lamentable situation of  
the pious ,a,eneas1 when #8obstupuit1   
steteruntque comae2 et vox faucibus     
haesit674 ,fortune 7as well as women7-- 
8---------born to be controlled1        
,stoops to the forward and the bold40   
,assurance and intrepidity1 under the   
white banner of seeming modesty1 clear  
the way for merit1 that would otherwise 
be discouraged by difficulties in its   
journey2 whereas barefaced impudence is 
the noisy and blustering harbinger of a 
worthless and senseless usurper4  ,you  
will think that ,i shall never have done
 recommending to you these exterior     
worldly accomplishments1 and you will   

think right1 for ,i never shall2 they   
are of too great consequence to you for 
me to be indifferent or negligent about 
them3 the shining part of your future   
figure and fortune depends now wholly   
upon them4 ,these are the acquisitions  
which must give efficacy and success to 
those you have already made4 ,to have it
 said and believed that you are the most
 learned man in ,england1 would be no   
more than was said and believed of ,dr4 
,bentley2 but to have it said1 at the   
same time1 that you are also the        
best-bred1 most polite1 and agreeable   
man in the kingdom1 would be such a     
happy composition of a character as ,i  
never yet knew any one man deserve2 and 
which ,i will endeavor1 as well as      
ardently wish1 that you may4 ,absolute  
perfection is1 ,i well know1            
unattainable2 but ,i know too1 that a   
man of parts may be unweariedly aiming  
at it1 and arrive pretty near it4 ,try1 
labor1 persevere4 ,adieu4     ,,letter  
,,cxxi  ,,london1 ,november #h1 ,o4 ,s4 

#agej  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,before you
 get to ,paris1 where you will soon be  
left to your own discretion1 if you have
 any1 it is necessary that we should    
understand one another thoroughly2 which
 is the most probable way of preventing 
disputes4 ,money1 the cause of much     
mischief in the world1 is the cause of  
most quarrels between fathers and sons2 
the former commonly thinking that they  
cannot give too little1 and the latter1 
that they cannot have enough2 both      
equally in the wrong4 ,you must do me   
the justice to acknowledge1 that ,i have
 hitherto neither stinted nor grudged   
any expense that could be of use or real
 pleasure to you2 and ,i can assure you1
 by the way1 that you have traveled at a
 much more considerable expense than ,i 
did myself2 but ,i never so much as     
thought of that1 while ,mr4 ,harte was  
at the head of your finances2 being very
 sure that the sums granted were        
scrupulously applied to the uses for    
which they were intended4 ,but the case 

will soon be altered1 and you will be   
your own receiver and treasurer4        
,however1 ,i promise you1 that we will  
not quarrel singly upon the quantum1    
which shall be cheerfully and freely    
granted3 the application and            
appropriation of it will be the material
 point1 which ,i am now going to clear  
up and finally settle with you4 ,i will 
fix1 or even name1 no settled allowance2
 though ,i well know in my own mind what
 would be the proper one2 but ,i will   
first try your draughts1 by which ,i can
 in a good degree judge of your conduct4
 ,this only ,i tell you in general1 that
 if the channels through which my money 
is to go are the proper ones1 the source
 shall not be scanty2 but should it     
deviate into dirty1 muddy1 and obscure  
ones 7which by the bye1 it cannot do for
 a week without my knowing it72 ,i give 
you fair and timely notice1 that the    
source will instantly be dry4 ,mr4      
,harte1 in establishing you at ,paris1  
will point out to you those proper      

channels2 he will leave you there upon  
the foot of a man of fashion1 and ,i    
will continue you upon the same2 you    
will have your coach1 your valet de     
chambre1 your own footman1 and a valet  
de place2 which1 by the way1 is one     
servant more than ,i had4 ,i would have 
you very well dressed1 by which ,i mean 
dressed as the generality of people of  
fashion are2 that is1 not to be taken   
notice of1 for being either more or less
 fine than other people3 it is by being 
well dressed1 not finely dressed1 that a
 gentleman should be distinguished4 ,you
 must frequent #8les spectacles'1 which 
expense ,i shall willingly supply4 ,you 
must play #8a des petits jeux de        
commerce' in mixed companies2 that      
article is trifling2 ,i shall pay it    
cheerfully4 ,all the other articles of  
pocket-money are very inconsiderable at 
,paris1 in comparison of what they are  
here1 the silly custom of giving money  
wherever one dines or sups1 and the     
expensive importunity of subscriptions1 

not being yet introduced there4 ,having 
thus reckoned up all the decent expenses
 of a gentleman1 which ,i will most     
readily defray1 ,i come now to those    
which ,i will neither bear nor supply4  
,the first of these is gaming1 of which1
 though ,i have not the least reason to 
suspect you1 ,i think it necessary      
eventually to assure you1 that no       
consideration in the world shall ever   
make me pay your play debts2 should you 
ever urge to me that your honor is      
pawned1 ,i should most immovably answer 
you1 that it was your honor1 not mine1  
that was pawned2 and that your creditor 
might e'en take the pawn for the debt4  
,low company1 and low pleasures1 are    
always much more costly than liberal and
 elegant ones4 ,the disgraceful riots of
 a tavern are much more expensive1 as   
well as dishonorable1 than the sometimes
 pardonable excesses in good company4 ,i
 must absolutely hear of no tavern      
scrapes and squabbles4  ,i come now to  
another and very material point2 ,i mean

 women2 and ,i will not address myself  
to you upon this subject1 either in a   
religious1 a moral1 or a parental style4
 ,i will even lay aside my age1 remember
 yours1 and speak to you as one man of  
pleasure1 if he had parts too1 would    
speak to another4 ,i will by no means   
pay for whores1 and their never-failing 
consequences1 surgeons2 nor will ,i1    
upon any account1 keep singers1 dancers1
 actresses1 and #8id genus omne'2 and1  
independently of the expense1 ,i must   
tell you1 that such connections would   
give me1 and all sensible people1 the   
utmost contempt for your parts and      
address2 a young fellow must have as    
little sense as address1 to venture1 or 
more properly to sacrifice1 his health  
and ruin his fortune1 with such sort of 
creatures2 in such a place as ,paris    
especially1 where gallantry is both the 
profession and the practice of every    
woman of fashion4 ,to speak plainly1 ,i 
will not forgive your understanding     
c--------s and p-------s2 nor will your 

constitution forgive them you4 ,these   
distempers1 as well as their cures1 fall
 nine times in ten upon the lungs4 ,this
 argument1 ,i am sure1 ought to have    
weight with you3 for ,i protest to you1 
that if you meet with any such accident1
 ,i would not give one year's purchase  
for your life4 ,lastly1 there is another
 sort of expense that ,i will not allow1
 only because it is a silly one2 ,i mean
 the fooling away your money in baubles 
at toy shops4 ,have one handsome        
snuff-box 7if you take snuff71 and one  
handsome sword2 but then no more pretty 
and very useless things4  ,by what goes 
before1 you will easily perceive that ,i
 mean to allow you whatever is          
necessary1 not only for the figure1 but 
for the pleasures of a gentleman1 and   
not to supply the profusion of a rake4  
,this1 you must confess1 does not savor 
of either the severity or parsimony of  
old age4 ,i consider this agreement     
between us1 as a subsidiary treaty on my
 part1 for services to be performed on  

yours4 ,i promise you1 that ,i will be  
as punctual in the payment of the       
subsidies1 as ,england has been during  
the last war2 but then ,i give you      
notice at the same time1 that ,i require
 a much more scrupulous execution of the
 treaty on your part1 than we met with  
on that of our allies2 or else that     
payment will be stopped4 ,i hope all    
that ,i have now said was absolutely    
unnecessary1 and that sentiments more   
worthy and more noble than pecuniary    
ones1 would of themselves have pointed  
out to you the conduct ,i recommend2    
but1 at all events1 ,i resolved to be   
once for all explicit with you1 that1 in
 the worst that can happen1 you may not 
plead ignorance1 and complain that ,i   
had not sufficiently explained to you my
 intentions4  ,having mentioned the word
 rake1 ,i must say a word or two more on
 that subject1 because young people too 
frequently1 and always fatally1 are apt 
to mistake that character for that of a 
man of pleasure2 whereas1 there are not 

in the world two characters more        
different4 ,a rake is a composition of  
all the lowest1 most ignoble1 degrading1
 and shameful vices2 they all conspire  
to disgrace his character1 and to ruin  
his fortune2 while wine and the         
p-------s contend which shall soonest   
and most effectually destroy his        
constitution4 ,a dissolute1 flagitious  
footman1 or porter1 makes full as good a
 rake as a man of the first quality4 ,by
 the bye1 let me tell you1 that in the  
wildest part of my youth1 ,i never was a
 rake1 but1 on the contrary1 always     
detested and despised that character4   
,a man of pleasure1 though not always so
 scrupulous as he should be1 and as one 
day he will wish he had been1 refines at
 least his pleasures by taste1          
accompanies them with decency1 and      
enjoys them with dignity4 ,few men can  
be men of pleasure1 every man may be a  
rake4 ,remember that ,i shall know      
everything you say or do at ,paris1 as  
exactly as if1 by the force of magic1 ,i

 could follow you everywhere1 like a    
sylph or a gnome1 invisible myself4     
,seneca says1 very prettily1 that one   
should ask nothing of ,god1 but what one
 should be willing that men should know2
 nor of men1 but what one should be     
willing that ,god should know4 ,i advise
 you to say and do nothing at ,paris1   
but what you would be willing that ,i   
should know4 ,i hope1 nay1 ,i believe1  
that will be the case4 ,sense1 ,i dare  
say1 you do not want2 instruction1 ,i am
 sure1 you have never wanted3 experience
 you are daily gaining3 all which       
together must inevitably 7,i should     
think7 make you both #8respectable et   
aimable'1 the perfection of a human     
character4 ,in that case nothing shall  
be wanting on my part1 and you shall    
solidly experience all the extent and   
tenderness of my affection for you2 but 
dread the reverse of both6 ,adieu6  ,p4 
,s4 ,when you get to ,paris1 after you  
have been to wait on ,lord ,albemarle1  
go to see ,mr4 ,yorke1 whom ,i have     

particular reasons for desiring that you
 should be well with1 as ,i shall       
hereafter explain to you4 ,let him know 
that my orders1 and your own            
inclinations1 conspired to make you     
desire his friendship and protection4   
,,letter ,,cxxii  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 
,i have sent you so many preparatory    
letters for ,paris1 that this1 which    
will meet you there1 shall only be a    
summary of them all4  ,you have hitherto
 had more liberty than anybody of your  
age ever had2 and ,i must do you the    
justice to own1 that you have made a    
better use of it than most people of    
your age would have done2 but then1     
though you had not a jailer1 you had a  
friend with you4 ,at ,paris1 you will   
not only be unconfined1 but unassisted4 
,your own good sense must be your only  
guide3 ,i have great confidence in it1  
and am convinced that ,i shall receive  
just such accounts of your conduct at   
,paris as ,i could wish2 for ,i tell you
 beforehand1 that ,i shall be most      

minutely informed of all that you do1   
and almost of all that you say there4   
,enjoy the pleasures of youth1 you      
cannot do better3 but refine and dignify
 them like a man1 of parts2 let them    
raise1 and not sink2 let them adorn and 
not vilify your character2 let them1 in 
short1 be the pleasures of a gentleman1 
and taken with your equals at least1 but
 rather with your superiors1 and those  
chiefly ,french4  ,inquire into the     
characters of the several ,academicians1
 before you form a connection with any  
of them2 and be most upon your guard    
against those who make the most court to
 you4  ,you cannot study much in the    
,academy2 but you may study usefully    
there1 if you are an economist of your  
time1 and bestow only upon good books   
those quarters and halves of hours1     
which occur to everybody in the course  
of almost every day2 and which1 at the  
year's end1 amount to a very            
considerable sum of time4 ,let ,greek1  
without fail1 share some part of every  

day2 ,i do not mean the ,greek poets1   
the catches of ,anacreon1 or the tender 
complaints of ,theocritus1 or even the  
porter-like language of ,homer's heroes2
 of whom all smatterers in ,greek know a
 little1 quote often1 and talk of       
always2 but ,i mean ,plato1             
,aristoteles1 ,demosthenes1 and         
,thucydides1 whom none but adepts know4 
,it is ,greek that must distinguish you 
in the learned world1 ,latin alone will 
not3 and ,greek must be sought to be    
retained1 for it never occurs like      
,latin4 ,when you read history or other 
books of amusement1 let every language  
you are master of have its turn1 so that
 you may not only retain1 but improve in
 everyone4 ,i also desire that you will 
converse in ,german and ,italian1 with  
all the ,germans and the ,italians with 
whom you converse at all4 ,this will be 
a very agreeable and flattering thing to
 them1 and a very useful one to you4    
,pray apply yourself diligently to your 
exercises2 for though the doing them    

well is not supremely meritorious1 the  
doing them ill is illiberal1 vulgar1 and
 ridiculous4  ,i recommend theatrical   
representations to you2 which are       
excellent at ,paris4 ,the tragedies of  
,corneille and ,racine1 and the comedies
 of ,moliere1 well attended to1 are     
admirable lessons1 both for the heart   
and the head4 ,there is not1 nor ever   
was1 any theatre comparable to the      
,french4 ,if the music of the ,french   
operas does not please your ,italian    
ear1 the words of them1 at least1 are   
sense and poetry1 which is much more    
than ,i can1 say of any ,italian opera  
that ,i ever read or heard in my life4  
,i send you the inclosed letter of      
recommendation to ,marquis ,matignon1   
which ,i would have you deliver to him  
as soon as you can2 you will1 ,i am     
sure1 feel the good effects of his warm 
friendship for me and ,lord             
,bolingbroke1 who has also wrote to him 
upon your subject4 ,by that1 and by the 
other letters which ,i have sent you1   

you will be at once so thoroughly       
introduced into the best ,french        
company1 that you must take some pains  
if you will keep bad2 but that is what  
,i do not suspect you of4 ,you have1 ,i 
am sure1 too much right ambition to     
prefer low and disgraceful company to   
that of your superiors1 both in rank and
 age4 ,your character1 and consequently 
your fortune1 absolutely depends upon   
the company you keep1 and the turn you  
take at ,paris4 ,i do not in the least  
mean a grave turn2 on the contrary1 a   
gay1 a sprightly1 but1 at the same time1
 an elegant and liberal one4  ,keep     
carefully out of all scrapes and        
quarrels4 ,they lower a character       
extremely2 and are particularly         
dangerous in ,france2 where a man is    
dishonored by not resenting an affront1 
and utterly ruined by resenting it4 ,the
 young ,frenchmen are hasty1 giddy1 and 
petulant2 extremely national1 and       
#8avantageux'4 ,forbear from any        
national jokes or reflections1 which are

 always improper1 and commonly unjust4  
,the colder northern nations generally  
look upon ,france as a whistling1       
singing1 dancing1 frivolous nation2 this
 notion is very far from being a true   
one1 though many #8,petits maitres' by  
their behavior seem to justify it2 but  
those very #8petits maltres'1 when      
mellowed by age and experience1 very    
often turn out very able men4 ,the      
number of great generals and statesmen1 
as well as excellent authors1 that      
,france has produced1 is an undeniable  
proof1 that it is not that frivolous1   
unthinking1 empty nation that northern  
prejudices suppose it4 ,seem to like and
 approve of everything at first1 and ,i 
promise you that you will like and      
approve of many things afterward4  ,i   
expect that you will write to me        
constantly1 once every week1 which ,i   
desire may be every ,thursday2 and that 
your letters may inform me of your      
personal transactions3 not of what you  
see1 but of whom you see1 and what you  

do4  ,be your own monitor1 now that you 
will have no other4 ,as to enunciation1 
,i must repeat it to you again and      
again1 that there is no one thing so    
necessary3 all other talents1 without   
that1 are absolutely useless1 except in 
your own closet4  ,it sounds            
ridiculously to bid you study with your 
dancing-master2 and yet ,i do4 ,the     
bodily-carriage and graces are of       
infinite consequence to everybody1 and  
more particularly to you4  ,adieu for   
this time1 my dear child4 ,yours        
tenderly4     ,,letter ,,cxxiii         
,,london1 ,november #ab1 ,o4 ,s4 #agej  
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,you will possibly
 think1 that this letter turns upon     
strange1 little1 trifling objects2 and  
you will think right1 if you consider   
them separately2 but if you take them   
aggregately1 you will be convinced that 
as parts1 which conspire to form that   
whole1 called the exterior of a man of  
fashion1 they are of importance4 ,i     
shall not dwell now upon these personal 

graces1 that liberal air1 and that      
engaging address1 which ,i have so often
 recommended to you2 but descend still  
lower1 to your dress1 cleanliness1 and  
care of your person4  ,when you come to 
,paris1 you may take care to be         
extremely well dressed2 that is1 as the 
fashionable people are2 this does by no 
means consist in the finery1 but in the 
taste1 fitness1 and manner of wearing   
your clothes2 a fine suit ill-made1 and 
slatternly or stiffly worn1 far from    
adorning1 only exposes the awkwardness  
of the wearer4 ,get the best ,french    
tailor to make your clothes1 whatever   
they are1 in the fashion1 and to fit    
you3 and then wear them1 button them1 or
 unbutton them1 as the genteelest people
 you see do4 ,let your man learn of the 
best friseur to do your hair well1 for  
that is a very material part of your    
dress4 ,take care to have your stockings
 well gartered up1 and your shoes well  
buckled2 for nothing gives a more       
slovenly air to a man than ill-dressed  

legs4 ,in your person you must be       
accurately clean2 and your teeth1 hands1
 and nails1 should be superlatively so2 
a dirty mouth has real ill consequences 
to the owner1 for it infallibly causes  
the decay1 as well as the intolerable   
pain of the teeth1 and it is very       
offensive to his acquaintance1 for it   
will most inevitably stink4 ,i insist1  
therefore1 that you wash your teeth the 
first thing you do every morning1 with a
 soft sponge and swarm water1 for four  
or five minutes2 and then wash your     
mouth five or six times4 ,mouton1 whom  
,i desire you will send for upon your   
arrival at ,paris1 will give you an     
opiate1 and a liquor to be used         
sometimes4 ,nothing looks more ordinary1
 vulgar1 and illiberal1 than dirty      
hands1 and ugly1 uneven1 and ragged     
nails3 ,i do not suspect you of that    
shocking1 awkward trick1 of biting      
yours2 but that is not enough3 you must 
keep the ends of them smooth and clean1 
not tipped with black1 as the ordinary  

people's always are4 ,the ends of your  
nails should be small segments of       
circles1 which1 by a very little care in
 the cutting1 they are very easily      
brought to2 every time that you wipe    
your hands1 rub the skin round your     
nails backward1 that it may not grow up1
 and shorten your nails too much4 ,the  
cleanliness of the rest of your person1 
which1 by the way1 will conduce greatly 
to your health1 ,i refer from time to   
time to the bagnio4 ,my mentioning these
 particulars arises 7,i freely own7 from
 some suspicion that the hints are not  
unnecessary2 for1 when you were a       
schoolboy1 you were slovenly and dirty  
above your fellows4 ,i must add another 
caution1 which is that upon no account  
whatever1 you put your fingers1 as too  
many people are apt to do1 in your nose 
or ears4 ,it is the most shocking1      
nasty1 vulgar rudeness1 that can be     
offered to company2 it disgusts one1 it 
turns one's stomach2 and1 for my own    
part1 ,i would much rather know that a  

man's fingers were actually in his      
breech1 than see them in his nose4 ,wash
 your ears well every morning1 and blow 
your nose in your handkerchief whenever 
you have occasion2 but1 by the way1     
without looking at it afterward4 ,there 
should be in the least1 as well as in   
the greatest parts of a gentleman1 #8les
 manieres nobles'4 ,sense will teach you
 some1 observation others2 attend       
carefully to the manners1 the diction1  
the motions1 of people of the first     
fashion1 and form your own upon them4   
,on the other hand1 observe a little    
those of the vulgar1 in order to avoid  
them3 for though the things which they  
say or do may be the same1 the manner is
 always totally different3 and in that1 
and nothing else1 consists the          
characteristic of a man of fashion4 ,the
 lowest peasant speaks1 moves1 dresses1 
eats1 and drinks1 as much as a man of   
the first fashion1 but does them all    
quite differently2 so that by doing and 
saying most things in a manner opposite 

to that of the vulgar1 you have a great 
chance of doing and saying them right4  
,there are gradations in awkwardness and
 vulgarism1 as there are in everything  
else4 #8,les manieres de robe'1 though  
not quite right1 are still better than  
#8les manieres bourgeoises'2 and these1 
though bad1 are still better than #8les 
manieres de campagne'4 ,but the         
language1 the air1 the dress1 and the   
manners of the court1 are the only true 
standard #8des manieres nobles1 et d'un 
honnete homme4 ,ex pede ,herculem' is an
 old and true saying1 and very          
applicable to our present subject2 for a
 man of parts1 who has been bred at     
courts1 and used to keep the best       
company1 will distinguish himself1 and  
is to be known from the vulgar by every 
word1 attitude1 gesture1 and even look4 
,i cannot leave these seeming           
#8minutiae'1 without repeating to you   
the necessity of your carving well2     
which is an article1 little as it is1   
that is useful twice every day of one's 

life2 and the doing it ill is very      
troublesome to one's self1 and very     
disagreeable1 often ridiculous1 to      
others4  ,having said all this1 ,i      
cannot help reflecting1 what a formal   
dull fellow1 or a cloistered pedant1    
would say1 if they were to see this     
letter3 they would look upon it with the
 utmost contempt1 and say that surely a 
father might find much better topics for
 advice to a son4 ,i would admit it1 if 
,i had given you1 or that you were      
capable of receiving1 no better2 but if 
sufficient pains have been taken to form
 your heart and improve your mind1 and1 
as ,i hope1 not without success1 ,i will
 tell those solid gentlemen1 that all   
these trifling things1 as they think    
them1 collectively1 form that pleasing  
#8je ne sais quoi'1 that ensemble1 which
 they are utter strangers to both in    
themselves and others4 ,the word aimable
 is not known in their language1 or the 
thing in their manners4 ,great usage of 
the world1 great attention1 and a great 

desire of pleasing1 can alone give it2  
and it is no trifle4 ,it is from old    
people's looking upon these things as   
trifles1 or not thinking of them at all1
 that so many young people are so       
awkward and so ill-bred4 ,their parents1
 often careless and unmindful of them1  
give them only the common run of        
education1 as school1 university1 and   
then traveling2 without examining1 and  
very often without being able to judge1 
if they did examine1 what progress they 
make in any one of these stages4 ,then1 
they carelessly comfort themselves1 and 
say1 that their sons will do like other 
people's sons2 and so they do1 that is1 
commonly very ill4 ,they correct none of
 the childish nasty tricks1 which they  
get at school2 nor the illiberal manners
 which they contract at the university2 
nor the frivolous and superficial       
pertness1 which is commonly all that    
they acquire by their travels4 ,as they 
do not tell them of these things1 nobody
 else can2 so they go on in the practice

 of them1 without ever hearing1 or      
knowing1 that they are unbecoming1      
indecent1 and shocking4 ,for1 as ,i have
 often formerly observed to you1 nobody 
but a father can take the liberty to    
reprove a young fellow1 grown up1 for   
those kinds of inaccuracies and         
improprieties of behavior4 ,the most    
intimate friendship1 unassisted by the  
paternal superiority1 will not authorize
 it4 ,i may truly say1 therefore1 that  
you are happy in having me for a        
sincere1 friendly1 and quick-sighted    
monitor4 ,nothing will escape me3 ,i    
shall pry for your defects1 in order to 
correct them1 as curiously as ,i shall  
seek for your perfections1 in order to  
applaud and reward them1 with this      
difference only1 that ,i shall publicly 
mention the latter1 and never hint at   
the former1 but in a letter to1 or a    
tete-d-tete with you4 ,i will never put 
you out of countenance before company2  
and ,i hope you will never give me      
reason to be out of countenance for you1

 as any one of the above-mentioned      
defects would make me4 #8,praetor non1  
curat de minimis'1 was a maxim in the   
,roman law2 for causes only of a certain
 value were tried by him but there were 
inferior jurisdictions1 that took       
cognizance of the smallest4 ,now ,i     
shall try you1 not only as #8praetor' in
 the greatest1 but as #8censor' in      
lesser1 and as the lowest magistrate in 
the least cases4  ,i have this moment   
received ,mr4 ,harte's letter of the    
#ast ,november1 ,n4 ,s41 by which ,i am 
very glad to find that he thinks of     
moving toward ,paris1 the end of this   
month1 which looks as if his leg were   
better2 besides1 in my opinion1 you both
 of you only lose time at ,montpelier2  
he would find better advice1 and you    
better company1 at ,paris4 ,in the      
meantime1 ,i hope you go into the best  
company there is at ,montpelier2 and    
there always is some at the             
,intendant's1 or the ,commandant's4 ,you
 will have had full time to learn #8les 

petites chansons ,languedociennes'1     
which are exceedingly pretty ones1 both 
words and tunes4 ,i remember1 when ,i   
was in those parts1 ,i was surprised at 
the difference which ,i found between   
the people on one side1 and those on the
 other side of the ,rhone4 ,the         
,provencaux were1 in general1 surly1    
ill-bred1 ugly1 and swarthy2 the        
,languedocians the very reverse3 a      
cheerful1 well-bred1 handsome people4   
,adieu6 ,yours most affectionately4  ,p4
 ,s4 ,upon reflection1 ,i direct this   
letter to ,paris2 ,i think you must have
 left ,montpelier before it could arrive
 there4     ,,letter ,,cxxiv  ,,london1 
,november #ai1 ,o4 ,s4 #agej  ,,my      
,,dear ,,friend3 ,i was very glad to    
find by your letter of the #abth1 ,n4   
,s41 that you had informed yourself so  
well of the state of the ,french marine 
at ,toulon1 and of the commerce at      
,marseilles2 they are objects that      
deserve the inquiry and attention of    
every man who intends to be concerned in

 public affairs4 ,the ,french are now   
wisely attentive to both2 their commerce
 is incredibly increased within these   
last thirty years2 they have beaten us  
out of great part of our ,levant trade2 
their ,east ,india trade has greatly    
affected ours2 and1 in the ,west        
,indies1 their ,martinico establishment 
supplies1 not only ,france itself1 but  
the greatest part of ,europe1 with      
sugars whereas our islands1 as ,jamaica1
 ,barbadoes1 and the ,leeward1 have now 
no other market for theirs but ,england4
 ,new ,france1 or ,canada1 has also     
greatly lessened our fur and skin trade4
 ,it is true 7as you say7 that we have  
no treaty of commerce subsisting 7,i do 
not say ,,with ,,marseilles7 but with   
,france4 ,there was a treaty of commerce
 made between ,england and ,france1     
immediately after the treaty of         
,utrecht2 but the whole treaty was      
conditional1 and to depend upon the     
parliament's enacting certain things    
which were stipulated in two of the     

articles2 the parliament1 after a very  
famous debate1 would not do it2 so the  
treaty fell to the ground3 however1 the 
outlines of that treaty are1 by mutual  
and tacit consent1 the general rules of 
our present commerce with ,france4 ,it  
is true1 too1 that our commodities which
 go to ,france1 must go in our bottoms2 
the ,french having imitated in many     
respects our famous ,act of ,navigation1
 as it is commonly called4 ,this act was
 made in the year #afeb1 in the         
parliament held by ,oliver ,cromwell4   
,it forbids all foreign ships to bring  
into ,england any merchandise or        
commodities whatsoever1 that were not of
 the growth and produce of that country 
to which those ships belonged1 under    
penalty of the forfeiture of such ships4
 ,this act was particularly leveled at  
the ,dutch1 who were at that time the   
carriers of almost all ,europe1 and got 
immensely by freight4 ,upon this        
principle1 of the advantages arising    
from freight1 there is a provision in   

the same act1 that even the growth and  
produce of our own colonies in ,america 
shall not be carried from thence to any 
other country in ,europe1 without first 
touching in ,england2 but this clause   
has lately been repealed1 in the        
instances of some perishable            
commodities1 such as rice1 etc41 which  
are allowed to be carried directly from 
our ,american colonies to other         
countries4 ,the act also provides1 that 
two-thirds1 ,i think1 of those who      
navigate the said ships shall be        
,british subjects4 ,there is an         
excellent1 and little book1 written by  
the famous ,monsieur ,huet ,eveque      
d',avranches1 #8,sur le ,commerce des   
,anciens'1 which is very well worth your
 reading1 and very soon read4 ,it will  
give you a clear notion of the rise and 
progress of commerce4 ,there are many   
other books1 which take up the history  
of commerce where ,monsieur d',avranches
 leaves it1 and bring it down to these  
times4 ,i advise you to read some of    

them with care2 commerce being a very   
essential part of political knowledge in
 every country2 but more particularly in
 that which owes all its riches and     
power to it4  ,i come now to another    
part of your letter1 which is the       
orthography1 if ,i may call bad spelling
 ,,orthography4 ,you spell induce1      
,,enduce2 and grandeur1 you spell       
grand,u,r,e2 two faults of which few of 
my housemaids would have been guilty4 ,i
 must tell you that orthography1 in the 
true sense of the word1 is so absolutely
 necessary for a man of letters2 or a   
gentleman1 that one false spelling may  
fix ridicule upon him for the rest of   
his life2 and ,i know a man of quality1 
who never recovered the ridicule of     
having spelled ,,wholesome without the  
w4  ,reading with care will secure      
everybody from false spelling2 for books
 are always well spelled1 according to  
the orthography of the times4 ,some     
words are indeed doubtful1 being spelled
 differently by different authors of    

equal authority2 but those are few2 and 
in those cases every man has his option1
 because he may plead his authority     
either way2 but where there is but one  
right way1 as in the two words above    
mentioned1 it is unpardonable and       
ridiculous for a gentleman to miss it2  
even a woman of a tolerable education   
would despise and laugh1 at a lover1 who
 should send her an ill-spelled         
billet-doux4 ,i fear and suspect1 that  
you have taken it into your head1 in    
most cases1 that the matter is all1 and 
the manner little or nothing4 ,if you   
have1 undeceive yourself1 and be        
convinced that1 in everything1 the      
manner is full as important as the      
matter4 ,if you speak the sense of an   
angel1 in bad words and with a          
disagreeable utterance1 nobody will hear
 you twice1 who can help it4 ,if you    
write epistles as well as ,cicero1 but  
in a very bad hand1 and very            
ill-spelled1 whoever receives will laugh
 at them2 and if you had the figure of  

,adonis1 with an awkward air and        
motions1 it will disgust instead of     
pleasing4 ,study manner1 therefore1 in  
everything1 if you would be anything4   
,my principal inquiries of my friends at
 ,paris1 concerning you1 will be        
relative to your manner of doing        
whatever you do4 ,i shall not inquire   
whether you understand ,demosthenes1    
,tacitus1 or the #8,jus ,publicum       
,imperii'2 but ,i shall inquire1 whether
 your utterance is pleasing1 your style 
not only pure1 but elegant1 your manners
 noble and easy1 your air and address   
engaging in short1 whether you are a    
gentleman1 a man of fashion1 and fit to 
keep good company1 or not2 for1 till ,i 
am satisfied in these particulars1 you  
and ,i must by no means meet2 ,i could  
not possibly stand it4 ,it is in your   
power to become all this at ,paris1 if  
you please4 ,consult with ,lady ,hervey 
and ,madame ,monconseil upon all these  
matters2 and they will speak to you1 and
 advise you freely4 ,tell them1 that    

#8bisogna compatire ancora'1 that you   
are utterly new in the world2 that you  
are desirous to form yourself2 that you 
beg they will reprove1 advise1 and      
correct you2 that you know that none can
 do it so well2 and that you will       
implicitly follow their directions4     
,this1 together with your careful       
observation of the manners of the best  
company1 will really form you4  ,abbe   
,guasco1 a friend of mine1 will come to 
you as soon as he knows of your arrival 
at ,paris2 he is well received in the   
best companies there1 and will introduce
 you to them4 ,he will be desirous to do
 you any service he can2 he is active   
and curious1 and can give you           
information upon most things4 ,he is a  
sort of #8complaisant' of the ,president
 ,montesquieu1 to whom you have a       
letter4  ,i imagine that this letter    
will not wait for you very long at      
,paris1 where ,i reckon you will be in  
about a fortnight4 ,adieu4     ,,letter 
,,cxxv  ,,london1 ,december #bd1 #agej  

,,dear ,,friend3 ,at length you are     
become a ,parisian1 and consequently    
must be addressed in ,french2 you will  
also answer me in the same language1    
that ,i may be able to judge of the     
degree in which you possess the         
elegance1 the delicacy1 and the         
orthography of that language which is1  
in a manner1 become the universal one of
 ,europe4 ,i am assured that you speak  
it well1 but in that well there are     
gradations4 ,he1 who in the provinces   
might be reckoned to speak correctly1   
would at ,paris be looked upon as an    
ancient ,gaul4 ,in that country of mode1
 even language is subservient to        
fashion1 which varies almost as often as
 their clothes4  ,the ,,affected1 the   
,,refined1 the ,,neological1 ,,or ,,new 
,,fashionable ,,style are at present too
 much in vogue at ,paris4 ,know1        
observe1 and occasionally converse 7if  
you please7 according to those different
 styles2 but do not let your taste be   
infected by them4 ,wit1 too1 is there   

subservient to fashion2 and actually1 at
 ,paris1 one must have wit1 even in     
despite of ,minerva4 ,everybody runs    
after it2 although if it does not come  
naturally and of itself2 it never can be
 overtaken4 ,but1 unfortunately for     
those who pursue1 they seize upon what  
they take for wit1 and endeavor to pass 
it for such upon others4 ,this is1 at   
best1 the lot of ,ixion1 who embraced a 
cloud instead of the goddess he pursued4
 ,fine sentiments1 which never existed1 
false and unnatural thoughts1 obscure   
and far-sought expressions1 not only    
unintelligible1 but which it is even    
impossible to decipher1 or to guess at1 
are all the consequences of this error2 
and two-thirds of the new ,french books 
which now appear are made up of those   
ingredients4 ,it is the new cookery of  
,parnassus1 in which the still is       
employed instead of the pot and the     
spit1 and where quintessences and       
extracts ate chiefly used4 ,n4 ,b4 ,the 
,attic salt is proscribed4  ,you will   

now and then be obliged to eat of this  
new cookery1 but do not suffer your     
taste to be corrupted by it4 ,and when  
you1 in your turn1 are desirous of      
treating others1 take the good old      
cookery of ,lewis ,,xiv4's reign for    
your rule4 ,there were at that time     
admirable head cooks1 such as           
,corneille1 ,boileau1 ,racine1 and ,la  
,fontaine4 ,whatever they prepared was  
simple1 wholesome1 and solid4 ,but      
laying aside all metaphors1 do not      
suffer yourself to be dazzled by false  
brilliancy1 by unnatural expressions1   
nor by those antitheses so much in      
fashion3 as a protection against such   
innovations1 have a recourse to your own
 good sense1 and to the ancient authors4
 ,on the other hand1 do not laugh at    
those who give into such errors2 you are
 as yet too young to act the critic1 or 
to stand forth a severe avenger of the  
violated rights of good sense4 ,content 
yourself with not being perverted1 but  
do not think of converting others2 let  

them quietly enjoy their errors in      
taste1 as well as in religion4 ,within  
the course of the last century and a    
half1 taste in ,france has 7as well as  
that kingdom itself7 undergone many     
vicissitudes4 ,under the reign of ,i do 
not say ,lewis ,,xiii4 but of ,cardinal 
de ,richelieu1 good taste first began to
 make its way4 ,it was refined under    
that of ,lewis ,,xiv41 a great king1 at 
least1 if not a great man4 ,corneille   
was the restorer of true taste1 and the 
founder of the ,french theatre2 although
 rather inclined to the ,italian        
#8,concetti' and the ,spanish           
#8,agudeze'4 ,witness those epigrams    
which he makes ,chimene utter in the    
greatest excess of grief4  ,before his  
time1 those kind of itinerant authors1  
called troubadours or romanciers1 were a
 species of madmen who attracted the    
admiration of fools4 ,toward the end of 
,cardinal de ,richelieu's reign1 and the
 beginning of ,lewis ,,xiv4's1 the      
,temple of ,taste was established at the

 ,hotel of ,rambouillet2 but that taste 
was not judiciously refined this ,temple
 of ,taste might more properly have been
 named a ,laboratory of ,wit1 where good
 sense was put to the torture1 in order 
to extract from it the most subtile     
essence4 ,there it was that ,voiture    
labored hard and incessantly to create  
wit4 ,at length1 ,boileau and ,moliere  
fixed the standard of true taste4 ,in   
spite of the ,scuderys1 the             
,calprenedes1 etc41 they defeated and   
put to flight ,,artamenes1 ,,juba1      
,,oroondates1 and all those heroes of   
romance1 who were1 notwithstanding 7each
 of them71 as good as a whole ,army4    
,those madmen then endeavored to obtain 
an asylum in libraries2 this they could 
not accomplish1 but were under a        
necessity of taking shelter in the      
chambers of some few ladies4 ,i would   
have you read one volume of             
8,cleopatra10 and one of 8,clelia02 it  
will otherwise be impossible for you to 
form any idea of the extravagances they 

contain2 but ,god keep you from ever    
persevering to the twelfth4  ,during    
almost the whole reign of ,lewis ,,xiv41
 true taste remained in its purity1     
until it received some hurt1 although   
undesignedly1 from a very fine genius1  
,i mean ,monsieur de ,fontenelle2 who1  
with the greatest sense and the most    
solid learning1 sacrificed rather too   
much to the ,graces1 whose most favorite
 child and pupil he was4 ,admired with  
reason1 others tried to imitate him2    
but1 unfortunately for us1 the author of
 the 8,pastorals10 of the 8,history of  
,oracles10 and of the 8,french          
,theatre10  found fewer imitators than  
the ,chevalier d',her did mimics4 ,he   
has since been taken off by a thousand  
authors3 but never really imitated by   
anyone that ,i know of4  ,at this time1 
the seat of true taste in ,france seems 
to me not well established4 ,it exists1 
but torn by factions4 ,there is one     
party of petits maitres1 one of         
half-learned women1 another of insipid  

authors whose works are #8verba et      
voces1 et praeterea nihil'2 and1 in     
short1 a numerous and very fashionable  
party of writers1 who1 in a metaphysical
 jumble1 introduce their false and      
subtle reasonings upon the movements and
 the sentiments of ,,the ,,soul1 ,,the  
,,heart1 and ,,the ,,mind4  ,do not let 
yourself be overpowered by fashion1 nor 
by particular sets of people with whom  
you may be connected2 but try all the   
different coins before you receive any  
in payment4 ,let your own good sense and
 reason judge of the value of each2 and 
be persuaded1 that ,,nothing ,,can ,,be 
,,beautiful ,,unless ,,true3 whatever   
brilliancy is not the result of the     
solidity and justness of a thought1 it  
is but a false glare4 ,the ,italian     
saying upon a diamond is equally just   
with regard to thoughts1 #8,quanto ,piu 
sodezza1 tanto piu splendore'4  ,all    
this ought not to hinder you from       
conforming externally to the modes and  
tones of the different companies in     

which you may chance to be4 ,with the   
#8petits maitres' speak epigrams2 false 
sentiments1 with frivolous women2 and a 
mixture of all these together1 with     
professed beaux esprits4 ,i would have  
you do so2 for at your age you ought not
 to aim at changing the tone of the     
company1 but conform to it4 ,examine    
well1 however2 weigh all maturely within
 yourself2 and do not mistake the tinsel
 of ,tasso for the gold of ,virgil4     
,you will find at ,paris good authors1  
and circles distinguished by the        
solidity of their reasoning4 ,you will  
never hear ,,trifling1 ,,affected1 and  
far-sought conversations1 at ,madame de 
,monconseil's1 nor at the hotels of     
,matignon and ,coigni1 where she will   
introduce you4 ,the ,president          
,montesquieu will not speak to you in   
the epigrammatic style4 ,his book1 the  
8,spirit of the ,laws10 written in the  
vulgar tongue1 will equally please and  
instruct you4  ,frequent the theatre    
whenever ,corneille1 ,racine1 and       

,moliere's pieces are played4 ,they are 
according to nature and to truth4 ,i do 
not mean by this to give an exclusion to
 several admirable modern plays1        
particularly 8,cenie10--,imitated in    
,english by ,mr4 ,francis1 in a play    
called 8,eugenia40--replete with        
sentiments that are true1 natural1 and  
applicable to one's self4 ,if you choose
 to know the characters of people now in
 fashion1 read ,crebillon the younger1  
and ,marivaux's works4 ,the former is a 
most excellent painter2 the latter has  
studied1 and knows the human heart1     
perhaps too well4 ,crebillon's          
#8,egaremens du ,coeur et de l',esprit  
is an excellent work in its kind2 it    
will be of infinite amusement to you1   
and not totally useless4 ,the ,japanese 
history of 8,tanzar and ,neadarne10 by  
the same author1 is an amiable          
extravagancy1 interspersed with the most
 just reflections4 ,in short1 provided  
you do not mistake the objects of your  
attention1 you will find matter at      

,paris to form a good and true taste4   
,as ,i shall let you remain at ,paris   
without any person to direct your       
conduct1 ,i flatter myself that you will
 not make a bad use of the confidence ,i
 repose in you4 ,i do not require that  
you should lead the life of a ,capuchin 
friar2 quite the contrary3 ,i recommend 
pleasures to you2 but ,i expect that    
they shall be the pleasures of a        
gentleman4 ,those add brilliancy to a   
young man's character2 but debauchery   
vilifies and degrades it4 ,i shall have 
very true and exact accounts of your    
conduct2 and1 according to the          
informations ,i receive1 shall be more1 
or less1 or not at all1 yours4 ,adieu4  
,p4 ,s4 ,do not omit writing to me once 
a-week2 and let your answer to this     
letter be in ,french4 ,connect yourself 
as much as possible with the foreign    
ministers2 which is properly traveling  
into different countries1 without going 
from one place4 ,speak ,italian to all  
the ,italians1 and ,german to all the   

,germans you meet1 in order not to      
forget those two languages4  ,i wish    
you1 my dear friend1 as many happy new  
years as you deserve1 and not one more4 
,may you deserve a great number6        
,,letters ,,to ,,his ,,son              
#agea             ,by the ,,earl ,,of   
,,chesterfield             on the ,fine 
,art of becoming a                ,,man 
,,of ,,the ,,world                   and
 a                  ,,gentleman         
,,letter ,,cxxvi  ,,london1 ,january #h1
 ,o4,s4 #agea  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,by
 your letter of the #eth1 ,n4 ,s41 ,i   
find that your #8debut' at ,paris has   
been a good one2 you are entered into   
good company1 and ,i dare say you will1 
not sink into bad4 ,frequent the houses 
where you have been once invited1 and   
have none of that shyness which makes   
most of your countrymen strangers1 where
 they might be intimate and domestic if 
they pleased4 ,wherever you have a      
general invitation to sup when you      
please1 profit of it1 with decency1 and 

go every now and then4 ,lord ,albemarle 
will1 ,i am sure1 be extremely kind to  
you1 but his house is only a dinner     
house2 and1 as ,i am informed1          
frequented by no ,french people4 ,should
 he happen to employ you in his bureau1 
which ,i much doubt1 you must write a   
better hand than your common one1 or you
 will get no credit by your manuscripts2
 for your hand is at present an         
illiberal one2 it is neither a hand of  
business nor of a gentleman1 but the    
hand of a school-boy writing his        
exercise1 which he hopes will never be  
read4  ,madame de ,monconseil gives me a
 favorable account of you2 and so do    
,marquis de ,matignon and ,madame du    
,boccage2 they all say that you desire  
to please1 and consequently promise me  
that you will2 and they judge right2 for
 whoever really desires to please1 and  
has 7as you now have7 the means of      
learning how1 certainly will please and 
that is the great point of life2 it     
makes all other things easy4 ,whenever  

you are with ,madame de ,monconseil1    
,madame du ,boccage1 or other women of  
fashion1 with whom you are tolerably    
free1 say frankly and naturally3 8,i    
know little of the world2 ,i am quite a 
novice in it2 and although very desirous
 of pleasing1 ,i am at a loss for the   
means4 ,be so good1 ,madame1 as to let  
me into your secret of pleasing         
everybody4 ,i shall owe my success to   
it1 and you will always have more than  
falls to your share40 ,when1 in         
consequence of this request1 they shall 
tell you of any little error1           
awkwardness1 or impropriety1 you should 
not only feel1 but express the warmest  
acknowledgment4 ,though nature should   
suffer1 and she will at first hearing   
them1 tell them1 that you will look upon
 the most severe criticisms as the      
greatest proof of their friendship4     
,madame du ,boccage tells me1           
particularly1 to inform you3 8,i shall  
always1 receive the honor of his visits 
with pleasure2 it is true1 that at his  

age the pleasures of conversation are   
cold2 but ,i will endeavor to make him  
acquainted with young people10 etc4     
,make use of this invitation1 and as you
 live1 in a manner1 next door to her1   
step in and out there frequently4       
,monsieur du ,boccage will go with you1 
he tells me1 with great pleasure1 to the
 plays1 and point out to you whatever   
deserves your knowing there4 ,this is   
worth your acceptance too2 he has a very
 good taste4 ,i have not yet heard from 
,lady ,hervey upon your subject2 but as 
you inform me that you have already     
supped with her once1 ,i look upon you  
as adopted by her2 consult her in all   
your little matters2 tell her any       
difficulties that may occur to you2 ask 
her what you should do or say in such or
 such cases2 she has #8l'usage du monde 
en perfection'1 and will help you to    
acquire it4 ,madame de ,berkenrode #8est
 paitrie de graces'1 and your quotation 
is very applicable to her4 ,you may be  
there1 ,i dare say1 as often as you     

please1 and ,i would advise you to sup  
there once a week4  ,you say1 very      
justly1 that as ,mr4 ,harte is leaving  
you1 you shall want advice more than    
ever2 you shall never want mine2 and as 
you have already had so much of it1 ,i  
must rather repeat than add to what ,i  
have already given you2 but that ,i will
 do1 and add to it occasionally1 as     
circumstances may require4 ,at present  
,i shall only remind you of your two    
great objects1 which you should always  
attend to2 they are parliament and      
foreign affairs4 ,with regard to the    
former1 you can do nothing while abroad 
but attend carefully to the purity1     
correctness1 and elegance of your       
diction2 the clearness and gracefulness 
of your utterance1 in whatever language 
you speak4 ,as for the parliamentary    
knowledge1 ,i will take care of that    
when you come home4 ,with regard to     
foreign affairs1 everything you do      
abroad may and ought to tend that way4  
,your reading should be chiefly         

historical2 ,i do not mean of remote1   
dark1 and fabulous history1 still less  
of jimcrack natural history of fossils1 
minerals1 plants1 etc41 but ,i mean the 
useful1 political1 and constitutional   
history of ,europe1 for these last three
 centuries and a half4 ,the other thing 
necessary for your foreign object1 and  
not less necessary than either ancient  
or modern knowledge1 is a great         
knowledge of the world1 manners1        
politeness1 address1 and #8le ton de la 
bonne compagnie'4 ,in that view1 keeping
 a great deal of good company1 is the   
principal point to which you are now to 
attend4 ,it seems ridiculous to tell    
you1 but it is most certainly true1 that
 your dancing-master is at this time the
 man in all ,europe of the greatest     
importance to you4 ,you must dance well1
 in order to sit1 stand1 and walk well2 
and you must do all these well in order 
to please4 ,what with your exercises1   
some reading1 and a great deal of       
company1 your day is1 ,i confess1       

extremely taken up2 but the day1 if well
 employed1 is long enough for           
everything2 and ,i am sure you will not 
slattern away one moment of it in       
inaction4 ,at your age1 people have     
strong and active spirits1 alacrity and 
vivacity in all they do2 are #8impigri'1
 indefatigable1 and quick4 ,the         
difference is1 that a young fellow of   
parts exerts all those happy            
dispositions in the pursuit of proper   
objects2 endeavors to excel in the      
solid1 and in the showish parts of life2
 whereas a silly puppy1 or a dull rogue1
 throws away all his youth and spirit   
upon trifles1 where he is serious or    
upon disgraceful vices1 while he aims at
 pleasures4 ,this ,i am sure will not be
 your case2 your good sense and your    
good conduct hitherto are your          
guarantees with me for the future4      
,continue only at ,paris as you have    
begun1 and your stay there will make    
you1 what ,i have always wished you to  
be1 as near perfection as our nature    

permits4  ,adieu1 my dear2 remember to  
write to me once a-week1 not as to a    
father1 but1 without reserve1 as to a   
friend4     ,,letter ,,cxxvii  ,,london1
 ,january #ad1 ,o4 ,s4 #agea  ,,my      
,,dear ,,friend3 ,among the many good   
things ,mr4 ,harte has told me of you1  
two in particular gave me great         
pleasure4 ,the first1 that you are      
exceedingly careful and jealous of the  
dignity of your character2 that is the  
sure and solid foundation upon which you
 must both stand and rise4 ,a man's     
moral character is a more delicate thing
 than a woman's reputation of chastity4 
,a slip or two may possibly be forgiven 
her1 and her character may be clarified 
by subsequent and continued good        
conduct3 but a man's moral character    
once tainted is irreparably destroyed4  
,the second was1 that you had acquired a
 most correct and extensive knowledge of
 foreign affairs1 such as the history1  
the treaties1 and the forms of          
government of the several countries of  

,europe4 ,this sort of knowledge1 little
 attended to here1 will make you not    
only useful1 but necessary1 in your     
future destination1 and carry you very  
far4 ,he added that you wanted from     
hence some books relative to our laws   
and constitution1 our colonies1 and our 
commerce2 of which you know less than of
 those of any other part of ,europe4 ,i 
will send you what short books ,i can   
find of that sort1 to give you a general
 notion of those things3 but you cannot 
have time to go into their depths at    
present--you cannot now engage with new 
folios2 you and ,i will refer the       
constitutional part of this country to  
our meeting here1 when we will enter    
seriously into it1 and read the         
necessary books together4 ,in the       
meantime1 go on in the course you are   
in1 of foreign matters2 converse with   
ministers and others of every country1  
watch the transactions of every court1  
and endeavor to trace them up to their  
source4 ,this1 with your physics1 your  

geometry1 and your exercises1 will be   
all that you can possibly have time for 
at ,paris2 for you must allow a great   
deal for company and pleasures3 it is   
they that must give you those manners1  
that address1 that #8tournure' of the   
#8beau monde'1 which will qualify you   
for your future destination4 ,you must  
first please1 in order to get the       
confidence1 and consequently the        
secrets1 of the courts and ministers for
 whom and with whom you negotiate4  ,i  
will send you by the first opportunity a
 short book written by ,lord            
,bolingbroke1 under the name of ,sir    
,john ,oldcastle1 containing remarks    
upon the history of ,england2 which will
 give you a clear general notion of our 
constitution1 and which will serve you1 
at the same time1 like all ,lord        
,bolingbroke's works1 for a model of    
eloquence and style4 ,i will also send  
you ,sir ,josiah ,childe's little book  
upon trade1 which may properly be called
 the 8,commercial ,grammar40 ,he lays   

down the true principles of commerce1   
and his conclusions from them are       
generally very just4  ,since you turn   
your thoughts a little toward trade and 
commerce1 which ,i am very glad you do1 
,i will recommend a ,french book to you1
 which you will easily get at ,paris1   
and which ,i take to be the best book in
 the world of that kind3 ,i mean the    
#8,dictionnaire de ,commerce de         
,savory'1 in three volumes in folio2    
where you will find every one thing that
 relates to trade1 commerce1 specie1    
exchange1 etc41 most clearly stated2 and
 not only relative to ,france1 but to   
the whole world4 ,you will easily       
suppose1 that ,i do not advise you to   
read such a book #8tout de suite'2 but  
,i only mean that you should have it at 
hand1 to have recourse to occasionally4 
,with this great stock of both useful   
and ornamental knowledge1 which you have
 already acquired1 and which1 by your   
application and industry1 you are daily 
increasing1 you will lay such a solid   

foundation of future figure and fortune1
 that if you complete it by all the     
accomplishments of manners1 graces1     
etc41 ,i know nothing which you may not 
aim at1 and in time hope for4 ,your     
great point at present at ,paris1 to    
which all other considerations must give
 way1 is to become entirely a man of    
fashion3 to be well-bred without        
ceremony1 easy without negligence1      
steady and intrepid with modesty1       
genteel without affectation1 insinuating
 without meanness1 cheerful without     
being noisy1 frank without indiscretion1
 and secret without mysteriousness2 to  
know the proper time and place for      
whatever you say or do1 and to do it    
with an air of condition all this is not
 so soon nor so easily learned as people
 imagine1 but requires observation and  
time4 ,the world is an immense folio1   
which demands a great deal of time and  
attention to be read and understood as  
it ought to be2 you have not yet read   
above four or five pages of it2 and you 

will have but barely time to dip now and
 then in other less important books4    
,lord ,albemarle has1 ,i know1 wrote ,it
 is a pleasure for an ordinary mortal to
 find ,lord ,chesterfield in gramatical 
error--and he did it again in the last  
sentence of this paragraph--but this was
 #agea8 ,d4,w4 to a friend of his here1 
that you do not frequent him so much as 
he expected and desired2 that he fears  
somebody or other has given you wrong   
impressions of him2 and that ,i may     
possibly think1 from your being seldom  
at his house1 that he has been wanting  
in his attentions to you4 ,i told the   
person who told me this1 that1 on the   
contrary1 you seemed1 by your letters to
 me1 to be extremely pleased with ,lord 
,albemarle's behavior to you3 but that  
you were obliged to give up dining      
abroad during your course of            
experimental philosophy4 ,i guessed the 
true reason1 which ,i believe was1 that1
 as no ,french people frequent his      
house1 you rather chose to dine at other

 places1 where you were likely to meet  
with better company than your countrymen
 and you were in the right of it4       
,however1 ,i would have you show no     
shyness to ,lord ,albemarle1 but go to  
him1 and dine with him oftener than it  
may be you would wish1 for the sake of  
having him speak well of you here when  
he returns4 ,he is a good deal in       
fashion here1 and his ,,puffing you 7to 
use an awkward expression7 before you   
return here1 will be of great use to you
 afterward4 ,people in general take     
characters1 as they do most things1 upon
 trust1 rather than be at the trouble of
 examining them themselves2 and the     
decisions of four or five fashionable   
people1 in every place1 are final1 more 
particularly with regard to characters1 
which all can hear1 and but few judge   
of4 ,do not mention the least of this to
 any mortal2 and take care that ,lord   
,albemarle do not suspect that you know 
anything of the matter4  ,lord          
,huntingdon and ,lord ,stormount are1 ,i

 hear1 arrived at ,paris2 you have1     
doubtless1 seen them4 ,lord ,stormount  
is well spoken of here2 however1 in your
 connections1 if you form any with them1
 show rather a preference to ,lord      
,huntingdon1 for reasons which you will 
easily guess4  ,mr4 ,harte goes this    
week to ,cornwall1 to take possession of
 his living2 he has been installed at   
,windsor2 he will return here in about a
 month1 when your literary              
correspondence with him will be         
regularly carried on4 ,your mutual      
concern at parting was a good sign for  
both4  ,i have this moment received good
 accounts of you from ,paris4 ,go on    
#8vous etes en bon train'4 ,adieu4      
,,letter ,,cxxviii  ,,london1 ,january  
#ba1 ,o4 ,s44 #agea  ,,my ,,dear        
,,friend3 ,in all my letters from       
,paris1 ,i have the pleasure of finding1
 among many other good things1 your     
docility mentioned with emphasis2 this  
is the sure way of improving in those   
things1 which you only want4 ,it is true

 they are little1 but it is as true too 
that they are necessary things4 ,as they
 are mere matters of usage and mode1 it 
is no disgrace for anybody of your age  
to be ignorant of them2 and the most    
compendious way of learning them is1    
fairly to avow your ignorance1 and to   
consult those who1 from long usage and  
experience1 know them best4 ,good sense 
and good-nature suggest civility in     
general2 but1 in good-breeding there are
 a thousand little delicacies1 which are
 established only by custom2 and it is  
these little elegances of manners which 
distinguish a courtier and a man of     
fashion from the vulgar4 ,i am assured  
by different people1 that your air is   
already much improved2 and one of my    
correspondents makes you the true       
,french compliment of saying1 #8,f'ose  
vous promettre qu'il sera bientot comme 
un de nos autres'4 ,however unbecoming  
this speech may be in the mouth of a    
,frenchman1 ,i am very glad that they   
think it applicable to you2 for ,i would

 have you not only adopt1 but rival1 the
 best manners and usages of the place   
you are at1 be they what they will2 that
 is the versatility of manners which is 
so useful in the course of the world4   
,choose your models well at ,paris1 and 
then rival them in their own way4 ,there
 are fashionable words1 phrases1 and    
even gestures1 at ,paris1 which are     
called #8du bon ton'2 not to mention    
#8certaines ,petites politesses et      
attentions1 qui ne sont rien en         
elle-memes'1 which fashion has rendered 
necessary4 ,make yourself master of all 
these things2 and to such a degree1 as  
to make the ,french say1 #8qu'on diroit 
que c'est un ,francois'2 and when       
hereafter you shall be at other courts1 
do the same thing there2 and conform to 
the fashionable manners and usage of the
 place2 that is what the ,french        
themselves are not apt to do2 wherever  
they go1 they retain their own manners1 
as thinking them the best2 but1 granting
 them to be so1 they are still in the   

wrong not to conform to those of the    
place4 ,one would desire to please1     
wherever one is2 and nothing is more    
innocently flattering than an           
approbation1 and an imitation of the    
people one converses with4  ,i hope your
 colleges with ,marcel go on            
prosperously4 ,in these ridiculous1     
though1 at the same time1 really        
important lectures1 pray attend1 and    
desire your professor also to attend1   
more particularly to the chapter of the 
arms4 ,it is they that decide of a man's
 being genteel or otherwise1 more than  
any other part of the body4 ,a twist or 
stiffness in the wrist1 will make any   
man in ,europe look awkward4 ,the next  
thing to be attended to is1 your coming 
into a room1 and presenting yourself to 
a company4 ,this gives the first        
impression2 and the first impression is 
often a lasting one4 ,therefore1 pray   
desire ,professor ,marcel to make you   
come in and go out of his room          
frequently1 and in the supposition of   

different companies being there2 such as
 ministers1 women1 mixed companies1 etc4
 ,those who present themselves well1    
have a certain dignity in their air1    
which1 without the least seeming mixture
 of pride1 at once engages1 and is      
respected4  ,i should not so often      
repeat1 nor so long dwell upon such     
trifles1 with anybody that had less     
solid and valuable knowledge than you   
have4 ,frivolous people attend to those 
things1 #8par preference'2 they know    
nothing else2 my fear with you is1 that1
 from knowing better things1 you should 
despise these too much1 and think them  
of much less consequence than they      
really are2 for they are of a great     
deal1 and more especially to you4       
,pleasing and governing women may1 in   
time1 be of great service to you4 ,they 
often please and govern others4 #8,a    
propos'1 are you in love with ,madame de
 ,berkenrode still1 or has some other   
taken her place in your affections8 ,i  
take it for granted1 that #8qua to      

cumque domat ,venus1 non erubescendis   
adurit ignibus4 ,un arrangement honnete 
sied bien a un galant homme'4 ,in that  
case ,i recommend to you the utmost     
discretion1 and the profoundest silence4
 ,bragging of1 hinting at1 intimating1  
or even affectedly disclaiming and      
denying such an arrangement will equally
 discredit you among men and women4 ,an 
unaffected silence upon that subject is 
the only true medium4  ,in your commerce
 with women1 and indeed with men too1   
#8une certaine douceur' is particularly 
engaging2 it is that which constitutes  
that character which the ,french talk of
 so much1 and so justly value1 ,i mean  
#8l'aimable'4 ,this #8douceur' is not so
 easily described as felt4 ,it is the   
compound result of different things2 a  
complaisance1 a flexibility1 but not a  
servility of manners2 an air of softness
 in the countenance1 gesture1 and       
expression1 equally whether you concur  
or differ with the person you converse  
with4 ,observe those carefully who have 

that #8douceur' that charms you and     
others2 and your own good sense will    
soon enable you to discover the         
different ingredients of which it is    
composed4 ,you must be more particularly
 attentive to this #8douceur'1 whenever 
you are obliged to refuse what is asked 
of you1 or to say what in itself cannot 
be very agreeable to those to whom you  
say it4 ,it is then the necessary       
gilding of a disagreeable pill4         
#8,l'aimable' consists in a thousand of 
these little things aggregately4 ,it is 
the #8suaviter in modo'1 which ,i have  
so often recommended to you4 ,the       
respectable1 ,mr4 ,harte assures me1 you
 do not want1 and ,i believe him4       
,study1 then1 carefully2 and acquire    
perfectly1 the #8,aimable'1 and you will
 have everything4  ,abbe ,guasco1 who is
 another of your panegyrists1 writes me 
word that he has taken you to dinner at 
,marquis de ,st4 ,germain's2 where you  
will be welcome as often as you please1 
and the oftener the better4 ,profit of  

that1 upon the principle of traveling in
 different countries1 without changing  
places4 ,he says1 too1 that he will take
 you to the parliament1 when any        
remarkable cause is to be tried4 ,that  
is very well2 go through the several    
chambers of the parliament1 and see and 
hear what they are doing2 join practice 
and observation to your theoretical     
knowledge of their rights and           
privileges4 ,no ,englishman has the     
least notion of them4  ,i need not      
recommend you to go to the bottom of the
 constitutional and political knowledge 
of countries2 for ,mr4 ,harte tells me  
that you have a peculiar turn that way1 
and have informed yourself most         
correctly of them4  ,i must now put some
 queries to you1 as to a #8juris publici
 peritus'1 which ,i am sure you can     
answer me1 and which ,i own ,i cannot   
answer myself2 they are upon a subject  
now much talked of4  #ast4 ,are there   
any particular forms requisite for the  
election of a ,king of the ,romans1     

different from those which are necessary
 for the election of an ,emperor8  #b;d4
 ,is not a ,king of the ,romans as      
legally elected by the votes of a       
majority of the electors1 as by         
two-thirds1 or by the unanimity of the  
electors8  #c;d4 ,is there any          
particular law or constitution of the   
empire1 that distinguishes1 either in   
matter or in1 form1 the election of a   
,king of the ,romans from that of an    
,emperor8 ,and is not the golden bull of
 ,charles the ,fourth equally the rule  
for both8  #dth4 ,were there not1 at a  
meeting of a certain number of the      
electors 7,i have forgotten when71 some 
rules and limitations agreed upon       
concerning the election of a ,king of   
the ,romans8 ,and were those            
restrictions legal1 and did they obtain 
the force of law8  ,how happy am ,i1 my 
dear child1 that ,i can apply to you for
 knowledge1 and with a certainty of     
being rightly informed6 ,it is          
knowledge1 more than quick1 flashy      

parts1 that makes a man of business4 ,a 
man who is master of his matter1 twill1 
with inferior parts1 be too hard in     
parliament1 and indeed anywhere else1   
for a man of-better parts1 who knows his
 subject but superficially3 and if to   
his knowledge he joins eloquence and    
elocution1 he must necessarily soon be  
at the head of that assembly2 but       
without those two1 no knowledge is      
sufficient4  ,lord ,huntingdon writes me
 word that he has seen you1 and that you
 have renewed your old                  
school-acquaintance4  ,tell me fairly   
your opinion of him1 and of his friend  
,lord ,stormount3 and also of the other 
,english people of fashion you meet     
with4 ,i promise you inviolable secrecy 
on my part4 ,you and ,i must now write  
to each other --as friends1 and without 
the least reserve2 there will for the   
future be a thousand-things in my       
letters1 which ,i would not have any    
mortal living but yourself see or know4 
,those you will easily distinguish1 and 

neither show nor repeat2 and ,i will do 
the same by you4  ,to come to another   
subject 7for ,i have a pleasure in      
talking over every subject with you73   
,how deep are you in ,italian8 ,do you  
understand ,ariosto1 ,tasso1 ,boccaccio 
and ,machiavelli8 ,if you do1 you know  
enough of it and may know all the rest1 
by reading1 when you have time4 ,little 
or no business is written in ,italian1  
except in ,italy2 and if you know enough
 of it to understand the few ,italian   
letters that may in time come in your   
way1 and to speak ,italian tolerably to 
those very few ,italians who speak no   
,french1 give yourself no further       
trouble about that language till you    
happen to have full leisure to perfect  
yourself in it4 ,it is not the same with
 regard to ,german2 your speaking and   
writing it well1 will particularly      
distinguish you from every other man in 
,england2 and is1 moreover1 of great use
 to anyone who is1 as probably you will 
be1 employed in the ,empire4 ,therefore1

 pray cultivate them sedulously1 by     
writing four or five lines of ,german   
every day1 and by speaking it to every  
,german you meet with4  ,you have now   
got a footing in a great many good      
houses at ,paris1 in which ,i advise you
 to make yourself domestic4 ,this is to 
be done by a certain easiness of        
carriage1 and a decent familiarity4 ,not
 by way of putting yourself upon the    
frivolous footing of being #8sans       
consequence'1 but by doing in some      
degree1 the honors of the house and     
table1 calling yourself #8en badinant le
 galopin d'ici'1 saying to the masters  
or mistress1 #8ceci est de mon          
departement2 je m'en charge2 avouez1 que
 je m'en acquitte a merveille4' ,this   
sort of #8badinage' has something       
engaging and #8liant' in it1 and begets 
that decent familiarity1 which it is    
both agreeable and useful to establish  
in good houses and with people of       
fashion4 ,mere formal visits1 dinners1  
and suppers1 upon formal invitations1   

are not the thing2 they add to no       
connection nor information2 but it is   
the easy1 careless ingress and egress at
 all hours1 that forms the pleasing and 
profitable commerce of life4  ,the post 
is so negligent1 that ,i lose some      
letters from ,paris entirely1 and       
receive others much later than ,i       
should4 ,to this ,i ascribe my having   
received no letter from you for above a 
fortnight1 which to my impatience seems 
a long time4 ,i expect to hear from you 
once a-week4 ,mr4 ,harte is gone to     
,cornwall1 and will be back in about    
three weeks4 ,i have a packet of books  
to send you by the first opportunity1   
which ,i believe will be ,mr4 ,yorke's  
return to ,paris4 ,the ,greek books come
 from ,mr4 ,harte1 and the ,english ones
 from your humble servant4 ,read ,lord  
,bolingbroke's with great attention1 as 
well to the style as to the matter4 ,i  
wish you could form yourself such a     
style in every language4 ,style is the  
dress of thoughts2 and a well-dressed   

thought1 like a well-dressed man1       
appears to great advantage4 ,yours4     
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,cxxix  ,,london1 
,august #bh1 ,o4 ,s4 #agea  ,,my ,,dear 
,,friend3 ,a bill for ninety pounds     
sterling was brought me the other day1  
said to be drawn upon me by you3 ,i     
scrupled paying it at first1 not upon   
account of the sum1 but because you had 
sent me no letter of advice1 which is   
always done in those transactions2 and  
still more1 because ,i did not perceive 
that you had signed it4 ,the person who 
presented it1 desired me to look again1 
and that ,i should discover your name at
 the bottom3 accordingly ,i looked      
again1 and1 with the help of my         
magnifying glass1 did perceive that what
 ,i had first taken only for somebody's 
mark1 was1 in truth1 your name1 written 
in the worst and smallest hand ,i ever  
saw in my life4  ,however1 ,i paid it at
 a venture2 though ,i would almost      
rather lose the money1 than that such a 
signature should be yours4 ,all         

gentlemen1 and all men of business1     
write their names always in the same    
way1 that their signature may be so well
 known as not to be easily              
counterfeited2 and they generally sign  
in rather larger character than their   
common hand2 whereas your name was in a 
less1 and a worse1 than your common     
writing4 ,this suggested to me the      
various accidents which may very        
probably happen to you1 while you write 
so ill4 ,for instance1 if you were to   
write in such a character to the        
,secretary's office1 your letter would  
immediately be sent to the decipherer1  
as containing matters of the utmost     
secrecy1 not fit to be trusted to the   
common character4 ,if you were to write 
so to an antiquarian1 he 7knowing you to
 be a man of learning7 would certainly  
try it by the ,runic1 ,celtic1 or       
,sclavonian alphabet1 never suspecting  
it to be a modern character4 ,and1 if   
you were to send a #8poulet' to a fine  
woman1 in such a hand1 she would think  

that it really came from the            
#8poulailler'2 which1 by the bye1 is the
 etymology of the word #8poulet'2 for   
,henry the ,fourth of ,france used to   
send billets-doux to his mistresses by  
his #8poulailler'1 under pretense of    
sending them chickens2 which gave the   
name of poulets to those short1 but     
expressive manuscripts4 ,i have often   
told you that every man who has the use 
of his eyes and of his hand1 can write  
whatever hand he pleases2 and it is     
plain that you can1 since you write both
 the ,greek and ,german characters1     
which you never learned of a            
writing-master1 extremely well1 though  
your common hand1 which you learned of a
 master1 is an exceedingly bad and      
illiberal one2 equally unfit for        
business or common use4 ,i do not desire
 that you should write the labored1     
stiff character of a writing-master3 a  
man of business must write quick and    
well1 and that depends simply upon use4 
,i would therefore advise you to get    

some very good writing-master at ,paris1
 and apply to it for a month only1 which
 will be sufficient2 for1 upon my word1 
the writing of a genteel plain hand of  
business is of much more importance than
 you think4 ,you will say1 it may be1   
that when you write so very ill1 it is  
because you are in a hurry1 to which ,i 
answer1 ,why are you ever in a hurry8 ,a
 man of sense may be in haste1 but can  
never be in a hurry1 because he knows   
that whatever he does in a hurry1 he    
must necessarily do very ill4 ,he may be
 in haste to dispatch an affair1 but he 
will care not to let that haste hinder  
his doing it well4 ,little minds are in 
a hurry1 when the object proves 7as it  
commonly does7 too big for them2 they   
run1 they hare1 they puzzle1 confound1  
and perplex themselves3 they want to do 
everything at once1 and never do it at  
all4 ,but a man of sense takes the time 
necessary for doing the thing he is     
about1 well2 and his haste to dispatch a
 business only appears by the continuity

 of his application to it3 he pursues it
 with a cool steadiness1 and finishes it
 before he begins any other4 ,i own your
 time is much taken up1 and you have a  
great many different things to do2 but  
remember that you had much better do    
half of them well and leave the other   
half undone1 than do them all           
indifferently4 ,moreover1 the few       
seconds that are saved in the course of 
the day1 by writing ill instead of well1
 do not amount to an object of time by  
any means equivalent to the disgrace or 
ridicule of writing the scrawl of a     
common whore4 ,consider1 that if your   
very bad writing could furnish me with  
matter of ridicule1 what will it not do 
to others who do not view you in that   
partial light that ,i do8 ,there was a  
pope1 ,i think it was ,cardinal ,chigi1 
who was justly ridiculed for his        
attention to little things1 and his     
inability in great ones3 and therefore  
called maximus in minimis1 and minimus  
in maximis4 ,why8 ,because he attended  

to little things when he had great ones 
to do4 ,at this particular period of    
your life1 and at the place you are now 
in1 you have only little things to do2  
and you should make it habitual to you  
to do them well1 that they may require  
no attention from you when you have1 as 
,i hope you will have1 greater things to
 mind4 ,make a good handwriting familiar
 to you now1 that you may hereafter have
 nothing but your matter to think of1   
when you have occasion to write to kings
 and ministers4 ,dance1 dress1 present  
yourself1 habitually well now1 that you 
may have none of those little things to 
think of hereafter1 and which will be   
all necessary to be done well           
occasionally1 when you will have greater
 things to do4  ,as ,i am eternally     
thinking of everything that can be      
relative to you1 one thing has occurred 
to me1 which ,i think necessary to      
mention to you1 in order to prevent the 
difficulties which it might otherwise   
lay you under2 it is this as you get    

more acquaintances at ,paris1 it will be
 impossible for you to frequent your    
first acquaintances so much as you did1 
while you had no others4 ,as1 for       
example1 at your first #8debut'1 ,i     
suppose you were chiefly at ,madame     
,monconseil's1 ,lady ,hervey's1 and     
,madame du ,boccage's4 ,now1 that you   
have got so many other houses1 you      
cannot be at theirs so often as you     
used2 but pray take care not to give    
them the least reason to think that you 
neglect1 or despise them1 for the sake  
of new and more dignified and shining   
acquaintances2 which would be ungrateful
 and imprudent on your part1 and never  
forgiven on theirs4 ,call upon them     
often1 though you do not stay with them 
so long as formerly2 tell them that you 
are sorry you are obliged to go away1   
but that you have such and such         
engagements1 with which good-breeding   
obliges you to comply2 and insinuate    
that you would rather stay with them4   
,in short1 take care to make as many    

personal friends1 and as few personal   
enemies1 as possible4 ,i do not mean1 by
 personal friends1 intimate and         
confidential friends1 of which no man   
can hope to have half a dozen in the    
whole course of his life2 but ,i mean   
friends1 in the common acceptation of   
the word2 that is1 people who speak well
 of you1 and who would rather do you    
good than harm1 consistently with their 
own interest1 and no further4 ,upon the 
whole1 ,i recommend to you1 again and   
again1 #8les ,graces'4 ,adorned by them1
 you may1 in a manner1 do what you      
please2 it will be approved of2 without 
them1 your best qualities will lose half
 their efficacy4 ,endeavor to be        
fashionable among the ,french1 which    
will soon make you fashionable here4    
,monsieur de ,matignon already calls you
 #8le petit ,francois'4 ,if you can get 
that name generally at ,paris1 it will  
put you #8a la mode'4 ,adieu1 my dear   
child4     ,,letter ,,cxxx  ,,london1   
,february #d1 ,o4 ,s4 #agea  ,,my ,,dear

 ,,friend3 ,the accounts which ,i       
receive of you from ,paris grow every   
day more and more satisfactory4 ,lord   
,albemarle has wrote a sort of panegyric
 of you1 which has been seen by many    
people here1 and which will be a very   
useful forerunner for you4 ,being in    
fashion is an important point for       
anybody anywhere2 but it would be a very
 great one for you to be established in 
the fashion here before you return4     
,your business will be half done by it1 
as ,i am sure you would not give people 
reason to change their favorable        
presentiments of you4 ,the good that is 
said of you will not1 ,i am convinced1  
make you a coxcomb2 and1 on the other   
hand1 the being thought still to want   
some little accomplishments1 will1 ,i am
 persuaded1 not mortify you1 but only   
animate you to acquire them3 ,i will1   
therefore1 give you both fairly1 in the 
following extract of a letter which ,i  
lately received from an impartial and   
discerning friend3--  8,permit me to    

assure you1 ,sir1 that ,mr4 ,stanhope   
will succeed4 ,he has a great fund of   
knowledge1 and an uncommonly good       
memory1 although he does not make any   
parade of either the one or the other4  
,he is desirous of pleasing1 and he will
 please4 ,he has an expressive          
countenance2 his figure is elegant1     
although little4 ,he has not the least  
awkwardness1 though he has not as yet   
acquired all-the graces requisite2 which
 ,marcel and the ladies will soon give  
him4 ,in short1 he wants nothing but    
those things1 which1 at his age1 must   
unavoidably be wanting2 ,i mean1 a      
certain turn and delicacy of manners1   
which are to be acquired only by time1  
and in good company4 ,ready as he is1 he
 will soon learn them2 particularly as  
he frequents such companies as are the  
most proper to give them40  ,by this    
extract1 which ,i can assure you is a   
faithful one1 you and ,i have both of us
 the satisfaction of knowing how much   
you have1 and how little you want4 ,let 

what you have give you 7if possible7    
rather more ,,seeming modesty1 but at   
the same time more interior firmness and
 assurance2 and let what you want1 which
 you see is very attainable1 redouble   
your attention and endeavors to acquire 
it4 ,you have1 in truth1 but that one   
thing to apply to and a very pleasing   
application it is1 since it is through  
pleasures you must arrive at it4        
,company1 suppers1 balls1 spectacles1   
which show you the models upon which you
 should form yourself1 and all the      
little usages1 customs1 and delicacies1 
which you must adopt and make habitual  
to you1 are now your only schools and   
universities2 in which young fellows and
 fine women will give you the best      
lectures4  ,monsieur du ,boccage is     
another of your panegyrists2 and he     
tells me that ,madame ,boccage #8a pris 
avec vous le ton de mie et de bonne'2   
and that you like it very well4 ,you are
 in the right of it2 it is the way of   
improving2 endeavor to be upon that     

footing with every woman you converse   
with2 excepting where there may be a    
tender point of connection2 a point     
which ,i have nothing to do with2 but if
 such a one there is1 ,i hope she has   
not #8de mauvais ni de vilains bras'1   
which ,i agree with you in thinking a   
very disagreeable thing4  ,i have sent  
you1 by the opportunity of ,pollok the  
courier1 who was once my servant1 two   
little parcels of ,greek and ,english   
books2 and shall send you two more by   
,mr4 ,yorke3 but ,i accompany them with 
this caution1 that as you have not much 
time to read1 you should employ it in   
reading what is the most necessary1 and 
that is1 indisputably modern historical1
 geographical1 chronological1 and       
political knowledge2 the present        
constitution1 maxims1 force1 riches1    
trade1 commerce1 characters1 parties1   
and cabals of the several courts of     
,europe4 ,many who are reckoned good    
scholars1 though they know pretty       
accurately the governments of ,athens   

and ,rome1 are totally ignorant of the  
constitution of any one country now in  
,europe1 even of their own4 ,read just  
,latin and ,greek enough to keep up your
 classical learning1 which will be an   
ornament to you while young1 and a      
comfort to you when old4 ,but the true  
useful knowledge1 and especially for    
you1 is the modern knowledge above      
mentioned4 ,it is that must qualify you 
both for domestic and foreign business1 
and it is to that1 therefore1 that you  
should principally direct your          
attention2 and ,i know1 with great      
pleasure1 that you do so4 ,i would not  
thus commend you to yourself1 if ,i     
thought commendations would have upon   
you those ill effects1 which they       
frequently have upon weak minds4 ,i     
think you are much above being a vain   
coxcomb1 overrating your own merit1 and 
insulting others with the superabundance
 of it4 ,on the contrary1 ,i am         
convinced that the consciousness of     
merit makes a man of sense more modest1 

though more firm4 ,a man who displays   
his own merit is a coxcomb1 and a man   
who does not know it is a fool4 ,a man  
of sense knows it1 exerts it1 avails    
himself of it1 but never boasts of it2  
and always ,,seems rather to under than 
over value it1 though in truth1 he sets 
the right value upon it4 ,it is a very  
true maxim of ,la ,bruyere's 7an author 
well worth your studying71 #8qu'on ne   
vaut dans ce monde1 que ce que l'on veut
 valoir'4 ,a man who is really          
diffident1 timid1 and bashful1 be his   
merit what it will1 never can push      
himself in the world2 his despondency   
throws him into inaction2 and the       
forward1 the bustling1 and the petulant1
 will always get the better of him4 ,the
 manner makes the whole difference4     
,what would be impudence in one manner1 
is only a proper and decent assurance in
 another4 ,a man of sense1 and of       
knowledge in the world1 will assert his 
own rights1 and pursue his own objects1 
as steadily and intrepidly as the most  

impudent man living1 and commonly more  
so2 but then he has art enough to give  
an outward air of modesty to all he     
does4 ,this engages and prevails1 while 
the very same things shock and fail1    
from the overbearing or impudent manner 
only of doing them4 ,i repeat my maxim1 
#8,suaviter in modo1 sed fortiter in    
re'4 ,would you know the characters1    
modes and manners of the latter end of  
the last age1 which are very like those 
of the present1 read ,la ,bruyere4 ,but 
would you know man1 independently of    
modes1 read ,la ,rochefoucault1 who1 ,i 
am afraid1 paints him very exactly4     
,give the inclosed to ,abbe ,guasco1 of 
whom you make good use1 to go about with
 you1 and see things4 ,between you and  
me1 he has more knowledge than parts4   
#8,mais un habile homme sait tirer parti
 de tout'1 and everybody is good for    
something4 ,president ,montesquieu is1  
in every sense1 a most useful           
acquaintance4 ,he has parts1 joined to  
great reading and knowledge of the      

world4 #8,puisez dans cette source tant 
que vous pourrez'4  ,adieu4 ,may the    
,graces attend you6 for without them    
#8ogni fatica e vana'4 ,if they do not  
come to you willingly1 ravish them1 and 
force them to accompany you in all you  
think1 all you say1 and all you do4     
,,letter ,,cxxxi  ,,london1 ,february   
#aa1 ,o4 ,s4 #agea  ,,my ,,dear         
,,friend3 ,when you go to the play1     
which ,i hope you do often1 for it is a 
very instructive amusement1 you must    
certainly have observed the very        
different effects which the several     
parts have upon you1 according as they  
are well or ill acted4 ,the very best   
tragedy of1 ,corneille's1 if well spoken
 and acted1 interests1 engages1         
agitates1 and affects your passions4    
,love1 terror1 and pity alternately     
possess you4 ,but1 if ill spoken and    
acted1 it would only excite your        
indignation or your laughter4 ,why8 ,it 
is still ,corneille's2 it is the same   
sense1 the same matter1 whether well or 

ill acted4 ,it is1 then1 merely the     
manner of speaking and acting that makes
 this great difference in the effects4  
,apply this to yourself1 and conclude   
from it1 that if you would either please
 in a private company1 or persuade in a 
public assembly1 air1 looks1 gestures1  
graces1 enunciation1 proper accents1    
just emphasis1 and tuneful cadences1 are
 full as necessary as the matter itself4
 ,let awkward1 ungraceful1 inelegant1   
and dull fellows say what they will in  
behalf of their solid matter and strong 
reasonings2 and let them despise all    
those graces and ornaments which engage 
the senses and captivate the heart2 they
 will find 7though they will possibly   
wonder why7 that their rough1 unpolished
 matter1 and their unadorned1 coarse1   
but strong arguments1 will neither      
please nor persuade2 but1 on the        
contrary1 will tire out attention1 and  
excite disgust4 ,we are so made1 we love
 to be pleased better than to be        
informed2 information is1 in a certain  

degree1 mortifying1 as it implies our   
previous ignorance2 it must be sweetened
 to be palatable4  ,to bring this       
directly to you3 know that no man can   
make a figure in this country1 but by   
parliament4 ,your fate depends upon your
 success there as a speaker2 and1 take  
my word for it1 that success turns much 
more upon manner than matter4 ,mr4 ,pitt
 and ,mr4 ,murray the solicitor-general1
 uncle to ,lord ,stormount1 are1 beyond 
comparison1 the best speakers2 why8 only
 because they are the best orators4     
,they alone can inflame or quiet the    
,house2 they alone are so attended to1  
in that numerous and noisy assembly1    
that you might hear a pin fall while    
either of them is speaking4 ,is it that 
their matter is better1 or their        
arguments stronger1 than other people's8
 ,does the ,house expect extraordinary  
informations from them8 ,not1 in the    
least3 but the ,house expects pleasure  
from them1 and therefore attends2 finds 
it1 and therefore approves4 ,mr4 ,pitt1 

particularly1 has very little           
parliamentary knowledge2 his matter is  
generally flimsy1 and his arguments     
often weak2 but his eloquence is        
superior1 his action graceful1 his      
enunciation just and harmonious2 his    
periods are well turned1 and every word 
he makes use of is the very best1 and   
the most expressive1 that can be used in
 that place4 ,this1 and not his matter1 
made him ,paymaster1 in spite of both   
king and ministers4 ,from this draw the 
obvious conclusion4 ,the same thing     
holds full as true in conversation2     
where even trifles1 elegantly expressed1
 well looked1 and accompanied with      
graceful action1 will ever please1      
beyond all the homespun1 unadorned sense
 in the world4 ,reflect1 on one side1   
how you feel within yourself1 while you 
are forced to suffer the tedious1 muddy1
 and ill-turned narration of some       
awkward fellow1 even though the fact may
 be interesting2 and1 on the other hand1
 with what pleasure you attend to the   

relation of a much less interesting     
matter1 when elegantly expressed1       
genteelly turned1 and gracefully        
delivered4 ,by attending carefully to   
all these agremens in your daily        
conversation1 they will become habitual 
to you1 before you come into parliament2
 and you will have nothing then1 to do1 
but to raise them a little when you come
 there4 ,i would wish you to be so      
attentive to this object1 that ,i1 would
 not have you speak to your footman1 but
 in the very best words that the subject
 admits of1 be the language what it     
will4 ,think of your words1 and of their
 arrangement1 before you speak2 choose  
the most elegant1 and place them in the 
best order4 ,consult your own ear1 to   
avoid cacophony1 and1 what is very near 
as bad1 monotony4 ,think also of your   
gesture and looks1 when you are speaking
 even upon the most trifling subjects4  
,the same things1 differently expressed1
 looked1 and delivered1 cease to be the 
same things4 ,the most passionate lover 

in the world cannot make a stronger     
declaration of love than the            
#8,bourgeois gentilhomme' does in this  
happy form of words1 #8,mourir d'amour  
me font belle ,marquise vos beaux yeux'4
 ,i defy anybody to say more2 and yet ,i
 would advise nobody to say that1 and ,i
 would recommend to you rather to       
smother and conceal your passion        
entirely than to reveal it in these     
words4 ,seriously1 this holds in        
everything1 as well as in that ludicrous
 instance4 ,the ,french1 to do them     
justice1 attend very minutely to the    
purity1 the correctness1 and the        
elegance of their style in conversation 
and in their letters4 #8,bien narrer' is
 an object of their study2 and though   
they sometimes carry it to affectation1 
they never sink into inelegance1 which  
is much the worst extreme of the two4   
,observe them1 and form your ,french    
style upon theirs3 for elegance in one  
language will reproduce itself in all4  
,i knew a young man1 who1 being just    

elected a member of parliament1 was     
laughed at for being discovered1 through
 the keyhole of his chamber-door1       
speaking to himself in the glass1 and   
forming his looks and gestures4 ,i could
 not join in that laugh2 but1 on the    
contrary1 thought him much wiser than   
those who laughed at him2 for he knew   
the importance of those little graces in
 a public assembly1 and they did not4   
,your little person 7which ,i am told1  
by the way1 is not ill turned71 whether 
in a laced coat or a blanket1 is        
specifically the same2 but yet1 ,i      
believe1 you choose to wear the former1 
and you are in the right1 for the sake  
of pleasing more4 ,the worst-bred man in
 ,europe1 if a lady let fall her fan1   
would certainly take it up and give it  
her2 the best-bred man in ,europe could 
do no more4 ,the difference1 however1   
would be considerable2 the latter would 
please by doing it gracefully2 the      
former would be laughed at for doing it 
awkwardly4 ,i repeat it1 and repeat it  

again1 and shall never cease repeating  
it to you3 air1 manners1 graces1 style1 
elegance1 and all those ornaments1 must 
now be the only objects of your         
attention2 it is now1 or never1 that you
 must acquire them4 ,postpone1          
therefore1 all other considerations2    
make them now your serious study2 you   
have not one moment to lose4 ,the solid 
and the ornamental united1 are          
undoubtedly best2 but were ,i reduced to
 make an option1 ,i should without      
hesitation choose the latter4  ,i hope  
you assiduously frequent ,marcell--,at  
that time the most celebrated           
dancing-master at ,paris4--and carry    
graces from him2 nobody had more to     
spare than he had formerly4 ,have you   
learned to carve8 for it is ridiculous  
not to carve well4 ,a man who tells you 
gravely that he cannot carve1 may as    
well tell you that he cannot blow his   
nose3 it is both as necessary1 and as   
easy4  ,make my compliments to ,lord    
,huntingdon1 whom ,i love and honor     

extremely1 as ,i dare say you do2 ,i    
will write to him soon1 though ,i       
believe he has hardly time to read a    
letter2 and my letters to those ,i love 
are1 as you know by experience1 not very
 short ones3 this is one proof of it1   
and this would have been longer1 if the 
paper had been so4 ,good night then1 my 
dear child4     ,,letter ,,cxxxii       
,,london1 ,february #bh1 ,o4 ,s4 #agea4 
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,this epigram in  
,martial--         8,non amo te1        
,sabidi1 nec possum dicere quare2       
,hoc tantum possum dicere1 non amo te0--
          ,,or3 8,i do not love thee    
,dr4 ,fell         ,the reason why ,i   
cannot tell4         ,but this ,i know  
and know full well3         ,i do not   
love thee ,dr4 ,fell40  ,d4,w4  has     
puzzled a great many people1 who cannot 
conceive how it is possible not to love 
anybody1 and yet not to know the reason 
why4 ,i think ,i conceive ,martial's    
meaning very clearly1 though the nature 
of epigram1 which is to be short1 would 

not allow him to explain it more fully2 
and ,i take it to be this3 ,o ,sabidis1 
you are a very worthy deserving man2 you
 have a thousand good qualities1 you    
have a great deal of learning2 ,i       
esteem1 ,i respect1 but for the soul of 
me ,i cannot love you1 though ,i cannot 
particularly say why4 ,you are not      
aimable3 you have not those engaging    
manners1 those pleasing attentions1     
those graces1 and that address1 which   
are absolutely necessary to please1     
though impossible to define4 ,i cannot  
say it is this or that particular thing 
that hinders me from loving you2 it is  
the whole together2 and upon the whole  
you are not agreeable4  ,how often have 
,i1 in the course of my life1 found     
myself in this situation1 with regard to
 many of my acquaintance1 whom ,i have  
honored and respected1 without being    
able to love4 ,i did not know why1      
because1 when one is young1 one does not
 take the trouble1 nor allow one's self 
the time1 to analyze one's sentiments   

and to trace them up to their source4   
,but subsequent observation and         
reflection have taught me why4 ,there is
 a man1 whose moral character1 deep     
learning1 and superior parts1 ,i        
acknowledge1 admire1 and respect2 but   
whom it is so impossible for me to love1
 that ,i am almost in a fever whenever  
,i am in his company4 ,his figure       
7without being deformed7 seems made to  
disgrace or ridicule the common         
structure of the human body4 ,his legs  
and arms are never in the position      
which1 according to the situation of his
 body1 they ought to be in1 but         
constantly employed in committing acts  
of hostility upon the ,graces4 ,he      
throws anywhere1 but down his throat1   
whatever he means to drink1 and only    
mangles what he means to carve4         
,inattentive to all the regards of      
social life1 he mistimes or misplaces   
everything4 ,he disputes with heat1 and 
indiscriminately1 mindless of the rank1 
character1 and situation of those with  

whom he disputes2 absolutely ignorant of
 the several gradations of familiarity  
or respect1 he is exactly the same to   
his superiors1 his equals1 and his      
inferiors2 and therefore1 by a necessary
 consequence1 absurd to two of the      
three4 ,is it possible to love such a   
man8 ,no4 ,the utmost ,i can do for him1
 is to consider him as a respectable    
,hottentot4--,this #8mot' was aimed at  
,dr4 ,johnson in retaliation for his    
famous letter4  ,i remember1 that when  
,i came from ,cambridge1 ,i had         
acquired1 among the pedants of that     
illiberal seminary1 a sauciness of      
literature1 a turn to satire and        
contempt1 and a strong tendency to      
argumentation and contradiction4 ,but ,i
 had been but a very little while in the
 world1 before ,i found that this would 
by no means do2 and ,i immediately      
adopted the opposite character2 ,i      
concealed what learning ,i had2 ,i      
applauded often1 without approving2 and 
,i yielded commonly without conviction4 

#8,suaviter in modo' was my law and my  
prophets2 and if ,i pleased 7between you
 and me7 it was much more owing to that1
 than to any superior knowledge or merit
 of my own4 ,apropos1 the word          
,,pleasing puts one always in mind of   
,lady ,hervey2 pray tell her1 that ,i   
declare her responsible to me for your  
pleasing2 that ,i consider her as a     
pleasing ,falstaff1 who not only        
pleases1 herself1 but is the cause of   
pleasing in others2 that ,i know she can
 make anything of anybody2 and that1 as 
your governess1 if she does not make you
 please1 it must be only because she    
will not1 and not because she cannot4 ,i
 hope you are #8dubois don't on en      
fait'2 and if so1 she is so good a      
sculptor1 that ,i am sure she can give  
you whatever form she pleases4 ,a       
versatility of manners is as necessary  
in social1 as a versatility of parts is 
in political life4 ,one must often      
yield1 in order to prevail2 one must    
humble one's self1 to be exalted2 one   

must1 like ,st4 ,paul1 become all things
 to all men1 to gain some2 and1 by the  
way1 men are taken by the same means1   
#8mutatis mutandis'1 that women are     
gained--by gentleness1 insinuation1 and 
submission3 and these lines of ,mr4     
,dryden will hold to a minister as well 
as to a mistress3          8,the        
prostrate lover1 when he lowest lies1   
,but stoops to conquer1 and but kneels  
to rise40  ,in the course of the world1 
the qualifications of the chameleon are 
often necessary2 nay1 they must be      
carried a little further1 and exerted a 
little sooner2 for you should1 to a     
certain degree1 take the hue of either  
the man or the woman that you want1 and 
wish to be upon terms with4 #8,a        
propos'1 have you yet found out at      
,paris1 any friendly and hospitable     
,madame de ,lursay1 #8qui veut bien se  
charger du soin de vous eduquer'8 ,and  
have you had any occasion of            
representing to her1 #8qu'elle faisoit  
donc des noeuds'8 ,but ,i ask your      

pardon1 ,sir1 for the abruptness of the 
question1 and acknowledge that ,i am    
meddling with matters that are out of my
 department4 ,however1 in matters of    
less importance1 ,i desire to be #8de   
vos secrets le fidele depositaire'4     
,trust me with the general turn and     
color of your amusements at ,paris4 ,is 
it #8le fracas du grand monde1 comedies1
 bals1 operas1 cour1' etc48 ,or is it   
#8des petites societes1 moins bruyantes1
 mais pas pour cela moins agreables'8   
,where are you the most #8etabli'8      
,where are you #8le petit ,stanhope8    
,voyez vous encore jour1 a quelque      
arrangement honnete8 ,have you made many
 acquaintances among the young          
,frenchmen who ride at your ,academy2   
and who are they8 ,send to me this sort 
of chit-chat in your letters1 which1 by 
the bye1 ,i wish you would honor me with
 somewhat oftener4 ,if you frequent any 
of the myriads of polite ,englishmen who
 infest ,paris1 who are they8 ,have you 
finished with ,abbe ,nolet1 and are you 

#8au fait' of all the properties and    
effects of air8 ,were ,i inclined to    
quibble1 ,i would say1 that the effects 
of air1 at least1 are best to be learned
 of ,marcel4 ,if you have quite done    
with l',abbes ,nolet1 ask my friend     
l',abbe ,sallier to recommend to you    
some meagre philomath1 to teach you a   
little geometry and astronomy2 not      
enough to absorb your attention and     
puzzle your intellects1 but only enough 
not to be grossly ignorant of either4 ,i
 have of late been a sort of #8astronome
 malgre moi'1 by bringing in last       
,monday into the ,house of ,lords a bill
 for reforming our present ,calendar and
 taking the ,new ,style4 ,upon which    
occasion ,i was obliged to talk some    
astronomical jargon1 of which ,i did not
 understand one word1 but got it by     
heart1 and spoke it by rote from a      
master4 ,i wished that ,i had known a   
little more of it myself2 and so much ,i
 would have you know4 ,but the great and
 necessary knowledge of all is1 to know1

 yourself and others3 this knowledge    
requires great attention and long       
experience2 exert the former1 and may   
you have the latter6 ,adieu6  ,p4 ,s4 ,i
 have this moment received your letters 
of the #bgth ,february1 and the #b;d    
,march1 ,n4 ,s4 ,the seal shall be done 
as soon as possible4 ,i am1 glad that   
you are employed in ,lord ,albemarle's  
bureau2 it will teach you1 at least1 the
 mechanical part of that business1 such 
as folding1 entering1 and docketing     
letters2 for you must not imagine that  
you are let into the #8fin fin' of the  
correspondence1 nor indeed is it fit    
that you should1 at1 your age4 ,however1
 use yourself to secrecy as to the      
letters you either read or write1 that  
in time you may be trusted with         
,,secret1 ,,very ,,secret1 ,,separate1  
,,apart1 etc4 ,i am sorry that this     
business interferes with your riding2 ,i
 hope it is seldom2 but ,i insist upon  
its not interfering with your           
dancing-master1 who is at this time the 

most useful and necessary of all the    
masters you have or can have4           
,,letter ,,cxxxiii  ,,my ,,dear         
,,friend3 ,i mentioned to you1 some time
 ago a sentence which ,i would most     
earnestly wish you always to retain in  
your thoughts1 and observe in your      
conduct4 ,it is #8suaviter in modo1     
fortiter in re' gentleness of manners1  
with firmness of mind ,d4,w44 ,i do not 
know any one rule so unexceptionably    
useful and necessary in every part of   
life4 ,i shall therefore take it for my 
text to-day1 and as old men love        
preaching1 and ,i have some right to    
preach to you1 ,i here present you with 
my sermon upon these words4 ,to proceed1
 then1 regularly and ,,pulpitically1 ,i 
will first show you1 my beloved1 the    
necessary connection of the two members 
of my text #8suaviter in modo3 fortiter 
in re'4 ,in the next place1 ,i shall set
 forth the advantages and utility       
resulting from a strict observance of   
the precept contained in my text2 and   

conclude with an application of the     
whole4 ,the #8suaviter in modo' alone   
would degenerate and sink into a mean1  
timid complaisance and passiveness1 if  
not supported and dignified by the      
#8fortiter in re'1 which would also run 
into impetuosity and brutality1 if not  
tempered and softened by the #8suaviter 
in modo'3 however1 they are seldom      
united4  ,the warm1 choleric man1 with  
strong animal spirits1 despises the     
#8suaviter in modo'1 and thinks to1     
carry all before him by the #8fortiter  
in re'4 ,he may1 possibly1 by great     
accident1 now and then succeed1 when he 
has only weak and timid people to deal  
with2 but his general fate will be1 to  
shock offend1 be hated1 and fail4 ,on   
the other hand1 the cunning1 crafty man 
thinks to gain all his ends by the      
#8suaviter in modo' only2 ,,he ,,becomes
 ,,all ,,things ,,to ,,all ,,men2 he    
seems to have no opinion of his own1 and
 servilely adopts the present opinion of
 the present person2 he insinuates      

himself only into the esteem of fools1  
but is soon detected1 and surely        
despised by everybody else4 ,the wise   
man 7who differs as much from the       
cunning1 as from the choleric man7 alone
 joins the #8suaviter in modo' with the 
#8fortiter in re'4 ,now to the          
advantages arising from the strict      
observance of this precept3  ,if you are
 in authority1 and have a right to      
command1 your commands delivered        
#8suaviter in modo' will be willingly1  
cheerfully1 and consequently well       
obeyed2 whereas1 if given only          
#8fortiter'1 that is brutally1 they will
 rather1 as ,tacitus says1 be           
interrupted than executed4 ,for my own  
part1 if ,i bid my footman bring me a   
glass of wine1 in a rough insulting     
manner1 ,i should expect that1 in       
obeying me1 he would contrive to spill  
some of it upon me3 and ,i am sure ,i   
should deserve it4 ,a cool1 steady      
resolution should show that where you   
have a right to command you will be     

obeyed2 but at the same time1 a         
gentleness in the manner of enforcing   
that obedience should make it a cheerful
 one1 and soften as much as possible the
 mortifying consciousness of            
inferiority4 ,if you are to ask a favor1
 or even to solicit your due1 you must  
do it #8suaviter in modo'1 or you will  
give those who have a mind to refuse    
you1 either a pretense to do it1 by     
resenting the manner2 but1 on the other 
hand1 you must1 by a steady perseverance
 and decent tenaciousness1 show the     
#8fortiter in re'4 ,the right motives   
are seldom the true ones of men's       
actions1 especially of kings1 ministers1
 and people in high stations2 who often 
give to importunity and fear1 what they 
would refuse to justice or to merit4 ,by
 the #8suaviter in modo' engage their   
hearts1 if you can2 at least prevent the
 pretense of offense but take care to   
show enough of the #8fortiter in re' to 
extort from their love of ease1 or their
 fear1 what you might in vain hope for  

from their justice or good-nature4      
,people in high life are hardened to the
 wants and distresses of mankind1 as    
surgeons are to their bodily pains2 they
 see and hear of them all day long1 and 
even of so many simulated ones1 that    
they do not know which are real1 and    
which not4 ,other sentiments are        
therefore to be applied to1 than those  
of mere justice and humanity2 their     
favor must be captivated by the         
#8suaviter in modo'2 their love of ease 
disturbed by unwearied importunity1 or  
their fears wrought upon by a decent    
intimation of implacable1 cool          
resentment2 this is the true #8fortiter 
in re'4 ,this precept is the only way ,i
 know in the world of being loved       
without being despised1 and feared      
without being hated4 ,it constitutes the
 dignity of character which every wise  
man must endeavor to establish4  ,now to
 apply what has been said1 and so       
conclude4  ,if you find that you have a 
hastiness in your temper1 which         

unguardedly breaks out into indiscreet  
sallies1 or rough expressions1 to either
 your superiors1 your equals1 or your   
inferiors1 watch it narrowly1 check it  
carefully1 and call the #8suaviter in   
modo' to your assistance3 at the first  
impulse of passion1 be silent till you  
can be soft4 ,labor even to get the     
command of your countenance so well1    
that those emotions may not be read in  
it2 a most unspeakable advantage in     
business6 ,on the other hand1 let no    
complaisance1 no gentleness of temper1  
no weak desire of pleasing on your      
part1--no wheedling1 coaxing1 nor       
flattery1 on other people's1--make you  
recede one jot from any point that      
reason and prudence have bid you pursue2
 but return to the charge1 persist1     
persevere1 and you will find most things
 attainable that are possible4 ,a       
yielding1 timid meekness is always      
abused and insulted by the unjust and   
the unfeeling2 but when sustained by the
 #8fortiter in re'1 is always respected1

 commonly successful4 ,in your          
friendships and connections1 as well as 
in your enmities1 this rule is          
particularly useful2 let your firmness  
and vigor preserve and invite           
attachments to you2 but1 at the same    
time1 let your manner hinder the enemies
 of your friends and dependents from    
becoming yours2 let your enemies be     
disarmed by the gentleness of your      
manner1 but let them feel1 at the same  
time1 the steadiness of your just       
resentment2 for there is a great        
difference between bearing malice1 which
 is always ungenerous1 and a resolute   
self-defense1 which is always prudent   
and justifiable4 ,in negotiations with  
foreign ministers1 remember the         
#8fortiter in re'2 give up no point1    
accept of no expedient1 till the utmost 
necessity reduces you to it1 and even   
then1 dispute the ground inch by inch2  
but then1 while you are contending with 
the minister #8fortiter in re'1 remember
 to gain the man by the #8suaviter in   

modo'4 ,if you engage his heart1 you    
have a fair chance for imposing upon his
 understanding1 and determining his     
will4 ,tell him1 in a frank1 gallant    
manner1 that your ministerial wrangles  
do not lessen your personal regard for  
his merit2 but that1 on the contrary1   
his zeal and ability in the service of  
his master1 increase it2 and that1 of   
all things1 you desire to make a good   
friend of so good a servant4 ,by these  
means you may1 and will very often be a 
gainer3 you never can be a loser4 ,some 
people cannot gain upon themselves to be
 easy and civil to those who are either 
their rivals1 competitors1 or opposers1 
though1 independently of those          
accidental circumstances1 they would    
like and esteem them4 ,they betray a    
shyness and an awkwardness in company   
with them1 and catch at any little thing
 to expose them2 and so1 from temporary 
and only occasional opponents1 make them
 their personal enemies4 ,this is       
exceedingly weak and detrimental1 as    

indeed is all humor in business2 which  
can only be carried on successfully by1 
unadulterated good policy and right     
reasoning4 ,in such situations ,i would 
be more particularly and #8noblement'1  
civil1 easy1 and frank with the man     
whose designs ,i traversed3 this is     
commonly called generosity and          
magnanimity1 but is1 in truth1 good     
sense and policy4 ,the manner is often  
as important as the matter1 sometimes   
more so2 a favor may make an enemy1 and 
an injury may make a friend1 according  
to the different manner in which they   
are severally done4 ,the countenance1   
the address1 the words1 the enunciation1
 the ,graces1 add great efficacy to the 
#8suaviter in modo'1 and great dignity  
to the #8fortiter in re'1 and           
consequently they deserve the utmost    
attention4  ,from what has been said1 ,i
 conclude with this observation1 that   
gentleness of manners1 with firmness of 
mind1 is a short1 but full description  
of human perfection on this side of     

religious and moral duties4 ,that you   
may be seriously convinced of this      
truth1 and show it in your life and     
conversation1 is the most sincere and   
ardent wish of1 ,yours4     ,,letter    
,,cxxxiv  ,,london1 ,march #aa1 ,o4 ,s4 
#agea4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i        
received by the last post a letter from 
,abbe ,guasco1 in which he joins his    
representations to those of ,lord       
,albemarle1 against your remaining any  
longer in your very bad lodgings at the 
,academy2 and1 as ,i do not find that   
any advantage can arise to you from     
being #8interne' in an academy which is 
full as far from the riding-house and   
from all your other masters1 as your    
lodgings will probably be1 ,i agree to  
your removing to an #8hotel garni'2 the 
,abbe will help you to find one1 as ,i  
desire him by the inclosed1 which you   
will give him4 ,i must1 however1 annex  
one condition to your going into private
 lodgings1 which is an absolute         
exclusion of ,english breakfasts and    

suppers at them2 the former consume the 
whole morning1 and the latter employ the
 evenings very ill1 in senseless        
toasting a l',angloise in their infernal
 claret4 ,you will be sure to go to the 
riding-house as often as possible1 that 
is1 whenever your new business at ,lord 
,albemarle's does not hinder you4 ,but1 
at all events1 ,i insist upon your never
 missing ,marcel1 who is at present of  
more consequence to you than all the    
bureaux in ,europe2 for this is the time
 for you to acquire #8tous ces petits   
riens'1 which1 though in an arithmetical
 account1 added to one another #8ad     
infinitum'1 they would amount to        
nothing1 in the account of the world    
amount to a great and important sum4    
#8,les agremens et les graces'1 without 
which you will never be anything1 are   
absolutely made up of all those         
#8riens'1 which are more easily felt    
than described4 ,by the way1 you may    
take your lodgings for one whole year   
certain1 by which means you may get them

 much cheaper2 for though ,i intend to  
see you here in less than a year1 it    
will be but for a little time1 and you  
will return to ,paris again1 where ,i   
intend you shall stay till the end of   
,april twelvemonth1 #ageb1 at which     
time1 provided you have got all #8la    
politesse1 les manieres1 les attentions1
 et les graces du beau monde'1 ,i shall 
place you in some business suitable to  
your destination4  ,i have received1 at 
last1 your present of the cartoon1 from 
,dominichino1 by ,planchet4 ,it is very 
finely done1 it is pity that he did not 
take in all the figures of the original4
 ,i will hang it up1 where it shall be  
your own again some time or other4  ,mr4
 ,harte is returned in perfect health   
from ,cornwall1 and has taken possession
 of his prebendal house at ,windsor1    
which is a very pretty one4 ,as ,i dare 
say you will always feel1 ,i hope you   
will always express1 the strongest      
sentiments of gratitude and friendship  
for him4 ,write to him frequently1 and  

attend to the letters you receive from  
him4 ,he shall be with us at            
,blackheath1 alias ,,babiole1 all the   
time that ,i propose you shall be there1
 which ,i believe will be the month of  
,august next4  ,having thus mentioned to
 you the probable time of our meeting1  
,i will prepare you a little for it4    
,hatred2 jealousy1 or envy1 make1 most  
people attentive to discover the least  
defects of those they do not love2 they 
rejoice at every new discovery they make
 of that kind1 and take care to publish 
it4 ,i thank ,god1 ,i do not know what  
those three ungenerous passions are1    
having never felt them in my own breast2
 but love has just the same effect upon 
me1 except that ,i conceal1 instead of  
publishing1 the defeats which my        
attention makes me discover in those ,i 
love4 ,i curiously pry into them2 ,i    
analyze them2 and1 wishing either to    
find them perfect1 or to make them so1  
nothing escapes me1 and ,i soon discover
 every the least gradation toward or    

from that perfection4 ,you must         
therefore expect the most critical      
#8examen' that ever anybody underwent4  
,i shall discover your least1 as well as
 your greatest defects1 and ,i shall    
very freely tell you of them1 #8,non    
quod odio habeam sed quod amem'4 ,but ,i
 shall tell them you #8tete-a-tete'1 and
 as ,,micio not as ,,demea2 and ,i will 
tell them to nobody else4 ,i think it   
but fair to inform you beforehand1 where
 ,i suspect that my criticisms are      
likely to fall2 and that is more upon   
the outward1 than upon the inward man2  
,i neither suspect your heart nor your  
head2 but to be plain with you1 ,i have 
a strange distrust of your air1 your    
address1 your manners1 your #8tournure'1
 and particularly of your ,,enunciation 
and elegance of style4 ,these will be   
all put to the trial2 for while you are 
with me1 you must do the honors of my   
house and table2 the least inaccuracy or
 inelegance will not escape me2 as you  
will find by a ,,look at the time1 and  

by a remonstrance afterward when we are 
alone4 ,you will see a great deal of    
company of all sorts at ,,babiole1 and  
particularly foreigners4 ,make1         
therefore1 in the meantime1 all these   
exterior and ornamental qualifications  
your peculiar care1 and disappoint all  
my imaginary schemes of criticism4 ,some
 authors have criticised their own works
 first1 in hopes of hindering others    
from doing it afterward3 but then they  
do it themselves with so much tenderness
 and partiality for their own           
production1 that not only the production
 itself1 but the preventive criticism is
 criticised4 ,i am not one of those     
authors2 but1 on the contrary1 my       
severity increases with my fondness for 
my work2 and if you will but effectually
 correct all the faults ,i shall find1  
,i will insure you from all subsequent  
criticisms from other quarters4  ,are   
you got a little into the interior1 into
 the constitution of things at ,paris8  
,have you seen what you have seen       

thoroughly8 ,for1 by the way1 few people
 see what they see1 or hear what they   
hear4 ,for example1 if you go to les    
,invalides1 do you content yourself with
 seeing the building1 the hall where    
three or four hundred cripples dine1 and
 the galleries where they lie8 or do you
 inform yourself of the numbers1 the    
conditions of their admission1 their    
allowance1 the value and nature of the  
fund by which the whole is supported8   
,this latter ,i call seeing1 the former 
is only starting4 ,many people take the 
opportunity of #8les vacances'1 to go   
and see the empty rooms where the       
several chambers of the parliament did  
sit2 which rooms are exceedingly like   
all other large rooms2 when you go      
there1 let it be when they are full2 see
 and hear what is doing in them2 learn  
their respective constitutions1         
jurisdictions1 objects1 and methods of  
proceeding2 hear some causes tried in   
every one of the different chambers2    
#8,approfondissez les choses'4  ,i am   

glad to hear that you are so well at    
,marquis de ,st4 ,germain's1 --,at that 
time ,ambassador from the ,king of      
,sardinia at the ,court of ,france4--of 
whom ,i hear a very good character4 ,how
 are you with the other foreign         
ministers at ,paris8 ,do you frequent   
the ,dutch ,ambassador or ,ambassadress8
 ,have you any footing at the ,nuncio's1
 or at the ,imperial and ,spanish       
ambassadors8 ,it is useful4 ,be more    
particular in your letters to me1 as to 
your manner of passing your time1 and   
the company you keep4 ,where do you dine
 and sup oftenest8 whose house is most  
your home8 ,adieu4 #8,les ,graces1 les  
,graces'4     ,,letter ,,cxxxv          
,,london1 ,march #ah1 ,o4 ,s4 #agea4    
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i acquainted you 
in a former letter1 that ,i had brought 
a bill into the ,house of ,lords for    
correcting and reforming our present    
calendar1 which is the ,julian1 and for 
adopting the ,gregorian4 ,i will now    
give you a more particular account of   

that affair2 from which reflections will
 naturally occur to you that ,i hope may
 be useful1 and which ,i fear you have  
not made4 ,it was notorious1 that the   
,julian calendar was erroneous1 and had 
overcharged the solar year with eleven  
days4 ,pope ,gregory the ,thirteenth    
corrected this error2 his reformed      
calendar was immediately received by all
 the ,catholic powers of ,europe1 and   
afterward adopted by all the ,protestant
 ones1 except ,russia1 ,sweden1 and     
,england4 ,it was not1 in my opinion1   
very honorable for ,england to remain1  
in a gross and avowed error1 especially 
in such company2 the inconveniency of it
 was likewise felt by all those who had 
foreign correspondences1 whether        
political or mercantile4 ,i determined1 
therefore1 to attempt the reformation2  
,i consulted the best lawyers and the   
most skillful astronomers1 and we cooked
 up a bill for that purpose4 ,but then  
my difficulty began3 ,i was to bring in 
this bill1 which was necessarily        

composed of law jargon and astronomical 
calculations1 to both which ,i am an    
utter stranger4 ,however1 it was        
absolutely necessary to make the ,house 
of ,lords think that ,i knew something  
of the matter2 and also to make them    
believe that they knew something of it  
themselves1 which they do not4 ,for my  
own part1 ,i could just as soon have    
talked ,celtic or ,sclavonian to them as
 astronomy1 and they would have         
understood me full as well3 so ,i       
resolved to do better than speak to the 
purpose1 and to please instead of       
informing them4 ,i gave them1 therefore1
 only an historical account of          
calendars1 from the ,egyptian down to   
the ,gregorian1 amusing them now and    
then with little episodes2 but ,i was   
particularly attentive to the choice of 
my words1 to the harmony and roundness  
of my periods1 to my elocution1 to my   
action4 ,this succeeded1 and ever will  
succeed2 they thought ,i informed1      
because ,i pleased them2 and many of    

them said that ,i had made the whole    
very clear to them2 when1 ,god knows1 ,i
 had not even attempted it4 ,lord       
,macclesfield1 who had the greatest     
share in forming the bill1 and who is   
one of the greatest mathematicians and  
astronomers in ,europe1 spoke afterward 
with infinite knowledge1 and all the    
clearness that so intricate a matter    
would admit of3 but as his words1 his   
periods1 and his utterance1 were not    
near so good as mine1 the preference was
 most unanimously1 though most unjustly1
 given to me4 ,this will ever be the    
case2 every numerous assembly is ,,mob1 
let the individuals who compose it be   
what they will4 ,mere reason and good   
sense is never to be talked to a mob2   
their passions1 their sentiments1 their 
senses1 and their seeming interests1 are
 alone to be applied to4 ,understanding 
they have collectively none1 but they   
have ears and eyes1 which must be       
flattered and seduced2 and this can only
 be done by eloquence1 tuneful periods1 

graceful action1 and all the various    
parts of oratory4  ,when you come into  
the ,house of ,commons1 if you imagine  
that speaking plain and unadorned sense 
and reason will do your business1 you   
will find yourself most grossly         
mistaken4 ,as a speaker1 you will be    
ranked only according to your eloquence1
 and by no means according to your      
matter2 everybody knows the matter      
almost alike1 but few can adorn it4 ,i  
was early convinced of the importance   
and powers of eloquence2 and from that  
moment ,i applied myself to it4 ,i      
resolved not to utter one word1 even in 
common conversation1 that should not be 
the most expressive and the most elegant
 that the language could supply me with 
for that purpose2 by which means ,i have
 acquired such a certain degree of      
habitual eloquence1 that ,i must now    
really take some pains1 if1 ,i would    
express myself very inelegantly4 ,i want
 to inculcate this known truth into you1
 which1 you seem by no means to be      

convinced of yet1 that ornaments are at 
present your only objects4 ,your sole   
business now is to shine1 not to weigh4 
,weight without lustre is lead4 ,you had
 better talk trifles elegantly to the   
most trifling woman1 than coarse in     
elegant sense to the most solid man2 you
 had better1 return a dropped fan       
genteelly1 than give a thousand pounds  
awkwardly2 and you had better refuse a  
favor gracefully1 than to grant it      
clumsily4 ,manner is all1 in everything3
 it is by manner only that you can      
please1 and consequently rise4 ,all your
 ,greek will never advance you from     
secretary to envoy1 or from envoy to    
ambassador2 but your address1 your      
manner1 your air1 if good1 very probably
 may4 ,marcel can be of much more use to
 you than ,aristotle4 ,i would1 upon my 
word1 much rather that you had ,lord    
,bolingbroke's style and eloquence in   
speaking and writing1 than all the      
learning of the ,academy of ,sciences1  
the ,royal ,society1 and the two        

,universities united4  ,having mentioned
 ,lord ,bolingbroke's style1 which is1  
undoubtedly1 infinitely superior to     
anybody's1 ,i would have you read his   
works1 which you have1 over and-over    
again1 with particular attention to his 
style4 ,transcribe1 imitate1 emulate it1
 if possible3 that would be of real use 
to you in the ,house of ,commons1 in    
negotiations1 in conversation2 with     
that1 you may justly hope to please1 to 
persuade1 to seduce1 to impose2 and you 
will fail in those articles1 in         
proportion as you fall short of it4     
,upon the whole1 lay aside1 during your 
year's residence at ,paris1 all thoughts
 of all that dull fellows call solid1   
and exert your utmost care to acquire   
what people of fashion call shining4    
#8,prenez l'eclat et le brillant d'un   
galant homme'4  ,among the commonly     
called little things1 to which you1 do  
not attend1 your handwriting is one1    
which is indeed shamefully bad and      
illiberal2 it is neither the hand of a  

man of business1 nor of a gentleman1 but
 of a truant school-boy2 as soon1       
therefore1 as you have done with ,abbe  
,nolet1 pray get an excellent           
writing-master 7since you think that you
 cannot teach yourself to write what    
hand you please71 and let him teach you 
to write a genteel1 legible1 liberal    
hand1 and quick2 not the hand of a      
procureur or a writing-master1 but that 
sort of hand in which the first         
#8,commis' in foreign bureaus commonly  
write2 for ,i tell you truly1 that were 
,i ,lord ,albemarle1 nothing should     
remain in my bureau written in your     
present hand4 ,from hand to arms the    
transition is natural2 is the carriage  
and motion of your arms so too8 ,the    
motion of the arms is the most material 
part of a man's air1 especially in      
dancing2 the feet are not near so       
material4 ,if a man dances well from the
 waist upward1 wears his hat well1 and  
moves his head properly1 he dances well4
 ,do the women say that you dress well8 

for that is necessary too for a young   
fellow4 ,have you #8un gout vif'1 or a  
passion for anybody8 ,i do not ask for  
whom3 an ,iphigenia would both give you 
the desire1 and teach you the means to  
please4  ,in a fortnight or three weeks 
you will see ,sir ,charles ,hotham at   
,paris1 in his way to ,toulouse1 where  
he is to stay a year or two4 ,pray be   
very civil to him1 but do not carry him 
into company1 except presenting him to  
,lord ,albemarle2 for1 as he is not to  
stay at ,paris above a week1 we do not  
desire that he should taste of that     
dissipation3 you may show him a play and
 an opera4 ,adieu1 my dear child4       
,,letter ,,cxxxvi  ,,london1 ,march #be1
 ,o4 ,s4 #agea4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3  
,what a happy period of your life is    
this8 ,pleasure is now1 and ought to be1
 your business4 ,while you were younger1
 dry rules1 and unconnected words1 were 
the unpleasant objects of your labors4  
,when you grow older1 the anxiety1 the  
vexations1 the disappointments          

inseparable from public business1 will  
require the greatest share of your time 
and attention2 your pleasures may1      
indeed1 conduce to your business1 and   
your business will quicken your         
pleasures2 but still your time must1 at 
least1 be divided3 whereas now it is    
wholly your own1 and cannot be so well  
employed as in the pleasures of a       
gentleman4 ,the world is now the only   
book you want1 and almost the only one  
you ought to read3 that necessary book  
can only be read in company1 in public  
places1 at meals1 and in #8ruelles'4    
,you must be in the pleasures1 in order 
to learn the manners of good company4   
,in premeditated1 or in formal business1
 people conceal1 or at least endeavor to
 conceal1 their characters3 whereas     
pleasures discover them1 and the heart  
breaks out through the guard of the     
understanding4 ,those are often         
propitious moments for skillful         
negotiators to improve4 ,in your        
destination particularly1 the able      

conduct of pleasures is of infinite use2
 to keep a good table1 and to do the    
honors of it gracefully1 and #8sur le   
ton de la bonne compagnie'1 is          
absolutely necessary for a foreign      
minister4 ,there is a certain light     
table chit-chat1 useful to keep off     
improper and too serious subjects1 which
 is only to be learned in the pleasures 
of good company4 ,in truth it may be    
trifling2 but1 trifling as it is1 a man 
of parts and experience of the world    
will give an agreeable turn to it4      
#8,l'art de badiner agreablement' is by 
no means to be despised4  ,an engaging  
address1 and turn to gallantry1 is often
 of very great service to foreign       
ministers4 ,women have1 directly or     
indirectly2 a good deal to say in most  
courts4 ,the late ,lord ,strafford      
governed1 for a considerable time1 the  
,court of ,berlin and made his own      
fortune1 by being well with ,madame de  
,wartenberg1 the first ,king of         
,prussia's mistress4 ,i could name many 

other instances of that kind4 ,that sort
 of agreeable #8caquet de femmes'1 the  
necessary fore-runners of closer        
conferences1 is only to be got by       
frequenting women of the first fashion1 
#8et1 qui donnent le ton'4 ,let every   
other book then give way to this great  
and necessary book1 the world1 of which 
there are so many various readings1 that
 it requires a great deal of time and   
attention to under stand it well3       
contrary to all other books1 you must   
not stay home1 but go abroad to read it2
 and when you seek it abroad1 you will  
not find it in booksellers' shops and   
stalls1 but in courts1 in hotels1 at    
entertainments1 balls1 assemblies1      
spectacles1 etc4 ,put yourself upon the 
footing of an easy1 domestic1 but polite
 familiarity and intimacy in the several
 ,french houses to which you have been  
introduced3 ,cultivate them1 frequent   
them1 and show a desire of becoming     
#8enfant de la maison'4 ,get acquainted 
as much as you can with #8les gens de   

cour'2 and observe1 carefully1 how      
politely they can differ1 and how       
civilly they can hate2 how easy and idle
 they can seem in the multiplicity of   
their business2 and how they can lay    
hold of the proper moments to carry it  
on1 in the midst of their pleasures4    
,courts1 alone1 teach versatility and   
politeness2 for there is no living there
 without them4 ,lord ,albermarle has1 ,i
 hear1 and am very glad of it1 put you  
into the hands of ,messieurs de ,bissy4 
,profit of that1 and beg of them to let 
you attend them in all the companies of 
,versailles and ,paris4 ,one of them1 at
 least1 will naturally carry you to     
,madame de la ,valiores1 unless he is   
discarded by this time1 and ,gelliot--,a
 famous opera-singer at                 
,paris4--retaken4 ,tell them frankly1   
#8que vous cherchez a vous former1 que  
vous etes en mains de maitres1 s'ils    
veulent bien s'en donner la peine'4     
,your profession has this agreeable     
peculiarity in it1 which is1 that it is 

connected with1 and promoted by         
pleasures2 and it is the only one in    
which a thorough knowledge of the world1
 polite manners1 and an engaging        
address1 are absolutely necessary4 ,if a
 lawyer knows his law1 a parson his     
divinity1 and a financier his           
calculations1 each may make a figure and
 a fortune in his profession1 without   
great knowledge of the world1 and       
without the manners of gentlemen4 ,but  
your profession throws you into all the 
intrigues and cabals1 as well as        
pleasures1 of courts3 in those windings 
and labyrinths1 a knowledge of the      
world1 a discernment of characters1 a   
suppleness and versatility of mind1 and 
an elegance of manners1 must be your    
clue2 you must know how to soothe and   
lull the monsters that guard1 and how to
 address and gain the fair that keep1   
the golden fleece4 ,these are the arts  
and the accomplishments absolutely      
necessary for a foreign minister2 in    
which it must be owned1 to our shame1   

that most other nations outdo the       
,english2 and1 #8caeteris paribus'1 a   
,french minister will get the better of 
an ,english one at any third court in   
,europe4 ,the ,french have something    
more #8liant'1 more insinuating and     
engaging in their manner1 than we have4 
,an ,english minister shall have resided
 seven years at a court1 without having 
made any one personal connection there1 
or without being intimate and domestic  
in any one house4 ,he is always the     
,english minister1 and never            
naturalized4 ,he receives his orders1   
demands an audience1 writes an account  
of it to his ,court1 and his business is
 done4 ,a ,french minister1 on the      
contrary1 has not been six weeks at a   
court without having1 by a thousand     
little attentions1 insinuated himself   
into some degree of favor with the      
,prince1 his wife1 his mistress1 his    
favorite1 and his minister4 ,he has     
established himself upon a familiar and 
domestic footing in a dozen of the best 

houses of the place1 where he has       
accustomed the people to be not only    
easy1 but unguarded1 before him2 he     
makes himself at home there1 and they   
think him so4 ,by these means he knows  
the interior of those courts1 and can   
almost write prophecies to his own1 from
 the knowledge he has of the characters1
 the humors1 the abilities1 or the      
weaknesses of the actors4 ,the ,cardinal
 d',ossat was looked upon at ,rome as an
 ,italian1 and not as a ,french         
cardinal2 and ,monsieur d',avaux1       
wherever he went1 was never considered  
as a foreign minister1 but as a native1 
and a personal friend4 ,mere plain      
truth1 sense1 and knowledge1 will by no 
means do alone in courts2 art and       
ornaments must come to their assistance4
 ,humors must be flattered2 the #8mollia
 tempora' must be studied and known3    
confidence acquired by seeming          
frankness1 and profited of by silent    
skill4 ,and1 above all2 you must gain   
and engage the heart1 to betray the     

understanding to you4 #8,ha tibi erunt  
artes'4  ,the death of the ,prince of   
,wales1 who was more beloved for his    
affability and good-nature than esteemed
 for his steadiness and conduct1 has    
given concern to many1 and apprehensions
 to all4 ,the great difference of the   
ages of the ,king and ,prince ,george   
presents the prospect of a minority2 a  
disagreeable prospect for any nation6   
,but it is to be hoped1 and is most     
probable1 that the ,king1 who is now    
perfectly recovered of his late         
indisposition1 may live to see his      
grandson of age4 ,he is1 seriously1 a   
most hopeful boy3 gentle and            
good-natured1 with good sound sense4    
,this event has made all sorts of people
 here historians1 as well as            
politicians4 ,our histories are rummaged
 for all the particular circumstances of
 the six minorities we have had since   
the ,conquest1 viz1 those of ,henry     
,,iii41 ,edward ,,iii41 ,richard ,,ii41 
,henry ,,vi41 ,edward ,v41 and ,edward  

,,vi42 and the reasonings1 the          
speculations1 the conjectures1 and the  
predictions1 you will easily imagine1   
must be innumerable and endless1 in this
 nation1 where every porter is a        
consummate politician4 ,dr4 ,swift says1
 very humorously1 that 8,every man knows
 that he understands religion and       
politics1 though he never learned them2 
but that many people are conscious that 
they do not understand many other       
sciences1 from having never learned     
them40 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,cxxxvii   
,,london1 ,april #g1 ,o4 ,s4 #agea  ,,my
 ,,dear ,,friend3 ,here you have1       
altogether1 the pocketbooks1 the        
compasses1 and the patterns4 ,when your 
three ,graces have made their option1   
you need only send me1 in a letter small
 pieces of the three mohairs they fix   
upon4 ,if ,i can find no way of sending 
them safely and directly to ,paris1 ,i  
will contrive to have them left with    
,madame ,morel1 at ,calais1 who1 being  
,madame ,monconseil's agent there1 may  

find means of furthering them to your   
three ladies1 who all belong to your    
friend ,madame ,monconseil4 ,two of the 
three1 ,i am told1 are handsome2 ,madame
 ,polignac1 ,i can swear1 is not so2    
but1 however1 as the world goes1 two out
 of three is a very good composition4   
,you will also find in the packet a     
compass ring set round with little      
diamonds1 which ,i advise you to make a 
present of to ,abbe ,guasco1 who has    
been useful to you1 and will continue to
 be so2 as it is a mere bauble1 you must
 add to the value of it by your manner  
of giving it him4 ,show it him first1   
and1 when he commends it1 as probably he
 will1 tell him that it is at his       
service1 #8et que comme il est toujours 
par vole et par chemins1 il est         
absolument necessaire qu'il ale une     
boussole'4 ,all those little gallantries
 depend entirely upon the manner of     
doing them2 as1 in truth1 what does not8
 ,the greatest favors may be done so    
awkwardly and bunglingly as to offend2  

and disagreeable things may be done so  
agreeably as almost to oblige4 ,endeavor
 to acquire this great secret2 it       
exists1 it is to be found1 and is worth 
a great deal more than the grand secret 
of the alchemists would be if it were1  
as it is not1 to be found4 ,this is only
 to be learned in courts1 where clashing
 views1 jarring opinions1 and cordial   
hatreds1 are softened and kept within   
decent bounds by politeness and manners4
 ,frequent1 observe1 and learn courts4  
,are you free of that of ,st4 ,cloud8   
,are you often at ,versailles8          
,insinuate and wriggle yourself into    
favor at those places4 ,l',abbe de la   
,ville1 my old friend1 will help you at 
the latter2 your three ladies may       
establish you in the former4 ,the       
good-breeding #8de la ville et de la    
cour' of the city and of the court are  
different2 but without deciding which is
 intrinsically the best1 that of the    
court is1 without doubt1 the most       
necessary for you1 who are to live1 to  

grow1 and to rise in courts4 ,in two    
years' time1 which will be as soon as   
you are fit for it1 ,i hope to be able  
to plant you in the soil of a ,,young   
,,court here3 where1 if you have all the
 address1 the suppleness and versatility
 of a good courtier1 you will have a    
great chance of thriving and            
flourishing4 ,young favor is easily     
acquired if the proper means are        
employed2 and1 when acquired1 it is     
warm1 if not durable2 and the warm      
moments must be snatched and improved4  
#8,quitte pour ce qui en pent arriver   
apres'4 ,do not mention this view of    
mine for you to any one mortal2 but     
learn to keep your own secrets1 which1  
by the way1 very few people can do4  ,if
 your course of experimental philosophy 
with ,abbe ,nolot is over1 ,i would have
 you apply to ,abbe ,sallier1 for a     
master to give you a general notion of  
astronomy and geometry2 of both of which
 you may know as much1 as ,i desire you 
should1 in six months' time4 ,i only    

desire that you should have a clear     
notion of the present planetary system1 
and the history of all the former       
systems4 ,fontenelle's #8,pluralites des
 ,mondes' will almost teach you all you 
need know upon that subject4 ,as for    
geometry1 the seven first books of      
,euclid will be a sufficient portion of 
it for you4 ,it is right to have a      
general notion of those abstruse        
sciences1 so as not to appear quite     
ignorant of them1 when they happen1 as  
sometimes they do1 to be the topics of  
conversation2 but a deep knowledge of   
them requires too much time1 and        
engrosses the mind too much4 ,i repeat  
it again and again to you1 ,let the     
great book of the world be your         
principal study4 #8,nocturna versate    
manu1 versate diurna'2 which may be     
rendered thus in ,english3 ,turn ,over  
,,men ,,by ,,day1 ,,and ,,women ,,by    
,,night4 ,i mean only the best editions4
  ,whatever may be said at ,paris of my 
speech upon the bill for the reformation

 of the present calendar1 or whatever   
applause it may have met with here1 the 
whole1 ,i can assure you1 is owing to   
the words and to the delivery1 but by no
 means to the matter2 which1 as ,i told 
you in a former letter1 ,i was not      
master of4 ,i mention this again1 to    
show you the importance of well-chosen  
words1 harmonious periods1 and good     
delivery2 for1 between you and me1 ,lord
 ,macclefield's speech was1 in truth1   
worth a thousand of mine4 ,it will soon 
be printed1 and ,i will send it you4 ,it
 is very instructive4 ,you say1 that you
 wish to speak but half as well as ,i   
did2 you may easily speak full as well  
as ever ,i did1 if you will but give the
 same attention to the same objects that
 ,i did at your age1 and for many years 
afterward2 ,i mean correctness1 purity1 
and elegance of style1 harmony of       
periods1 and gracefulness of delivery4  
,read over and over again the third book
 of #8,cicero de ,oratore'1 in which he 
particularly treats of the ornamental   

parts of oratory2 they are indeed       
properly oratory1 for all the rest      
depends only upon common sense1 and some
 knowledge of the subject you speak     
upon4 ,but if you would please1         
persuade1 and prevail in speaking1 it   
must be by the ornamental parts of      
oratory4 ,make them therefore habitual  
to you2 and resolve never to say the    
most common things1 even to your        
footman1 but in the best words you can  
find1 and with the best utterance4      
,this1 with #8les manieres1 la tournure1
 et les usages du beau monde'1 are the  
only two things you want2 fortunately1  
they are both in your power2 may you    
have them both6 ,adieu4     ,,letter    
,,cxxxviii  ,,london1 ,april #ae1 ,o4   
,s4 #agea  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,what  
success with the graces1 and in the     
accomplishments1 elegancies1 and all    
those little nothings so indispensably  
necessary to constitute an amiable man8 
,do you take them1 do you make a        
progress in them8 ,the great secret is  

the art of pleasing2 and that art is to 
be attained by every man who has a good 
fund of common sense4 ,if you are       
pleased with any person1 examine why2 do
 as he does2 and you will charm others  
by the same things which please you in  
him4 ,to be liked by women1 you must be 
esteemed by men2 and to please men1 you 
must be agreeable to women4 ,vanity is  
unquestionably the ruling passion in    
women2 and it is much flattered by the  
attentions of a man who is generally    
esteemed by men2 when his merit has     
received the stamp of their approbation1
 women make it current1 that is to say1 
put him in fashion4 ,on the other hand1 
if a man has not received the last      
polish from women1 he may be estimable  
among men1 but will never be amiable4   
,the concurrence of the two sexes is as 
necessary to the perfection of our      
being1 as to the formation of it4 ,go   
among women with the good qualities of  
your sex1 and you will acquire from them
 the softness and the graces of theirs4 

,men will then add affection to the     
esteem which they before had for you4   
,women are the only refiners of the     
merit of men2 it is true1 they cannot   
add weight1 but they polish and give    
lustre to it4 #8,a propos'1 ,i am       
assured1 that ,madame de ,blot1 although
 she has no great regularity of         
features1 is1 notwithstanding1          
excessively pretty2 and that1 for all   
that1 she has as yet been scrupulously  
constant to her husband1 though she has 
now been married above a year4 ,surely  
she does not reflect1 that woman wants  
polishing4 ,i would have you polish one 
another reciprocally4 ,force1           
assiduities1 attentions1 tender looks1  
and passionate declarations1 on your    
side will produce some irresolute       
wishes1 at least1 on hers2 and when even
 the slightest wishes arise1 the rest   
will soon follow4  ,as ,i take you to be
 the greatest #8juris peritus' and      
politician of the whole ,germanic body1 
,i suppose you will have read the ,king 

of ,prussia's letter to the ,elector of 
,mayence1 upon the election of a ,king  
of the ,romans2 and on the other side1 a
 memorial entitled1 ,,impartial         
,,representation ,,of ,,what ,,is ,,just
 ,,with ,,regard ,,to ,,the ,,election  
,,of ,a ,,king ,,of ,,the ,,romans1 etc4
 ,the first is extremely well written1  
but not grounded upon the laws and      
customs of the empire4 ,the second is   
very ill written 7at least in ,french71 
but well grounded4 ,i fancy the author  
is some ,german1 who has taken into his 
head that he understands ,french4 ,i am1
 however1 persuaded that the elegance   
and delicacy of the ,king of ,prussia's 
letter will prevail with two-thirds of  
the public1 in spite of the solidity and
 truth contained in the other piece4    
,such is the force of an elegant and    
delicate style6  ,i wish you would be so
 good as to give me a more particular   
and circumstantial account of the method
 of passing your time at ,paris4 ,for   
instance1 where it is that you dine     

every ,friday1 in company with that     
amiable and respectable old man1        
,fontenelle8 ,which is the house where  
you think yourself at home8 ,for one    
always has such a one1 where one is     
better established1 and more at ease    
than anywhere else4 ,who are the young  
,frenchmen with whom you are most       
intimately connected8 ,do you frequent  
the ,dutch ,ambassador's4 ,have you     
penetrated yet into ,count ,caunitz's   
house8 ,has ,monsieur de ,pignatelli the
 honor of being one of your humble      
servants8 ,and has the ,pope's nuncio   
included you in the jubilee8 ,tell me   
also freely how you are with ,lord      
,huntingdon3 ,do you see him often8 ,do 
you connect yourself with him8 ,answer  
all these questions circumstantially in 
your first letter4  ,i am told that ,du 
,clos's book is not in vogue at ,paris1 
and that it is violently criticised3 ,i 
suppose that is because one understands 
it2 and being intelligible is now no    
longer the fashion4 ,i have a very great

 respect for fashion1 but a much greater
 for this book2 which is1 all at once1  
true1 solid1 and bright4 ,it contains   
even epigrams2 what can one wish for    
more8  ,mr4------will1 ,i suppose1 have 
left ,paris by this time for his        
residence at ,toulouse4 ,i hope he will 
acquire manners there2 ,i am sure he    
wants them4 ,he is awkward1 he is       
silent1 and has nothing agreeable in his
 address1--most necessary qualifications
 to distinguish one's self in business1 
as well as in the ,,polite ,,world6 ,in 
truth1 these two things are so          
connected1 that a man cannot make a     
figure in business1 who is not qualified
 to shine in the great world2 and to    
succeed perfectly in either the one or  
the other1 one must be in #8utrumque    
paratus'4 ,may you be that1 my dear     
friend6 and so we wish you a good night4
  ,p4 ,s4 ,lord and ,lady ,blessington1 
with their son ,lord ,mountjoy1 will be 
at ,paris next week1 in their way to the
 south of ,france2 ,i send you a little 

packet of books by them4 ,pray go wait  
upon them1 as soon as you hear of their 
arrival1 and show them all the          
attentions you can4     ,,letter        
,,cxxxix  ,,london1 ,april #bb1 ,o4 ,s4 
#agea  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i apply to
 you now1 as to the greatest virtuoso of
 this1 or perhaps any other age2 one    
whose superior judgment and             
distinguishing eye hindered the ,king of
 ,poland from buying a bad picture at   
,venice1 and whose decisions in the     
realms of #8virtu' are final1 and       
without appeal4 ,now to the point4 ,i   
have had a catalogue sent me1 #8d'une   
,trente a l'aimable de ,tableaux des    
plus ,grands ,maitres1 appartenans au   
,sieur ,araignon ,aperen1 valet de      
chambre de la ,reine1 sur le quai de la 
,megisserie1 au coin de ,arche ,marion'4
 ,there ,i observe two large pictures of
 ,titian1 as described in the inclosed  
page of the catalogue1 ,no4 #ah1 which  
,i should be glad to purchase upon two  
conditions3 the first is1 that they be  

undoubted originals of ,titian1 in good 
preservation2 and the other that they   
come cheap4 ,to ascertain the first 7but
 without disparaging your skill71 ,i    
wish you would get some undoubted       
connoisseurs to examine them carefully3 
and if1 upon such critical examination1 
they should be unanimously allowed to be
 undisputed originals of ,titian1 and   
well preserved1 then comes the second   
point1 the price3 ,i will not go above  
two hundred pounds sterling for the two 
together2 but as much less as you can   
get them for4 ,i acknowledge that two   
hundred pounds seems to be a very small 
sum for two undoubted ,titians of that  
size2 but1 on the other hand1 as large  
,italian pictures are now out of fashion
 at ,paris1 where fashion decides of    
everything1 and as these pictures are   
too large for common rooms1 they may    
possibly come within the price above    
limited4 ,i leave the whole of this     
transaction 7the price excepted1 which  
,i will not exceed7 to your consummate  

skill and prudence1 with proper advice  
joined to them4 ,should you happen to   
buy them for that price1 carry them to  
your own lodgings1 and get a frame made 
to the second1 which ,i observe has     
none1 exactly the same with the other   
frame1 and have the old one new gilt2   
and then get them carefully packed up1  
and sent me by ,rouen4  ,i hear much of 
your conversing with #8les beaux        
esprits' at ,paris3 ,i am very glad of  
it2 it gives a degree of reputation1    
especially at ,paris2 and their         
conversation is generally instructive1  
though sometimes affected4 ,it must be  
owned1 that the polite conversation of  
the men and women of fashion at ,paris1 
though not always very deep1 is much    
less futile and frivolous than ours     
here4 ,it turns at least upon some      
subject1 something of taste1 some point 
of history1 criticism1 and even         
philosophy2 which1 though probably not  
quite so solid as ,mr4 ,locke's1 is1    
however1 better1 and more becoming      

rational beings1 than our frivolous     
dissertations upon the weather1 or upon 
whist4 ,monsieur du ,clos observes1 and 
,i think very justly1 #8qu'il y a a     
present en ,france une fermentation     
universelle de la raison qui tend a se  
developper'4 ,whereas1 ,i am sorry to   
say1 that here that fermentation seems  
to have been over some years ago1 the   
spirit evaporated1 and only the dregs   
left4 ,moreover1 #8les beaux esprits' at
 ,paris are commonly well-bred1 which   
ours very frequently are not2 with the  
former your manners will be formed2 with
 the latter1 wit must generally be      
compounded for at the expense of        
manners4 ,are you acquainted with       
,marivaux1 who has certainly studied1   
and is well acquainted with the heart2  
but who refines so much upon its #8plis 
et replis'1 and describes them so       
affectedly1 that he often is            
unintelligible to his readers1 and      
sometimes so1 ,i dare say1 to himself8  
,do you know #8,crebillon le fils'8 ,he 

is a fine painter and a pleasing writer2
 his characters are admirable and his   
reflections just4 ,frequent these       
people1 and be glad1 but not proud of   
frequenting them3 never boast of it1 as 
a proof of your own merit1 nor insult1  
in a manner1 other companies by telling 
them affectedly what you1 ,montesquieu  
and ,fontenelle were talking of the     
other day2 as ,i have known many people 
do here1 with regard to ,pope and       
,swift1 who had never been twice in     
company with either2 nor carry into     
other companies the #8ton' of those     
meetings of #8beaux esprits'4 ,talk     
literature1 taste1 philosophy1 etc41    
with them1 #8a la bonne heure'2 but     
then1 with the same ease1 and more      
#8enjouement'1 talk #8pom-pons1 moires'1
 etc41 with ,madame de ,blot1 if she    
requires it4 ,almost every subject in   
the world has its proper time and place2
 in which no one is above or below      
discussion4 ,the point is1 to talk well 
upon the subject you talk upon2 and the 

most trifling1 frivolous subjects will  
still give a man of parts an opportunity
 of showing them4 #8,l'usage du grand   
monde' can alone teach that4 ,that was  
the distinguishing characteristic of    
,alcibiades1 and a happy one it was1    
that he could occasionally1 and with so 
much ease1 adopt the most different1 and
 even the most opposite habits and      
manners1 that each seemed natural to    
him4 ,prepare yourself for the great    
world1 as the #8athletae' used to do for
 their exercises3 oil 7if ,i may use    
that expression7 your mind and your     
manners1 to give them the necessary     
suppleness and flexibility2 strength    
alone will not do1 as young people are  
too apt to think4  ,how do your         
exercises go on8 ,can you manage a      
pretty vigorous #8sauteur' between the  
pillars8 ,are you got into stirrups yet8
 #8,faites-vous assaut aux armes8 ,but1 
above all1 what does ,marcel say of you8
 ,is he satisfied8 ,pray be more        
particular in your accounts of yourself1

 for though ,i have frequent accounts of
 you from others1 ,i desire to have your
 own too4 ,adieu4 ,yours1 truly and     
friendly4     ,,letter ,,cxl  ,,london1 
,may #b1 ,o4 ,s4 #agea  ,,dear ,,friend3
 ,two accounts1 which ,i have very      
lately received of you1 from two good   
judges1 have put me into great spirits1 
as they have given me reasonable hopes  
that you will soon acquire all that ,i  
believe you want3 ,i mean the air1 the  
address2 the graces1 and the manners of 
a man of fashion4 ,as these two pictures
 of you are very unlike that which ,i   
received1 and sent you some months ago1 
,i will name the two painters3 the first
 is an old friend and acquaintance of   
mine1 ,monsieur d',aillon4 ,his picture 
is1 ,i hope1 like you2 for it is a very 
good one3 ,monsieur ,tollot's is still a
 better1 and so advantageous a one1 that
 ,i will not send you a copy of it1 for 
fear of making you too vain4 ,so far    
only ,i will tell you1 that there was   
but one ,,but in either of their        

accounts2 and it was this3 ,i gave      
d',aillon the question ordinary and     
extraordinary1 upon the important       
article of manners2 and extorted this   
from him3 ,but1 since you will know it1 
he still wants that last beautiful      
varnish1 which raises the colors1 and   
gives brilliancy to the piece4 ,be      
persuaded that he will acquire it3 he   
has too much sense not to know its      
value2 and if ,i am not greatly         
mistaken1 more persons than one are now 
endeavoring to give it him4 ,monsieur   
,tollot says3 8,in order to be exactly  
all that you wish him1 he only wants    
those little nothings1 those graces in  
detail1 and that amiable ease1 which can
 only be acquired by usage of the great 
world4 ,i am assured that he is1 in that
 respect1 in good hands4 ,i do not know 
whether that does not rather imply in   
fine arms40 ,without entering into a    
nice discussion of the last question1 ,i
 congratulate you and myself upon your  
being so near that point at which ,i so 

anxiously wish you to arrive4 ,i am sure
 that all your attention and endeavors  
will be exerted2 and1 if exerted1 they  
will succeed4 ,mr4 ,tollot says1 that   
you are inclined to be fat1 but ,i hope 
you will decline it as much as you can2 
not by taking anything corrosive to make
 you lean1 but by taking as little as   
you can of those things that would make 
you fat4 ,drink no chocolate2 take your 
coffee without cream3 you cannot        
possibly avoid suppers at ,paris1 unless
 you avoid company too1 which ,i would  
by no means have you do2 but eat as     
little at supper as you can1 and make   
even an allowance for that little at    
your dinners4 ,take occasionally a      
double dose of riding and fencing2 and  
now that summer is come1 walk a good    
deal in the ,tuileries4 ,it is a real   
inconvenience to anybody to be fat1 and 
besides it is ungraceful for a young    
fellow4 #8,a propos'1 ,i had like to    
have forgot to tell you1 that ,i charged
 ,tollot to attend particularly to your 

utterence and diction2 two points of the
 utmost importance4 ,to the first he    
says3 8,his enunciation is not bad1 but 
it is to be wished that it were still   
better2 and he expresses himself with   
more fire than elegance4 ,usage of good 
company will instruct him likewise in   
that40  ,these1 ,i allow1 are all little
 things1 separately2 but aggregately1   
they make a most important and great    
article in the account of a gentleman4  
,in the ,house of ,commons you can never
 make a figure without elegance of      
style1 and gracefulness of utterance2   
and you can never succeed as a courtier 
at your own ,court1 or as a minister at 
any other1 without those innumerable    
#8petite riens dans les manieres1 et    
dans les attentions'4 ,mr4 ,yorke is by 
this time at ,paris2 make your court to 
him1 but not so as to disgust1 in the   
least1 ,lord ,albemarle1 who may        
possibly dislike your considering ,mr4  
,yorke as the man of business1 and him  
as only #8pour orner la scene'4         

,whatever your opinion may be upon      
,,that ,,point1 take care not to let it 
appear2 but be well with them both by   
showing no public preference to either4 
,though ,i must necessarily fall into   
repetitions by treating the same subject
 so often1 ,i cannot help recommending  
to you again the utmost attention to    
your air and address4 ,apply yourself   
now to ,marcel's lectures1 as diligently
 as you did formerly to ,professor      
,mascow's2 desire him to teach you every
 genteel attitude that the human body   
can be put into2 let him make you go in 
and out of his room frequently1 and     
present yourself to him1 as if he were  
by turns different persons2 such as a   
minister1 a lady1 a superior1 an equal1 
and inferior1 etc4 ,learn to seat       
genteelly in different companies2 to    
loll genteelly1 and with good manners1  
in those companies where you are        
authorized to be free1 and to sit up    
respectfully where the same freedom is  
not allowable4 ,learn even to compose   

your countenance occasionally to the    
respectful1 the cheerful1 and the       
insinuating4 ,take particular care that 
the motions of your hands and arms be   
easy and graceful2 for the genteelness  
of a man consists more in them than in  
anything else1 especially in his        
dancing4 ,desire some women to tell you 
of any little awkwardness that they     
observe in your carriage2 they are the  
best judges of those things2 and if they
 are satisfied1 the men will be so too4 
,think now only of the decorations4 ,are
 you acquainted with ,madame ,geoffrain1
 who has a great deal of wit2 and who1  
,i am informed1 receives only the very  
best company in her house8 ,do you know 
,madame du ,pin1 who1 ,i remember1 had  
beauty1 and ,i hear has wit and reading8
 ,i could wish you to converse only with
 those who1 either from their rank1     
their merit1 or their beauty1 require   
constant attention2 for a young man can 
never improve in company where he thinks
 he may neglect himself4 ,a new bow must

 be constantly kept bent2 when it grows 
older1 and has taken the right turn1 it 
may now and then be relaxed4  ,i have   
this moment paid your draft of ,l#hi    
#ges42 it was signed in a very good     
hand2 which proves that a good hand may 
be written without the assistance of    
magic4 ,nothing provokes me much more1  
than to hear people indolently say that 
they cannot do1 what is in everybody's  
power to do1 if it be but in their will4
 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,cxli  ,,london1 
,may #f1 ,o4 ,s4 #agea4  ,,my ,,dear    
,,friend3 ,the best authors are always  
the severest critics of their own works2
 they revise1 correct1 file1 and polish 
them1 till they think they have brought 
them to perfection4 ,considering you as 
my work1 ,i do not look upon myself as a
 bad author1 and am therefore a severe  
critic4 ,i examine narrowly into the    
least inaccuracy or inelegance1 in order
 to correct1 not to expose them1 and    
that the work may be perfect at last4   
,you are1 ,i know1 exceedingly improved 

in your air1 address1 and manners1 since
 you have been at ,paris2 but still     
there is1 ,i believe1 room for further  
improvement before you come to that     
perfection which ,i have set my heart   
upon seeing you arrive at2 and till that
 moment ,i must continue filing and     
polishing4 ,in a letter that ,i received
 by last post1 from a friend of yours at
 ,paris1 there was this paragraph3 8,i  
have the honor to assure you1 without   
flattery1 that ,mr4 ,stanhope succeeds  
beyond what might be expected from a    
person of his age4 ,he goes into very   
good company2 and that kind of manner1  
which was at first thought to be too    
decisive and peremptory1 is now judged  
otherwise2 because it is acknowledged to
 be the effect of an ingenuous          
frankness1 accompanied by politeness1   
and by a proper deference4 ,he studies  
to please1 and succeeds4 ,madame du     
,puisieux was the other day speaking of 
him with complacency and friendship4    
,you will be satisfied with him in all  

respects40 ,this is extremely well1 and 
,i rejoice at it3 one little            
circumstance only may1 and ,i hope will1
 be altered for the better4 ,take pains 
to undeceive those who thought that     
#8petit ton un peu delcide et un peu    
brusque'2 as it is not meant so1 let it 
not appear so4 ,compose your countenance
 to an air of gentleness and #8douceur'1
 use some expressions of diffidence of  
your own opinion1 and deference to other
 people's2 such as1 8,if ,i might be    
permitted to say--,i should think--,is  
it not rather so8 ,at least ,i have the 
greatest reason to be diffident of      
myself40 ,such mitigating1 engaging     
words do by no means weaken your        
argument2 but1 on the contrary1 make it 
more powerful by making it more         
pleasing4 ,if it is a quick and hasty   
manner of speaking that people mistake  
#8pour decide et brusque'1 prevent their
 mistakes for the future by speaking    
more deliberately1 and taking a softer  
tone of voice2 as in this case you are  

free from the guilt1 be free from the   
suspicion1 too4 ,mankind1 as ,i have    
often told you1 are more governed by    
appearances than by realities2 and with 
regard to opinion1 one had better be    
really rough and hard1 with the         
appearance of gentleness and softness1  
than just the reverse4 ,few people have 
penetration enough to discover1         
attention enough to observe1 or even    
concern enough to examine beyond the    
exterior2 they take their notions from  
the surface1 and go no deeper3 they     
commend1 as the gentlest and            
best-natured man in the world1 that man 
who has the most engaging exterior      
manner1 though possibly they have been  
but once in his company4 ,an air1 a tone
 of voice1 a composure of countenance to
 mildness and softness1 which are all   
easily acquired1 do the business3 and   
without further examination1 and        
possibly with the contrary qualities1   
that man is reckoned the gentlest1 the  
modestest1 and the best-natured man     

alive4 ,happy the man1 who1 with a      
certain fund of parts and knowledge1    
gets acquainted with the world early    
enough to make it his bubble1 at an age 
when most people are the bubbles of the 
world6 for that is the common case of   
youth4 ,they grow wiser when it is too  
late2 and1 ashamed and vexed at having  
been bubbles so long1 too often turn    
knaves at last4 ,do not therefore trust 
to appearances and outside yourself1 but
 pay other people with them2 because you
 may be sure that nine in ten of mankind
 do1 and ever will trust to them4 ,this 
is by no means a criminal or blamable   
simulation1 if not used with an ill     
intention4 ,i am by no means blamable in
 desiring to have other people's good   
word1 good-will1 and affection1 if ,i do
 not mean to abuse them4 ,your heart1 ,i
 know1 is good1 your sense is sound1 and
 your knowledge extensive4 ,what then   
remains for you to do8 ,nothing1 but to 
adorn those fundamental qualifications1 
with such engaging and captivating      

manners1 softness1 and gentleness1 as   
will endear you to those who are able to
 judge of your real merit1 and which    
always stand in the stead of merit with 
those who are not4 ,i do not mean by    
this to recommend to you #8le fade      
doucereux'1 the insipid softness of a   
gentle fool2 no1 assert your own        
opinion1 oppose other people's when     
wrong2 but let your manner1 your air1   
your terms1 and your tone of voice1 be  
soft and gentle1 and that easily and    
naturally1 not affectedly4 ,use         
palliatives when you contradict2 such as
 ,i ,,may ,,be ,,mistaken1 ,i ,,am ,,not
 ,,sure1 ,,but ,i ,,believe1 ,i ,,should
 ,,rather ,,think1 etc4 ,finish any     
argument or dispute with some little    
good-humored pleasantry1 to show that   
you are neither hurt yourself1 nor meant
 to hurt your antagonist2 for an        
argument1 kept up a good while1 often   
occasions a temporary alienation on each
 side4 ,pray observe particularly1 in   
those ,french people who are            

distinguished by that character1 #8cette
 douceur de moeurs et de manieres'1     
which they talk of so much1 and value so
 justly2 see in what it consists2 in    
mere trifles1 and most easy to be       
acquired1 where the heart is really     
good4 ,imitate1 copy it1 till it becomes
 habitual and easy to you4 ,without a   
compliment to you1 ,i take it to be the 
only thing you now want3 nothing will   
sooner give it you than a real passion1 
or1 at least1 #8un gout vif'1 for some  
woman of fashion2 and1 as ,i suppose    
that you have either the one or the     
other by this time1 you are consequently
 in the best school4 ,besides this1 if  
you were to say to ,lady ,hervey1       
,madame ,monconseil1 or such others as  
you look upon to be your friends1 ,it is
 said that ,i have a kind of manner     
which is rather too decisive and too    
peremptory2 it is not1 however1 my      
intention that it should be so2 ,i      
entreat you to correct1 and even        
publicly to punish me whenever ,i am    

guilty4 ,do not treat me with the least 
indulgence1 but criticise to the utmost4
 ,so clear-sighted a judge as you has a 
right to be severe2 and ,i promise you  
that the criminal will endeavor to      
correct himself4 ,yesterday ,i had two  
of your acquaintances to dine with me1  
,baron ,b4 and his companion ,monsieur  
,s4 ,i cannot say of the former1 #8qu'il
 est paitri de graces'2 and ,i would    
rather advise him to go and settle      
quietly at home1 than to think of       
improving himself by further travels4   
#8,ce n'est pas le bois don't on en     
fait'4 ,his companion is much better1   
though he has a strong #8tocco di       
tedesco'4 ,they both spoke well of you1 
and so far ,i liked them both4 ,how go  
you on with the amiable little ,blot8   
,does she listen to your ,battering     
tale8 ,are you numbered among the list  
of her admirers8 ,is ,madame------your  
,madame de ,lursay8 ,does she sometimes 
knot1 and are you her ,meilcour8 ,they  
say she has softness1 sense1 and        

engaging manners2 in such an            
apprenticeship much may be              
learned4--,this whole passage1 and      
several others1 allude to ,crebillon's  
#8,egaremens du ,coeur et de l',esprit'1
 a sentimental novel written about that 
time1 and then much in vogue at ,paris4 
,a woman like her1 who has always       
pleased1 and often been pleased1 can    
best teach the art of pleasing2 that    
art1 without which1 #8ogni fatica vana'4
 ,marcel's lectures are no small part of
 that art3 they are the engaging        
forerunner of all other accomplishments4
 ,dress is also an article not to be    
neglected1 and ,i hope you do not       
neglect it2 it helps in the #8premier   
abord'1 which is often decisive4 ,by    
dress1 ,i mean your clothes being well  
made1 fitting you1 in the fashion and   
not above it2 your hair well done1 and a
 general cleanliness and spruceness in  
your person4 ,i hope you take infinite  
care of your teeth2 the consequences of 
neglecting the mouth are serious1 not   

only to one's self1 but to others4 ,in  
short1 my dear child1 neglect nothing2 a
 little more will complete the whole4   
,adieu4 ,i have not heard from you these
 three weeks1 which ,i think a great    
while4     ,,letter ,,cxlii  ,,london1  
,may #aj1 ,o4 ,s4 #agea4  ,,my ,,dear   
,,friend3 ,i received yesterday1 at the 
same time1 your letters of the #dth and 
#aath1 ,n4 ,s41 and being much more     
careful of my commissions than you are  
of yours1 ,i do not delay one moment    
sending you my final instructions       
concerning the pictures4 ,the man you   
allow to be a ,titian1 and in good      
preservation2 the woman is an           
indifferent and a damaged picture2 but  
as ,i want them for furniture for a     
particular room1 companions are         
necessary2 and therefore ,i am willing  
to take the woman for better for worse1 
upon account of the man2 and if she is  
not too much damaged1 ,i can have her   
tolerably repaired1 as many a fine woman
 is1 by a skillful hand here2 but then  

,i expect that the lady should be1 in a 
manner1 thrown into the bargain with the
 man2 and1 in this state of affairs1 the
 woman being worth little or nothing1 ,i
 will not go above fourscore ,louis for 
the two together4 ,as for the ,rembrandt
 you mention1 though it is very cheap1  
if good1 ,i do not care for it4 ,i love 
#8la belle nature'2 ,rembrandt paints   
caricatures4 ,now for your own          
commissions1 which you seem to have     
forgotten4 ,you mention nothing of the  
patterns which you received by ,monsieur
 ,tollot1 though ,i told you in a former
 letter1 which you must have had before 
the date of your last1 that ,i should   
stay till ,i received the patterns      
pitched upon by your ladies2 for as to  
the instructions which you sent me in   
,madame ,monconseil's hand1 ,i could    
find no mohairs in ,london that exactly 
answered that description2 ,i shall1    
therefore1 wait till you send me 7which 
you may easily do in a letter7 the      
patterns chosen by your three graces4   

,i would1 by all means1 have you go now 
and then1 for two or three days1 to     
,marechal ,coigny's1 at ,orli2 it is but
 a proper civility to that family1 which
 has been particularly civil to you2    
and1 moreover1 ,i would have you        
familiarize yourself with1 and learn the
 interior and domestic manners of1      
people of that rank and fashion4 ,i also
 desire that you will frequent          
,versailles and ,st4 ,cloud1 at both of 
which courts you have been received with
 distinction4 ,profit of that           
distinction1 and familiarize yourself at
 both4 ,great courts are the seats of   
true good-breeding2 you are to live at  
courts1 lose no time in learning them4  
,go and stay sometimes at ,versailles   
for three or four days1 where you will  
be domestic in the best families1 by    
means of your friend ,madame de         
,puisieux2 and mine1 l',abbe de la      
,ville4 ,go to the ,king's and the      
,dauphin's levees1 and distinguish      
yourself from the rest of your          

countrymen1 who1 ,i dare say1 never go  
there when they can help it4 ,though the
 young ,frenchmen of fashion may not be 
worth forming intimate connections with1
 they are well worth making acquaintance
 of2 and ,i do not see how you can avoid
 it1 frequenting so many good ,french   
houses as you do1 where1 to be sure1    
many of them come4 ,be cautious how you 
contract friendships1 but be desirous1  
and even industrious1 to obtain a       
universal acquaintance4 ,be easy1 and   
even forward1 in making new             
acquaintances2 that is the only way of  
knowing manners and characters in       
general1 which is1 at present1 your     
great object4 ,you are #8enfant de      
famille' in three ministers' houses2 but
 ,i wish you had a footing1 at least1 in
 thirteen and that1 ,i should think1 you
 might easily bring about1 by that      
common chain1 which1 to a certain       
degree1 connects those you do not with  
those you do know4  ,for instance1 ,i   
suppose that neither ,lord ,albemarle1  

nor ,marquis de ,st4 ,germain1 would    
make the least difficulty to present you
 to ,comte ,caunitz1 the ,nuncio1 etc4  
#8,il faut etre rompu du monde'1 which  
can only be done by an extensive1       
various1 and almost universal           
acquaintance4  ,when you have got your  
emaciated ,philomath1 ,i desire that his
 triangles1 rhomboids1 etc41 may not    
keep you one moment out of the good     
company you would otherwise be in4      
,swallow all your learning in the       
morning1 but digest it in company in the
 evenings4 ,the reading of ten new      
characters is more your business now1   
than the reading of twenty old books2   
showish and shining people always get   
the better of all others1 though ever so
 solid4 ,if you would be a great man in 
the world when you are old1 shine and be
 showish in it while you are young1 know
 everybody1 and endeavor to please      
everybody1 ,i mean exteriorly2 for      
fundamentally it is impossible4 ,try to 
engage the heart of every woman1 and the

 affections of almost every man you meet
 with4 ,madame ,monconseil assures me   
that you are most surprisingly improved 
in your air1 manners1 and address3 go   
on1 my dear child1 and never think that 
you are come to a sufficient degree of  
perfection2 #8,nil actum reputans1 si   
quid superesset agendum'2 and in those  
shining parts of the character of a     
gentleman1 there is always something    
remaining to be acquired4 ,modes and    
manners vary in different places1 and at
 different times2 you must keep pace    
with them1 know them1 and adopt them1   
wherever you find them4 ,the great usage
 of the world1 the knowledge of         
characters1 the brillant dun #8galant   
homme1' is all that you now want4 ,study
 ,marcel and the #8beau monde' with     
great application1 but read ,homer and  
,horace only when you have nothing else 
to do4 ,pray who is #8la belle ,madame  
de ,case'1 whom ,i know you frequent8 ,i
 like the epithet given her very well3  
if she deserves it1 she deserves your   

attention too4 ,a man of fashion should 
be gallant to a fine woman1 though he   
does not make love to her1 or may be    
otherwise engaged4 ,on #8lui doit des   
politesses1 on fait l'eloge de ses      
charmes1 et il n'en est ni plus ni moins
 pour cela'3 it pleases1 it flatters2   
you get their good word1 and you lose   
nothing by it4 ,these #8gentillesses'   
should be accompanied1 as indeed        
everything else should1 with an air3    
#8un air1 un ton de douceur et de       
politesse'4 ,les graces must be of the  
party1 or it will never do2 and they are
 so easily had1 that it is astonishing  
to me that everybody has them not2 they 
are sooner gained than any woman of     
common reputation and decency4 ,pursue  
them but with care and attention1 and   
you are sure to enjoy them at last3     
without them1 ,i am sure1 you will never
 enjoy anybody else4 ,you observe1      
truly1 that ,mr4------is gauche2 it is  
to be hoped that will mend with keeping 
company2 and is yet pardonable in him1  

as just come from school4 ,but reflect  
what you would think of a man1 who had  
been any time in the world1 and yet     
should be so awkward4 ,for ,god's sake1 
therefore1 now think of nothing but     
shining1 and even distinguishing        
yourself in the most polite courts1 by  
your air1 your address1 your manners1   
your politeness1 your #8douceur'1 your  
graces4 ,with those advantages 7and not 
without them7 take my word for it1 you  
will get the better of all rivals1 in   
business as well as in #8ruelles'4      
,adieu4 ,send me your patterns1 by the  
next post1 and also your instructions to
 ,grevenkop about the seal1 which you   
seem to have forgotten4     ,,letter    
,,cxliii  ,,london1 ,may #af1 ,o4 ,s4   
#agea4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,in about 
three months from this day1 we shall    
probably meet4 ,i look upon that moment 
as a young woman does upon her bridal   
night2 ,i expect the greatest pleasure1 
and yet cannot help fearing some little 
mixture of pain4 ,my reason bids me     

doubt a little1 of what my imagination  
makes me expect4 ,in some articles ,i am
 very sure that my most sanguine wishes 
will not be disappointed2 and those are 
the most material ones4 ,in others1 ,i  
fear something or other1 which ,i can   
better feel than describe4 ,however1 ,i 
will attempt it4 ,i fear the want of    
that amiable and engaging #8je ne sais  
quoi'1 which as some philosophers have1 
unintelligibly enough1 said of the soul1
 is all in all1 and all in every part2  
it should shed its influence over every 
word and action4 ,i fear the want of    
that air1 and first #8abord'1 which     
suddenly lays hold of the heart1 one    
does not know distinctly how or why4 ,i 
fear an inaccuracy1 or1 at least1       
inelegance of diction1 which will wrong1
 and lower1 the best and justest matter4
 ,and1 lastly1 ,i fear an ungraceful1 if
 not an unpleasant utterance1 which     
would disgrace and vilify the whole4    
,should these fears be at present       
founded1 yet the objects of them are    

7thank ,god7 of such a nature1 that you 
may1 if you please1 between this and our
 meeting1 remove everyone of them4 ,all 
these engaging and endearing            
accomplishments are mechanical1 and to  
be acquired by care and observation1 as 
easily as turning1 or any mechanical    
trade4 ,a common country fellow1 taken  
from the plow1 and enlisted in an old   
corps1 soon lays aside his shambling    
gait1 his slouching air1 his clumsy and 
awkward motions3 and acquires the       
martial air1 the regular motions1 and   
whole exercise of the corps1 and        
particularly of his right and left hand 
man4 ,how so8 ,not from his parts2 which
 were just the same before as after he  
was enlisted2 but either from a         
commendable ambition of being like1 and 
equal to those he is to live with2 or   
else from the fear of being punished for
 not being so4 ,if then both or either  
of these motives change such a fellow1  
in about six months' time1 to such a    
degree1 as that he is not to be known   

again1 how much stronger should both    
these motives be with you1 to acquire1  
in the utmost perfection1 the whole     
exercise of the people of fashion1 with 
whom you are to live all your life8     
,ambition should make you resolve to be 
at least their equal in that exercise1  
as well as the fear of punishment2 which
 most inevitably will attend the want of
 it4 ,by that exercise1 ,i mean the air1
 the manners1 the graces1 and the style 
of people of fashion4 ,a friend of      
yours1 in a letter ,i received from him 
by the last post1 after some other      
commendations of you1 says1 8,it is     
surprising that1 thinking with so much  
solidity as he does1 and having so true 
and refined a taste1 he should express  
himself with so little elegance and     
delicacy4 ,he even totally neglects the 
choice of words and turn of phrases40   
,this ,i should not be so much surprised
 or concerned at1 if it related only to 
the ,english language2 which hitherto   
you have had no opportunity of studying1

 and but few of speaking1 at least to   
those who could correct your            
inaccuracies4 ,but if you do not express
 yourself elegantly and delicately in   
,french and ,german1 7both which        
languages ,i know you possess perfectly 
and speak eternally7 it can be only from
 an unpardonable inattention to what you
 most erroneously think a little object1
 though1 in truth1 it is one of the most
 important of your life4 ,solidity and  
delicacy of thought must be given us3 it
 cannot be acquired1 though it may be   
improved2 but elegance and delicacy of  
expression may be acquired by whoever   
will take the necessary care and pains4 
,i am sure you love me so well2 that you
 would be very sorry when we meet1 that 
,i should be either disappointed or     
mortified2 and ,i love you so well1 that
 ,i assure you ,i should be both1 if ,i 
should find you want any of those       
exterior accomplishments which are the  
indispensably necessary steps to that   
figure and fortune1 which ,i so         

earnestly wish you may one day make in  
the world4  ,i hope you do not neglect  
your exercises of riding1 fencing1 and  
dancing1 but particularly the latter3   
for they all concur to #8degourdir'1 and
 to give a certain air4 ,to ride well1  
is not only a proper and graceful       
accomplishment for a gentleman1 but may 
also save you many a fall hereafter2 to 
fence well1 may possibly save your life2
 and to dance well1 is absolutely       
necessary in order to sit1 stand1 and   
walk well4 ,to tell you the truth1 my   
friend1 ,i have some little suspicion   
that you now and then neglect or omit   
your exercises1 for more serious        
studies4 ,but now #8non est his locus'1 
everything has its time2 and this is    
yours for your exercises2 for when you  
return to ,paris ,i only propose your   
continuing your dancing2 which you shall
 two years longer1 if you happen to be  
where there is a good dancing-master4   
,here ,i will see you take some lessons 
with your old master ,desnoyers1 who is 

our ,marcel4  ,what says ,madame du ,pin
 to you8 ,i am told she is very handsome
 still2 ,i know she was some few years  
ago4 ,she has good parts1 reading1      
manners1 and delicacy3 such an          
arrangement would be both creditable and
 advantageous to you4 ,she will expect  
to meet with all the good-breeding and  
delicacy that she brings2 and as she is 
past the glare and #8eclat' of youth1   
may be the more willing to listen to    
your story1 if you tell it well4 ,for an
 attachment1 ,i should prefer her to    
#8la petite ,blot'2 and1 for a mere     
gallantry1 ,i should prefer #8la petite 
,blot' to her2 so that they are         
consistent1 et #8l'un n'emplche pas     
l'autre'4 ,adieu4 ,remember #8la douceur
 et les graces'4     ,,letter ,,cxliv   
,,london1 ,may #bc1 ,o4 ,s4 #agea4  ,,my
 ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have this moment   
received your letter of the #beth ,n4   
,s41 and being rather something more    
attentive to my commissions than you are
 to yours1 return you this immediate    

answer to the question you ask me about 
the two pictures3 ,i will not give one  
livre more than what ,i told you in my  
last2 having no sort of occasion for    
them1 and not knowing very well where to
 put them if ,i had them4  ,i wait with 
impatience for your final orders about  
the mohairs2 the mercer persecuting me  
every day for three pieces which ,i     
thought pretty1 and which ,i have kept  
by me eventually1 to secure them in case
 your ladies should pitch upon them4    
,if ,i durst6 what should hinder you    
from daring8 ,one always dares if there 
are hopes of success2 and even if there 
are none1 one is no loser by daring4 ,a 
man of fashion knows how1 and when1 to  
dare4 ,he begins his approaches by      
distant attacks1 by assiduities1 and by 
attentions4 ,if he is not immediately   
and totally repulsed1 he continues to   
advance4 ,after certain steps success is
 infallible2 and none but very silly    
fellows can then either doubt1 or not   
attempt it4 ,is it the respectable      

character of ,madame de la ,valiere     
which prevents your daring1 or are you  
intimidated at the fierce virtue of     
,madame du ,pin8 ,does the invincible   
modesty of the handsome ,madame ,case   
discourage1 more than her beauty invites
 you8 ,fie1 for shame6 ,be convinced    
that the most virtuous woman1 far from  
being offended at a declaration of love1
 is flattered by it1 if it is made in a 
polite and agreeable manner4 ,it is     
possible that she may not be propitious 
to your vows2 that is to say1 if she has
 a liking or a passion for another      
person4 ,but1 at all events1 she will   
not be displeased with you for it2 so   
that1 as there is no danger1 this cannot
 even be called daring4 ,but if she     
attends1 if she listens1 and allows you 
to repeat your declaration1 be persuaded
 that if you do not dare all the rest1  
she will laugh at you4 ,i advise you to 
begin rather by ,madame du ,pin1 who has
 still more than beauty enough for such 
a youngster as you4 ,she has1 besides1  

knowledge of the world1 sense1 and      
delicacy4 ,as she is not so extremely   
young1 the choice of her lovers cannot  
be entirely at her option4 ,i promise   
you1 she will not refuse the tender of  
your most humble services4 ,distinguish 
her1 then1 by attentions and by tender  
looks4 ,take favorable opportunities of 
whispering that you wish esteem and     
friendship were the only motives of your
 regard for her2 but that it derives    
from sentiments of a much more tender   
nature3 that you made not this          
declaration without pain2 but that the  
concealing your passion was a still     
greater torment4  ,i am sensible1 that  
in saying this for the first time1 you  
will look silly1 abashed1 and even      
express yourself very ill4 ,so much the 
better2 for1 instead of attributing your
 confusion to the little usage you have 
of the world1 particularly in these sort
 of subjects1 she will think that excess
 of love is the occasion of it4 ,in such
 a case1 the lover's best friend is     

self-love4 ,do not then be afraid2      
behave gallantly4 ,speak well1 and you  
will be heard4 ,if you are not listened 
to the first time1 try a second1 a      
third1 and a fourth4 ,if the place is   
not already taken1 depend upon it1 it   
may be conquered4  ,i am very glad you  
are going to ,orli1 and from thence to  
,st4 ,cloud2 go to both1 and to         
,versailles also1 often4 ,it is that    
interior domestic familiarity with      
people of fashion1 that alone can give  
you #8l'usage du monde1 et les manieres 
aisees'4 ,it is only with women one     
loves1 or men one respects1 that the    
desire of pleasing exerts itself2 and   
without the desire of pleasing no man   
living can please4 ,let that desire be  
the spring of all your words and        
actions4 ,that happy talent1 the art of 
pleasing1 which so few do1 though almost
 all might possess1 is worth all your   
learning and knowledge put together4    
,the latter can never raise you high    
without the former2 but the former may  

carry you1 as it has carried thousands1 
a great way without the latter4  ,i am  
glad that you dance so well1 as to be   
reckoned by ,marcel among his best      
scholars2 go on1 and dance better still4
 ,dancing well is pleasing #8pro tanto'1
 and makes a part of that necessary     
whole1 which is composed of a thousand  
parts1 many of them of #8les infiniment 
petits quoi qu'infiniment necessaires'4 
,i shall never have done upon this      
subject which is indispensably necessary
 toward your making any figure or       
fortune in the world2 both which ,i have
 set my heart upon1 and for both which  
you now absolutely want no one thing but
 the art of pleasing2 and ,i must not   
conceal from you that you have still a  
good way to go before you arrive at it4 
,you still want a thousand of those     
little attentions that imply a desire of
 pleasing3 you want a #8douceur' of air 
and expression that engages3 you want an
 elegance and delicacy of expression1   
necessary to adorn the best sense and   

most solid matter3 in short1 you still  
want a great deal of the #8brillant' and
 the #8poli'4 ,get them at any rate3    
sacrifice hecatombs of books to them3   
seek for them in company1 and renounce  
your closet till you have got them4 ,i  
never received the letter you refer to1 
if ever you wrote it4 ,adieu1 et bon    
soir1 ,monseigneur4     ,,letter ,,cxlv 
,,greenwich1 ,june #f1 ,o4 ,s4 #agea4   
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,solicitous and   
anxious as ,i have ever been to form    
your heart1 your mind1 and your manners1
 and to bring you as near perfection as 
the imperfection of our natures will    
allow1 ,i have exhausted1 in the course 
of our correspondence1 all that my own  
mind could suggest1 and have borrowed   
from others whatever ,i thought could be
 useful to you2 but this has necessarily
 been interruptedly and by snatches4 ,it
 is now time1 and you are of an age to  
review and to weigh in your own mind all
 that you have heard1 and all that you  
have read1 upon these subjects2 and to  

form your own character1 your conduct1  
and your manners1 for the rest of your  
life2 allowing for such improvements as 
a further knowledge of the world will   
naturally give you4 ,in this view ,i    
would recommend to you to read1 with the
 greatest attention1 such books as treat
 particularly of those subjects2        
reflecting seriously upon them1 and then
 comparing the speculation with the     
practice4  ,for example1 if you read in 
the morning some of ,la ,rochefoucault's
 maxims2 consider them1 examine them    
well1 and compare them with the real    
characters you meet with in the evening4
 ,read ,la ,bruyere in the morning1 and 
see in the evening whether his pictures 
are like4 ,study the heart and the mind 
of man1 and begin with your own4        
,meditation and reflection must lay the 
foundation of that knowledge3 but       
experience and practice must1 and alone 
can1 complete it4 ,books1 it is true1   
point out the operations of the mind1   
the sentiments of the heart1 the        

influence of the passions2 and so far   
they are of previous use3 but without   
subsequent practice1 experience1 and    
observation1 they are as ineffectual1   
and would even lead you into as many    
errors in fact1 as a map would do1 if   
you were to take your notions of the    
towns and provinces from their          
delineations in it4 ,a man would reap   
very little benefit by his travels1 if  
he made them only in his closet upon a  
map of the whole world4 ,next to the two
 books that ,i have already mentioned1  
,i do not know a better for you to read1
 and seriously reflect upon1 than       
#8,avis d'une ,mere d'un ,fils1 par la  
,marquise de ,lambert'4 ,she was a woman
 of a superior understanding and        
knowledge of the world1 had always kept 
the best company1 was solicitous that   
her son should make a figure and a      
fortune in the world1 and knew better   
than anybody how to point out the means4
 ,it is very short1 and will take you   
much less time to read1 than you ought  

to employ in reflecting upon it1 after  
you have read it4 ,her son was in the   
army1 she wished he might rise there2   
but she well knew1 that1 in order to    
rise1 he must first please3 she says to 
him1 therefore1 ,with regard to those   
upon whom you depend1 the chief merit is
 to please4 ,and1 in another place1 in  
subaltern employments1 the art of       
pleasing must be your support4 ,masters 
are like mistresses3 whatever services  
they may be indebted to you for1 they   
cease to love when you cease to be      
agreeable4 ,this1 ,i can assure you1 is 
at least as true in courts as in camps1 
and possibly more so4 ,if to your merit 
and knowledge you add the art of        
pleasing1 you may very probably come in 
time to be ,secretary of ,state2 but1   
take my word for it1 twice your merit   
and knowledge1 without the art of       
pleasing1 would1 at most1 raise you to  
the ,,important ,,post of ,resident at  
,hamburgh or ,ratisbon4 ,i need not tell
 you now1 for ,i often have1 and your   

own discernment must have told you1 of  
what numberless little ingredients that 
art of pleasing is compounded1 and how  
the want of the least of them lowers the
 whole2 but the principal ingredient is1
 undoubtedly1 #8la douceur dans le      
manieres'3 nothing will give you this   
more than keeping company with your     
superiors4 ,madame ,lambert tells her   
son1 ,let your connections be with      
people above you2 by that means you will
 acquire a habit of respect and         
politeness4 ,with one's equals1 one is  
apt to become negligent1 and the mind   
grows torpid4 ,she advises him1 too1 to 
frequent those people1 and to see their 
inside2 ,in order to judge of men1 one  
must be intimately connected2 thus you  
see them without1 a veil1 and with their
 mere every-day merit4 ,a happy         
expression6 ,it was for this reason that
 ,i have so often advised you to        
establish and domesticate yourself1     
wherever you can1 in good houses of     
people above you1 that you may see their

 ,,every-,,day character1 manners1      
habits1 etc4 ,one must see people       
undressed to judge truly of their shape2
 when they are dressed to go abroad1    
their clothes are contrived to conceal1 
or at least palliate the defects of it3 
as full-bottomed wigs were contrived for
 the ,duke of ,burgundy1 to conceal his 
hump back4 ,happy those who have no     
faults to disguise1 nor weaknesses to   
conceal6 there are few1 if any such2 but
 unhappy those who know little enough of
 the world to judge by outward          
appearances4 ,courts are the best keys  
to characters2 there every passion is   
busy1 every art exerted1 every character
 analyzed2 jealousy1 ever watchful1 not 
only discovers1 but exposes1 the        
mysteries of the trade1 so that even    
bystanders #8y apprennent a deviner'4   
,there too the great art of pleasing is 
practiced1 taught1 and learned with all 
its graces and delicacies4 ,it is the   
first thing needful there3 ,it is the   
absolutely necessary harbinger of merit 

and talents1 let them be ever so great4 
,there is no advancing a step without   
it4 ,let misanthropes and would-be      
philosophers declaim as much as they    
please against the vices1 the           
simulation1 and dissimulation of courts2
 those invectives are always the result 
of ignorance1 ill-humor1 or envy4 ,let  
them show me a cottage1 where there are 
not the same vices of which they accuse 
courts2 with this difference only1 that 
in a cottage they appear in their native
 deformity1 and that in courts1 manners 
and good-breeding make them less        
shocking1 and blunt their edge4 ,no1 be 
convinced that the good-breeding1 the   
#8tournure1 la douceur dans les         
manieres'1 which alone are to be        
acquired at courts1 are not the showish 
trifles only which some people call or  
think them2 they are a solid good2 they 
prevent a great deal of real mischief2  
they create1 adorn1 and strengthen      
friendships2 they keep hatred within    
bounds2 they promote good-humor and     

good-will in families1 where the want of
 good-breeding and gentleness of manners
 is commonly the original cause of      
discord4 ,get then1 before it is too    
late1 a habit of these #8mitiores       
virtutes'3 practice them upon every the 
least occasion1 that they may be easy   
and familiar to you upon the greatest2  
for they lose a great degree of their   
merit if they seem labored1 and only    
called in upon extraordinary occasions4 
,i tell you truly1 this is now the only 
doubtful part of your character with me2
 and it is for that reason that ,i dwell
 upon it so much1 and inculcate it so   
often4 ,i shall soon see whether this   
doubt of mine is founded2 or rather ,i  
hope ,i shall soon see that it is not4  
,this moment ,i receive your letter of  
the #ith ,n4 ,s4 ,i am sorry to find    
that you have had1 though ever so slight
 a return of your ,carniolan disorder2  
and ,i hope your conclusion will prove a
 true one1 and that this will be the    
last4 ,i will send the mohairs by the   

first opportunity4 ,as for the pictures1
 ,i am already so full1 that ,i am      
resolved not to buy one more1 unless by 
great accident ,i should meet with      
something surprisingly good1 and as     
surprisingly cheap4  ,i should have     
thought that ,lord-------1 at his age1  
and with his parts and address1 need not
 have been reduced to keep an opera     
w---e1 in such a place as ,paris1 where 
so many women of fashion generously     
serve as volunteers4 ,i am still more   
sorry that he is in love with her2 for  
that will take him out of good company1 
and sink him into bad2 such as fiddlers1
 pipers1 and #8id genus omne'2 most     
unedifying and unbecoming company for a 
man of fashion6  ,lady ,chesterfield    
makes you a thousand compliments4       
,adieu1 my dear child4     ,,letter     
,,cxlvi  ,,greenwich1 ,june #aj1 ,o4 ,s4
 #agea  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,your     
ladies were so slow in giving their     
specific orders1 that the mohairs1 of   
which you at last sent me the patterns1 

were all sold4 ,however1 to prevent     
further delays 7for ladies are apt to be
 very impatient1 when at last they know 
their own minds71 ,i have taken the     
quantities desired of three mohairs     
which come nearest to the description   
you sent me some time ago1 in ,madame   
,monconseil's own hand2 and ,i will send
 them to ,calais by the first           
opportunity4 ,in giving #8la petite     
,blot' her piece1 you have a fine       
occasion of saying fine things1 if so   
inclined4  ,lady ,hervey1 who is your   
puff and panegyrist1 writes me word that
 she saw you lately dance at a ball1 and
 that you dance very genteelly4 ,i am   
extremely glad to hear it2 for 7by the  
maxim1 that #8omne majus continet in se 
minus'71 if you dance genteelly1 ,i     
presume you walk1 sit1 and stand        
genteelly too2 things which are much    
more easy1 though much more necessary1  
than dancing well4 ,i have known many   
very genteel people1 who could not dance
 well2 but ,i never knew anybody dance  

very well1 who was not genteel in other 
things4 ,you will probably often have   
occasion to stand in circles1 at the    
levees of princes and ministers1 when it
 is very necessary #8de payer de sa     
personne1 et d'etre bien plante'1 with  
your feet not too near nor too distant  
from each other4 ,more people stand and 
walk1 than sit genteelly4 ,awkward1     
ill-bred people1 being ashamed1 commonly
 sit bolt upright and stiff2 others1 too
 negligent and easy1 #8se vautrent dans 
leur fauteuil'1 which is ungraceful and 
ill-bred1 unless where the familiarity  
is extreme2 but a man of fashion makes  
himself easy1 and appears so by leaning 
gracefully instead of lolling supinely2 
and by varying those easy attitudes     
instead of that stiff immobility of a   
bashful booby4 ,you cannot conceive1 nor
 can ,i express1 how advantageous a good
 air1 genteel motions1 and engaging     
address are1 not only among women1 but  
among men1 and even in the course of    
business2 they fascinate the affections1

 they steal a preference1 they play     
about the heart till they engage it4 ,i 
know a man1 and so do you1 who1 without 
a grain of merit1 knowledge1 or talents1
 has raised himself millions of degrees 
above his level1 simply by a good air   
and engaging manners2 insomuch that the 
very ,prince who raised him so high1    
calls him1 #8mon aimable                
vaut-rien'2--,the ,marichal de          
,richelieu4--but of this do not open    
your lips1 #8pour cause'4 ,i give you   
this secret as the strongest proof      
imaginable of the efficacy of air1      
address1 #8tournure1 et tout ces ,petits
 riens'4  ,your other puff and          
panegyrist1 ,mr4 ,harte1 is gone to     
,windsor in his way to ,cornwall1 in    
order to be back soon enough to meet you
 here3 ,i really believe he is as       
impatient for that moment as ,i am1 #8et
 c'est tout dire'3 but1 however1        
notwithstanding my impatience1 if by    
chance you should then be in a          
situation1 that leaving ,paris would    

cost your heart too many pangs1 ,i allow
 you to put off your journey1 and to    
tell me1 as ,festus did ,paul1 ,,at ,a  
,,more ,,convenient ,,season ,i ,,will  
,,speak ,,to ,,thee4 ,you see by this   
that ,i eventually sacrifice my         
sentiments to yours1 and this in a very 
uncommon object of paternal             
complaisance4 ,provided always1 and be  
it understood 7as they say in acts of   
,parliament71 that #8quae te cumque     
domat ,venus1 non erubescendis adurit   
ignibus'4 ,if your heart will let you   
come1 bring with you only your valet de 
chambre1 ,christian1 and your own       
footman2 not your valet de place1 whom  
you may dismiss for the time1 as also   
your coach2 but you had best keep on    
your lodgings1 the intermediate expense 
of which will be but inconsiderable1 and
 you will want them to leave your books 
and baggage in4 ,bring only the clothes 
you travel in1 one suit of black1 for   
the mourning for the ,prince will not be
 quite out by that time1 and one suit of

 your fine clothes1 two or three of your
 laced shirts1 and the rest plain ones2 
of other things1 as bags1 feathers1     
etc41 as you think proper4 ,bring no    
books1 unless two or three for your'    
amusement upon the road2 for we must    
apply simply to ,english1 in which you  
are certainly no #8puriste'2 and ,i will
 supply you sufficiently with the proper
 ,english authors4 ,i shall probably    
keep you here till about the middle of  
,october1 and certainly not longer2 it  
being absolutely necessary for you to   
pass the next winter at ,paris2 so that2
 should any fine eyes shed tears for    
your departure1 you may dry them by the 
promise of your return in two months4   
,have you got a master for geometry8 ,if
 the weather is very hot1 you may leave 
your riding at the #8manege' till you   
return to ,paris1 unless you think the  
exercise does you more good than the    
heat can do you harm2 but ,i desire you 
will not leave off ,marcel for one      
moment2 your fencing likewise1 if you   

have a mind1 may subside for the summer2
 but you will do well to resume it in   
the winter and to be adroit at it1 but  
by no means for offense1 only for       
defense in case of necessity4 ,good     
night4 ,yours4  ,p4 ,s4 ,i forgot to    
give you one commission1 when you come  
here2 which is1 not to fail bringing the
 ,,graces along with you4     ,,letter  
,,cxlvii  ,,greenwich1 ,june #ac1 ,o4   
,s4 #agea4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 #8,les
 bienseances'--,this single word implies
 decorum1 good-breeding1 and            
propriety--are a most necessary part of 
the knowledge of the world4 ,they       
consist in the relations of persons1    
things1 time1 and place2 good sense     
points them out1 good company perfects  
them 7 supposing always an attention and
 a desire to please71 and good policy   
recommends them4  ,were you to converse 
with a king1 you ought to be as easy and
 unembarrassed as with your own valet de
 chambre2 but yet1 every look1 word and 
action1 should imply the utmost respect4

 ,what would be proper and well-bred    
with others1 much your superiors1 would 
be absurd and ill-bred with one so very 
much so4 ,you must wait till you are    
spoken to2 you must receive1 not give1  
the subject of conversation2 and you    
must even take care that the given      
subject of such conversation do not lead
 you into any impropriety4 ,the art     
would be to carry it1 if possible1 to   
some indirect flattery2 such as         
commending those virtues in some other  
person1 in which that prince either     
thinks he does1 or at least would be    
thought by others to excel4 ,almost the 
same precautions are necessary to be    
used with ministers1 generals1 etc41 who
 expect to be treated with very near the
 same respect as their masters1 and     
commonly deserve it better4 ,there is1  
however1 this difference1 that one may  
begin the conversation with them1 if on 
their side it should happen to drop1    
provided one does not carry it to any   
subject upon which it is improper either

 for them to speak1 or be spoken to4 ,in
 these two cases1 certain attitudes and 
actions would be extremely absurd1      
because too easy1 and consequently      
disrespectful4 ,as1 for instance1 if you
 were to put your arms across in your   
bosom1 twirl your snuff-box1 trample    
with your feet1 scratch your head1 etc41
 it would be shockingly ill-bred in that
 company2 and1 indeed1 not extremely    
well-bred in any other4 ,the great      
difficulty in those cases1 though a very
 surmountable one by attention and      
custom1 is to join perfect inward ease  
with perfect outward respect4  ,in mixed
 companies with your equals 7for in     
mixed companies all people are to a     
certain degree equal71 greater ease and 
liberty are allowed2 but they too have  
their bounds within #8bienseance'4      
,there is a social respect necessary3   
you may start your own subject of       
conversation with modesty1 taking great 
care1 however1 #8de ne jamais parler de 
cordes dans la maison d'un              

pendu4--,never to mention a rope in the 
family of a man who has been            
hanged--,your words1 gestures1 and      
attitudes1 have a greater degree of     
latitude1 though by no means an         
unbounded one4 ,you may have your hands 
in your pockets1 take snuff1 sit1 stand1
 or occasionally walk1 as you like2 but 
,i believe you would not think it very  
#8bienseant' to whistle1 put on your    
hat1 loosen your garters or your        
buckles1 lie down upon a couch1 or go to
 bed1 and welter in an easychair4 ,these
 are negligences and freedoms which one 
can only take when quite alone2 they are
 injurious to superiors1 shocking and   
offensive to equals1 brutal and         
insulting to inferiors4 ,that easiness  
of carriage and behavior1 which is      
exceedingly engaging1 widely differs    
from negligence and inattention1 and by 
no means implies that one may do        
whatever one pleases2 it only means that
 one is not to be stiff1 formal1        
embarrassed1 disconcerted1 and ashamed1 

like country bumpkins1 and1 people who  
have never been in good company2 but it 
requires great attention to1 and a      
scrupulous observation of #8les         
bienseances'3 whatever one ought to do1 
is to be done with ease and unconcern2  
whatever is improper must not be done at
 all4 ,in mixed companies also1         
different ages and sexes are to be      
differently addressed4 ,you would not   
talk of your pleasures to men of a      
certain age1 gravity1 and dignity2 they 
justly expect from young people a degree
 of deference and regard4 ,you should be
 full as easy with them as with people  
of your own years3 but your manner must 
be different2 more respect must be      
implied2 and it is not amiss to         
insinuate that from them you expect to  
learn4 ,it flatters and comforts age for
 not being able to take a part in the   
joy and titter of youth4 ,to women you  
should always address yourself with     
great outward respect and attention1    
whatever you feel inwardly2 their sex is

 by long prescription entitled to it2   
and it is among the duties of           
#8bienseance'2 at the same time that    
respect is very properly and very       
agreeably mixed with a degree of        
#8enjouement'1 if you have it2 but then1
 that badinage must either directly or  
indirectly tend to their praise1 and    
even not be liable to a malicious       
construction to their disadvantage4 ,but
 here1 too1 great attention must be had 
to the difference of age1 rank1 and     
situation4 ,a #8marechale' of fifty must
 not be played with like a young        
coquette of fifteen2 respect and serious
 #8enjouement'1 if ,i may couple those  
two words1 must be used with the former1
 and mere #8badinage1 zeste meme d'un   
peu de polissonerie'1 is pardonable with
 the latter4  ,another important point  
of #8les bienseances'1 seldom enough    
attended to1 is1 not to run your own    
present humor and disposition           
indiscriminately against everybody1 but 
to observe1 conform to1 and adopt them4 

,for example1 if you happened to be in  
high good humor and a flow of spirits1  
would you go and sing a #8pont neuf'1--a
 ballad--or cut a caper1 to la          
,marechale de ,coigny1 the ,pope's      
nuncio1 or ,abbe ,sallier1 or to any    
person of natural gravity and           
melancholy1 or who at that time should  
be in grief8 ,i believe not2 as1 on the 
other hand1 ,i suppose1 that if you were
 in low spirits or real grief1 you would
 not choose to bewail your situation    
with #8la petite ,blot'4 ,if you cannot 
command your present humor and          
disposition1 single out those to        
converse with1 who happen to be in the  
humor the nearest to your own4  ,loud   
laughter is extremely inconsistent with 
#8les bienseances'1 as it is only the   
illiberal and noisy testimony of the joy
 of the mob at some very silly thing4 ,a
 gentleman is often seen1 but very      
seldom heard to laugh4 ,nothing is more 
contrary to #8les bienseances' than     
horse-play1 or #8jeux de main' of any   

kind whatever1 and has often very       
serious1 sometimes very fatal           
consequences4 ,romping1 struggling1     
throwing things at one another's head1  
are the becoming pleasantries of the    
mob1 but degrade a gentleman3 #8giuoco  
di mano1 giuoco di villano'1 is a very  
true saying1 among the few true sayings 
of the ,italians4  ,peremptoriness and  
decision in young people is #8contraire 
aux bienseances'1 and they should seldom
 seem to assert1 and always use some    
softening mitigating expression2 such   
as1 #8s'il m'est permis de le dire1 je  
croirais plutot1 si j'ose m'expliquer'1 
which soften the manner1 without giving 
up or even weakening the thing4 ,people 
of more age and experience expect1 and  
are entitled to1 that degree of         
deference4  ,there is a #8bienseance'   
also with regard to people of the lowest
 degree3 a gentleman observes it with   
his footman--even with the beggar in the
 street4 ,he considers them as objects  
of compassion1 not of insult2 he speaks 

to neither #8d'un ton brusque'1 but     
corrects the one coolly1 and refuses the
 other with humanity4 ,there is one     
occasion in the world in which #8le ton 
brusque' is becoming a gentleman4 ,in   
short1 #8les bienseances' are another   
word for ,,manners1 and extend to every 
part of life4 ,they are propriety2 the  
,graces should attend1 in order to      
complete them2 the ,graces enable us to 
do1 genteelly and pleasingly1 what #8les
 bienseances' require to be done at all4
 ,the latter are an obligation upon     
every man2 the former are an infinite   
advantage and ornament to any man4 ,may 
you unite both6  ,though you dance well1
 do not think that you dance well       
enough1 and consequently not endeavor to
 dance still better4 ,and though you    
should be told that you are genteel1    
still aim at being genteeler4 ,if       
,marcel should1 do not you be satisfied4
 ,go on1 court the ,graces all your     
lifetime2 you will find no better       
friends at court3 they will speak in    

your favor1 to the hearts of princes1   
ministers1 and mistresses4  ,now that   
all tumultuous passions and quick       
sensations have subsided with me1 and   
that ,i have no tormenting cares nor    
boisterous pleasures to agitate me1 my  
greatest joy is to consider the fair    
prospect you have before you1 and to    
hope and believe you will enjoy it4 ,you
 are already in the world1 at an age    
when others have hardly heard of it4    
,your character is hitherto not only    
unblemished in its mortal part1 but even
 unsullied by any low1 dirty1 and       
ungentleman-like vice2 and will1 ,i     
hope1 continue so4 ,your knowledge is   
sound1 extensive and avowed1 especially 
in everything relative to your          
destination4 ,with such materials to    
begin with1 what then is wanting6 ,not  
fortune1 as you have found by           
experience4 ,you have had1 and shall    
have1 fortune sufficient to assist your 
merit and your industry2 and if ,i can  
help it1 you never shall have enough to 

make you negligent of either4 ,you have1
 too1 #8mens sana in corpore sano'1 the 
greatest blessing of all4 ,all1         
therefore1 that you want is as much in  
your power to acquire1 as to eat your   
breakfast when set before you2 it is    
only that knowledge of the world1 that  
elegance of manners1 that universal     
politeness1 and those graces which      
keeping good company1 and seeing variety
 of places and characters1 must         
inevitably1 with the least attention on 
your part1 give you4 ,your foreign      
destination leads to the greatest       
things1 and your parliamentary situation
 will facilitate your progress4         
,consider1 then1 this pleasing prospect 
as attentively for yourself as ,i       
consider it for you4 ,labor on your part
 to realize it1 as ,i will on mine to   
assist1 and enable you to do it4        
#8,nullum numen abest1 si sit           
prudentia'4  ,adieu1 my dear child6 ,i  
count the days till ,i have the pleasure
 of seeing you2 ,i shall soon count the 

hours1 and at last the minutes1 with    
increasing impatience4  ,p4 ,s4 ,the    
mohairs are this day gone from hence for
 ,calais1 recommended to the care of    
,madame ,morel1 and directed1 as        
desired1 to the ,comptroller-general4   
,the three pieces come to six hundred   
and eighty ,french livres4     ,,letter 
,,cxlviii  ,,greenwich1 ,june #bj1 ,o4  
,s4 #agea  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,so    
very few people1 especially young       
travelers1 see what they see1 or hear   
what they hear1 that though ,i really   
believe it may be unnecessary with you1 
yet there can be no harm in reminding   
you1 from time to time1 to see what you 
see1 and to hear what you hear2 that is1
 to see and hear as you should do4      
,frivolous1 futile people1 who make at  
least three parts in four of mankind1   
only desire to see and hear what their  
frivolous and futile precursors have    
seen and heard3 as ,st4 ,peter's1 the   
,pope1 and ,high ,mass1 at ,rome2 ,notre
 ,dame1 ,versailles1 the ,french ,king1 

and the ,french ,comedy1 in ,france4 ,a 
man of parts sees and hears very        
differently from these gentlemen1 and a 
great deal more4 ,he examines and       
informs himself thoroughly of everything
 he sees or hears2 and1 more            
particularly1 as it is relative to his  
own profession or destination4 ,your    
destination is political2 the object1   
therefore1 of your inquiries and        
observations should be the political    
interior of things2 the forms of        
government1 laws1 regulations1 customs1 
trade1 manufactures1 etc41 of the       
several nations of ,europe4 ,this       
knowledge is much better acquired by    
conversation with sensible and          
well-informed people1 than by books1 the
 best of which upon these subjects are  
always imperfect4 ,for example1 there   
are 8,present ,states0 of ,france1 as   
there are of ,england2 but they are     
always defective1 being published by    
people uninformed1 who only copy one    
another2 they are1 however1 worth       

looking into because they point out     
objects for inquiry1 which otherwise    
might possibly never have occurred to   
one's mind2 but an hour's conversation  
with a sensible president or            
#8conseiller' will let you more into the
 true state of the parliament of ,paris1
 than all the books in ,france4 ,in the 
same manner1 the #8,almanack ,militaire'
 is worth your having2 but two or three 
conversations with officers will inform 
you much better of their military       
regulations4 ,people have1 commonly1 a  
partiality for their own professions1   
love to talk of them1 and are even      
flattered by being consulted upon the   
subject2 when1 therefore1 you are with  
any of those military gentlemen 7and you
 can hardly be in any company without   
some71 ask them military questions1     
inquire into their methods of           
discipline1 quartering1 and clothing    
their men2 inform yourself of their pay1
 their perquisites1 #8lours montres1    
lours etapes'1 etc4 ,do the same as to  

the marine1 and make yourself           
particularly master of that detail2     
which has1 and always will have1 a great
 relation to the affairs of ,england2   
and1 in proportion as you get good      
informations1 take minutes of them in   
writing4  ,the regulations of trade and 
commerce in ,france are excellent1 as   
appears but too plainly for us1 by the  
great increase of both1 within these    
thirty years2 for not to mention their  
extensive commerce in both the ,east and
 ,west ,indies1 they have got the whole 
trade of the ,levant from us2 and now   
supply all the foreign markets with     
their sugars1 to the ruin almost of our 
sugar colonies1 as ,jamaica1 ,barbadoes1
 and the ,leeward ,islands4 ,get1       
therefore1 what informations you can of 
these matters also4  ,inquire too into  
their church matters2 for which the     
present disputes between the court and  
the clergy give you fair and frequent   
opportunities4 ,know the particular     
rights of the ,gallican church1 in      

opposition to the pretensions of the    
,see of ,rome4 ,i need not recommend    
ecclesiastical history to you1 since ,i 
hear that you study #8,du ,pin' very    
assiduously4  ,you cannot imagine how   
much this solid and useful knowledge of 
other countries will distinguish you in 
your own 7where1 to say the truth1 it is
 very little known or cultivated71      
besides the great use it is of in all   
foreign negotiations2 not to mention    
that it enables a man to shine in all   
companies4 ,when kings and princes have 
any knowledge1 it is of this sort1 and  
more particularly2 and therefore it is  
the usual topic of their levee          
conversations1 in which it will qualify 
you to bear a considerable part2 it     
brings you more acquainted with them2   
and they are pleased to have people talk
 to them on a subject in which they     
think to shine4  ,there is a sort of    
chit-chat1 or ,,small ,,talk1 which is  
the general run of conversation at      
courts1 and in most mixed companies4 ,it

 is a sort of middling conversation1    
neither silly nor edifying2 but1        
however1 very necessary for you to      
become master of4 ,it turns upon the    
public events of ,europe1 and then is at
 its best2 very often upon the number1  
the goodness or badness1 the discipline1
 or the clothing of the troops of       
different princes2 sometimes upon the   
families1 the marriages1 the relations  
of princes1 and considerable people2 and
 sometimes #8sur le bon chere'1 the     
magnificence of public entertainments1  
balls1 masquerades1 etc4 ,i would wish  
you to be able to talk upon all these   
things better1 and with more knowledge  
than other people2 insomuch that upon   
those occasions1 you should be applied  
to1 and that people should say1 ,i      
,,dare ,,say ,,mr4 ,,stanhope ,,can     
,,tell ,,us4  ,second-rate knowledge and
 middling talents carry a man further at
 courts1 and in the busy part of the    
world1 than superior knowledge and      
shining parts4 ,tacitus very justly     

accounts for a man's having always kept 
in favor and enjoyed the best           
employments under the tyrannical reigns 
of three or four of the very worst      
emperors1 by saying that it was not     
#8propter aliquam eximiam artem1 sed    
quia par negotiis neque supra erat'4    
,discretion is the great article2 all   
these things are to be learned1 and only
 learned by keeping a great deal of the 
best company4 ,frequent those good      
houses where you have already a footing1
 and wriggle yourself somehow or other  
into every other4 ,haunt the courts     
particularly in order to get that       
,,routine4  ,this moment ,i receive     
yours of the #ahth ,n4 ,s4 ,you will    
have had some time ago my final answers 
concerning the pictures2 and1 by my     
last1 an account that the mohairs were  
gone to ,madame ,morel1 at ,calais1 with
 the proper directions4  ,i am sorry    
that your two sons-in-law 88 ,d4,w41 the
 ,princes ,b----1 are such boobies2     
however1 as they have the honor of being

 so nearly related to you1 ,i will show 
them what civilities ,i can4  ,i confess
 you have not time for long absences    
from ,paris1 at present1 because of your
 various masters1 all which ,i would    
have you apply to closely while you are 
now in that capital2 but when you return
 thither1 after the visit you intend me 
the honor of1 ,i do not propose your    
having any master at all1 except        
,marcel1 once or twice a week4 ,and then
 the courts will1 ,i hope1 be no longer 
strange countries to you2 for ,i would  
have you run down frequently to         
,versailles and ,st4 ,cloud1 for three  
or four days at a time4 ,you know the   
,abbe de la ,ville1 who will present you
 to others1 so that you will soon be    
#8faufile' with the rest of the court4  
,court is the soil in which you are to  
grow and flourish2 you ought to be well 
acquainted with the nature of it2 like  
all other soil1 it is in some places    
deeper1 in others lighter1 but always   
capable of great improvement by         

cultivation and experience4  ,you say   
that you want some hints for a letter to
 ,lady ,chesterfield2 more use and      
knowledge of the world will teach you   
occasionally to write and talk          
genteelly1 #8sup des riens'1 which ,i   
can tell you is a very useful part upon 
worldly knowledge2 for in some          
companies1 it would be imprudent to talk
 of anything else2 and with very many   
people it is impossible to talk of      
anything else2 they would not understand
 you4 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,cxlix      
,,london1 ,june #bd1 ,o4 ,s4 #agea  ,,my
 ,,dear ,,friend3 ,air1 address1        
manners1 and graces are of such infinite
 advantage to whoever has them1 and so  
peculiarly and essentially necessary for
 you1 that now1 as the time of our      
meeting draws near1 ,i tremble for fear 
,i should not find you possessed of     
them2 and1 to tell you the truth1 ,i    
doubt you are not yet sufficiently      
convinced for their importance4 ,there  
is1 for instance1 your intimate friend1 

,mr4 ,h-----1 who with great merit1 deep
 knowledge1 and a thousand good         
qualities1 will never make a figure in  
the world while he lives4 ,why8 ,merely 
for want of those external and showish  
accomplishments1 which he began the     
world too late to acquire2 and which1   
with his studious and philosophical     
turn1 ,i believe he thinks are not worth
 his attention4 ,he may1 very probably1 
make a figure in the republic of        
letters1 but he had ten thousand times  
better make a figure as a man of the    
world and of business in the republic of
 the ,united ,provinces1 which1 take my 
word for it1 he never will4  ,as ,i open
 myself1 without the least reserve1     
whenever ,i think that my doing so can  
be of any use to you1 ,i will give you a
 short account of myself4 ,when ,i first
 came into the world1 which was at the  
age you are of now1 so that1 by the way1
 you have got the start of me in that   
important article by two or three years 
at least1--at nineteen ,i left the      

,university of ,cambridge1 where ,i was 
an absolute pedant2 when ,i talked my   
best1 ,i quoted ,horace2 when ,i aimed  
at being facetious1 ,i quoted ,martial2 
and when ,i had a mind to be a fine     
gentleman1 ,i talked ,ovid4 ,i was      
convinced that none but the ancients had
 common sense2 that the classics        
contained everything that was either    
necessary1 useful1 or ornamental to men2
 and ,i was not without thoughts of     
wearing the #8toga virilis' of the      
,romans1 instead of the vulgar and      
illiberal dress of the moderns4 ,with   
these excellent notions ,i went first to
 ,the ,hague1 where1 by the help of     
several letters of recommendation1 ,i   
was soon introduced into all the best   
company2 and where ,i very soon         
discovered that ,i was totally mistaken 
in almost every one notion ,i had       
entertained4 ,fortunately1 ,i had a     
strong desire to please 7the mixed      
result of good-nature and a vanity by no
 means blamable71 and was sensible that 

,i had nothing but the desire4 ,i       
therefore resolved1 if possible1 to     
acquire the means1 too4 ,i studied      
attentively and minutely the dress1 the 
air1 the manner1 the address1 and the   
turn of conversation of all those whom  
,i found to be the people in fashion1   
and most generally allowed to please4 ,i
 imitated them as well as ,i could2 if  
,i heard that one man was reckoned      
remarkably genteel1 ,i carefully watched
 his dress1 motions and attitudes1 and  
formed my own upon them4 ,when ,i heard 
of another1 whose conversation was      
agreeable and engaging1 ,i listened and 
attended to the turn of it4 ,i addressed
 myself1 though #8de tres mauvaise      
grace'1 to all the most fashionable fine
 ladies2 confessed1 and laughed with    
them at my own awkwardness and rawness1 
recommending myself as an object for    
them to try their skill in forming4 ,by 
these means1 and with a passionate      
desire of pleasing everybody1 ,i came by
 degrees to please some2 and1 ,i can    

assure you1 that what little figure ,i  
have made in the world1 has been much   
more owing to that passionate desire of 
pleasing universally than to any        
intrinsic merit or sound knowledge ,i   
might ever have been master of4 ,my     
passion for pleasing was so strong 7and 
,i am very glad it was so71 that ,i own 
to you fairly1 ,i wished to make every  
woman ,i saw in love with me1 and every 
man ,i met with admire me4 ,without this
 passion for the object1 ,i should never
 have been so attentive to the means2   
and ,i own ,i cannot conceive how it is 
possible for any man of good-nature and 
good sense to be without this passion4  
,does not good-nature incline us to     
please all those we converse with1 of   
whatever rank or station they may be8   
,and does not good sense and common     
observation1 show of what infinite use  
it is to please8 ,oh6 but one may please
 by the good qualities of the heart1 and
 the knowledge of the head1 without that
 fashionable air1 address and manner1   

which is mere tinsel4 ,i deny it4 ,a man
 may be esteemed and respected1 but ,i  
defy him to please without them4        
,moreover1 at your age1 ,i would not    
have contented myself with barely       
pleasing2 ,i wanted to shine and to     
distinguish myself in the world as a man
 of fashion and gallantry1 as well as   
business4 ,and that ambition or vanity1 
call it what you please1 was a right    
one2 it hurt nobody1 and made me exert  
whatever talents ,i had4 ,it is the     
spring of a thousand right and good     
things4  ,i was talking you over the    
other day with one very much your       
friend1 and who had often been with you1
 both at ,paris and in ,italy4 ,among   
the innumerable questions which you may 
be sure ,i asked him concerning you1 ,i 
happened to mention your dress 7for1 to 
say the truth1 it was the only thing of 
which ,i thought him a competent judge7 
upon which he said that you dressed     
tolerably well at ,paris2 but that in   
,italy you dressed so ill1 that he used 

to joke with you upon it1 and even to   
tear your clothes4 ,now1 ,i must tell   
you1 that at your age it is as          
ridiculous not to be very well dressed1 
as at my age it would be if ,i were to  
wear a white feather and red-heeled     
shoes4 ,dress is one of various         
ingredients that contribute to the art  
of pleasing2 it pleases the eyes at     
least1 and more especially of women4    
,address yourself to the senses1 if you 
would please2 dazzle the eyes1 soothe   
and flatter the ears of mankind2 engage 
their hearts1 and let their reason do   
its worst against you4 #8,suaviter in   
modo' is the great secret4 ,whenever you
 find yourself engaged insensibly1 in   
favor of anybody of no superior merit   
nor distinguished talents1 examine1 and 
see what it is that has made those      
impressions upon you3 and you will find 
it to be that #8douceur'1 that          
gentleness of manners1 that air and     
address1 which ,i have so often         
recommended to you2 and from thence draw

 this obvious conclusion1 that what     
pleases you in them1 will please others 
in you2 for we are all made of the same 
clay1 though some of the lumps are a    
little finer1 and some a little coarser2
 but in general1 the surest way to judge
 of others1 is to examine and analyze   
one's self thoroughly4 ,when we meet ,i 
will assist you in that analysis1 in    
which every man wants some assistance   
against his own self-love4 ,adieu4      
,,letter ,,cl  ,,greenwich1 ,june #cj1  
,o4 ,s4 #agea4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3   
,pray give the inclosed to our friend   
the ,abbe2 it is to congratulate him    
upon his #8,canonicat'1 which ,i am     
really very glad of1 and ,i hope it will
 fatten him up to ,boileau's            
#8,chanoine'2 at present he is as meagre
 as an apostle or a prophet4 ,by the    
way1 has he ever introduced you to la   
,duchesse d',aiguillon8 ,if he has not1 
make him present you2 and if he has1    
frequent her1 and make her many         
compliments from me4 ,she has uncommon1 

sense and knowledge for a woman1 and her
 house is the resort of one set of #8les
 beaux esprits4 ,it is a satisfaction   
and a sort of credit to be acquainted   
with those gentlemen2 and it puts a     
young fellow in fashion4 #8,a propos des
 beaux esprits'1 you have #8les entries'
 at ,lady ,sandwich's2 who1 old as she  
was1 when ,i saw her last1 had the      
strongest parts of any woman ,i ever    
knew in my life8 ,if you are not        
acquainted with her1 either the         
,duchesse d',aiguillon or ,lady ,hervey 
can1 and ,i dare say will2 introduce    
you4 ,i can assure you1 it is very well 
worth your while1 both upon her own     
account1 and for the sake of the people 
of wit and learning who frequent her4   
,in such companies there is always      
something to be learned as well as      
manners2 the conversation turns upon    
something above trifles2 some point of  
literature1 criticism1 history1 etc41 is
 discussed with ingenuity and good      
manners2 for ,i must do the ,french     

people of learning justice2 they are not
 bears1 as most of ours are3 they are   
gentlemen4  ,our ,abbe writes me word   
that you were gone to ,compiegne3 ,i am 
very glad of it2 other courts must form 
you for your own4 ,he tells me too1 that
 you have left off riding at the        
#8manege'2 ,i have no objection to that1
 it takes up a great deal of the        
morning2 and if you have got a genteel  
and firm seat on horseback1 it is enough
 for you1 now that tilts and tournaments
 are laid aside4 ,i suppose you have    
hunted at ,compiegne4 ,the ,king's      
hunting there1 ,i am told1 is a fine    
sight4 ,the ,french manner of hunting is
 gentlemanlike2 ours is only for        
bumpkins and boobies4 ,the poor beasts  
are here pursued and run down by much   
greater beasts than themselves1 and the 
true ,british fox-hunter is most        
undoubtedly a species appropriated and  
peculiar to this country1 which no other
 part of the globe produces4  ,i hope   
you apply the time you have saved from  

the riding-house to useful more than to 
learned purposes2 for ,i can assure you 
they are very different things4 ,i would
 have you allow but one hour a-day for  
,greek2 and that more to keep what you  
have than to increase it3 by ,greek1 ,i 
mean useful ,greek books1 such as       
,demosthenes1 ,thucydides1 etc41 and not
 the poets1 with whom you are already   
enough acquainted4 ,your ,latin will    
take care of itself4 ,whatever more time
 you may have for reading1 pray bestow  
it upon those books which are           
immediately relative to your            
destination2 such as modern history1 in 
the modern languages1 memoirs1          
anecdotes1 letters1 negotiations1 etc4  
,collect also1 if you can1              
authentically1 the present state of all 
the courts and countries in ,europe1 the
 characters of the kings and princes1   
their wives1 their ministers1 and their 
w----s2 their several views1            
connections1 and interests2 the state of
 their ,,finances1 their military force1

 their trade1 manufactures1 and         
commerce4 ,that is the useful1 the      
necessary knowledge for you1 and indeed 
for every gentleman4 ,but with all this1
 remember1 that living books are much   
better than dead ones2 and throw away no
 time 7for it is thrown away7 with the  
latter1 which you can employ well with  
the former2 for books must now be your  
only amusement1 but1 by no means your   
business4 ,i had much rather that you   
were passionately in love with some     
determined coquette of condition 7who   
would lead you a dance1 fashion1 supple1
 and polish you71 than that you knew all
 ,plato and ,aristotle by heart3 an hour
 at ,versailles1 ,compiegne1 or ,st4    
,cloud1 is now worth more to you than   
three hours in your closet1 with the    
best books that ever were written4  ,i  
hear the dispute between the court and  
the clergy is made up amicably1 both    
parties have yielded something2 the king
 being afraid of losing more of his     
soul1 and the clergy more of their      

revenue4 ,those gentlemen are very      
skillful in making the most of the vices
 and the weaknesses of the laity4 ,i    
hope you have read and informed yourself
 fully of everything relative to that   
affair2 it is a very important question1
 in which the priesthood of every       
country in ,europe is highly concerned4 
,if you would be thoroughly convinced   
that their tithes are of divine         
institution1 and their property the     
property of ,god himself1 not to be     
touched by any power on earth1 read ,fra
 ,paolo ,de ,beneficiis1 an excellent   
and short book2 for which1 and some     
other treaties against the court of     
,rome1 he was stilettoed2 which made him
 say afterward1 upon seeing an anonymous
 book written against him by order of   
the ,pope1 #8,conosco bene to stile     
,romano'4  ,the parliament of ,paris1   
and the states of ,languedoc1 will1 ,i  
believe1 hardly scramble off2 having    
only reason and justice1 but no terrors 
on their side4 ,those are political and 

constitutional questions that well      
deserve your attention and inquiries4 ,i
 hope you are thoroughly master of them4
 ,it is also worth your while to collect
 and keep all the pieces written upon   
those subjects4  ,i hope you have been  
thanked by your ladies1 at least1 if not
 paid in money1 for the mohairs1 which  
,i sent by a courier to ,paris1 some    
time ago1 instead of sending them to    
,madame ,morel1 at ,calais1 as ,i told  
you ,i should4 ,do they like them2 and  
do they like you the better for getting 
them8 #8,le petite ,blot devroit au     
moins payer de sa personne'4 ,as for    
,madame de ,polignac1 ,i believe you    
will very willingly hold her excused    
from personal payment4  ,before you     
return to ,england1 pray go again to    
,orli1 for two or three days1 and also  
to ,st4 ,cloud1 in order to secure a    
good reception there at your return4    
,ask the ,marquis de ,matignon too1 if  
he has any orders for you in ,england1  
or any letters or packets for ,lord     

,bolingbroke4 ,adieu6 ,go on and        
prosper4     ,,letter ,,cli             
,,greenwich1 ,july #h1 ,o4 ,s4 #agea4   
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,the last mail    
brought me your letter of the #c;d      
,july1 ,n4 ,s4 ,i am glad that you are  
so well with ,colonel ,yorke1 as to be  
let into secret correspondences4 ,lord  
,albemarle's reserve to you is1 ,i      
believe1 more owing to his secretary    
than to himself2 for you seem to be much
 in favor with him2 and possibly too    
,,he ,,has ,,no ,,very ,,secret         
,,letters to communicate4 ,however1 take
 care not to discover the least         
dissatisfaction upon this score3 make   
the proper acknowledgments to ,colonel  
,yorke1 for what he does show you2 but  
let neither ,lord ,albemarle nor his    
people perceive the least coldness on   
your part1 upon account of what they do 
not show you4 ,it is very often         
necessary1 not to manifest all one      
feels4 ,make your court to1 and connect 
yourself as much as possible with       

,colonel ,yorke2 he may be of great use 
to you hereafter2 and when you take     
leave1 not only offer to bring over any 
letters or packets1 by way of security2 
but even ask1 as a favor1 to be the     
carrier of a letter from him to his     
father1 the ,chancellor4 #8,a propos' of
 your coming here2 ,i confess that ,i am
 weakly impatient for it1 and think a   
few days worth getting2 ,i would1       
therefore1 instead of the #beth of next 
month1 ,n4 ,s41 which was the day that  
,i some time ago appointed for your     
leaving ,paris1 have you set out on     
,friday the #bjth of ,august1 ,n4 ,s42  
in consequence of which you will be at  
,calais some time on the ,sunday        
following1 and probably at ,dover within
 four-and-twenty hours afterward4 ,if   
you land in the morning1 you may1 in a  
postchaise1 get to ,sittingborne that   
day2 if you come on shore in the        
evening1 you can only get to            
,canterbury1 where you will be better   
lodged than at ,dover4 ,i will not have 

you travel in the night1 nor fatigue and
 overheat yourself by running on        
fourscore miles the moment you land4    
,you will come straight to ,blackheath1 
where ,i shall be ready to meet you1 and
 which is directly upon the ,dover road 
to ,london2 and we will go to town      
together1 after you have rested yourself
 a day or two here4 ,all the other      
directions1 which ,i gave you in my     
former letter1 hold still the same4     
,but1 notwithstanding this regulation1  
should you have any particular reasons  
for leaving ,paris two or three days    
sooner or later1 than the above         
mentioned1 #8vous etes maitre'4 ,make   
all your arrangements at ,paris for     
about a six weeks stay in ,england at   
farthest4  ,i had a letter the other day
 from ,lord ,huntingdon1 of which       
one-half at least was your panegyric2 it
 was extremely welcome to me from so    
good a hand4 ,cultivate that friendship2
 it will do you honor and give you      
strength4 ,connections1 in our mixed    

parliamentary government1 are of great  
use4  ,i send you here inclosed the     
particular price of each of the mohairs2
 but ,i do not suppose that you will    
receive a shilling for anyone of them4  
,however1 if any of your ladies should  
take an odd fancy to pay1 the shortest  
way1 in the course of business1 is for  
you to keep the money1 and to take so   
much less from ,sir ,john ,lambert in   
your next draught upon him4  ,i am very 
sorry to hear that ,lady ,hervey is ill4
 ,paris does not seem to agree with her2
 she used to have great health here4    
#8,a propos' of her2 remember1 when you 
are with me1 not to mention her but when
 you and ,i are quite alone1 for reasons
 which ,i will tell you when we meet3   
but this is only between you and me2 and
 ,i desire that you will not so much as 
hint it to her1 or to anybody else4  ,if
 old ,kurzay goes to the valley of      
,jehoshaphat1 ,i cannot help it2 it will
 be an ease to our friend ,madame       
,montconseil1 who ,i believe maintains  

her1 and a little will not satisfy her  
in any way4  ,remember to bring your    
mother some little presents2 they need  
not be of value1 but only marks of your 
affection and duty for one who has      
always been tenderly fond of you4 ,you  
may bring ,lady ,chesterfield a little  
,martin snuffbox of about five ,louis2  
and you need bring over no other        
presents2 you and ,i not wanting #8les  
petits presens pour entretenir          
l'amitee'4  ,since ,i wrote what goes   
before1 ,i have talked you over minutely
 with ,lord ,albemarle1 who told me1    
that he could very sincerely commend you
 upon every article but one2 but upon   
that one you were often joked1 both by  
him and others4 ,i desired to know what 
that was2 he laughed and told me it was 
the article of dress1 in which you were 
exceedingly negligent4 ,though he       
laughed1 ,i can assure you that it is no
 laughing matter for you2 and you will  
possibly be surprised when ,i assert    
7but1 upon my word1 it is literally     

true71 that to be very well dressed is  
of much more importance to you1 than all
 the ,greek you know will1 be of these  
thirty years4 ,remember that the world  
is now your only business2 and that you 
must adopt its customs and manners1 be  
they silly or be they not4 ,to neglect  
your dress1 is an affront to all the    
women you keep company with2 as it      
implies that you do not think them worth
 that attention which everybody else    
doth2 they mind dress1 and you will     
never please them if you neglect yours2 
and if you do not please the women1 you 
will not please half the men you        
otherwise might4 ,it is the women who   
put a young fellow in fashion even with 
the men4 ,a young fellow ought to have a
 certain fund of coquetry2 which should 
make him try all the means of pleasing1 
as much as any coquette in ,europe can  
do4 ,old as ,i am1 and little thinking  
of women1 ,god knows1 ,i am very far    
from being negligent of my dress2 and   
why8 ,from conformity to custom1 and out

 of decency to men1 who expect that     
degree of complaisance4 ,i do not1      
indeed1 wear feathers and red heels1    
which would ill suit my age2 but ,i take
 care to have my clothes well made1 my  
wig well combed and powdered1 my linen  
and person extremely clean4 ,i even     
allow my footman forty shillings a year 
extraordinary1 that they may be spruce  
and neat4 ,your figure especially1 which
 from its stature cannot be very        
majestic and interesting1 should be the 
more attended to in point of dress as it
 cannot be #8imposante'1 it should be   
#8gentile1 aimable1 bien mise'4 ,it will
 not admit of negligence and            
carelessness4  ,i believe ,mr4 ,hayes   
thinks that you have slighted him a     
little of late1 since you have got into 
so much other company4 ,i do not by any 
means blame you for not frequenting his 
house so much as you did at first1      
before you had got into so many other   
houses more entertaining and more       
instructing than his2 on the contrary1  

you do very well2 but1 however1 as he   
was extremely civil to you1 take care to
 be so to him1 and make up in manner    
what you omit in matter4 ,see him1 dine 
with him before you come away1 and ask  
his commands for ,england4  ,your       
triangular seal is done1 and ,i have    
given it to an ,english gentleman1 who  
sets out in a week for ,paris1 and who  
will deliver it to ,sir ,john ,lambert  
for you4  ,i cannot conclude this letter
 without returning again to the showish1
 the ornamental1 the shining parts of   
your character2 which1 if you neglect1  
upon my word you will render the solid  
ones absolutely useless2 nay1 such is   
the present turn of the world1 that some
 valuable qualities are even ridiculous1
 if not accompanied by the genteeler    
accomplishments4 ,plainness1 simplicity1
 and quakerism1 either in dress or      
manners1 will by no means do2 they must 
both be laced and embroidered2 speaking1
 or writing sense1 without elegance and 
turn1 will be very little persuasive2   

and the best figure in the world1       
without air and address1 will be very   
ineffectual4 ,some pedants may have told
 you that sound sense and learning stand
 in1 need of no ornaments2 and1 to      
support that assertion1 elegantly quote 
the vulgar proverb1 that ,,good ,,wine  
,,needs ,,no ,,bush2 but surely the     
little experience you have already had  
of the world must have convinced you    
that the contrary of that assertion is  
true4 ,all those accomplishments are now
 in your power2 think of them1 and of   
them only4 ,i hope you frequent ,la     
,foire ,st4 ,laurent1 which ,i see is   
now open2 you will improve more by going
 there with your mistress1 than by      
staying at home and reading ,euclid with
 your geometry master4 ,adieu4          
#8,divertissez-vous1 il n'y a rien de   
tel'4     ,,letter ,,clii  ,,greenwich1 
,july #ae1 ,o4 ,s4 #agea  ,,my ,,dear   
,,friend3 ,as this is the last1 or last 
letter but one1 that ,i think ,i shall  
write before ,i have the pleasure of    

seeing you here1 it may not be amiss to 
prepare you a little for our interview1 
and for the time we shall pass together4
 ,before kings and princes meet1        
ministers on each side adjust the       
important points of precedence1 arm     
chairs1 right hand and left1 etc41 so   
that they know previously what they are 
to expect1 what they have to trust to2  
and it is right they should2 for they   
commonly envy or hate1 but most         
certainly distrust each other4 ,we shall
 meet upon very different terms2 we want
 no such preliminaries3 you know my     
tenderness1 ,i know your affection4 ,my 
only object1 therefore1 is to make your 
short stay with me as useful as ,i can  
to you2 and yours1 ,i hope1 is to       
co-operate with me4 ,whether1 by making 
it wholesome1 ,i shall make it pleasant 
to you1 ,i am not sure4 ,emetics and    
cathartics ,i shall not administer1     
because ,i am sure you do not want them2
 but for alteratives you must expect a  
great many2 and ,i can tell you that ,i 

have a number of ,,nostrums1 which ,i   
shall communicate to nobody but         
yourself4 ,to speak without a metaphor1 
,i shall endeavor to assist your youth  
with all the experience that ,i have    
purchased1 at the price of seven and    
fifty years4 ,in order to this1 frequent
 reproofs1 corrections1 and admonitions 
will be necessary2 but then1 ,i promise 
you1 that they shall be in a gentle1    
friendly1 and secret manner2 they shall 
not put you out of countenance in       
company1 nor out of humor when we are   
alone4 ,i do not expect that1 at        
nineteen1 you should have that knowledge
 of the world1 those manners1 that      
dexterity1 which few people have at     
nine-and-twenty4 ,but ,i will endeavor  
to give them you2 and ,i am sure you    
will endeavor to learn them1 as far as  
your youth1 my experience1 and the time 
we shall pass together1 will allow4 ,you
 may have many inaccuracies 7and to be  
sure you have1 for who has not at your  
age87 which few people will tell you of1

 and some nobody can tell you of but    
myself4 ,you may possibly have others1  
too1 which eyes less interested1 and    
less vigilant than mine1 do not         
discover2 all those you shall hear of   
from one whose tenderness for you will  
excite his curiosity and sharpen his    
penetration4 ,the smallest inattention  
or error in manners1 the minutest       
inelegance of diction1 the least        
awkwardness in your dress and carriage1 
will not escape my observation1 nor pass
 without amicable correction4 ,two1 the 
most intimate friends in the world1 can 
freely tell each other their faults1 and
 even their crimes1 but cannot possibly 
tell each other of certain little       
weaknesses2 awkwardnesses1 and          
blindnesses of self-love2 to authorize  
that unreserved freedom1 the relation   
between us is absolutely necessary4 ,for
 example1 ,i had a very worthy friend1  
with whom ,i was intimate enough to tell
 him his faults2 he had but few2 ,i told
 him of them2 he took it kindly of me1  

and corrected them4 ,but then1 he had   
some weaknesses that ,i could never tell
 him of directly1 and which he was so   
little sensible of himself1 that hints  
of them were lost upon him4 ,he had a   
scrag neck1 of about a yard long2       
notwithstanding which1 bags being in    
fashion1 truly he would wear one to his 
wig1 and did so2 but never behind him1  
for1 upon every motion of his head1 his 
bag came forward over one shoulder or   
the other4 ,he took it into his head    
too1 that he must occasionally dance    
minuets1 because other people did2 and  
he did so1 not only extremely ill1 but  
so awkward1 so disjointed1 slim1 so     
meagre1 was his figure1 that had he     
danced as well as ever ,marcel did1 it  
would have been ridiculous in him to    
have danced at all4 ,i hinted these     
things to him as plainly as friendship  
would allow1 and to no purpose2 but to  
have told him the whole1 so as to cure  
him1 ,i must have been his father1      
which1 thank ,god1 ,i am not4 ,as       

fathers commonly go1 it is seldom a     
misfortune to be fatherless2 and1       
considering the general run of sons1 as 
seldom a misfortune to be childless4    
,you and ,i form1 ,i believe1 an        
exception to that rule2 for1 ,i am      
persuaded that we would neither of us   
change our relation1 were it in our     
power4 ,you will1 ,i both hope and      
believe1 be not only the comfort1 but   
the pride of my age2 and1 ,i am sure1 ,i
 will be the support1 the friend1 the   
guide of your youth4 ,trust me without  
reserve2 ,i will advise you without     
private interest1 or secret envy4 ,mr4  
,harte will do so too2 but still there  
may be some little things proper for you
 to know1 and necessary for you to      
correct1 which even his friendship would
 not let him tell you of so freely as ,i
 should2 and some1 of which he may not  
possibly be so good a judge of as ,i am1
 not having lived so much in the great  
world4  ,one principal topic of our     
conversation will be1 not only the      

purity but the elegance of the ,english 
language2 in both which you are very    
deficient4 ,another will be the         
constitution of this country1 of which1 
,i believe1 you know less than of most  
other countries in ,europe4 ,manners1   
attentions1 and address1 will also be   
the frequent subjects of our lectures2  
and whatever ,i know of that important  
and necessary art1 the art of pleasing4 
,i will unreservedly communicate to you4
 ,dress too 7which1 as things are1 ,i   
can logically prove1 requires some      
attention7 will not always escape our   
notice4 ,thus1 my lectures will be more 
various1 and in some respects more      
useful than ,professor ,mascow's1 and   
therefore1 ,i can tell you1 that ,i     
expect to be paid for them2 but1 as     
possibly you would not care to part with
 your ready money1 and as ,i do not     
think that it would be quite handsome in
 me to accept it1 ,i will compound for  
the payment1 and take it in attention   
and practice4  ,pray remember to part   

with all your friends1 acquaintances1   
and mistresses1 if you have any at      
,paris1 in such a manner as may make    
them not only willing but impatient to  
see you there again4 ,assure them of    
your desire of returning to them2 and do
 it in a manner that they may think you 
in earnest1 that is #8avec onction et   
une espece d'attendrissement'4 ,all     
people say1 pretty near the same things 
upon those occasions2 it is the manner  
only that makes the difference2 and that
 difference is great4 ,avoid1 however1  
as much as you can1 charging yourself   
with commissions1 in your return from   
hence to ,paris2 ,i know1 by experience1
 that they are exceedingly troublesome1 
commonly expensive1 and very seldom     
satisfactory at last1 to the persons who
 gave them2 some you cannot refuse1 to  
people to whom you are obliged1 and     
would oblige in your turn2 but as to    
common fiddle-faddle commissions1 you   
may excuse yourself from them with      
truth1 by saying that you are to return 

to ,paris through ,flanders1 and see all
 those great towns2 which ,i intend you 
shall do1 and stay a week or ten days at
 ,brussels4 ,adieu6 ,a good journey to  
you1 if this is my last2 if not1 ,i can 
repeat again what ,i shall wish         
constantly4     ,,letter ,,cliii        
,,london1 ,december #ai1 ,o4 ,s4        
#agea--,note the date1 which indicates  
that the sojourn with the author has    
ended4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,you are  
now entered upon a scene of business1   
where ,i hope you will one day make a   
figure4 ,use does a great deal1 but care
 and attention must be joined to it4    
,the first thing necessary in writing   
letters of business1 is extreme         
clearness and perspicuity2 every        
paragraph should be so clear and        
unambiguous1 that the dullest fellow in 
the world may not be able to mistake it1
 nor obliged to read it twice in order  
to understand it4 ,this necessary       
clearness implies a correctness1 without
 excluding an elegance of style4        

,tropes1 figures1 antitheses1 epigrams1 
etc41 would be as misplaced and as      
impertinent in letters of business1 as  
they are sometimes 7if judiciously used7
 proper and pleasing in familiar        
letters1 upon common and trite subjects4
 ,in business1 an elegant simplicity1   
the result of care1 not of labor1 is    
required4 ,business must be well1 not   
affectedly dressed2 but by no means     
negligently4 ,let your first attention  
be to clearness1 and read every         
paragraph after you have written it1 in 
the critical view of discovering whether
 it is possible that any one man can    
mistake the true sense of it3 and       
correct it accordingly4  ,our pronouns  
and relatives often create obscurity or 
ambiguity2 be therefore exceedingly     
attentive to them1 and take care to mark
 out with precision their particular    
relations4 ,for example1 ,mr4 ,johnson  
acquainted me that he had seen ,mr4     
,smith1 who had promised him to speak to
 ,mr4 ,clarke1 to return him 7,mr4      

,johnson7 those papers1 which he 7,mr4  
,smith7 had left some time ago with him 
7,mr4 ,clarke73 it is better to repeat a
 name1 though unnecessarily1 ten times1 
than to have the person mistaken once4  
,,who1 you know1 is singly relative to  
persons1 and cannot be applied to       
things2 ,,which and ,,that are chiefly  
relative to things1 but not absolutely  
exclusive of persons2 for one may say1  
the man ,,that robbed or killed         
such-a-one2 but it is better to say1 the
 man ,,who robbed or killed4 ,one never 
says1 the man or the woman ,,which4     
,,which and ,,that1 though chiefly      
relative to things1 cannot be always    
used indifferently as to things1 and the
 #8euoovca' must sometimes determine    
their place4 ,for instance1 the letter  
,,which ,i received from you1 ,,which   
you referred to in your last1 ,,which   
came by ,lord ,albemarle's messenger    
,,which ,i showed to such-a-one2 ,i     
would change it thus--,the letter ,,that
 ,i received from you2 ,,which you      

referred to in your last1 ,,that came by
 ,lord ,albemarle's messenger1 and      
,,which ,i showed to such-a-one4        
,business does not exclude 7as possibly 
you wish it did7 the usual terms of     
politeness and good-breeding2 but1 on   
the contrary1 strictly requires them3   
such as1 ,i ,,have ,,the ,,honor ,,to   
,,acquaint ,,your ,,lordship2 ,,permit  
,,me ,,to ,,assure ,,you2 ,,if ,i ,,may 
,,be ,,allowed ,,to ,,give ,,my         
,,opinion1 etc4 ,for the minister       
abroad1 who writes to the minister at   
home1 writes to his superior2 possibly  
to his patron1 or at least to one who he
 desires should be so4  ,letters of     
business will not only admit of1 but be 
the better for ,,certain ,,graces--but  
then1 they must be scattered with a     
sparing and skillful hand2 they must fit
 their place exactly4 ,they must        
decently adorn without encumbering1 and 
modestly shine without glaring4 ,but as 
this is the utmost degree of perfection 
in letters of business1 ,i would not    

advise you to attempt those             
embellishments1 till you have first laid
 your foundation well4  ,cardinal       
d',ossat's letters are the true letters 
of business2 those of ,monsieur d',avaux
 are excellent2 ,sir ,william ,temple's 
are very pleasing1 but1 ,i fear1 too    
affected4 ,carefully avoid all ,greek or
 ,latin quotations2 and bring no        
precedents from the ,,virtuous          
,,spartans1 ,,the ,,polite ,,athenians1 
,,and ,,the ,,brave ,,romans4 ,leave all
 that to futile pedants4 ,no flourishes1
 no declamation4 ,but 7,i repeat it     
again7 there is an elegant simplicity   
and dignity of style absolutely         
necessary for good letters of business2 
attend to that carefully4 ,let your     
periods be harmonious1 without seeming  
to be labored2 and let them not be too  
long1 for that always occasions a degree
 of obscurity4 ,i should not mention    
correct orthography1 but that you very  
often fail in that particular1 which    
will bring ridicule upon you2 for no man

 is allowed to spell ill4 ,i wish too   
that your handwriting were much better2 
and ,i cannot conceive why it is not1   
since every man may certainly write     
whatever hand he pleases4 ,neatness in  
folding up1 sealing1 and directing your 
packets1 is by no means to be neglected2
 though1 ,i dare say1 you think it is4  
,but there is something in the exterior1
 even of a packet1 that may please or   
displease2 and consequently worth some  
attention4  ,you say that your time is  
very well employed2 and so it is1 though
 as yet only in the outlines1 and first 
,,routine of business4 ,they are        
previously necessary to be known2 they  
smooth the way for parts and dexterity4 
,business requires no conjuration nor   
supernatural talents1 as people         
unacquainted with it are apt to think4  
,method1 diligence1 and discretion1 will
 carry a man1 of good strong common     
sense1 much higher than the finest      
parts1 without them1 can do4 #8,par     
negotiis1 neque supra'1 is the true     

character of a man of business2 but then
 it implies ready attention and no      
,,absences1 and a flexibility and       
versatility of attention from one object
 to another1 without being engrossed by 
anyone4  ,be upon your guard against the
 pedantry and affectation of business   
which young people are apt to fall into1
 from the pride of being concerned in it
 young4 ,they look thoughtful1 complain 
of the weight of business1 throw out    
mysterious hints1 and seem big with     
secrets which they do not know4 ,do you1
 on the contrary1 never talk of business
 but to those with whom you are to      
transact it2 and learn to seem vacuus   
and idle1 when you have the most        
business4 ,of all things1 the #8volte   
sciollo'1 and the #8pensieri stretti'1  
are necessary4 ,adieu4     ,,letter     
,,cliv  ,,london1 ,december #cj1 ,o4 ,s4
 #agea  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,the      
parliaments are the courts of justice of
 ,france1 and are what our courts of    
justice in ,westminster-,hall are here4 

,they used anciently to follow the      
court1 and administer justice in        
presence of the ,king4 ,philip le ,bel  
first fixed it at ,paris1 by an edict of
 #acjb4 ,it consisted then of but one   
chambre1 which was called #8la ,chambre 
des ,prelats'1 most of the members being
 ecclesiastics2 but the multiplicity of 
business made it by degrees necessary to
 create several other chambres4 ,it     
consists now of seven chambres3  #8,la  
,grande ,chambre'1 which is the highest 
court of justice1 and to which appeals  
lie from the others4  #8,les cinq       
,chambres des ,enquetes'1 which are like
 our ,common ,pleas1 and ,court of      
,exchequer4  #8,la ,tournelle'1 which is
 the court for criminal justice1 and    
answers to our ,old ,bailey and ,king's 
,bench4  ,there are in all twelve       
parliaments in ,france3 #a4 ,paris  #b4 
,toulouse #c4 ,grenoble  #d4 ,bourdeaux 
#e4 ,dijon  #f4 ,rouen  #g4 ,aix en     
,provence #h4 ,rennes en ,bretagne  #i4 
,pau en ,navarre  #aj4 ,metz  #aa4 ,dole

 en ,franche ,comte  #ab4 ,douay  ,there
 are three #8,conseils ,souverains'1    
which may almost be called parliaments2 
they are those of3  ,perpignan   ,arras 
,alsace  ,for further particulars of the
 ,french parliaments1 read #8,bernard de
 la ,rochefavin des ,parlemens de       
,france'1 and other authors1 who have   
treated that subject constitutionally4  
,but what will be still better1 converse
 upon it with people of sense and       
knowledge1 who will inform you of the   
particular objects of the several       
chambres1 and the businesses of the     
respective members1 as1 #8les           
,presidens1 les ,presidens a ,mortier'  
7these last so called from their black  
velvet caps laced with gold71 #8les     
,maitres tres des ,requetes1 les        
,greffiers1 le ,procureur ,general1 les 
,avocats ,generaux1 les ,conseillers'1  
etc4 ,the great point in dispute is     
concerning the powers of the parliament 
of ,paris in matters of state1 and      
relatively to the ,crown4 ,they pretend 

to the powers of the ,states-,general of
 ,france when they used to be assembled 
7which1 ,i think1 they have not been    
since the reign of ,lewis the           
,thirteenth1 in the year #afae74 ,the   
,crown denies those pretensions1 and    
considers them only as courts of        
justice4 ,mezeray seems to be on the    
side of the parliament in this question1
 which is very well worth your inquiry4 
,but1 be that as it will1 the parliament
 of ,paris is certainly a very          
respectable body1 and much regarded by  
the whole kingdom4 ,the edicts of the   
,crown1 especially those for levying    
money on the subjects1 ought to be      
registered in parliament2 ,i do not say 
to have their effect1 for the ,crown    
would take good care of that2 but to    
have a decent appearance1 and to procure
 a willing acquiescence in the nation4  
,and the ,crown itself1 absolute as it  
is1 does not love that strong           
opposition1 and those admirable         
remonstrances1 which it sometimes meets 

with from the parliaments4 ,many of     
those detached pieces are very well     
worth your collecting2 and ,i remember1 
a year or two ago1 a remonstrance of the
 parliament of ,douay1 upon the subject1
 as ,i think1 of the #8,vingtieme'1     
which was in my mind one of the finest  
and most moving compositions ,i ever    
read4 ,they owned themselves1 indeed1 to
 be slaves1 and showed their chains3 but
 humbly begged of his ,majesty to make  
them a little lighter1 and less galling4
  ,,the ,,states ,,of ,,france were     
general assemblies of the three states  
or orders of the kingdom2 the ,clergy1  
the ,nobility1 and the #8,tiers ,etat'1 
that is1 the people4 ,they used to be   
called together by the ,king1 upon the  
most important affairs of state1 like   
our ,lords and ,commons in parliament1  
and our ,clergy in convocation4 ,our    
parliament is our states1 and the       
,french parliaments are only their      
courts of justice4 ,the ,nobility       
consisted of all those of noble         

extraction1 whether belonging to the    
,,sword or to the ,,robe1 excepting such
 as were chosen 7which sometimes        
happened7 by the ,tiers ,etat as their  
deputies to the ,states-,general4 ,the  
,tiers ,etat was exactly our ,house of  
,commons1 that is1 the people1          
represented by deputies of their own    
choosing4 ,those who had the most       
considerable places1 #8dans la robe'1   
assisted at those assemblies1 as        
commissioners on the part of the ,crown4
 ,the ,states met1 for the first time   
that ,i can find 7,i mean by the name of
 #8les etats'71 in the reign of         
,pharamond1 #dbd1 when they confirmed   
the ,salic law4 ,from that time they    
have been very frequently assembled1    
sometimes upon important occasions1 as  
making war and peace1 reforming abuses1 
etc42 at other times1 upon seemingly    
trifling ones1 as coronations1          
marriages1 etc4 ,francis the ,first     
assembled them1 in #aebf1 to declare    
null and void his famous treaty of      

,madrid1 signed and sworn to by him     
during his captivity there4 ,they grew  
troublesome to the kings and to their   
ministers1 and were but seldom called   
after the power of the ,crown grew      
strong2 and they have never been heard  
of since the year #afae4 ,richelieu came
 and shackled the nation1 and ,mazarin  
and ,lewis the ,fourteenth riveted the  
shackles4  ,there still subsist in some 
provinces in ,france1 which are called  
#8pais d etats'1 an humble local        
imitation1 or rather mimicry1 of the    
great #8etats'1 as in ,languedoc1       
,bretagne1 etc4 ,they meet1 they speak1 
they grumble1 and finally submit to     
whatever the ,king orders4              
,independently of the intrinsic utility 
of this kind of knowledge to every man  
of business1 it is a shame for any man  
to be ignorant of it1 especially        
relatively to any country he has been   
long in4 ,adieu4                        
,,letters ,,to ,,his ,,son              
#ageb             ,by the ,,earl ,,of   

,,chesterfield             on the ,fine 
,art of becoming a                ,,man 
,,of ,,the ,,world                   and
 a                  ,,gentleman         
,,letter ,,clv  ,,london1 ,january #b1  
,o4 ,s4 #ageb4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3   
,laziness of mind1 or inattention1 are  
as great enemies to knowledge as        
incapacity2 for1 in truth1 what         
difference is there between a man who   
will not1 and a man who cannot be       
informed8 ,this difference only1 that   
the former is justly to be blamed1 the  
latter to be pitied4 ,and yet how many  
there are1 very capable of receiving    
knowledge1 who from laziness1           
inattention1 and incuriousness1 will not
 so much as ask for it1 much less take  
the least pains to acquire it6  ,our    
young ,english travelers generally      
distinguish themselves by a voluntary   
privation of all that useful knowledge  
for which they are sent abroad2 and yet1
 at that age1 the most useful knowledge 
is the most easy to be acquired2        

conversation being the book1 and the    
best book in which it is contained4 ,the
 drudgery of dry grammatical learning is
 over1 and the fruits of it are mixed   
with1 and adorned by1 the flowers of    
conversation4 ,how many of our young men
 have been a year at ,rome1 and as long 
at ,paris1 without knowing the meaning  
and institution of the ,conclave in the 
former1 and of the parliament in the    
latter8 and this merely for want of     
asking the first people they met with in
 those several places1 who could at     
least have given them some general      
notions of those matters4  ,you will1 ,i
 hope1 be wiser1 and omit no opportunity
 7for opportunities present themselves  
every hour of the day7 of acquainting   
yourself with all those political and   
constitutional particulars of the       
kingdom and government of ,france4 ,for 
instance1 when you hear people mention  
le ,chancelier1 or #8le ,garde de       
,sceaux'1 is it any great trouble for   
you to ask1 or for others to tell you1  

what is the nature1 the powers1 the     
objects1 and the profits of those two   
employments1 either when joined         
together1 as they often are1 or when    
separate1 as they are at present8 ,when 
you hear of a gouverneur1 a lieutenant  
du ,roi1 a commandant1 and an intendant 
of the same province1 is1 it not        
natural1 is it not becoming1 is it not  
necessary1 for a stranger to inquire    
into their respective rights and        
privileges8 ,and yet1 ,i dare say1 there
 are very few ,englishmen who know the  
difference between the civil department 
of the ,intendant1 and the military     
powers of the others4 ,when you hear 7as
 ,i am persuaded you must7 every day of 
the #8,vingtieme'1 which is one in      
twenty1 and consequently five per cent41
 inquire upon what that tax is laid1    
whether upon lands1 money1 merchandise1 
or upon all three2 how levied1 and what 
it is supposed to produce4 ,when you    
find in books3 7as you will sometimes7  
allusion to particular laws and customs1

 do not rest till you have traced them  
up to their source4 ,to give you two    
examples3 you will meet in some ,french 
comedies1 #8,cri'1 or #8,clameur de     
,haro'2 ask what it means1 and you will 
be told that it is a term of the law in 
,normandy1 and means citing1 arresting1 
or obliging any person to appear in the 
courts of justice1 either upon a civil  
or a criminal account2 and that it is   
derived from #8a ,raoul'1 which ,raoul  
was anciently ,duke of ,normandy1 and a 
prince eminent for his justice2         
insomuch1 that when any injustice was   
committed1 the cry immediately was1     
#8,venez1 a ,raoul1 a ,raoul'1 which    
words are now corrupted and jumbled into
 #8haro'4 ,another1 #8,le vol du        
,chapon1 that is1 a certain district of 
ground immediately contiguous to the    
mansion-seat of a family1 and answers to
 what we call in ,english ,,demesnes4   
,it is in ,france computed at about     
#a1fjj feet round the house1 that being 
supposed to be the extent of the capon's

 flight from #8la basse cour'4 ,this    
little district must go along with the  
mansion-seat1 however the rest of the   
estate may be divided4  ,i do not mean  
that you should be a ,french lawyer2 but
 ,i would not have you unacquainted with
 the general principles of their law1 in
 matters that occur every day3 ,such is 
the nature of their descents1 that is1  
the inheritance of lands3 ,do they all  
go to the eldest son1 or are they       
equally divided among the children of   
the deceased8 ,in ,england1 all lands   
unsettled descend to the eldest son1 as 
heir-at-law1 unless otherwise disposed  
of by the father's will1 except in the  
county of ,kent1 where a particular     
custom prevails1 called ,gavelkind2 by  
which1 if the father dies intestate1 all
 his children divide his lands equally  
among them4 ,in ,germany1 as you know1  
all lands that1 are not fiefs are       
equally divided among all the children1 
which ruins those families2 but all male
 fiefs of the empire descend unalienably

 to the next male heir1 which preserves 
those families4 ,in ,france1 ,i believe1
 descents vary in different provinces4  
,the nature of marriage contracts       
deserves inquiry4 ,in ,england1 the     
general practice is1 the husband takes  
all the wife's fortune2 and in          
consideration of it settles upon her a  
proper pin-money1 as it is called2 that 
is1 an annuity during his life1 and a   
jointure after his death4 ,in ,france it
 is not so1 particularly at ,paris2     
where #8la communaute des biens' is     
established4 ,any married woman at      
,paris 7,,if ,,you ,,are ,,acquainted   
,,with ,,one7 can inform you of all     
these particulars4  ,these and other    
things of the same nature1 are the      
useful and rational objects of the      
curiosity of a man of sense and         
business4 ,could they only be attained  
by laborious researches in folio-books1 
and wormeaten manuscripts1 ,i should not
 wonder at a young fellow's being       
ignorant of them2 but as they are the   

frequent topics of conversation1 and to 
be known by a very little degree of     
curiosity1 inquiry and attention1 it is 
unpardonable not to know them4  ,thus ,i
 have given you some hints only for your
 inquiries2 #8l',etat de la ,france1    
l',almanach ,royal'1 and twenty other   
such superficial books1 will furnish you
 with a thousand more4                  
#8,approfondissez4'  ,how often1 and how
 justly1 have ,i since regretted        
negligences of this kind in my youth6   
,and how often have ,i since been at    
great trouble to learn many things which
 ,i could then have learned without any6
 ,save yourself now1 then1 ,i beg of    
you1 that regret and trouble hereafter4 
,ask questions1 and many questions2 and 
leave nothing till you are thoroughly   
informed of it4 ,such pertinent         
questions are far from being illbred or 
troublesome to those of whom you ask    
them2 on the contrary1 they are a tacit 
compliment to their knowledge2 and      
people have a better opinion of a young 

man1 when they see him desirous to be   
informed4  ,i have by last post received
 your two letters of the #ast and #eth  
of ,january1 ,n4 ,s4 ,i am very glad    
that you have been at all the shows at  
,versailles3 frequent the courts4 ,i can
 conceive the murmurs of the ,french at 
the poorness of the fireworks1 by which 
they thought their king of their country
 degraded2 and1 in truth1 were things   
always as they should be1 when kings    
give shows they ought to be magnificent4
  ,i thank you for the #8,these de la   
,sorbonne'1 which you intend to send me1
 and which ,i am impatient to receive4  
,but pray read it carefully yourself    
first2 and inform yourself what the     
,sorbonne is by whom founded1 and for   
what puraoses4  ,since you have time1   
you have done very well to take an      
,italian and a ,german master2 but pray 
take care to leave yourelf time enough  
for company2 for it is in company only  
that you can learn what will be much    
more useful to you than either ,italian 

or ,german2 ,i mean #8la politesse1 les 
manieres et les graces1 without which1  
as ,i told you long ago1 and ,i told you
 true1 #8ogni fatica a vana'4 ,adieu4   
,pray make my compliments to ,lady      
,brown4     ,,letter ,,clvi  ,,london1  
,january #f1 ,o4 ,s4 #ageb4 ,,my ,,dear 
,,friend  ,i recommended to you1 in my  
last1 some inquiries into the           
constitution of that famous society the 
,sorbonne2 but as ,i cannot wholly trust
 to the diligence of those inquiries1 ,i
 will give you here the outlines of that
 establishment2 which may possibly      
excite you to inform yourself of        
particulars1 which you are more #8a     
portee' to know than ,i am4  ,it was    
founded by ,robert de ,sorbon1 in the   
year #abef for sixteen poor scholars in 
divinity2 four of each nation1 of the   
university of which it made a part2     
since that it hath been much extended   
and enriched1 especially by the         
liberality and pride of ,cardinal       
,richelieu2 who made it a magnificent   

building for six-and-thirty doctors of  
that society to live in2 besides which1 
there are six professors and schools for
 divinity4 ,this society has long been  
famous for theological knowledge and    
exercitations4 ,there unintelligible    
points are debated with passion1 though 
they can never be determined by reason4 
,logical subtilties set common sense at 
defiance2 and mystical refinements      
disfigure and disguise the native beauty
 and simplicity of true natural         
religion2 wild imaginations form        
systems1 which weak minds adopt         
implicitly1 and which sense and reason  
oppose in vain2 their voice is not      
strong enough to be heard in schools of 
divinity4 ,political views are by no    
means neglected in those sacred places2 
and questions are agitated and decided1 
according to the degree of regard1 or   
rather submission1 which the ,sovereign 
is pleased to show the ,church4 ,is the 
,king a slave to the ,church1 though a  
tyrant to the laity8 ,the least         

resistance to his will shall be declared
 damnable4 ,but if he will not          
acknowledge the superiority of their    
spiritual over his temporal1 nor even   
admit their #8imperium in imperio'1     
which is the least they will compound   
for1 it becomes meritorious not only to 
resist1 but to depose him4 ,and ,i      
suppose that the bold propositions in   
the thesis you mention1 are a return for
 the valuation of #8les biens du        
,clerge'4  ,i would advise you1 by all  
means1 to attend to two or three of     
their public disputations1 in order to  
be informed both of the manner and the  
substance of those scholastic exercises4
 ,pray remember to go to all those kind 
of things4 ,do not put it off1 as one is
 too apt to do those things which one   
knows can be done every day1 or any day2
 for one afterward repents extremely1   
when too late1 the not having done them4
  ,but there is another 7so-called7     
religious society1 of which the minutest
 circumstance deserves attention1 and   

furnishes great matter for useful       
reflections4 ,you easily guess that ,i  
mean the society of #8les ,r4 ,r4 ,p4   
,p4 ,jesuites'1 established but in the  
year #aedj1 by a ,bull of ,pope ,paul   
,,iii4 ,its progress1 and ,i may say its
 victories1 were more rapid than those  
of the ,romans2 for within the same     
century it governed all ,europe2 and1 in
 the next1 it extended its influence    
over the whole world4 ,its founder was  
an abandoned profligate ,spanish        
officer1 ,ignatius ,loyola2 who1 in the 
year #aeba1 being wounded in the leg at 
the #8siege of ,pampeluna1 went mad from
 the smart of his wound1 the reproaches 
of his conscience1 and his confinement1 
during which he read the lives of the   
,saints4 ,consciousness of guilt1 a     
fiery temper1 and a wild imagination1   
the common ingredients of enthusiasm1   
made this madman devote himself to the  
particular service of the ,virgin ,mary2
 whose knight-errant he declared        
himself1 in the very same form in which 

the old knight-errants in romances used 
to declare themselves the knights and   
champions of certain beautiful and      
incomparable princesses1 whom sometimes 
they had1 but oftener had not1 seen4    
,for ,dulcinea del ,toboso was by no    
means the first princess whom her       
faithful and valorous knight had never  
seen in his life4 ,the enthusiast went  
to the ,holy ,land1 from whence he      
returned to ,spain1 where he began to   
learn ,latin and philosophy at          
three-and-thirty years old1 so that no  
doubt but he made great progress in     
both4 ,the better to carry on his mad   
and wicked designs1 he chose four       
disciples1 or rather apostles1 all      
,spaniards1 viz1 ,laynes1 ,salmeron1    
,bobadilla1 and ,rodriguez4 ,he then    
composed the rules and constitutions of 
his order2 which1 in the year #aedg1 was
 called the order of ,jesuits1 from the 
church of ,jesus in ,rome1 which was    
given them4 ,ignatius died in #aeef1    
aged sixty-five1 thirty-five years after

 his conversion1 and sixteen years after
 the establishment of his society4 ,he  
was canonized in the year #afji1 and is 
doubtless now a saint in heaven4  ,if   
the religious and moral principles of   
this society are to be detested1 as they
 justly are1 the wisdom of their        
political principles is as justly to be 
admired4 ,suspected1 collectively as an 
order1 of the greatest crimes1 and      
convicted of many1 they have either     
escaped punishment1 or triumphed after  
it2 as in ,france1 in the reign of      
,henry ,,iv4 ,they have1 directly or    
indirectly1 governed the consciences and
 the councils of all the ,catholic      
princes in ,europe2 they almost governed
 ,china in the reign of ,cangghi2 and   
they are now actually in possession of  
the ,paraguay in ,america1 pretending1  
but paying no obedience to the ,crown of
 ,spain4 ,as a collective body they are 
detested1 even by all the ,catholics1   
not excepting the clergy1 both secular  
and regular1 and yet1 as individuals1   

they are loved1 respected1 and they     
govern wherever they are4  ,two things1 
,i believe1 contribute to their success4
 ,the first1 that passive1 implicit1    
unlimited obedience to their ,general   
7who always resides at ,rome71 and to   
the superiors of their several houses1  
appointed by him4 ,this obedience is    
observed by them all to a most          
astonishing degree2 and1 ,i believe1    
there is no one society in the world1 of
 which so many individuals sacrifice    
their private interest to the general   
one of the society itself4 ,the second  
is the education of youth1 which they   
have in a manner engrossed2 there they  
give the first1 and the first are the   
lasting impressions2 those impressions  
are always calculated to be favorable to
 the society4 ,i have known many        
,catholics1 educated by the ,jesuits1   
who1 though they detested the society1  
from reason and knowledge1 have always  
remained attached to it1 from habit and 
prejudice4 ,the ,jesuits know1 better   

than any set of people in the world1 the
 importance of the art of pleasing1 and 
study it more2 they become all things to
 all men in order to gain1 not a few1   
but many4 ,in ,asia1 ,africa1 and       
,america they become more than half     
pagans1 in order to convert the pagans  
to be less than half ,christians4 ,in   
private families they begin by          
insinuating themselves as friends1 they 
grow to be favorites1 and they end      
,,directors4 ,their manners are not like
 those of any other regulars in the     
world1 but gentle1 polite1 and engaging4
 ,they are all carefully bred up to that
 particular destination1 to which they  
seem to have a natural turn2 for which  
reason one sees most ,jesuits excel in  
some particular thing4 ,they even breed 
up some for martyrdom in case of need2  
as the superior of a ,jesuit seminary at
 ,rome told ,lord ,bolingbroke4 #8,e    
abbiamo anche martiri per il martirio1  
se bisogna'4  ,inform yourself minutely 
of everything concerning this           

extraordinary establishment2 go into    
their houses1 get acquainted with       
individuals1 hear some of them preach4  
,the finest preacher ,i ever heard in my
 life is le ,pere ,neufville1 who1 ,i   
believe1 preaches still at ,paris1 and  
is so much in the best company1 that you
 may easily get personally acquainted   
with him4  ,if you would know their     
#8morale' read ,pascal's #8,lettres     
,provinciales'1 in which it is very     
truly displayed from their own writings4
  ,upon the whole1 this is certain1 that
 a society of which so little good is   
said1 and so much ill believed1 and that
 still not only subsists1 but           
flourishes1 must be a very able one4 ,it
 is always mentioned as a proof of the  
superior abilities of the ,cardinal     
,richelieu1 that1 though hated by all   
the nation1 and still more by his       
master1 he kept his power in spite of   
both4  ,i would earnestly wish you to do
 everything now1 which ,i wish1 that ,i 
had done at your age1 and did not do4   

,every country has its peculiarities1   
which one can be much better informed of
 during one's residence there1 than by  
reading all the books in the world      
afterward4 ,while you are in ,catholic  
countries1 inform yourself of all the   
forms and ceremonies of that tawdry     
church2 see their converts both of men  
and women1 know their several rules and 
orders1 attend their most remarkable    
ceremonies2 have their terms of art     
explained to you1 their #8tierce1 sexte1
 nones1 matines2 vepres1 complies'2     
their #8breviares1 rosaires1 heures1    
chapelets1 agnus'1 etc41 things that    
many people talk of from habit1 though  
few people know the true meaning of     
anyone of them4 ,converse with1 and     
study the characters of some of those   
incarcerated enthusiasts4 ,frequent some
 #8parloirs'1 and see the air and       
manners of those ,recluse1 who are a    
distinct nation themselves1 and like no 
other4  ,i dined yesterday with ,mrs4   
,f----d1 her mother and husband4 ,he is 

an athletic ,hibernian1 handsome in his 
person1 but excessively awkward and     
vulgar in his air and manner4 ,she      
inquired much after you1 and1 ,i        
thought1 with interest4 ,i answered her 
as a #8,mezzano' should do3 #8,et je    
pronai votre tendresse1 vos soins1 et   
vos soupirs'4  ,when you meet with any  
,british returning to their own country1
 pray send me by them any little        
#8brochures1 factums1 theses'1 etc41    
#8qui font du bruit ou du plaisir a     
,paris'4 ,adieu1 child4     ,,letter    
,,clvii  ,,london1 ,january #bc1 ,o4 ,s4
 #ageb4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,have you
 seen the new tragedy of                
,varon1--,written by the ,vicomte de    
,grave2 and at that time the general    
topic of conversation at ,paris4--and   
what do you think of it8 ,let me know1  
for ,i am determined to form my taste   
upon yours4 ,i hear that the situations 
and incidents are well brought on1 and  
the catastrophe unexpected and          
surprising1 but the verses bad4 ,i      

suppose it is the subject of all        
conversations at ,paris1 where both     
women and men are judges and critics of 
all such performances2 such             
conversations1 that both form and       
improve the taste1 and whet the         
judgment2 are surely preferable to the  
conversations of our mixed companies    
here2 which1 if they happen to rise     
above bragg and whist1 infallibly stop  
short of everything either pleasing or  
instructive4  ,i take the reason of this
 to be1 that 7as women generally give   
the #8ton' to the conversation7 our     
,english women are not near so well     
informed and cultivated as the ,french2 
besides that they are naturally more    
serious and silent4  ,i could wish there
 were a treaty made between the ,french 
and ,english theatres1 in which both    
parties should make considerable        
concessions4 ,the ,english ought to give
 up their notorious violations of all   
the unities2 and all their massacres1   
racks1 dead bodies1 and mangled         

carcasses1 which they so frequently     
exhibit upon their stage4 ,the ,french  
should engage to have more action and   
less declamation2 and not to cram and   
crowd things together1 to almost a      
degree of impossibility1 from a too     
scrupulous adherence to the unities4    
,the ,english should restrain the       
licentiousness of their poets1 and the  
,french enlarge the liberty of theirs2  
their poets are the greatest slaves in  
their country1 and that is a bold word2 
ours are the most tumultuous subjects in
 ,england1 and that is saying a good    
deal4 ,under such regulations one might 
hope to see a play in which one should  
not be lulled to sleep by the length of 
a monotonical declamation1 nor          
frightened and shocked by the barbarity 
of the action4 ,the unity of time       
extended occasionally to three or four  
days1 and the unity of place broke into1
 as far as the same street1 or sometimes
 the same town2 both which1 ,i will     
affirm1 are as probable as              

four-and-twenty hours1 and the same     
room4  ,more indulgence too1 in my mind1
 should be shown1 than the ,french are  
willing to allow1 to bright thoughts1   
and to shining images2 for though1 ,i   
confess1 it is not very natural for a   
hero or a princess to say fine things in
 all the violence of grief1 love1 rage1 
etc41 yet1 ,i can as well suppose that1 
as ,i can that they should talk to      
themselves for half an hour2 which they 
must necessarily do1 or no tragedy could
 be carried on1 unless they had recourse
 to a much greater absurdity1 the       
choruses of the ancients4 ,tragedy is of
 a nature1 that one must see it with a  
degree of self-deception2 we must lend  
ourselves a little to the delusion2 and 
,i am very willing to carry that        
complaisance a little farther than the  
,french do4  ,tragedy must be something 
bigger than life1 or it would not affect
 us4 ,in nature the most violent        
passions are silent2 in tragedy they    
must speak1 and speak with dignity too4 

,hence the necessity of their being     
written in verse1 and unfortunately for 
the ,french1 from the weakness of their 
language1 in rhymes4 ,and for the same  
reason1 ,cato the ,stoic1 expiring at   
,utica1 rhymes masculine and feminine at
 ,paris2 and fetches his last breath at 
,london1 in most harmmonious and correct
 blank verse4  ,it is quite otherwise   
with ,comedy1 which should be mere      
common life1 and not one jot bigger4    
,every character should speak upon the  
stage1 not only what it would utter in  
the situation there represented1 but in 
the same manner in which it would       
express it4 ,for which reason ,i cannot 
allow rhymes in comedy1 unless they were
 put into the mouth1 and came out of the
 mouth of a mad poet4 ,but it is        
impossible to deceive one's self enough 
7nor is it the least necessary in       
comedy7 to suppose a dull rogue of an   
usurer cheating1 or #8gross ,jean'      
blundering in the finest rhymes in the  
world4  ,as for ,operas1 they are       

essentially too absurd and extravagant  
to mention2 ,i look upon them as a magic
 scene1 contrived to please the eyes and
 the ears1 at the expense of the        
understanding2 and ,i consider singing1 
rhyming1 and chiming heroes1 and        
princesses1 and philosophers1 as ,i do  
the hills1 the trees1 the birds1 and the
 beasts1 who amicably joined in one     
common country dance1 to the            
irresistible turn of ,orpheus's lyre4   
,whenever ,i go to an opera1 ,i leave my
 sense and reason at the door with my   
half guinea1 and deliver myself up to my
 eyes and my ears4  ,thus ,i have made  
you my poetical confession2 in which ,i 
have acknowledged as many sins against  
the established taste in both countries1
 as a frank heretic could have owned    
against the established church in       
either1 but ,i am now privileged by my  
age to taste and think for myself1 and  
not to care what other people think of  
me in those respects2 an advantage which
 youth1 among its many advantages1 hath 

not4 ,it must occasionally and outwardly
 conform1 to a certain degree1 to       
establish tastes1 fashions1 and         
decisions4 ,a young man may1 with a     
becoming modesty1 dissent1 in private   
companies1 from public opinions and     
prejudices3 but he must not attack them 
with warmth1 nor magisterially set up   
his own sentiments against them4        
,endeavor to hear1 and know all         
opinions2 receive them with             
complaisance2 form your own with        
coolness1 and give it with modesty4  ,i 
have received a letter from ,sir ,john  
,lambert1 in which he requests me to use
 my interest to procure him the         
remittance of ,mr4 ,spencer's money1    
when he goes abroad and also desires to 
know to whose account he is to place the
 postage of my letters4 ,i do not       
trouble him with a letter in answer1    
since you can execute the commission4   
,pray make my compliments to him1 and   
assure him that ,i will do all ,i can to
 procure him ,mr4 ,spencer's business2  

but that his most effectual way will be 
by ,messrs4 ,hoare1 who are ,mr4        
,spencer's cashiers1 and who will       
undoubtedly have their choice upon whom 
they will give him his credit4 ,as for  
the postage of the letters1 your purse  
and mine being pretty near the same1 do 
you pay it1 over and above your next    
draught4  ,your relations1 the ,princes 
,b-----1 will soon be with you at       
,paris2 for they leave ,london this     
week3 whenever you converse with them1  
,i desire it may be in ,italian2 that   
language not being yet familiar enough  
to you4  ,by our printed papers1 there  
seems to be a sort of compromise between
 the ,king and the parliament1 with     
regard to the affairs of the hospitals1 
by taking them out of the hands of the  
,archbishop of ,paris1 and placing them 
in ,monsieur d',argenson's3 if this be  
true1 that compromise1 as it is called1 
is clearly a victory on the side of the 
court1 and a defeat on the part of the  
parliament2 for if the parliament had a 

right1 they had it as much to the       
exclusion of ,monsieur d',argenson as of
 the ,archbishop4 ,adieu4     ,,letter  
,,clviii  ,,london1 ,february #f1 ,o4   
,s4 #ageb4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,your 
criticism of ,varon is strictly just2   
but1 in truth1 severe4 ,you ,french     
critics seek for a fault as eagerly as  
,i do for a beauty3 you consider things 
in the worst light1 to show your skill1 
at the expense of your pleasure2 ,i view
 them in the best1 that ,i may have more
 pleasure1 though at the expense of my  
judgment4 ,a #8trompeur trompeur et     
demi' is prettily said2 and1 if you     
please1 you may call #8,varon1 un       
,normand'1 and #8,sostrate1 un ,manceau1
 qui vaut un ,normand et demi'2 and1    
considering the #8denouement' in the    
light of trick upon trick1 it would     
undoubtedly be below the dignity of the 
buskin1 and fitter for the sock4  ,but  
let us see if we cannot bring off the   
author4 ,the great question upon which  
all turns1 is to discover and ascertain 

who ,cleonice really is4 ,there are     
doubts concerning her #8etat'2 how shall
 they be cleared8 ,had the truth been   
extorted from ,varon 7who alone knew7 by
 the rack1 it would have been a true    
tragical #8denouement'4 ,but that would 
probably not have done with ,varon1 who 
is represented as a bold1 determined1   
wicked1 and at that time desperate      
fellow2 for he was in the hands of an   
enemy who he knew could not forgive him1
 with common prudence or safety4 ,the   
rack would1 therefore1 have extorted no 
truth from him2 but he would have died  
enjoying the doubts of his enemies1 and 
the confusion that must necessarily     
attend those doubts4 ,a stratagem is    
therefore thought of to discover what   
force and terror could not1 and the     
stratagem such as no king or minister   
would disdain1 to get at an important   
discovery4 ,if you call that stratagem a
 ,,trick1 you vilify it1 and make it    
comical2 but call that trick a          
,,stratagem1 or a ,,measure1 and you    

dignify it up to tragedy3 so frequently 
do ridicule or dignity turn upon one    
single word4 ,it is commonly said1 and  
more particularly by ,lord ,shaftesbury1
 that ridicule is the best test of      
truth2 for that it will not stick where 
it is not just4 ,i deny it4 ,a truth    
learned in a certain light1 and attacked
 in certain words1 by men of wit and    
humor1 may1 and often doth1 become      
ridiculous1 at least so far that the    
truth is only remembered and repeated   
for the sake of the ridicule4 ,the      
overturn of ,mary of ,medicis into a    
river1 where she was half-drowned1 would
 never have been remembered if ,madame  
de ,vernuel1 who saw it1 had not said   
#8la ,reine boit'4 ,pleasure or         
malignity often gives ridicule a weight 
which it does not deserve4 ,the         
versification1 ,i must confess1 is too  
much neglected and too often bad3 but1  
upon the whole1 ,i read the play with   
pleasure4  ,if there is but a great deal
 of wit and character in your new       

comedy1 ,i will readily compound for its
 having little or no plot4 ,i chiefly   
mind dialogue and character in comedies4
 ,let dull critics feed upon the        
carcasses of plays2 give me the taste   
and the dressing4  ,i am very glad you  
went to ,versailles to see the ceremony 
of creating the ,prince de ,conde       
#8,chevalier de l' ,ordre'2 and ,i do   
not doubt but that upon this occasion   
you informed yourself thoroughly of the 
institution and rules of that order4 ,if
 you did1 you were certainly told it was
 instituted by ,henry ,,iii4 immediately
 after his return1 or rather his flight 
from ,poland2 he took the hint of it at 
,venice1 where he had seen the original 
manuscript of an order of the #8,st4    
,esprit1 ou droit desir'1 which had been
 instituted in #aceb1 by ,louis         
d',anjou1 ,king of ,jerusalem and       
,sicily1 and husband to ,jane1 ,queen of
 ,naples1 ,countess of ,provence4 ,this 
,order was under the protection of ,st4 
,nicholas de ,bari1 whose image hung to 

the collar4 ,henry ,,iii4 found the     
,order of ,st4 ,michael prostituted and 
degraded1 during the civil wars2 he     
therefore joined it to his new ,order of
 the ,st4 ,esprit1 and gave them both   
together2 for which reason every knight 
of the ,st4 ,esprit is now called       
,chevalier des ,ordres du ,roi4 ,the    
number of the knights hath been         
different1 but is now fixed to ,,one    
,,hundred1 exclusive of the sovereign4  
,there1 are many officers who wear the  
riband of this ,order1 like the other   
knights2 and what is very singular is1  
that these officers frequently sell     
their employments1 but obtain leave to  
wear the blue riband still1 though the  
purchasers of those offices wear it     
also4  ,as you will have been a great   
while in ,france1 people will expect    
that you should be #8au fait' of all    
these sort of things relative to that   
country4 ,but the history of all the    
,orders of all countries is well worth  
your knowledge2 the subject occurs      

often1 and one should not be ignorant of
 it1 for fear of some such accident as  
happened to a solid ,dane at ,paris1    
who1 upon seeing #8,l',ordre du ,st4    
,esprit'1 said1 #8,notre ,st4 ,esprit   
chez nous c'est un ,elephant'4 ,almost  
all the princes in ,germany have their  
,orders too2 not dated1 indeed1 from any
 important events1 or directed to any   
great object1 but because they will have
 orders1 to show that they may2 as some 
of them1 who have the #8jus cudendae    
monetae'1 borrow ten shillings worth of 
gold to coin a ducat4 ,however1 wherever
 you meet with them1 inform yourself1   
and minute down a short account of them2
 they take in all the colors of ,sir    
,isaac ,newton's prisms4 ,n4 ,b3 ,when  
you inquire about them1 do not seem to  
laugh4  ,i thank you for le ,mandement  
de ,monseigneur l',archeveyue2 it is    
very well drawn1 and becoming an        
archbishop4 ,but pray do not lose sight 
of a much more important object1 ,i mean
 the political disputes between the     

,king and the parliament1 and the ,king 
and the clergy2 they seem both to be    
patching up2 but1 however1 get the whole
 clue to them1 as far as they have gone4
  ,i received a letter yesterday from   
,madame ,monconseil1 who assures me you 
have gained ground #8du cote des        
maniires'1 and that she looks upon you  
to be #8plus qu'a moitie chemin'4 ,i am 
very glad to hear this1 because1 if you 
are got above half way of your journey1 
surely you will finish it1 and not faint
 in the course4 ,why do you think ,i    
have this affair so extremely at heart1 
and why do ,i repeat it so often8 ,is it
 for your sake1 or for mine8 ,you can   
immediately answer yourself that        
question2 you certainly have--,i cannot 
possibly have any interest in it4 ,if   
then you will allow me1 as ,i believe   
you may1 to be a judge of what is useful
 and necessary to you1 you must1 in     
consequence1 be convinced of the        
infinite importance of a point which ,i 
take so much pains to inculcate4  ,i    

hear that the new ,duke of ,orleans #8a 
remercie ,monsieur de ,melfort1 and ,i  
believe1 #8pas sans raison'1 having had 
obligations to him2 #8mais il ne l'a pas
 remercie en mari poli'1 but rather     
roughly4 ,il faut que ce soit un        
bourru'4 ,i am told1 too1 that people   
get bits of his father's rags1 by way of
 relies2 ,i wish them joy1 they will do 
them a great deal of good4 ,see from    
hence what weaknesses human nature is   
capable of1 and make allowances for such
 in all your plans and reasonings4      
,study the characters of the people you 
have to do with1 and know what they are1
 instead of thinking them what they     
should be2 address yourself generally to
 the senses1 to the heart1 and to the   
weaknesses of mankind1 but very rarely  
to their reason4  ,good-night or        
good-morrow to you1 according to the    
time you shall receive this letter from1
 ,yours4     ,,letter ,,clix  ,,london1 
,february #ad1 ,o4 ,s4 #ageb4  ,,my     
,,dear ,,friend3 ,in a month's time1 ,i 

believe ,i shall have the pleasure of   
sending you1 and you will have the      
pleasure of reading1 a work of ,lord    
,bolingbroke's1 in two volumes octavo1  
8,upon the ,use of ,history10 in several
 letters to ,lord ,hyde1 then ,lord     
,cornbury4 ,it is now put into the      
press4 ,it is hard to determine whether 
this work will instruct or please most3 
the most material historical facts1 from
 the great era of the treaty of         
,munster1 are touched upon1 accompanied 
by the most solid reflections1 and      
adorned by all that elegance of style   
which was peculiar to himself1 and in   
which1 if ,cicero equals1 he certainly  
does not exceed him2 but every other    
writer falls short of him4 ,i would     
advise you almost to get this book by   
heart4 ,i think you have a turn to      
history1 you love it1 and have a memory 
to retain it3 this book will teach you  
the proper use of it4 ,some people load 
their memories indiscriminately with    
historical facts1 as others do their    

stomachs with food2 and bring out the   
one1 and bring up the other1 entirely   
crude and undigested4 ,you will find in 
,lord ,bolingbroke's book an infallible 
specific against that epidemical        
complaint4--,it is important to remember
 that at this time ,lord ,bolingbroke's 
philosophical works had not appeared2   
which accounts for ,lord ,chesterfield's
 recommending to his son1 in this1 as   
well as in some foregoing passages1 the 
study of ,lord ,bolingbroke's writings4 
,i remember a gentleman who had read    
history in this thoughtless and         
undistinguishing manner1 and who1 having
 traveled1 had gone through the         
,valtelline4 ,he told me that it was a  
miserable poor country1 and therefore it
 was1 surely1 a great error in ,cardinal
 ,richelieu to make such a rout1 and put
 ,france to so much expense about it4   
,had my friend read history as he ought 
to have done1 he would have known that  
the great object of that great minister 
was to reduce the power of the ,house of

 ,austria2 and in order to that1 to cut 
off as much as he could the             
communication between the several parts 
of their then extensive dominions2 which
 reflections would have justified the   
,cardinal to him1 in the affair of the  
,valtelline4 ,but it was easier to him  
to remember facts1 than to combine and  
reflect4  ,one observation ,i hope you  
will make in reading history2 for it is 
an obvious and a true one4 ,it is1 that 
more people have made great figures and 
great fortunes in courts by their       
exterior accomplishments1 than by their 
interior qualifications4 ,their engaging
 address1 the politeness of their       
manners1 their air1 their turn1 hath    
almost always paved the way for their   
superior abilities1 if they have such1  
to exert themselves4 ,they have been    
favorites before they have been         
ministers4 ,in courts1 an universal     
gentleness and #8douceur dans les       
manieres' is most absolutely necessary3 
an offended fool1 or a slighted valet de

 chambre1 may very possibly do you more 
hurt at court1 than ten men of merit can
 do you good4 ,fools1 and low people1   
are always jealous of their dignity1 and
 never forget nor forgive what they     
reckon a slight3 on the other hand1 they
 take civility and a little attention as
 a favor2 remember1 and acknowledge it3 
this1 in my mind1 is buying them cheap2 
and therefore they are worth buying4    
,the prince himself1 who is rarely the  
shining genius of his court1 esteems you
 only by hearsay but likes you by his   
senses2 that is1 from your air1 your    
politeness1 and your manner of          
addressing him1 of which alone he is a  
judge4 ,there is a court garment1 as    
well as a wedding garment1 without which
 you will not be received4 ,that garment
 is the #8volto sciolto'2 an imposing   
air1 an elegant politeness1 easy and    
engaging manners1 universal attention1  
an insinuating gentleness1 and all those
 #8je ne sais quoi' that compose the    
,,graces4  ,i am this moment            

disagreeably interrupted by a letter2   
not from you1 as ,i expected1 but from a
 friend of yours at ,paris1 who informs 
me that you have a fever which confines 
you at home4 ,since you have a fever1 ,i
 am glad you have prudence enough in it 
to stay at home1 and take care of       
yourself2 a little more prudence might  
probably have prevented it4 ,your blood 
is young1 and consequently hot2 and you 
naturally make a great deal by your good
 stomach and good digestion2 you should1
 therefore1 necessarily attenuate and   
cool it1 from time to time1 by gentle   
purges1 or by a very low diet1 for two  
or three days together1 if you would    
avoid fevers4 ,lord ,bacon1 who was a   
very great physician in both senses of  
the word1 hath this aphorism in his     
8,essay upon ,health10 #8,nihil magis ad
 ,sanitatem tribuit quam crebrae et     
domesticae purgationes'4 ,by            
#8domesticae'1 he means those simple    
uncompounded purgatives which everybody 
can administer to themselves2 such as   

senna-tea1 stewed prunes and senria1    
chewing a little rhubarb1 or dissolving 
an ounce and a half of manna in fair    
water1 with the juice of a lemon to make
 it palatable4 ,such gentle and         
unconfining evacuations would certainly 
prevent those feverish attacks to which 
everybody at your age is subject4  ,by  
the way1 ,i do desire1 and insist1 that 
whenever1 from any indisposition1 you   
are not able to write to me upon the    
fixed days1 that ,christian shall2 and  
give me a ,,true account how you are4 ,i
 do not expect from him the ,ciceronian 
epistolary style2 but ,i will content   
myself with the ,swiss simplicity and   
truth4  ,i hope you extend your         
acquaintance at ,paris1 and frequent    
variety of companies2 the only way of   
knowing the world2 every set of company 
differs in some particulars from        
another2 and a man of business must1 in 
the course of his life1 have to do with 
all sorts4 ,it is a very great advantage
 to know the languages of the several   

countries one travels in2 and different 
companies may1 in some degree1 be       
considered as different countries2 each 
hath its distinctive language1 customs1 
and manners3 know them all1 and you will
 wonder at none4  ,adieu1 child4 ,take  
care of your health2 there are no       
pleasures without it4     ,,letter ,,clx
  ,,london1 ,february #bj1 ,o4 ,s4      
#ageb4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,in all   
systems whatsoever1 whether of religion1
 government1 morals1 etc41 perfection is
 the object always proposed1 though     
possibly unattainable2 hitherto1 at     
least1 certainly unattained4 ,however1  
those who aim carefully at the mark     
itself1 will unquestionably come nearer 
it1 than those who from despair1        
negligence1 or indolence1 leave to      
chance the work of skill4 ,this maxim   
holds equally true in common life2 those
 who aim at perfection will come        
infinitely nearer it than those         
desponding or indolent spirits1 who     
foolishly say to themselves3 ,nobody is 

perfect2 perfection is unattainable2 to 
attempt it is chimerical2 ,i shall do as
 well as others2 why then should ,i give
 myself trouble to be what ,i never can1
 and what1 according to the common      
course of things1 ,i need not be1       
,,perfect8  ,i am very sure that ,i need
 not point out to you the weakness and  
the folly of this reasoning1 if it      
deserves the name of reasoning4 ,it     
would discourage and put a stop to the  
exertion of any one of our faculties4   
,on the contrary1 a man of sense and    
spirit says to himself3 ,though the     
point of perfection may 7considering the
 imperfection of our nature7 be         
unattainable1 my care1 my endeavors1 my 
attention1 shall not be wanting to get  
as near it as ,i can4 ,i will approach  
it every day1 possibly1 ,i may arrive at
 it at last2 at least1 what ,i am sure  
is in my own power1 ,i will not be      
distanced4 ,many fools 7speaking of you7
 say to me3 ,what6 would you have him   
perfect8 ,i answer3 ,why not8 ,what hurt

 would it do him or me8 ,o1 but that is 
impossible1 say they2 ,i reply1 ,i am   
not sure of that3 perfection in the     
abstract1 ,i admit to be unattainable1  
but what is commonly called perfection  
in a character ,i maintain to be        
attainable1 and not only that1 but in   
every man's power4 ,he hath1 continue   
they1 a good head1 a good heart1 a good 
fund of knowledge1 which would increase 
daily3 ,what would you have more8 ,why1 
,i would have everything more that can  
adorn and complete a character4 ,will it
 do his head1 his heart1 or his         
knowledge any harm1 to have the utmost  
delicacy of manners1 the most shining   
advantages of air and address1 the most 
endearing attentions1 and the most      
engaging graces8 ,but as he is1 say     
they1 he is loved wherever he is known4 
,i am very glad of it1 say ,i2 but ,i   
would have him be liked before he is    
known1 and loved afterward4 ,i would    
have him1 by his first abord and        
address1 make people wish to know him1  

and inclined to love him3 he will save a
 great deal of time by it4 ,indeed1     
reply they1 you are too nice1 too exact1
 and lay too much stress upon things    
that are of very little consequence4    
,indeed1 rejoin ,i1 you know very little
 of the nature of mankind1 if you take  
those things to be of little            
consequence3 one cannot be too attentive
 to them2 it is they that always engage 
the heart1 of which the understanding is
 commonly the bubble4 ,and ,i would much
 rather that he erred in a point of     
grammar1 of history1 of philosophy1     
etc41 than in point of manners and      
address4 ,but consider1 he is very      
young2 all this will come in time4 ,i   
hope so2 but that time must be when he  
is young1 or it will never be at all2   
the right #8pli' must be taken young1 or
 it will never be easy or seem natural4 
,come1 come1 say they 7substituting1 as 
is frequently done1 assertion instead of
 argument71 depend upon it he will do   
very well3 and you have a great deal of 

reason to be satisfied with him4 ,i hope
 and believe he will do well1 but ,i    
would have him do better than well4 ,i  
am very well pleased with him1 but ,i   
would be more1 ,i would be proud of him4
 ,i would have him have lustre as well  
as weight4 ,did you ever know anybody   
that reunited all these talents8 ,yes1  
,i did2 ,lord ,bolingbroke joined all   
the politeness1 the manners1 and the    
graces of a courtier1 to the solidity of
 a statesman1 and to the learning of a  
pedant4 ,he was #8omnis homo'2 and pray 
what should hinder my boy from being so 
too1 if he #8hath1 as ,i think he hath1 
all the other qualifications that you   
allow him8 ,nothing can hinder him1 but 
neglect of or inattention to1 those     
objects which his own good sense must   
tell him are1 of infinite consequence to
 him1 and which therefore ,i will not   
suppose him capable of either neglecting
 or despising4  ,this 7to tell you the  
whole truth7 is the result of a         
controversy that passed yesterday1      

between ,lady ,hervey and myself1 upon  
your subject1 and almost in the very    
words4 ,i submit the decision of it to  
yourself2 let your own good sense       
determine it1 and make you act in       
consequence of that determination4 ,the 
receipt to make this composition is     
short and infallible2 here ,i give it to
 you3  ,take variety of the best        
company1 wherever you are2 be minutely  
attentive to every word and action2     
imitate respectively those whom you     
observe to be distinguished and         
considered for any one accomplishment2  
then mix all those several              
accomplishments together1 and serve them
 up yourself to others4  ,i hope your   
fair1 or rather your brown ,,american is
 well4 ,i hear that she makes very      
handsome presents1 if she is not so     
herself4 ,i am told there are people at 
,paris who expect1 from this secret     
connection1 to see in time a volume of  
letters1 superior to ,madame de         
,graffiny's ,peruvian ones2 ,i lay in my

 claim to one of the first copies4      
,francis's ,genie--,francis's           
8,eugenia40--hath been acted twice1 with
 most universal applause2 to-night is   
his third night1 and ,i am going to it4 
,i did not think it would have succeeded
 so well1 considering how long our      
,british audiences have been accustomed 
to murder1 racks1 and poison1 in every  
tragedy2 but it affected the heart so   
much1 that it triumphed over habit and  
prejudice4 ,all the women cried1 and all
 the men were moved4 ,the prologue1     
which is a very good one1 was made      
entirely by ,garrick4 ,the epilogue is  
old ,cibber's2 but corrected1 though not
 enough1 by ,francis4 ,he will get a    
great deal of1 money by it2 and1        
consequently1 be better able to lend you
 sixpence1 upon any emergency4  ,the    
parliament of ,paris1 ,i find by the    
newspapers1 has not carried its point   
concerning the hospitals1 and1 though   
the ,king hath given up the ,archbishop1
 yet as he has put them under the       

management and direction #8du ,grand    
,conseil'1 the parliament is equally out
 of the question4 ,this will naturally  
put you upon inquiring into the         
constitution of the #8,grand ,conseil'4 
,you will1 doubtless1 inform yourself   
who it is composed of1 what things are  
#8de son ressort'1 whether or not there 
lies an appeal from thence to any other 
place2 and of all other particulars1    
that may give you a clear notion of this
 assembly4 ,there are also three or four
 other ,conseils in ,france1 of which   
you ought to know the constitution and  
the objects2 ,i dare say you do know    
them already2 but if you do not1 lose no
 time in informing yourself4 ,these     
things1 as ,i have often told you1 are  
best learned in various ,french         
companies3 but in no ,english ones1 for 
none of our countrymen trouble their    
heads about them4 ,to use a very trite  
image1 collect1 like the bee1 your store
 from every quarter4 ,in some companies 
7#8parmi les fermiers generaux          

nommement'7 you may1 by proper          
inquiries1 get a general knowledge1 at  
least1 of #8les affaires des finances'4 
,when you are with #8des gens de robe'1 
suck them with regard to the            
constitution1 and civil government1 and 
#8sic de caeteris'4 ,this shows you the 
advantage of keeping a great deal of    
different ,french company2 an advantage 
much superior to any that you can       
possibly receive from loitering and     
sauntering away evenings in any ,english
 company at ,paris1 not even excepting  
,lord ,a------4 ,love of ease1 and fear 
of restraint 7to both which ,i doubt you
 are1 for a young fellow1 too much      
addicted7 may invite you among your     
countrymen3 but pray withstand those    
mean temptations1 #8et prenez sur vous'1
 for the sake of being in those         
assemblies1 which alone can inform your 
mind and improve your manners4 ,you have
 not now many months to continue at     
,paris2 make the most of them2 get into 
every house there1 if you can2 extend   

acquaintance1 know everything and       
everybody there2 that when you leave it 
for other places1 you may be #8au fait'1
 and even able to explain whatever you  
may hear mentioned concerning it4       
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,clxi  ,,london1  
,march #b1 ,o4 ,s4 #ageb4  ,,my ,,dear  
,,friend3 ,whereabouts are you in       
,ariosto8 ,or have you gone through that
 most ingenious contexture of truth and 
lies1 of serious and extravagant1 of    
knights-errant1 magicians1 and all that 
various matter which he announces in the
 beginning of his poem3          ,le    
,donne1 ,i ,cavalier1 l'arme1 gli amori1
         ,le cortesie1 l'audaci impreso 
io canto4  ,i am by no means sure that  
,homer had superior invention1 or       
excelled more in description than       
,ariosto4 ,what can be more seducing and
 voluptuous1 than the description of    
,alcina's person and palace8 ,what more 
ingeniously extravagant1 than the search
 made in the moon for ,orlando's lost   
wits1 and the account of other people's 

that were found there8 ,the whole is    
worth your attention1 not only as an    
ingenious poem1 but as the source of all
 modern tales1 novels1 fables1 and      
romances2 as ,ovid's 8,metamorphoses20  
was of the ancient ones2 besides1 that  
when you have read this work1 nothing   
will be difficult to you in the ,italian
 language4 ,you will read ,tasso's      
#8,gierusalemme'1 and the #8,decamerone 
di ,boccacio'1 with great facility      
afterward2 and when you have read those 
three authors1 you will1 in my opinion1 
have read all the works of invention    
that are worth reading in that language2
 though the ,italians would be very     
angry at me for saying so4  ,a gentleman
 should know those which ,i call        
classical works1 in every language2 such
 as ,boileau1 ,corneille1 ,racine1      
,moliere1 etc41 in ,french2 ,milton1    
,dryden1 ,pope1 ,swift1 etc41 in        
,english2 and the three authors above   
mentioned in ,italian2 whether you have 
any such in ,german ,i am not quite     

sure1 nor1 indeed1 am ,i inquisitive4   
,these sort of books adorn the mind1    
improve the fancy1 are frequently       
alluded to by1 and are often the        
subjects of conversations of the best   
companies4 ,as you have languages to    
read1 and memory to retain them1 the    
knowledge of them is very well worth the
 little pains it will cost you1 and will
 enable you to shine in company4 ,it is 
not pedantic to quote and allude to     
them1 which it would be with regard to  
the ancients4  ,among the many          
advantages which you have had in your   
education1 ,i do not consider your      
knowledge of several languages as the   
least4 ,you need not trust to           
translations2 you can go to the source2 
you can both converse and negotiate with
 people of all nations1 upon equal      
terms2 which is by no means the case of 
a man1 who converses or negotiates in a 
language which those with whom he hath  
to do know much better than himself4 ,in
 business1 a great deal may depend upon 

the force and extent of one word2 and1  
in conversation1 a moderate thought may 
gain1 or a good one lose1 by the        
propriety or impropriety1 the elegance  
or inelegance of one single word4 ,as   
therefore you now know four modern      
languages well1 ,i would have you study 
7and1 by the way1 it will be very little
 trouble to you7 to know them correctly1
 accurately1 and delicately4 ,read some 
little books that treat of them1 and ask
 questions concerning their delicacies1 
of those who are able to answer you4    
,as1 for instance1 should ,i say in     
,french1 #8la lettre que je vous ai     
,,ecrit'1 or1 #8la lettre que je vous ai
 ,,ecrite'8 in which1 ,i think1 the     
,french differ among themselves4 ,there 
is a short ,french grammar by the ,port 
,royal1 and another by ,pere ,buffier1  
both which are worth your reading2 as is
 also a little book called #8,les       
,synonymes ,francois4 ,there are books  
of that kind upon the ,italian language1
 into some of which ,i would advise you 

to dip2 possibly the ,german language   
may have something of the same sort1 and
 since you already speak it1 the more   
properly you speak it the better2 one   
would1 ,i think1 as far as possible1 do 
all one does correctly and elegantly4   
,it is extremely engaging to people of  
every nation1 to meet with a foreigner  
who hath taken pains enough to speak    
their language correctly2 it flatters   
that local and national pride and       
prejudice of which everybody hath some  
share4  ,francis's 8,eugenia10 which ,i 
will send you1 pleased most people of   
good taste here2 the boxes were crowded 
till the sixth night1 when the pit and  
gallery were totally deserted1 and it   
was dropped4 ,distress1 without death1  
was not sufficient to affect a true     
,british audience1 so long accustomed to
 daggers1 racks1 and bowls of poison3   
contrary to ,horace's rule1 they desire 
to see ,medea murder her children upon  
the stage4 ,the sentiments were too     
delicate to move them2 and their hearts 

are to be taken by storm1 not by parley4
  ,have you got the things1 which were  
taken from you at ,calais1 restored8    
and1 among them1 the little packet which
 my sister gave you for ,sir ,charles   
,hotham8 ,in this case1 have you        
forwarded it to him8 ,if you have not   
had an opportunity1 you will have one   
soon2 which ,i desire you will not omit2
 it is by ,monsieur d',aillion1 whom you
 will see in a few days at ,paris1 in   
his way to ,geneva1 where ,sir ,charles 
now is1 and will remain some time4      
,adieu3     ,,letter ,,clxii  ,,london1 
,march #e1 ,o4 ,s4 #ageb  ,,my ,,dear   
,,friend3 ,as ,i have received no letter
 from you by the usual post1 ,i am      
uneasy upon account of your health2 for1
 had you been well1 ,i am sure you would
 have written1 according to your        
engagement and my requisition4 ,you have
 not the least notion of any care of    
your health2 but though ,i would not    
have you be a valetudinarian1 ,i must   
tell you that the best and most robust  

health requires some degree of attention
 to preserve4 ,young fellows1 thinking  
they have so much health and time before
 them1 are very apt to neglect or lavish
 both1 and beggar themselves before they
 are aware3 whereas a prudent economy in
 both would make them rich indeed2 and  
so far from breaking in upon their      
pleasures1 would improve1 and almost    
perpetuate them4 ,be you wiser1 and1    
before it is too late1 manage both with 
care and frugality2 and lay out neither1
 but upon good interest and security4   
,i will now confine myself to the       
employment of your time1 which1 though  
,i have often touched upon formerly1 is 
a subject that1 from its importance1    
will bear repetition4 ,you have it is   
true1 a great deal of time before you2  
but1 in this period of your life1 one   
hour usefully employed may be worth more
 than four-and-twenty hereafter2 a      
minute is precious to you now1 whole    
days may possibly not be so forty years 
hence4 ,whatever time you allow1 or can 

snatch for serious reading 7,i say      
snatch1 because company and the         
knowledge of the world is now your chief
 object71 employ it in the reading of   
some one book1 and that a good one1 till
 you have finished it3 and do not       
distract your mind with various matters 
at the same time4 ,in this light ,i     
would recommend to you to read #8tout de
 suite' ,grotius #8de ,jure ,belli et   
,pacis'1 translated by ,barbeyrac1 and  
,puffendorff's #8,jus ,gentium'1        
translated by the same hand4 ,for       
accidental quarters of hours1 read works
 of invention1 wit and humor1 of the    
best1 and not of trivial authors1 either
 ancient or modern4  ,whatever business 
you have1 do it the first moment you    
can2 never by halves1 but finish it     
without interruption1 if possible4      
,business must not be sauntered and     
trifled with2 and you must not say to   
it1 as ,felix did to ,paul1 8,at a more 
convenient season ,i will speak to      
thee40 ,the most convenient season for  

business is the first2 but study and    
business in some measure point out their
 own times to a man of sense2 time is   
much oftener squandered away in the     
wrong choice and improper methods of    
amusement and pleasures4  ,many people  
think that they are in pleasures1       
provided they are neither in study nor  
in business4 ,nothing like it2 they are 
doing nothing1 and might just as well be
 asleep4 ,they contract habitudes from  
laziness1 and they only frequent those  
places where they are free from all     
restraints and attentions4 ,be upon your
 guard against this idle profusion of   
time2 and let every place you go to be  
either the scene of quick and lively    
pleasures1 or the school of your own    
improvements2 let every company you go  
into either gratify your senses1 extend 
your knowledge1 or refine your manners4 
,have some decent object of gallantry in
 view at some places2 frequent others1  
where people of wit and taste assemble2 
get into others1 where people of        

superior rank and dignity command       
respect and attention from the rest of  
the company2 but pray frequent no       
neutral places1 from mere idleness and  
indolence4 ,nothing forms a young man so
 much as being used to keep respectable 
and superior company1 where a constant  
regard and attention is necessary4 ,it  
is true1 this is at first a disagreeable
 state of restraint2 but it soon grows  
habitual1 and consequently easy2 and you
 are amply paid for it1 by the          
improvement you make1 and the credit it 
gives you4 ,what you said some time ago 
was very true1 concerning #8le ,palais  
,royal'2 to one of your age the         
situation is disagreeable enough3 you   
cannot expect to be much taken notice   
of2 but all that time you can take      
notice of others2 observe their manners1
 decipher their characters1 and         
insensibly you will become one of the   
company4  ,all this ,i went through     
myself1 when ,i was of your age4 ,i have
 sat hours in company without being     

taken the least notice of2 but then ,i  
took notice of them1 and learned in     
their company how to behave myself      
better in the next1 till by degrees ,i  
became part of the best companies       
myself4 ,but ,i took great care not to  
lavish away my time in those companies  
where there were neither quick pleasures
 nor useful improvements to be expected4
  ,sloth1 indolence1 and #8mollesse' are
 pernicious and unbecoming a young      
fellow2 let them be your #8ressource'   
forty years hence at soonest4           
,determine1 at all events1 and however  
disagreeable it may to you in some      
respects1 and for some time1 to keep the
 most distinguished and fashionable     
company of the place you are at1 either 
for their rank1 or for their learning1  
or #8le bel esprit et le gout'4 ,this   
gives you credentials to the best       
companies1 wherever you go afterward4   
,pray1 therefore1 no indolence1 no      
laziness2 but employ every minute in    
your life in active pleasures1 or useful

 employments4 ,address yourself to some 
woman of fashion and beauty1 wherever   
you are1 and try how far that will go4  
,if the place be not secured beforehand1
 and garrisoned1 nine times in ten you  
will take it4 ,by attentions and respect
 you may always get into the highest    
company3 and by some admiration and     
applause1 whether merited or not1 you   
may be sure of being welcome among #8les
 savans et les beaux esprits'4 ,there   
are but these three sorts of company for
 a young fellow2 there being neither    
pleasure nor profit in any other4  ,my  
uneasiness with regard to your health is
 this moment removed by your letter of  
the #hth ,n4 ,s41 which1 by what        
accident ,i do not know1 ,i did not     
receive before4  ,i long to read        
,voltaire's #8,rome ,sauvee'1 which1 by 
the very faults that your ,,severe      
critics find with it1 ,i am sure ,i     
shall like2 for ,i will at an any time  
give up a good deal of regularity for a 
great deal of brillant2 and for the     

brillant surely nobody is equal to      
,voltaire4 ,catiline's conspiracy is an 
unhappy subject for a tragedy2 it is too
 single1 and gives no opportunity to the
 poet to excite any of the tender       
passions2 the whole is one intended act 
of horror1 ,crebillon was sensible of   
this defect1 and to create another      
interest1 most absurdly made ,catiline  
in love with ,cicero's daughter1 and her
 with him4  ,i am very glad that you    
went to ,versailles1 and dined with     
,monsieur de ,st4 ,contest4 ,that is    
company to learn #8les bonnes manieres' 
in2 and it seems you had #8les bonnes   
morceaux' into the bargain4 ,though you 
were no part of the ,king of ,france's  
conversation with the foreign ministers1
 and probably not much entertained with 
it1 do you think that it is not very    
useful to you to hear it1 and to observe
 the turn and manners of people of that 
sort8 ,it is extremely useful to know it
 well4 ,the same in the next rank of    
people1 such as ministers of state1     

etc41 in whose company1 though you      
cannot yet1 at your age1 bear a part1   
and consequently be diverted1 you will  
observe and learn1 what hereafter it may
 be necessary for you to act4  ,tell    
,sir ,john ,lambert that ,i have this   
day fixed ,mr4 ,spencer's having his    
credit upon him2 ,mr4 ,hoare had also   
recommended him4 ,i believe ,mr4        
,spencer will set out next month for    
some place in ,france1 but not ,paris4  
,i am sure he wants a great deal of     
,france1 for at present he is most      
entirely ,english3 and you know very    
well what ,i think of that4 ,and so we  
bid you heartily good-night4            
,,letter ,,clxiii  ,,london1 ,march #af1
 ,o4 ,s4 #ageb  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3   
,how do you go on with the most useful  
and most necessary of all studies1 the  
study of the world8 ,do you find that   
you gain knowledge8 ,and does your daily
 experience at once extend and          
demonstrate your improvement8 ,you will 
possibly ask me how you can judge of    

that yourself4 ,i will tell you a sure  
way of knowing4 ,examine yourself1 and  
see whether your notions of the world   
are changed1 by experience1 from what   
they were two years ago in theory2 for  
that alone is one favorable symptom of  
improvement4 ,at that age 7,i remember  
it in myself7 every notion that one     
forms is erroneous2 one hath seen few   
models1 and those none of the best1 to  
form one's self upon4 ,one thinks that  
everything is to be carried by spirit   
and vigor2 that art is meanness1 and    
that versatility and complaisance are   
the refuge of pusilanimity and weakness4
 ,this most mistaken opinion gives an   
indelicacy1 a #8brusquerie'1 and a      
roughness to the manners4 ,fools1 who   
can never be undeceived1 retain them as 
long as they live3 reflection1 with a   
little experience1 makes men of sense   
shake them off soon4 ,when they come to 
be a little better acquainted with      
themselves1 and with their own species1 
they discover that plain right reason   

is1 nine times in ten1 the fettered and 
shackled attendant of the triumph of the
 heart and the passions2 and1           
consequently1 they address themselves   
nine times in ten to the conqueror1 not 
to the conquered3 and conquerors1 you   
know1 must be applied to in the         
gentlest1 the most engaging1 and the    
most insinuating manner4 ,have you found
 out that every woman is infallibly to  
be gained by every sort of flattery1 and
 every man by one sort or other8 ,have  
you discovered what variety of little   
things affect the heart1 and how surely 
they collectively gain it8 ,if you have1
 you have made some progress4 ,i would  
try a man's knowledge of the world1 as  
,i would a schoolboy's knowledge of     
,horace3 not by making him construe     
#8,maecenas atavis edite regibus'1 which
 he could do in the first form2 but by  
examining him as to the delicacy and    
#8curiosa felicitas' of that poet4 ,a   
man requires very little knowledge and  
experience of the world1 to understand  

glaring1 high-colored1 and decided      
characters2 they are but few1 and they  
strike at first3 but to distinguish the 
almost imperceptible shades1 and the    
nice gradations of virtue and vice1     
sense and folly1 strength and weakness  
7of which characters are commonly       
composed71 demands some experience1     
great observation1 and minute attention4
 ,in the same cases1 most people do the 
same things1 but with this material     
difference1 upon which the success      
commonly turns3 ,a man who hath studied 
the world knows when to time1 and where 
to place them2 he hath analyzed the     
characters he applies to1 and adapted   
his address and his arguments to them3  
but a man1 of what is called plain good 
sense1 who hath only reasoned by        
himself1 and not acted with mankind1    
mistimes1 misplaces1 runs precipitately 
and bluntly at the mark1 and falls upon 
his nose in the way4 ,in the common     
manners of social life1 every man of    
common sense hath the rudiments1 the ,a 

,b ,c of civility2 he means not to      
offend1 and even wishes to please3 and1 
if he hath any real merit1 will be      
received and tolerated in good company4 
,but that is far from being enough2 for1
 though he may be received1 he will     
never be desired2 though he does not    
offend1 he will never be loved2 but1    
like some little1 insignificant1 neutral
 power1 surrounded by great ones1 he    
will neither be feared nor courted by   
any2 but1 by turns1 invaded by all1     
whenever it is their interest4 ,a most  
contemptible situation6 ,whereas1 a man 
who hath carefully attended to1 and     
experienced1 the various workings of the
 heart1 and the artifices of the head2  
and who1 by one shade1 can trace the    
progression of the whole color2 who can1
 at the proper times1 employ all the    
several means of persuading the         
understanding1 and engaging the heart1  
may and will have enemies2 but will and 
must have friends3 he may be opposed1   
but he will be supported too2 his       

talents may excite the jealousy of some1
 but his engaging arts will make him    
beloved by many more2 he will be        
considerable2 he will be considered4    
,many different qualifications must     
conspire to form such a man1 and to make
 him at once respectable and amiable2   
the least must be joined to the         
greatest2 the latter would be unavailing
 without the former2 and the former     
would be futile and frivolous1 without  
the latter4 ,learning is acquired by    
reading books2 but the much more        
necessary learning1 the knowledge of the
 world1 is only to be acquired by       
reading men1 and studying all the       
various editions of them4 ,many words in
 every language are generally thought to
 be synonymous2 but those who study the 
language attentively will find1 that    
there is no such thing2 they will       
discover some little difference1 some   
distinction between all those words that
 are vulgarly called synonymous2 one    
hath always more energy1 extent1 or     

delicacy1 than another4 ,it is the same 
with men2 all are in general1 and yet no
 two in particular1 exactly alike4      
,those who have not accurately studied1 
perpetually mistake them2 they do not   
discern the shades and gradations that  
distinguish characters seemingly alike4 
,company1 various company1 is the only  
school for this knowledge4 ,you ought to
 be1 by this time1 at least in the third
 form of that school1 from whence the   
rise to the uppermost is easy and quick2
 but then you must have application and 
vivacity2 and you must not only bear    
with1 but even seek restraint in most   
companies1 instead of stagnating in one 
or two only1 where indolence and love of
 ease may be indulged4  ,in the plan    
which ,i gave you in my last1--,that    
letter is missing4--for your future     
motions1 ,i forgot to tell you2 that1 if
 a king of the ,romans should be chosen 
this year1 you shall certainly be at    
that election2 and as1 upon those       
occasions1 all strangers are excluded   

from the place of the election1 except  
such as belong to some ambassador1 ,i   
have already eventually secured you a   
place in the suite of the ,king's       
,electoral ,ambassador1 who will be sent
 upon that account to ,frankfort1 or    
wherever else the election may be4 ,this
 will not only secure you a sight of the
 show1 but a knowledge of the whole     
thing2 which is likely to be a contested
 one1 from the opposition of some of the
 electors1 and the protests of some of  
the princes of the empire4 ,that        
election1 if there is one1 will1 in my  
opinion1 be a memorable era in the      
history of the empire2 pens at least1 if
 not swords1 will be drawn2 and ink1 if 
not blood1 will be plentifully shed by  
the contending parties in that dispute4 
,during the fray1 you may securely      
plunder1 and add to your present stock  
of knowledge of the #8jus publicum      
imperii'4 ,the court of ,france hath1 ,i
 am told1 appointed le ,president       
,ogier1 a man of great abilities1 to go 

immediately to ,ratisbon1 #8pour y      
souffler la discorde'4 ,it must be owned
 that ,france hath always profited      
skillfully of its having guaranteed the 
treaty of ,munster2 which hath given it 
a constant pretense to thrust itself    
into the affairs of the empire4 ,when   
,france got ,alsace yielded by treaty1  
it was very willing to have held it as a
 fief of the empire2 but the empire was 
then wiser4 ,every power should be very 
careful not to give the least pretense  
to a neighboring power to meddle with   
the affairs of its interior4 ,sweden    
hath already felt the effects of the    
,czarina's calling herself ,guarantee of
 its present form of government1 in     
consequence of the treaty of ,neustadt1 
confirmed afterward by that of ,abo2    
though1 in truth1 that guarantee was    
rather a provision against ,russia's    
attempting to alter the then new        
established form of government in       
,sweden1 than any right given to ,russia
 to hinder the ,swedes from establishing

 what form of government they pleased4  
,read them both1 if you can get them4   
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,clxiv  ,,london1 
,april #gc1 ,o4 ,s4 #ageb  ,,my ,,dear  
,,friend3 ,i receive this moment your   
letter of the #aith1 ,n4 ,s41 with the  
inclosed pieces relative to the present 
dispute between the ,king and the       
parliament4 ,i shall return them by     
,lord ,huntingdon1 whom you will soon   
see at ,paris1 and who will likewise    
carry you the piece1 which ,i forgot in 
making up the packet ,i sent you by the 
,spanish ,ambassador4 ,the              
representation of the parliament is very
 well drawn1 #8suaviter in modo1        
fortiter in re'4 ,they tell the ,king   
very respectfully1 that1 in a certain   
case1 ,,which ,,they ,,should ,,think   
,,it ,,criminal ,to ,,suppose1 they     
would not obey him4 ,this hath a        
tendency to what we call here revolution
 principles4 ,i do not know what the    
,lord's anointed1 his vicegerent upon   
earth1 divinely appointed by him1 and   

accountable to none but him for his     
actions1 will either think or do1 upon  
these symptoms of reason and good sense1
 which seem to be breaking out all over 
,france3 but this ,i foresee1 that1     
before the end of this century1 the     
trade of both king and priest will not  
be half so good a one as it has been4   
,du ,clos1 in his 8,reflections10 hath  
observed1 and very truly1 #8qu'il y a un
 germe de raison qui commence a se      
developper en ,france'2--a developpement
 that must prove fatal to ,regal and    
,papal pretensions4 ,prudence may1 in   
many cases1 recommend an occasional     
submission to either2 but when that     
ignorance1 upon which an implicit faith 
in both could only be founded1 is once  
removed1 ,god's ,vicegerent1 and        
,christ's ,vicar1 will only be obeyed   
and believed1 as far as what the one    
orders1 and the other says1 is          
conformable to reason and to truth4  ,i 
am very glad 7to use a vulgar           
expression7 that ,you ,,make ,,as ,,if  

,,you ,,were ,,not ,,well1 though you   
really are2 ,i am sure it is the        
likeliest way to keep so4 ,pray leave   
off entirely your greasy1 heavy pastry1 
fat creams1 and indigestible dumplings2 
and then you need not confine yourself  
to white meats1 which ,i do not take to 
be one jot wholesomer than beef1 mutton1
 and partridge4  ,voltaire sent me1 from
 ,berlin1 his #8,history du ,siecle de  
,louis ,,xiv4 ,it came at a very proper 
time2 ,lord ,bolingbroke had just taught
 me how history should be read2         
,voltaire shows me how it should be     
written4 ,i am sensible that it will    
meet with almost as many critics as     
readers4 ,voltaire must be criticised2  
besides1 every man's favorite is        
attacked3 for every prejudice is        
exposed1 and our prejudices are our     
mistresses2 reason is at best our wife1 
very often heard indeed1 but seldom     
minded4 ,it is the history of the human 
understanding1 written by a man of      
parts1 for the use of men of parts4     

,weak minds will not like it1 even      
though they do not understand it2 which 
is commonly the measure of their        
admiration4 ,dull ones will want those  
minute and uninteresting details with   
which most other histories are          
encumbered4 ,he tells me all ,i want to 
know1 and nothing more4 ,his reflections
 are short1 just1 and produce others in 
his readers4 ,free from religious1      
philosophical1 political and national   
prejudices1 beyond any historian ,i ever
 met with1 he relates all those matters 
as truly and as impartially1 as certain 
regards1 which must always be to some   
degree observed1 will allow him2 for one
 sees plainly that he often says much   
less than he would say1 if he might4 ,he
 hath made me much better acquainted    
with the times of ,lewis ,,xiv41 than   
the innumerable volumes which ,i had    
read could do2 and hath suggested this  
reflection to me1 which ,i have never   
made before--,his vanity1 not his       
knowledge1 made him encourage all1 and  

introduce many arts and sciences in his 
country4 ,he opened in a manner the     
human understanding in ,france1 and     
brought it to its utmost perfection2 his
 age equalled in all1 and greatly       
exceeded in many things 7pardon me1     
,pedants67 the ,augustan4 ,this was     
great and rapid2 but still it might be  
done1 by the encouragement1 the         
applause1 and the rewards of a vain1    
liberal1 and magnificent prince4 ,what  
is much more surprising is1 that he     
stopped the operations of the human mind
 just where he pleased2 and seemed to   
say1 8,thus far shalt thou go1 and no   
farther40 ,for1 a bigot to his religion1
 and jealous of his power1 free and     
rational thoughts upon either1 never    
entered into a ,french head during his  
reign2 and the greatest geniuses that   
ever any age produced1 never entertained
 a doubt of the divine right of ,kings1 
or the infallibility of the ,church4    
,poets1 ,orators1 and ,philosophers1    
ignorant of their natural rights1       

cherished their chains2 and blind1      
active faith triumphed1 in those great  
minds1 over silent and passive reason4  
,the reverse of this seems now to be the
 case in ,france3 reason opens itself2  
fancy and invention fade and decline4   
,i will send you a copy of this history 
by ,lord ,huntingdon1 as ,i think it    
very probable that it is not allowed to 
be published and sold at ,paris4 ,pray  
read it more than once1 and with        
attention1 particularly the second      
volume1 which contains short1 but very  
clear accounts of many very interesting 
things1 which are talked of by          
everybody1 though fairly4 understood by 
very few4 ,there are two very puerile   
affectations which ,i wish this book had
 been free from2 the one is1 the total  
subversion of all the old established   
,french orthography2 the other is1 the  
not making use of any one capital letter
 throughout the whole book1 except at   
the beginning of a paragraph4 ,it       
offends my eyes to see rome1 paris1     

france1 ,caesar1 ,i henry the fourth1   
etc41 begin with small letters2 and ,i  
do not conceive that there can be any   
reason for doing it1 half so strong as  
the reason of long usage is to the      
contrary4 ,this is an affectation below 
,voltaire2 who1 ,i am not ashamed to    
say1 that ,i admire and delight in1 as  
an author1 equally in prose and in      
verse4  ,i had a letter a few days ago  
from ,monsieur du ,boccage1 in which he 
says1 #8,monsieur ,stanhope s'est jete  
dans la politique1 et je crois qu'il y  
reussira'3 ,you do very well1 it is your
 destination2 but remember that1 to     
succeed in great things1 one must first 
learn to please in little ones4         
,engaging manners and address must      
prepare the way for superior knowledge  
and abilities to act with effect4 ,the  
late ,duke of ,marlborough's manners and
 address prevailed with the first king  
of ,prussia1 to let his troops remain in
 the army of the ,allies1 when neither  
their representations1 nor his own share

 in the common cause could do it4 ,the  
,duke of ,marlborough had no new matter 
to urge to him2 but had a manner1 which 
he could not1 nor did not1 resist4      
,voltaire1 among a thousand little      
delicate strokes of that kind1 says of  
the ,duke de la ,feuillade1 #8qu'il     
etoit l'homme le plus brillant et le    
plus aimable du royaume2 et quoique     
gendre du ,general et ,ministre1 il     
avoit pour lui la faveur publique'4     
,various little circumstances of that   
sort will often make a man of great real
 merit be hated1 if he hath not address 
and manners to make him be loved4       
,consider all your own circumstances    
seriously2 and you will find that1 of   
all arts1 the art of pleasing is the    
most necessary for you to study and     
possess4 ,a silly tyrant said1 #8oderint
 modo timeant'2 a wise man would have   
said1 #8modo ament nihil timendum est   
mihi'4 ,judge from your own daily       
experience1 of the efficacy of that     
pleasing #8je ne sais quoi'1 when you   

feel1 as you and everybody certainly    
does1 that in men it is more engaging   
than knowledge1 in women than beauty4   
,i long to see ,lord and                
,lady-------7who are not yet arrived71  
because they have lately seen you2 and  
,i always fancy1 that ,i can fish out   
something new concerning you1 from those
 who have seen you last3 not that ,i    
shall much rely upon their accounts1    
because ,i distrust the judgment of     
,lord and ,lady-------1 in those matters
 about which ,i am most inquisitive4    
,they have ruined their own son by what 
they called and thought loving him4     
,they have made him believe that the    
world was made for him1 not he for the  
world2 and unless he stays abroad a     
great while1 and falls into very good   
company1 he will expect1 what he will   
never find1 the attentions and          
complaisance from others1 which he has  
hitherto been used to from ,papa and    
,mamma4 ,this1 ,i fear1 is too much the 
case of ,mr4 ----2 who1 ,i doubt1 will  

be run through the body1 and be near    
dying1 before he knows how to live4     
,however you may turn out1 you can never
 make me any of these reproaches4 ,i    
indulged no silly1 womanish fondness for
 you2 instead of inflicting my          
tenderness upon you1 ,i have taken all  
possible methods to make you deserve it2
 and thank ,god you do2 at least1 ,i    
know but one article1 in which you are  
different from what ,i could wish you2  
and you very well know what that is ,i  
want3 ,that ,i and all the world should 
like you1 as well as ,i love you4       
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,clxv  ,,london1  
,april #cj1 ,o4 ,s4 #ageb4  ,,my ,,dear 
,,friend3 #8,avoir du monde' is1 in my  
opinion1 a very just and happy          
expression for having address1 manners1 
and for knowing how to behave properly  
in all companies2 and it implies very   
truly that a man who hath not those     
accomplishments is not of the world4    
,without them1 the best parts are       
inefficient1 civility is absurd1 and    

freedom offensive4 ,a learned parson1   
rusting in his cell1 at ,oxford or      
,cambridge1 will season admirably well  
upon the nature of man2 will profoundly 
analyze the head1 the heart1 the reason1
 the will1 the passions1 the senses1 the
 sentiments1 and all those subdivisions 
of we know not what2 and yet1           
unfortunately1 he knows nothing of man1 
for he hath not lived with him2 and is  
ignorant of all the various modes1      
habits1 prejudices1 and tastes1 that    
always influence and often determine    
him4 ,he views man as he does colors in 
,sir ,isaac ,newton's prism1 where only 
the capital ones are seen2 but an       
experienced dyer knows all their various
 shades and gradations1 together with   
the result of their several mixtures4   
,few men are of one plain1 decided      
color2 most are mixed1 shaded1 and      
blended2 and vary as much1 from         
different situations1 as changeable     
silks do form different lights4 ,the man
 #8qui a du monde' knows all this from  

his own experience and observation3 the 
conceited1 cloistered philosopher knows 
nothing of it from his own theory2 his  
practice is absurd and improper1 and he 
acts as awkwardly as a man would dance1 
who had never seen others dance1 nor    
learned of a dancing-master2 but who had
 only studied the notes by which dances 
are now pricked down as well as tunes4  
,observe and imitate1 then1 the address1
 the arts1 and the manners of those     
#8qui ont du monde'3 see by what methods
 they first make1 and afterward improve 
impressions in their favor4 ,those      
impressions are much oftener owing to   
little causes than to intrinsic merit2  
which is less volatile1 and hath not so 
sudden an effect4 ,strong minds have    
undoubtedly an ascendant over weak ones1
 as ,galigai ,marachale d',ancre very   
justly observed1 when1 to the disgrace  
and reproach of those times1 she was    
executed for having governed ,mary of   
,medicis by the arts of witchcraft and  
magic4 ,but then ascendant is to be     

gained by degrees1 and by those arts    
only which experience and the knowledge 
of the world teaches2 for few are mean  
enough to be bullied1 though most are   
weak enough to be bubbled4 ,i have often
 seen people of superior1 governed by   
people of much inferior parts1 without  
knowing or even suspecting that they    
were so governed4 ,this can only happen 
when those people of inferior parts have
 more worldly dexterity and experience1 
than those they govern4 ,they see the   
weak and unguarded part1 and apply to it
 they take it1 and all the rest follows4
 ,would you gain either men or women1   
and every man of sense desires to gain  
both1 #8il faut du monde'4 ,you have had
 more opportunities than ever any man   
had1 at your age1 of acquiring #8ce     
monde'4 ,you have been in the best      
companies of most countries1 at an age  
when others have hardly been in any     
company at all4 ,you are master of all  
those languages1 which ,john ,trott     
seldom speaks at all1 and never well2   

consequently you need be a stranger     
nowhere4 ,this is the way1 and the only 
way1 of having #8du monde'1 but if you  
have it not1 and have still any coarse  
rusticity about you1 may not one apply  
to you the #8rusticus expectat' of      
,horace8  ,this knowledge of the world  
teaches us more particularly two things1
 both which are of infinite consequence1
 and to neither of which nature inclines
 us2 ,i mean1 the command of our temper1
 and of our countenance4 ,a man who has 
no #8monde' is inflamed with anger1 or  
annihilated with shame1 at every        
disagreeable incident3 the one makes him
 act and talk like a madman1 the other  
makes him look like a fool4 ,but a man  
who has #8du monde'1 seems not to       
understand what he cannot or ought not  
to resent4 ,if he makes a slip himself1 
he recovers it by his coolness1 instead 
of plunging deeper by his confusion like
 a stumbling horse4 ,he is firm1 but    
gentle2 and practices that most         
excellent maxim1 #8suaviter in modo1    

fortiter in re'4 ,the other is the      
#8volto sciolto a pensieri stretti'4    
,people unused to the world have        
babbling countenances2 and are          
unskillful enough to show what they have
 sense enough not to tell4 ,in the      
course of the world1 a man must very    
often put on an easy1 frank countenance1
 upon very disagreeable occasions2 he   
must seem pleased when he is very much  
otherwise2 he must be able to accost and
 receive with smiles1 those whom he     
would much rather meet with swords4 ,in 
courts he must not turn himself inside  
out4 ,all this may1 nay must be done1   
without falsehood and treachery2 for it 
must go no further than politeness and  
manners1 and must stop short of         
assurances and professions of simulated 
friendship4 ,good manners1 to those one 
does not love1 are no more a breach of  
truth1 than 8your humble servant0 at the
 bottom of a challenge is2 they are     
universally agreed upon and understood1 
to be things of course4 ,they are       

necessary guards of the decency and     
peace of society2 they must only act    
defensively2 and then not with arms     
poisoned by perfidy4 ,truth1 but not the
 whole truth1 must be the invariable    
principle of every man1 who hath either 
religion1 honor1 or prudence4 ,those who
 violate it may be cunning1 but they are
 not able4 ,lies and perfidy are the    
refuge of fools and cowards4 ,adieu6    
,p4 ,s4 ,i must recommend to you again1 
to take your leave of all your ,french  
acquaintance1 in such a manner as may   
make them regret your departure1 and    
wish to see and welcome you at ,paris   
again1 where you may possibly return    
before it is very long4 ,this must not  
be done in a cold1 civil manner1 but    
with at least seeming warmth1 sentiment1
 and concern4 ,acknowledge the          
obligations you have to them for the    
kindness they have shown you during your
 stay at ,paris3 assure them that       
wherever you are1 you will remember them
 with gratitude2 wish for opportunities 

of giving them proofs of your #8plus    
tendre et respectueux souvenir2 beg of  
them in case your good fortune should   
carry them to any part of the world     
where you could be of any the least use 
to them1 that they would employ you     
without reserve4 ,say all this1 and a   
great deal more1 emphatically and       
pathetically2 for you know #8si vis me  
flere'4 ,this can do you no harm1 if you
 never return to ,paris2 but if you do1 
as probably you may1 it will be of      
infinite use to you4 ,remember too1 not 
to omit going to every house where you  
have ever been once1 to take leave and  
recommend yourself to their remembrance4
 ,the reputation which you leave at one 
place1 where you have been1 will        
circulate1 and you will meet with it at 
twenty places where you are to go4 ,that
 is a labor never quite lost4  ,this    
letter will show you1 that the accident 
which happened to me yesterday1 and of  
which ,mr4 ,grevenkop gives you account1
 hath had no bad consequences4 ,my      

escape was a great one4     ,,letter    
,,clxvi  ,,london1 ,may #aa1 ,o4 ,s4    
#ageb4  ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i break my    
word by writing this letter2 but ,i     
break it on the allowable side1 by doing
 more than ,i promised4 ,i have pleasure
 in writing to you2 and you may possibly
 have some profit in reading what ,i    
write2 either of the motives were       
sufficient for me1 both for you ,i      
cannot withstand4 ,by your last ,i      
calculate that you will leave ,paris    
upon this day se'nnight2 upon that      
supposition1 this letter may still find 
you there4  ,colonel ,perry arrived here
 two or three days ago1 and sent me a   
book from you2 ,cassandra abridged4 ,i  
am sure it cannot be too much abridged4 
,the spirit of that most voluminous     
work1 fairly extracted1 may be contained
 in the smallest duodecimo2 and it is   
most astonishing1 that there ever could 
have been people idle enough to write or
 read such endless heaps of the same    
stuff4 ,it was1 however1 the occupation 

of thousands in the last century1 and is
 still the private1 though disavowed1   
amusement of young girls1 and           
sentimental ladies4 ,a lovesick girl    
finds1 in the captain with whom she is  
in love1 all the courage and all the    
graces of the tender and accomplished   
,oroondates3 and many a grown-up1       
sentimental lady1 talks delicate ,clelia
 to the hero1 whom she would engage to  
eternal love1 or laments with her that  
love is not eternal4       8,ah6 qu'il  
est doux d'aimer1 si ,pon aimoit        
toujours6      ,mais helas6 il'n'est    
point d'eternelles amours40  ,it is1    
however1 very well to have read one of  
those extravagant works 7of all which   
,la ,calprenede's are the best71 because
 it is well to be able to talk1 with    
some degree of knowledge1 upon all those
 subjects that other people talk        
sometimes upon3 and ,i would by no means
 have anything1 that is known to others1
 be totally unknown to you4 ,it is a    
great advantage for any man1 to be able 

to talk or to hear1 neither ignorantly  
nor absurdly1 upon any subject2 for ,i  
have known people1 who have not said one
 word1 hear ignorantly and absurdly2 it 
has appeared in their inattentive and   
unmeaning faces4  ,this1 ,i think1 is as
 little likely to happen to you as to   
anybody of your age3 and if you will but
 add a versatility and easy conformity  
of manners1 ,i know no company in which 
you are likely to be de trop4  ,this    
versatility is more particularly        
necessary for you at this time1 now that
 you are going to so many different     
places3 for1 though the manners and     
customs of the several courts of        
,germany are in general the same1 yet   
everyone has its particular             
characteristic2 some peculiarity or     
other1 which distinguishes it from the  
next4 ,this you should carefully attend 
to1 and immediately adopt4 ,nothing     
flatters people more1 nor makes         
strangers so welcome1 as such an        
occasional conformity4 ,i do not mean by

 this1 that you should mimic the air and
 stiffness of every awkward ,german     
court2 no1 by no means2 but ,i mean that
 you should only cheerfully comply1 and 
fall in with certain local habits1 such 
as ceremonies1 diet1 turn of            
conversation1 etc4 ,people who are      
lately come from ,paris1 and who have   
been a good while there1 are generally  
suspected1 and especially in ,germany1  
of having a degree of contempt for every
 other place4 ,take great care that     
nothing of this kind appear1 at least   
outwardly1 in your behavior2 but commend
 whatever deserves any degree of        
commendation1 without comparing it with 
what you may have left1 much better of  
the same kind1 at ,paris4 ,as for       
instance1 the ,german kitchen is1       
without doubt1 execrable1 and the       
,french delicious2 however1 never       
commend the ,french kitchen at a ,german
 table2 but eat of what you can find    
tolerable there1 and commend it1 without
 comparing it to anything better4 ,i    

have known many ,british ,yahoos1 who   
though while they were at ,paris        
conformed to no one ,french custom1 as  
soon as they got anywhere else1 talked  
of nothing but what they did1 saw1 and  
eat at ,paris4 ,the freedom of the      
,french is not to be used               
indiscriminately at all the courts in   
,germany1 though their easiness may1 and
 ought2 but that1 too1 at some places   
more than others4 ,the courts of        
,manheim and ,bonn1 ,i take to be a     
little more unbarbarized than some      
others2 that of ,mayence1 an            
ecclesiastical one1 as well as that of  
,treves 7neither of which is much       
frequented by foreigners71 retains1 ,i  
conceive1 a great deal of the ,goth and 
,vandal still4 ,there1 more reserve and 
ceremony are necessary2 and not a word  
of the ,french4 ,at ,berlin1 you cannot 
be too ,french4 ,hanover1 ,brunswick1   
,cassel1 etc41 are of the mixed kind1   
#8un peu decrottes1 mais pas assez'4    
,another thing1 which ,i most earnestly 

recommend to you1 not only in ,germany1 
but in every part of the world where you
 may ever be1 is not only real1 but     
seeming attention1 to whoever you speak 
to1 or to whoever speaks to you4 ,there 
is nothing so brutally shocking1 nor so 
little forgiven1 as a seeming           
inattention to the person who is        
speaking to you3 and ,i have known many 
a man knocked down1 for 7in my opinion7 
a much lighter provocation1 than that   
shocking inattention which ,i mean4 ,i  
have seen many people1 who1 while you   
are speaking to them1 instead of looking
 at1 and attending to you1 fix their    
eyes upon the ceiling or some other part
 of the room1 look out of the window1   
play with a dog1 twirl their snuff-box1 
or pick their nose4 ,nothing discovers a
 little1 futile1 frivolous mind more    
than this1 and nothing is so offensively
 ill-bred2 it is an explicit declaration
 on your part1 that every the most      
trifling object1 deserves your attention
 more than all that can be said by the  

person who is speaking to you4 ,judge of
 the sentiments of hatred and           
resentment1 which such treatment must   
excite in every breast where any degree 
of self-love dwells2 and ,i am sure ,i  
never yet met with that breast where    
there was not a great deal3 ,i repeat it
 again and again 7for it is highly      
necessary for you to remember it71 that 
sort of vanity and self-love is         
inseparable from human nature1 whatever 
may be its rank or condition2 even your 
footmen will sooner forget and forgive a
 beating1 than any manifest mark of     
slight and contempt4 ,be therefore1 ,i  
beg of you1 not only really1 but        
seemingly and manifestly attentive to   
whoever speaks to you2 nay1 more1 take  
their #8ton'1 and tune yourself to their
 unison4 ,be serious with the serious1  
gay with the gay1 and trifle with the   
triflers4 ,in assuming these various    
shapes1 endeavor to make each of them   
seem to sit easy upon you1 and even to  
appear to be your own natural one4 ,this

 is the true and useful versatility1 of 
which a thorough knowledge of the world 
at once teaches the utility and the     
means of acquiring4  ,i am very sure1 at
 least ,i hope1 that you will never make
 use of a silly expression1 which is the
 favorite expression1 and the absurd    
excuse of all fools and blockheads2 ,i  
,,cannot ,,do ,,such ,a ,,thing2 a thing
 by no means either morally or          
physically impossible4 ,i ,,cannot      
attend long together to the same thing1 
says one fool2 that is1 he is such a    
fool that he will not4 ,i remember a    
very awkward fellow1 who did not know   
what to do with his sword1 and who      
always took it off before dinner1 saying
 that he could not possibly dine with   
his sword on2 upon which ,i could not   
help telling him1 that ,i really        
believed he could without any probable  
danger either to himself or others4 ,it 
is a shame and an absurdity1 for any man
 to say that he cannot do all those     
things1 which are commonly done by all  

the rest of mankind4  ,another thing    
that ,i must earnestly warn you against 
is laziness2 by which more people have  
lost the fruit of their travels than1   
perhaps1 by any other thing4 ,pray be   
always in motion4 ,early in the morning 
go and see things2 and the rest of the  
day go and see people4 ,if you stay but 
a week at a place1 and that an          
insignificant one1 see1 however1 all    
that is to be seen there2 know as many  
people1 and get into as many houses1 as 
ever you can4  ,i recommend to you      
likewise1 though probably you have      
thought of it yourself1 to carry in your
 pocket a map of ,germany1 in which the 
postroads are marked2 and also some     
short book of travels through ,germany4 
,the former will help to imprint in your
 memory situations and distances2 and   
the latter will point out many things   
for you to see1 that might otherwise    
possibly escape you1 and which1 though  
they may be in themselves of little     
consequence1 you would regret not having

 seen1 after having been at the places  
where they were4  ,thus warned and      
provided for your journey1 ,god speed   
you2 #8,felix faustumque sit6 ,adieu4   
,,letter ,,clxvii  ,,london1 ,may #bg1  
,o4 ,s4 #ageb  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i 
send you the inclosed original from a   
friend of ours1 with my own commentaries
 upon the text2 a text which ,i have so 
often paraphrased1 and commented upon   
already1 that ,i believe ,i can hardly  
say anything new upon it2 but1 however1 
,i cannot give it over till ,i am better
 convinced1 than ,i yet am1 that you    
feel all the utility1 the importance1   
and the necessity of it2 nay1 not only  
feel1 but practice it4 ,your panegyrist 
allows you1 what most fathers would be  
more than satisified with1 in a son1 and
 chides me for not contenting myself    
with #8l'essentiellement bon'2 but ,i1  
who have been in no one respect like    
other fathers1 cannot neither1 like     
them1 content myself with               
#8l'essentiellement bon'2 because ,i    

know that it will not do your business  
in the world1 while you want #8quelques 
couches de vernis'4 ,few fathers care   
much for their sons1 or1 at least1 most 
of them care more for their money3 and1 
consequently1 content themselves with   
giving them1 at the cheapest rate1 the  
common run of education3 that is1 a     
school till eighteen2 the university    
till twenty2 and a couple of years      
riding post through the several towns of
 ,europe2 impatient till their boobies  
come home to be married1 and1 as they   
call it1 settled4 ,of those who really  
love their sons1 few know how to do it4 
,some spoil them by fondling them while 
they are young1 and then quarrel with   
them when they are grown up1 for having 
been spoiled2 some love them like       
mothers1 and attend only to the bodily  
health and strength of the hopes of     
their family1 solemnize his birthday1   
and rejoice1 like the subjects of the   
,great ,mogul1 at the increase of his   
bulk2 while others1 minding1 as they    

think1 only essentials1 take pains and  
pleasure to see in their heir1 all their
 favorite weaknesses and imperfections4 
,i hope and believe that ,i have kept   
clear of all of these errors in the     
education which ,i have given you4 ,no  
weaknesses of my own have warped it1 no 
parsimony has starved it1 no rigor has  
deformed it4 ,sound and extensive       
learning was the foundation which ,i    
meant to lay--,i have laid it2 but that 
alone1 ,i knew1 would by no means be    
sufficient3 the ornamental1 the showish1
 the pleasing superstructure was to be  
begun4 ,in that view1 ,i threw you into 
the great world1 entirely your own      
master1 at an age when others either    
guzzle at the university1 or are sent   
abroad in servitude to some awkward1    
pedantic ,scotch governor4 ,this was to 
put you in the way1 and the only way of 
acquiring those manners1 that address1  
and those graces1 which exclusively     
distinguish people of fashion2 and      
without which all moral virtues1 and all

 acquired learning1 are of no sort of   
use in the courts and #8le beau monde'3 
on the contrary1 ,i am not sure if they 
are not an hindrance4 ,they are feared  
and disliked in those places1 as too    
severe1 if not smoothed and introduced  
by the graces2 but of these graces1 of  
this necessary #8beau vernis'1 it seems 
there are still #8quelque couches qui   
manquent'4 ,now1 pray let me ask you1   
coolly and seriously1 #8pourquoi ces    
couches manquent-elles'8 ,for you may as
 easily take them1 as you may wear more 
or less powder in your hair1 more or    
less lace upon your coat4 ,i can        
therefore account for your wanting them 
no other way in the world1 than from    
your not being yet convinced of their   
full value4 ,you have heard some        
,english bucks say1 8,damn these finical
 outlandish airs1 give me a manly1      
resolute manner4 ,they make a rout with 
their graces1 and talk like a parcel of 
dancing-masters1 and dress like a parcel
 of fops3 one good ,englishman will beat

 three of them40 ,but let your own      
observation undeceive you of these      
prejudices4 ,i will give you one        
instance only1 instead of an hundred    
that ,i could give you1 of a very       
shining fortune and figure1 raised upon 
no other foundation whatsoever1 than    
that of address1 manners1 and graces4   
,between you and me 7for this example   
must go no further71 what do you think  
made our friend1 ,lord ,a----e1 ,colonel
 of a regiment of guards1 ,governor of  
,virginia1 ,groom of the ,stole1 and    
,ambassador to ,paris2 amounting in all 
to sixteen or seventeen thousand pounds 
a year8 ,was it his birth8 ,no1 a ,dutch
 gentleman only4 ,was it his estate8    
,no1 he had none4 ,was it his learning1 
his parts1 his political abilities and  
application8 ,you can answer these      
questions as easily1 and as soon1 as ,i 
can ask them4 ,what was it then8 ,many  
people wondered1 but ,i do not2 for ,i  
know1 and will tell you4 ,it was his    
air1 his address1 his manners1 and his  

graces4 ,he pleased1 and by pleasing he 
became a favorite2 and by becoming a    
favorite became all that he has been    
since4 ,show me any one instance1 where 
intrinsic worth and merit1 unassisted by
 exterior accomplishments1 have raised  
any man so high4 ,you know the ,due de  
,richelieu1 now #8,marechal1 ,cordon    
bleu1 ,gentilhomme de la ,chambre'1     
twice ,ambassador1 etc4 ,by what means8 
,not by the purity of his character1 the
 depth of his knowledge1 or any uncommon
 penetration and sagacity4 ,women alone 
formed and raised him4 ,the ,duchess of 
,burgundy took a fancy to him1 and had  
him before he was sixteen years old2    
this put him in fashion among the beau  
monde3 and the late ,regent's oldest    
daughter1 now ,madame de ,modene1 took  
him next1 and was near marrying him4    
,these early connections with women of  
the first distinction gave him those    
manners1 graces1 and address1 which you 
see he has2 and which1 ,i can assure    
you1 are all that he has2 for1 strip him

 of them1 and he will be one of the     
poorest men in ,europe4 ,man or woman   
cannot resist an engaging exterior2 it  
will please1 it will make its way4 ,you 
want1 it seems1 but #8quelques couches'2
 for ,god's sake1 lose no time in       
getting them2 and now you have gone so  
far1 complete the work4 ,think of       
nothing else till that work is finished2
 unwearied application will bring about 
anything3 and surely your application   
can never be so well employed as upon   
that object1 which is absolutely        
necessary to facilitate all others4     
,with your knowledge and parts1 if      
adorned by manners and graces1 what may 
you not hope one day to be8 ,but without
 them1 you will be in the situation of a
 man who should be very fleet of one leg
 but very lame of the other4 ,he could  
not run2 the lame leg would check and   
clog the well one1 which would be very  
near useless4  ,from my original plan   
for your education1 ,i meant to make you
 #8un homme universel'2 what depends on 

me is executed1 the little that remains 
undone depends singly upon you4 ,do not 
then disappoint1 when you can so easily 
gratify me4 ,it is your own interest    
which ,i am pressing you to pursue1 and 
it is the only return that ,i desire for
 all the care and affection of1 ,yours4 
,,letter ,,clxviii  ,,london1 ,may #ca1 
,o4 ,s4 #ageb  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3    
,the world is the book1 and the only one
 to which1 at present1 ,i would have you
 apply yourself2 and the thorough       
knowledge of it will be of more use to  
you1 than all the books that ever were  
read4 ,lay aside the best book whenever 
you can go into the best company2 and   
depend upon it1 you change for the      
better4 ,however1 as the most tumultuous
 life1 whether of business or pleasure1 
leaves some vacant moments every day1 in
 which a book is the refuge of a        
rational being1 ,i mean now to point out
 to you the method of employing those   
moments 7which will and ought to be but 
few7 in the most advantageous manner4   

,throw away none of your time upon those
 trivial1 futile books1 published by    
idle or necessitous authors1 for the    
amusement of idle and ignorant readers2 
such sort of books swarm and buzz about 
one every day2 flap them away1 they have
 no sting4 #8,certum pete finem'1 have  
some one object for those leisure       
moments1 and pursue that object         
invariably till you have attained it2   
and then take some other4 ,for instance1
 considering your destination1 ,i would 
advise you to single out the most       
remarkable and interesting eras of      
modern history1 and confine all your    
reading to that ,,era4 ,if you pitch    
upon the ,treaty of ,munster 7and that  
is the proper period to begin with1 in  
the course which ,i am now              
recommending71 do not interrupt it by   
dipping and deviating into other books1 
unrelative to it2 but consult only the  
most authentic histories1 letters1      
memoirs1 and negotiations1 relative to  
that great transaction2 reading and     

comparing them1 with all that caution   
and distrust which ,lord ,bolingbroke   
recommends to you1 in a better manner1  
and in better words than ,i can4 ,the   
next period worth your particular       
knowledge1 is the ,treaty of the        
,pyrenees3 which was calculated to lay1 
and in effect did lay1 the succession of
 the ,house of ,bourbon to the crown of 
,spain4 ,pursue that in the same manner1
 singling1 out of the millions of       
volumes written upon that occasion1 the 
two or three most authentic ones1 and   
particularly letters1 which are the best
 authorities in matters of negotiation4 
,next come the ,treaties of ,nimeguen   
and ,ryswick1 postscripts in1 a manner  
to those of ,munster and the ,pyrenees4 
,those two transactions have had great  
light thrown upon them by the           
publication of many authentic and       
original letters and pieces4 ,the       
concessions made at the ,treaty of      
,ryswick1 by the then triumphant ,lewis 
the ,fourteenth1 astonished all those   

who viewed things only superficially2   
but1 ,i should think1 must have been    
easily accounted for by those who knew  
the state of the kingdom of ,spain1 as  
well as of the health of its ,king1     
,charles the ,second1 at that time4 ,the
 interval between the conclusion of the 
peace of ,ryswick1 and the breaking out 
of the great war in #agjb1 though a     
short1 is a most interesting one4 ,every
 week of it almost produced some great  
event4 ,two partition treaties1 the     
death of the ,king of ,spain1 his       
unexpected will1 and the acceptance of  
it by ,lewis the ,fourteenth1 in        
violation of the second treaty of       
partition1 just signed and ratified by  
him4 ,philip the ,fifth quietly and     
cheerfully received in ,spain1 and      
acknowledged as ,king of it1 by most of 
those powers1 who afterward joined in an
 alliance to dethrone him4 ,i cannot    
help making this observation upon that  
occasion3 ,that character has often more
 to do in great transactions1 than      

prudence and sound policy2 for ,lewis   
the ,fourteenth gratified his personal  
pride1 by giving a ,bourbon ,king to    
,spain1 at the expense of the true      
interest of ,france2 which would have   
acquired much more solid and permanent  
strength by the addition of ,naples1    
,sicily1 and ,lorraine1 upon the footing
 of the second partition treaty2 and ,i 
think it was fortunate for ,europe that 
he preferred the will4 ,it is true1 he  
might hope to influence his ,bourbon    
posterity in ,spain2 he knew too well   
how weak the ties of blood are among    
men1 and how much weaker still they are 
among princes4 ,the ,memoirs of ,count  
,harrach1 and of ,las ,torres1 give a   
good deal of light into the transactions
 of the ,court of ,spain1 previous to   
the death of that weak ,king2 and the   
,letters of the ,marachal d',harcourt1  
then the ,french ,ambassador in ,spain1 
of which ,i have authentic copies in    
manuscript1 from the year #afih to      
#agja1 have cleared up that whole affair

 to me4 ,i keep that book for you4 ,it  
appears by those letters1 that the      
impudent conduct of the ,house of       
,austria1 with regard to the ,king and  
,queen of ,spain1 and ,madame ,berlips1 
her favorite1 together with the         
knowledge of the partition treaty1 which
 incensed all ,spain1 were the true and 
only reasons of the will1 in favor of   
the ,duke of ,anjou4 ,cardinal          
,portocarrero1 nor any of the ,grandees1
 were bribed by ,france1 as was         
generally reported and believed at that 
time2 which confirms ,voltaire's        
anecdote upon that subject4 ,then opens 
a new scene and a new century2 ,lewis   
the ,fourteenth's good fortune forsakes 
him1 till the ,duke of ,marlborough and 
,prince ,eugene make him amends for all 
the mischief they had done him1 by      
making the allies refuse the terms of   
peace offered by him at ,gertruydenberg4
 ,how the disadvantageous peace of      
,utrecht was afterward brought on1 you  
have lately read2 and you cannot inform 

yourself too minutely of all those      
circumstances1 that treaty #8being the  
freshest source from whence the late    
transactions of ,europe have flowed4    
,the alterations that have since        
happened1 whether by wars or treaties1  
are so recent1 that all the written     
accounts are to be helped out1 proved1  
or contradicted1 by the oral ones of    
almost every informed person1 of a      
certain age or rank in life4 ,for the   
facts1 dates1 and original pieces of    
this century1 you will find them in     
,lamberti1 till the year #agae1 and     
after that time in ,rousset's           
#8,recueil'4  ,i do not mean that you   
should plod hours together in researches
 of this kind3 no1 you may employ your  
time more usefully3 but ,i mean1 that   
you should make the most of the moments 
you do employ1 by method1 and the       
pursuit of one single object at a time2 
nor should ,i call it a digression from 
that object1 if when you meet with      
clashing and jarring pretensions of     

different princes to the same thing1 you
 had immediately recourse to other      
books1 in which those several           
pretensions were clearly stated2 on the 
contrary1 that is the only way of       
remembering those contested rights and  
claims3 for1 were a man to read #8tout  
de suite'1 ,schwederus's #8,theatrum    
,pretensionum'1 he would only be        
confounded by the variety1 and remember 
none of them2 whereas1 by examining them
 occasionally1 as they happen to occur1 
either in the course of your historical 
reading1 or as they are agitated in your
 own times1 you will retain them1 by    
connecting them with those historical   
facts which occasioned your inquiry4    
,for example1 had you read1 in the      
course of two or three folios of        
,pretensions1 those1 among others1 of   
the two ,kings of ,england and ,prussia 
to ,oost ,frise1 it is impossible1 that 
you should have remembered them2 but    
now1 that they are become the debated   
object at the ,diet at ,ratisbon1 and   

the topic of all political              
conversations1 if you consult both books
 and persons concerning them1 and inform
 yourself thoroughly1 you will never    
forget them as long as you live4 ,you   
will hear a great deal of them ow one   
side1 at ,hanover1 and as much on the   
other side1 afterward1 at ,berlin3 hear 
both sides1 and form your own opinion2  
but dispute with neither4  ,letters from
 foreign ministers to their courts1 and 
from their courts to them1 are1 if      
genuine1 the best and most authentic    
records you can read1 as far as they go4
 ,cardinal d',ossat's1 ,president       
,jeanin's1 ,d',estrade's1 ,sir ,william 
,temple's1 will not only inform your    
mind1 but form your style2 which1 in    
letters of business1 should be very     
plain and simple1 but1 at the same time1
 exceedingly clear1 correct1 and pure4  
,all that ,i have said may be reduced to
 these two or three plain principles3   
#ast1 ,that you should now read very    
little1 but converse a great deal2 #b;d1

 ,to read no useless1 unprofitable      
books2 and #c;d1 ,that those which you  
do read1 may all tend to a certain      
object1 and be relative to1 and         
consequential of each other4 ,in this   
method1 half an hour's reading every day
 will carry you a great way4 ,people    
seldom know how to employ their time to 
the best advantage till they have too   
little left to employ2 but if1 at your  
age1 in the beginning of life1 people   
would but consider the value of it1 and 
put every moment to interest1 it is     
incredible what an additional fund of   
knowledge and pleasure such an economy  
would bring in4 ,i look back with regret
 upon that large sum of time1 which1 in 
my youth1 ,i lavished away idly1 without
 either improvement or pleasure4 ,take  
warning betimes1 and enjoy every moment2
 pleasures do not commonly last so long 
as life1 and therefore should not be    
neglected2 and the longest life is too  
short for knowledge1 consequently every 
moment is precious4  ,i am surprised at 

having received no letter from you since
 you left ,paris4 ,i still direct this  
to ,strasburgh1 as ,i did my two last4  
,i shall direct my next to the post     
house at ,mayence1 unless ,i receive1 in
 the meantime1 contrary instructions    
from you4 ,adieu4 ,remember les         
attentions3 they must be your passports 
into good company4     ,,letter ,,clxix 
,,london1 ,june1 ,o4 ,s4 #ageb4  ,,my   
,,dear ,,friend3 ,very few celebrated   
negotiators have been eminent for their 
learning4 ,the most famous ,french      
negotiators 7and ,i know no nation that 
can boast of abler7 have been military  
men1 as ,monsieur d',harcourt1 ,comte   
d',estrades1 ,marechal d',uxelles1 and  
others4 ,the late ,duke of ,marlborough1
 who was at least as able a negotiator  
as a general1 was exceedingly ignorant  
of books1 but extremely knowing in men1 
whereas the learned ,grotius appeared1  
both in ,sweden and in ,france1 to be a 
very bungling minister4 ,this is1 in my 
opinion1 very easily to be accounted    

for4 ,a man of very deep learning must  
have employed the greatest part of his  
time in books2 and a skillful negotiator
 must necessarily have employed much the
 greater part of his time with man4 ,the
 sound scholar1 when dragged out of his 
dusty closet into business1 acts by     
book1 and deals with men as he has read 
of them2 not as he has known them by    
experience3 he follows ,spartan and     
,roman precedents1 in what he falsely   
imagines to be similar cases2 whereas   
two cases never were1 since the         
beginning of the world1 exactly alike2  
and he would be capable1 where he       
thought spirit and vigor necessary1 to  
draw a circle round the persons he      
treated with1 and to insist upon a      
categorical answer before they went out 
of it1 because he had read1 in the      
,roman history1 that once upon a time   
some ,roman ambassador1 did so4 ,no2 a  
certain degree of learning may help1 but
 no degree of learning will ever make a 
skillful minister whereas a great       

knowledge of the world1 of the          
characters1 passions1 and habits of     
mankind1 has1 without one grain of      
learning1 made a thousand4 ,military men
 have seldom much knowledge of books2   
their education does not allow it2 but  
what makes great amends for that want   
is1 that they generally know a great    
deal of the world2 they are thrown into 
it young2 they see variety of nations   
and characters2 and they soon find1 that
 to rise1 which is the aim of them all1 
they must first please3 these concurrent
 causes almost always give them manners 
and politeness4 ,in consequence of      
which1 you see them always distinguished
 at courts1 and favored by the women4 ,i
 could wish that you had been of an age 
to have made a campaign or two as a     
volunteer4 ,it would have given you an  
attention1 a versatility1 and an        
alertness2 all which ,i doubt you want2 
and a great want it is4  ,a foreign     
minister has not great business to      
transact every day2 so that his         

knowledge and his skill in negotiating  
are not frequently put to the trial2 but
 he has that to do every day1 and every 
hour of the day1 which is necessary to  
prepare and smooth the way for his      
business2 that is1 to insinuate himself 
by his manners1 not only into the       
houses1 but into the confidence of the  
most considerable people of that place2 
to contribute to their pleasures1 and   
insensibly not to be looked upon as a   
stranger himself4 ,a skillful minister  
may very possibly be doing his master's 
business full as well1 in doing the     
honors gracefully and genteelly of a    
ball or a supper1 as if he were         
laboriously writing a protocol in his   
closet4 ,the ,marechal d',harcourt1 by  
his magnificence1 his manners1 and his  
politeness1 blunted the edge of the long
 aversion which the ,spaniards had to   
the ,french4 ,the court and the grandees
 were personally fond1 of him1 and      
frequented his house2 and were at least 
insensibly brought to prefer a ,french  

to a ,german yoke2 which ,i am convinced
 would never have happened1 had ,comte  
d',harrach been ,marechal d',harcourt1  
or the ,marechal d',harcourt ,comte     
d',harrach4 ,the ,comte d',estrades had1
 by #8ses manieres polies et liantes'1  
formed such connections1 and gained such
 an interest in the republic of the     
,united ,provinces1 that ,monsieur ,de  
,witt1 the then ,pensionary of ,holland1
 often applied to him to use his        
interest with his friend1 both in       
,holland and the other provinces1       
whenever he 7,de ,witt7 had a difficult 
point which he wanted to carry4 ,this   
was certainly not brought about by his  
knowledge of books1 but of men3 dancing1
 fencing1 and riding1 with a little     
military architecture1 were no doubt the
 top of his education2 and if he knew   
that #8collegium' in ,latin signified   
college in ,french1 it must have been by
 accident4 ,but he knew what was more   
useful3 from thirteen years old he had  
been in the great world1 and had read   

men and women so long1 that he could    
then read them at sight4  ,talking the  
other day1 upon this and other subjects1
 all relative to you1 with one who knows
 and loves you very well1 and expressing
 my anxiety and wishes that your        
exterior accomplishments1 as a man of   
fashion1 might adorn1 and at least equal
 your intrinsic merit as a man of sense 
and honor1 the person interrupted me1   
and said3 ,set your heart at rest2 that 
never will or can happen4 ,it is not in 
character2 that gentleness1 that        
#8douceur'1 those attentions which you  
wish him to have1 are not in his nature2
 and do what you will1 nay1 let him do  
what he will1 he can never acquire them4
 ,nature may be a little disguised and  
altered by care2 but can by no means    
whatsoever be totally forced and        
changed4 ,i denied this principle to a  
certain degree2 but admitting1 however1 
that in many respects our nature was not
 to be changed2 and asserting1 at the   
same time1 that in others it might by   

care be very much altered and improved1 
so as in truth to be changed2 that ,i   
took those exterior accomplishments1    
which we had been talking of1 to be mere
 modes1 and absolutely depending upon   
the will1 and upon custom2 and that1    
therefore1 ,i was convinced that your   
good sense1 which must show you the     
importance of them1 would make you      
resolve at all events to acquire them1  
even in spite of nature1 if nature be in
 the case4 ,our dispute1 which lasted a 
great while1 ended as ,voltaire observes
 that disputes in ,england are apt to   
do1 in a wager of fifty guineas2 which  
,i myself am to decide upon honor1 and  
of which this is a faithful copy4 ,if   
you think ,i shall win it1 you may go my
 halves if you please2 declare yourself 
in time4 ,this ,i declare1 that ,i would
 most cheerfully give a thousand guineas
 to win those fifty2 you may secure them
 me if you please4  ,i grow very        
impatient for your future letters from  
the several courts of ,manheim1 ,bonn1  

,hanover1 etc4 ,and ,i desire that your 
letters may be to me1 what ,i do not    
desire they should be to anybody else1  
,i mean full of yourself4 ,let the      
egotism1 a figure which upon all other  
occasions ,i detest1 be your only one to
 me4 ,trifles that concern you are not  
trifles to me2 and my knowledge of them 
may possibly be useful to you4 ,adieu4  
#8,les graces1 les graces1 les graces'4 
,,letter ,,clxx  ,,london1 ,june #bc1   
,o4 ,s4 #ageb  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i 
direct this letter to ,mayence1 where ,i
 think it is likely to meet you1        
supposing1 as ,i do1 that you stayed    
three weeks at ,manheim1 after the date 
of your last from thence2 but should you
 have stayed longer at ,manheim1 to     
which ,i have no objection1 it will wait
 for you at ,mayence4 ,mayence will not1
 ,i believe1 have charms to detain you  
above a week2 so that ,i reckon you will
 be at ,bonn at the end of ,july1 ,n4   
,s4 ,there you may stay just as little  
or as long as you please1 and then      

proceed to ,hanover4  ,i had a letter by
 the last post from a relation of mine  
at ,hanover1 ,mr4 ,stanhope ,aspinwall1 
who is in the ,duke of ,newcastle's     
office1 and has lately been appointed   
the ,king's ,minister to the ,dey of    
,algiers2 a post which1 notwithstanding 
your views of foreign affairs1 ,i       
believe you do not envy him4 ,he tells  
me in that letter1 there are very good  
lodgings to be had at one ,mrs4         
,meyers's1 the next door to the ,duke of
 ,newcastle's1 which he offers to take  
for you2 ,i have desired him to do it1  
in case ,mrs4 ,meyers will wait for you 
till the latter end of ,august1 or the  
beginning of ,september1 ,n4 ,s41 which 
,i suppose is about the time when you   
will be at ,hanover4 ,you will find this
 ,mr4 ,aspinwall of great use to you    
there4 ,he will exert himself to the    
utmost to serve you2 he has been twice  
or thrice at ,hanover1 and knows all the
 allures there3 he is very well with the
 ,duke of ,newcastle1 and will puff you 

there4 ,moreover1 if you have a mind to 
work there as a volunteer in that       
bureau1 he will assist and inform you4  
,in short1 he is a very honest1         
sensible1 and informed man2 #8mais me   
paye pas beaucoup de sa figure2 il abuse
 meme du privilege qu'ont les hommes    
d'etre laids2 et il ne sera pas en reste
 avec les lions et les leopards qu'il   
trouvera a ,alger'4  ,as you are        
entirely master of the time when you    
will leave ,bonn and go to ,hanover1 so 
are you master to stay at ,hanover as   
long as you please1 and to go from      
thence where you please2 provided that  
at ,christmas you are at ,berlin1 for   
the beginning of the ,carnival3 this ,i 
would not have you say at ,hanover1     
considering the mutual disposition of   
those two courts2 but when anybody asks 
you where you are to go next1 say that  
you propose rambling in ,germany1 at    
,brunswick1 ,cassel1 etc41 till the next
 spring2 when you intend to be in       
,flanders1 in your way to ,england4 ,i  

take ,berlin1 at this time1 to be the   
politest1 the most shining1 and the most
 useful court in ,europe for a young    
fellow to be at3 and therefore ,i would 
upon no account not have you there1 for 
at least a couple of months of the      
,carnival4 ,if you are as well received1
 and pass your time as well at ,bonn as 
,i believe you will1 ,i would advise you
 to remain there till about the #bjth of
 ,august1 ,n4 ,s41 in four days you will
 be at ,hanover4 ,as for your stay      
there1 it must be shorter or longer1    
according to certain circumstances      
,,which ,,you ,,know ,,of2 supposing    
them1 at the best1 then1 stay within a  
week or ten days of the ,king's return  
to ,england2 but supposing them at the  
worst1 your stay must not be too short1 
for reasons which you also know2 no     
resentment must either appear or be     
suspected2 therefore1 at worst1 ,i think
 you must remain there a month1 and at  
best1 as long as ever you please4 ,but  
,i am convinced that all will turn out  

very well for you there4 ,everybody is  
engaged or inclined to help you2 the    
ministers1 ,english and ,german1 the    
principal ladies1 and most of the       
foreign ministers2 so that ,i may apply 
to you1 #8nullum numen abest1 si sit    
prudentia'4 ,du ,perron will1 ,i        
believe1 be back there from ,turin much 
about the time you get there3 pray be   
very attentive to him1 and connect      
yourself with him as much as ever you   
can2 for1 besides that he is a very     
pretty and well-informed man1 he is very
 much in fashion at ,hanover1 is        
personally very well with the ,king and 
certain ladies2 so that a visible       
intimacy and connection with him will do
 you credit and service4 ,pray cultivate
 ,monsieur ,hop1 the ,dutch minister1   
who has always been very much my friend1
 and will1 ,i am sure1 be yours2 his    
manners1 it is true1 are not very       
engaging2 he is rough1 but he is        
sincere4 ,it is very useful sometimes to
 see the things which one ought to      

avoid1 as it is right to see very often 
those which one ought to imitate1 and my
 friend ,hop's manners will frequently  
point out to you1 what yours ought to be
 by the rule of contraries4  ,congreve  
points out a sort of critics1 to whom he
 says that we are doubly obliged3--     
8,rules for good writing they with pains
 indite1      ,then show us what is bad1
 by what they write40  ,it is certain   
that ,monsieur ,hop1 with the best heart
 in the world1 and a thousand good      
qualities1 has a thousand enemies1 and  
hardly a friend2 simply from the        
roughness of his manners4  ,n4 ,b4 ,i   
heartily wish you could have stayed long
 enough at ,manheim to have been        
seriously and desperately in love with  
,madame de ,taxis2 who1 ,i suppose1 is a
 proud1 insolent1 fine lady1 and who    
would consequently have expected        
attentions little short of adoration3   
nothing would do you more good than such
 a passion2 and ,i live in hopes that   
somebody or other will be able to excite

 such an one in you2 your hour may not  
yet be come1 but it will come4 ,love has
 not been unaptly compared to the       
smallpox which most people have sooner  
or later4 ,iphigenia had a wonderful    
effect upon ,cimon2 ,i wish some        
,hanover ,iphigenia may try her skill   
upon you4  ,i recommend to you again1   
though ,i have already done it twice or 
thrice1 to speak ,german1 even          
affectedly1 while you are at ,hanover2  
which will show that you prefer that    
language1 and be of more use to you     
there with ,,somebody1 than you can     
imagine4 ,when you carry my letters to  
,monsieur ,munchausen and ,monsieur     
,schwiegeldt1 address yourself to them  
in ,german2 the latter speaks ,french   
very well1 but the former extremely ill4
 ,show great attention to ,madame1      
,munchausen's daughter1 who is a great  
favorite2 those little trifles please   
mothers1 and sometimes fathers1         
extremely4 ,observe1 and you will find1 
almost universally1 that the least      

things either please or displease most2 
because they necessarily imply1 either a
 very strong desire of obliging1 or an  
unpardonable indifference about it4 ,i  
will give you a ridiculous instance     
enough of this truth1 from my own       
experience4 ,when ,i was ,ambassador the
 first time in ,holland1 ,comte de      
,wassenaer and his wife1 people of the  
first rank and consideration1 had a     
little boy of about three years old1 of 
whom they were exceedingly fond2 in     
order to make my court to them1 ,i was  
so too1 and used to take the child often
 upon my lap1 and play with him4 ,one   
day his nose was very dirty1 upon which 
,i took out my handkerchief and wiped it
 for him2 this raised a loud laugh1 and 
they called me a very1 handy nurse2 but 
the father and mother were so pleased   
with it1 that to this day it is an      
anecdote in the family1 and ,i never    
receive a letter from ,comte ,wassenaer1
 but he makes me the compliments #8du   
morveux gue j'ai mouche autrefois'2 who1

 by the way1 ,i am assured1 is now the  
prettiest young fellow in ,holland4     
,where one would gain people1 remember  
that nothing is little4 ,adieu4         
,,letter ,,clxxi  ,,london1 ,june #bf1  
,o4 ,s4 #ageb4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3   
,as ,i have reason to fear1 from your ,m
 last letter of the #ahth1 ,n4 ,s41 from
 ,manheim1 that all1 or at least most of
 my letters to you1 since you left      
,paris1 have miscarried2 ,i think it    
requisite1 at all events1 to repeat in  
this the necessary parts of those       
several letters1 as far as they relate  
to your future motions4  ,i suppose that
 this will either find you1 or be but a 
few days before you at ,bonn1 where it  
is directed2 and ,i suppose too1 that   
you have fixed your time for going from 
thence to ,hanover4 ,if things ,,turn   
,,out ,,well ,,at ,,hanover1 as in my   
opinion they will1 #8,chi sta bene non  
si muova'1 stay there till a week or ten
 days before the ,king sets out for     
,england2 but1 should ,,they ,,turn     

,,out ,,ill1 which ,i cannot imagine1   
stay1 however1 a month1 that your       
departure may not seem a step of        
discontent or peevishness2 the very     
suspicion of which is by all means to be
 avoided4 ,whenever you leave ,hanover1 
be it sooner or be it later1 where would
 you go8 #8,lei ,padrone'1 and ,i give  
you your choice3 would you pass the     
months of ,november and ,december at    
,brunswick1 ,cassel1 etc48 ,would you   
choose to go for a couple of months to  
,ratisbon1 where you would be very well 
recommended to1 and treated by the      
,king's ,electoral ,minister1 the ,baron
 de ,behr1 and where you would improve  
your #8,jus publicum'8 or would you     
rather go directly to ,berlin1 and stay 
there till the end of the ,carnival8    
,two or three months at ,berlin are1    
considering all circumstances1 necessary
 for you2 and the ,carnival months are  
the best2 #8pour le reste decidez en    
dernier ressort1 et sans appel comme    
d'abus'4 ,let me know your decree1 when 

you have formed it4 ,your good or ill   
success at ,hanover will have a very    
great influence upon your subsequent    
character1 figure1 and fortune in the   
world2 therefore ,i confess that ,i am  
more anxious about it1 than ever bride  
was on her wedding night1 when wishes1  
hopes1 fears1 and doubts1 tumultuously  
agitate1 please1 and terrify her4 ,it is
 your first crisis3 the character which 
you will acquire there will1 more or    
less1 be that which will abide by you   
for the rest of your life4 ,you will be 
tried and judged there1 not as a boy1   
but as a man2 and from that moment there
 is no appeal for character2 it is      
fixed4 ,to form that character          
advantageously1 you have three objects  
particularly to attend to3 your         
character as a man of morality1 truth1  
and honor2 your knowledge in the objects
 of your destination1 as a man of       
business2 and your engaging and         
insinuating address1 air and manners1 as
 a courtier2 the sure and only steps to 

favor4  ,merit at courts1 without favor1
 will do little or nothing2 favor1      
without merit1 will do a good deal2 but 
favor and merit together will do        
everything4 ,favor at courts depends    
upon so many1 such trifling1 such       
unexpected1 and unforeseen events1 that 
a good courtier must attend to every    
circumstance1 however little1 that      
either does1 or can happen2 he must have
 no absences1 no ,,distractions2 he must
 not say1 8,i did not mind it2 who would
 have thought it80 ,he ought both to    
have minded1 and to have thought it4 ,a 
chamber-maid has sometimes caused       
revolutions in courts which have        
produced others in kingdoms4 ,were ,i to
 make my way to favor in a court1 ,i    
would neither willfully1 nor by         
negligence1 give a dog or a cat there   
reason to dislike me4 ,two #8pies       
grieches'1 well instructed1 you know1   
made the fortune of ,de ,luines with    
,lewis ,,xiii4 ,every step a man makes  
at court requires as much attention and 

circumspection1 as those which were made
 formerly between hot plowshares1 in the
 ,ordeal1 or fiery trials2 which1 in    
those times of ignorance and            
superstition1 were looked upon as       
demonstrations of innocence or guilt4   
,direct your principal battery1 at      
,hanover1 at the ,d of ,n #8s3 there are
 many very weak places in that citadel2 
where1 with a very little skill1 you    
cannot fail making a great impression4  
,ask for his orders in everything you   
do2 talk ,austrian and ,anti-gallican to
 him2 and1 as soon as you are upon a    
foot of talking easily to him1 tell him 
#8en badinant'1 that his skill and      
success in thirty or forty elections in 
,england leave you no reason to doubt of
 his carrying his election for          
,frankfort2 and that you look upon the  
,archduke as his ,member for the        
,empire4 ,in his hours of festivity and 
compotation1 drop that he puts you in   
mind of what ,sir ,william ,temple says 
of the ,pensionary ,de ,witt1--who at   

that time governed half ,europe1--that  
he appeared at balls1 assemblies1 and   
public places1 as if he had nothing else
 to do or to think of4 ,when he talks to
 you upon foreign affairs1 which he will
 often do1 say that you really cannot   
presume to give any opinion of your own 
upon those matters1 looking upon        
yourself at present only as a postscript
 to the corps diplomatique2 but that1 if
 his ,grace will be pleased to make you 
an additional volume to it1 though but  
in duodecimo1 you will do your best that
 he shall neither be ashamed nor repent 
of it4 ,he loves to have a favorite1 and
 to open himself to that favorite4 ,he  
has now no such person with him2 the    
place is vacant1 and if you have        
dexterity you may fill it4 ,in one thing
 alone do not humor him2 ,i mean        
drinking2 for1 as ,i believe1 you have  
never yet been drunk1 you do not        
yourself know how you can bear your     
wine1 and what a little too much of it  
may make you do or say2 you might       

possibly kick down all you had done     
before4  ,you do not love gaming1 and ,i
 thank ,god for it2 but at ,hanover ,i  
would have you show1 and profess a      
particular dislike to play1 so as to    
decline it upon all occasions1 unless   
where one may be wanted to make a fourth
 at whist or quadrille2 and then take   
care to declare it the result of your   
complaisance1 not of your inclinations4 
,without such precaution you may very   
possibly be suspected1 though unjustly1 
of loving play1 upon account of my      
former passion for it2 and such a       
suspicion would do you a great deal of  
hurt1 especially with the ,king1 who    
detests gaming4 ,i must end this        
abruptly4 ,god bless you6     ,,letter  
,,clxxii  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3         
,versatility as a courtier may be almost
 decisive to you hereafter2 that is1 it 
may conduce to1 or retard your          
preferment in your own destination4 ,the
 first reputation goes a great way2 and 
if you fix a good one at ,hanover1 it   

will operate also to your advantage in  
,england4 ,the trade of a courtier is as
 much a trade as that of a shoemaker2   
and he who applies himself the most1    
will work the best3 the only difficulty 
is to distinguish 7what ,i am sure you  
have sense enough to distinguish7       
between the right and proper            
qualifications and their kindred faults2
 for there is but a line between every  
perfection and its neighboring          
imperfection4 ,as1 for example1 you must
 be extremely well-bred and polite1 but 
without the troublesome forms and       
stiffness of ceremony4 ,you must be     
respectful and assenting1 but without   
being servile and abject4 ,you must be  
frank1 but without indiscretion2 and    
close1 without being costive4 ,you must 
keep up dignity of character1 without   
the least pride of birth or rank4 ,you  
must be gay within all the bounds of    
decency and respect2 and grave without  
the affectation of wisdom1 which does   
not become the age of twenty4 ,you must 

be essentially secret1 without being    
dark and mysterious4 ,you must be firm1 
and even bold1 but with great seeming   
modesty4  ,with these qualifications1   
which1 by the way1 are all in your own  
power1 ,i will answer for your success1 
not only at ,hanover1 but at any court  
in ,europe4 ,and ,i am not sorry that   
you begin your apprenticeship at a      
little one2 because you must be more    
circumspect1 and more upon your guard   
there1 than at a great one1 where every 
little thing is not known nor reported4 
,when you write to me1 or to anybody    
else1 from thence1 take care that your  
letters contain commendations of all    
that you see and hear there2 for they   
will most of them be opened and read2   
but1 as frequent couriers will come from
 ,hanover to ,england1 you may sometimes
 write to me without reserve2 and put   
your letters into a very little box1    
which you may send safely by some of    
them4  ,i must not omit mentioning to   
you1 that at the ,duke of ,newcastle's  

table1 where you will frequently dine1  
there is a great deal of drinking2 be   
upon your guard against it1 both upon   
account of your health1 which would not 
bear it1 and of the consequences of your
 being flustered and heated with wine3  
it might engage you in scrapes and      
frolics1 which the ,king 7who is a very 
sober man himself7 detests4 ,on the     
other hand1 you should not seem too     
grave and too wise to drink like the    
rest of the company2 therefore use art3 
mix water with your wine2 do not drink  
all that is in the glass2 and if        
detected1 and pressed to drink more do  
not cry out sobriety2 but say that you  
have lately been out of order1 that you 
are subject to inflammatory complaints1 
and that you must beg to be excused for 
the present4 ,a young fellow ought to be
 wiser than he should seem to be2 and an
 old fellow ought to seem wise whether  
he really' be so or not4  ,during your  
stay at ,hanover ,i would have you make 
two or three excursions to parts of that

 ,electorate3 the ,hartz1 where the     
silver mines are2 ,gottingen1 for the   
,university2 ,stade1 for what commerce  
there is4 ,you should also go to ,zell4 
,in short1 see everything that is to be 
seen there1 and inform yourself well of 
all the details of that country4 ,go to 
,hamburg for three or four days1 and    
know the constitution of that little    
,hanseatic ,republic1 and inform        
yourself well of the nature of the ,king
 of ,denmark's pretensions to it4  ,if  
all things turn out right for you at    
,hanover1 ,i would have you make it your
 head-quarters1 till about a week or ten
 days before the ,king leaves it2 and   
then go to ,brunswick1 which1 though a  
little1 is a very polite1 pretty court4 
,you may stay there a fortnight or three
 weeks1 as you like it2 and from thence 
go to ,cassel1 and stay there till you  
go to ,berlin2 where ,i would have you  
be by ,christmas4 ,at ,hanover you will 
very easily get good letters of         
recommendation to ,brunswick and to     

,cassel4 ,you do not want any to        
,berlin2 however1 ,i will send you one  
for ,voltaire4 #8,a propos' of ,berlin1 
be very reserved and cautious while at  
,hanover1 as to that ,king and that     
country2 both which are detested1       
because feared by everybody there1 from 
his ,majesty down to the meanest        
peasant2 but1 however1 they both        
extremely deserve your utmost attention 
and you will see the arts and wisdom of 
government better in that country1 now1 
than in any other in ,europe4 ,you may  
stay three months at ,berlin1 if you    
like it1 as ,i believe you will2 and    
after that ,i hope we shall meet there  
again4  ,of all the places in the world 
7,i repeat it once more71 establish a   
good reputation at ,hanover1 #8et faites
 vous valoir la1 autant qu'il est       
possible1 par le brillant1 les manieres1
 et les graces'4 ,indeed it is of the   
greatest importance to you1 and will    
make any future application to the ,king
 in your behalf very easy4 ,he is more  

taken by those little things1 than any  
man1 or even woman1 that ,i ever knew in
 my life3 and ,i do not wonder at him4  
,in short1 exert to the utmost all your 
means and powers to please3 and remember
 that he who pleases the most1 will rise
 the soonest and the highest4 ,try but  
once the pleasure and advantage of      
pleasing1 and ,i will answer that you   
will never more neglect the means4  ,i  
send you herewith two letters1 the one  
to ,monsieur ,munchausen1 the other to  
,monsieur ,schweigeldt1 an old friend of
 mine1 and a very sensible knowing man4 
,they will both ,i am sure1 be extremely
 civil to you1 and carry you into the   
best company2 and then it is your       
business to please that company4 ,i     
never was more anxious about any period 
of your life1 than ,i am about this1    
your ,hanover expedition1 it being of so
 much more consequence to you than any  
other4 ,if ,i hear from thence1 that you
 are liked and loved there1 for your    
air1 your manners1 and address1 as well 

as esteemed for your knowledge1 ,i shall
 be the happiest man in the world4      
,judge then what ,i must be1 if it      
happens otherwise4 ,adieu4     ,,letter 
,,clxxiii  ,,london1 ,july #ba1 ,o4 ,s4 
#ageb  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,by my     
calculation this letter may probably    
arrive at ,hanover three or four days   
before you2 and as ,i am sure of its    
arriving there safe1 it shall contain   
the most material points that ,i have   
mentioned in my several letters to you  
since you left ,paris1 as if you had    
received but few of them1 which may very
 probably be the case4  ,as for your    
stay at ,hanover1 it must not ,,in ,,all
 ,,events be less than a month2 but if  
things turn out to ,your ,,satisfaction1
 it may be just as long as you please4  
,from thence you may go wherever you    
like2 for ,i have so good an opinion of 
your judgment1 that ,i think you will   
combine and weigh all circumstances1 and
 choose the properest places4 ,would you
 saunter at some of the small courts1 as

 ,brunswick1 ,cassel1 etc41 till the    
,carnival at ,berlin8 ,you are master4  
,would you pass a couple of months at   
,ratisbon1 which might not be ill       
employed8 #8,a la bonne heure'4 ,would  
you go to ,brussels1 stay a month or two
 there with ,dayrolles1 and from thence 
to ,mr4 ,yorke1 at ,the ,hague8 ,with   
all my heart4 ,or1 lastly1 would you go 
to ,copenhagen and ,stockholm8 #8,lei e 
anche ,padrone'3 choose entirely for    
yourself1 without any further           
instructions from me2 only let me know  
your determination in time1 that ,i may 
settle your credit1 in case you go to   
places where at present you have none4  
,your object should be to see the       
#8mores multorum hominum et urbes'2     
begin and end it where you please4  ,by 
what you have already seen of the       
,german courts1 ,i am sure you must have
 observed that they are much more nice  
and scrupulous1 in points of ceremony1  
respect and attention1 than the greater 
courts of ,france and ,england4 ,you    

will1 therefore1 ,i am persuaded1 attend
 to the minutest circumstances of       
address and behavior1 particularly      
during your stay at ,hanover1 which 7,i 
will repeat it1 though ,i have said it  
often to you already7 is the most       
important preliminary period of your    
whole life4 ,nobody in the world is more
 exact1 in all points of good-breeding1 
than the ,king2 and it is the part of   
every man's character1 that he informs  
himself of first4 ,the least negligence1
 or the slightest inattention1 reported 
to him1 may do you infinite prejudice3  
as their contraries would service4  ,if 
,lord ,albemarle 7as ,i believe he did7 
trusted you with the secret affairs of  
his department1 let the ,duke of        
,newcastle know that he did so2 which   
will be an inducement to him to trust   
you too1 and possibly to employ you in  
affairs of consequence4 ,tell him that1 
though you are young1 you know the      
importance of secrecy in business1 and  
can keep a secret2 that ,i have always  

inculcated this doctrine into you1 and  
have1 moreover1 strictly forbidden you  
ever to communicate1 even to me1 any    
matters of a secret nature1 which you   
may happen to be trusted with in the    
course of business4  ,as for business1  
,i think ,i can trust you to yourself2  
but ,i wish ,i could say as much for you
 with regard to those exterior          
accomplishments1 which are absolutely   
necessary to smooth and shorten the way 
to it4 ,half the business is done1 when 
one has gained the heart and the        
affections of those with whom one is to 
transact it4 ,air and address must      
begin1 manners and attention must finish
 that work4 ,i will let you into one    
secret concerning myself2 which is1 that
 ,i owe much more of the success which  
,i have had in the world to my manners1 
than to any superior degree of merit or 
knowledge4 ,i desired to please1 and ,i 
neglected none of the means4 ,this1 ,i  
can assure you1 without any false       
modesty1 is the truth3 ,you have more   

knowledge than ,i had at your age1 but  
then ,i had much more attention and     
good-breeding than you4 ,call it vanity1
 if you please1 and possibly it was so2 
but my great object was to make every   
man ,i met with like me1 and every woman
 love me4 ,i often succeeded2 but why8  
,by taking great pains1 for otherwise ,i
 never should3 my figure by no means    
entitled me to it2 and ,i had certainly 
an up-hill game2 whereas your           
countenance would help you1 if you made 
the most of it1 and proscribed for ever 
the guilty1 gloomy1 and funereal part of
 it4 ,dress1 address1 and air1 would    
become your best countenance1 and make  
your little figure pass very well4  ,if 
you have time to read at ,hanover1 pray 
let the books you read be all relative  
to the history and constitution of that 
country2 which ,i would have you know as
 correctly as any ,hanoverian in the    
whole ,electorate4 ,inform yourself of  
the powers of the ,states1 and of the   
nature and extent of the several        

judicatures2 the particular articles of 
trade and commerce of ,bremen1 ,harburg1
 and ,stade2 the details and value of   
the mines of the ,hartz4 ,two or three  
short books will give you the outlines  
of all these things2 and conversation   
turned upon those subjects will do the  
rest1 and better than books can4        
,remember of all things to speak nothing
 but ,german there2 make it 7to express 
myself pedantically7 your vernacular    
language2 seem to prefer it to any      
other2 call it your favorite language1  
and study to speak it with purity and   
elegance1 if it has any4 ,this will not 
only make you perfect in it1 but will   
please1 and make your court there better
 than anything4 ,a propos of languages3 
,did you improve your ,italian while you
 were at ,paris1 or did you forget it8  
,had you a master there8 and what       
,italian books did you read with him8   
,if you are master of ,italian1 ,i would
 have you afterward1 by the first       
convenient opportunity1 learn ,spanish1 

which you may very easily1 and in a very
 little time do2 you will then1 in the  
course of your foreign business1 never  
be obliged to employ1 pay1 or trust any 
translator for any ,european language4  
,as ,i love to provide eventually for   
everything that can possibly happen1 ,i 
will suppose the worst that can befall  
you at ,hanover4 ,in that case ,i would 
have you go immediately to the ,duke of 
,newcastle1 and beg his ,grace's advice1
 or rather orders1 what you should do2  
adding1 that his advice will always be  
orders to you4 ,you will tell him that  
though you are exceedingly mortified1   
you are much less so than you should    
otherwise be1 from the consideration    
that being utterly unknown to his       
,m-----1 his objection could not be     
personal to you1 and could only arise   
from circumstances which it was not in  
your power either to prevent or remedy2 
that if his ,grace thought that your    
continuing any longer there would be    
disagreeable1 you entreated him to tell 

you so2 and that upon the whole1 you    
referred yourself entirely to him1 whose
 orders you should most scrupulously    
obey4 ,but this precaution1 ,i dare say1
 is #8ex abundanti'1 and will prove     
unnecessary2 however1 it is always right
 to be prepared for all events1 the     
worst as well as the best2 it prevents  
hurry and surprise1 two dangerous1      
situations in business2 for ,i know no  
one thing so useful1 so necessary in all
 business1 as great coolness1           
steadiness1 and sangfroid3 they give an 
incredible advantage over whoever one   
has to do with4  ,i have received your  
letter of the #aeth1 ,n4 ,s41 from      
,mayence1 where ,i find that you have   
diverted yourself much better than ,i   
expected4 ,i am very well acquainted    
with ,comte ,cobentzel's character1 both
 of parts and business4 ,he could have  
given you letters to ,bonn1 having      
formerly resided there himself4 ,you    
will not be so agreeably ,,electrified  
where this letter will find you1 as you 

were both at ,manheim and ,mayence2 but 
,i hope you may meet with a second      
,german ,mrs4 ,f-----d1 who may make you
 forget the two former ones1 and        
practice your ,german4 ,such transient  
passions will do you no harm2 but1 on   
the contrary1 a great deal of good2 they
 will refine your manners and quicken   
your attention2 they give a young fellow
 #8du brillant'1 and bring him into     
fashion2 which last is a great article  
at setting out in the world4  ,i have   
wrote1 about a month ago1 to ,lord      
,albemarle1 to thank him for all his    
kindnesses to you2 but pray have you    
done as much8 ,those are the necessary  
attentions which should never be        
omitted1 especially in the beginning of 
life1 when a character is to be         
established4  ,that ready wit2 which you
 so partially allow me1 and so justly   
,sir ,charles ,williams1 may create many
 admirers2 but1 take my word for it1 it 
makes few friends4 ,it shines and       
dazzles like the noon-day sun1 but1 like

 that too1 is very apt to scorch2 and   
therefore is always feared4 ,the milder 
morning and evening light and heat of   
that planet soothe and calm our minds4  
,good sense1 complaisance1 gentleness of
 manners1 attentions and graces are the 
only things that truly engage1 and      
durably keep the heart at long run4     
,never seek for wit2 if it presents     
itself1 well and good2 but1 even in that
 case1 let your judgment interpose2 and 
take care that it be not at the expense 
of anybody4 ,pope says very truly3      
8,there are whom heaven has blest with  
store of wit2      ,yet want as much    
again to govern it40  ,and in another   
place1 ,i doubt with too much truth3    
8,for wit and judgment ever are at      
strife      ,though meant each other's  
aid1 like man and wife40  ,the ,germans 
are very seldom troubled with any       
extraordinary ebullitions or            
effervescenses of wit1 and it is not    
prudent to try it upon them2 whoever    
does1 #8ofendet solido'4  ,remember to  

write me very minute accounts of all    
your transactions at ,hanover1 for they 
excite both my impatience and anxiety4  
,adieu6     ,,letter ,,clxxiv  ,,london1
 ,august #d1 ,o4 ,s4 #ageb  ,,my ,,dear 
,,friend3 ,i am extremely concerned at  
the return of your old asthmatic        
complaint1 of which your letter from    
,cassel of the #bhth ,july1 ,n4 ,s41 in 
forms me4 ,i believe it is chiefly owing
 to your own negligence2 for1           
notwithstanding the season of the year1 
and the heat and agitation of traveling1
 ,i dare swear you have not taken one   
single dose of gentle1 cooling physic1  
since that which ,i made you take at    
,bath4 ,i hope you are now better1 and  
in better hands4 ,i mean in ,dr4 ,hugo's
 at ,hanover3 he is certainly a very    
skillful physician1 and therefore ,i    
desire that you will inform him most    
minutely of your own case1 from your    
first attack in ,carniola1 to this last 
at ,marpurgh2 and not only follow his   
prescriptions exactly at present1 but   

take his directions1 with regard to the 
regimen that he would have you observe  
to prevent the returns of this          
complaint2 and1 in case of any returns1 
the immediate applications1 whether     
external or internal1 that he would have
 you make use of4 ,consider1 it is very 
worth your while to submit at present to
 any course of medicine or diet1 to any 
restraint or confinement1 for a time1 in
 order to get rid1 once for all1 of so  
troublesome and painful a distemper2 the
 returns of which would equally break in
 upon your business or your pleasures4  
,notwithstanding all this1 which is     
plain sense and reason1 ,i much fear    
that1 as soon as ever you are got out of
 your present distress1 you will take no
 preventive care1 by a proper course of 
medicines and regimen2 but1 like most   
people of your age1 think it impossible 
that you ever should be ill again4      
,however1 if you will not be wise for   
your own sake1 ,i desire you will be so 
for mine1 and most scrupulously observe 

,dr4 ,hugo's present and future         
directions4  ,hanover1 where ,i take it 
for granted you are1 is at present the  
seat and centre of foreign negotiations2
 there are ministers from almost every  
court in ,europe2 and you have a fine   
opportunity of displaying with modesty1 
in conversation1 your knowledge of the  
matters now in agitation4 ,the chief ,i 
take to be the ,election of the ,king of
 the ,romans1 which1 though ,i despair  
of1 heartily wish were brought about for
 two reasons4 ,the first is1 that ,i    
think it may prevent a war upon the     
death of the present ,emperor1 who1     
though young and healthy1 may possibly  
die1 as young and healthy people often  
do4 ,the other is1 the very reason that 
makes some powers oppose it1 and others 
dislike it1 who do not openly oppose it2
 ,i mean1 that it may tend to make the  
imperial dignity hereditary in the      
,house of ,austria2 which ,i heartily   
wish1 together with a very great        
increase of power in the empire3 till   

when1 ,germany will never be anything   
near a match for ,france4 ,cardinal     
,richelieu showed his superior abilities
 in nothing more1 than in thinking no   
pains or expense too great to break the 
power of the ,house of ,austria in the  
empire4 ,ferdinand had certainly made   
himself absolute1 and the empire        
consequently formidable to ,france1 if  
that ,cardinal had not piously adopted  
the ,protestant cause1 and put the      
empire1 by the treaty of ,westphalia1 in
 pretty much the same disjointed        
situation in which ,france itself was   
before ,lewis the ,eleventh2 when       
princes of the blood1 at the head of    
provinces1 and ,dukes of ,brittany1     
etc41 always opposed1 and often gave    
laws to the crown4 ,nothing but making  
the empire hereditary in the ,house of  
,austria1 can give it that strength and 
efficiency1 which ,i wish it had1 for   
the sake of the balance of power4 ,for1 
while the princes of the empire are so  
independent of the emperor1 so divided  

among themselves1 and so open to the    
corruption of the best bidders1 it is   
ridiculous to expect that ,germany ever 
will1 or can act as a compact and       
well-united body against ,france4 ,but  
as this notion of mine would as little  
please ,,some ,,of ,,our ,,friends1 as  
many of our enemies1 ,i would not advise
 you1 though you should be of the same  
opinion1 to declare yourself too freely 
so4 ,could the ,elector ,palatine be    
satisfied1 which ,i confess will be     
difficult1 considering the nature of his
 pretensions1 the tenaciousness and     
haughtiness of the court of ,vienna 7and
 our inability to do1 as we have too    
often done1 their work for them72 ,i    
say1 if the ,elector ,palatine could be 
engaged to give his vote1 ,i should     
think it would be right to proceed to   
the election with a clear majority of   
five votes2 and leave the ,king of      
,prussia and the ,elector of ,cologne1  
to protest and remonstrate as much as   
ever they please4 ,the former is too    

wise1 and the latter too weak in every  
respect1 to act in consequence of these 
protests4 ,the distracted situation of  
,france1 with its ecclesiastical and    
parliamentary quarrels1 not to mention  
the illness and possibly the death of   
the ,dauphin1 will make the ,king of    
,prussia1 who is certainly no ,frenchman
 in his heart1 very cautious how he acts
 as one4 ,the ,elector of ,saxony will  
be influenced by the ,king of ,poland1  
who must be determined by ,russia1      
considering his views upon ,poland1     
which1 by the by1 ,i hope he will never 
obtain2 ,i mean1 as to making that crown
 hereditary in his family4 ,as for his  
sons having it by the precarious tenure 
of election1 by which his father now    
holds it1 #8a la bonne heure'4 ,but1    
should ,poland have a good government   
under hereditary kings1 there would be a
 new devil raised in ,europe1 that ,i do
 not know who could lay4 ,i am sure ,i  
would not raise him1 though on my own   
side for the present4  ,i do not know   

how ,i came to trouble my head so much  
about politics today1 which has been so 
very free from them for some years3 ,i  
suppose it was because ,i knew that ,i  
was writing to the most consummate      
politician of this1 and his age4 ,if ,i 
err1 you will set me right2 #8si quid   
novisti rectius istis1 candidus         
imperti'1 etc4  ,i am excessively       
impatient for your next letter1 which ,i
 expect by the first post from ,hanover1
 to remove my anxiety1 as ,i hope it    
will1 not only with regard to your      
health1 but likewise to ,,other         
,,things2 in the meantime in the        
language of a pedant1 but with the      
tenderness of a parent1 #8jubeo te bene 
valere'4  ,lady ,chesterfield makes you 
many compliments1 and is much concerned 
at your indisposition4     ,,letter     
,,clxxv  ,,to ,,monsieur ,,de           
,,voltaire1 ,,now ,,staying ,,at        
,,berlin4  ,,london1 ,august #bg1 ,o4   
,s4 #ageb4  ,,sir3 ,as a most convincing
 proof how infinitely ,i am interested  

in everything which concerns ,mr4       
,stanhope1 who will have the honor of   
presenting you this letter1 ,i take the 
liberty of introducing him to you4 ,he  
has read a great deal1 he has seen a    
great deal2 whether or not he has made a
 proper use of that knowledge1 is what  
,i do not know3 he is only twenty years 
of age4 ,he was at ,berlin some years   
ago1 and therefore he returns thither2  
for at present people are attracted     
toward the north by the same motives    
which but lately drew them to the south4
  ,permit me1 ,sir1 to return you thanks
 for the pleasure and instruction ,i    
have received from your #8,history of   
,lewis ,,xiv'4 ,i have as yet read it   
but four times1 because ,i wish to      
forget it a little before ,i read it a  
fifth2 but ,i find that impossible3 ,i  
shall therefore only wait till you give 
us the augmentation which you promised2 
let me entreat you not to defer it long4
 ,i thought myself pretty conversant in 
the history of the reign of ,lewis      

,,xiv41 by means of those innumerable   
histories1 memoirs1 anecdotes1 etc41    
which ,i had read relative to that      
period of time4 ,you have convinced me  
that ,i was mistaken1 and had upon that 
subject very confused ideas in many     
respects1 and very false ones in others4
 ,above all1 ,i cannot but acknowledge  
the obligation we have to you1 ,sir1 for
 the light which you have thrown upon   
the follies and outrages of the         
different sects2 the weapons you employ 
against those madmen1 or those          
impostors1 are the only suitable ones2  
to make use of any others would be      
imitating them3 they must be attacked by
 ridicule1 and1 punished with contempt4 
#8,a propos' of those fanatics2 ,i send 
you here inclosed a piece upon that     
subject1 written by the late ,dean      
,swift3 ,i believe you will not dislike 
it4 ,you will easily guess why it never 
was printed3 it is authentic1 and ,i    
have the original in his own            
handwriting4 ,his ,jupiter1 at the ,day 

of judgment1 treats them much as you do1
 and as they deserve to be treated4     
,give me leave1 ,sir1 to tell you       
freely1 that ,i am embarrassed upon your
 account1 as ,i cannot determine what it
 is that ,i wish from you4 ,when ,i read
 your last history1 ,i am desirous that 
you should always write history2 but    
when ,i read your #8,rome ,sauvee'      
7although ill-printed and disfigured71  
yet ,i then wish you never to deviate   
from poetry2 however1 ,i confess that   
there still remains one history worthy  
of your pen1 and of which your pen alone
 is worthy4 ,you have long ago given us 
the history of the greatest and most    
outrageous madman 7,i ask your pardon if
 ,i cannot say the greatest hero7 of    
,europe2 you have given us latterly the 
history of the greatest king2 give us   
now the history of the greatest and most
 virtuous man in ,europe2 ,i should     
think it degrading to call him king4 ,to
 you this cannot be difficult1 he is    
always before your eyes3 your poetical  

invention is not necessary to his glory1
 as that may safely rely upon your      
historical candor4 ,the first duty of an
 historian is the only one he need      
require from his1 #8,ne quid falsi      
dicere audeat1 ne quid veri non audeat'4
 ,adieu1 ,sir6 ,i find that ,i must     
admire you every day more and more2 but 
,i also know that nothing ever can add  
to the esteem and attachment with which 
,i am actually1 your most humble and    
most obedient servant1 ,,chesterfield4  
,,letter ,,clxxvi  ,,london1 ,september 
#ai1 #ageb1  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3      
,since you have been at ,hanover1 your  
correspondence has been both unfrequent 
and laconic4 ,you made indeed one great 
effort in folio on the #ahth1 with a    
postscript of the #bb;d ,august1 ,n4    
,s41 and since that1 #8vous avez rate in
 quarto'4 ,on the #cast ,august1 ,n4    
,s41 you give me no informations of what
 ,i want chiefly to know2 which is1 what
 ,dr4 ,hugo 7whom ,i charged you to     
consult7 said of your asthmatic         

complaint1 and what he prescribed you to
 prevent the returns of it2 and also    
what is the company that1 you keep      
there1 who has been kind and civil to   
you1 and who not4  ,you say that you go 
constantly to the parade2 and you do    
very well2 for though you are not of    
that trade1 yet military matters make so
 great a part both of conversation and  
negotiation1 that it is very proper not 
to be ignorant of them4 ,i hope you mind
 more than the mere exercise of the     
troops you see2 and that you inform     
yourself at the same time1 of the more  
material details2 such as their pay1 and
 the difference of it when in and out of
 quarters2 what is furnished them by the
 country when in quarters1 and what is  
allowed them of ammunition1 bread1 etc41
 when in the field2 the number of men   
and officers in the several troops and  
companies1 together with the            
non-commissioned officers1 as           
#8caporals1 frey-caporals1 anspessades'1
 sergeants1 quarter-masters1 etc42 the  

clothing how frequent1 how good1 and how
 furnished2 whether by the colonel1 as  
here in ,england1 from what we call the 
,,off-,,reckonings1 that is1 deductions 
from the men's pay1 or by commissaries  
appointed by the government for that    
purpose1 as in ,france and ,holland4 ,by
 these inquiries you will be able to    
talk military with military men1 who1 in
 every country in ,europe1 except       
,england1 make at least half of all the 
best companies4 ,your attending the     
parades has also another good effect1   
which is1 that it brings you1 of course1
 acquainted with the officers1 who1 when
 of a certain rank and service1 are     
generally very polite1 well-bred people1
 #8et du bon ton'4 ,they have commonly  
seen a great deal of the world1 and of  
courts2 and nothing else can form a     
gentleman1 let people say what they will
 of sense and learning2 with both which 
a man may contrive to be a very         
disagreeable companion4 ,i dare say1    
there are very few captains of foot1 who

 are not much better company than ever  
,descartes or ,sir ,isaac ,newton were4 
,i honor and respect such superior      
geniuses2 but ,i desire to converse with
 people of this world1 who bring into   
company their share1 at least1 of       
cheerfulness1 good-breeding1 and        
knowledge of mankind4 ,in common life1  
one much oftener wants small money1 and 
silver1 than gold4 ,give me a man who   
has ready cash about him for present    
expenses2 sixpences1 shillings1         
half-crowns1 and crowns1 which circulate
 easily3 but a man who has only an ingot
 of gold about him1 is much above common
 purposes1 and his riches are not handy 
nor convenient4 ,have as much gold as   
you please in one pocket1 but take care 
always to keep change in the other2 for 
you will much oftener have occasion for 
a shilling than for a guinea4 ,in this  
the ,french must be allowed to excel all
 people in the world3 they have #8un    
certain entregent1 un enjouement1 un    
aimable legerete dans la conversation1  

une politesse aisee et naturelle1 qui   
paroit ne leur rien couter'1 which give 
society all its charms4 ,i am sorry to  
add1 but it is too true1 that the       
,english and the ,dutch are the farthest
 from this1 of all the people in the    
world2 ,i do by no means except even the
 ,swiss4  ,though you do not think      
proper to inform me1 ,i know from other 
hands that you were to go to the ,gohr  
with a ,comte ,schullemburg1 for eight  
or ten days only1 to see the reviews4 ,i
 know also that you had a blister upon  
your arm1 which did you a great deal of 
good4 ,i know too1 you have contracted a
 great friendship with ,lord ,essex1 and
 that you two were inseparable at       
,hanover4 ,all these things ,i would    
rather have known from you than from    
others2 and they are the sort of things 
that ,i am the most desirous of knowing1
 as they are more immediately relative  
to yourself4  ,i am very sorry for the  
,duchess of ,newcastle's illness1 full  
as much upon your as upon her account1  

as it has hindered you from being so    
much known to the ,duke as ,i could have
 wished2 use and habit going a great way
 with him1 as indeed they do with most  
people4 ,i have known many people       
patronized1 pushed up1 and preferred by 
those who could have given no other     
reason for it1 than that they were used 
to them4 ,we must never seek for motives
 by deep reasoning1 but we must find    
them out by careful observation and     
attention1 no matter what they should   
be1 but the point is1 what they are4    
,trace them up1 step by step1 from the  
character of the person4 ,i have known  
#8de par le monde'1 as ,brantome says1  
great effects from causes too little    
ever to have been suspected4 ,some      
things must be known1 and can never be  
guessed4  ,god knows where this letter  
will find you1 or follow you2 not at    
,hanover1 ,i suppose2 but wherever it   
does1 may it find you in health and     
pleasure6 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,clxxvii
  ,,london1 ,september #bb1 ,o4 ,s4     

#ageb  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,the day   
after the date of my last1 ,i received  
your letter of the #hth4 ,i approve     
extremely of your intended progress1 and
 am very glad that you go to the ,gohr  
with ,comte ,schullemburg4 ,i would have
 you see everything with your own eyes1 
and hear everything with your own ears3 
for ,i know1 by very long experience1   
that it is very unsafe to trust to other
 people's4 ,vanity and interest cause   
many misrepresentations1 and folly      
causes many more4 ,few people have parts
 enough to relate exactly and           
judiciously3 and those who have1 for    
some reason or other1 never fail to     
sink1 or to add some circumstances4     
,the reception which you have met with  
at ,hanover1 ,i look upon as an omen of 
your being well received everywhere     
else2 for to tell you the truth1 it was 
the place that ,i distrusted the most in
 that particular4 ,but there is a       
certain conduct1 there are certaines    
#8manieres' that will1 and must get the 

better of all difficulties of that kind2
 it is to acquire them that you still   
continue abroad1 and go from court to   
court2 they are personal1 local1 and    
temporal2 they are modes which vary1 and
 owe their existence to accidents1 whim1
 and humor2 all the sense and reason in 
the world would never point them out2   
nothing but experience1 observation1 and
 what is called knowledge of the world1 
can possibly teach them4 ,for example1  
it is respectful to bow to the ,king of 
,england1 it is disrespectful to bow to 
the ,king of ,france2 it is the rule to 
courtesy to the ,emperor2 and the       
prostration of the whole body is        
required by eastern monarchs4 ,these are
 established ceremonies1 and must be    
complied with3 but why thev were        
established1 ,i defy sense and reason to
 tell us4 ,it is the same among all     
ranks1 where certain customs are        
received1 and must necessarily be       
complied with1 though by no means the   
result of sense and reason4 ,as for     

instance1 the very absurd1 though almost
 universal custom of drinking people's  
healths4 ,can there be anything in the  
world less relative to any other man's  
health1 than my drinking a glass of     
wine8 ,common sense certainly never     
pointed it out2 but yet common sense    
tells me ,i must conform to it4 ,good   
sense bids one be civil and endeavor to 
please2 though nothing but experience   
and observation can teach one the means1
 properly adapted to time1 place1 and   
persons4 ,this knowledge is the true    
object of a gentleman's traveling1 if he
 travels as he ought to do4 ,by         
frequenting good company in every       
country1 he himself becomes of every    
country2 he is no longer an ,englishman1
 a ,frenchman1 or an ,italian2 but he is
 an ,european2 he adopts1 respectively1 
the best manners of every country2 and  
is a ,frenchman at ,paris1 an ,italian  
at ,rome1 an ,englishman at ,london4    
,this advantage1 ,i must confess1 very  
seldom accrues to my countrymen from    

their traveling2 as they have neither   
the desire nor the means of getting into
 good company abroad2 for1 in the first 
place1 they are confoundedly bashful2   
and1 in the next place1 they either     
speak no foreign language at all1 or if 
they do1 it is barbarously4 ,you possess
 all the advantages that they want2 you 
know the languages in perfection1 and   
have constantly kept the best company in
 the places where you have been2 so that
 you ought to be an ,european4 ,your    
canvas is solid and strong1 your        
outlines are good2 but remember that you
 still want the beautiful coloring of   
,titian1 and the delicate1 graceful     
touches of ,guido4 ,now is your time to 
get them4 ,there is1 in all good        
company1 a fashionable air1 countenance1
 manner1 and phraseology1 which can only
 be acquired by being in good company1  
and very attentive to all that passes   
there4 ,when you dine or sup at any     
well-bred man's house1 observe carefully
 how he does the honors of his table to 

the different guests4 ,attend to the    
compliments of congratulation or        
condolence that you hear a well-bred man
 make to his superiors1 to his equals1  
and to his inferiors2 watch even his    
countenance and his tone of voice1 for  
they all conspire in the main point of  
pleasing4 ,there is a certain           
distinguishing diction of a man of      
fashion2 he will not content himself    
with saying1 like ,john ,trott1 to a    
new-married man1 ,sir1 ,i wish you much 
joy2 or to a man who lost his son1 ,sir1
 ,i am sorry for your loss2 and both    
with a countenance equally unmoved2 but 
he will say in effect the same thing in 
a more elegant and less trivial manner1 
and with a countenance adapted to the   
occasion4 ,he will advance with warmth1 
vivacity1 and a cheerful countenance1 to
 the new-married man1 and embracing him1
 perhaps say to him1 8,if you do justice
 to my attachment to you1 you will judge
 of the joy that ,i feel upon this      
occasion1 better than ,i can express    

it10 etc42 to the other in affliction1  
he will advance slowly1 with a grave    
composure of countenance1 in a more     
deliberate manner1 and with a lower     
voice1 perhaps say1 8,i hope you do me  
the justice to be convinced that ,i feel
 whatever you feel1 and shall ever be   
affected where you are concerned40      
,your #8abord'1 ,i must tell you1 was   
too cold and uniform2 ,i hope it is now 
mended4 ,it should be respectfully open 
and cheerful with your superiors1 warm  
and animated with your equals1 hearty   
and free with your inferiors4 ,there is 
a fashionable kind of ,,small ,,talk    
which you should get2 which1 trifling as
 it is1 is of use in mixed companies1   
and at table1 especially in your foreign
 department2 where it keeps off certain 
serious subjects1 that might create     
disputes1 or at least coldness for a    
time4 ,upon such occasions it is not    
amiss to know how to parley cuisine1 and
 to be able to dissert upon the growth  
and flavor of wines4 ,these1 it is true1

 are very little things2 but they are   
little things that occur very often1 and
 therefore should be said #8avec        
gentillesse et grace'4 ,i am sure they  
must fall often in your way2 pray take  
care to catch them4 ,there is a certain 
language of conversation1 a fashionable 
diction1 of which every gentleman ought 
to be perfectly master1 in whatever     
language he speaks4 ,the ,french attend 
to it carefully1 and with great reason2 
and their language1 which is a language 
of phrases1 helps them out exceedingly4 
,that delicacy of diction is            
characteristical of a man of fashion and
 good company4  ,i could write folios   
upon this subject1 and not exhaust it2  
but ,i think1 and hope1 that to you ,i  
need not4 ,you have heard and seen      
enough to be convinced of the truth and 
importance of what ,i have been so long 
inculcating into you upon these points4 
,how happy am ,i1 and how happy are you1
 my dear child1 that these ,titian      
tints1 and ,guido graces1 are all that  

you want to complete my hopes and your  
own character6 ,but then1 on the other  
hand1 what a drawback would it be to    
that happiness1 if you should never     
acquire them8 ,i remember1 when ,i was  
of age1 though ,i had not near so good  
an education as you have1 or seen a     
quarter so much of the world1 ,i        
observed those masterly touches and     
irresistible graces in others1 and saw  
the necessity of acquiring them myself2 
but then an awkward #8mauvaise honte'1  
of which ,i had brought a great deal    
with me from ,cambridge1 made me ashamed
 to attempt it1 especially if any of my 
countrymen and particular acquaintances 
were by4 ,this was extremely absurd in  
me3 for1 without attempting1 ,i could   
never succeed4 ,but at last1 insensibly1
 by frequenting a great deal of good    
company1 and imitating those whom ,i saw
 that everybody liked1 ,i formed myself1
 #8tant bien que mal'4 ,for ,god's sake1
 let this last fine varnish1 so         
necessary to give lustre to the whole   

piece1 be the sole and single object now
 of your utmost attention4 ,berlin may  
contribute a great deal to it if you    
please2 there are all the ingredients   
that compose it4  #8,a ,propos' of      
,berlin1 while you are there1 take care 
to seem ignorant of all political       
matters between the two courts2 such as 
the affairs of ,ost ,frise1 and ,saxe   
,lawemburg1 etc41 and enter into no     
conversations upon those points2 but1   
however1 be as well at court as you     
possibly can2 live at it1 and make one  
of it4 ,should ,general ,keith offer you
 civilities1 do not decline them2 but   
return them1 however1 without being     
#8enfant de la maison chez lui'3 say    
#8des chores flatteuses' of the ,royal  
,family1 and especially of his ,prussian
 ,majesty1 to those who are the most    
like to repeat them4 ,in short1 make    
yourself well there1 without making     
yourself ill ,,somewhere ,,else4 ,make  
compliments from me to ,algarotti1 and  
converse with him in ,italian4  ,i go   

next week to the ,bath1 for a deafness1 
which ,i have been plagued with these   
four or five months2 and which ,i am    
assured that pumping my head will       
remove4 ,this deafness1 ,i own1 has     
tried my patience2 as it has cut me off 
from society1 at an age when ,i had no  
pleasures but those left4 ,in the       
meantime1 ,i have1 by reading and       
writing1 made my eyes supply the defect 
of my ears4 ,madame ,h-----1 ,i suppose1
 entertained both yours alike2 however1 
,i am very glad that you were well with 
her2 for she is a good #8proneuse'1 and 
puffs are very useful to a young fellow 
at his entrance into the world4  ,if you
 should meet with ,lord ,pembroke again1
 anywhere1 make him many compliments    
from me2 and tell him that ,i should    
have written to him1 but that ,i knew   
how troublesome an old correspondent    
must be to a young one4 ,he is much     
commended in the accounts from ,hanover4
  ,you will stay at ,berlin just as long
 as you like it1 and no longer2 and from

 thence you are absolutely master of    
your own motions1 either to ,the ,hague1
 or to ,brussels2 but ,i think that you 
had better go to ,the ,hague first1     
because that from thence ,brussels will 
be in your way to ,calais1 which is a   
much better passage to ,england than    
from ,helvoetsluys4 ,the two courts of  
,the ,hague and ,brussels are worth your
 seeing2 and you will see them both to  
advantage1 by means of ,colonel ,yorke  
and ,dayrolles4 ,adieu4 ,here is enough 
for this time4     ,,letter ,,clxxviii  
,,london1 ,september #bf1 #ageb  ,,my   
,,dear ,,friend3 ,as you chiefly employ1
 or rather wholly engross my thoughts1  
,i see every day1 with increasing       
pleasure1 the fair prospect which you   
have before you4 ,i had two views in    
your education2 they draw nearer and    
nearer1 and ,i have now very little     
reason to distrust your answering them  
fully4 ,those two were1 parliamentary   
and foreign affairs4 ,in consequence of 
those views1 ,i took care1 first1 to    

give you a sufficient stock of sound    
learning1 and next1 an early knowledge  
of the world4 ,without making a figure  
in parliament1 no man can make any in   
this country2 and eloquence alone       
enables a man to make a figure in       
parliament1 unless1 it be a very mean   
and contemptible one1 which those make  
there who silently vote1 and who do     
#8pedibus ire in sententiam'4 ,foreign  
affairs1 when skillfully managed1 and   
supported by a parliamentary reputation1
 lead to whatever is most considerable  
in this country4 ,you have the languages
 necessary for that purpose1 with a     
sufficient fund of historical and treaty
 knowledge2 that is to say1 you have the
 matter ready1 and only want the manner4
 ,your objects being thus fixed1 ,i     
recommend to you to have them constantly
 in your thoughts1 and to direct your   
reading1 your actions1 and your words1  
to those views4 ,most people think only 
#8ex re nata'1 and few #8ex professo'3  
,i would have you do both1 but begin    

with the latter4 ,i explain myself3 ,lay
 down certain principles1 and reason and
 act consequently from them4 ,as1 for   
example1 say to yourself1 ,i will make a
 figure in parliament1 and in order to  
do that1 ,i must not only speak1 but    
speak very well4 ,speaking mere common  
sense will by no means do2 and ,i must  
speak not only correctly but elegantly2 
and not only elegantly but eloquently4  
,in order to do this1 ,i will first take
 pains to get an habitual1 but          
unaffected1 purity1 correctness and     
elegance of style in my common          
conversation2 ,i will seek for the best 
words1 and take care to reject improper1
 inexpressive1 and vulgar ones4 ,i will 
read the greatest masters of oratory1   
both ancient and modern1 and ,i will    
read them singly in that view4 ,i will  
study ,demosthenes and ,cicero1 not to  
discover an old ,athenian or ,roman     
custom1 nor to puzzle myself with the   
value of talents1 mines1 drachms1 and   
sesterces1 like the learned blockheads  

in us2 but to observe their choice of   
words1 their harmony of diction1 their  
method1 their distribution1 their       
exordia1 to engage the favor and        
attention of their audience2 and their  
perorations1 to enforce what they have  
said1 and to leave a strong impression  
upon the passions4 ,nor will ,i be      
pedant enough to neglect the modern2 for
 ,i will likewise study ,atterbury1     
,dryden1 ,pope1 and ,bolingbroke2 nay1  
,i will read everything that ,i do read 
in that intention1 and never cease      
improving and refining my style upon the
 best models1 till at last ,i become a  
model of eloquence myself1 which1 by    
care1 it is in every man's power to be4 
,if you set out upon this principle1 and
 keep it constantly in your mind1 every 
company you go into1 and every book you 
read1 will contribute to your           
improvement1 either by showing you what 
to imitate1 or what to avoid4 ,are you  
to give an account of anything to a     
mixed company8 or are you to endeavor to

 persuade either man or woman8 ,this    
principle1 fixed in your mind1 will make
 you carefully attend to the choice of  
your words1 and to the clearness and    
harmony of your diction4  ,so much for  
your parliamentary object2 now to the   
foreign one4  ,lay down first those     
principles which are absolutely         
necessary to form a skillful and        
successful negotiator1 and form yourself
 accordingly4 ,what are they8 ,first1   
the clear historical knowledge of past  
transactions of that kind4 ,that you    
have pretty well already1 and will have 
daily more and more2 for1 in consequence
 of that principle1 you will read       
history1 memoirs1 anecdotes1 etc41 in   
that view chiefly4 ,the other necessary 
talents for negotiation are3 the great  
art of pleasing and engaging the        
affection and confidence1 not only of   
those with whom you are to cooperate1   
but even of those whom you are to       
oppose3 to conceal your own thoughts and
 views1 and to discover other people's3 

to engage other people's confidence by a
 seeming cheerful frankness and         
openness1 without going a step too far3 
to get the personal favor of the king1  
prince1 ministers1 or mistresses of the 
court to which you are sent3 to gain the
 absolute command over your temper and  
your countenance1 that no heat may      
provoke you to say1 nor no change of    
countenance to betray1 what should be a 
secret3 to familiarize and domesticate  
yourself in the houses of the most      
considerable people of the place1 so as 
to be received there rather as a friend 
to the family than as a foreigner4      
,having these principles constantly in  
your thoughts1 everything you do and    
everything you say will some way or     
other tend to your main view2 and common
 conversation will gradually fit you for
 it4 ,you will get a habit of checking  
any rising heat2 you will be upon your  
guard against any indiscreet expression2
 you will by degrees get the command of 
your countenance1 so as not to change it

 upon any the most sudden accident2 and 
you will1 above all things1 labor to    
acquire the great art of pleasing1      
without which nothing is to be done4    
,company is1 in truth1 a constant state 
of negotiation2 and1 if you attend to it
 in that view1 will qualify you for any4
 ,by the same means that you make a     
friend1 guard against an enemy1 or gain 
a mistress2 you will make an            
advantageous treaty1 baffle those who   
counteract you1 and gain the court you  
are sent to4 ,make this use of all the  
company you keep1 and your very         
pleasures will make you a successful    
negotiator4 ,please all who are worth   
pleasing2 offend none4 ,keep your own   
secret1 and get out other people's4     
,keep your own temper and artfully warm 
other people's4 ,counterwork your       
rivals1 with diligence and dexterity1   
but at the same time with the utmost    
personal civility to them2 and be firm  
without heat4 ,messieurs d',avaux and   
,servien did no more than this4 ,i must 

make one observation1 in confirmation of
 this assertion2 which is1 that the most
 eminent negotiators have allways been  
the politest and bestbred men in        
company2 even what the women call the   
,,prettiest ,,men4 ,for ,god's sake1    
never lose view of these two your       
capital objects3 bend everything to     
them1 try everything by their rules1 and
 calculate everything for their         
purposes4 ,what is peculiar to these two
 objects1 is1 that they require nothing1
 but what one's own vanity1 interest1   
and pleasure1 would make one do         
independently of them4 ,if a man were   
never to be in business1 and always to  
lead a private life1 would he not desire
 to please and to persuade8 ,so that1 in
 your two destinations1 your fortune and
 figure luckily conspire with your      
vanity and your pleasures4 ,nay more2 a 
foreign minister1 ,i will maintain it1  
can never be a good man of business if  
he is not an agreeable man of pleasure  
too4 ,half his business is done by the  

help of his pleasures2 his views are    
carried on1 and perhaps best and most   
unsuspectedly1 at balls1 suppers1       
assemblies1 and parties of pleasure2 by 
intrigues with women1 and connections   
insensibly formed with men1 at those    
unguarded hours of amusement4  ,these   
objects now draw very near you1 and you 
have no time to lose in preparing       
yourself to meet them4 ,you will be in  
parliament almost as soon as your age   
will allow1 and ,i believe you will have
 a foreign department still sooner1 and 
that will be earlier than ever any other
 body had one4 ,if you set out well at  
one-and-twenty1 what may you not        
reasonably hope to be at one-and-forty8 
,all that ,i could wish you6 ,adieu4    
,,letter ,,clxxix  ,,london1 ,september 
#bi1 #ageb4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3      
,there is nothing so necessary1 but at  
the same time there is nothing more     
difficult 7,i know it by experience7 for
 you young fellows1 than to know how to 
behave yourselves prudently toward those

 whom you do not like4 ,your passions   
are warm1 and your heads are light2 you 
hate all those who oppose your views1   
either of ambition or love2 and a rival1
 in either1 is almost a synonymous term 
for an enemy4 ,whenever you meet such a 
man1 you are awkwardly cold to him1 at  
best2 but often rude1 and always        
desirous to give him some indirect slap4
 ,this is unreasonable2 for one man has 
as good a right to pursue an employment1
 or a mistress1 as another2 but it is1  
into the bargain1 extremely imprudent2  
because you commonly defeat your own    
purpose by it1 and while you are        
contending with each other1 a third     
often prevails4 ,i grant you that the   
situation is irksome2 a man cannot help 
thinking as he thinks1 nor feeling what 
he feels2 and it is a very tender and   
sore point to be thwarted and           
counterworked in one's pursuits at      
court1 or with a mistress2 but prudence 
and abilities must check the effects1   
though they cannot remove the cause4    

,both the pretenders make themselves    
disagreeable to their mistress1 when    
they spoil the company by their pouting1
 or their sparring2 whereas1 if one of  
them has command enough over himself    
7whatever he may feel inwardly7 to be   
cheerful1 gay1 and easily and           
unaffectedly civil to the other1 as if  
there were no manner of competition     
between them1 the lady will certainly   
like him the best1 and his rival will be
 ten times more humbled and discouraged2
 for he will look upon such a behavior  
as a proof of the triumph and security  
of his rival1 he will grow outrageous   
with the lady1 and the warmth of his    
reproaches will probably bring on a     
quarrel between them4 ,it is the same in
 business2 where he who can command his 
temper and his countenance the best1    
will always have an infinite advantage  
over the other4 ,this is what the       
,french call un #8procede honnete et    
galant'1 to ,,pique yourself upon       
showing particular civilities to a man1 

to whom lesser minds would1 in the same 
case1 show dislike1 or perhaps rudeness4
 ,i will give you an instance of this in
 my own case2 and pray remember it1     
whenever you come to be1 as ,i hope you 
will1 in a like situation4  ,when ,i    
went to ,the ,hague1 in #agdd1 it was to
 engage the ,dutch to come roundly into 
the war1 and to stipulate their quotas  
of troops1 etc42 your acquaintance1 the 
,abbe de la ,ville1 was there on the    
part of ,france1 to endeavor to hinder  
them from coming into the war at all4 ,i
 was informed1 and very sorry to hear   
it1 that he had abilities1 temper1 and  
industry4 ,we could not visit1 our two  
masters being at war2 but the first time
 ,i met him at a third place1 ,i got    
somebody to present me to him2 and ,i   
told him1 that though we were to be     
national enemies1 ,i flattered myself we
 might be1 however1 personal friends1   
with a good deal more of the same kind2 
which he returned in full as polite a   
manner4 ,two days afterward1 ,i went1   

early in the morning1 to solicit the    
,deputies of ,amsterdam1 where ,i found 
l',abbe de la ,ville1 who had been      
beforehand with me2 upon which ,i       
addressed myself to the ,deputies1 and  
said1 smilingly1 ,i am very sorry1      
,gentlemen1 to find my enemy with you2  
my knowledge of his capacity is already 
sufficient to make me fear him2 we are  
not upon equal terms2 but ,i trust to   
your own interest against his talents4  
,if ,i have not this day had the first  
word1 ,i shall at least have the last4  
,they smiled3 the ,abbe was pleased with
 the compliment1 and the manner of it1  
stayed about a quarter of an hour1 and  
then left me to my ,deputies1 with whom 
,i continued upon the same tone1 though 
in a very serious manner1 and told them 
that ,i was only come to state their own
 true interests to them1 plainly and    
simply1 without any of those arts1 which
 it was very necessary for my friend to 
make use of to deceive them4 ,i carried 
my point1 and continued my #8procede'   

with the ,abbe2 and by this easy and    
polite commerce with him1 at third      
places1 ,i often found means to fish out
 from him whereabouts he was4           
,remember1 there are but two #8procedes'
 in the world for a gentleman and a man 
of parts2 either extreme politeness or  
knocking down4 ,if a man notoriously and
 designedly insults and affronts you1   
knock him down2 but if he only injures  
you1 your best revenge is to be         
extremely civil to him in your outward  
behavior1 though at the same time you   
counterwork him1 and return him the     
compliment1 perhaps with interest4 ,this
 is not perfidy nor dissimulation2 it   
would be so if you were1 at the same    
time1 to make professions of esteem and 
friendship to this man2 which ,i by no  
means recommend1 but on the contrary    
abhor4 ,but all acts of civility are1 by
 common consent1 understood to be no    
more than a conformity to custom1 for   
the quiet and conveniency of society1   
the #8agremens' of which are not to be  

disturbed by private dislikes and       
jealousies4 ,only women and little minds
 pout and spar for the entertainment of 
the company1 that always laughs at1 and 
never pities them4 ,for my own part1    
though ,i would by no means give up any 
point to a competitor1 yet ,i would     
pique myself upon showing him rather    
more civility than to another man4 ,in  
the first place1 this #8procede'        
infallibly makes all #8les rieurs' of   
your side1 which is a considerable      
party2 and in the next place1 it        
certainly pleases the object of the     
competition1 be it either man or woman2 
who never fail to say1 upon such an     
occasion1 that ,,they ,,must ,,own ,,you
 ,,have ,,behaved ,,yourself ,,very1    
,,handsomely ,,in ,,the ,,whole         
,,affair4 ,the world judges from the    
appearances of things1 and not from the 
reality1 which few are able1 and still  
fewer are inclined to fathom3 and a man1
 who will take care always to be in the 
right in those things1 may afford to be 

sometimes a little in the wrong in more 
essential ones3 there is a willingness1 
a desire to excuse him4 ,with nine      
people in ten1 good-breeding passes for 
good-nature1 and they take attentions   
for good offices4 ,at courts there will 
be always coldnesses1 dislikes1         
jealousies1 and hatred1 the harvest     
being but small in proportion to the    
number of laborers2 but then1 as they   
arise often1 they die soon1 unless they 
are perpetuated by the manner in which  
they have been carried on1 more than by 
the matter which occasioned them4 ,the  
turns and vicissitudes of courts        
frequently make friends of enemies1 and 
enemies of friends2 you must labor1     
therefore1 to acquire that great and    
uncommon talent of hating with          
good-breeding and loving with prudence2 
to make no quarrel irreconcilable by    
silly and unnecessary indications of    
anger2 and no friendship dangerous1 in  
case it breaks1 by a wanton1 indiscreet1
 and unreserved confidence4  ,few1      

7especially young7 people know how to   
love1 or how to hate2 their love is an  
unbounded weakness1 fatal to the person 
they love2 their hate is a hot1 rash1   
and imprudent violence1 always fatal to 
themselves4  ,nineteen fathers in       
twenty1 and every mother1 who had loved 
you half as well as ,i do1 would have   
ruined you2 whereas ,i always made you  
feel the weight of my authority1 that   
you might one day know the force of my  
love4 ,now1 ,i both hope and believe1 my
 advice will have the same weight with  
you from choice that my authority had   
from necessity4 ,my advice is just      
eight-and-twenty years older than your  
own1 and consequently1 ,i believe you   
think1 rather better4 ,as for your      
tender and pleasurable passions1 manage 
them yourself2 but let me have the      
direction of all the others4 ,your      
ambition1 your figure1 and your fortune1
 will1 for some time at least1 be rather
 safer in my keeping than in your own4  
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,clxxx  ,,bath1   

,october #d1 #ageb  ,,my ,,dear         
,,friend3 ,i consider you now as at the 
court of ,augustus1 where1 if ever the  
desire of pleasing animated you1 it must
 make you exert all the means of doing  
it4 ,you will see there1 full as well1  
,i dare say1 as ,horace did at ,rome1   
how states are defended by arms1 adorned
 by manners1 and improved by laws4 ,nay1
 you have an ,horace there as well as an
 ,augustus2 ,i need not name ,voltaire1 
#8qui nil molitur inept8' as ,horace    
himself said of another poet4 ,i have   
lately read over all his works that are 
published1 though ,i had read them more 
than once before4 ,i was induced to this
 by his #8,siecle de ,louis ,,xiv'1     
which ,i have yet read but four times4  
,in reading over all his works1 with    
more attention ,i suppose than before1  
my former admiration of him is1 ,i own1 
turned into astonishment4 ,there is no  
one kind of writing in which he has not 
excelled4 ,you are so severe a classic  
that ,i question whether you will allow 

me to call his #8,henriade' an epic     
poem1 for want of the proper number of  
gods1 devils1 witches and other         
absurdities1 requisite for the          
machinery2 which machinery is1 it seems1
 necessary to constitute the #8epopee'4 
,but whether you do or not1 ,i will     
declare 7though possibly to my own      
shame7 that ,i never read any epic poem 
with near so much pleasure4 ,i am grown 
old1 and have possibly lost a great deal
 of that fire which formerly made me    
love fire in others at any rate1 and    
however attended with smoke2 but now ,i 
must have all sense1 and cannot1 for the
 sake of five righteous lines1 forgive a
 thousand absurd ones4  ,in this        
disposition of mind1 judge whether ,i   
can read all ,homer through #8tout de   
suite'4 ,i admire its beauties2 but1 to 
tell you the truth1 when he slumbers1 ,i
 sleep4 ,virgil1 ,i confess1 is all     
sense1 and therefore ,i like him better 
than his model2 but he is often languid1
 especially in his five or six last     

books1 during which ,i am obliged to    
take a good deal of snuff4 ,besides1 ,i 
profess myself an ally of ,turnus       
against the pious ,a,eneas1 who1 like   
many #8soi-disant' pious people1 does   
the most flagrant injustice and violence
 in order to execute what they          
impudently call the will of ,heaven4    
,but what will you say1 when ,i tell you
 truly1 that ,i cannot possibly read our
 countryman ,milton through8 ,i         
acknowledge him to have some most       
sublime passages1 some prodigious       
flashes of light2 but then you must     
acknowledge that light is often followed
 by darkness visible1 to use his own    
expression4 ,besides1 not having the    
honor to be acquainted with any of the  
parties in this poem1 except the ,man   
and the ,woman1 the characters and      
speeches of a dozen or two of angels and
 of as many devils1 are as much above my
 reach as my entertainment4 ,keep this  
secret for me3 for if it should be      
known1 ,i should be abused by every     

tasteless pedant1 and every solid divine
 in ,england4  #8,whatever ,i have said 
to the disadvantage of these three      
poems1 holds much stronger against      
,tasso's #8,gierusalemme'3 it is true he
 has very fine and glaring rays of      
poetry2 but then they are only meteors1 
they dazzle1 then disappear1 and are    
succeeded by false thoughts1 poor       
#8concetti'1 and absurd impossibilities2
 witness the ,fish and the ,parrot2     
extravagancies unworthy of an heroic    
poem1 and would much better have become 
,ariosto1 who professes #8le            
coglionerie'4  ,i have never read the   
8,lusiade of ,camoens10 except in prose 
translation1 consequently ,i have never 
read it at all1 so shall say nothing of 
it2 but the ,henriade is all sense from 
the beginning to the end1 often adorned 
by the justest and liveliest            
reflections1 the most beautiful         
descriptions1 the noblest images1 and   
the sublimest sentiments2 not to mention
 the harmony of the verse1 in which     

,voltaire undoubtedly exceeds all the   
,french poets3 should you insist upon an
 exception in favor of ,racine1 ,i must 
insist1 on my part1 that he at least    
equals him4 ,what hero ever interested  
more than ,henry the ,fourth2 who1      
according to the rules of epic poetry1  
carries on one great and long action1   
and succeeds in it at last8 ,what       
descriptions ever excited more horror   
than those1 first of the ,massacre1 and 
then of the ,famine at ,paris8 ,was love
 ever painted with more truth and       
#8morbidezza' than in the ninth book8   
,not better1 in my mind1 even in the    
fourth of ,virgil4 ,upon the whole1 with
 all your classical rigor1 if you will  
but suppose ,st4 ,louis a god1 a devil1 
or a witch1 and that he appears in      
person1 and not in a dream1 the         
,henriade will be an epic poem1         
according to the strictest statute laws 
of the #8epopee'2 but in my court of    
equity it is one as it is4  ,i could    
expatiate as much upon all his different

 works1 but that ,i should exceed the   
bounds of a letter and run into a       
dissertation4 ,how delightful is his    
history of that northern brute1 the     
,king of ,sweden1 for ,i cannot call him
 a man2 and ,i should be sorry to have  
him pass for a hero1 out of regard to   
those true heroes1 such as ,julius      
,caesar1 ,titus1 ,trajan1 and the       
present ,king of ,prussia1 who          
cultivated and encouraged arts and      
sciences2 whose animal courage was      
accompanied by the tender and social    
sentiments of humanity2 and who had more
 pleasure in improving1 than in         
destroying their fellow-creatures4 ,what
 can be more touching1 or more          
interesting--what more nobly thought1 or
 more happily expressed1 than all his   
dramatic pieces8 ,what can be more clear
 and rational than all his philosophical
 letters8 and whatever was so graceful1 
and gentle1 as all his little poetical  
trifles8 ,you are fortunately #8a porte'
 of verifying1 by your knowledge of the 

man1 all that ,i have said of his works4
  ,monsieur de ,maupertius 7whom ,i hope
 you will get acquainted with7 is1 what 
one rarely meets with1 deep in          
philosophy and1 mathematics1 and yet    
#8honnete et aimable homme'3 ,algarotti 
is young ,fontenelle4 ,such men must    
necessarily give you the desire of      
pleasing them2 and if you can frequent  
them1 their acquaintance will furnish   
you the means of pleasing everybody     
else4  #8,a propos' of pleasing1 your   
pleasing ,mrs4 ,f-----d is expected here
 in two or three days2 ,i will do all   
that ,i can for you with her3 ,i think  
you carried on the romance to the third 
or fourth volume2 ,i will continue it to
 the eleventh2 but as for the twelfth   
and last1 you must come and conclude it 
yourself4 #8,non sum qualis eram'4      
,good-night to you1 child2 for ,i am    
going to bed1 just at the hour at which 
,i suppose you are going to live1 at    
,berlin4     ,,letter ,,clxxxi  ,,bath1 
,november #aa1 ,o4 ,s4 #ageb  ,,my      

,,dear ,,friend3 ,it is a very old and  
very true maxim1 that those kings reign 
the most secure and the most absolute1  
who reign in the hearts of their people4
 ,their popularity is a better guard    
than their army1 and the affections of  
their subjects a better pledge of their 
obedience than their fears4 ,this rule  
is1 in proportion1 full as true1 though 
upon a different scale1 with regard to  
private people4 ,a man who possesses    
that great art of pleasing universally1 
and of gaining the affections of those  
with whom he converses1 possesses a     
strength which nothing else can give    
him3 a strength which facilitates and   
helps his rise2 and which1 in case of   
accidents1 breaks his fall4 ,few people 
of your age sufficiently consider this  
great point of popularity2 and when they
 grow older and wiser1 strive in vain to
 recover what they have lost by their   
negligence4 ,there are three principal  
causes that hinder them from acquiring  
this useful strength3 pride1            

inattention1 and #8mauvaise honte'4 ,the
 first ,i will not1 ,i cannot suspect   
you of2 it is too much below your       
understanding4 ,you cannot1 and ,i am   
sure you do not think yourself superior 
by nature to the ,savoyard who cleans   
your room1 or the footman who cleans    
your shoes2 but you may rejoice1 and    
with reason1 at the difference that     
fortune has made in your favor4 ,enjoy  
all those advantages2 but without       
insulting those who are unfortunate     
enough to want them1 or even doing      
anything unnecessarily that may remind  
them of that want4 ,for my own part1 ,i 
am more upon my guard as to my behavior 
to my servants1 and others who are      
called my inferiors1 than ,i am toward  
my equals3 for fear of being suspected  
of that mean and ungenerous sentiment of
 desiring to make others feel that      
difference which fortune has1 and       
perhaps too1 undeservedly1 made between 
us4 ,young people do not enough attend  
to this2 and falsely imagine that the   

imperative mood1 and a rough tone of    
authority and decision1 are indications 
of spirit and courage4 ,inattention is  
always looked upon1 though sometimes    
unjustly1 as the effect of pride and    
contempt2 and where it is thought so1 is
 never forgiven4 ,in this article1 young
 people are generally exceedingly to    
blame1 and offend extremely4 ,their     
whole attention is engrossed by their   
particular set of acquaintance2 and by  
some few glaring and exalted objects of 
rank1 beauty1 or parts2 all the rest    
they think so little worth their care1  
that they neglect even common civility  
toward them4 ,i will frankly confess to 
you1 that this was one of my great      
faults when ,i was of your age4 ,very   
attentive to please that narrow court   
circle in which ,i stood enchanted1 ,i  
considered everything else as bourgeois1
 and unworthy of common civility2 ,i    
paid my court assiduously and skillfully
 enough to shining and distinguished    
figures1 such as ministers1 wits1 and   

beauties2 but then ,i most absurdly and 
imprudently neglected1 and consequently 
offended all others4 ,by this folly ,i  
made myself a thousand enemies of both  
sexes2 who1 though ,i thought them very 
insignificant1 found means to hurt me   
essentially where ,i wanted to recommend
 myself the most4 ,i was thought proud1 
though ,i was only imprudent4 ,a general
 easy civility and attention to the     
common run of ugly women1 and of        
middling men1 both which ,i sillily     
thought1 called1 and treated1 as odd    
people1 would have made me as many      
friends1 as by the contrary conduct ,i  
made myself enemies4 ,all this too was  
#8a pure perte'2 for ,i might equally1  
and even more successfully1 have made my
 court1 when ,i had particular views to 
gratify4 ,i will allow that this task is
 often very unpleasant1 and that one    
pays1 with some unwillingness1 that     
tribute of attention to dull and tedious
 men1 and to old and ugly women2 but it 
is the lowest price of popularity and   

general applause1 which are very well   
worth purchasing were they much dearer4 
,i conclude this head with this advice  
to you3 ,gain1 by particular assiduity  
and address1 the men and women you want2
 and1 by an universal civility and      
attention1 please everybody so far as to
 have their good word1 if not their     
goodwill2 or1 at least1 as to secure a  
partial neutrality4  #8,mauvaise honte' 
not only hinders young people from      
making1 a great many friends1 but makes 
them a great many enemies4 ,they are    
ashamed of doing the thing they know to 
be right1 and would otherwise do1 for   
fear of the momentary laugh of some fine
 gentleman or lady1 or of some #8mauvais
 plaisant'4 ,i have been in this case3  
and have often wished an obscure        
acquaintance at the devil1 for meeting  
and taking notice of me when ,i was in  
what ,i thought and called fine company4
 ,i have returned their notice shyly1   
awkwardly1 and consequently offensively2
 for fear of a momentary joke1 not      

considering1 as ,i ought to have done1  
that the very people who would have     
joked upon me at first1 would have      
esteemed me the more for it afterward4  
,an example explains a rule best3       
,suppose you were walking in the        
,tuileries with some fine folks1 and    
that you should unexpectedly meet your  
old acquaintance1 little crooked        
,grierson2 what would you do8 ,i will   
tell you what you should do1 by telling 
you what ,i would now do in that case   
myself4 ,i would run up to him1 and     
embrace him2 say some kind of things to 
him1 and then return to my company4     
,there ,i should be immediately asked3  
#8,mais qu'est ce que c'est donc que ce 
petit ,sapajou que vous avez embrasse si
 tendrement8 ,pour cela1 l'accolade a   
ete charmante'2 with a great deal more  
festivity of that sort4 ,to this ,i     
should answer1 without being the least  
ashamed1 but en badinant3 ,o je ne vous 
dirai tas qui c'est2 c'est un petit ami 
que je tiens incognito1 qui a son       

merite1 et qui1 a force d'etre connu1   
fait oublier sa figure4 ,que me         
donnerez-vous1 et je vous le            
presenterai'8 ,and then1 with a little  
more seriousness1 ,i would add3 #8,mais 
d'ailleurs c'est que je ne desavoue     
jamais mes connoissances1 a cause de    
leur etat ou de leur figure4 ,il faut   
avoir bien peu de sentimens pour le     
faire'4 ,this would at once put an end  
to that momentary pleasantry1 and give  
them all a better opinion of me than    
they had before4 ,suppose another case1 
and that some of the finest ladies #8du 
bon ton' should come into a room1 and   
find you sitting by1 and talking        
politely to #8la vieille' ,marquise de  
,bellefonds1 the joke would1 for a      
moment1 turn upon that #8tete-a-tete'3  
,he bien6 avez vous a la fin fixd la    
belle ,marquise8 ,la partie est-elle    
faite pour la petite maison8 ,le souper 
sera galant sans doute3 ,mais ne faistu 
donc point scrupule de seduire une jeune
 et aimable persone comme celle-la'8 ,to

 this ,i should answer3 #8,la partie    
n'etoit pas encore tout-a fait liee1    
vous nous avez interrompu2 mais avec le 
tems que fait-on8 ,d'ailleurs moquezvous
 de mes amours tant qu'il vous plaira1  
je vous dirai que je respecte tant les  
jeunes dames1 que je respecte meme les  
vieilles1 pour l'avoir ete4 ,apre cela  
il y a souvent des liaisons entre les   
vieilles et les jeunes'4 ,this would at 
once turn the pleasantry into an esteem 
for your good sense and your            
good-breeding4 ,pursue steadily1 and    
without fear or shame1 whatever your    
reason tells you is right1 and what you 
see is practiced by people of more      
experience than yourself1 and of        
established characters of good sense and
 good-breeding4  ,after all this1       
perhaps you will say1 that it is        
impossible to please everybody4 ,i grant
 it2 but it does not follow that one    
should not therefore endeavor to please 
as many as one can4 ,nay1 ,i will go    
further1 and admit that it is impossible

 for any man not to have some enemies4  
,but this truth from long experience ,i 
assert1 that he who has the most friends
 and the fewest enemies1 is the         
strongest2 will rise the highest with   
the least envy2 and fall1 if he does    
fall1 the gentlest1 and the most pitied4
 ,this is surely an object worth        
pursuing4 ,pursue it according to the   
rules ,i have here given you4 ,i will   
add one observation more1 and two       
examples to enforce it2 and then1 as the
 parsons say1 conclude4  ,there is no   
one creature so obscure1 so low1 or so  
poor1 who may not1 by the strange and   
unaccountable changes and vicissitudes  
of human affairs1 somehow or other1 and 
some time or other1 become an useful    
friend or a trouble-some enemy1 to the  
greatest and the richest4 ,the late     
,duke of ,ormond was almost the weakest 
but at the same time the best-bred1 and 
most popular man in this kingdom4 ,his  
education in courts and camps1 joined to
 an easy1 gentle nature1 had given him  

that habitual affability1 those engaging
 manners1 and those mechanical          
attentions1 that almost supplied the    
place of every talent he wanted2 and he 
wanted almost every one4 ,they procured 
him the love of all men1 without the    
esteem of any4 ,he was impeached after  
the death of ,queen ,anne1 only because 
that1 having been engaged in the same   
measures with those who were necessarily
 to be impeached1 his impeachment1 for  
form's sake1 became necessary4 ,but he  
was impeached without acrimony1 and     
without the lest intention that he      
should suffer1 notwithstanding the party
 violence of those times4 ,the question 
for his impeachment1 in the ,house of   
,commons1 was carried by many fewer     
votes than any other question of        
impeachment2 and ,earl ,stanhope1 then  
,mr4 ,stanhope1 and ,secretary' of      
,state1 who impeached him1 very soon    
after negotiated and concluded his      
accommodation with the late ,king2 to   
whom he was to have been presented the  

next day4 ,but the late ,bishop of      
,rochester1 ,atterbury1 who thought that
 the ,jacobite cause might suffer by    
losing the ,duke of ,ormond1 went in all
 haste1 and prevailed with the poor weak
 man to run away2 assuring him that he  
was only to be gulled into a disgraceful
 submission1 and not to be pardoned in  
consequence of it4 ,when his subsequent 
attainder passed1 it excited mobs and   
disturbances in town4 ,he had not a     
personal enemy in the world2 and had a  
thousand friends4 ,all this was simply  
owing to his natural desire of pleasing1
 and to the mechanical means that his   
education1 not his parts1 had given him 
of doing it4 ,the other instance is the 
late ,duke of ,marlborough1 who studied 
the art of pleasing1 because he well    
knew the importance of it3 he enjoyed   
and used it more than ever man did4 ,he 
gained whoever he had a mind to gain2   
and he had a mind to gain everybody1    
because he knew that everybody was more 
or less worth gaining4 ,though his      

power1 as ,minister and ,general1 made  
him many political and party enemies1   
they did not make him one personal one2 
and the very people who would gladly    
have displaced1 disgraced1 and perhaps  
attainted the ,duke of ,marlborough1 at 
the same time personally loved ,mr4     
,churchill1 even though his private     
character was blemished by sordid       
avarice1 the most unamiable of all      
vices4 ,he had wound up and turned his  
whole machine to please and engage4 ,he 
had an inimitable sweetness and         
gentleness in his countenance1 a        
tenderness in his manner of speaking1 a 
graceful dignity in every motion1 and an
 universal and minute attention to the  
least things that could possibly please 
the least person4 ,this was all art in  
him2 art of which he well knew and      
enjoyed the advantages2 for no man ever 
had more interior ambition1 pride1 and  
avarice1 than he had4  ,though you have 
more than most people of your age1 you  
have yet very little experience and     

knowledge of the world2 now1 ,i wish to 
inoculate mine upon you1 and thereby    
prevent both the dangers and the marks  
of youth and inexperience4 ,if you      
receive the matter kindly1 and observe  
my prescriptions scrupulously1 you will 
secure the future advantages of time and
 join them to the present inestimable   
ones of one-and-twenty4  ,i most        
earnestly recommend one thing to you1   
during your present stay at ,paris4 ,i  
own it is not the most agreeable2 but ,i
 affirm it to be the most useful thing  
in the world to one of your age2 and    
therefore ,i do hope that you will force
 and constrain yourself to do it4 ,i    
mean1 to converse frequently1 or rather 
to be in company frequently with both   
men and women much your superiors in age
 and rank4 ,i am very sensible that1 at 
your age1 #8vous y entrez pour peu de   
chose1 et meme souvent pour rien1 et que
 vous y passerez meme quelques mauvais  
quart-d'heures'2 but no matter2 you will
 be a solid gainer by it3 you will see1 

hear1 and learn the turn and manners of 
those people2 you will gain premature   
experience by it2 and it will give you a
 habit of engaging and respectful       
attentions4 ,versailles1 as much as     
possible1 though probably               
unentertaining3 the ,palais ,royal      
often1 however dull3 foreign ministers  
of the first rank1 frequently1 and      
women1 though old1 who are respectable  
and respected for their rank or parts2  
such as ,madame de ,pusieux1 ,madame de 
,nivernois1 ,madame d',aiguillon1       
,madame ,geoffrain1 etc4 ,this          
#8sujetion'1 if it be one to you1 will  
cost you but very little in these three 
or four months that you are yet to pass 
in ,paris1 and will bring you in a great
 deal2 nor will it1 nor ought it1 to    
hinder you from being in a more         
entertaining company a great part of the
 day4 #8,vous pouvez1 si vous le voulex1
 tirer un grand parti de ces quatre     
mois'4 ,may ,god make you so1 and bless 
you6 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,clxxxii     

,,bath1 ,november #af1 ,o4 ,s4 #ageb4   
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,vanity1 or to    
call it by a gentler name1 the desire of
 admiration and applause1 is1 perhaps1  
the most universal principle of human   
actions2 ,i do not say that it is the   
best2 and ,i will own that it is        
sometimes the cause of both foolish and 
criminal effects4 ,but it is so much    
oftener the principle of right things1  
that though they ought to have a better1
 yet1 considering human nature1 that    
principle is to be encouraged and       
cherished1 in consideration of its      
effects4 ,where that desire is wanting1 
we are apt to be indifferent1 listless1 
indolent1 and inert2 we do not exert our
 powers2 and we appear to be as much    
below ourselves as the vainest man      
living can desire to appear above what  
he really is4  ,as ,i have made you my  
confessor1 and do not scruple to confess
 even my weaknesses to you1 ,i will     
fairly own that ,i had that vanity1 that
 weakness1 if it be one1 to a prodigious

 degree2 and1 what is more1 ,i confess  
it without repentance3 nay1 ,i am glad  
,i had it2 since1 if ,i have had the    
good fortune to please in the world1 it 
is to that powerful and active principle
 that ,i owe it4 ,i began the world1 not
 with a bare desire1 but with an        
insatiable thirst1 a rage of popularity1
 applause1 and admiration4 ,if this made
 me do some silly things on one hand1 it
 made me1 on the other hand1 do almost  
all the right things that ,i did2 it    
made me attentive and civil to the women
 ,i disliked1 and to the men ,i         
despised1 in hopes of the applause of   
both3 though ,i neither desired1 nor    
would ,i have accepted the favors of the
 one1 nor the friendship of the other4  
,i always dressed1 looked1 and talked my
 best2 and1 ,i own1 was overjoyed       
whenever ,i perceived1 that by all      
three1 or by any one of them1 the       
company was pleased with me4 ,to men1 ,i
 talked whatever ,i thought would give  
them the best opinion of my parts and   

learning2 and to women1 what ,i was sure
 would please them2 flattery1 gallantry1
 and love4 ,and1 moreover1 ,i will own  
to you1 under the secrecy of confession1
 that my vanity has very often made me  
take great pains to make a woman in love
 with me1 if ,i could1 for whose person 
,i would not have given a pinch of      
snuff4 ,in company with men1 ,i always  
endeavored to outshine1 or at least1 if 
possible1 to equal the most shining man 
in it4 ,this desire elicited whatever   
powers ,i had to gratify it2 and where  
,i could not perhaps shine in the first1
 enabled me1 at least1 to shine in a    
second or third sphere4 ,by these means 
,i soon grew in fashion2 and when a man 
is once in fashion1 all he does is      
right4 ,it was infinite pleasure to me  
to find my own fashion and popularity4  
,i was sent for to all parties of       
pleasure1 both of men or women2 where1  
in some measure1 ,i gave the #8ton'4    
,this gave me the reputation of having  
had some women of condition2 and that   

reputation1 whether true or false1      
really got me others4 ,with the men ,i  
was a ,proteus1 and assumed every shape1
 in order to please them all3 among the 
gay1 ,i was the gayest2 among the grave1
 the gravest2 and ,i never omitted the  
least attentions of good-breeding1 or   
the least offices of friendship1 that   
could either please1 or attach them to  
me3 and accordingly ,i was soon         
connected with all the men of any       
fashion or figure in town4  ,to this    
principle of vanity1 which philosophers 
call a mean one1 and which ,i do not1 ,i
 owe great part of the figure which ,i  
have made in life4 ,i wish you had as   
much1 but ,i fear you have too little of
 it2 and you seem to have a degree of   
laziness and listlessness about you that
 makes you indifferent as to general    
applause4 ,this is not in character at  
your age1 and would be barely pardonable
 in an elderly and philosophical man4   
,it is a vulgar1 ordinary saying1 but it
 is a very true one1 that one should    

always put the best foot foremost4 ,one 
should please1 shine1 and dazzle1       
wherever it is possible4 ,at ,paris1 ,i 
am sure you must observe #8que chacun se
 fait valoir autant qu'il est possible'2
 and ,la ,bruyere observes1 very justly1
 qu'on ne vaut dans ce monde que ce     
qu'on veut valoir'3 wherever applause is
 in question1 you will never see a      
,french man1 nor woman1 remiss or       
negligent4 ,observe the eternal         
attentions and politeness that all      
people have there for one another4 #8,ce
 n'est pas pour leurs beaux yeux au     
moins'4 ,no1 but for their own sakes1   
for commendations and applause4 ,let me 
then recommend this principle of vanity 
to you2 act upon it #8meo periculo'2 ,i 
promise you it will turn to your        
account4 ,practice all the arts that    
ever coquette did1 to please4 ,be alert 
and indefatigable in making every man   
admire1 and every woman in love with    
you4 ,i can tell you too1 that nothing  
will carry you higher in the world4  ,i 

have had no letter from you since your  
arrival at ,paris1 though you must have 
been long enough there to have written  
me two or three4 ,in about ten or twelve
 days ,i propose leaving this place1 and
 going to ,london2 ,i have found        
considerable benefit by my stay here1   
but not all that ,i want4 ,make my      
compliments to ,lord ,albemarle4        
,,letter ,,clxxxiii  ,,bath1 ,november  
#bh1 #ageb  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,since
 my last to you1 ,i have read ,madame   
,maintenon's 8,letters02 ,i am sure they
 are genuine1 and they both entertained 
and informed me4 ,they have brought me  
acquainted with the character of that   
able and artful lady2 whom ,i am        
convinced that ,i now know much better  
than her directeur the ,abby de ,fenelon
 7afterward ,archbishop of ,cambray7    
did1 when he wrote her the #aheth       
letter2 and ,i know him the better too  
for that letter4 ,the ,abby1 though     
brimful of the divine love1 had a great 
mind to be first minister1 and cardinal1

 in order1 ,,no ,,doubt1 to have an     
opportunity of doing the more good4 ,his
 being #8directeur' at that time to     
,madame ,maintenon1 seemed to be a good 
step toward those views4 ,she put       
herself upon him for a saint1 and he was
 weak enough to believe it2 he1 on the  
other hand1 would have put himself upon 
her for a saint too1 which1 ,i dare say1
 she did not believe2 but both of them  
knew that it was necessary for them to  
appear saints to ,lewis the ,fourteenth1
 who they were very sure was a bigot4   
,it is to be presumed1 nay1 indeed1 it  
is plain by that #aheth letter that     
,madame ,maintenon had hinted to her    
directeur some scruples of conscience1  
with relation to her commerce with the  
,king2 and which ,i humbly apprehend to 
have been only some scruples of         
prudence1 at once to flatter the bigot  
character1 and increase the desires of  
the ,king4 ,the pious ,abbe1 frightened 
out of his wits1 lest the ,king should  
impute to the #8directeur' any scruples 

or difficulties which he might meet with
 on the part of the lady1 writes her the
 above-mentioned letter2 in which he not
 only bids her not tease the ,king by   
advice and exhortations1 but to have the
 utmost submission to his will2 and1    
that she may not mistake the nature of  
that submission1 he tells her it is the 
same that ,sarah had for ,abraham2 to   
which submission ,isaac perhaps was     
owing4 ,no bawd could have written a    
more seducing letter to an innocent     
country girl1 than the #8directeur' did 
to his #8penitente'2 who ,i dare say had
 no occasion for his good advice4 ,those
 who would justify the good             
#8directeur'1 alias the pimp1 in this   
affair1 must not attempt to do it by    
saying that the ,king and ,madame       
,maintenon were at that time privately  
married2 that the directeur knew it2 and
 that this was the meaning of his       
#8enigme'4 ,that is absolutely          
impossible2 for that private marriage   
must have removed all scruples between  

the parties2 nay1 could not have been   
contracted upon any other principle1    
since it was kept private1 and          
consequently prevented no public        
scandal4 ,it is therefore extremely     
evident that ,madame ,maintenon could   
not be married to the ,king at the time 
when she scrupled granting1 and when the
 #8directeur' advised her to grant1     
those favors which ,sarah with so much  
submission granted to ,abraham3 and what
 the #8directeur' is pleased to call    
#8le mystere de ,dieu'1 was most        
evidently a state of concubinage4 ,the  
letters are very well worth your        
reading2 they throw light upon many     
things of those times4  ,i have just    
received a letter from ,sir ,william    
,stanhope1 from ,lyons2 in which he     
tells me that he saw you at ,paris1 that
 he thinks you a little grown1 but that 
you do not make the most of it1 for that
 you stoop still3 #8d'ailleurs' his     
letter was a panegyric of you4  ,the    
young ,comte de ,schullemburg1 the      

,chambellan whom you knew at ,hanover1  
is come over with the ,king1 #8et fait  
aussi vos eloges'4  ,though1 as ,i told 
you in my last1 ,i have done buying     
pictures1 by way of #8virtu'1 yet there 
are some portraits of remarkable people 
that would tempt me4 ,for instance1 if  
you could by chance pick up at ,paris1  
at a reasonable price1 and undoubted    
originals 7whether heads1 half lengths1 
or whole lengths1 no matter7 of         
,cardinals ,richelieu1 ,mazarin1 and    
,retz1 ,monsieur de ,turenne1 le grand  
,prince de ,condo2 ,mesdames de         
,montespan1 de ,fontanges1 de           
,montbazon1 de ,sevigne1 de ,maintenon1 
de ,chevreuse1 de ,longueville1         
d',olonne1 etc41 ,i should be tempted to
 purchase them4 ,i am sensible that they
 can only be met with1 by great         
accident1 at family sales and auctions1 
so ,i only mention the affair to you    
eventually4  ,i do not understand1 or   
else ,i do not remember1 what affair you
 mean in your last letter2 which you    

think will come to nothing1 and for     
which1 you say1 ,i had once a mind that 
you should take the road again4 ,explain
 it to me4  ,i shall go to town in four 
or five days1 and carry back with me a  
little more hearing than ,i brought2 but
 yet1 not half enough for common wants4 
,one wants ready pocket-money much      
oftener than one wants great sums2 and  
to use a very odd expression1 ,i want to
 hear at sight4 ,i love every-day       
senses1 every-day wit and entertainment2
 a man who is only good on holydays is  
good for very little4 ,adieu4           
,,letter ,,clxxxiv  ,christmas ,day1    
#ageb  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,a tyrant  
with legions at his com mand may say1   
,oderint modo timeant2 though he is a   
fool if he says it1 and a greater fool  
if he thinks it4 ,but a private man who 
can hurt but few1 though he can please  
many1 must endeavor to be loved1 for he 
cannot be feared in general4 ,popularity
 is his only rational and sure          
foundation4 ,the good-will1 the         

affections1 the love of the public1 can 
alone raise him to any considerable     
height4 ,should you ask me how he is to 
acquire them1 ,i will answer1 ,by       
desiring them4 ,no man ever deserved1   
who did not desire them2 and no man both
 deserved and desired them who had them 
not1 though many have enjoyed them      
merely by desiring1 and without         
deserving them4 ,you do not imagine1 ,i 
believe1 that ,i mean by this public    
love the sentimental love of either     
lovers or intimate friends2 no1 that is 
of another nature1 and confined to a    
very narrow circle2 but ,i mean that    
general good-will which a man may       
acquire in the world1 by the arts of    
pleasing respectively exerted according 
to the rank1 the situation1 and the turn
 of mind of those whom he hath to do    
with4 ,the pleasing impressions which he
 makes upon them will engage their      
affections and their good wishes1 and   
even their good offices as far 7that is7
 as they are not inconsistent with their

 own interests2 for further than that   
you are not to expect from three people 
in the course of your life1 even were it
 extended to the patriarchal term4      
,could ,i revert to the age of twenty1  
and carry back with me all the          
experience that forty years more have   
taught me1 ,i can assure you1 that ,i   
would employ much the greatest part of  
my time in engaging the good-will1 and  
in insinuating myself into the          
predilection of people in general1      
instead of directing my endeavors to    
please 7as ,i was too apt to do7 to the 
man whom ,i immediately wanted1 or the  
woman ,i wished for1 exclusively of all 
others4 ,for if one happens 7and it will
 sometimes happen to the ablest man7 to 
fail in his views with that man or that 
woman1 one is at a loss to know whom to 
address one's self to next1 having      
offended in general1 by that exclusive  
and distinguished particular            
application4 ,i would secure a general  
refuge in the good-will of the          

multitude1 which is a great strength to 
any man2 for both ministers and         
mistresses choose popular and           
fashionable favorites4 ,a man who       
solicits a minister1 backed by the      
general good-will and good wishes of    
mankind1 solicits with great weight and 
great probability of success2 and a     
woman is strangely biassed in favor of a
 man whom she sees in fashion1 and hears
 everybody speak well of4 ,this useful  
art of insinuation consists merely of   
various little things4 ,a graceful      
motion1 a significant look1 a trifling  
attention1 an obliging word dropped #8a 
propos'1 air1 dress1 and a thousand     
other undefinable things1 all severally 
little ones1 joined together1 make that 
happy and inestimable composition1 ,,the
 ,,art ,,of ,,pleasing4 ,i have in my   
life seen many a very handsome woman who
 has not pleased me1 and many very      
sensible men who have disgusted me4     
,why8 only for want of those thousand   
little means to please1 which those     

women1 conscious of their beauty1 and   
those men of their sense1 have been     
grossly enough mistaken to neglect4 ,i  
never was so much in love in my life1 as
 ,i was with a woman who was very far   
from being handsome2 but then she was   
made up of graces1 and had all the arts 
of pleasing4 ,the following verses1     
which ,i have read in some              
congratulatory poem prefixed to some    
work1 ,i have forgot which1 express what
 ,i mean in favor of what pleases       
preferably to what is generally called  
mare solid and instructive3         8,i 
would an author like a mistress try1    
,not by a nose1 a lip1 a cheek1 or eye1 
,but by some nameless power to give me  
joy40  ,lady ,chesterfield bids me make 
you many compliments2 she showed me your
 letter of recommendation of ,la        
,vestres2 with which ,i was very well   
pleased3 there is a pretty turn in it2  
,i wish you would always speak as       
genteelly4 ,i saw another letter from a 
lady at ,paris1 in which there was a    

high panegyrical paragraph concerning   
you4 ,i wish it were every word of it   
literally true2 but1 as it comes from a 
very little1 pretty1 white hand1 which  
is suspected1 and ,i hope justly1 of    
great partiality to you3 #8il en faut   
rabattre quelque chose1 et meme en le   
faisant it y aura toujours d'assez beaux
 restes'4 ,adieu4                       
,,letters ,,to ,,his ,,son              
#agec-ed             ,by the ,,earl ,,of
 ,,chesterfield             on the ,fine
 ,art of becoming a                ,,man
 ,,of ,,the ,,world                     
and a                  ,,gentleman      
,,letter ,,clxxxv  ,,london1 ,new       
,years' ,day1 #agec  ,,my ,,dear        
,,friend3 ,it is now above a fortnight  
since ,i have received a letter from    
you4 ,i hope1 however1 that you are     
well1 but engrossed by the business of  
,lord ,albemarle's #8bureau' in the     
mornings1 and by business of a genteeler
 nature in the evenings2 for ,i         
willingly give up my own satisfaction to

 your improvement1 either in business or
 manners4  ,here have been lately       
imported from ,paris two gentlemen1 who1
 ,i find1 were much acquainted with you 
there ,comte ,zinzendorf1 and ,monsieur 
,clairant the ,academician4 ,the former 
is a very pretty man1 well-bred1 and    
with a great deal of useful knowledge2  
for those two things are very           
consistent4 ,i examined him about you1  
thinking him a competent judge4 ,he told
 me1 #8que vous parliez l',allemand     
comme un ,allemand2 que vous saviez le  
droit public de l'empire parfaitement   
bien2 que vous aviez le gout sur1 et des
 connoissances fort etendues'4 ,i told  
him that ,i knew all this very well2 but
 that ,i wanted to know whether you had 
l'air1 les manieres1 les attentions1 en 
fin le brillant d'un honnete homme'3 his
 answer was1 #8,mais oui en verite1     
c'est fort bien'4 ,this1 you see1 is but
 cold in comparison of what ,i do wish1 
and of what you ought to wish4 ,your    
friend ,clairant interposed1 and said1  

#8,mais je vous assure qu'il est fort   
poli'2 to which ,i answered1 #8,je le   
crois bien1 vis-a-vis des ,lapons vos   
amis2 je vous recuse pour juge1 jusqu'a 
ce que vous ayez ete delaponne1 au moins
 dix ans1 parmi les honnetes gens'4     
,these testimonies in your favor are    
such as perhaps you are satisfied with1 
and think sufficient2 but ,i am not2    
they are only the cold depositions of   
disinterested and unconcerned witnesses1
 upon a strict examination4 ,when1 upon 
a trial1 a man calls witnesses to his   
character1 and that those witnesses only
 say that they never heard1 nor do not  
know any ill of him1 it intimates at    
best a neutral and insignificant1 though
 innocent character4 ,now ,i want1 and  
you ought to endeavor1 that #8les       
agremens1 les graces1 les attentions'1  
etc41 should be a distinguishing part of
 your character1 and specified of you by
 people unasked4 ,i wish to hear people 
say of you1 #8,ah qu'il est aimable6    
,quelles manieres1 quelles graces1 quel 

art de ,claire'6 ,nature1 thank ,god1   
has given you all the powers necessary2 
and if she has not yet1 ,i hope in ,god 
she will give you the will of exerting  
them4  ,i have lately read with great   
pleasure ,voltaire's two little         
histories of #8,les ,croisades'1 and    
#8l',esprit ,humain'2 which ,i recommend
 to your perusal1 if you have not       
already read them4 ,they are bound up   
with a most poor performance called     
#8,micromegas'1 which is said to be     
,voltaire's too1 but ,i cannot believe  
it1 it is so very unworthy of him2 it   
consists only of thoughts stolen from   
,swift1 but miserably mangled and       
disfigured4 ,but his history of the     
#8,croisades' shows1 in a very short and
 strong light1 the most immoral and     
wicked scheme that was ever contrived by
 knaves1 and executed by madmen and     
fools1 against humanity4 ,there is a    
strange but never-failing relation      
between honest madmen and skillful      
knaves2 and whenever one meets with     

collected numbers of the former1 one may
 be very sure that they are secretly    
directed by the latter4 ,the popes1 who 
have generally been both the ablest and 
the greatest knaves in ,europe1 wanted  
all the power and money of the ,east2   
for they had all that was in ,europe    
already4 ,the times and the minds       
favored their design1 for they were dark
 and uniformed2 and ,peter the ,hermit1 
at once a knave and a madman1 was a fine
 papal tool for so wild and wicked an   
undertaking4 ,i wish we had good        
histories of every part of ,europe1 and 
indeed of the world1 written upon the   
plan of ,voltaire's #8de l',esprit      
,humain'2 for1 ,i own1 ,i am provoked at
 the contempt which most historians show
 for humanity in general3 one would     
think by them that the whole human      
species consisted but of about a hundred
 and fifty people1 called and dignified 
7commonly very undeservedly too7 by the 
titles of emperors1 kings1 popes1       
generals1 and ministers4  ,i have never 

seen in any of the newspapers any       
mention of the affairs of the ,cevennes1
 or ,grenoble1 which you gave me an     
account of some time ago2 and the ,duke 
de ,mirepoix pretends1 at least1 to know
 nothing of either4 ,were they false    
reports8 or does the ,french court      
choose to stifle them8 ,i hope that they
 are both true1 because ,i am very      
willing that the cares of the ,french   
government should be employed and       
confined to themselves4  ,your friend1  
the ,electress ,palatine1 has sent me   
six wild boars' heads1 and other        
#8pieces de sa chasse'1 in return for   
the fans1 which she approved of         
extremely4 ,this present was signified  
to me by one ,mr4 ,harold1 who wrote me 
a letter in very indifferent ,english2  
,i suppose he is a ,dane who has been in
 ,england4  ,mr4 ,harte came to town    
yesterday1 and dined with me to-day4 ,we
 talked you over2 and ,i can assure you1
 that though a parson1 and no member    
#8du beau monde'1 he thinks all the most

 shining accomplishments of it full as  
necessary for you as ,i do4 ,his        
expression was1 ,,that ,,is ,,all ,,that
 ,,he ,,wants2 ,,but ,,if ,,he ,,wants  
,,that1 ,,considering ,,his ,,situation 
,,and ,,destination1 ,,he ,,might ,,as  
,,well ,,want ,,everything ,,else4      
,this is the day when people            
reciprocally offer and receive the      
kindest and the warmest wishes1 though1 
in general1 without meaning them on one 
side1 or believing them on the other4   
,they are formed by the head1 in        
compliance with custom1 though disavowed
 by the heart1 in consequence of nature4
 ,his wishes upon this occasion are the 
best that are the best turned2 you do   
not1 ,i am sure1 doubt the truth of     
mine1 and therefore ,i will express them
 with a ,quaker-like simplicity4 ,may   
this new year be a very new one indeed  
to you2 may you put off the old1 and put
 on the new man6 but ,i mean the        
outward1 not the inward man4 ,with this 
alteration1 ,i might justly sum up all  

my wishes for you in these words3       
,dii tibi dent annos1 de to nam caetera 
sumes4  ,this minute1 ,i receive your   
letter of the #bfth past1 which gives me
 a very disagreeable reason for your    
late silence4 ,by the symptoms which you
 mention of your illness1 ,i both hope  
and believe that it was wholly owing to 
your own want of care4 ,you are rather  
inclined to be fat1 you have naturally a
 good stomach1 and you eat at the best  
tables2 which must of course make you   
plethoric3 and upon my word you will be 
very subject to these accidents1 if you 
will not1 from time to time1 when you   
find yourself full1 heated1 or your head
 aching1 take some little1 easy1        
preventative purge1 that would not      
confine you2 such as chewing a little   
rhubarb when you go to bed at night2 or 
some senna tea in the morning4 ,you do  
very well to live extremely low1 for    
some time2 and ,i could wish1 though ,i 
do not expect it1 that you would take   
one gentle vomit2 for those giddinesses 

and swimmings in the head always proceed
 from some foulness of the stomach4     
,however1 upon the whole1 ,i am very    
glad that your old complaint has not    
mixed itself with this1 which ,i am     
fully convinced arises simply from your 
own negligence4 ,adieu4  ,i am sorry for
 ,monsieur ,kurze1 upon his sister's    
account4     ,,letter ,,clxxxvi         
,,london1 ,january #ae1 #agec  ,,my     
,,dear ,,friend3 ,i never think my time 
so well employed1 as when ,i think it   
employed to your advantage4 ,you have   
long had the greatest share of it2 you  
now engross it4 ,the moment is now      
decisive2 the piece is going to be      
exhibited to the public2 the mere out   
lines and the general coloring are not  
sufficient to attract the eyes and to   
secure applause2 but the last finishing1
 artful1 and delicate strokes are       
necessary4 ,skillful judges will discern
 and acknowledge their merit2 the       
ignorant will1 without knowing why1 feel
 their power4 ,in that view1 ,i have    

thrown together1 for your perusal1 some 
maxims2 or1 to speak more properly1     
observations on men and things2 for ,i  
have no merit as to the invention3 ,i am
 no system monger2 and1 instead of      
giving way to my imagination1 ,i have   
only consulted my memory2 and my        
conclusions are all drawn from facts1   
not from fancy4 ,most maxim mongers have
 preferred the prettiness to the        
justness of a thought1 and the turn to  
the truth2 but ,i have refused myself to
 everything that my own experience did  
not justify and confirm4 ,i wish you    
would consider them seriously1 and      
separately1 and recur to them again     
#8pro re nata' in similar cases4 ,young 
men are as apt to think themselves wise 
enough1 as drunken men are to think     
themselves sober enough4 ,they look upon
 spirit to be a much better thing than  
experience2 which they call coldness4   
,they are but half mistaken2 for though 
spirit1 without experience1 is          
dangerous1 experience1 without spirit1  

is languid and defective4 ,their union1 
which is very rare1 is perfection2 you  
may join them1 if you please2 for all my
 experience is at your service2 and ,i  
do not desire one grain of your spirit  
in return4 ,use them both1 and let them 
reciprocally animate and check each     
other4 ,i mean here1 by the spirit of   
youth1 only the vivacity and presumption
 of youth1 which hinder them from seeing
 the difficulties or dangers of an      
undertaking1 but ,i do not mean what the
 silly vulgar call spirit1 by which they
 are captious1 jealous of their rank1   
suspicious of being undervalued1 and    
tart 7as they call it7 in their         
repartees1 upon the slightest occasions4
 ,this is an evil1 and a very silly     
spirit1 which should be driven out1 and 
transferred to an herd of swine4 ,this  
is not the spirit of a man of fashion1  
who has kept good company4 ,people of an
 ordinary1 low education1 when they     
happen to fail into good company1       
imagine themselves the only object of   

its attention2 if the company whispers1 
it is1 to be sure1 concerning them2 if  
they laugh1 it is at them2 and if       
anything ambiguous1 that by the most    
forced interpretation can be applied to 
them1 happens to be said1 they are      
convinced that it was meant at them2    
upon which they grow out of countenance 
first1 and then angry4 ,this mistake is 
very well ridiculed in the 8,stratagem10
 where ,scrub says1 ,i ,,am ,,sure      
,,they ,,talked ,,of ,,me ,,for ,,they  
,,laughed ,,consumedly4 ,a well-bred man
 seldom thinks1 but never seems to think
 himself slighted1 undervalued1 or      
laughed at in company1 unless where it  
is so plainly marked out1 that his honor
 obliges him to resent it in a proper   
manner2 #8mais les honnetes gens ne se  
boudent jamais'4 ,i will admit that it  
is very difficult to command one's self 
enough1 to behave with ease1 frankness1 
and good-breeding toward those1 who one 
knows dislike1 slight1 and injure one1  
as far as they can1 without personal    

consequences2 but ,i assert that it is  
absolutely necessary to do it3 you must 
embrace the man you hate1 if you cannot 
be justified in knocking him down2 for  
otherwise you avow the injury which you 
cannot revenge4 ,a prudent cuckold 7and 
there are many such at ,paris7 pockets  
his horns when he cannot gore with them2
 and will not add to the triumph of his 
maker by only butting with them         
ineffectually4 ,a seeming ignorance is  
very often a most necessary part of     
worldly knowledge4 ,it is1 for instance1
 commonly advisable to seem ignorant of 
what people offer to tell you2 and when 
they say1 ,have you not heard of such a 
thing8 to answer ,no1 and to let them go
 on2 though you know it already4 ,some  
have a pleasure in telling it1 because  
they think that they tell it well2      
others have a pride in it1 as being the 
sagacious discoverers2 and many have a  
vanity in showing that they have been1  
though very undeservedly1 trusted2 all  
these would be disappointed1 and        

consequently displeased1 if you said    
,yes4 ,seem always ignorant 7unless to  
one's most intimate friend7 of all      
matters of private scandal and          
defamation1 though you should hear them 
a thousand times2 for the parties       
affected always look upon the receiver  
to be almost as bad as the thief3 and1  
whenever they become the topic of       
conversation seem to be a skeptic1      
though you are really a serious         
believer2 and always take the           
extenuating part4 ,but all this seeming 
ignorance should be joined to thorough  
and extensive private informations3 and1
 indeed1 it is the best method of       
procuring them2 for most people have    
such a vanity in showing a superiority  
over others1 though but for a moment1   
and in the merest trifles1 that they    
will tell you what they should not1     
rather than not show that they can tell 
what you did not know2 besides that such
 seeming ignorance will make you pass   
for incurious and consequently          

undesigning4 ,however1 fish for facts1  
and take pains to be well informed of   
everything that passes2 but fish        
judiciously1 and not always1 nor indeed 
often1 in the shape of direct questions1
 which always put people upon their     
guard1 and1 often repeated1 grow        
tiresome4 ,but sometimes take the things
 that you would know for granted2 upon  
which somebody will1 kindly and         
officiously1 set you right3 sometimes   
say that you have heard so and so2 and  
at other times seem to know more than   
you do1 in order to know all that you   
want2 but avoid direct questioning as   
much as you can4 ,all these necessary   
arts of the world require constant      
attention1 presence of mind1 and        
coolness4 ,achilles1 though             
invulnerable1 never went to battle but  
completely armed4 ,courts are to be the 
theatres of your wars1 where you should 
be always as completely armed1 and even 
with the addition of a heel-piece4 ,the 
least inattention1 the least            

,,distraction1 may prove fatal4 ,i would
 fain see you what pedants call #8omnis 
homo'1 and what ,pope much better calls 
,,all-,,accomplished3 you have the means
 in your power2 add the will2 and you   
may bring it about4 ,the vulgar have a  
coarse saying1 of ,,spoiling ,a ,,ship  
,,for ,a ,,halfpenny ,,worth ,,of ,,tar2
 prevent the application by providing   
the tar3 it is very easily to be had in 
comparison with what you have already   
got4  ,the fine ,mrs4 ,pitt1 who it     
seems saw you often at ,paris1 speaking 
of you the other day1 said1 in ,french1 
for she speaks little ,english1 4 4 4   
whether it is that you did not pay the  
homage due to her beauty1 or that it did
 not strike you as it does others1 ,i   
cannot determine2 but ,i hope she had   
some other reason than truth for saying 
it4 ,i will suppose that you did not    
care a pin for her2 but1 however1 she   
surely deserved a degree of propitiatory
 adoration from you1 which ,i am afraid 
you neglected4 ,had ,i been in your     

case1 ,i should have endeavored1 at     
least1 to have supplanted ,mr4 ,mackay  
in his office of nocturnal reader to    
her4 ,i played at cards1 two days ago1  
with your friend ,mrs4 ,fitzgerald1 and 
her most sublime mother1 ,mrs4          
,seagrave2 they both inquired after you2
 and ,mrs4 ,fitzgerald said1 she hoped  
you went on with your dancing2 ,i said1 
,yes1 and that you assured me1 you had  
made such considerable improvements in  
it1 that you had now learned to stand   
still1 and even upright4 ,your          
#8virtuosa'1 la ,signora ,vestri1 sung  
here the other day1 with great applause3
 ,i presume you are ,,intimately        
acquainted with her merit4 ,good night  
to you1 whoever you pass it with4  ,i   
have this moment received a packet1     
sealed with your seal1 though not       
directed by your hand1 for ,lady        
,hervey4 ,no letter from you6 ,are you  
not well8     ,,letter ,,clxxxvii       
,,london1 ,may #bg1 ,o4 ,s4 #agec4  ,,my
 ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have this day been 

tired1 jaded1 nay1 tormented1 by the    
company of a most worthy1 sensible1 and 
learned man1 a near relation of mine1   
who dined and passed the evening with   
me4 ,this seems a paradox1 but is a     
plain truth2 he has no knowledge of the 
world1 no manners1 no address2 far from 
talking without book1 as is commonly    
said of people who talk sillily1 he only
 talks by book2 which in general        
conversation is ten times worse4 ,he has
 formed in his own closet from books1   
certain systems of everything1 argues   
tenaciously upon those principles1 and  
is both surprised and angry at whatever 
deviates from them4 ,his theories are   
good1 but1 unfortunately1 are all       
impracticable4 ,why8 because he has only
 read and not conversed4 ,he is         
acquainted with books1 and an absolute  
stranger to men4 ,laboring with his     
matter1 he is delivered of it with      
pangs2 he hesitates1 stops in his       
utterance1 and always expresses himself 
inelegantly4 ,his actions are all       

ungraceful2 so that1 with all his merit 
and knowledge1 ,i would rather converse 
six hours with the most frivolous       
tittle-tattle woman who knew something  
of the world1 than with him4 ,the       
preposterous notions of a systematical  
man who does not know the world1 tire   
the patience of a man who does4 ,it     
would be endless to correct his         
mistakes1 nor would he take it kindly3  
for he has considered everything        
deliberately1 and is very sure that he  
is in the right4 ,impropriety is a      
characteristic1 and a never-failing one1
 of these people4 ,regardless1 because  
ignorant1 of customs and manners1 they  
violate them every moment4 ,they often  
shock1 though they never mean to offend3
 never attending either to the general  
character1 or the particular            
distinguishing circumstances of the     
people to whom1 or before whom they     
talk2 whereas the knowledge of the world
 teaches one1 that the very same things 
which are exceedingly right and proper  

in one company1 time and place1 are     
exceedingly absurd in others4 ,in short1
 a man who has great knowledge1 from    
experience and observation1 of the      
characters1 customs1 and manners of     
mankind1 is a being as different from1  
and as superior to1 a man of mere book  
and systematical knowledge1 as a        
well-managed horse is to an ass4 ,study1
 therefore1 cultivate1 and frequent men 
and women2 not only in their outward1   
and consequently1 guarded1 but in their 
interior1 domestic1 and consequently    
less disguised1 characters and manners4 
,take your notions of things1 as by     
observation and experience you find they
 really are1 and not as you read that   
they are or should be2 for they never   
are quite what they should be4 ,for this
 purpose do not content yourself with   
general and common acquaintance2 but    
wherever you can1 establish yourself1   
with a kind of domestic familiarity1 in 
good houses4 ,for instance1 go again to 
,orli1 for two or three days1 and so at 

two or three #8reprises'4 ,go and stay  
two or three days at a time at          
,versailles1 and improve and extend the 
acquaintance you have there4 ,be at home
 at ,st4 ,cloud2 and1 whenever any      
private person of fashion invites you   
to1 pass a few days at his              
country-house1 accept of the invitation4
 ,this will necessarily give you a      
versatility of mind1 and a facility to  
adopt various manners and customs2 for  
everybody desires to please those in    
whose house they are2 and people are    
only to be pleased in their own way4    
,nothing is more engaging than a        
cheerful and easy conformity to people's
 particular manners1 habits1 and even   
weaknesses2 nothing 7to use a vulgar    
expression7 should come amiss to a young
 fellow4 ,he should be1 for good        
purposes1 what ,alcibiades was commonly 
for bad ones1 a ,proteus1 assuming with 
ease1 and wearing with cheerfulness1 any
 shape4 ,heat1 cold1 luxury1 abstinence1
 gravity1 gayety1 ceremony1 easiness1   

learning1 trifling1 business1 and       
pleasure1 are modes which he should be  
able to take1 lay aside1 or change      
occasionally1 with as much ease as he   
would take or lay aside his hat4 ,all   
this is only to be acquired by use and  
knowledge of the world1 by keeping a    
great deal of company1 analyzing every  
character1 and insinuating yourself into
 the familiarity of various             
acquaintance4 ,a right1 a generous      
ambition to make a figure in the world1 
necessarily gives the desire of         
pleasing2 the desire of pleasing points 
out1 to a great degree1 the means of    
doing it2 and the art of pleasing is1 in
 truth1 the art of rising1 of           
distinguishing one's self1 of making a  
figure and a fortune in the world4 ,but 
without pleasing1 without the graces1 as
 ,i have told you a thousand times1     
#8ogni fatica e vana'4 ,you are now but 
nineteen1 an age at which most of your  
countrymen are illiberally getting drunk
 in port1 at the university4 ,you have  

greatly got the start of them in        
learning2 and if you can equally get the
 start of them in the knowledge and     
manners of the world1 you may be very   
sure of outrunning them in court and    
parliament1 as you set out much earlier 
than they4 ,they generally begin but to 
see the world at one-and-twenty2 you    
will by that age have seen all ,europe4 
,they set out upon their travels        
unlicked cubs3 and in their travels they
 only lick one another1 for they seldom 
go into any other company4 ,they know   
nothing but the ,english world1 and the 
worst part of that too1 and generally   
very little of any but the ,english     
language2 and they come home1 at three  
or four-and-twenty1 refined and polished
 7as is said in one of ,congreve's      
plays7 like ,dutch skippers from a      
whale-fishing4 ,the care which has been 
taken of you1 and 7to do you justice7   
the care that you have taken of         
yourself1 has left you1 at the age of   
nineteen only1 nothing to acquire but   

the knowledge of the world1 manners1    
address1 and those exterior             
accomplishments4 ,but they are great and
 necessary acquisitions1 to those who   
have sense enough to know their true    
value2 and your getting them before you 
are one-and-twenty1 and before you enter
 upon the active and shining scene of   
life1 will give you such an advantage   
over all your contemporaries1 that they 
cannot overtake you3 they must be       
distanced4 ,you may probably be placed  
about a young prince1 who will probably 
be a young king4 ,there all the various 
arts of pleasing1 the engaging address1 
the versatility of manners1 the         
brillant1 the graces1 will outweigh1 and
 yet outrun all solid knowledge and     
unpolished merit4 ,oil yourself1        
therefore1 and be both supple and       
shining1 for that race1 if you would be 
first1 or early at the goal4 ,ladies    
will most probably too have something to
 say there2 and those who are best with 
them will probably be best ,,somewhere  

,,else4 ,labor this great point1 my dear
 child1 indefatigably2 attend to the    
very smallest parts1 the minutest       
graces1 the most trifling circumstances1
 that can possibly concur in forming the
 shining character of a complete        
gentleman1 #8un galant homme1 un homme  
de cour'1 a man of business and         
pleasure2 #8estime des hommes1 recherche
 des femmes1 aime de tout le monde'4 ,in
 this view1 observe the shining part of 
every man of fashion1 who is liked and  
esteemed2 attend to1 and imitate that   
particular accomplishment for which you 
hear him chiefly celebrated and         
distinguished3 then collect those       
various parts1 and make yourself a      
mosiac of the whole4 ,no one body       
possesses everything1 and almost        
everybody possesses some one thing      
worthy of imitation3 only choose your   
models well2 and in order to do so1     
choose by your ear more than by your    
eye4 ,the best model is always that     
which is most universally allowed to be 

the best1 though in strictness it may   
possibly not be so4 ,we must take most  
things as they are1 we cannot make them 
what we would1 nor often what they      
should be2 and where moral duties are   
not concerned1 it is more prudent to    
follow than to attempt to lead4 ,adieu4 
,,letter ,,clxxxviii  ,,bath1 ,october  
#c1 #agec  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,you   
have set out well at ,the ,hague2 you   
are in love with ,madame ,munter1 which 
,i am very glad of3 you are in the fine 
company there1 and ,i hope one of it3   
for it is not enough1 at your age1 to be
 merely in good company2 but you should1
 by your address and attentions1 make   
that good company think you one of them4
 ,there is a tribute due to beauty1 even
 independently of further views2 which  
tribute ,i hope you paid with alacrity  
to ,madame ,munter and ,madame          
,degenfeldt3 depend upon it1 they       
expected it1 and were offended in       
proportion as that tribute seemed either
 unwillingly or scantily paid4 ,i       

believe my friend ,kreuningen admits    
nobody now to his table1 for fear of    
their communicating the plague to him1  
or at least the bite of a mad dog4 ,pray
 profit of the entrees libres that the  
,french ,ambassador has given you2      
frequent him1 and ,,speak to him4 ,i    
think you will not do amiss to call upon
 ,mr4 ,burrish1 at ,aix-la-,chapelle1   
since it is so little out of your way2  
and you will do still better1 if you    
would1 which ,i know you will not1 drink
 those waters for five or six days only1
 to scour your stomach and bowels a     
little2 ,i am sure it would do you a    
great deal of good ,mr4 ,burrish can1   
doubtless1 give you the best letters to 
,munich2 and he will naturally give you 
some to ,comte ,preysing1 or ,comte     
,sinsheim1 and such sort of grave       
people2 but ,i could wish that you would
 ask him for some to young fellows of   
pleasure1 or fashionable coquettes1     
that1 you may be #8dans l'honnete       
debauche de ,munich'4 ,a propos of your 

future motions2 ,i leave you in a great 
measure the master of them1 so shall    
only suggest my thoughts to you upon    
that subject4  ,you have three electoral
 courts in view1 ,bonn1 ,munich1 and    
,manheim4 ,i would advise you to see two
 of them rather cursorily1 and fix your 
tabernacle at the third1 whichever that 
may be1 for a considerable time4 ,for   
instance1 should you choose 7as ,i fancy
 you will71 to make ,manheim the place  
of your residence1 stay only ten or     
twelve days at ,bonn1 and as long at    
,munich1 and then go and fix at         
,manheim2 and so1 vice versa1 if you    
should like ,bonn or ,munich better than
 you think you would ,manheim1 make that
 the place of your residence1 and only  
visit the other two4 ,it is certain that
 no man can be much pleased himself1 or 
please others much1 in any place where  
he is only a bird of passage for eight  
or ten days2 neither party thinking it  
worth while to make an acquaintance1    
still less to form any connection1 for  

so short a time2 but when months are the
 case1 a man may domesticate himself    
pretty well1 and very soon not be looked
 upon as a stranger4 ,this is the real  
utility of traveling1 when1 by          
contracting a familiarity at any place1 
you get into the inside of it1 and see  
it in its undress4 ,that is the only way
 of knowing the customs1 the manners1   
and all the little characteristical     
peculiarities that distinguish one place
 from another2 but then this familiarity
 is not to be brought about by cold1    
formal visits of half an hour3 no2 you  
must show a willingness1 a desire1 an   
impatience of forming connections1 #8il 
faut s'y preter1 et y mettre du liant1  
du desir de plaire4 ,whatever you do    
approve1 you must be lavish in your     
praises of2 and you must learn to       
commend what you do not approve of1 if  
it is approved of there4 ,you are not   
much given to praise1 ,i know2 but it is
 because you do not yet know how        
extremely people are engaged by a       

seeming sanction to their own opinions1 
prejudices1 and weaknesses1 even in the 
merest trifles4 ,our self-love is       
mortified when we think our opinions1   
and even our tastes1 customs1 and       
dresses1 either arraigned or condemned2 
as on the contrary1 it is tickled and   
flattered by approbation4 ,i will give  
you a remarkable instance of this kind4 
,the famous ,earl of ,shaftesbury1 in   
the flagitious reign of ,charles the    
,second1 while he was ,chancellor1 had a
 mind to be a favorite1 as well as a    
minister of the ,king2 in order1        
therefore1 to please his ,majesty1 whose
 prevailing passion was women1 my ,lord 
kept a w----e1 whom he had no occasion  
for1 and made no manner of use of4 ,the 
,king soon heard of it1 and asked him if
 it was true2 he owned it was2 but that1
 though he kept that one woman1 he had  
several others besides1 for he loved    
variety4 ,a few days afterward1 the     
,king1 at his public levee1 saw ,lord   
,shaftesbury at some distance1 and said 

in the circle1 8,one would not think    
that that little1 weak man is the       
greatest whore-master in ,england2 but  
,i can assure you that he is40 ,upon    
,lord ,shaftesbury's coming into the    
circle1 there was a general smile2 the  
,king said1 8,this is concerning you1 my
 ,lord40--8,me1 sir80 answered the      
,chancellor1 with some surprise4 8,yes1 
you10 answered the ,king2 8for ,i had   
just said that you were the greatest    
whore-master in ,england6 ,is it not    
true80--8,of a ,,subject1 ,sir10 replied
 ,lord ,shaftesbury1 8perhaps ,i am40   
,it is the same in everything2 we think 
a difference of opinion1 of conduct1 of 
manners1 a tacit reproach1 at least1    
upon our own2 we must therefore use     
ourselves to a ready conformity to      
whatever is neither criminal nor        
dishonorable4 ,whoever differs from any 
general custom1 is supposed both to     
think1 and proclaim himself wiser than  
the rest of the world3 which the rest of
 the world cannot bear1 especially in a 

young man4 ,a young fellow is always    
forgiven and often applauded1 when he   
carries a fashion to an excess2 but     
never if he stops short of it4 ,the     
first is ascribed to youth and fire2 but
 the latter is imputed to an affectation
 of singularity or superiority4 ,at your
 age1 one is allowed to #8outrer'       
fashion1 dress1 vivacity1 gallantry1    
etc41 but by no means to be behindhand  
in any one of them4 ,and one may apply  
to youth in this case1 #8,si non        
errasset1 fecerat ille minus'4 ,adieu4  
,,letter ,,clxxxix  ,,bath1 ,october    
#ai1 #agec  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,of   
all the various ingredients that compose
 the useful and necessary art of        
pleasing1 no one is so effectual and    
engaging as that gentleness1 that       
#8douceur' of countenance and manner1 to
 which you are no stranger1 though 7,god
 knows why7 a sworn enemy4 ,other people
 take great pains to conceal or disguise
 their natural imperfections2 some by   
the make of their clothes and other     

arts1 endeavor to conceal the defects of
 their shape2 women1 who unfortunately  
have natural bad complexions1 lay on    
good ones2 and both men and women upon  
whom unkind nature has inflicted a      
surliness and ferocity of countenance1  
do at least all they can1 though often  
without success1 to soften and mitigate 
it2 they affect #8douceur'1 and aim at  
smiles1 though often in the attempt1    
like the ,devil in ,milton1 they ,,grin 
,,horribly ,a ,,ghastly ,,smile4 ,but   
you are the only person ,i ever knew in 
the whole course of my life1 who not    
only disdain1 but absolutely reject and 
disguise a great advantage that nature  
has kindly granted4 ,you easily guess ,i
 mean ,,countenance2 for she has given  
you a very pleasing one2 but you beg to 
be excused1 you will not accept it2 but 
on the contrary1 take singular pains to 
put on the most #8funeste'1 forbidding1 
and unpleasing one that can possibly be 
imagined4 ,this one would think         
impossible2 but you know it to be true4 

,if you imagine that it gives you a     
manly1 thoughtful1 and decisive air1 as 
some1 though very few of your countrymen
 do1 you are most exceedingly mistaken2 
for it is at best the air of a ,german  
corporal1 part of whose exercise is to  
look fierce1 and to #8blasemeer-op'4    
,you will say1 perhaps1 ,what1 am ,i    
always to be studying my countenance1 in
 order to wear this #8douceur'8 ,i      
answer1 ,no2 do it but for a fortnight1 
and you never will have occasion to     
think of it more4 ,take but half the    
pains to recover the countenance that   
nature gave you1 that you must have     
taken to disguise and deform it as you  
have1 and the business will be done4    
,accustom your eyes to a certain        
softness1 of which they are very        
capable1 and your face to smiles1 which 
become it more than most faces ,i know4 
,give all your motions1 too1 an air of  
#8douceur'1 which is directly the       
reverse of their present celerity and   
rapidity4 ,i wish you would adopt a     

little of #8l'air du ,couvent' 7you very
 well know what ,i mean7 to a certain   
degree2 it has something extremely      
engaging2 there is a mixture of         
benevolence1 affection1 and unction in  
it2 it is frequently really sincere1 but
 is almost always thought so1 and       
consequently pleasing4 ,will you call   
this trouble8 ,it will not be half an   
hour's trouble to you in a week's time4 
,but suppose it be1 pray tell me1 why   
did you give yourself the trouble of    
learning to dance so well as you do8 ,it
 is neither a religious1 moral1 or civil
 duty4 ,you must own1 that you did it   
then singly to please1 and you were1 in 
the right on't4 ,why do you wear fine   
clothes1 and curl your hair8 ,both are  
troublesome2 lank locks1 and plain      
flimsy rags are much easier4 ,this then 
you also do in order to please1 and you 
do very right4 ,but then1 for ,god's    
sake1 reason and act consequentially2   
and endeavor to please in other things  
too1 still more essential2 and without  

which the trouble you have taken in     
those is wholly thrown away4 ,you show  
your dancing1 perhaps six times a year1 
at most2 but you show your countenance  
and your common motions every day1 and  
all day4 ,which then1 ,i appeal to      
yourself1 ought you to think of the     
most1 and care to render easy1 graceful1
 and engaging8 ,douceur of countenance  
and gesture can alone make them so4 ,you
 are by no means ill-natured2 and would 
you then most unjustly be reckoned so8  
,yet your common countenance intimates1 
and would make anybody who did not know 
you1 believe it4 #8,a propos' of this1  
,i must tell you what was said the other
 day to a fine lady whom you know1 who  
is very good-natured in truth1 but whose
 common countenance implies ill-nature1 
even to brutality4 ,it was ,miss        
,h----n1 ,lady ,m--y's niece1 whom you  
have seen both at ,blackheath and at    
,lady ,hervey's4 ,lady ,m--y was saying 
to me that you had a very engaging      
countenance when you had a mind to it1  

but that you had not always that mind2  
upon which ,miss ,h----n said1 that she 
liked your countenance best1 when it was
 as glum as her own4 ,why then1 replied 
,lady ,m--y1 you two should marry2 for  
while you both wear your worst          
countenances1 nobody else will venture  
upon either of you2 and they call her   
now ,mrs4 ,stanhope4 ,to complete this  
#8douceur' of countenance and motions1  
which ,i so earnestly recommend to you1 
you should carry it also to your        
expressions and manner of thinking1     
#8mettez y toujours de l'affectueux de  
l'onction'2 take the gentle1 the        
favorable1 the indulgent side of most   
questions4 ,i own that the manly and    
sublime ,john ,trott1 your countryman1  
seldom does2 but1 to show his spirit and
 decision1 takes the rough and harsh    
side1 which he generally adorns with an 
oath1 to seem more formidable4 ,this he 
only thinks fine2 for to do ,john       
justice1 he is commonly as good-natured 
as anybody4 ,these are among the many   

little things which you have not1 and ,i
 have1 lived long enough in the world to
 know of what infinite consequence they 
are in the course of life4 ,reason then1
 ,i repeat it again1 within yourself1   
,,consequentially2 and let not the pains
 you have taken1 and still take1 to     
please in some things be a #8pure       
perte'1 by your negligence of1 and      
inattention to others of much less      
trouble1 and much more consequence4  ,i 
have been of late much engaged1 or      
rather bewildered1 in ,oriental history1
 particularly that of the ,jews1 since  
the destruction of their temple1 and    
their dispersion by ,titus2 but the     
confusion and uncertainty of the whole1 
and the monstrous extravagances and     
falsehoods of the greatest part of it1  
disgusted me extremely4 ,their ,talmud1 
their ,mischna1 their ,targums1 and     
other traditions and writings of their  
,rabbins and ,doctors1 who were most of 
them ,cabalists1 are really more        
extravagant and absurd1 if possible1    

than all that you have read in ,comte de
 ,gabalis2 and indeed most of his stuff 
is taken from them4 ,take this sample of
 their nonsense1 which is transmitted in
 the writings of one of their most      
considerable ,rabbins3 8,one ,abas      
,saul1 a man of ten feet high1 was      
digging a grave1 and happened to find   
the eye of ,goliah1 in which he thought 
proper to bury himself1 and so he did1  
all but his head1 which the ,giant's eye
 was unfortunately not quite deep enough
 to receive40 ,this1 ,i assure you1 is  
the most modest lie of ten thousand4 ,i 
have also read the ,turkish history     
which1 excepting the religious part1 is 
not fabulous1 though very possibly not  
true4 ,for the ,turks1 having no notion 
of letters and being1 even by their     
religion1 forbid the use of them1 except
 for reading and transcribing the       
,koran1 they have no historians of their
 own1 nor any authentic records nor     
memorials for other historians to work  
upon2 so that what histories we have of 

that country are written by foreigners2 
as ,platina1 ,sir ,paul ,rycaut1 ,prince
 ,cantimer1 etc41 or else snatches only 
of particular and short periods1 by some
 who happened to reside there at those  
times2 such as ,busbequius1 whom ,i have
 just finished4 ,i like him1 as far as  
he goes1 much the best of any of them3  
but then his account is1 properly1 only 
an account of his own ,embassy1 from the
 ,emperor ,charles the ,fifth to        
,solyman the ,magnificent4 ,however1    
there he gives1 episodically1 the best  
account ,i know of the customs and      
manners of the ,turks1 and of the nature
 of that government1 which is a most    
extraordinary one4 ,for1 despotic as it 
always seems1 and sometimes is1 it is in
 truth a military republic1 and the real
 power resides in the ,janissaries2 who 
sometimes order their ,sultan to        
strangle his ,vizir1 and sometimes the  
,vizir to depose or strangle his        
,sultan1 according as they happen to be 
angry at the one or the other4 ,i own ,i

 am glad that the capital strangler     
should1 in his turn1 be                 
,,strangle-,,able1 and now and then     
strangled2 for ,i know of no brute so   
fierce1 nor no criminal so guilty1 as   
the creature called a ,sovereign1       
whether ,king1 ,sultan1 or ,sophy1 who  
thinks himself1 either by divine or     
human right1 vested with an absolute    
power of destroying his                 
fellow-creatures2 or who1 without       
inquiring into his right1 lawlessly     
exerts that power4 ,the most excusable  
of all those human monsters are the     
,turks1 whose religion teaches them     
inevitable fatalism4 ,a propos of the   
,turks1 my ,loyola1 ,i pretend1 is      
superior to your ,sultan4 ,perhaps you  
think this impossible1 and wonder who   
this ,loyola is4 ,know then1 that ,i    
have had a ,barbet brought me from      
,france1 so exactly like the ,sultan    
that he has been mistaken for him       
several times2 only his snout is        
shorter1 and his ears longer than the   

,sultan's4 ,he has also the acquired    
knowledge of the ,sultan2 and ,i am apt 
to think that he studied under the same 
master at ,paris4 ,his habit and his    
white band show him to be an            
ecclesiastic2 and his begging1 which he 
does very earnestly1 proves him to be of
 a mendicant order2 which1 added to his 
flattery and insinuation1 make him      
supposed to be a ,jesuit1 and have      
acquired him the name of ,loyola4 ,i    
must not omit too1 that when he breaks  
wind he smells exactly like the ,sultan4
  ,i do not yet hear one jot the better 
for all my bathings and pumpings1 though
 ,i have been here already full half my 
time2 ,i consequently go very little    
into company1 being very little fit for 
any4 ,i hope you keep company enough for
 us both2 you will get more by that1    
than ,i shall by all my reading4 ,i read
 simply to amuse myself and fill up my  
time1 of which ,i have too much2 but you
 have two much better reasons for going 
into company1 pleasure and profit4 ,may 

you find a great deal of both in a great
 deal of company6 ,adieu4     ,,letter  
,,cxc  ,,london1 ,november #bj1 #agec   
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,two mails are now
 due from ,holland1 so that ,i have no  
letter from you to acknowledge2 but     
that1 you know1 by long experience1 does
 not hinder my writing to you4 ,i always
 receive your letters with pleasure2 but
 ,i mean1 and endeavor1 that you should 
receive mine with some profit2          
preferring always your advantage to my  
own pleasure4  ,if you find yourself    
well settled and naturalized at         
,manheim1 stay there some time1 and do  
not leave a certain for an uncertain    
good2 but if you think you shall be as  
well1 or better established at ,munich1 
go there as soon as you please2 and if  
disappointed1 you can always return to  
,manheim ,i mentioned1 in a former      
letter1 your passing the ,carnival at   
,berlin1 which ,i think may be both     
useful and pleasing to you2 however1 do 
as you will2 but let me know what you   

resolve3 ,that ,king and that country   
have1 and will have1 so great a share in
 the affairs of ,europe1 that they are  
well worth being thoroughly known4      
,whether1 where you are now1 or ever may
 be hereafter1 you speak ,french1       
,german1 or ,english most1 ,i earnestly 
recommend to you a particular attention 
to the propriety and elegance of your   
style2 employ the best words you can    
find in the language1 avoid cacophony1  
and make your periods as harmonious as  
you can4 ,i need not1 ,i am sure1 tell  
you what you must often have felt1 how  
much the elegance of diction adorns the 
best thoughts1 and palliates the worst4 
,in the ,house of ,commons it is almost 
everything2 and1 indeed1 in every       
assembly1 whether public or private4    
,words1 which are the dress of thoughts1
 deserve surely more care than clothes1 
which are only the dress of the person1 
and which1 however1 ought to have their 
share of attention4 ,if you attend to   
your style in any one language1 it will 

give you a habit of attending to it in  
every other2 and if once you speak      
either ,french or ,german very          
elegantly1 you will afterward speak much
 the better ,english for it4 ,i repeat  
it to you again1 for at least the       
thousandth time1 exert your whole       
attention now in acquiring the          
ornamental parts of character4 ,people  
know very little of the world1 and talk 
nonsense1 when they talk of plainness   
and solidity unadorned3 they will do in 
nothing2 mankind has been long out of a 
state of nature1 and the golden age of  
native simplicity will never return4    
,whether for the better or the worse1 no
 matter2 but we are refined2 and plain  
manners1 plain dress1 and plain diction1
 would as little do in life1 as acorns1 
herbage1 and the water of the           
neighboring spring1 would do at table4  
,some people are just come1 who         
interrupt me in the middle of my sermon2
 so good-night4     ,,letter ,,cxci     
,,london1 ,november #bf1 #agec  ,,dear  

,,friend3 ,fine doings at ,manheim6 ,if 
one may give credit to the weekly       
histories of ,monsieur ,roderigue1 the  
finest writer among the moderns2 not    
only #8des chasses brillantes et        
nombreuses des operas ou les acteurs se 
surpassent les jours des ,saints de ,l4 
,l4 ,a4 ,a4 ,e4 ,e4 serenissimes        
celebres2 en grand gala'2 but to crown  
the whole1 ,monsieur ,zuchmantel is     
happily arrived1 and ,monsieur          
,wartenslebeu hourly expected4 ,i hope  
that you are #8pars magna' of all these 
delights2 though1 as ,noll ,bluff says1 
in the 8,old ,bachelor10 ,,that         
,,rascally ,,gazetteer ,,takes ,,no     
,,more ,,notice ,,of ,,you ,,than ,,if  
,,you ,,were ,,not ,,in ,,the ,,land    
,,of ,,the ,,living4 ,i should think    
that he might at least have taken notice
 that in these rejoicings you appeared  
with a rejoicing1 and not a gloomy      
countenance2 and you distinguished      
yourself in that numerous and shining   
company1 by your air1 dress1 address1   

and attentions4 ,if this was the case1  
as ,i will both hope and suppose it was1
 ,i will1 if you require it1 have him   
written to1 to do you justice in his    
next #8supplement'4 ,seriously1 ,i am   
very glad that you are whirled in that  
#8tourbillon' of pleasures2 they smooth1
 polish1 and rub off rough corners3     
perhaps too1 you have some particular   
,,collision1 which is still more        
effectual4  ,schannat's 8,history of the
 ,palatinate0 was1 ,i find1 written     
originally in ,german1 in which language
 ,i suppose it is that you have read it2
 but1 as ,i must humbly content myself  
with the ,french translation1 ,vaillant 
has sent for it for me from ,holland1 so
 that ,i have not yet read it4 ,while   
you are in the ,palatinate1 you do very 
well to read everything relative to it2 
you will do still better if you make    
that reading the foundation of your     
inquiries into the more minute          
circumstances and anecdotes of that     
country1 whenever you are in company    

with informed and knowing people4  ,the 
,ministers here1 intimidated on the     
absurd and groundless clamors of the    
mob1 have1 very weakly in my mind1      
repealed1 this session1 the bill which  
they had passed in the last for         
rendering ,jews capable of being        
naturalized by subsequent acts of       
parliament4 ,the clamorers triumph1 and 
will doubtless make further demands1    
which1 if not granted1 this piece of    
complaisance will soon be forgotten4    
,nothing is truer in politics1 than this
 reflection of the ,cardinal de ,retz1  
#8,que le peuple craint toujours quand  
on ne le craint pas'2 and consequently  
they grow unreasonable and insolent1    
when they find that they are feared4    
,wise and honest governors will never1  
if they can help it1 give the people    
just cause to complain2 but then1 on the
 other hand1 they will firmly withstand 
groundless clamor4 ,besides that this   
noise against the ,jew bill proceeds    
from that narrow mobspirit of           

,,intoleration in religious1 and        
inhospitality in civil matters2 both    
which all wise governments should       
oppose4  ,the confusion in ,france      
increases daily1 as1 no doubt1 you are  
informed where you are4 ,there is an    
answer of the clergy to the             
remonstrances of the parliament1 lately 
published1 which was sent me by the last
 post from ,france1 and which ,i would  
have sent you1 inclosed in this1 were it
 not too bulky4 ,very probably you may  
see it at ,manheim1 from the ,french    
,minister3 it is very well worth your   
reading1 being most artfully and        
plausibly written1 though founded upon  
false principles2 the #8jus divinum' of 
the clergy1 and consequently their      
supremacy in all matters of faith and   
doctrine are asserted2 both which ,i    
absolutely deny4 ,were those two points 
allowed the clergy of any country       
whatsoever1 they must necessarily govern
 that country absolutely2 everything    
being1 directly or indirectly1 relative 

to faith or doctrine2 and whoever is    
supposed to have the power of saving and
 damning souls to all eternity 7which   
power the clergy pretend to71 will be   
much more considered1 and better obeyed1
 than any civil power that forms no     
pretensions beyond this world4 ,whereas1
 in truth1 the clergy in every country  
are1 like all other subjects1 dependent 
upon the supreme legislative power1 and 
are appointed by that power under       
whatever restrictions and limitations it
 pleases1 to keep up decency and decorum
 in the church1 just as constables are  
to keep peace in the parish4 ,this ,fra 
,paolo has clearly proved1 even upon    
their own principles of the ,old and    
,new ,testament1 in his book #8de       
,beneficiis'1 which ,i recommend to you 
to read with attention2 it is short4    
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,cxcii  ,,london1 
,december #be1 #agec  ,,my ,,dear       
,,friend3 ,yesterday again ,i received  
two letters at once from you1 the one of
 the #gth1 the other of the #aeth1 from 

,manheim4  ,you never had in your life  
so good a reason for not writing1 either
 to me or to anybody else1 as your sore 
finger lately furnished you4 ,i believe 
it was painful1 and ,i am glad it is    
cured2 but a sore finger1 however       
painful1 is a much less evil than       
laziness1 of either body or mind1 and   
attended by fewer ill consequences4  ,i 
am very glad to hear that you were      
distinguished at the court of ,manheim  
from the rest of your countrymen and    
fellow-travelers3 it is a sign that you 
had better manners and address than     
they2 for take it for granted1 the      
best-bred people will always be the best
 received wherever they go4 ,good       
manners are the settled medium of       
social1 as specie is of commercial life2
 returns are equally expected for both2 
and people will no more advance their   
civility to a bear1 than their money to 
a bankrupt4 ,i really both hope and     
believe1 that the ,german courts will do
 you a great deal of good2 their        

ceremony and restraint being the proper 
correctives and antidotes for your      
negligence and inattention4 ,i believe  
they would not greatly relish your      
weltering in your own laziness1 and an  
easy chair2 nor take it very kindly1 if1
 when they spoke to you or you to them1 
you looked another way1 as much as to   
say1 kiss my b----h4 ,as they give1 so  
they require attention2 and1 by the way1
 take this maxim for an undoubted truth1
 ,that no young man can possibly improve
 in any company1 for which he has not   
respect enough to be under some degree  
of restraint4  ,i dare not trust to     
,meyssonier's report of his ,rhenish1   
his ,burgundy not having answered either
 his account or my expectations4 ,i     
doubt1 as a wine merchant1 he is the    
#8perfidus caupo'1 whatever he may be as
 a banker4 ,i shall therefore venture   
upon none of his wine2 but delay making 
my provision of ,old ,hock1 till ,i go  
abroad myself next spring3 as ,i told   
you in the utmost secrecy1 in my last1  

that ,i intend to do2 and then probably 
,i may taste some that ,i like1 and go  
upon sure ground4 ,there is commonly    
very good1 both at ,aix-la-,chapelle and
 ,liege1 where ,i formerly got some     
excellent1 which ,i carried with me to  
,spa1 where ,i drank no other wine4  ,as
 my letters to you frequently miscarry1 
,i will repeat in this that part of my  
last which related to your future       
motions4 ,whenever you shall be tired of
 ,berlin1 go to ,dresden2 where ,sir    
,charles ,williams will be1 who will    
receive you with open arms4 ,he dined   
with me to-day1 and sets out for        
,dresden in about six weeks4 ,he spoke  
of you with great kindness and          
impatience to see you again4 ,he will   
trust and employ you in business 7and he
 is now in the whole secret of          
importance7 till we fix our place to    
meet in3 which probably will be ,spa4   
,wherever you are1 inform yourself      
minutely of1 and attend particularly to 
the affairs of ,france2 they grow       

serious1 and in my opinion will grow    
more and more so every day4 ,the ,king  
is despised and ,i do not wonder at it2 
but he has brought it about to be hated 
at the same time1 which seldom happens  
to the same man4 ,his ministers are     
known to be as disunited as incapable2  
he hesitates between the ,church and the
 parliaments1 like the ass in the fable1
 that starved between two hampers of    
hay3 too much in love with his mistress 
to part with her1 and too much afraid of
 his soul to enjoy her2 jealous of the  
parliaments1 who would support his      
authority2 and a devoted bigot to the   
,church1 that would destroy it4 ,the    
people are poor1 consequently           
discontented2 those who have religion1  
are divided in their notions of it2     
which is saying that they hate one      
another4 ,the clergy never do forgive2  
much less will they forgive the         
parliament2 the parliament never will   
forgive them4 ,the army must1 without   
doubt1 take1 in their own minds at last1

 different parts in all these disputes1 
which upon occasion would break out4    
,armies1 though always the supporters   
and tools of absolute power for the time
 being1 are always the destroyers of it1
 too1 by frequently changing the hands  
in which they think proper to lodge it4 
,this was the case of the ,praetorian   
bands1 who deposed and murdered the     
monsters they had raised to oppress     
mankind4 ,the ,janissaries in turkey1   
and the regiments of guards in ,russia1 
do the same now4 ,the ,french nation    
reasons freely1 which they never did    
before1 upon matters of religion and    
government1 and begin to be             
#8sprejiudicati'2 the officers do so    
too2 in short1 all the symptoms1 which  
,i have ever met with in history        
previous to great changes and           
revolutions in government1 now exist1   
and daily increase1 in ,france4 ,i am   
glad of it2 the rest of ,europe will be 
the quieter1 and have time to recover4  
,england1 ,i am sure1 wants rest1 for it

 wants men and money2 the ,republic of  
the ,united ,provinces wants both still 
more2 the other ,powers cannot well     
dance1 when neither ,france1 nor the    
maritime powers1 can1 as they used to   
do1 pay the piper4 ,the first squabble  
in ,europe1 that ,i foresee1 will be    
about the ,crown of ,poland1 should the 
present ,king die3 and therefore ,i wish
 his ,majesty a long life and a merry   
,christmas4 ,so much for foreign        
politics2 but #8a propos' of them1 pray 
take care1 while you are in those parts 
of ,germany1 to inform yourself         
correctly of all the details1           
discussions1 and agreements1 which the  
several wars1 confiscations1 bans1 and  
treaties1 occasioned between the        
,bavarian and ,palatine ,electorates2   
they are interesting and curious4  ,i   
shall not1 upon the occasion of the     
approaching new year1 repeat to you the 
wishes which ,i continue to form for    
you2 you know them all already1 and you 
know that it is absolutely in your power

 to satisfy most of them4 ,among many   
other wishes1 this is my most earnest   
one3 ,that you would open the new year  
with a most solemn and devout sacrifice 
to the ,graces2 who never reject those  
that supplicate them with fervor2       
without them1 let me tell you1 that your
 friend ,dame ,fortune will stand you in
 little stead2 may they all be your     
friends6 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,cxciii  
,,london1 ,january #ae1 #aged  ,,my     
,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have this moment    
received your letter of the #bfth past  
from ,munich4 ,since you are got so well
 out of the distress and dangers of your
 journey from ,manheim1 ,i am glad that 
you were in them3            8,condisce 
i diletti           ,memorie di pene1   
,ne sa che sia bene           ,chi mal  
non soffri40  ,they were but little     
samples of the much greater distress and
 dangers which you must expect to meet  
within your great1 and ,i hope1 long    
journey through life4 ,in some parts of 
it1 flowers are scattered1 with         

profusion1 the road is smooth1 and the  
prospect pleasant3 but in others 7and ,i
 fear the greater number7 the road is   
rugged1 beset with thorns and briars1   
and cut by torrents4 ,gather the flowers
 in your way2 but1 at the same time1    
guard against the briars that are either
 mixed with them1 or that most certainly
 succeed them4  ,i thank you for your   
wild boar2 who1 now he is dead1 ,i      
assure him1 #8se laissera bien manger   
malgre qu'il en ait'2 though ,i am not  
so sure that ,i should have had that    
personal valor which so successfully    
distinguished you in single combat with 
him1 which made him bite the dust like  
,homer's heroes1 and1 to conclude my    
period sublimely1 put him into that     
,,pickle1 from which ,i propose eating  
him4 ,at the same time that ,i applaud  
your valor1 ,i must do justice to your  
modesty2 which candidly admits that you 
were not overmatched1 and that your     
adversary was about your own age and    
size4 ,a ,maracassin1 being under a year

 old1 would have been below your        
indignation4 #8,bete de compagne'1 being
 under two years old1 was still1 in my  
opinion1 below your glory2 but ,i guess 
that your enemy was #8un ,ragot'1 that  
is1 from two to three years old2 an age 
and size which1 between man and boar1   
answer pretty well to yours4  ,if       
accidents of bad roads or waters do not 
detain you at ,munich1 ,i do not fancy  
that pleasures will3 and ,i rather      
believe you will seek for1 and find     
them1 at the ,carnival at ,berlin2 in   
which supposition1 ,i eventually direct 
this letter to your banker there4 ,while
 you are at ,berlin 7,i earnestly       
recommend it to you again and again7    
pray ,,care to see1 hear1 know1 and     
mind1 everything there4 ,,the ,,ablest  
,,prince ,,in ,,europe is surely an     
object that deserves attention2 and the 
least thing that he does1 like the      
smallest sketches of the greatest       
painters1 has its value1 and a          
considerable one too4  ,read with care  

the ,code ,frederick1 and inform        
yourself of the good effects of it in   
those parts of1 his dominions where it  
has taken place1 and where it has       
banished the former chicanes1 quirks1   
and quibbles of the old law4 ,do not    
think any detail too minute or trifling 
for your inquiry and observation4 ,i    
wish that you could find one hour's     
leisure every day1 to read some good    
,italian author1 and to converse in that
 language with our worthy friend ,signor
 ,angelo ,cori2 it would both refresh   
and improve your ,italian1 which1 of the
 many languages you know1 ,i take to be 
that in which you are the least perfect2
 but of which1 too1 you already know    
enough to make yourself master of1 with 
very little trouble1 whenever you       
please4  ,live1 dwell1 and grow at the  
several courts there2 use them so much  
to your face1 that they may not look    
upon you as a stranger4 ,observe1 and   
take their #8ton'1 even to their        
affectations and follies2 for such there

 are1 and perhaps should be1 at all     
courts4 ,stay1 in all events1 at        
,berlin1 till ,i inform you of ,sir     
,charles ,williams's arrival at         
,dresden2 where ,i suppose you would not
 care to be before him1 and where you   
may go as soon after him as ever you    
please4 ,your time there will neither be
 unprofitably nor disagreeably spent2 he
 will introduce you into all the best   
company1 though he can introduce you to 
none so good as his own4 ,he has of late
 applied himself very seriously to      
foreign affairs1 especially those of    
,saxony and ,poland2 he knows them      
perfectly well1 and will tell you what  
he knows4 ,he always expresses1 and ,i  
have good reason to believe very        
sincerely1 great kindness and affection 
for you4  ,the works of the late ,lord  
,bolingbroke are just published1 and    
have plunged me into philosophical      
studies2 which hitherto ,i have not been
 much used to1 or delighted with2       
convinced of the futility of those      

researches2 but ,i have read his        
8,philosophical ,essay0 upon the extent 
of human knowledge1 which1 by the way1  
makes two large quartos and a half4 ,he 
there shows very clearly1 and with most 
splendid eloquence1 what the human mind 
can and cannot do2 that our             
understandings are wisely calculated for
 our place in this planet1 and for the  
link which we form in the universal     
chain of things2 but that they are by no
 means capable of that degree of        
knowledge1 which our curiosity makes us 
search after1 and which our vanity makes
 us often believe we arrive at4 ,i shall
 not recommend to you the reading of    
that work2 but1 when you return hither1 
,i shall recommend to your frequent and 
diligent perusal all his tracts that are
 relative to our history and            
constitution2 upon which he throws      
lights1 and scatters graces1 which no   
other writer has ever done4  ,reading1  
which was always a pleasure to me1 in   
the time even of my greatest            

dissipation1 is now become my only      
refuge2 and1 ,i fear1 ,i indulge it too 
much at the expense of my eyes4 ,but    
what can ,i do8 ,i must do something2 ,i
 cannot bear absolute idleness2 my ears 
grow every day more useless to me1 my   
eyes consequently more necessary2 ,i    
will not hoard them like a miser1 but   
will rather risk the loss1 than not     
enjoy the use of them4  ,pray let me    
know all the particulars1 not only of   
your reception at ,munich1 but also at  
,berlin2 at the latter1 ,i believe1 it  
will be a good one2 for his ,prussian   
,majesty knows1 that ,i have long been  
,,an ,,admirer ,,and ,,respecter ,,of   
,,his ,,great ,,and ,,various ,,talents4
 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,cxciv  ,,london1
 ,february #a1 #aged  ,,my ,,dear       
,,friend3 ,i received1 yesterday1 yours 
of the #abth1 from ,munich2 in          
consequence of which1 ,i direct this to 
you there1 though ,i directed my three  
last to ,berlin1 where ,i suppose you   
will find them at your arrival4 ,since  

you are not only domesticated1 but      
#8niche' at ,munich1 you are much in the
 right to stay there4 ,it is not by     
seeing places that one knows them1 but  
by familiar and daily conversations with
 the people of fashion4 ,i would not    
care to be in the place of that prodigy 
of beauty1 whom you are to drive #8dans 
la course de ,traineaux'2 and ,i am apt 
to think you are much more likely to    
break her bones1 than she is1 though    
ever so cruel1 to break your heart4     
,nay1 ,i am not sure but that1 according
 to all the rules of gallantry1 you are 
obliged to overturn her on purpose2 in  
the first place1 for the chance of      
seeing her backside2 in the next1 for   
the sake of the contrition and concern  
which it would give you an opportunity  
of showing2 and1 lastly1 upon account of
 all the #8gentillesses et epigrammes'1 
which it would naturally suggest4       
,voiture has made several stanzas upon  
an accident of that kind1 which happened
 to a lady of his acquaintance4 ,there  

is a great deal of wit in them1 rather  
too much2 for1 according to the taste of
 those times1 they are full of what the 
,italians call #8concetti               
spiritosissimi'2 the ,spaniards         
#8agudeze'2 and we1 affectation and     
quaintness4 ,i hope you have endeavored 
to suit your #8,traineau' to the        
character of the fair-one whom it is to 
contain4 ,if she is of an irascible1    
impetuous disposition 7as fine women can
 sometimes be71 you will doubtless place
 her in the body of a lion1 a tiger1 a  
dragon1 or some tremendous beast of prey
 and fury2 if she is a sublime and      
stately beauty1 which ,i think more     
probable 7for unquestionably she is     
#8hogh gebohrne'71 you will1 ,i suppose1
 provide a magnificent swan or proud    
peacock for her reception2 but if she is
 all tenderness and softness1 you have1 
to be sure1 taken care amorous doves and
 wanton sparrows should seem to flutter 
round her4 ,proper mottos1 ,i take it   
for granted1 that you have eventually   

prepared2 but if not1 you may find a    
great many ready-made ones in #8,les    
,entretiens d',ariste et d',eugene1 sur 
les ,devises'1 written by ,pere         
,bouhours1 and worth your reading at any
 time4 ,i will not say to you1 upon this
 occasion1 like the father in ,ovid1    
8,parce1 puer1 stimulis1 et fortius     
utere loris40  ,on the contrary1 drive  
on briskly2 it is not the chariot of the
 sun that you drive1 but you carry the  
sun in your chariot2 consequently1 the  
faster it goes1 the less it will be     
likely to scorch or consume4 ,this is   
,spanish enough1 ,i am sure4  ,if this  
finds you still at ,munich1 pray make   
many compliments from me to ,mr4        
,burrish1 to whom ,i am very much       
obliged for all his kindness to you2 it 
is true1 that while ,i had power ,i     
endeavored to serve him2 but it is as   
true too1 that ,i served many others    
more1 who have neither returned nor     
remembered those services4  ,i have been
 very ill this last fortnight1 of your  

old ,carniolian complaint1 the          
#8arthritis vaga'2 luckily1 it did not  
fall upon my breast1 but seized on my   
right arm2 there it fixed its seat of   
empire2 but1 as in all tyrannical       
governments1 the remotest parts felt    
their share of its severity4 ,last post 
,i was not able to hold a pen long      
enough to write to you1 and therefore   
desired ,mr4 ,grevenkop to do it for me2
 but that letter was directed to        
,berlin4 ,my pain is now much abated1   
though ,i have still some fine remains  
of it in my shoulder1 where ,i fear it  
will tease me a great while4 ,i must be 
careful to take ,horace's advice1 and   
consider well1 #8,quid valeant humeri1  
quid ferre recusent'4  ,lady            
,chesterfield bids me make you her      
compliments1 and assure you that the    
music will be much more welcome to her  
with you1 than without you4  ,in some of
 my last letters1 which were directed   
to1 and will1 ,i suppose1 wait for you  
at ,berlin1 ,i complimented you1 and    

with justice1 upon your great           
improvement of late in the epistolary   
way1 both with regard to the style and  
the turn of your letters2 your four or  
five last to me have been very good     
ones1 and one that you wrote to ,mr4    
,harte1 upon the new year1 was so pretty
 a one1 and he was so much and so justly
 pleased with it1 that he sent it me    
from ,windsor the instant he had read   
it4 ,this talent 7and a most necessary  
one it is in the course of life7 is to  
be acquired by resolving1 and taking    
pains to acquire it2 and1 indeed1 so is 
every talent except poetry1 which is    
undoubtedly a gift4 ,think1 therefore1  
night and day1 of the turn1 the purity1 
the correctness1 the perspicuity1 and   
the elegance of whatever you speak or   
write2 take my word for it1 your labor  
will not be in vain1 but greatly        
rewarded by the harvest of praise and   
success which it will bring you4        
,delicacy of turn1 and elegance of      
style1 are ornaments as necessary to    

common sense1 as attentions1 address1   
and fashionable manners1 are to common  
civility2 both may subsist without them1
 but then1 without being of the least   
use to the owner4 ,the figure of a man  
is exactly the same in dirty rags1 or in
 the finest and best chosen clothes2 but
 in which of the two he is the most     
likely to please1 and to be received in 
good company1 ,i leave to you to        
determine4  ,both my arm and my paper   
hint to me1 to bid you good-night4      
,,letter ,,cxcv  ,,london1 ,february    
#ab1 #aged4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i   
take my aim1 and let off this letter at 
you at ,berlin2 ,i should be sorry it   
missed you1 because ,i believe you will 
read it with as much pleasure as ,i     
write it4 ,it is to inform you1 that1   
after some difficulties and dangers1    
your seat in the new parliament is at   
last absolutely secured1 and that       
without opposition1 or the least        
necessity of your personal trouble or   
appearance4 ,this success1 ,i must      

further inform you1 is in a great degree
 owing to ,mr4 ,eliot's friendship to us
 both2 for he brings you in with himself
 at his surest borough4 ,as it was      
impossible to act with more zeal and    
friendship than ,mr4 ,eliot has acted in
 this whole affair1 ,i desire that you  
will1 by the very next post1 write him a
 letter of thanks1 warm and young       
thanks1 not old and cold ones4 ,you may 
inclose it in yours to me1 and1 ,i will 
send it to him1 for he is now in        
,cornwall4  ,thus1 sure of being a      
senator1 ,i dare say you do not propose 
to be one of the #8pedarii senatores1 et
 pedibus ire in sententiam2 for1 as the 
,house of ,commons is the theatre where 
you must make your fortune and figure in
 the world1 you must resolve to be an   
actor1 and not a #8persona muta'1 which 
is just equivalent to a candle snuffer  
upon other theatres4 ,whoever does not  
shine there1 is obscure1 insignificant  
and contemptible2 and you cannot        
conceive how easy it is for a man of    

half your sense and knowledge to shine  
there if he pleases4 ,the receipt to    
make a speaker1 and an applauded one    
too1 is short and easy4--,take of common
 sense #8quantum sufcit'1 add a little  
application to the rules and orders of  
the ,house1 throw obvious thoughts in a 
new light1 and make up the whole with a 
large quantity of purity1 correctness1  
and elegance of style4 ,take it for     
granted1 that by far the greatest part  
of mankind do neither analyze nor search
 to the bottom2 they are incapable of   
penetrating deeper than the surface4    
,all have senses to be gratified1 very  
few have reason to be applied to4       
,graceful utterance and action please   
their eyes1 elegant diction tickles     
their ears2 but strong reason would be  
thrown away upon them4 ,i am not only   
persuaded by theory1 but convinced by my
 experience1 that 7supposing a certain  
degree of common sense7 what is called a
 good speaker is as much a mechanic as a
 good shoemaker2 and that the two trades

 are equally to be learned by the same  
degree of application4 ,therefore1 for  
,god's sake1 let this trade be the      
principal object of your thoughts2 never
 lose sight of it4 ,attend minutely to  
your style1 whatever language you speak 
or write in2 seek for the best words1   
and think of the best turns4 ,whenever  
you doubt of the propriety or elegance  
of any word1 search the dictionary or   
some good author for it1 or inquire of  
somebody1 who is master of that         
language2 and1 in a little time1        
propriety and elegance of diction will  
become so habitual to you1 that they    
will cost you no more trouble4 ,as ,i   
have laid this down to be mechanical and
 attainable by whoever will take the    
necessary pains1 there will be no great 
vanity in my saying1 that ,i saw the    
importance of the object so early1 and  
attended to it so young1 that it would  
now cost me more trouble to speak or    
write ungrammatically1 vulgarly1 and    
inelegantly1 than ever it did to avoid  

doing so4 ,the late ,lord ,bolingbroke1 
without the least trouble1 talked all   
day long1 full as elegantly as he wrote4
 ,why8 ,not by a peculiar gift from     
heaven2 but1 as he has often told me    
himself1 by an early and constant       
attention to his style4 ,the present    
,solicitor-,general1 ,murray1--,created 
,lord ,mansfield in the year            
#agef4--;has less law than many lawyers1
 but has more practice than any2 merely 
upon account of his eloquence1 of which 
he has a never-failing stream4 ,i       
remember so long ago as when ,i was at  
,cambridge1 whenever ,i read pieces of  
eloquence 7and indeed they were my chief
 study7 whether ancient or modern1 ,i   
used to write down the shining passages1
 and then translate them1 as well and as
 elegantly as ever ,i could2 if ,latin  
or ,french1 into ,english2 if ,english1 
into ,french4 ,this1 which ,i practiced 
for some years1 not only improved and   
formed my style1 but imprinted in my    
mind and memory the best thoughts of the

 best authors4 ,the trouble was little1 
but the advantage ,i have experienced   
was great4 ,while you are abroad1 you   
can neither have time nor opportunity to
 read pieces of ,english or             
parliamentary eloquence1 as ,i hope you 
will carefully do when you return2 but1 
in the meantime1 whenever pieces of     
,french eloquence come in your way1 such
 as the speeches of persons received    
into the ,academy1 #8orasions funebres'1
 representations of the several         
parliaments to the ,king1 etc41 read    
them in that view1 in that spirit2      
observe the harmony1 the turn and       
elegance of the style2 examine in what  
you think it might have been better2 and
 consider in what1 had you written it   
yourself2 you might have done worse4    
,compare the different manners of       
expressing the same thoughts in         
different authors2 and observe how      
differently the same things appear in   
different dresses4 ,vulgar1 coarse1 and 
ill-chosen words1 will deform and       

degrade the best thoughts as much as    
rags and dirt will the best figure4 ,in 
short1 you now know your object2 pursue 
it steadily1 and have no digressions    
that are not relative to1 and connected 
with1 the main action4 ,your success in 
parliament will effectually remove all  
,,other ,,objections2 either a foreign  
or a domestic destination will no longer
 be refused you1 if you make your way to
 it through ,westminster4  ,i think ,i  
may now say1 that ,i am quite recovered 
from my late illness1 strength and      
spirits excepted1 which are not yet     
restored4 ,aix-la-,chapelle and ,spa    
will1 ,i believe1 answer all my         
purposes4  ,i long to hear an account of
 your reception at ,berlin1 which ,i    
fancy will be a most gracious one4      
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,cxcvi  ,,london1 
,february #ae1 #aged  ,,my ,,dear       
,,friend3 ,i can now with great truth   
apply your own motto to you1 #8,nullum  
numen abest1 si sit ,prudentia'4 ,you   
are sure of being1 as early as your age 

will permit1 a member of that ,house2   
which is the only road to figure and    
fortune in this country4 ,those1 indeed1
 who are bred up to1 and distinguish    
themselves in particular professions1 as
 the army1 the navy1 and the law1 may1  
by their own merit1 raise themselves to 
a certain degree2 but you may observe   
too1 that they never get to the top1    
without the assistance of parliamentary 
talents and influence4 ,the means of    
distinguishing yourself in parliament   
are1 as ,i told you in my last1 much    
more easily attained than ,i believe you
 imagine4 ,close attendance to the      
business of the ,house will soon give   
you the parliamentary routine2 and      
strict attention to your style will soon
 make you1 not only a speaker1 but a    
good one4 ,the vulgar look upon a man1  
who is reckoned a fine speaker1 as a    
phenomenon1 a supernatural being1 and   
endowed with some peculiar gift of      
heaven2 they stare at him1 if he walks  
in the ,park1 and cry1 ,,that ,,is ,,he4

 ,you will1 ,i am sure1 view him in a   
juster light1 and #8nulla formidine'4   
,you will consider him only as a man of 
good sense1 who adorns common thoughts  
with the graces of elocution1 and the   
elegance of style4 ,the miracle will    
then cease2 and you will be convinced1  
that with the same application1 and     
attention to the same objects1 you may  
most certainly equal1 and perhaps       
surpass1 this prodigy4 ,sir             
,w----,y-------1 with not a quarter of  
your parts1 and not a thousandth part of
 your knowledge1 has1 by a glibness of  
tongue simply1 raised him successively  
to the best employments of the kingdom2 
he has been ,lord of the ,admiralty1    
,lord of the ,treasury1 ,secretary at   
,war1 and is now ,vice-,treasurer of    
,ireland2 and all this with a most      
sullied1 not to say blasted character4  
,represent the thing to yourself1 as it 
really is1 easily attainable1 and you   
will find it so4 ,have but ambition     
enough passionately to desire the       

object1 and spirit enough to use the    
means1 and ,i will be answerable for    
your success4 ,when ,i was younger than 
you are1 ,i resolved within myself that 
,i would in all events be a speaker in  
parliament1 and a good one too1 if ,i   
could4 ,i consequently never lost sight 
of that object1 and never neglected any 
of the means that ,i thought led to it4 
,i succeeded to a certain degree2 and1  
,i assure you1 with great ease1 and     
without superior talents4 ,young people 
are very apt to overrate both men and   
things1 from not being enough acquainted
 with them4 ,in proportion as you come  
to know them better1 you will value them
 less4 ,you will find that reason1 which
 always ought to direct mankind1 seldom 
does2 but that passions and weaknesses  
commonly usurp its seat1 and rule in its
 stead4 ,you will find that the ablest  
have their weak sides too1 and are only 
comparatively able1 with regard to the  
still weaker herd3 having fewer         
weaknesses themselves1 they are able to 

avail themselves of the innumerable ones
 of the generality of mankind3 being    
more masters of themselves1 they become 
more easily masters of others4 ,they    
address themselves to their weaknesses1 
their senses1 their passions2 never to  
their reason2 and consequently seldom   
fail of success4 ,but then analyze those
 great1 those governing1 and1 as the    
vulgar imagine1 those perfect           
characters1 and you will find the great 
,brutus a thief in ,macedonia1 the great
 ,cardinal ,richelieu a jealous         
poetaster1 and the great ,duke of       
,marlborough a miser4 ,till you come to 
know mankind by your own experience1 ,i 
know no thing1 nor no man1 that can in  
the meantime bring you so well          
acquainted with them as le ,duc de la   
,rochefoucault3 his little book of      
8,maxims10 which ,i would advise you to 
look into1 for some moments at least1   
every day of your life1 is1 ,i fear1 too
 like1 and too exact a picture of human 
nature4  ,i own1 it seems to degrade it2

 but yet my experience does not convince
 me that it degrades it unjustly4  ,now1
 to bring all this home to my first     
point4 ,all these considerations should 
not only invite you to attempt to make a
 figure in parliament1 but encourage you
 to hope that you shall succeed4 ,to    
govern mankind1 one must not overrate   
them3 and to please an audience1 as a   
speaker1 one must not overvalue it4     
,when ,i first came into the ,house of  
,commons1 ,i respected that assembly as 
a venerable one2 and felt a certain awe 
upon me1 but1 upon better acquaintance1 
that awe soon vanished2 and ,i          
discovered1 that1 of the five hundred   
and sixty1 not above thirty could       
understand reason1 and that all the rest
 were #8peuple'2 that those thirty only 
required plain common sense1 dressed up 
in good language2 and that all the      
others only required flowing and        
harmonious periods1 whether they        
conveyed any meaning or not2 having ears
 to hear1 but not sense enough to judge4

 ,these considerations made me speak    
with little concern the first time1 with
 less the second1 and with none at all  
the third4 ,i gave myself no further    
trouble about anything1 except my       
elocution1 and my style2 presuming1     
without much vanity1 that ,i had common 
sense sufficient not to talk nonsense4  
,fix these three truths strongly in your
 mind3 ,first1 that it is absolutely    
necessary for you to speak in           
parliament2 secondly1 that it only      
requires a little human attention1 and  
no supernatural gifts2 and1 thirdly1    
that you have all the reason in the     
world to think that you shall speak     
well4 ,when we meet1 this shall be the  
principal subject of our conversations2 
and1 if you will follow my advice1 ,i   
will answer for your success4  ,now from
 great things to little ones2 the       
transition is to me easy1 because       
nothing seems little to me that can be  
of any use to you4 ,i hope you take     
great care of your mouth and teeth1 and 

that you clean them well every morning  
with a sponge and tepid water1 with a   
few drops of arquebusade water dropped  
into it2 besides washing your mouth     
carefully after every meal1 ,i do insist
 upon your never using those sticks1 or 
any hard substance whatsoever1 which    
always rub away the gums1 and destroy   
the varnish of the teeth4 ,i speak this 
from woeful experience2 for my          
negligence of my teeth1 when ,i was     
younger than you are1 made them bad2 and
 afterward1 my desire to have them look 
better1 made me use sticks1 irons1 etc41
 which totally destroyed them2 so that  
,i have not now above six or seven left4
 ,i lost one this morning1 which        
suggested this advice to you4  ,i have  
received the tremendous wild boar1 which
 your still more tremendous arm slew in 
the immense deserts of the ,palatinate2 
but have not yet tasted of it1 as it is 
hitherto above my low regimen4 ,the late
 ,king of ,prussia1 whenever he killed  
any number of wild boars1 used to oblige

 the ,jews to buy them1 at a high price1
 though they could eat none of them2 so 
they defrayed the expense of his        
hunting4 ,his son has juster rules of   
government1 as the ,code ,frederick     
plainly shows4  ,i hope1 that1 by this  
time1 you are as well #8ancre' at       
,berlin as you was at ,munich2 but1 if  
not1 you are sure of being so at        
,dresden4 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,cxcvii 
,,london1 ,february #bf1 #aged4  ,,my   
,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have received your  
letters of the #dth1 from ,munich1 and  
of the #aath from ,ratisbon2 but ,i have
 not received that of the #cast         
,january1 to which you refer in the     
former4 ,it is to this negligence and   
uncertainty of the post1 that you owe   
your accidents between ,munich and      
,ratisbon3 for1 had you received my     
letters regularly1 you would have       
received one from me before you left    
,munich1 in which ,i advised you to     
stay1 since you were so well there4     
,but1 at all events1 you were in the    

wrong to set out from ,munich in such   
weather and such roads2 since you could 
never imagine that ,i had set my heart  
so much upon your going to ,berlin1 as  
to venture your being buried in the snow
 for it4 ,upon the whole1 considering   
all you are very well off4 ,you do very 
well1 in my mind1 to return to ,munich1 
or at least to keep within the circle of
 ,munich1 ,ratisbon1 and ,manheim1 till 
the weather and the roads are good3 stay
 at each or any of those places as long 
as ever you please2 for ,i am extremely 
indifferent about your going to ,berlin4
  ,as to our meeting1 ,i will tell you  
my plan1 and you may form your own      
accordingly4 ,i propose setting out from
 hence the last week in ,april1 then    
drinking the ,aix-la-,chapelle waters   
for a week1 and from thence being at    
,spa about the #aeth of ,may1 where ,i  
shall stay two months at most1 and then 
return straight to ,england4 ,as ,i both
 hope and believe that there will be no 
mortal at ,spa during my residence      

there1 the fashionable season not       
beginning till the middle of ,july1 ,i  
would by no means have you come there at
 first1 to be locked up with me and some
 few ,capucins1 for two months1 in that 
miserable hole2 but ,i would advise you 
to stay where you like best1 till about 
the first week in ,july1 and then to    
come and pick me up at ,spa1 or meet me 
upon the road at ,liege or ,brussels4   
,as for the intermediate time1 should   
you be weary of ,manheim and ,munich1   
you may1 if you please1 go to ,dresden1 
to ,sir ,charles ,williams1 who will be 
there before that time2 or you may come 
for a month or six weeks to ,the ,hague2
 or1 in short1 go or stay wherever you  
like best4 ,so much for your motions4   
,as you have sent for all the letters   
directed to you at ,berlin1 you will    
receive from thence volumes of mine1    
among which you will easily perceive    
that some were calculated for a supposed
 perusal previous to your opening them4 
,i will not repeat anything contained in

 them1 excepting that ,i desire you will
 send me a warm and cordial letter of   
thanks for ,mr4 ,eliot2 who has1 in the 
most friendly manner imaginable1 fixed  
you at his own borough of ,liskeard1    
where you will be elected jointly with  
him1 without the least opposition or    
difficulty4 ,i will forward that letter 
to him into ,cornwall1 where he now is4 
,now that you are to be soon a man of   
business1 ,i heartily wish that you     
would immediately begin to be a man of  
method2 nothing contributing more to    
facilitate and dispatch business1 than  
method and order4 ,have order and method
 in your accounts1 in your reading1 in  
the allotment of your time2 in short1 in
 everything4 ,you cannot conceive how   
much time you will save by it1 nor how  
much better everything you do will be   
done4 ,the ,duke of ,marlborough did by 
no means spend1 but he slatterned       
himself into that immense debt1 which is
 not yet near paid off4 ,the hurry and  
confusion of the ,duke of ,newcastle do 

not proceed from his business1 but from 
his want of method in it4 ,sir ,robert  
,walpole1 who had ten times the business
 to do1 was never seen in a hurry1      
because he always did it with method4   
,the head of a man who has business1 and
 no method nor order1 is properly that  
#8rudis indigestaque moles quam dixere  
chaos'4 ,as you must be conscious that  
you are extremely negligent and         
slatternly1 ,i hope you will resolve not
 to be so for the future4 ,prevail with 
yourself1 only to observe good method   
and order for one fortnight2 and ,i will
 venture to assure you that you will    
never neglect them afterward1 you will  
find such conveniency and advantage     
arising from them4 ,method is the great 
advantage that lawyers have over other  
people1 in speaking in parliament2 for1 
as they must necessarily observe it in  
their pleadings in the courts of        
justice1 it becomes habitual to them    
everywhere else4 ,without making you a  
compliment1 ,i can tell you with        

pleasure1 that order1 method1 and more  
activity of mind1 are all that you want1
 to make1 some day or other1 a          
considerable figure in business4 ,you   
have more useful knowledge1 more        
discernment of characters1 and much more
 discretion1 than is common at your age2
 much more1 ,i am sure1 than ,i had at  
that age4 ,experience you cannot yet    
have1 and therefore trust in the        
meantime to mine4 ,i am an old traveler2
 am well acquainted with all the bye as 
well as the great roads2 ,i cannot      
misguide you from ignorance1 and you are
 very sure ,i shall not from design4  ,i
 can assure you1 that you will have no  
opportunity of subscribing yourself my  
,excellency's1 etc4 ,retirement and     
quiet were my choice some years ago1    
while ,i had all my senses1 and health  
and spirits enough to carry on business2
 but now that ,i have lost my hearing1  
and that ,i find my constitution        
declining daily1 they are become my     
necessary and only refuge4 ,i know      

myself 7no common piece of knowledge1   
let me tell you71 ,i know what ,i can1  
what ,i cannot1 and consequently what ,i
 ought to do4 ,i ought not1 and         
therefore will not1 return to business  
when ,i am much less fit for it than ,i 
was when ,i quitted it4 ,still less will
 ,i go to ,ireland1 where1 from my      
deafness and infirmities1 ,i must       
necessarily make a different figure from
 that which ,i once made there4 ,my     
pride would be too much mortified by    
that difference4 ,the two important     
senses of seeing and hearing should not 
only be good1 but quick1 in business2   
and the business of a ,lord-lieutenant  
of ,ireland 7if he will do it himself7  
requires both those senses in the       
highest perfection4 ,it was the ,duke of
 ,dorset's not doing the business       
himself1 but giving it up to favorites1 
that has occasioned all this confusion  
in ,ireland2 and it was my doing the    
whole myself1 without either ,favorite1 
,minister1 or ,mistress1 that made my   

administration so smooth and quiet4 ,i  
remember1 when ,i named the late ,mr4   
,liddel for my ,secretary1 everybody was
 much surprised at it2 and some of my   
friends represented to me1 that he was  
no man of business1 but only a very     
genteel1 pretty young fellow2 ,i assured
 them1 and with truth1 that that was the
 very reason why ,i chose him2 for that 
,i was resolved to do all the business  
myself1 and without even the suspicion  
of having a minister2 which the         
,lord-lieutenant's ,secretary1 if he is 
a man of business1 is always supposed1  
and commonly with reason1 to be4        
,moreover1 ,i look upon myself now to be
 emeritus in business1 in which ,i have 
been near forty years together2 ,i give 
it up to you3 apply yourself to it1 as  
,i have done1 for forty years1 and then 
,i consent to your leaving it for a     
philosophical retirement among your     
friends and your books4 ,statesmen and  
beauties are very rarely sensible of the
 gradations of their decay2 and1 too    

often sanguinely hoping to shine on in  
their meridian1 often set with contempt 
and ridicule4 ,i retired in time1 #8uti 
conviva satur'2 or1 as ,pope says still 
better1 ,,ere ,,tittering ,,youth       
,,shall ,,shove ,,you ,,from ,,the      
,,stage4 ,my only remaining ambition is 
to be the counsellor and minister of    
your rising ambition4 ,let me see my own
 youth revived in you2 let me be your   
,mentor1 and1 with your parts and       
knowledge1 ,i promise you1 you shall go 
far4 ,you must bring1 on your part1     
activity and attention2 and ,i will     
point out to you the proper objects for 
them4 ,i own ,i fear but one thing for  
you1 and that is what one has generally 
the least reason to fear from one of    
your age2 ,i mean your laziness2 which1 
if you indulge1 will make you stagnate  
in a contemptible obscurity all your    
life4 ,it will hinder you from doing    
anything that will deserve to be        
written1 or from writing anything that  
may deserve to be read2 and yet one or  

other of those two objects should be at 
least aimed at by every rational being4 
,i look upon indolence as a sort of     
,,suicide2 for the man is effectually   
destroyed1 though the appetites of the  
brute may survive4 ,business by no means
 forbids pleasures2 on the contrary1    
they reciprocally season each other2 and
 ,i will venture to affirm1 that no man 
enjoys either in perfection1 that does  
not join both4 ,they whet the desire for
 each other4 ,use yourself1 therefore1  
in time to be alert and diligent in your
 little concerns2 never procrastinate1  
never put off till to-morrow what you   
can do to-day2 and never do two things  
at a time2 pursue your object1 be it    
what it will1 steadily and              
indefatigably2 and let any difficulties 
7if surmountable7 rather animate than   
slacken your endeavors4 ,perseverance   
has surprising effects4  ,i wish you    
would use yourself to translate1 every  
day1 only three or four lines1 from any 
book1 in any language1 into the         

correctest and most elegant ,english    
that you can think of2 you cannot       
imagine how it will insensibly form your
 style1 and give you an habitual        
elegance2 it would not take you up a    
quarter of an hour in a day4 ,this      
letter is so long1 that it will hardly  
leave you that quarter of an hour1 the  
day you receive it4 ,so good-night4     
,,letter ,,cxcviii  ,,london1 ,march #h1
 #aged  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,a great  
and unexpected event has lately happened
 in our ministerial world4 ,mr4 ,pelham 
died last ,monday of a fever and        
mortification1 occasioned by a general  
corruption of his whole mass of blood1  
which had broke out into sores in his   
back4 ,i regret him as an old           
acquaintance1 a pretty near relation1   
and a private man1 with whom ,i have    
lived many years in a social and        
friendly way4 ,he meant well to the     
public2 and was incorrupt in a post     
where corruption is commonly contagious4
 ,if he was no shining1 enterprising    

minister1 he was a safe one1 which ,i   
like better4 ,very shining ministers1   
like the sun1 are apt to scorch when    
they shine the brightest3 in our        
constitution1 ,i prefer the milder light
 of a less glaring minister4 ,his       
successor is not yet1 at least publicly1
 #8designatus'4 ,you will easily suppose
 that many are very willing1 and very   
few able1 to fill that post4 ,various   
persons are talked of1 by different     
people1 for it1 according as their      
interest prompts them to wish1 or their 
ignorance to conjecture4 ,mr4 ,fox is   
the most talked of2 he is strongly      
supported by the ,duke of ,cumberland4  
,mr4 ,legge1 the ,solicitor-,general1   
and ,dr4 ,lee1 are likewise all spoken  
of1 upon the foot of the ,duke of       
,newcastle's1 and the ,chancellor's     
interest4 ,should it be any one of the  
last three1 ,i think no great           
alterations will ensue2 but should ,mr4 
,fox prevail1 it would1 in my opinion1  
soon produce changes by no means        

favorable to the ,duke of ,newcastle4   
,in the meantime1 the wild conjectures  
of volunteer politicians1 and the       
ridiculous importance which1 upon these 
occasions1 blockheads always endeavor to
 give themselves1 by grave looks1       
significant shrugs1 and insignificant   
whispers1 are very entertaining to a    
bystander1 as1 thank ,god1 ,i now am4   
,one ,,knows ,,something1 but is not yet
 at liberty to tell it2 another has     
heard something from a very good hand2 a
 third congratulates himself upon a     
certain degree of intimacy1 which he has
 long had with everyone of the          
candidates1 though perhaps he has never 
spoken twice to anyone of them4 ,in     
short1 in these sort of intervals1      
vanity1 interest1 and absurdity1 always 
display themselves in the most          
ridiculous light4 ,one who has been so  
long behind the scenes as ,i have is    
much more diverted with the             
entertainment1 than those can be who    
only see it from the pit and boxes4 ,i  

know the whole machinery of the         
interior1 and can laugh the better at   
the silly wonder and wild conjectures of
 the uninformed spectators4 ,this       
accident1 ,i think1 cannot in the least 
affect your election1 which is finally  
settled with your friend ,mr4 ,eliot4   
,for1 let who will prevail1 ,i presume1 
he will consider me enough1 not to      
overturn an arrangement of that sort1 in
 which he cannot possibly be personally 
interested4 ,so pray go on with your    
parliamentary preparations4 ,have that  
object always in your view1 and pursue  
it with attention4  ,i take it for      
granted that your late residence in     
,germany has made you as perfect and    
correct in ,german1 as you were before  
in ,french1 at least it is worth your   
while to be so2 because it is worth     
every man's while to be perfectly master
 of whatever language he may ever have  
occasion to speak4 ,a man is not        
himself1 in a language which he does not
 thoroughly possess2 his thoughts are   

degraded1 when inelegantly or           
imperfectly expressed2 he is cramped and
 confined1 and consequently can never   
appear to advantage4 ,examine and       
analyze those thoughts that strike you  
the most1 either in conversation or in  
books2 and you will find that they owe  
at least half their merit to the turn   
and expression of them4 ,there is       
nothing truer than that old saying1     
#8,nihil dictum quod non prins dictum'4 
,it is only the manner of saying or     
writing it that makes it appear new4    
,convince yourself that manner is almost
 everything1 in everything2 and study it
 accordingly4  ,i am this moment        
informed1 and ,i believe truly1 that    
,mr4 ,fox--,henry ,fox1 created ,lord   
,holland1 ,baron of ,foxley1 in the year
 #agfc--;is to succeed ,mr4 ,pelham as  
,first ,commissioner of the ,treasury   
and ,chancellor of the ,exchequer2 and  
your friend1 ,mr4 ,yorke1 of ,the       
,hague1 to succeed ,mr4 ,fox as         
,secretary at ,war4 ,i am not sorry for 

this promotion of ,mr4 ,fox1 as ,i have 
always been upon civil terms with him1  
and found him ready to do me any little 
services4 ,he is frank and              
gentleman-like in his manner3 and1 to a 
certain degree1 ,i really believe will  
be your friend upon my account2 if you  
can afterward make him yours1 upon your 
own1 #8tan mieux'4 ,i have nothing more 
to say now but ,adieu4     ,,letter     
,,cxcix  ,,london1 ,march #ae1 #aged    
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,we are here in   
the midst of a second winter2 the cold  
is more severe1 and the snow deeper1    
than they were in the first4 ,i presume1
 your weather in ,germany is not much   
more gentle and1 therefore1 ,i hope that
 you are quietly and warmly fixed at    
some good town3 and will not risk a     
second burial in the snow1 after your   
late fortunate resurrection out of it4  
,your letters1 ,i suppose1 have not been
 able to make their way through the ice2
 for ,i have received none from you     
since that of the #abth of ,february1   

from ,ratisbon4 ,i am the more uneasy at
 this state of ignorance1 because ,i    
fear that you may have found some       
subsequent inconveniences from your     
overturn1 which you might not be aware  
of at first4  ,the curtain of the       
political theatre was partly drawn up   
the day before yesterday1 and exhibited 
a scene which the public in general did 
not expect2 the ,duke of ,newcastle was 
declared ,first ,lord ,commissioner of  
the ,treasury1 ,mr4 ,fox ,secretary of  
,state in his room1 and ,mr4 ,henry     
,legge ,chancellor of the ,exchequer3   
,the employments of ,treasurer of the   
,navy1 and ,secretary at ,war1 supposed 
to be vacant by the promotion of ,mr4   
,fox and ,mr4 ,legge1 were to be kept   
#8in petto' till the dissolution of this
 parliament1 which will probably be next
 week1 to avoid the expense and trouble 
of unnecessary re-elections2 but it was 
generally supposed that ,colonel ,yorke1
 of ,the ,hague1 was to succeed ,mr4    
,fox2 and ,george ,greenville1 ,mr4     

,legge4 ,this scheme1 had it taken      
place1 you are1 ,i believe aware1 was   
more a temporary expedient1 for securing
 the elections of the new parliament1   
and forming it1 at its first meeting1 to
 the interests and the inclinations of  
the ,duke of ,newcastle and the         
,chancellor1 than a plan of             
administration either intended or wished
 to be permanent4 ,this scheme was      
disturbed yesterday3 ,mr4 ,fox1 who had 
sullenly accepted the seals the day     
before1 more sullenly refused them      
yesterday4 ,his object was to be ,first 
,commissioner of the ,treasury1 and     
,chancellor of the ,exchequer1 and      
consequently to have a share in the     
election of the new parliament1 and a   
much greater in the management of it    
when chosen4 ,this necessary consequence
 of his view defeated it2 and the ,duke 
of ,newcastle and the ,chancellor chose 
to kick him upstairs into the           
,secretaryship of ,state1 rather than   
trust him with either the election or   

the management of the new parliament4   
,in this1 considering their respective  
situations1 they certainly acted wisely2
 but whether ,mr4 ,fox has done so1 or  
not1 in refusing the seals1 is a point  
which ,i cannot determine4 ,if he is1 as
 ,i presume he is1 animated with        
revenge1 and ,i believe would not be    
over scrupulous in the means of         
gratifying it1 ,i should have thought he
 could have done it better1 as          
,secretary of ,state1 with constant     
admission into the closet1 than as a    
private man at the head of an           
opposition4 ,but ,i see all these things
 at too great a distance to be able to  
judge soundly of them4 ,the true springs
 and motives of political measures are  
confined within a very narrow circle1   
and known to a very few2 the good       
reasons alleged are seldom the true     
ones3 ,the public commonly judges1 or   
rather guesses1 wrong1 and ,i am now one
 of that public4 ,i therefore recommend 
to you a prudent ,pyrrhonism in all     

matters of state1 until you become one  
of the wheels of them yourself1 and     
consequently acquainted with the general
 motion1 at least1 of the others2 for as
 to all the minute and secret springs1  
that contribute more or less to the     
whole machine1 no man living ever knows 
them all1 not even he who has the       
principal direction of it4 ,as in the   
human body1 there are innumerable little
 vessels and glands that have a good    
deal to do1 and yet escape the knowledge
 of the most skillful anatomist2 he will
 know more1 indeed1 than those who only 
see the exterior of our bodies1 but he  
will never know all4 ,this bustle1 and  
these changes at court1 far from having 
disturbed the quiet and security of your
 election1 have1 if possible1 rather    
confirmed them2 for the ,duke of        
,newcastle 7,i must do him justice7 has1
 in1 the kindest manner imaginable to   
you1 wrote a letter to ,mr4 ,eliot1 to  
recommend to him the utmost care of your
 election4  ,though the plan of         

administration is thus unsettled1 mine1 
for my travels this summer1 is finally  
settled2 and ,i now communicate it to   
you that you may form your own upon it4 
,i propose being at ,spa on the #ajth or
 #abth of ,may1 and staying there till  
the #ajth of ,july4 ,as there will be no
 mortal there during my stay1 it would  
be both unpleasant and unprofitable to  
you to be shut up tete-a-fete with me   
the whole time2 ,i should therefore     
think it best for you not to come to me 
there till the last week in ,june4 ,in  
the meantime1 ,i suppose1 that by the   
middle of ,april1 you will think that   
you have had enough of ,manheim1        
,munich1 or ,ratisbon1 and that         
district4 ,where would you choose to go 
then8 ,for ,i leave you absolutely your 
choice4 ,would you go to ,dresden for a 
month or six weeks8 ,that is a good deal
 out of your way1 and ,i am not sure    
that ,sir ,charles will be there by that
 time4 ,or would you rather take ,bonn  
in your way1 and pass the time till we  

meet at ,the ,hague8 ,from ,manheim you 
may have a great many good letters of   
recommendation to the court of ,bonn2   
which court1 and it's ,elector1 in one  
light or another1 are worth your seeing4
  ,from thence1 your journey to ,the    
,hague will be but a short one2 and you 
would arrive there at that season of the
 year when ,the ,hague is1 in my mind1  
the most agreeable1 smiling scene in    
,europe2 and from ,the ,hague you would 
have but three very easy days journey to
 me at ,spa4 ,do as you like2 for1 as ,i
 told you before1 #8,ella e             
assolutamente padrone'4 ,but lest you   
should answer that you desire to be     
determined by me1 ,i will eventually    
tell you my opinion4 ,i am rather       
inclined to the latter plan2 ,i mean    
that of your coming to ,bonn1 staying   
there according as you like it1 and then
 passing the remainder of your time1    
that is ,may and ,june1 at ,the ,hague4 
,our connection and transactions with   
the ,republic of the ,united ,provinces 

are such1 that you cannot be too well   
acquainted with that constitution1 and  
with those people4 ,you have established
 good acquaintances there1 and you have 
been #8fetoie' round by the foreign     
ministers2 so that you will be there    
#8en pais connu'4 ,moreover1 you have   
not seen the ,stadtholder1 the          
#8,gouvernante'1 nor the court there1   
which #8a bon compte' should be seen4   
,upon the whole1 then1 you cannot1 in my
 opinion1 pass the months of ,may and   
,june more agreeably1 or more usefully1 
than at ,the ,hague4 ,but1 however1 if  
you have any other1 plan that you like  
better1 pursue it3 ,only let me know    
what you intend to do1 and ,i shall most
 cheerfully agree to it4  ,the          
parliament will be dissolved in about   
ten days1 and the writs for the election
 of the new one issued out immediately  
afterward2 so that1 by the end of next  
month1 you may depend upon being        
#8,membre de la chambre basse'2 a title 
that sounds high in foreign countries1  

and perhaps higher than it deserves4 ,i 
hope you will add a better title to it  
in your own1 ,i mean that of a good     
speaker in parliament3 you have1 ,i am  
sure1 all1 the materials necessary for  
it1 if you will but put them together   
and adorn them4 ,i spoke in parliament  
the first month ,i was in it1 and a     
month before ,i was of age2 and from the
 day ,i was elected1 till the day that  
,i spoke4 ,i am sure ,i thought nor     
dreamed of nothing but speaking4 ,the   
first time1 to say the truth1 ,i spoke  
very indifferently as to the matter2 but
 it passed tolerably1 in favor of the   
spirit with which ,i uttered it1 and the
 words in which ,i had dressed it4 ,i   
improved by degrees1 till at last it did
 tolerably well4 ,the ,house1 it must be
 owned1 is always extremely indulgent to
 the two or three first attempts of a   
young speaker2 and if they find any     
degree of common sense in what he says1 
they make great allowances for his      
inexperience1 and for the concern which 

they suppose him to be under4 ,i        
experienced that indulgence2 for had ,i 
not been a young member1 ,i should      
certainly have been1 as ,i own ,i       
deserved1 reprimanded by the ,house for 
some strong and indiscreet things that  
,i said4 ,adieu6 ,it is indeed high     
time4     ,,letter ,,cc  ,,london1      
,march #bf1 #aged  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3
 ,yesterday ,i received your letter of  
the #aeth from ,manheim1 where ,i find  
you have been received in the usual     
gracious manner2 which ,i hope you      
return in a ,,graceful one4 ,as this is 
a season of great devotion and solemnity
 in all ,catholic countries1 pray inform
 yourself of1 and constantly attend to1 
all their silly and pompous church      
ceremonies2 one ought to know them4 ,i  
am very glad that you wrote the letter  
to ,lord------1 which1 in every         
different case that can possibly be     
supposed1 was1 ,i am sure1 both a decent
 and a prudent step4 ,you will find it  
very difficult1 whenever we meet1 to    

convince me that you could have any good
 reasons for not doing it2 for ,i will1 
for argument's sake1 suppose1 what ,i   
cannot in reality believe1 that he has  
both said and done the worst he could1  
of and by you2 ,what then8 ,how will you
 help yourself8 ,are you in a situation 
to hurt him8 ,certainly not2 but he     
certainly is in a situation to hurt you4
 ,would you show a sullen1 pouting1     
impotent resentment8 ,i hope not2 leave 
that silly1 unavailing sort of          
resentment to women1 and men like them1 
who are always guided by humor1 never by
 reason and prudence4 ,that pettish1    
pouting conduct is a great deal too     
young1 and implies too little knowledge 
of the world1 for one who has seen so   
much of it as you have4 ,let this be one
 invariable rule of your                
conduct1--,never to show the least      
symptom of resentment which you cannot  
to a certain degree gratify2 but always 
to smile1 where you cannot strike4      
,there would be no living in courts1 nor

 indeed in the world if one could not   
conceal1 and even dissemble1 the just   
causes of resentment1 which one meets   
with every day in active and busy life4 
,whoever cannot master his humor enough1
 #8pour faire bonne mine a mauvais jeu'1
 should leave the world1 and retire to  
some hermitage1 in an unfrequented      
desert4 ,by showing an unavailing and   
sullen resentment1 you authorize the    
resentment of those who can hurt you and
 whom you cannot hurt2 and give them    
that very pretense1 which perhaps they  
wished for1 of breaking with1 and       
injuring you2 whereas the contrary      
behavior would lay them under1 the      
restraints of decency at least2 and     
either shackle or expose their malice4  
,besides1 captiousness1 sullenness1 and 
pouting are most exceedingly illiberal  
and vulgar4 #8,un honnete homme ne les  
connoit point'4  ,i am extremely glad to
 hear that you are soon to have         
,voltaire at ,manheim3 immediately upon 
his arrival1 pray make him a thousand   

compliments from me4 ,i admire him most 
exceedingly2 and1 whether as an epic1   
dramatic1 or lyric poet1 or             
prose-writer1 ,i think ,i justly apply  
to him the #8,nil molitur inepte'4 ,i   
long to read his own correct edition of 
#8,les ,annales de l',empire'1 of which 
the #8,abrege ,chronologique de         
l',histoire ,universelle'1 which ,i have
 read1 is1 ,i suppose1 a stolen and     
imperfect part2 however1 imperfect as it
 is1 it has explained to me that chaos  
of history1 of seven hundred years more 
clearly than any other book had done    
before4 ,you judge very rightly that ,i 
love #8le style le r et fleuri'4 ,i do1 
and so does everybody who has any parts 
and taste4 ,it should1 ,i confess1 be   
more or less #8fleuri'1 according to the
 subject2 but at the same time ,i assert
 that there is no subject that may not  
properly1 and which ought not to be     
adorned1 by a certain elegance and      
beauty of style4 ,what can be more      
adorned than ,cicero's ,philosophical   

,works8 ,what more than ,plato's8 ,it is
 their eloquence only that has preserved
 and transmitted them down to us through
 so many centuries2 for the philosophy  
of them is wretched1 and the reasoning  
part miserable4 ,but eloquence will     
always please1 and has always pleased4  
,study it therefore2 make it the object 
of your thoughts and attention4 ,use    
yourself to relate elegantly2 that is a 
good step toward speaking well in       
parliament4 ,take some political        
subject1 turn it in your thoughts1      
consider what may be said both for and  
against it1 then put those arguments    
into writing1 in the most correct and   
elegant ,english you can4 ,for instance1
 a standing army1 a place bill1 etc42 as
 to the former1 consider1 on one side1  
the dangers arising to a free country   
from a great standing military force2 on
 the other side1 consider the necessity 
of a force to repel force with4 ,examine
 whether a standing army1 though in     
itself an evil1 may not1 from           

circumstances1 become a necessary evil1 
and preventive of greater dangers4 ,as  
to the latter1 consider1 how far places 
may bias and warp the conduct of men1   
from the service of their country1 into 
an unwarrantable complaisance to the    
court2 and1 on the other hand1 consider 
whether they can be supposed to have    
that effect upon the conduct of people  
of probity and property1 who are more   
solidly interested in the permanent good
 of their country1 than they can be in  
an uncertain and precarious employment4 
,seek for1 and answer in your own mind1 
all the arguments that can be urged on  
either side1 and write them down in an  
elegant style4 ,this will prepare you   
for debating1 and give you an habitual  
eloquence2 for ,i would not give a      
farthing for a mere holiday eloquence1  
displayed once or twice in a session1 in
 a set declamation1 but ,i want an      
every-day1 ready1 and habitual          
eloquence1 to adorn extempore and       
debating speeches2 to make business not 

only clear but agreeable1 and to please 
even those whom you cannot inform1 and  
who do not desire to be informed4 ,all  
this you may acquire1 and make habitual 
to you1 with as little trouble as it    
cost you to dance a minuet as well as   
you do4 ,you now dance it mechanically  
and well without thinking of it4  ,i am 
surprised that you found but one letter 
for me at ,manheim1 for you ought to    
have found four or five2 there are as   
many lying for you at your banker's at  
,berlin1 which ,i wish you had1 because 
,i always endeavored to put something   
into them1 which1 ,i hope1 may be of use
 to you4  ,when we meet at ,spa1 next   
,july1 we must have a great many serious
 conversations2 in which ,i will pour   
out all my experience of the world1 and 
which1 ,i hope1 you will trust to1 more 
than to your own young notions of men   
and things4 ,you will1 in time1 discover
 most of them to have been erroneous2   
and1 if you follow them long1 you will  
perceive your error too late2 but if you

 will be led by a guide1 who1 you are   
sure1 does not mean to mislead you1 you 
will unite two things1 seldom united1 in
 the same person2 the vivacity and      
spirit of youth1 with the caution and   
experience of age4  ,last ,saturday1    
,sir ,thomas ,robinson1 who had been the
 ,king's ,minister at ,vienna1 was      
declared ,secretary of ,state for the   
southern department1 ,lord ,holderness  
having taken the northern4 ,sir ,thomas 
accepted it unwillingly1 and1 as ,i     
hear1 with a promise that he shall not  
keep it long4 ,both his health and      
spirits are bad1 two very disqualifying 
circumstances for that employment2      
yours1 ,i hope1 will enable you1 some   
time or other1 to go through with it4   
,in all events1 aim at it1 and if you   
fail or fall1 let it at least be said of
 you1 #8,magnis tamen excidit ausis'4   
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,cci  ,,london1   
,april #e1 #aged  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 
,i received yesterday your letter of the
 #bjth ,march1 from ,manheim1 with the  

inclosed for ,mr4 ,eliot2 it was a very 
proper one1 and ,i have forwarded it to 
him by ,mr4 ,harte1 who sets out for    
,cornwall tomorrow morning4  ,i am very 
glad that you use yourself to           
translations2 and ,i do not care of     
what1 provided you study the correctness
 and elegance of your style4 ,the 8,life
 of ,sextus ,quintus0 is the best book  
of the innumerable books written by     
,gregorio ,leti1 whom the ,italians1    
very justly1 call #8,leti caca libro'4  
,but ,i would rather that you chose some
 pieces of oratory for your             
translations1 whether ancient or modern1
 ,latin or ,french1 which would give you
 a more oratorical train of thoughts and
 turn of expression4 ,in your letter to 
me you make use of two words1 which     
though true and correct ,english1 are1  
however1 from long disuse1 become       
inelegant1 and seem now to be stiff1    
formal1 and in some degree scriptural2  
the first is the word ,,namely1 which   
you introduce thus1 ,,you ,,inform ,,me 

,,of ,a ,,very ,,agreeable ,,piece ,,of 
,,news1 namely1 ,,that ,,my ,,election  
,,is ,,secured4 ,instead of ,,namely1 ,i
 would always use ,,which ,,is1 or      
,,that ,,is1 that my-election is        
secured4 ,the other word is1 ,,mine     
,,own ,,inclinations3 this is certainly 
correct before a subsequent word that   
begins with a vowel2 but it is too      
correct1 and is now disused as too      
formal1 notwithstanding the hiatus      
occasioned by ,,my ,,own4 ,every        
language has its peculiarities2 they are
 established by usage1 and whether right
 or wrong1 they must be complied with4  
,i could instance many very absurd ones 
in different languages2 but so          
authorized by the #8jus et norma        
loquendi'1 that they must be submitted  
to4 ,,namely1 and ,,to ,,wit1 are very  
good words in themselves1 and contribute
 to clearness more than the relatives   
which we now substitute in their room2  
but1 however1 they cannot be used1      
except in a sermon or some very grave   

and formal compositions4 ,it is with    
language as with manners they are both  
established by the usage of people of   
fashion2 it must be imitated1 it must be
 complied with4 ,singularity is only    
pardonable in old age and retirement2 ,i
 may now be as singular as ,i please1   
but you may not4 ,we will1 when we meet1
 discuss these and many other points1   
provided you will give me attention and 
credit2 without both which it is to no  
purpose to advise either you or anybody 
else4  ,i want to know your             
determination1 where you intend to 7if  
,i may use that expression7 ,,while away
 your time till the last week in ,june1 
when we are to meet at ,spa2 ,i continue
 rather in the opinion which ,i         
mentioned to you formerly1 in favor of  
,the ,hague2 but however1 ,i have not   
the least objection to ,dresden1 or to  
any other place that you may like       
better4 ,if you prefer the ,dutch       
scheme1 you take ,treves and ,coblentz  
in your way1 as also ,dusseldorp3 all   

which places ,i think you have not yet  
seen4 ,at ,manheim you may certainly get
 good letters of recommendation to the  
courts of the two ,electors of ,treves  
and ,cologne1 whom you are yet          
unacquainted with2 and ,i should wish   
you to know them all2 for1 as ,i have   
often told you1 #8olim haec meminisse   
juvabit'4 ,there is an utility in having
 seen what other people have seen1 and  
there is a justifiable pride in having  
seen what others have not seen4 ,in the 
former case1 you are equal to others2 in
 the latter1 superior4 ,as your stay    
abroad will not now be very long1 pray1 
while it lasts1 see everything and      
everybody you can1 and see them well1   
with care and attention4 ,it is not to  
be conceived of what advantage it is to 
anybody to have seen more things1       
people1 and countries1 than other people
 in general have2 it gives them a       
credit1 makes them referred to1 and they
 become the objects of the attention of 
the company4 ,they are not out in any   

part of polite conversation2 they are   
acquainted with all the places1 customs1
 courts1 and families that are likely to
 be mentioned2 they are1 as ,monsieur de
 ,maupertuis justly observes1 #8de tous 
les pays1 comme les savans1 sont de tous
 les tems'4 ,you have1 fortunately1 both
 those advantages3 the only remaining   
point is #8de savoir les faire valoir'1 
for without that one may as well not    
have them4 ,remember that very true     
maxim of ,la ,bruyere's1 #8,qu'on ne    
vaut dans se monde que ce qu'on veut    
valoir'4 ,the knowledge of the world    
will teach you to what degree you ought 
to show #8que vous valez'4 ,one must by 
no means1 on one hand1 be indifferent   
about it2 as1 on the other1 one must not
 display it with affectation1 and in an 
overbearing manner1 but1 of the two1 it 
is better to show too much than too     
little4 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,ccii     
,,bath1 ,november #bg1 #aged  ,,my      
,,dear ,,friend3 ,i heartily            
congratulate you upon the loss of your  

political maidenhead1 of which ,i have  
received from others a very good        
account4 ,i hear that you were stopped  
for some time in your career2 but       
recovered breath1 and finished it very  
well4 ,i am not surprised1 nor indeed   
concerned1 at your accident2 for ,i     
remember the dreadful feeling of that   
situation in myself2 and as it must     
require a most uncommon share of        
impudence to be unconcerned upon such an
 occasion1 ,i am not sure that ,i am not
 rather glad you stopped4 ,you must     
therefore now think of hardening        
yourself by degrees1 by using yourself  
insensibly to the sound of your own     
voice1 and to the act 7trifling as it   
seems7 of rising up and sitting down4   
,nothing will contribute so much to this
 as committee work of elections at      
night1 and of private bills in the      
morning4 ,there1 asking short questions1
 moving for witnesses to be called in1  
and all that kind of small ware1 will   
soon fit you to set up for yourself4 ,i 

am told that you are much mortified at  
your accident1 but without reason2 pray1
 let it rather be a spur than a curb to 
you4 ,persevere1 and1 depend upon it1 it
 will do well at last4 ,when ,i say     
persevere1 ,i do not mean that you      
should speak every day1 nor in every    
debate4 ,moreover1 ,i would not advise  
you to speak again upon public matters  
for some time1 perhaps a month or two2  
but ,i mean1 never lose view of that    
great object2 pursue it with discretion1
 but pursue it always4 #8,pelotez en    
attendant partie'4 ,you know ,i have    
always told you that speaking in public 
was but a knack1 which those who apply  
to the most will succeed in the best4   
,two old members1 very good judges1 have
 sent me compliments upon this occasion2
 and have assured me that they plainly  
find it will do2 though they perceived1 
from that natural confusion you were in1
 that you neither said all1 nor perhaps 
what you intended4 ,upon the whole1 you 
have set out very well1 and have        

sufficient encouragement to go on4      
,attend2 therefore1 assiduously1 and    
observe carefully all that passes in the
 ,house2 for it is only knowledge and   
experience that can make a debater4 ,but
 if you still want comfort1             
,mrs4-------,i hope1 will administer it 
to you2 for1 in my opinion she may1 if  
she will1 be very comfortable2 and with 
women1 as with speaking in parliament1  
perseverance will most certainly prevail
 sooner or later4  ,what little ,i have 
played for here1 ,i have won2 but that  
is very far from the considerable sum   
which you heard of4 ,i play every       
evening1 from seven till ten1 at a crown
 whist party1 merely to save my eyes    
from reading or writing for three hours 
by candle-light4 ,i propose being in    
town the week after next1 and hope to   
carry back with me much more health than
 ,i brought down here4 ,good-night4     
,mr4 ,stanhope being returned to        
,england1 and seeing his father almost  
every day1 is the occasion of an        

interruption of two years in their      
correspondence4                         
,,letters ,,to ,,his ,,son              
#agef-eh             ,by the ,,earl ,,of
 ,,chesterfield             on the ,fine
 ,art of becoming a                ,,man
 ,,of ,,the ,,world                     
and a                  ,,gentleman      
,,letter ,,cciii  ,,bath1 ,november #ae1
 #agef  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i        
received yours yesterday morning        
together with the ,prussian1 papers1    
which ,i have read with great attention4
 ,if courts could blush1 those of       
,vienna and ,dresden ought1 to have     
their falsehoods so publicly1 and so    
undeniably exposed4 ,the former will1 ,i
 presume1 next year1 employ an hundred  
thousand men1 to answer the accusation2 
and if the ,empress of the two ,russias 
is pleased to argue in the same cogent  
manner1 their logic will be too strong  
for all the ,king of ,prussia's         
rhetoric4 ,i well remember the treaty so
 often referred to in those pieces1     

between the two ,empresses1 in #agdf4   
,the ,king was strongly pressed by the  
,empress ,queen to accede to it4        
,wassenaer communicated it to me for    
that purpose4 ,i asked him if there were
 no secret articles2 suspecting that    
there were some1 because the ostensible 
treaty was a mere harmless1 defensive   
one4 ,he assured me that there were     
none4 ,upon which ,i told him1 that as  
the ,king had already defensive         
alliances with those two ,empresses1 ,i 
did not see of what use his accession to
 this treaty1 if merely a defensive one1
 could be1 either to himself or the     
other contracting parties2 but that1    
however1 if it was only desired as an   
indication of the ,king's good will1 ,i 
would give him an act by which his      
,majesty should accede to that treaty1  
as far1 but no further1 as at present he
 stood engaged to the respective        
,empresses by the defensive alliances   
subsisting with each4 ,this offer by no 
means satisfied him2 which was a plain  

proof of the secret articles now brought
 to light1 and into which the court of  
,vienna hoped to draw us4 ,i told       
,wassenaer so1 and after that ,i heard  
no more of his invitation4  ,i am still 
bewildered in the changes at ,court1 of 
which ,i find that all the particulars  
are not yet fixed4 ,who would have      
thought1 a year ago1 that ,mr4 ,fox1 the
 ,chancellor1 and the ,duke of          
,newcastle1 should all three have       
quitted together8 ,nor can ,i yet       
account for it2 explain it to me if you 
can4 ,i cannot see1 neither1 what the   
,duke of ,devonshire and ,fox1 whom ,i  
looked upon as intimately united1 can   
have quarreled about1 with relation to  
the ,treasury2 inform me1 if you know4  
,i never doubted of the prudent         
versatility of your ,vicar of ,bray3    
,but ,i am surprised at ,o',brien       
,windham's going out of the ,treasury1  
where ,i should have thought that the   
interest of his brother-in-law1 ,george 
,grenville1 would have kept him4        

,having found myself rather worse1 these
 two or three last days1 ,i was obliged 
to take some ipecacuanha last night2    
and1 what you will think odd1 for a     
vomit1 ,i brought it all up again in    
about an hour1 to my great satisfaction 
and emolument1 which is seldom the case 
in restitutions4  ,you did well to go to
 the ,duke of ,newcastle1 who1 ,i       
suppose1 will have no more levees2      
however1 go from time to time1 and leave
 your name at his door1 for you have    
obligations to him4 ,adieu4     ,,letter
 ,,cciv  ,,bath1 ,december #ad1 #agef4  
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,what can ,i say  
to you from this place1 where ,,every   
,,day ,,is ,,still ,,but ,,as ,,the     
,,first1 though by no means so agreeably
 passed1 as ,anthony describes his to   
have been8 ,the same nothings succeed   
one another every day with me1 as1      
regularly and uniformly as the hours of 
the day4 ,you will think this tiresome1 
and so it is2 but how can ,i help it8   
,cut off from society by my deafness1   

and dispirited by my ill health1 where  
could ,i be better8 ,you will say1      
perhaps1 where could you be worse8 ,only
 in prison1 or the galleys1 ,i confess4 
,however1 ,i see a period to my stay    
here2 and ,i have fixed1 in my own mind1
 a time for my return to ,london2 not   
invited there by either politics or     
pleasures1 to both which ,i am equally a
 stranger1 but merely to be at home2    
which1 after all1 according to the      
vulgar saying1 is home1 be it ever so   
homely4  ,the political settlement1 as  
it is called1 is1 ,i find1 by no means  
settled2 ,mr4 ,fox1 who took this place 
in his way to his brother's1 where he   
intended to pass a month1 was stopped   
short by an express1 which he received  
from his connection1 to come to town    
immediately2 and accordingly he set out 
from hence very early1 two days ago4 ,i 
had a very long conversation with him1  
in which he was1 seemingly at least1    
very frank and communicative2 but still 
,i own myself in the dark4 ,in those    

matters1 as in most others1 half        
knowledge 7and mine is at most that7 is 
more apt to lead one into error1 than to
 carry one to truth2 and our own vanity 
contributes to the seduction4 ,our      
conjectures pass upon us for truths2 we 
will know what we do not know1 and      
often1 what we cannot know3 so          
mortifying to our pride is the bare     
suspicion of ignorance6  ,it has been   
reported here that the ,empress of      
,russia is dying2 this would be a       
fortunate event indeed for the ,king of 
,prussia1 and necessarily produce the   
neutrality and inaction1 at least1 of   
that great power2 which would be a heavy
 weight taken out of the opposite scale 
to the ,king of ,prussia4 ,the          
#8,augustissima' must1 in that case1 do 
all herself2 for though ,france will1 no
 doubt1 promise largely1 it will1 ,i    
believe1 perform but scantily2 as it    
desires no better than that the         
different powers of ,germany should tear
 one another to pieces4  ,i hope you    

frequent all the courts3 a man should   
make his face familiar there4 ,long     
habit produces favor insensibly2 and    
acquaintance often does more than       
friendship1 in that climate where #8les 
beaux sentimens' are not the natural    
growth4  ,adieu6 ,i am going to the     
ball1 to save my eyes from reading1 and 
my mind from thinking4     ,,letters    
,,to ,,his ,,son  ,,letter ,,ccv        
,,bath1 ,january #ab1 #ageg  ,,my ,,dear
 ,,friend3 ,i waited quietly1 to see    
when either your leisure1 or your       
inclinations1 would al low you to honor 
me with a letter2 and at last ,i        
received one this morning1 very near a  
fortnight after you went from hence4    
,you will say1 that you had no news to  
write me2 and that probably may be true2
 but1 without news1 one has always      
something to say to those with whom one 
desires to have anything to do4  ,your  
observation is very just with regard to 
the ,king of ,prussia1 whom the most    
august ,house of ,austria would most    

unquestionably have poisoned a century  
or two ago4 ,but now that #8terras      
,astraea reliquit'1 kings and princes   
die of natural deaths2 even war is      
pusillanimously carried on in this      
degenerate age2 quarter is given2 towns 
are taken1 and the people spared3 even  
in a storm1 a woman can hardly hope for 
the benefit of a rape4 ,whereas 7such   
was the humanity of former days7        
prisoners were killed by thousands in   
cold blood1 and the generous victors    
spared neither man1 woman1 nor child4   
,heroic actions of this kind were       
performed at the taking of ,magdebourg4 
,the ,king of ,prussia is certainly now 
in a situation that must soon decide his
 fate1 and make him ,caesar or nothing4 
,notwithstanding the march of the       
,russians1 his great danger1 in my mind1
 lies westward4 ,i have no great notions
 of ,apraxin's abilities1 and ,i believe
 many a ,prussian colonel would         
out-general him4 ,but ,brown1           
,piccolomini1 ,lucchese1 and many other 

veteran officers in the ,austrian       
troops1 are respectable enemies4  ,mr4  
,pitt seems to me to have almost as many
 enemies to encounter as his ,prussian  
,majesty4 ,the late ,ministry1 and the  
,duke's party1 will1 ,i presume1 unite  
against him and his ,tory friends2 and  
then quarrel among themselves again4    
,his best1 if not his only chance of    
supporting himself would be1 if he had  
credit enough in the city1 to hinder the
 advancing of the money to any          
administration but his own2 and ,i have 
met with some people here who think that
 he has4  ,i have put off my journey    
from hence for a week1 but no longer4 ,i
 find ,i still gain some strength and   
some flesh here1 and therefore ,i will  
not cut while the run is for me4  ,by a 
letter which ,i received this morning   
from ,lady ,allen1 ,i observe that you  
are extremely well with her2 and it is  
well for you to be so1 for she is an    
excellent and warm puff4  #8,a propos'  
7an expression which is commonly used to

 introduce whatever is unrelative to it7
 you should apply to some of ,lord      
,holderness's people1 for the perusal of
 ,mr4 ,cope's letters4 ,it would not be 
refused you2 and the sooner you have    
them the better4 ,i do not mean them as 
models for your manner of writing1 but  
as outlines of the matter you are to    
write upon4  ,if you have not read      
,hume's 8,essays0 read them2 they are   
four very small volumes2 ,i have just   
finished1 and am extremely pleased with 
them4 ,he thinks impartially1 deep1     
often new2 and1 in my mind1 commonly    
just4 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,ccvi       
,,blackheath1 ,september #ag1 #ageg     
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,lord ,holderness 
has been so kind as to communicate to me
 all the letters which he has received  
from you hitherto1 dated the #aeth1     
#aith1 #bc;d1 and #bfth ,august2 and    
also a draught of that which he wrote to
 you the #ith instant4 ,i am very well  
pleased with all your letters2 and1 what
 is better1 ,i can tell you that the    

,king is so too2 and he said1 but three 
days ago1 to ,monsieur ,munchausen1 ,,he
 7meaning you7 ,,sets ,,out ,,very      
,,well1 ,,and ,i ,,like ,,his ,,letters2
 ,,provided ,,that1 ,,like ,,most ,,of  
,,my ,,english ,,ministers ,,abroad1    
,,he ,,does ,,not ,,grow ,,idle         
,,hereafter4 ,so that here is both      
praise to flatter1 and a hint to warn   
you4 ,what ,lord ,holderness recommends 
to you1 being by the ,king's order1     
intimates also a degree of approbation2 
for the ,,blacker ,,ink1 ,,and ,,the    
,,larger ,,character1 show1 that his    
,majesty1 whose eyes are grown weaker1  
intends to read all your letters        
himself4 ,therefore1 pray do not neglect
 to get the blackest ink you can2 and to
 make your secretary enlarge his hand1  
though #8d'ailleurs' it is a very good  
one4  ,had ,i been to wish an           
advantageous situation for you1 and a   
good debut in it1 ,i could not have     
wished you either better than both have 
hitherto proved4 ,the rest will depend  

entirely upon yourself2 and ,i own ,i   
begin to have much better hopes than ,i 
had2 for ,i know1 by my own experience1 
that the more one works1 the more       
willing one is to work4 ,we are all1    
more or less1 #8des animaux d'habitude'4
 ,i remember very well1 that when ,i was
 in business1 ,i wrote four or five     
hours together every day1 more willingly
 than ,i should now half an hour2 and   
this is most certain1 that when a man   
has applied himself to business half the
 day1 the other half1 goes off the more 
cheerfully and agreeably4 ,this ,i found
 so sensibly1 when ,i was at ,the       
,hague1 that ,i never tasted company so 
well nor was so good company myself1 as 
at the suppers of my post days4 ,i take 
,hamburg now to be #8le centre du refuge
 ,allemand'4 ,if you have any ,hanover  
#8refugies' among them1 pray take care  
to be particularly attentive to them4   
,how do you like your house8 ,is it a   
convenient one8 ,have the               
#8,casserolles' been employed in it yet8

 ,you will find #8les petits soupers    
fins' less expensive1 and turn to better
 account1 than large dinners for great  
companies4  ,i hope you have written to 
the ,duke of ,newcastle2 ,i take it for 
granted that you have to all your       
brother ministers of the northern       
department4 ,for ,god's sake be         
diligent1 alert1 active1 and            
indefatigable in your business4 ,you    
want nothing but labor and industry to  
be1 one day1 whatever you please1 in    
your own way4  ,we think and talk of    
nothing here but ,brest1 which is       
universally supposed to be the object of
 our great expedition4 ,a great and     
important object it is4 ,i suppose the  
affair must be brusque1 or it will not  
do4 ,if we succeed1 it will make ,france
 put some water to its wine4 ,as for my 
own private opinion1 ,i own ,i rather   
wish than hope success4 ,however1 should
 our expedition fail1 #8,magnis tamen   
excidit ausis'1 and that will be better 
than our late languid manner of making  

war4  ,to mention a person to you whom  
,i am very indifferent about1 ,i mean   
myself1 ,i vegetate still just as ,i did
 when we parted2 but ,i think ,i begin  
to be sensible of the autumn of the     
year2 as well as of the autumn of my own
 life4 ,i feel an internal awkwardness1 
which1 in about three weeks1 ,i shall   
carry with me to the ,bath1 where ,i    
hope to get rid of it1 as ,i did last   
year4 ,the best cordial ,i could take1  
would be to hear1 from time to time1 of 
your industry and diligence2 for in that
 case ,i should consequently hear of    
your success4 ,remember your own motto1 
#8,nullum numen abest si sit prudentia'4
 ,nothing is truer4 ,yours4     ,,letter
 ,,ccvii  ,,blackheath1 ,september #bc1 
#ageg  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i received
 but the day before yesterday your      
letter of the #c;d1 from the            
headquarters at ,selsingen2 and1 by the 
way1 it is but the second that ,i have  
received from you since your arrival at 
,hamburg4 ,whatever was the cause of    

your going to the army1 ,i approve of   
the effect2 for ,i would have you1 as   
much as possible1 see everything that is
 to be seen4 ,that is the true useful   
knowledge1 which informs and improves us
 when we are young1 and amuses us and   
others when we are old2 #8,olim haec    
meminisse juvabit'4 ,i could wish that  
you would 7but ,i know you will not7    
enter in a book1 a short note only1 of  
whatever you see or hear1 that is very  
remarkable3 ,i do not mean a ,german    
,,album stuffed with people's names1 and
 ,latin sentences2 but ,i mean such a   
book1 as1 if you do not keep now1 thirty
 years hence you would give a great deal
 of money to have kept4 #8,a propos de  
bottes'1 for ,i am told he always wears 
his2 was his ,royal ,highness very      
gracious to you1 or not8 ,i have my     
doubts about it4 ,the neutrality which  
he has concluded with ,marechal de      
,richelieu1 will prevent that bloody    
battle which you expected2 but what the 
,king of ,prussia will say to it is     

another point4 ,he was our only ally2 at
 present1 probably we have not one in   
the world4 ,if the ,king of ,prussia can
 get at ,monsieur de ,soubize's1 and the
 ,imperial army1 before other troops    
have joined them1 ,i think he will beat 
them but what then8 ,he has three       
hundred thousand men to encounter       
afterward4 ,he must submit2 but he may  
say with truth1 #8,si ,pergama dextra   
defendi potuissent'4 ,the late action   
between the ,prussians and ,russians has
 only thinned the human species1 without
 giving either party a victory2 which is
 plain by each party's claiming it4     
,upon my word1 our species will pay very
 dear for the quarrels and ambition of a
 few1 and those by no means the most    
valuable part of it4 ,if the many were  
wiser than they are1 the few must be    
quieter1 and would perhaps be juster and
 better than they are4  ,hamburg1 ,i    
find1 swarms with ,grafs1 ,graffins1    
,fursts1 and ,furstins1 ,hocheits1 and  
,durchlaugticheits4 ,i am glad of it1   

for you must necessarily be in the midst
 of them2 and ,i am still more glad1    
that1 being in the midst of them1 you   
must necessarily be under some          
constraint of ceremony2 a thing which   
you do not love1 but which is1 however1 
very useful4  ,i desired you in my last1
 and ,i repeat it again in this1 to give
 me an account of your private and      
domestic life4  ,how do you pass your   
evenings8 ,have they1 at ,hamburg1 what 
are called at ,paris #8des ,maisons'1   
where one goes without ceremony1 sups or
 not1 as one pleases8 ,are you adopted  
in any society8 ,have you any rational  
brother ministers1 and which8 ,what sort
 of things are your operas8 ,in the     
tender1 ,i doubt they do not excel2 for 
#8mein lieber schatz'1 and the other    
tendernesses of the ,teutonic language1 
would1 in my mind1 sound but            
indifferently1 set to soft music2 for   
the bravura parts1 ,i have a great      
opinion of them2 and #8das1 der donner  
dich erschlage'1 must no doubt1 make a  

tremendously fine piece of              
#8recitativo'1 when uttered by an angry 
hero1 to the rumble of a whole          
orchestra1 including drums1 trumpets1   
and ,french horns4 ,tell me your whole  
allotment of the day1 in which ,i hope  
four hours1 at least1 are sacred to     
writing2 the others cannot be better    
employed than in ,,liberal pleasures4   
,in short1 give me a full account of    
yourself1 in your un-ministerial        
character1 your incognito1 without your 
#8fiocchi'4 ,i love to see those1 in    
whom ,i interest myself1 in their       
undress1 rather than in gala2 ,i know   
them better so4 ,i recommend to you1    
#8etiam atque etiam'1 method and order  
in everything you undertake4 ,do you    
observe it in your accounts8 ,if you do 
not1 you will be a beggar1 though you   
were to receive the appointments of a   
,spanish ,ambassador extraordinary1     
which are a thousand pistoles a month2  
and in your ministerial business1 if you
 have no regular and stated hours for   

such and such parts of it1 you will be  
in the hurry and confusion of the ,duke 
of ,n-----1 doing everything by halves1 
and nothing well1 nor soon4 ,i suppose  
you #8have been feasted through the     
,corps diplomatique at ,hamburg1        
excepting ,monsieur ,champeaux2 with    
whom1 however1 ,i hope you live         
#8poliment et galamment'1 at all third  
places4  ,lord ,loudon is much blamed   
here for his #8retraite des dix milles'1
 for it is said that he had above that  
number1 and might consequently have     
acted offensively1 instead of           
retreating2 especially as his retreat   
was contrary to the unanimous opinion   
7as it is now said7 of the council of   
war4 ,in our ,ministry1 ,i suppose1     
things go pretty quietly1 for the ,d4 of
 ,n4 has not plagued me these two       
months4 ,when his ,royal ,highness comes
 over1 which ,i take it for granted he  
will do very soon1 the great push will1 
,i presume1 be made at his ,grace and   
,mr4 ,pitt2 but without effect if they  

agree1 as it is visibly their interest  
to do2 and1 in that case1 their         
parliamentary strength will support them
 against all attacks4 ,you may remember1
 ,i said at first1 that the popularity  
would soon be on the side of those who  
opposed the popular ,militia ,bill2 and 
now it appears so with a vengeance1 in  
almost every county in ,england1 by the 
tumults and insurrections of the people1
 who swear that they will not be        
enlisted4 ,that silly scheme must       
therefore be dropped1 as quietly as may 
be4 ,now that ,i have told you all that 
,i know1 and almost all that ,i think1  
,i wish you a good supper and a         
good-night4     ,,letter ,,ccviii       
,,blackheath1 ,september #cj1 #ageg     
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have so little 
to do1 that ,i am surprised how ,i can  
find time to write to you so often4 ,do 
not stare at the seeming paradox2 for it
 is an undoubted truth1 that the less   
one has to do1 the less time one finds  
to do it in4 ,one yawns1 one            

procrastinates1 one can do it when one  
will1 and therefore one seldom does it  
at all2 whereas those who have a great  
deal of business1 must 7to use a vulgar 
expression7 buckle to it2 and then they 
always find time enough to do it in4 ,i 
hope your own experience has by this    
time convinced you of this truth4  ,i   
received your last of the #hth4 ,it is  
now quite over with a very great man1   
who will still be a very great man1     
though a very unfortunate one4 ,he has  
qualities of the mind that put him above
 the reach of these misfortunes2 and if 
reduced1 as perhaps he may1 to the      
#8marche' of ,brandenburg1 he will      
always find in himself the comfort1 and 
with all the world the credit1 of a     
philosopher1 a legislator1 a patron1 and
 a professor of arts and sciences4 ,he  
will only lose the fame of a conqueror2 
a cruel fame1 that arises from the      
destruction of the human species4 ,could
 it be any satisfaction to him to know1 
,i could tell him1 that he is at this   

time the most popular man in this       
kingdom2 the whole nation being enraged 
at that neutrality which hastens and    
completes his ruin4 ,between you and me1
 the ,king was not less enraged at it   
himself1 when he saw the terms of it2   
and it affected his health more than all
 that had happened before4 ,indeed it   
seems to me a voluntary concession of   
the very worst that could have happened 
in the worst event4 ,we now begin to    
think that our great and secret         
expedition is intended for ,martinico   
and ,st4 ,domingo2 if that be true1 and 
we succeed in the attempt1 we shall     
recover1 and the ,french lose1 one of   
the most valuable branches of           
commerce--,i mean sugar4 ,the ,french   
now supply all the foreign markets in   
,europe with that commodity2 we only    
supply ourselves with it4 ,this would   
make us some amends for our ill luck1 or
 ill conduct in ,north ,america2 where  
,lord ,loudon1 with twelve thousand men1
 thought himself no match for the       

,french with but seven2 and ,admiral    
,holborne1 with seventeen ships of the  
line1 declined attacking the ,french1   
because they had eighteen1 and a greater
 weight of ,,metal1 according to the new
 sea-phrase1 which was unknown to       
,blake4 ,i hear that letters have been  
sent to both with very severe           
reprimands4 ,i am told1 and ,i believe  
it is true1 that we are negotiating with
 the ,corsican1 ,i will not say rebels1 
but asserters of their natural rights2  
to receive them1 and whatever form of   
government they think fit to establish1 
under our protection1 upon condition of 
their delivering up to us ,port         
,ajaccio2 which may be made so strong   
and so good a one1 as to be a full      
equivalent for the loss of ,port ,mahon4
 ,this is1 in my mind1 a very good      
scheme2 for though the ,corsicans are a 
parcel of cruel and perfidious rascals1 
they will in this case be tied down to  
us by their own interest and their own  
danger2 a solid security with knaves1   

though none with fools4 ,his ,royal     
,highness the ,duke is hourly expected  
here3 his arrival will make some bustle2
 for ,i believe it is certain that he is
 resolved to make a push at the ,duke of
 ,n41 ,pitt and ,co42 but it will be    
ineffectual1 if they continue to agree1 
as1 to my ,,certain ,,knowledge1 they do
 at present4 ,this parliament is theirs1
 #8caetera quis nescit'8  ,now that ,i  
have told you all that ,i know or have  
heard1 of public matters1 let us talk of
 private ones that more nearly and      
immediately concern us4 ,admit me to    
your fire-side1 in your little room2 and
 as you would converse with me there1   
write to me for the future from thence4 
,are you completely #8nippe' yet8 ,have 
you formed what the world calls         
connections8 that is1 a certain number  
of acquaintances whom1 from accident or 
choice1 you frequent more than others3  
,have you either fine or well-bred women
 there8 #8,y a-t-il quelque bon ton'8   
,all fat and fair1 ,i presume2 too proud

 and too cold to make advances1 but1 at 
the same time1 too well-bred and too    
warm to reject them1 when made by #8un  
honnete homme avec des manieres'4       
,mr4------is to be married1 in about a  
month1 to ,miss------4 ,i am very glad  
of it2 for1 as he will never be a man of
 the world1 but will always lead a      
domestic and retired life1 she seems to 
have been made on purpose for him4 ,her 
natural turn is as grave and domestic as
 his2 and she seems to have been kept by
 her aunts #8a la grace'1 instead of    
being raised in a hot bed1 as most young
 ladies are of late4 ,if1 three weeks   
hence1 you write him a short compliment 
of congratulation upon the occasion1 he1
 his mother1 and #8tutti quanti'1 would 
be extremely pleased with it4 ,those    
attentions are always kindly taken1 and 
cost one nothing but pen1 ink1 and      
paper4 ,i consider them as draughts upon
 good-breeding1 where the exchange is   
always greatly in favor of the drawer4  
#8,a propos' of exchange2 ,i hope you   

have1 with the help of your secretary1  
made yourself correctly master of all   
that sort of knowledge--,course of      
,exchange1 #8,agie1 ,banco1             
,reiche-,thalers'1 down to #8,marien    
,groschen'4 ,it is very little trouble  
to learn it2 it is often of great use to
 know it4 ,good-night1 and ,god bless   
you6     ,,letter ,,ccix  ,,blackheath1 
,october #aj1 #ageg  ,,my ,,dear        
,,friend3 ,it is not without some       
difficulty that ,i snatch this moment of
 leisure from my extreme idleness1 to   
inform you of the present lamentable and
 astonishing state of affairs here1     
which you would know but imperfectly    
from the public papers1 and but         
partially from your private             
correspondents4 #8,or sus' then--,our in
 vincible ,armada1 which cost at least  
half a million1 sailed1 as you know1    
some weeks ago2 the object kept an      
inviolable secret3 conjectures various1 
and expectations great4 ,brest was      
perhaps to be taken2 but ,martinico and 

,st4 ,domingo1 at least4 ,when lo6 the  
important island of ,aix was taken      
without the least resistance1 seven     
hundred men made prisoners1 and some    
pieces of cannon carried off4 ,from     
thence we sailed toward ,rochfort1 which
 it seems was our main object2 and      
consequently one should have supposed   
that we had pilots on board who knew all
 the soundings and landing places there 
and thereabouts3 but no2 for ,general   
,m-----t asked the ,admiral if he could 
land him and the troops near ,rochfort8 
,the ,admiral said1 with great ease4 ,to
 which the ,general replied1 but can you
 take us on board again8 ,to which the  
,admiral answered1 that1 like all naval 
operations1 will depend upon the wind4  
,if so1 said the ,general1 ,i'll e'en go
 home again4 ,a ,council of ,war was    
immediately called1 where it was        
unanimously resolved1 that it was       
,,advisable to return2 accordingly they 
are returned4 ,as the expectations of   
the whole nation had been raised to the 

highest pitch1 the universal            
disappointment and indignation have     
arisen in proportion2 and ,i question   
whether the ferment of men's minds was  
ever greater4 ,suspicions1 you may be   
sure1 are various and endless1 but the  
most prevailing one is1 that the tail of
 the ,hanover neutrality1 like that of a
 comet1 extended itself to ,rochfort4   
,what encourages this suspicion is1 that
 a ,french man of war went unmolested   
through our whole fleet1 as it lay near 
,rochfort4 ,haddock's whole story is    
revived2 ,michel's representations are  
combined with other circumstances2 and  
the whole together makes up a mass of   
discontent1 resentment1 and even fury1  
greater than perhaps was ever known in  
this country before4 ,these are the     
facts1 draw your own conclusions from   
them2 for my part1 ,i am lost in        
astonishment and conjectures1 and do not
 know where to fix4 ,my experience has  
shown me1 that many things which seem   
extremely probable are not true3 and    

many which seem highly improbable are   
true2 so that ,i will conclude this     
article1 as ,josephus does almost every 
article of his history1 with saying1    
,,but ,,of ,,this ,,every ,,man ,,will  
,,believe ,,as ,,he ,,thinks ,,proper4  
,what a disgraceful year will this be in
 the annals of this country6 ,may its   
good genius1 if ever it appears again1  
tear out those sheets1 thus stained and 
blotted by our ignominy6  ,our domestic 
affairs are1 as far as ,i know anything 
of them1 in the same situation as when  
,i wrote to you last2 but they will     
begin to be in motion upon the approach 
of the session1 and upon the return of  
the ,duke1 whose arrival is most        
impatiently expected by the mob of      
,london2 though not to strew flowers in 
his way4  ,i leave this place next      
,saturday1 and ,london the ,saturday    
following1 to be the next day at ,bath4 
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,ccx  ,,london1   
,october #ag1 #ageg4  ,,my ,,dear       
,,friend3 ,your last1 of the #cjth past1

 was a very good letter2 and ,i will    
believe half of what you assure me1 that
 you returned to the ,landgrave's       
civilities4 ,i cannot possibly go       
farther than half1 knowing that you are 
not lavish of your words1 especially in 
that species of eloquence called the    
adulatory4 ,do not use too much         
discretion in profiting of the          
,landgrave's naturalization of you2 but 
go pretty often and feed with him4      
,choose the company of your superiors1  
whenever you can have it2 that is the   
right and true pride4 ,the mistaken and 
silly pride is1 to ,,primer among       
inferiors4  ,hear1 ,o ,israel6 and      
wonder4 ,on ,sunday morning last1 the   
,duke gave up his commission of ,captain
 ,general and his regiment of guards4   
,you will ask me why8 ,i cannot tell    
you1 but ,i will tell you the causes    
assigned2 which1 perhaps1 are none of   
them the true ones4 ,it is said that the
 ,king reproached him with having       
exceeded his powers in making the       

,hanover ,convention1 which his ,r4 ,h4 
absolutely denied1 and threw up         
thereupon4 ,this is certain1 that he    
appeared at the drawing-room at         
,kensington1 last ,sunday1 after having 
quitted1 and went straight to ,windsor2 
where1 his people say1 that he intends  
to reside quietly1 and amuse himself as 
a private man4 ,but ,i conjecture that  
matters will soon be made up again1 and 
that he will resume his employments4    
,you will easily imagine the            
speculations this event has occasioned  
in the public2 ,i shall neither trouble 
you nor myself with relating them2 nor  
would this sheet of paper1 or even a    
quire more1 contain them4 ,some refine  
enough to suspect that it is a concerted
 quarrel1 to justify ,,somebody ,,to    
,,somebody1 with regard to the          
,convention2 but ,i do not believe it4  
,his ,r4 ,h4's people load the ,hanover 
,ministers1 and more particularly our   
friend ,munchausen here1 with the whole 
blame2 but with what degree of truth ,i 

know not4 ,this only is certain1 that   
the whole negotiation of that affair was
 broached and carried on by the ,hanover
 ,ministers and ,monsieur ,stemberg at  
,vienna1 absolutely unknown to the      
,english ,ministers1 till it was        
executed4 ,this affair combined 7for    
people will combine it7 with the        
astonishing return of our great         
armament1 not only #8re infecta'1 but   
even #8intentata'1 makes such a jumble  
of reflections1 conjectures1 and        
refinements1 that one is weary of       
hearing them4 ,our ,tacituses and       
,machiavels go deep1 suspect the worst1 
and1 perhaps1 as they often do1         
overshoot the mark4 ,for my own part1 ,i
 fairly confess that ,i am bewildered1  
and have not certain #8postulata'       
enough1 not only to found any opinion1  
but even to form conjectures upon3 and  
this is the language which ,i think you 
should hold to all who speak to you1 as 
to be sure all will1 upon that subject4 
,plead1 as you truly may1 your own      

ignorance2 and say1 that it is          
impossible to judge of those nice       
points1 at such a distance1 and without 
knowing all circumstances1 which you    
cannot be supposed to do4 ,and as to the
 ,duke's resignation2 you should1 in my 
opinion1 say1 that perhaps there might  
be a little too much vivacity in the    
case1 but that1 upon the whole1 you make
 no doubt of the thing's being soon set 
right again2 as1 in truth1 ,i dare say  
it will4 ,upon these delicate occasions1
 you must practice the ministerial      
shrugs and #8persiflage'2 for silent    
gesticulations1 which you would be most 
inclined to1 would not be sufficient3   
something must be said1 but that        
something1 when analyzed1 must amount to
 nothing4 ,as for instance1 #8,il est   
vrai qu'on s'y perd1 mais que           
voulez-vous que je vous dise8--il y a   
bien du pour et du contre2 un petit     
,resident ne voit gueres le fond du     
sac4--,il faut attendre4--,those sort of
 expletives are of infinite use2 and    

nine people in ten think they mean      
something4 ,but to the ,landgrave of    
,hesse ,i think you would do well to    
say1 in seeming confidence1 that you    
have good reason to believe that the    
principal objection of his ,majesty to  
the convention was that his ,highness's 
interests1 and the affair of his troops1
 were not sufficiently considered in it4
 ,to the ,prussian ,minister assert     
boldly that you know #8de science       
certaine'1 that the principal object of 
his ,majesty's and his ,british         
,ministry's intention is not only to    
perform all their present engagements   
with his ,master1 but to take new and   
stronger ones for his support2 for this 
is true--,,at ,,least ,,at ,,present4   
,you did very well in inviting ,comte   
,bothmar to dine with you4 ,you see how 
minutely ,i am informed of your         
proceedings1 though not from yourself4  
,adieu4  ,i go to ,bath next ,saturday2 
but direct your letters1 as usual1 to   
,london4     ,,letter ,,ccxi  ,,bath1   

,october #bf1 #ageg4  ,,my ,,dear       
,,friend3 ,i arrived here safe1 but far 
from sound1 last ,sunday4 ,i have       
consequently drunk these waters but     
three days1 and yet ,i find myself      
something better for them4 ,the night   
before ,i left ,london4 ,i was for some 
hours at ,newcastle ,house1 where the   
letters1 which came that morning1 lay   
upon the table3 and his ,grace singled  
out yours with great approbation1 and1  
at the same time1 assured me of his     
,majesty's approbation1 too4 ,to these  
two approbations ,i truly add my own1   
which1 #8sans vanite'1 may perhaps be   
near as good as the other two4 ,in that 
letter you venture #8vos petits         
raisonnemens' very properly1 and then as
 properly make an excuse for doing so4  
,go on so1 with diligence1 and you will 
be1 what ,i began to despair of your    
ever being1 ,,somebody4 ,i am persuaded1
 if you would own the truth1 that you   
feel yourself now much better satisfied 
with yourself than you were while you   

did nothing4  ,application to business1 
attended with approbation and success1  
flatters and animates the mind3 which1  
in idleness and inaction1 stagnates and 
putrefies4 ,i could wish that every     
rational man would1 every night when he 
goes to bed1 ask himself this question1 
,what have ,i done to-day8 ,have ,i done
 anything that can be of use to myself  
or others8 ,have ,i employed my time1 or
 have ,i squandered it8 ,have ,i lived  
out the day1 or have ,i dozed it away in
 sloth and laziness8 ,a thinking being  
must be pleased or confounded1 according
 as he can answer himself these         
questions4 ,i observe that you are in   
the secret of what is intended1 and what
 ,munchausen is gone to ,stade to       
prepare2 a bold and dangerous experiment
 in my mind1 and which may probably end 
in a second volume to the 8,history of  
the ,palatinate10 in the last century4  
,his ,serene ,highness of ,brunswick    
has1 in my mind1 played a prudent and   
saving game2 and ,i am apt to believe   

that the other ,serene ,highness1 at    
,hamburg1 is more likely to follow his  
example than to embark in the great     
scheme4  ,i see no signs of the ,duke's 
resuming his employments2 but on the    
contrary ,i am assured that his ,majesty
 is coolly determined to do as well as  
he can without him4 ,the ,duke of       
,devonshire and ,fox have worked hard to
 make up matters in the closet1 but to  
no purpose4 ,people's self-love is very 
apt to make them think themselves more  
necessary than they are3 and ,i shrewdly
 suspect1 that his ,royal ,highness has 
been the dupe of that sentiment1 and was
 taken at his word when he least        
suspected it2 like my predecessor1 ,lord
 ,harrington1 who when he went into the 
closet to resign the seals1 had them not
 about him3 so sure he thought himself  
of being pressed to keep them4  ,the    
whole talk of ,london1 of this place1   
and of every place in the whole kingdom1
 is of our great1 expensive1 and yet    
fruitless expedition2 ,i have seen an   

officer who was there1 a very sensible  
and observing man3 who told me that had 
we attempted ,rochfort1 the day after we
 took the island of ,aix1 our success   
had been infallible2 but that1 after we 
had sauntered 7,god knows why7 eight or 
ten days in the island1 he thinks the   
attempt would have been impracticable1  
because the ,french had in that time got
 together all the troops in that        
neighborhood1 to a very considerable    
number4 ,in short1 there must have been 
some secret in that whole affair that   
has not yet transpired2 and ,i cannot   
help suspecting that it came from       
,stade4 ,,we had not been successful    
there2 and perhaps ,,we were not        
desirous that an expedition1 in which   
,,we had neither been concerned nor     
consulted1 should prove so2 ,m----t was 
,,our creature1 and a word to the wise  
will sometimes go a great way4 ,m----t  
is to have a public trial1 from which   
the public expects great                
discoveries--,not ,i4  ,do you visit    

,soltikow1 the ,russian ,minister1 whose
 house1 ,i am told1 is the great scene  
of pleasures at ,hamburg8 ,his mistress1
 ,i take for granted1 is by this time   
dead1 and he wears some other body's    
shackles4 ,her death comes with regard  
to the ,king of ,prussia1 #8comme la    
moutarde apres diner'4 ,i am curious to 
see what tyrant will succeed her1 not by
 divine1 but by military right2 for1    
barbarous as they are now1 and still    
more barbarous as they have been        
formerly1 they have had very little     
regard to the more barbarous notion of  
divine1 indefeasible1 hereditary right4 
,the ,praetorian bands1 that is1 the    
guards1 ,i presume1 have been engaged in
 the interests of the ,imperial ,prince2
 but still ,i think that little ,john of
 ,archangel will be heard upon this     
occasion1 unless prevented by a quieting
 draught of hemlock or nightshade2 for  
,i suppose they are not arrived to the  
politer and genteeler poisons of ,acqua 
,tufana1--,acqua ,tufana1 a ,neapolitan 

slow poison1 resembling clear water1 and
 invented by a woman at ,naples1 of the 
name of ,tufana4--sugar-plums1 etc4     
,lord ,halifax has accepted his old     
employment1 with the honorary addition  
of the ,cabinet ,council4 ,and so we    
heartily wish you a goodnight4          
,,letter ,,ccxii  ,,bath1 ,november #d1 
#ageg  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,the ,sons 
of ,britain1 like those of ,noah1 must  
cover their parent's shame as well as   
they can2 for to retrieve its honor is  
now too late4 ,one would really think   
that our ministers and generals were all
 as drunk as the ,patriarch was4        
,however1 in your situation1 you must   
not be ,cham2 but spread your cloak over
 our disgrace1 as far as it will go4    
,m----t calls aloud for a public trial2 
and in that1 and that only1 the public  
agree with him4 ,there will certainly be
 one1 but of what kind is not yet fixed4
 ,some are for a parliamentary inquiry1 
others for a martial one2 neither will1 
in my opinion1 discover the true secret2

 for a secret there most unquestionably 
is4 ,why we stayed six whole days in the
 island of ,aix1 mortal cannot imagine2 
which time the ,french employed1 as it  
was obvious they would1 in assembling   
their troops in the neighborhood of     
,rochfort1 and making our attempt then  
really impracticable4 ,the day after we 
had taken the island of ,aix1 your      
friend1 ,colonel ,wolf1 publicly offered
 to do the business with five hundred   
men and three ships only4 ,in all these 
complicated political machines there are
 so many wheels1 that it is always      
difficult1 and sometimes im possible1 to
 guess which of them gives direction to 
the whole4 ,mr4 ,pitt is convinced that 
the principal wheels1 or1 if you will1  
the spoke in his wheel1 came from       
,stade4 ,this is certain1 at least that 
,m----t was the man of confidence with  
that person4 ,whatever be the truth of  
the case1 there is1 to be sure1 hitherto
 an #8hiatus valde deflendus'4  ,the    
meeting of the parliament will certainly

 be very numerous1 were it only from    
curiosity3 but the majority on the side 
of the ,court will1 ,i dare say1 be a   
great one4 ,the people of the late      
,captain-general1 however inclined to   
oppose1 will be obliged to concur4      
,their commissions1 which they have no  
desire to lose1 will make them          
tractable2 for those gentlemen1 though  
all men of honor1 are of ,sosia's mind1 
#8que le vrai ,amphitrion est celui ou  
l'on dine'4 ,the ,tories and the city   
have engaged to support ,pitt2 the      
,whigs1 the ,duke of ,newcastle2 the    
independent and the impartial1 as you   
well know1 are not worth mentioning4 ,it
 is said that the ,duke intends to bring
 the affair of his ,convention into     
parliament1 for his own justification2  
,i can hardly believe it2 as ,i cannot  
conceive that transactions so merely    
electoral can be proper objects of      
inquiry or deliberation for a ,british  
parliament2 and1 therefore1 should such 
a motion be made1 ,i presume it will be 

immediately quashed4 ,by the commission 
lately given to ,sir ,john ,ligonier1 of
 ,general and ,commander-in-chief of all
 his ,majesty's forces in ,great        
,britain1 the door seems to be not only 
shut1 but bolted1 against his ,royal    
,highness's return2 and ,i have good    
reason to be convinced that that breach 
is irreparable4 ,the reports of changes 
in the ,ministry1 ,i am pretty sure1 are
 idle and groundless4 ,the ,duke of     
,newcastle and ,mr4 ,pitt really agree  
very well2 not1 ,i presume1 from any    
sentimental tenderness for each other1  
but from a sense that it is their mutual
 interest3 and1 as the late             
,captain-general's party is now out of  
the question1 ,i do not see what should 
produce the least change4  ,the visit   
made lately to ,berlin was1 ,i dare say1
 neither a friendly nor an inoffensive  
one4 ,the ,austrians always leave behind
 them pretty lasting monuments of their 
visits1 or rather visitations3 not so   
much1 ,i believe1 from their thirst of  

glory1 as from their hunger of prey4    
,this winter1 ,i take for granted1 must 
produce a piece of some kind or another2
 a bad one for us1 no doubt1 and yet    
perhaps better than we should get the   
year after4 ,i suppose the ,king of     
,prussia is negotiating with ,france1   
and endeavoring by those means to get   
out of the scrape with the loss only of 
,silesia1 and perhaps ,halberstadt1 by  
way of indemnification to ,saxony2 and1 
considering all circumstances1 he would 
be well off upon those terms4 ,but then 
how is ,sweden to be satisfied8 ,will   
the ,russians restore ,memel8 ,will     
,france have been at all this expense   
#8gratis'8 ,must there be no acquisition
 for them in ,flanders8 ,i dare say they
 have stipulated something of that sort 
for themselves1 by the additional and   
secret treaty1 which ,i know they made1 
last ,may1 with the ,queen of ,hungary4 
,must we give up whatever the ,french   
please to desire in ,america1 besides   
the cession of ,minorca in perpetuity8  

,i fear we must1 or else raise twelve   
millions more next year1 to as little   
purpose as we did this1 and have        
consequently a worse peace afterward4 ,i
 turn my eyes away1 as much as ,i can1  
from this miserable prospect2 but1 as a 
citizen and member of society1 it recurs
 to my imagination1 notwithstanding all 
my endeavors to banish it from my       
thoughts4 ,i can do myself nor my       
country no good2 but ,i feel the        
wretched situation of both2 the state of
 the latter makes me better bear that of
 the former2 and1 when ,i am called away
 from my station here1 ,i shall think it
 rather 7as ,cicero says of ,crassus7   
#8mors donata quam vita erepta'4  ,i    
have often desired1 but in vain1 the    
favor of being admitted into your       
private apartment at1 ,hamburg1 and of  
being informed of your private life     
there4 ,your mornings1 ,i hope and      
believe1 are employed in business2 but  
give me an account of the remainder of  
the day1 which ,i suppose is1 and ought 

to be1 appropriated to amusements and   
pleasures4 ,in what houses are you      
domestic8 ,who are so in yours8 ,in     
short1 let me in1 and do not be denied  
to me4  ,here ,i am1 as usual1 seeing   
few people1 and hearing fewer2 drinking 
the waters regularly to a minute1 and am
 something the better for them4 ,i read 
a great deal1 and vary occasionally my  
dead company4 ,i converse with grave    
folios in the morning1 while my head is 
clearest and my attention strongest3 ,i 
take up less severe quartos after       
dinner2 and at night ,i choose the mixed
 company and amusing chit-chat of       
octavos and duodecimos4 #8,ye tire parti
 de tout ce gue je puis'2 that is my    
philosophy2 and ,i mitigate1 as much as 
,i can1 my physical ills by diverting my
 attention to other objects4  ,here is a
 report that ,admiral ,holborne's fleet 
is destroyed1 in a manner1 by a storm3  
,i hope it is not true1 in the full     
extent of the report2 but ,i believe it 
has suffered4 ,this would fill up the   

measure of our misfortunes4 ,adieu4     
,,letter ,,ccxiii  ,,bath1 ,november    
#bj1 #ageg  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i    
write to you now1 because ,i love to    
write to you2 and hope that my letters  
are welcome to you2 for otherwise ,i    
have very little to inform you of4 ,the 
,king of ,prussia's late victory you are
 better informed1 of than we are here4  
,it has given infinite joy to the       
unthinking public1 who are not aware    
that it comes too late in the year and  
too late in the war1 to be attended with
 any very great consequences4 ,there are
 six or seven thousand of the human     
species less than there were a month    
ago1 and that seems to me to be all4    
,however1 ,i am glad of it1 upon account
 of the pleasure and the glory which it 
gives the ,king of ,prussia1 to whom ,i 
wish well as a man1 more than as a king4
 ,and surely he is so great a man1 that 
had he lived seventeen or eighteen      
hundred years ago1 and his life been    
transmitted to us in a language that we 

could not very well understand--,i mean 
either ,greek or ,latin--we should have 
talked of him as we do now of your      
,alexanders1 your ,caesars1 and others2 
with whom1 ,i believe1 we have but a    
very slight acquaintance4 #8,au reste'1 
,i do not see that his affairs are much 
mended by this victory4 ,the same       
combination of the great ,powers of     
,europe against him still subsists1 and 
must at last prevail4 ,i believe the    
,french army will melt away1 as is      
usual1 in ,germany2 but this army is    
extremely diminished by battles1        
fatigues1 and desertion3 and he will    
find great difficulties in recruiting it
 from his own already exhausted         
dominions4 ,he must therefore1 and to be
 sure will1 negotiate privately with the
 ,french1 and get better terms that way 
than he could any other4  ,the report of
 the three general officers1 the ,duke  
of ,marlborough1 ,lord ,george          
,sackville1 and ,general ,waldegrave1   
was laid before the ,king last          

,saturday1 after their having sat four  
days upon ,m----t's affair3 nobody yet  
knows what it is2 but it is generally   
believed that ,m----t will be brought to
 a court-martial4 ,that you may not     
mistake this matter1 as ,,most people   
here do1 ,i must explain to you1 that   
this examination before the three       
above-mentioned general officers1 was by
 no means a trial2 but only a previous  
inquiry into his conduct1 to see whether
 there was1 or was not1 cause to bring  
him to a regular trial before a         
court-martial4 ,the case is exactly     
parallel to that of a grand jury2 who1  
upon a previous and general examination1
 find1 or do not find1 a bill to bring  
the matter before the petty jury2 where 
the fact is finally tried4 ,for my own  
part1 my opinion is fixed upon that     
affair3 ,i am convinced that the        
expedition was to be defeated2 and      
nothing that can appear before a        
court-martial can make me alter that    
opinion4 ,i have been too long          

acquainted with human nature to have    
great regard for human testimony2 and a 
very great degree of probability1       
supported by various concurrent         
circumstances1 conspiring in one point1 
will have much greater weight with me1  
than human testimony upon oath1 or even 
upon honor2 both which ,i have          
frequently seen considerably warped by  
private views4  ,the parliament1 which  
now stands prorogued to the first of    
next month1 it is thought will be put   
off for some time longer1 till we know  
in what light to lay before it the state
 of our alliance with ,prussia1 since   
the conclusion of the ,hanover          
neutrality2 which1 if it did not quite  
break it1 made at least a great flaw in 
it4  ,the birth-day was neither fine nor
 crowded2 and no wonder1 since the ,king
 was that day seventy-five4 ,the old    
,court and the young one are much better
 together since the ,duke's retirement2 
and the ,king has presented the ,prince 
of ,wales with a service of plate4  ,i  

am still ,,unwell1 though ,i drink these
 waters very regularly4 ,i will stay    
here at least six weeks longer2 where ,i
 am much quieter than ,i should be      
allowed to be in town4 ,when things are 
in such a miserable situation as they   
are at present1 ,i desire neither to be 
concerned nor consulted1 still less     
quoted4 ,adieu6     ,,letter ,,ccxiv    
,,bath1 ,november #bf1 #ageg  ,,my      
,,dear ,,friend3 ,i received by the last
 mail your short account of the ,king of
 ,prussia's victory2 which victory1     
contrary to custom1 turns out more      
complete than it was at first reported  
to be4 ,this appears by an intercepted  
letter from ,monsieur de ,st4 ,germain  
to ,monsieur d',affry1 at ,the ,hague1  
in which he tells him1 #8,cette arme est
 entierement fondue'1 and lays the      
blame1 very strongly1 upon ,monsieur de 
,soubize4 ,but1 be it greater or be it  
less1 ,i am glad of it2 because the     
,king of ,prussia 7whom ,i honor and    
almost adore7 ,i am sure is4 ,though    

#8d'ailleurs'1 between you and me1 #8ou 
est-ce que cela mene'8 ,to nothing1     
while that formidable union of three    
great ,powers of ,europe subsists       
against him1 could that be any way      
broken1 something might be done2 without
 which nothing can4 ,i take it for      
granted that the ,king of ,prussia will 
do all he can to detach ,france4 ,why   
should not we1 on our part1 try to      
detach ,russia8 ,at least1 in our       
present distress1 #8omnia tentanda'1 and
 sometimes a lucky and unexpected hit   
turns up4 ,this thought came into my    
head this morning2 and ,i give it to    
you1 not as a very probable scheme1 but 
as a possible one1 and consequently     
worth trying4 ,the year of the ,russian 
subsidies 7nominally paid by the ,court 
of ,vienna1 but really by ,france7 is   
near expired4 ,the former probably      
cannot1 and perhaps the latter will not1
 renew them4 ,the ,court of ,petersburg 
is beggarly1 profuse1 greedy1 and by no 
means scrupulous4 ,why should not we    

step in there1 and out-bid them8 ,if we 
could1 we buy a great army at once2     
which would give an entire new turn to  
the affairs of that part of the world at
 least4 ,and if we bid handsomely1 ,i do
 not believe the #8bonne foi' of that   
,court would stand in the way4 ,both our
 ,court and our parliament would1 ,i am 
very sure1 give a very great sum1 and   
very cheerfully1 for this purpose4 ,in  
the next place1 ,why should not you     
wriggle yourself1 if possible1 into so  
great a scheme8 ,you are1 no doubt1 much
 acquainted with the ,russian ,resident1
 ,soltikow2 ,why should you not sound   
him1 as entirely from yourself1 upon    
this subject8 ,you may ask him1 ,what1  
does your ,court intend to go on next   
year in the pay of ,france1 to destroy  
the liberties of all ,europe1 and throw 
universal monarchy into the hands of    
that already great and always ambitious 
,power8 ,i know you think1 or at least  
call yourselves1 the allies of the      
,empress ,queen2 but is it not plain    

that she will be1 in the first place1   
and you in the next1 the dupes of       
,france8 ,at this very time you are     
doing the work of ,france and ,sweden3  
and that for some miserable subsidies1  
much inferior to those which ,i am sure 
you might have1 in a better cause1 and  
more consistent with the true interest  
of ,russia4 ,though not empowered1 ,i   
know the manner of thinking of my own   
,court so well upon this subject1 that  
,i will venture to promise you much     
better terms than those you have now1   
without the least apprehensions of being
 disavowed4 ,should he listen to this1  
and what more may occur to you to say   
upon this subject1 and ask you1 #8,en   
ecrirai je d ma cour8 ,answer him1      
#8,ecrivez1 ecrivex1 ,monsieur          
hardiment'4 ,je prendrai tout cela sur  
moi'4 ,should this happen1 as perhaps1  
and as ,i heartily wish it may1 then    
write an exact relation of it to your   
own ,court4 ,tell them that you thought 
the measure of such great importance1   

that you could not help taking this     
little step toward bringing it about2   
but that you mentioned it only as from  
yourself1 and that you have not in the  
least committed them by it4 ,if         
,soltikow lends himself in any degree to
 this1 insinuate that1 in the present   
situation of affairs1 and particularly  
of the ,king's ,electoral dominions1 you
 are very sure that his ,majesty would  
have #8une reconnoissance sans bornes'  
for ,,all those by whose means so       
desirable a revival of an old and long  
friendship should be brought about4 ,you
 will perhaps tell me that1 without     
doubt1 ,mr4 ,keith's instructions are to
 the same effect3 but ,i will answer    
you1 that you can1 ,,if ,,you ,,please1 
do it better than ,mr4 ,keith2 and in   
the next place that1 be all that as it  
will1 it must be very advantageous to   
you at home1 to show that you have at   
least a contriving head1 and an         
alertness in business4  ,i had a letter 
by the last post1 from the ,duke of     

,newcastle1 in which he congratulates   
me1 in his own name and in ,lord        
,hardwicke's1 upon the approbation which
 your dispatches give1 not only to them 
two1 but to ,,others4 ,this success1 so 
early1 should encourage your diligence  
and rouse your ambition if you have any2
 you may go a great way1 if you desire  
it1 having so much time before you4  ,i 
send you here inclosed the copy of the  
,report of the three general officers1  
appointed to examine previously into the
 conduct of ,general ,m----t2 it is ill 
written1 and ill spelled1 but no matter2
 you will decipher it4 ,you will        
observe1 by the tenor of it1 that it    
points strongly to a court-martial2     
which1 no doubt1 will soon be held upon 
him4 ,i presume there will be no        
shooting in the final sentence2 but ,i  
do suppose there will be breaking1 etc4 
,i have had some severe returns of my   
old complaints last week1 and am still  
unwell2 ,i cannot help it4  ,a friend of
 yours arrived here three days ago2 she 

seems to me to be a serviceable         
strong-bodied bay mare1 with black mane 
and tail2 you easily guess who ,i mean4 
,she is come with mamma1 and without    
#8caro sposo'4  ,adieu6 my head will not
 let me go on longer4     ,,letter      
,,ccxv  ,,bath1 ,december #ca1 #ageg    
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have this      
moment received your letter of the      
#ahth1 with the inclosed papers4 ,i     
cannot help observing that1 till then1  
you never acknowledged the receipt of   
any one of my letters4  ,i can easily   
conceive that party spirit1 among your  
brother ministers at ,hamburg1 runs as  
high as you represent it1 because ,i can
 easily believe the errors of the human 
mind2 but at the same time ,i must      
observe1 that such a spirit is the      
spirit of little minds and subaltern    
ministers1 who think to atone by zeal   
for their want of merit and importance4 
,the political differences of the       
several courts should never influence   
the personal behavior of their several  

ministers toward one another4 ,there is 
a certain #8procede noble et galant'1   
which should always be observed among   
the ministers of powers even at war with
 each other1 which will always turn out 
to the advantage of the ablest1 who will
 in those conversations find1 or make1  
opportunities of throwing out1 or of    
receiving useful hints4 ,when ,i was    
last at ,the ,hague1 we were at war with
 both ,france and ,spain2 so that ,i    
could neither visit1 nor be visited by1 
the ,ministers of those two ,crowns2 but
 we met every day1 or dined at third    
places1 where we embraced as personal   
friends1 and trifled1 at the same time1 
upon our being political enemies2 and by
 this sort of badinage ,i discovered    
some things which ,i wanted to know4    
,there is not a more prudent maxim than 
to live with one's enemies as if they   
may one day become one's friends2 as it 
commonly happens1 sooner or later1 in   
the vicissitudes of political affairs4  
,to your question1 which is a rational  

and prudent one1 ,whether ,i was        
authorized to give you the hints        
concerning ,russia by any people in     
power here1 ,i will tell you that ,i was
 not3 but1 as ,i had pressed them to try
 what might be done with ,russia1 and   
got ,mr4 ,keith to be dispatched there  
some months sooner than otherwise1 ,i   
dare say he would1 with the proper      
instructions for that purpose4 ,i wished
 that1 by the hints ,i gave you1 you    
might have got the start of him1 and the
 merit1 at least1 of having #8entame'   
that matter with ,soltikow4 ,what you   
have to do with him now1 when you meet  
with him at any third place1 or at his  
own house 7where you are at liberty to  
go1 while ,russia has a ,minister in    
,london1 and we a ,minister at          
,petersburg71 is1 in my opinion1 to say 
to him1 in an easy cheerful manner1     
#8,he bien1 ,monsieur1 je me flatte que 
nous serons bientot amis publics1 aussi 
bien qu'amis personels'4 ,to which he   
will probably ask1 ,why1 or how8 ,you   

will reply1 ,because you know that ,mr4 
,keith is gone to his ,court with       
instructions1 which you think must      
necessarily be agreeable there4 ,and    
throw out to him that nothing but a     
change of their present system can save 
,livonia to ,russia2 for that he cannot 
suppose that1 when the ,swedes shall    
have recovered ,pomerania they will long
 leave ,russia in quiet possession of   
,livonia4  ,if he is so much a          
,frenchman as you say1 he will make you 
some weak answers to this2 but1 as you  
will have the better of the argument on 
your side1 you may remind him of the old
 and almost uninterrupted connection    
between ,france and ,sweden1 the        
inveterate enemy of ,russia4 ,many other
 arguments will naturally occur to you  
in such a conversation1 if you have it4 
,in this case1 there is a piece of      
ministerial art1 which is sometimes of  
use2 and that is1 to sow jealousies     
among one's enemies1 by a seeming       
preference shown to some one of them4   

,monsieur ,hecht's reveries are reveries
 indeed4 ,how should his ,master have   
made the ,,golden ,,arrangements which  
he talks of1 and which are to be forged 
into shackles for ,general ,fermor8 ,the
 ,prussian finances are not in a        
condition now to make such expensive    
arrangements4 ,but ,i think you may tell
 ,monsieur ,hecht1 in confidence1 that  
you hope the instructions with which you
 know that ,mr4 ,keith is gone to       
,petersburg1 may have some effect upon  
the measures of that ,court4  ,i would  
advise you to live with that same       
,monsieur ,hecht in all the confidence1 
familiarity1 and connection1 which      
prudence will allow4 ,i mean it with    
regard to the ,king of ,prussia himself1
 by whom ,i could wish you to be known  
and esteemed as much as possible4 ,it   
may be of use to you some day or other4 
,if man1 courage1 conduct1 constancy1   
can get the better of all the           
difficulties which the ,king of ,prussia
 has to struggle with1 he will rise     

superior to them4 ,but still1 while his 
alliance subsists against him1 ,i dread 
#8les gros escadrons'4 ,his last        
victory1 of the #eth1 was certainly the 
completest that has been heard of these 
many years4 ,i heartily wish the ,prince
 of ,brunswick just such a one over     
,monsieur de ,richelieu's army2 and that
 he may take my old acquaintance the    
,marechal1 and send him over here to    
polish and perfume us4  ,i heartily wish
 you1 in the plain1 home-spun style1 a  
great number of happy new years1 well   
employed in forming both your mind and  
your manners1 to be useful and agreeable
 to yourself1 your country1 and your    
friends6 ,that these wishes are sincere1
 your secretary's brother will1 by the  
time of your receiving this1 have       
remitted you a proof1 from ,yours4      
,,letters ,,to ,,his ,,son  ,,letter    
,,ccxvi  ,,london1 ,february #h1 #ageh4 
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i received by the
 same post your two letters of the #acth
 and #agth past2 and yesterday that of  

the #bgth1 with the ,russian manifesto  
inclosed1 in which her ,imperial        
,majesty of all the ,russias has been   
pleased to give every reason1 except the
 true one1 for the march of her troops  
against the ,king of ,prussia4 ,the true
 one1 ,i take it to be1 that she has    
just received a very great sum of money 
from ,france1 or the ,empress queen1 or 
both1 for that purpose4 #8,point        
d'argent1 point de ,russe'1 is now      
become a maxim4 ,whatever may be the    
motive of their march1 the effects must 
be bad2 and1 according to my            
speculations1 those troops will replace 
the ,french in ,hanover and ,lower      
,saxony2 and the ,french will go and    
join the ,austrian army4 ,you ask me if 
,i still despond8 ,not so much as ,i did
 after the battle of ,colen3 the battles
 of ,rosbach and ,lissa were drams to   
me1 and gave me some momentary spirts3  
but though ,i do not absolutely despair1
 ,i own ,i greatly distrust4 ,i readily 
allow the ,king of ,prussia to be #8nec 

pluribus impar'2 but still1 when the    
#8plures' amount to a certain degree of 
plurality1 courage and abilities must   
yield at last4 ,michel here assures me  
that he does not mind the ,russians2    
but1 as ,i have it from the gentleman's 
own mouth1 ,i do not believe him4 ,we   
shall very soon send a squadron to the  
,baltic to entertain the ,swedes2 which 
,i believe will put an end to their     
operations in ,pomerania2 so that ,i    
have no great apprehensions from that   
quarter2 but ,russia1 ,i confess1 sticks
 in my stomach4  ,everything goes       
smoothly in parliament2 the ,king of    
,prussia has united all our parties in  
his support2 and the ,tories have       
declared that they will give ,mr4 ,pitt 
unlimited credit for this session2 there
 has not been one single division yet   
upon public points1 and ,i believe will 
not4 ,our ,american expedition is       
preparing to go soon2 the dis position  
of that affair seems to me a little     
extraordinary4 ,abercrombie is to be the

 sedantary1 and not the acting          
commander2 ,amherst1 ,lord ,howe1 and   
,wolfe1 are to be the acting1 and ,i    
hope the active officers4 ,i wish they  
may agree4 ,amherst1 who is the oldest  
officer1 is under the influence of the  
same great person who influenced        
,mordaunt1 so much to honor and         
advantage of this country4 ,this is most
 certain1 that we have force enough in  
,america to eat up the ,french alive in 
,canada1 ,quebec1 and ,louisburg1 if we 
have but skill and spirit enough to     
exert it properly2 but of that ,i am    
modest enough to doubt4  ,when you come 
to the egotism1 which ,i have long      
desired you to come to with me1 you need
 make no excuses for it4 ,the egotism is
 as proper and as satisfactory to one's 
friends1 as it is impertinent and       
misplaced with strangers4 ,i desire to  
see you in your every-day clothes1 by   
your fireside1 in your pleasures2 in    
short1 in your private life2 but ,i have
 not yet been able to obtain this4      

,whenever you condescend to do it1 as   
you promise1 stick to truth2 for ,i am  
not so uninformed of ,hamburg as perhaps
 you may think4  ,as for myself1 ,i am  
very ,,unwell1 and very weary of being  
so2 and with little hopes1 at my age1 of
 ever being otherwise4 ,i often wish for
 the end of the wretched remnant of my  
life2 and that wish is a rational one2  
but then the innate principle of        
self-preservation1 wisely implanted in  
our natures for obvious purposes1       
opposes that wish1 and makes us endeavor
 to spin out our thread as long as we   
can1 however decayed and rotten it may  
be2 and1 in defiance of common sense1 we
 seek on for that chymic gold1 which    
beggars us when old4  ,whatever your    
amusements1 or pleasures1 may be at     
,hamburg1 ,i dare say you taste them    
more sensibly than ever you did in your 
life1 now that you have business enough 
to whet your appetite to them4          
,business1 one-half of the day1 is the  
best preparation for the pleasures of   

the other half4 ,i hope1 and believe1   
that it will be with you as it was with 
an apothecary whom ,i knew at           
,twickenham4 ,a considerable estate fell
 to him by an unexpected accident2 upon 
which he thought it decent to leave off 
his business2 accordingly he generously 
gave up his shop and his stock to his   
head man1 set up his coach1 and resolved
 to live like a gentleman2 but1 in less 
than a month1 the man1 used to business1
 found1 that living like a gentleman was
 dying of ennui2 upon which he bought   
his shop and stock1 resumed his trade1  
and lived very happily1 after he had    
something to do4 ,adieu4     ,,letter   
,,ccxvii  ,,london1 ,february #bd1 #ageh
  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i received     
yesterday your letter of the #b;d       
instant1 with the inclosed2 which ,i    
return you1 that there may be no chasm  
in your papers4 ,i had heard before of  
,burrish's death1 and had taken some    
steps thereupon2 but ,i very soon       
dropped that affair1 for ninety-nine    

good reasons2 the first of which was1   
that nonody is to go in his room1 and   
that1 had he lived1 he was to have been 
recalled from ,munich4 ,but another     
reason1 more flattering for you1 was1   
that you could not be spared from       
,hamburg4 ,upon the whole1 ,i am not    
sorry for it1 as the place where you are
 now is the great entrepot of business2 
and1 when it ceases to be so1 you will  
necessarily go to some of the courts in 
the neighborhood 7,berlin1 ,i hope and  
believe71 which will be a much more     
desirable situation than to rush at     
,munich1 where we can never have any    
business beyond a subsidy4 ,do but go   
on1 and exert yourself were you are1 and
 better things will soon follow4        
,surely the inaction of our army at     
,hanover continues too long4 ,we        
expected wonders from it some time ago1 
and yet nothing is attempted4 ,the      
,french will soon receive               
reinforcements1 and then be too strong  
for us2 whereas they are now most       

certainly greatly weakened by desertion1
 sickness1 and deaths4 ,does the ,king  
of ,prussia send a body of men to our   
army or not8 or has the march of the    
,russians cut him out work for all his  
troops8 ,i am afraid it has4 ,if one    
body of ,russians joins the ,austrian   
army in ,moravia1 and another body the  
,swedes in ,pomerania1 he will have his 
hands very full1 too full1 ,i fear4 ,the
 ,french say they will have an army of  
#ahj1jjj men in ,germany this year2 the 
,empress ,queen will have #aej1jjj2 if  
the ,russians have but #dj1jjj1 what can
 resist such a force8 ,the ,king of     
,prussia may say1 indeed1 with more     
justice than ever any one person could  
before him1 #8,moi4 ,medea superest'4   
,you promised the some egotism2 but ,i  
have received none yet4 ,do you frequent
 the ,landgrave8 #8,hantex vous les     
grands de la terre'8 ,what are the      
connections of the evening8 ,all this1  
and a great deal more of this kind1 let 
me know in your next4  ,the ,house of   

,commons is still very unanimous4 ,there
 was a little popular squib let off this
 week1 in a motion of ,sir ,john        
,glynne's1 seconded by ,sir ,john       
,philips1 for annual parliaments4 ,it   
was a very cold scent1 and put an end to
 by a division of #aij to #gj4          
,good-night4 ,work hard1 that you may   
divert yourself well4     ,,letter      
,,ccxviii  ,,london1 ,march #d1 #ageh4  
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i should have    
been much more surprised at the contents
 of your letter of the #agth past1 if ,i
 had not happened to have seen ,sir ,c4 
,w41 about three or four hours before ,i
 received it4 ,i thought he talked in an
 extraordinary manner2 he engaged that  
the ,king of ,prussia should be master  
of ,vienna in the month of ,may2 and he 
told me that you were very much in love 
with his daughter4 ,your letter         
explained all this to me2 and next day1 
,lord and ,lady ,e-----gave me          
innumerable instances of his frenzy1    
with which ,i shall not trouble you4    

,what inflamed it the more 7if it did   
not entirely occasion it7 was a great   
quantity of cantharides1 which1 it      
seems1 he had taken at ,hamburgh1 to    
recommend himself1 ,i suppose1 to       
,mademoiselle ,john4 ,he was let blood  
four times on board the ship1 and has   
been let blood four times since his     
arrival here2 but still the inflammation
 continues very high4 ,he is now under  
the care of his brothers1 who do not let
 him go abroad4 ,they have written to   
this same ,mademoiselle ,john1 to       
prevent if they can1 her coming to      
,england1 and told her the case2 which1 
when she hears she must be as mad as he 
is1 if she takes the journey4 ,by the   
way1 she must be #8une dame             
aventuriere'1 to receive a note for     
#aj1jjj roubles from a man whom she had 
known but three days6 to take a contract
 of marriage1 knowing he was married    
already2 and to engage herself to follow
 him to ,england4 ,i suppose this is not
 the first adventure of the sort which  

she has had4  ,after the news we        
received yesterday1 that the ,french had
 evacuated ,hanover1 all but ,hamel1 we 
daily expect much better4 ,we pursue    
them1 we cut them off #8en detail'1 and 
at last we destroy their whole army4 ,i 
wish it may happen2 and1 moreover1 ,i   
think it not impossible4  ,my head is   
much out of order1 and only allows me to
 wish you good-night4     ,,letter      
,,ccxix  ,,london1 ,march #bb1 #ageh    
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have now your  
letter of the #hth lying before me1 with
 the favorable account of our progress  
in ,lower ,saxony1 and reasonable       
prospect of more decisive success4 ,i   
confess ,i did not expect this1 when my 
friend ,munchausen took his leave of me1
 to go to ,stade1 and break the         
neutrality2 ,i thought it at least a    
dangerous1 but rather a desperate       
undertaking2 whereas1 hitherto1 it has  
proved a very fortunate one4 ,i look    
upon the ,french army as #8fondue'2 and1
 what with desertion1 deaths1 and       

epidemical distempers1 ,i dare say not a
 third of it will ever return to        
,france4 ,the great object is now1 what 
the ,russians can or will do2 and       
whether the ,king of ,prussia can hinder
 their junction with the ,austrians1 by 
beating either1 before they join4 ,i    
will trust him for doing all that can be
 done4  ,sir ,c4 ,w4 is still in        
confinement1 and1 ,i fear1 will always  
be so1 for he seems #8cum ratione       
insanire'2 the physicians have collected
 all he has said and done that indicated
 an alienation of mind1 and have laid it
 before him in writing2 he has answered 
it in writing too1 and justifies himself
 in the most plausible arguments than   
can possibly be urged4 ,he tells his    
brother1 and the few who are allowed to 
see him1 that they are such narrow and  
contracted minds themselves1 that they  
take those for mad who have a great and 
generous way of thinking2 as1 for       
instance1 when he determined to send his
 daughter over to you in a fortnight1 to

 be married1 without any previous       
agreement or settlements1 it was because
 he had long known you1 and loved you as
 a man of sense and honor2 and therefore
 would not treat with you as with an    
attorney4 ,that as for ,mademoiselle    
,john1 he knew her merit and her        
circumstances2 and asks1 whether it is a
 sign of madness to have a due regard   
for the one1 and a just compassion for  
the other4 ,i will not tire you with    
enumerating any more instances of the   
poor man's frenzy2 but conclude this    
subject with pitying him1 and poor human
 nature1 which holds its reason by so   
precarious a tenure4 ,the lady1 who you 
tell me is set out1 #8en sera pour la   
seine et les fraix du voyage'1 for her  
note is worth no more than her contract4
 ,by the way1 she must be a kind of     
#8aventuriere'1 to engage so easily in  
such an adventure with a man whom she   
had not known above a week1 and whose   
#8debut' of #aj1jjj roubles showed him  
not to be in his right senses4  ,you    

will probably have seen ,general ,yorke1
 by this time1 in his way to ,berlin or 
,breslau1 or wherever the ,king of      
,prussia may be4 ,as he keeps his       
commission to the ,states ,general1 ,i  
presume he is not to stay long with his 
,prussian ,majesty2 but1 however1 while 
he is there1 take care to write to him  
very constantly1 and to give all the    
information you can4 ,his father1 ,lord 
,hardwicke1 is your great puff3 he      
commends your office letters1           
exceedingly4 ,i would have the ,berlin  
commission your object1 in good time2   
never lose view of it4 ,do all you can  
to recommend yourself to the ,king of   
,prussia on your side of the water1 and 
to smooth your way for that commission  
on this2 by the turn which things have  
taken of late1 it must always be the    
most important of all foreign           
commissions from hence4  ,i have no news
 to send you1 as things here are        
extremely quiet2 so1 good-night4        
,,letter ,,ccxx  ,,london1 ,april #be1  

#ageh4  ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i am now two  
letters in your debt1 which ,i think is 
the first time that ever ,i was so1 in  
the long course of our correspondence4  
,but1 besides that my head has been very
 much out of order of late1 writing is  
by no means that easy thing that it was 
to me formerly4 ,i find by experience1  
that the mind and the body are more than
 married1 for they are most intimately  
united2 and when the one suffers1 the   
other sympathizes4 #8,non sum qualis    
eram'3 neither my memory nor my         
invention are now what they formerly    
were4 ,it is in a great measure my own  
fault2 ,i cannot accuse ,nature1 for ,i 
abused her2 and it is reasonable ,i     
should suffer for it4  ,i do not like   
the return of the impression upon your  
lungs2 but the rigor of the cold may    
probably have brought it upon you1 and  
your lungs not in fault4 ,take care to  
live very cool1 and let your diet be    
rather low4  ,we have had a second      
winter here1 more severe than the first1

 at least it seemed so1 from a premature
 summer that we had1 for a fortnight1 in
 ,march2 which brought everything       
forward1 only to be destroyed4 ,i have  
experienced it at ,blackheath1 where the
 promise of fruit was a most flattering 
one1 and all nipped in the bud by frost 
and snow1 in ,april4 ,i shall not have a
 single peach or apricot4  ,i have      
nothing to tell you from hence          
concerning public affairs1 but what you 
read in the newspapers4 ,this only is   
extraordinary3 that last week1 in the   
,house of ,commons1 above ten millions  
were granted1 and the whole ,hanover    
army taken into ,british pay1 with but  
one single negative1 which was ,mr4     
,viner's4  ,mr4 ,pitt gains ground in   
the closet1 and yet does not lose it in 
the public4 ,that is new4  ,monsieur    
,kniphausen has dined with me2 he is one
 of the prettiest fellows ,i have seen2 
he has1 with a great deal of life and   
fire1 #8les manieres d'un honnete homme1
 et le ton de la ,parfaitement bonne    

compagnie'4 ,you like him yourself2 try 
to be like him3 it is in your power4  ,i
 hear that ,mr4 ,mitchel is to be       
recalled1 notwithstanding the ,king of  
,prussia's instances to keep him4 ,but  
why1 is a secret that ,i cannot         
penetrate4  ,you will not fail to offer 
the ,landgrave1 and the ,princess of    
,hesse 7who ,i find are going home71 to 
be their agent and commissioner at      
,hamburg4  ,i cannot comprehend the     
present state of ,russia1 nor the       
motions of their armies4 ,they change   
their generals once a week2 sometimes   
they march with rapidity1 and now they  
lie quiet behind the ,vistula4 ,we have 
a thousand stories here of the interior 
of that government1 none of which ,i    
believe4 ,some say1 that the ,great     
,duke will be set aside4  ,woronzoff is 
said to be entirely a ,frenchman1 and   
that ,monsieur de l',hopital governs    
both him and the court4 ,sir ,c4 ,w4 is 
said1 by his indiscretions1 to have     
caused the disgrace of ,bestuchef1 which

 seems not impossible4 ,in short1       
everything of every kind is said1       
because1 ,i believe1 very little is     
truly known4 #8,a propos' of ,sir ,c4   
,w42 he is out of confinement1 and gone 
to his house in the country for the     
whole summer4 ,they say he is now very  
cool and well4 ,i have seen his ,circe1 
at her window in ,pall-,mall2 she is    
painted1 powdered1 curled1 and patched1 
and looks #8l'aventure'4 ,she has been  
offered1 by ,sir ,c4 ,w----#8s friends1 
,l#ejj in full of all demands1 but will 
not accept of it4 #8,la comtesse veut   
plaider'1 and ,i fancy #8faire autre    
chose si elle peut4 ,jubeo to bene      
valere4     ,,letter ,,ccxxi            
,,blackheath1 ,may #ah1 ,o4 ,s4 #ageh4  
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have your      
letter of the #ith now before me1 and   
condole with you upon the present       
solitude and inaction of ,hamburg4 ,you 
are now shrunk from the dignity and     
importance of a consummate minister1 to 
be but1 as it were1 a common man4 ,but  

this has1 at one time or another1 been  
the case of most great men2 who have not
 always had equal opportunities of      
exerting their talents4 ,the greatest   
must submit to the capriciousness of    
fortune2 though they can1 better than   
others1 improve the favorable moments4  
,for instance1 who could have thought1  
two years ago1 that you would have been 
the ,atlas of the ,northern ,pole2 but  
the ,good ,genius of the ,north ordered 
it so2 and now that you have set that   
part of the globe right1 you return to  
#8otium cum dignitate'4 ,but to be      
serious3 now that you cannot have much  
office business to do1 ,i could tell you
 what to do1 that would employ you1 ,i  
should think1 both usefully and         
agreeably4 ,i mean1 that you should     
write short memoirs of that busy scene1 
in which you have been enough concerned1
 since your arrival at ,hamburg1 to be  
able to put together authentic facts and
 anecdotes4 ,i do not know whether you  
will give yourself the trouble to do it 

or not2 but ,i do know1 that if you     
will1 #8olim hcec meminisse juvabit'4 ,i
 would have them short1 but correct as  
to facts and dates4  ,i have told ,alt1 
in the strongest manner1 your           
lamentations for the loss of the ,house 
of ,cassel1 #8et il en fera rapport a   
son ,serenissime ,maitre'4 ,when you are
 quite idle 7as probably you may be1    
some time this summer71 why should you  
not ask leave to make a tour to ,cassel 
for a week8 which would certainly be    
granted you from hence1 and which would 
be looked upon as a #8bon procede' at   
,cassel4  ,the ,king of ,prussia is     
probably1 by this time1 at the gates of 
,vienna1 making the ,queen of ,hungary  
really do what ,monsieur de ,bellisle   
only threatened2 sign a peace upon the  
ramparts of her capital4 ,if she is     
obstinate1 and will not1 she must fly   
either to ,presburg or to ,inspruck1 and
 ,vienna must fall4 ,but ,i think he    
will offer her reasonable conditions    
enough for herself2 and ,i suppose1     

that1 in that case1 ,caunitz will be    
reasonable enough to advise her to      
accept of them4 ,what turn would the war
 take then8 ,would the ,french and      
,russians carry it on without her8 ,the 
,king of ,prussia1 and the ,prince of   
,brunswick1 would soon sweep them out of
 ,germany4 ,by this time1 too1 ,i       
believe1 the ,french are entertained in 
,america with the loss of ,cape ,breton2
 and1 in consequence of that1 ,quebec2  
for we have a force there equal to both 
those undertakings1 and officers there1 
now1 that will execute what ,lord       
,l------never would so much as attempt4 
,his appointments were too considerable 
to let him do anything that might       
possibly put an end to the war4 ,lord   
,howe1 upon seeing plainly that he was  
resolved to do nothing1 had asked leave 
to return1 as well as ,lord ,charles    
,hay4  ,we have a great expedition      
preparing1 and which will soon be ready 
to sail from the ,isle of ,wight2       
fifteen thousand good troops1 eighty    

battering cannons1 besides mortars1 and 
every other thing in abundance1 fit for 
either battle or siege4 ,lord ,anson    
desired1 and is appointed1 to command   
the fleet employed upon this expedition2
 a proof that it is not a trifling one4 
,conjectures concerning its destination 
are infinite2 and the most ignorant are1
 as usual1 the boldest conjecturers4 ,if
 ,i form any conjectures1 ,i keep them  
to myself1 not to be disproved by the   
event2 but1 in truth1 ,i form none3 ,i  
might have known1 but would not4        
,everything seems to tend to a peace    
next winter3 our success in ,america1   
which is hardly doubtful1 and the ,king 
of ,prussia's in ,germany1 which is as  
little so1 will make ,france 7already   
sick of the expense of the war7 very    
tractable for a peace4 ,i heartily wish 
it3 for though people's heads are half  
turned with the ,king of ,prussia's     
success1 and will be quite turned1 if we
 have any in ,america1 or at sea1 a     
moderate peace will suit us better than 

this immoderate war of twelve millions a
 year4  ,domestic affairs go just as    
they did2 the ,duke of ,newcastle and   
,mr4 ,pitt jog on like man and wife2    
that is1 seldom agreeing1 often         
quarreling2 but by mutual interest1 upon
 the whole1 not parting4 ,the latter1 ,i
 am told1 gains ground in the closet2   
though he still keeps his strength in   
the ,house1 and his popularity in the   
public2 or1 perhaps1 because of that4   
,do you hold your resolution of visiting
 your dominions of ,bremen and ,lubeck  
this summer8 ,if you do1 pray take the  
trouble of informing yourself correctly 
of the several constitutions and customs
 of those places1 and of the present    
state of the federal union of the       
,hanseatic towns3 it will do you no     
harm1 nor cost you much trouble2 and it 
is so much clear gain on the side of    
useful knowledge4  ,i am now settled at 
,blackheath for the summer2 where       
unseasonable frost and snow1 and hot and
 parching east winds1 have destroyed all

 my fruit1 and almost my fruit-trees4 ,i
 vegetate myself little better than they
 do2 ,i crawl about on foot and on      
horseback2 read a great deal1 and write 
a little2 and am very much yours4       
,,letter ,,ccxxii  ,,blackheath1 ,may   
#cj1 #ageh4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i   
have no letter from you to answer1 so   
this goes to you unprovoked4 ,but #8a   
propos' of letters2 you have had great  
honor done you1 in a letter from a fair 
and royal hand1 no less than that of her
 ,royal ,highness the ,princess of      
,cassel2 she has written your panegyric 
to her sister1 ,princess ,amelia1 who   
sent me a compliment upon it4 ,this has 
likewise done you no harm with the      
,king1 who said gracious things upon    
that occasion4 ,i suppose you had for   
her ,royal ,highness those attentions   
which ,i wish to ,god you would have1 in
 due proportions1 for everybody4 ,you   
see1 by this instance1 the effects of   
them2 they are always repaid with       
interest4 ,i am more confirmed by this  

in thinking1 that1 if you can           
conveniently1 you should ask leave to go
 for a week to ,cassel1 to return your  
thanks for all favors received4  ,i     
cannot expound to myself the conduct of 
the ,russians4 ,there must be a trick in
 their not marching with more           
expedition4 ,they have either had a sop 
from the ,king of ,prussia1 or they want
 an animating dram from ,france and     
,austria4 ,the ,king of ,prussia's      
conduct always explains itself by the   
events2 and1 within a very few days1 we 
must certainly hear of some very great  
stroke from that quarter4 ,i think ,i   
never in my life remember a period of   
time so big with great events as the    
present3 within two months the fate of  
the ,house of ,austria will probably be 
decided3 within the same space of time1 
we shall certainly hear of the taking of
 ,cape ,breton1 and of our army's       
proceeding to ,quebec within a few days 
we shall know the good or ill success of
 our great expedition2 for it is sailed2

 and it cannot be long before we shall  
hear something of the ,prince of        
,brunswick's operations1 from whom ,i   
also expect good things4 ,if all these  
things turn out1 as there is good reason
 to believe they will1 we may once1 in  
our turn1 dictate a reasonable peace to 
,france1 who now pays seventy per cent  
insurance upon its trade1 and seven per 
cent for all the money raised for the   
service of the year4  ,comte ,bothmar   
has got the small-pox1 and of a bad     
kind4 ,kniphausen diverts himself much  
here2 he sees all places and all people1
 and is ubiquity itself4 ,mitchel1 who  
was much threatened1 stays at last at   
,berlin1 at the earnest request of the  
,king of ,prussia4 ,lady is safely      
delivered of a son1 to the great joy of 
that noble family4 ,the expression1 of a
 woman's having brought her husband a   
son1 seems to be a proper and cautious  
one2 for it is never said from whence4  
,i was going to ask you how you passed  
your time now at ,hamburg1 since it is  

no longer the seat of strangers and of  
business2 but ,i will not1 because ,i   
know it is to no purpose4 ,you have     
sworn not to tell me4  ,sir ,william    
,stanhope told me that you promised to  
send him some ,old ,hock from ,hamburg1 
and so you did not4 ,if you meet with   
any superlatively good1 and not else1   
pray send over a #8foudre' of it1 and   
write to him4 ,i shall have a share in  
it4 ,but unless you find some1 either at
 ,hamburg or at ,bremen1 uncommonly and 
almost miracuously good1 do not send    
any4 ,dixi4 ,yours4     ,,letter        
,,ccxxiii  ,,blackheath1 ,june #ac1     
#ageh4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,the      
secret is out3 ,st4 ,malo is the devoted
 place4 ,our troops began to land at the
 ,bay of ,cancale the #eth1 without any 
opposition4 ,we have no further accounts
 yet1 but expect some every moment4 ,by 
the plan of it1 which ,i have seen1 it  
is by no means a weak place2 and ,i fear
 there will be many hats to be disposed 
of1 before it is taken4 ,there are in   

the port above thirty privateers2 about 
sixteen of their own1 and about as many 
taken from us4 #bcg  ,now for ,africa1  
where we have had great success4 ,the   
,french have been driven out of all     
their forts and settlements upon the    
,gum coast1 and upon the river ,senegal4
 ,they had been many years in possession
 of them1 and by them annoyed our       
,african trade exceedingly2 which1 by   
the way1 #8toute proportion gardee'1 is 
the most lucrative trade we have4 ,the  
present booty is likewise very          
considerable1 in gold dust1 and gum     
,seneca2 which is very valuable1 by     
being a very necessary commodity1 for   
all our stained and printed linens4     
,now for ,america4 ,the least sanguine  
people here expect1 the latter end of   
this month or the beginning of the next1
 to have the account of the taking of   
,cape ,breton1 and of all the forts with
 hard names in ,north ,america4         
,captain ,clive has long since settled  
,asia to our satisfaction2 so that three

 parts of the world look very favorable 
for us4 ,europe1 ,i submit to the care  
of the ,king of ,prussia and ,prince    
,ferdinand of ,brunswick2 and ,i think  
they will give a good account of it4    
,france is out of luck1 and out of      
courage2 and will1 ,i hope1 be enough   
out of spirits to submit to a reasonable
 peace4 ,by reasonable1 ,i mean what all
 people call reasonable in their own    
case2 an advantageous one for us4  ,i   
have set all right with ,munchausen2 who
 would not own that he was at all       
offended1 and said1 as you do1 that his 
daughter did not stay long enough1 nor  
appear enough at ,hamburg1 for you      
possibly to know that she was there4    
,but people are always ashamed to own   
the little weaknesses of self-love1     
which1 however1 all people feel more or 
less4 ,the excuse1 ,i saw1 pleased4  ,i 
will send you your quadrille tables by  
the first opportunity1 consigned to the 
care of ,mr4 ,mathias here4 #8,felices  
faustaeque sint6 ,may you win upon them1

 when you play with men2 and when you   
play with women1 either win or know why 
you lose4  ,miss------marries           
,mr4-------next week4 ,,who ,,proffers  
,,love1 ,,proffers ,,death1 says ,weller
 to a dwarf3 in my opinion1 the         
conclusion must instantly choak the     
little lady4 ,admiral marries ,lady2    
there the danger1 if danger is1 will be 
on the other side4 ,the lady has wanted 
a man so long1 that she now compounds   
for half a one4 ,half a loaf--  ,i have 
been worse since my last letter2 but am 
now1 ,i think1 recovering2 #8tant va la 
cruche a l'eau'2--and ,i have been there
 very often4  ,good-night4 ,i am        
faithfully and truly yours4     ,,letter
 ,,ccxxiv  ,,blackheath1 ,june #bg1     
#ageh4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,you      
either have received already1 or will   
very soon receive1 a little case from   
,amsterdam1 directed to you at ,hamburg4
 ,it is for ,princess ,ameba1 the ,king 
of ,prussia's sister1 and contains some 
books which she desired ,sir ,charles   

,hotham to procure her from ,england1 so
 long ago as when he was at ,berlin3 he 
sent for them immediately2 but1 by ,i do
 not know what puzzle1 they were        
recommended to the care of ,mr4 ,selwyn1
 at ,paris1 who took such care of them1 
that he kept them near three years in   
his warehouse1 and has at last sent them
 to ,amsterdam1 from whence they are    
sent to you4 ,if the books are good for 
anything1 they must be considerably     
improved1 by having seen so much of the 
world2 but1 as ,i believe they are      
,english books1 perhaps they may1 like  
,english travelers1 have seen nobody1   
but the several bankers to whom they    
were consigned3 be that as it will1 ,i  
think you had best deliver them to      
,monsieur ,hecht1 the ,prussian         
,minister at ,hamburg1 to forward to her
 ,royal ,highness1 with a respectful    
compliment from you1 which you will1 no 
doubt1 turn in the best manner1 and     
#8selon le bon ton de la parfaitement   
bonne compagnie'4  ,you have already    

seen1 in the papers1 all the particulars
 of our ,st4 ,malo's expedition1 so ,i  
say no more of that2 only that ,mr4     
,pitt's friends exult in the destruction
 of three ,french ships of war1 and one 
hundred and thirty privateers and       
trading ships2 and affirm that it       
stopped the march of threescore thousand
 men1 who were going to join the ,comte 
de ,clermont's army4 ,on the other hand1
 ,mr4 ,fox and company call it breaking 
windows with guineas2 and apply the     
fable of the ,mountain and the ,mouse4  
,the next object of our fleet was to be 
the bombarding of ,granville1 which is  
the great #8entrepot' of their          
,newfoundland fishery1 and will be a    
considerable loss to them in that branch
 of their trade4 ,these1 you will       
perhaps say1 are no great matters1 and  
,i say so too2 but1 at least1 they are  
signs of life1 which we had not given   
them for many years before2 and will    
show the ,french1 by our invading them1 
that we do not fear their invading us4  

,were those invasions1 in fishing-boats 
from ,dunkirk1 so terrible as they were 
artfully represented to be1 the ,french 
would have had an opportunity of        
executing them1 while our fleet1 and    
such a considerable part of our army1   
were employed upon their coast4 ,,but   
,,my ,,lord ,,ligonier ,,does ,,not     
,,want ,,an ,,army ,,at ,,home4  ,the   
parliament is prorogued by a most       
gracious speech neither by nor from his 
,majesty1 who was ,,too ,,ill to go to  
the ,house2 the ,lords and ,gentlemen   
are1 consequently1 most of them1 gone to
 their several counties1 to do 7to be   
sure7 all the good that is recommended  
to them in the speech4 ,london1 ,i am   
told1 is now very empty1 for ,i cannot  
say so from knowledge4 ,i vegetate      
wholly here4 ,i walk and read a great   
deal1 ride and scribble a little1       
according as my lead allows1 or my      
spirits prompt2 to write anything       
tolerable1 the mind must be in a        
natural1 proper disposition2            

provocatives1 in that case1 as well as  
in another1 will only produce miserable1
 abortive performances4  ,now that you  
have 7as ,i suppose7 full leisure       
enough1 ,i wish you would give yourself 
the trouble1 or rather pleasure1 to do  
what ,i hinted to you some time ago2    
that is1 to write short memoirs of those
 affairs which have either gone through 
your hands1 or that have come to your   
certain knowledge1 from the inglorious  
battle of ,hastenbeck1 to the still more
 scandalous ,treaty of ,neutrality4     
,connect1 at least1 if it be by ever so 
short notes1 the pieces and letters     
which you must necessarily have in your 
hands1 and throw in the authentic       
anecdotes that you have probably heard4 
,you will be glad when you have done it3
 and the reviving past ideas1 in some   
order and method1 will be an infinite   
comfort to you hereafter4 ,i have a     
thousand times regretted not having done
 so2 it is at present too late for me to
 begin2 this is the right time for you1 

and your life is likely to be a busy    
one4 ,would young men avail themselves  
of the advice and experience of their   
old friends1 they would find the utility
 in their youth1 and the comfort of it  
in their more advanced age2 but they    
seldom consider that1 and you1 less than
 anybody ,i ever knew4 ,may you soon    
grow wiser6 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,ccxxv
  ,,blackheath1 ,june #cj1 #ageh4  ,,my 
,,dear ,,friend3 ,this letter follows my
 last very close2 but ,i received yours 
of the #aeth in the short interval4 ,you
 did very well not to buy any ,rhenish1 
at the exorbitant price you mention1    
without further directions2 for both my 
brother and ,i think the money better   
than the wine1 be the wine ever so good4
 ,we will content our selves with our   
stock in hand of humble ,rhenish1 of    
about three shillings a-bottle4         
,however1 #8pour la rarity du fait1 ,i  
will lay out twelve ducats'1 for twelve 
bottles of the wine of #affe1 by way of 
an eventual cordial1 if you can obtain a

 #8senatus consultum' for it4 ,i am in  
no hurry for it1 so send it me only when
 you can conveniently2 well packed up   
#8s'entend'4  ,you will1 ,i dare say1   
have leave to go to ,cassel2 and if you 
do go1 you will perhaps think it        
reasonable1 that ,i1 who was the adviser
 of the journey1 should pay the expense 
of it4 ,i think so too2 and therefore1  
if you go1 ,i will remit the ,l#ajj     
which you have calculated it at4 ,you   
will find the ,house of ,cassel the     
house of gladness2 for ,hanau is        
already1 or must be soon1 delivered of  
its ,french guests4  ,the ,prince of    
,brunswick's victory is1 by all the     
skillful1 thought a #8chef d'oeuvre'1   
worthy of ,turenne1 ,conde1 or the most 
illustrious human butchers4 ,the ,french
 behaved better than at ,rosbach1       
especially the ,carabiniers ,royaux1 who
 could not be #8entames'4 ,i wish the   
siege of ,olmutz well over1 and a       
victory after it2 and that1 with good   
news from ,america1 which ,i think there

 is no reason to doubt of1 must procure 
us a good peace at the end of the year4 
,the ,prince of ,prussia's death is no  
public misfortune3 there was a jealousy 
and alienation between the ,king and    
him1 which could never have been made up
 between the possessor of the crown and 
the next heir to it4 ,he will make      
something of his nephew1 #8s'il est du  
bois don't on en fait'4 ,he is young    
enough to forgive1 and to be forgiven1  
the possession and the expectative1 at  
least for some years4  ,adieu6 ,i am    
,,unwell1 but affectionately yours4     
,,letter ,,ccxxvi  ,,blackheath1 ,july  
#ah1 #ageh4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3      
,yesterday ,i received your letter of   
the #dth2 and my last will have informed
 you that ,i had received your former1  
concerning the ,rhenish1 about which ,i 
gave you instructions4 ,if #8vinum      
,mosellanum est omni tempore sanum'1 as 
the ,chapter of ,treves asserts1 what   
must this #8vinum ,rhenanum' be1 from   
its superior strength and age8 ,it must 

be the universal panacea4  ,captain     
,howe is to sail forthwith somewhere or 
another1 with about #h1jjj land forces  
on board him2 and what is much more1    
,edward the ,white ,prince4 ,it is yet a
 secret where they are going2 but ,i    
think it is no secret1 that what #af1jjj
 men and a great fleet could not do1    
will not be done by #h1jjj men and a    
much smaller fleet4 ,about #h1ejj horse1
 foot1 and dragoons1 are embarking1 as  
fast as they can1 for ,embden1 to       
reinforce ,prince ,ferdinand's army2    
late and few1 to be sure1 but still     
better than never1 and none4 ,the       
operations in ,moravia go on slowly1 and
 ,olmutz seems to be a tough piece of   
work2 ,i own ,i begin to be in pain for 
the ,king of ,prussia2 for the ,russians
 now march in earnest1 and ,marechal    
,dann's army is certainly superior in   
number to his4 ,god send him a good     
delivery6  ,you have a ,danish army now 
in your neighborhood1 and they say a    
very fine one2 ,i presume you will go to

 see it1 and1 if you do1 ,i would advise
 you to go when the ,danish ,monarch    
comes to review it himself2 #8pour      
prendre langue de ce ,seigneur'4 ,the   
rulers of the earth are all worth       
knowing2 they suggest moral reflections3
 and the respect that one naturally has 
for ,god's vicegerents here on earth1 is
 greatly increased by acquaintance with 
them4  ,your card-tables are gone1 and  
they inclose some suits of clothes1 and 
some of these clothes inclose a letter4 
,your friend ,lady------is gone into the
 country with her ,lord1 to negotiate1  
coolly and at leisure1 their intended   
separation4 ,my ,lady insists upon my   
,lord's dismissing the------1 as ruinous
 to his fortune2 my ,lord insists1 in   
his turn1 upon my ,lady's dismissing    
,lord----------2 my ,lady replies1 that 
that is unreasonable1 since ,lord       
creates no expense to the family1 but   
rather the contrary4 ,my ,lord confesses
 that there is some weight in this      
argument3 but then pleads sentiment3 my 

,lady says1 a fiddlestick for sentiment1
 after having been married so long4 ,how
 this matter will end1 is in the womb of
 time1 #8nam fuit ante ,helenam'4  ,you 
did very well to write a congratulatory 
letter to ,prince ,ferdinand2 such      
attentions are always right1 and always 
repaid in some way or other4  ,i am glad
 you have connected your negotiations   
and anecdotes2 and1 ,i hope1 not with   
your usual laconism4 ,adieu6 ,yours4    
,,letter ,,ccxxvii  ,,blackheath1       
,august #a1 #ageh  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3
 ,i think the ,court of ,cassel is more 
likely to make you a second visit at    
,hamburg1 than you are to return theirs 
at ,cassel2 and therefore1 till that    
matter is clearer1 ,i shall not mention 
it to ,lord ,holderness4  ,by the ,king 
of ,prussia's disappointment in         
,moravia1 by the approach of the        
,russians1 and the intended march of    
,monsieur de ,soubize to ,hanover1 the  
waters seem to me to be as much troubled
 as ever4 #8,je vois tres noir          

actuellement'2 ,i see swarms of         
,austrians1 ,french1 ,imperialists1     
,swedes1 and ,russians1 in all near four
 hundred thousand men1 surrounding the  
,king of ,prussia and ,prince           
,ferdinand1 who have about a third of   
that number4 ,hitherto they have only   
buzzed1 but now ,i fear they will sting4
  ,the immediate danger of this country 
is being drowned2 for it has not ceased 
raining these three months1 and withal  
is extremely cold4 ,this neither agrees 
with me in itself1 nor in its           
consequences2 for it hinders me from    
taking my necessary exercise1 and makes 
me very unwell4 ,as my head is always   
the part offending1 and is so at        
present1 ,i will not do1 like many      
writers1 write without a head2 so adieu4
     ,,letter ,,ccxxviii  ,,blackheath1 
,august #bi1 #ageh4  ,,my ,,dear        
,,friend3 ,your secretary's last letter 
brought me the good news that the fever 
had left you1 and ,i will believe that  
it has3 but a postscript to it1 of only 

two lines1 under your own hand1 would   
have convinced me more effectually of   
your recovery4 ,an intermitting fever1  
in the intervals of the paroxysms1 would
 surely have allowed you to have written
 a few lines with your own hand1 to tell
 me how you were2 and till ,i receive a 
letter 7as short as you please7 from you
 yourself1 ,i shall doubt of the exact  
truth of any other accounts4  ,i send   
you no news1 because ,i have none2 ,cape
 ,breton1 ,cherbourg1 etc41 are now old 
stories2 we expect a new one soon from  
,commodore ,howe1 but from whence we    
know not4 ,from ,germany we hope for    
good news3 ,i confess ,i do not1 ,i only
 wish it4 ,the ,king of ,prussia is     
marched to fight the ,russians1 and ,i  
believe will beat them1 if they stand2  
but what then8 ,what shall he do next1  
with the three hundred and fourscore    
thousand men now actually at work upon  
him8 ,he will do all that man can do1   
but at last #8il faut succomber'4       
,remember to think yourself less well   

than you are1 in order to be quite so2  
be very regular1 rather longer than you 
need2 and then there will be no danger  
of a relapse4 ,god bless you4           
,,letter ,,ccxxix  ,,blackheath1        
,september #e1 #ageh  ,,my ,,dear       
,,friend3 ,i received1 with great       
pleasure1 your letter of the #bb;d      
,august2 for1 by not having a line from 
you in your secretary's two letters1 ,i 
suspect that you were worse than he     
cared to tell me2 and so far ,i was in  
the right1 that your fever was more     
malignant than intermitting ones        
generally are1 which seldom confines    
people to their bed1 or at most1 only   
the days of the paroxysms4 ,now that1   
thank ,god1 you are well again1 though  
weak1 do not be in too much haste to be 
better and stronger3 leave that to      
nature1 which1 at your age1 will restore
 both your health and strength as soon  
as she should4 ,live cool for a time1   
and rather low1 instead of taking what  
they call heartening things3 ,your      

manner of making presents is noble1 #8et
 sent la grandeur d'ame d'un preux      
,chevalier'4 ,you depreciate their value
 to prevent any returns2 for it is      
impossible that a wine which has counted
 so many ,syndicks1 that can only be    
delivered by a #8senatus consultum'1 and
 is the ,,panacea ,of the ,north1 should
 be sold for a ducat a bottle4 ,the     
#8sylphium' of the ,romans1 which was   
stored up in the public magazines1 and  
only distributed by order of the        
magistrate1 ,i dare say1 cost more2 so  
that ,i am convinced1 your present is   
much more valuable than you would make  
it4  ,here ,i am interrupted1 by        
receiving your letter of the #beth past4
 ,i am glad that you are able to        
undertake your journey to ,bremen3 the  
motion1 the air1 the new scene1 the     
everything1 will do you good1 provided  
you manage yourself discreetly4  ,your  
bill for fifty pounds shall certainly be
 accepted and paid2 but1 as in          
conscience ,i think fifty pounds is too 

little1 for seeing a live ,landgrave1   
and especially at ,bremen1 which this   
whole nation knows to be a very dear    
place1 ,i shall1 with your leave1 add   
fifty more to it4 ,by the way1 when you 
see the ,princess ,royal of ,cassel1 be 
sure to tell her how sensible you are of
 the favorable and too partial          
testimony1 which you know she wrote of  
you to ,princess ,amelia4  ,the ,king of
 ,prussia has had the victory1 which you
 in some measure foretold2 and as he has
 taken #8la caisse militaire'1 ,i       
presume #8,messieurs les ,russes sont   
hors de combat pour cette campagne'2 for
 #8point d'argent1 point de ,suisse'1 is
 not truer of the laudable ,helvetic    
body1 than #8point d'argent1 point de   
,russe'1 is of the savages of the ,two  
,russias1 not even excepting the        
,autocratrice of them both4 ,serbelloni1
 ,i believe1 stands next in his         
,prussian ,majesty's list to be beaten2 
that is1 if he will stand2 as the       
,prince de ,soubize does in ,prince     

,ferdinand's1 upon the same condition4  
,if both these things happen1 which is  
by no means improbable1 we may hope for 
a tolerable peace this winter2 for1 #8au
 bout du compte'1 the ,king of ,prussia 
cannot hold out another year2 and       
therefore he should make the best of    
these favorable events1 by way          
negotiation4  ,i think ,i have written a
 great deal1 with an actual giddiness of
 head upon me4 ,so adieu4  ,i am glad   
you have received my letter of the ,ides
 of ,july4     ,,letter ,,ccxxx         
,,blackheath1 ,september #h1 #ageh4     
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,this letter shall
 be short1 being only an explanatory    
note upon my last2 for ,i am not learned
 enough1 nor yet dull enough1 to make my
 comment much longer than my text4 ,i   
told you then1 in my former letter1     
that1 with your leave 7which ,i will    
suppose granted71 ,i would add fifty    
pounds to your draught for that sum2    
now1 lest you should misunderstand this1
 and wait for the remittance of that    

additional fifty from hence1 know then  
my meaning was1 that you should likewise
 draw upon me for it when you please2   
which ,i presume1 will be more          
convenient to you4  ,let the pedants1   
whose business it is to believe lies1 or
 the poets1 whose trade it is to invent 
them1 match the ,king of ,prussia ,with 
a hero in ancient or modern story1 if   
they can4 ,he disgraces history1 and    
makes one give some credit to romances4 
,calprenede's ,juba does not now seem so
 absurd as formerly4  ,i have been      
extremely ill this whole summer2 but am 
now something better4 ,however1 ,i      
perceive1 #8que l'esprit et le corps    
baissent'2 the former is the last thing 
that anybody will tell me2 or own when  
,i tell it them2 but ,i know it is true4
 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,ccxxxi          
,,blackheath1 ,september #bb1 #ageh     
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have received  
no letter from you since you left       
,hamburg2 ,i presume that you are       
perfectly recovered1 but it might not   

have been improper to have told me so4  
,i am very far from being recovered2 on 
the contrary1 ,i am worse and worse1    
weaker and weaker every day2 for which  
reason ,i shall leave this place next   
,monday1 and set out for ,bath a few    
days afterward4 ,i should not take all  
this trouble merely to prolong the fag  
end of a life1 from which ,i can expect 
no pleasure1 and others no utility2 but 
the cure1 or at least the mitigation1 of
 those physical ills which make that    
life a load while it does last1 is worth
 any trouble and attention4  ,we are    
come off but scurvily from our second   
attempt upon ,st4 ,malo2 it is our last 
for this season2 and1 in my mind1 should
 be our last forever1 unless we were to 
send so great a sea and land force as to
 give us a moral certainty of taking    
some place of great importance1 such as 
,brest1 ,rochefort1 or ,toulon4         
,monsieur ,munchausen embarked          
yesterday1 as he said1 for ,prince      
,ferdinand's army2 but as it is not     

generally thought that his military     
skill can be of any great use to that   
prince1 people conjecture that his      
business must be of a very different    
nature1 and suspect separate            
negotiations1 neutralities1 and what    
not4 ,kniphausen does not relish it in  
the least1 and is by no means satisfied 
with the reasons that have been given   
him for it4 ,before he can arrive there1
 ,i reckon that something decisive will 
have passed in ,saxony2 if to the       
disadvantage of the ,king of ,prussia1  
he is crushed2 but if1 on the contrary1 
he should get a complete victory 7and he
 does not get half victories7 over the  
,austrians1 the winter may probably     
produce him and us a reasonable peace4  
,i look upon ,russia as #8hors de       
combat' for some time2 ,france is       
certainly sick of the war2 under an     
unambitious ,king1 and an incapable     
,ministry1 if there is one at all3 and1 
unassisted by those two powers1 the     
,empress ,queen had better be quiet4    

,were any other man in the situation of 
the ,king of ,prussia1 ,i should not    
hesitate to pronounce him ruined2 but he
 is such a prodigy of a man1 that ,i    
will only say1 ,i fear he will be       
ruined4 ,it is by this time decided4    
,your ,cassel court at ,bremen is1 ,i   
doubt1 not very splendid2 money must be 
wanting3 but1 however1 ,i dare say their
 table is always good1 for the          
,landgrave is a gourmand2 and as you are
 domestic there1 you may be so too1 and 
recruit your loss of flesh from your    
fever3 but do not recruit too fast4     
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,ccxxxii          
,,london1 ,september #bf1 #ageh  ,,my   
,,dear ,,friend3 ,i am sorry to find    
that you had a return of your fever2 but
 to say the truth1 you in some measure  
deserved it1 for not carrying ,dr4      
,middleton's bark and prescription with 
you4 ,i foresaw that you would think    
yourself cured too soon1 and gave you   
warning of it2 but ,,bygones are        
,,bygones1 as ,chartres1 when he was    

dying1 said of his sins2 let us look    
forward4 ,you did very prudently to     
return to ,hamburg1 to good bark1 and1  
,i hope1 a good physician4 ,make all    
sure there before you stir from thence1 
notwithstanding the requests or commands
 of all the princesses in ,europe3 ,i   
mean a month at least1 taking the bark  
even to supererogation1 that is1 some   
time longer than ,dr4 ,middleton        
requires2 for1 ,i presume1 you are got  
over your childishness about tastes1 and
 are sensible that your health deserves 
more attention than your palate4 ,when  
you shall be thus re-established1 ,i    
approve of your returning to ,bremen2   
and indeed you cannot well avoid it1    
both with regard to your promise1 and to
 the distinction with which you have    
been received by the ,cassel family4    
,now to the other part of your letter4  
,lord ,holdernesse has been extremely   
civil to you1 in sending you1 all under 
his own hand1 such obliging offers of   
his service4 ,the hint is plain1 that he

 will 7in case you desire it7 procure   
you leave to come home for some time2 so
 that the single question is1 whether   
you should desire it or not1 ,,now4 ,it 
will be two months before you can       
possibly undertake the journey1 whether 
by sea or by land1 and either way it    
would be a troublesome and dangerous one
 for a convalescent in the rigor of the 
month of ,november2 you could drink no  
mineral waters here in that season1 nor 
are any mineral waters proper in your   
case1 being all of them heating1 except 
,seltzer's2 then1 what would do you more
 harm than all medicines could do you   
good1 would be the pestilential vapors  
of the ,house of ,commons1 in long and  
crowded days1 of which there will       
probably be many this session2 where    
your attendance1 if here1 will          
necessarily be required4 ,i compare ,st4
 ,stephen's ,chapel1 upon those days1 to
 #8la ,grotta del ,cane'4  ,whatever may
 be the fate of the war now1            
negotiations will certainly be stirring 

all the winter1 and of those1 the       
northern ones1 you are sensible1 are not
 the least important2 in these1 if at   
,hamburg1 you will probably have your   
share1 and perhaps a meritorious one4   
,upon the whole1 therefore1 ,i would    
advise you to write a very civil letter 
to ,lord ,holdernesse2 and to tell him  
that though you cannot hope to be of any
 use to his ,majesty's affairs anywhere1
 yet1 in the present unsettled state of 
the ,north1 it is possible that         
unforeseen accidents may throw in your  
way to be of some little service1 and   
that you would not willingly be out of  
the way of those accidents2 but that you
 shall be most extremely obliged to his 
,lordship1 if he will procure you his   
,majesty's gracious permission to return
 for a few months in the spring1 when   
probably affairs will be more settled   
one way or another4 ,when things tend   
nearer to a settlement1 and that        
,germany1 from the want of money or men1
 or both1 breathes peace more than war1 

,i shall solicit ,burrish's commission  
for you1 which is one of the most       
agreeable ones in his ,majesty's gift2  
and ,i shall by no means despair of     
success4 ,now ,i have given you my      
opinion upon this affair1 which does not
 make a difference of above three       
months1 or four at most1 ,i would not be
 understood to mean to force your own1  
if it should happen to be different from
 mine2 but mine1 ,i think1 is more both 
for your health and your interest4      
,however1 do as you please3 may you in  
this1 and everything else1 do for the   
best6 ,so ,god bless you6     ,,letter  
,,ccxxxiii  ,,bath1 ,october #ah1 #ageh4
  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i received by  
the same post your two letters of the   
#bith past1 and of the #c;d instant4    
,the last tells me that you are         
perfectly recovered2 and your resolution
 of going to ,bremen in three or four   
days proves it2 for surely you would not
 undertake that journey a second time1  
and at this season of the year1 without 

feeling your health solidly restored2   
however1 in all events1 ,i hope you have
 taken a provision of good bark with    
you4 ,i think your attention to her     
,royal ,highness may be of use to you   
here2 and indeed all attentions1 to all 
sorts1 of people1 are always repaid in  
some way or other2 though real          
obligations are not4 ,for instance1     
,lord ,titchfield1 who has been with you
 at ,hamburg1 has written an account to 
the ,duke and ,duchess of ,portland1 who
 are here1 of the civilities you showed 
him1 with which he is much pleased1 and 
they delighted4 ,at this rate1 if you do
 not take care1 you will get the unmanly
 reputation of a well-bred man2 and your
 countryman1 ,john ,trott1 will disown  
you4  ,i have received1 and tasted of   
your present2 which is a #8tres grand   
vin'1 but more cordial to the stomach   
than pleasant to the palate4 ,i keep it 
as a physic1 only to take occasionally1 
in little disorders of my stomach2 and  
in those cases1 ,i believe it is        

wholsomer than stronger cordials4  ,i   
have been now here a fortnight2 and     
though ,i am rather better than when ,i 
came1 ,i am still far from well4  ,my   
head is giddier than becomes a head of  
my age2 and my stomach has not recovered
 its retentive faculty4 ,leaning        
forward1 particularly to write1 does not
 at present agree with1 ,yours4         
,,letter ,,ccxxxiv  ,,bath1 ,october    
#bh1 #ageh4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,your
 letter has quieted my alarms2 for ,i   
find by it1 that you are as well        
recovered as you could be in so short a 
time4 ,it is your business now to keep  
yourself well by scrupulously following 
,dr4 ,middleton's directions4 ,he seems 
to be a rational and knowing man4 ,soap 
and steel are1 unquestionably1 the      
proper medicines for your case2 but as  
they are alteratives1 you must take them
 for a very long time1 six months at    
least2 and then drink chalybeate waters4
 ,i am fully persuaded1 that this was   
your original complaint in ,carniola1   

which those ignorant physicians called1 
in their jargon1 #8,arthritis vaga'1 and
 treated as such4 ,but now that the true
 cause of your illness is discovered1 ,i
 flatter myself that1 with time and     
patience on your part1 you will be      
radically cured2 but1 ,i repeat it      
again1 it must be by a long and         
uninterrupted course of those alterative
 medicines above mentioned4 ,they have  
no taste2 but if they had a bad one1 ,i 
will not now suppose you such a child1  
as to let the frowardness of your palate
 interfere in the least with the        
recovery or enjoyment of health4 ,the   
latter deserves the utmost attention of 
the most rational man2 the former is the
 only proper object of the care of a    
dainty1 frivolous woman4  ,the run of   
luck1 which some time ago we were in1   
seems now to be turned against us4      
,oberg is completely routed2 his        
,prussian ,majesty was surprised 7which 
,i am surprised at71 and had rather the 
worst of it4 ,i am in some pain for     

,prince ,ferdinand1 as ,i take it for   
granted that the detachment from        
,marechal de ,contade's army1 which     
enabled ,prince ,soubize to beat ,oberg1
 will immediately return to the grand   
army1 and then it will be infinitely    
superior4  ,nor do ,i see where ,prince 
,ferdinand can take his winter quarters1
 unless he retires to ,hanover2 and that
 ,i do not take to be at present the    
land of ,canaan4 ,our second expedition 
to ,st4 ,malo ,i cannot call so much an 
unlucky1 as an ill-conducted one2 as was
 also ,abercrombie's affair in ,america4
 #8,mais il n'y a pas de petite perte   
qui revient souvent'3 and all these     
accidents put together make a           
considerable sum total4  ,i have found  
so little good by these waters1 that ,i 
do not intend to stay here above a week 
longer2 and then remove my crazy body to
 ,london1 which is the most convenient  
place either to live or die in4  ,i     
cannot expect active health anywhere2   
you may1 with common care and prudence1 

effect it everywhere2 and ,god grant    
that you may have it6 ,adieu4           
,,letter ,,ccxxxv  ,,london1 ,november  
#ba1 #ageh4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,you 
did well to think of ,prince            
,ferdinand's ribband1 which ,i confess  
,i did not2 and ,i am glad to find you  
thinking so far beforehand4 ,it would be
 a pretty commission1 and ,i will       
#8accingere me' to procure it to you4   
,the only competition ,i fear1 is that  
of ,general ,yorke1 in case ,prince     
,ferdinand should pass any time with his
 brother at ,the ,hague1 which is not   
unlikely1 since he cannot go to         
,brunswick to his eldest brother1 upon  
account of their simulated quarrel4  ,i 
fear the piece is at an end with the    
,king of ,prussia1 and he may say       
#8ilicet'2 ,i am sure he may personally 
say #8plaudite'4 ,warm work is expected 
this session of parliament1 about       
continent and no continent2 some think  
,mr4 ,pitt too continent1 others too    
little so2 but a little time1 as the    

newspapers most prudently and truly     
observe1 will clear up these matters4   
,the ,king has been ill2 but his illness
 is terminated in a good fit of the     
gout1 with which he is still confined4  
,it was generally thought that he would 
have died1 and for a very good reason2  
for the oldest lion in the ,tower1 much 
about the ,king's age1 died a fortnight 
ago4 ,this extravagancy1 ,i can assure  
you1 was believed by many above peuple4 
,so wild and capricious is the human    
mind6  ,take care of your health as much
 as you can2 for1 ,to ,,be1 or ,,not ,to
 ,,be1 is a question of much less       
importance1 in my mind1 than to be or   
not to be well4 ,adieu4     ,,letter    
,,ccxxxvi  ,,london1 ,december #ae1     
#ageh4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,it is a  
great while since ,i heard from you1 but
 ,i hope that good1 not ill health1 has 
been the occasion of this silence3 ,i   
will suppose you have been1 or are still
 at ,bremen1 and engrossed by your      
,hessian friends4  ,prince ,ferdinand of

 ,brunswick is most certainly to have   
the ,garter1 and ,i think ,i have       
secured you the honor of putting it on4 
,when ,i say ,,secured1 ,i mean it in   
the sense in which that word should     
always be understood at courts1 and that
 is1 ,,insecurely2 ,i have a promise1   
but that is not #8caution bourgeoise'4  
,in all events1 do not mention it to any
 mortal1 because there is always a      
degree of ridicule that attends a       
disappointment1 though often very       
unjustly1 if the expectation was        
reasonably grounded2 however1 it is     
certainly most prudent not to           
communicate1 prematurely1 one's hopes or
 one's fears4 ,i cannot tell you when   
,prince ,ferdinand will have it2 though 
there are so many candidates for the    
other two vacant ,garters1 that ,i      
believe he will have his soon1 and by   
himself2 the others must wait till a    
third1 or rather a fourth vacancy4 ,lord
 ,rockingham and ,lord ,holdernesse are 
secure4 ,lord ,temple pushes strongly1  

but1 ,i believe1 is not secure4 ,this   
commission for dubbing a knight1 and so 
distinguished a one1 will be a very     
agreeable and creditable one for you1   
#8et il faut vous en acquitter          
galamment'4 ,in the days of ancient     
chivalry1 people were very nice who they
 would be knighted by and1 if ,i do not 
mistake1 ,francis the ,first would only 
be knighted by the ,chevalier ,bayard1  
#8qui etoit preux ,chevalier et sans    
reproche'2 and no doubt but it will be  
recorded1 #8dans les archives de la     
,maison de ,brunswick'1 that ,prince    
,ferdinand received the honor of        
knighthood from your hands4  ,the       
estimates for the expenses of the year  
#agei are made up2 ,i have seen them2   
and what do you think they amount to8   
,no less than twelve millions three     
hundred thousand pounds3 a most         
incredible sum1 and yet already         
subscribed1 and even more offered6 ,the 
unanimity in the ,house of ,commons1 in 
voting such a sum1 and such forces1 both

 by sea and land1 is not the less       
astonishing4 ,this is ,mr4 ,pitt's      
doing1 ,,and ,,it ,,is ,,marvelous ,,in 
,,our ,,eyes4  ,the ,king of ,prussia   
has nothing more to do this year2 and1  
the next1 he must begin where he has    
left off4 ,i wish he would employ this  
winter in concluding a separate peace   
with the ,elector of ,saxony2 which     
would give him more elbowroom to act    
against ,france and the ,queen of       
,hungary1 and put an end at once to the 
proceedings of the ,diet1 and the army  
of the empire2 for then no estate of the
 empire would be invaded by a co-estate1
 and ,france1 the faithful and          
disinterested guarantee of the ,treaty  
of ,westphalia1 would have no pretense  
to continue its armies there4 ,i should 
think that his ,polish ,majesty1 and his
 ,governor1 ,comte ,bruhl1 must be      
pretty weary of being fugitives in      
,poland1 where they are hated1 and of   
being ravaged in ,saxony4 ,this reverie 
of mine1 ,i hope will be tried1 and ,i  

wish it may succeed4 ,good-night1 and   
,god bless you6                         
,,letters ,,to ,,his ,,son              
#agei-fe             ,by the ,,earl ,,of
 ,,chesterfield             on the ,fine
 ,art of becoming a                ,,man
 ,,of ,,the ,,world                     
and a                  ,,gentleman      
,,letter ,,ccxxxvii  ,,london1          
,new-year's ,day1 #agei  ,,my ,,dear    
,,friend3 #8,molti e felici'1 and ,i    
have done upon that subject1 one truth  
being fair1 upon the most lying day in  
the whole year4  ,i have now before me  
your last letter of the #bast ,december1
 which ,i am glad to find is a bill of  
health3 but1 however1 do not presume too
 much upon it1 but obey and honor your  
physician1 8that thy days may be long in
 the land40  ,since my last1 ,i have    
heard nothing more concerning the       
ribband2 but ,i take it for granted it  
will be disposed of soon4 ,by the way1  
upon reflection1 ,i am not sure that    
anybody but a knight can1 according to  

form1 be employed to make a knight4 ,i  
remember that ,sir ,clement ,cotterel   
was sent to ,holland1 to dub the late   
,prince of ,orange1 only because he was 
a knight himself2 and ,i know that the  
proxies of knights1 who cannot attend   
their own installations1 must always be 
knights4 ,this did not occur to me      
before1 and perhaps will not to the     
person who was to recommend you3 ,i am  
sure ,i will not stir it2 and ,i only   
mention it now1 that you may be in all  
events prepared for the disappointment1 
if it should happen4  ,g-----is         
exceedingly flattered with your account1
 that three thousand of his countrymen2 
all as little as himself1 should be     
thought a sufficient guard upon         
three-and-twenty thousand of all the    
nations in ,europe2 not that he thinks  
himself1 by any means1 a little man1 for
 when he would describe a tall handsome 
man1 he raises himself up at least half 
an inch to represent him4  ,the private 
news from ,hamburg is1 that his         

,majesty's ,resident there is woundily  
in love with ,madame-------2 if this be 
true1 ,god send him1 rather than her1 a 
good ,,delivery6 ,she must be           
#8etrennee' at this season1 and         
therefore ,i think you should be so too3
 so draw upon me as soon as you please1 
for one hundred pounds4  ,here is       
nothing new1 except the unanimity with  
which the parliament gives away a dozen 
of millions sterling2 and the unanimity 
of the public is as great in approving  
of it1 which has stifled the usual      
political and polemical argumentations4 
,cardinal ,bernis's disgrace is as      
sudden1 and hitherto as little          
understood1 as his elevation was4 ,i    
have seen his poems1 printed at ,paris1 
not by a friend1 ,i dare say2 and to    
judge by them1 ,i humbly conceive his   
,eminency is a p-----y4 ,i will say     
nothing of that excellent headpiece that
 made him and unmade him in the same    
month1 except ,o ,,king1 ,,live         
,,forever4  ,good-night to you1 whoever 

you pass it with4     ,,letter          
,,ccxxxviii  ,,london1 ,february #b1    
#agei  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i am now  
7what ,i have very seldom been7 two     
letters in your debt3 the reason was1   
that my head1 like many other heads1 has
 frequently taken a wrong turn2 in which
 case1 writing is painful to me1 and    
therefore cannot be very pleasant to my 
readers4  ,i wish you would 7while you  
have so good an opportunity as you have 
at ,hamburg7 make yourself perfectly    
master of that dull but very useful     
knowledge1 the course of exchange1 and  
the causes of its almost perpetual      
variations2 the value and relation of   
different coins1 the specie1 the banco1 
usances1 agio1 and a thousand other     
particulars4 ,you may with ease learn1  
and you will be very glad when you have 
learned them2 for1 in your business1    
that sort of knowledge will often prove 
necessary4  ,i hear nothing more of     
,prince ,ferdinand's garter3 that he    
will have one is very certain2 but when1

 ,i believe1 is very uncertain2 all the 
other postulants wanting to be dubbed at
 the same time1 which cannot be1 as     
there is not ribband enough for them4   
,if the ,russians move in time1 and in  
earnest1 there will be an end of our    
hopes and of our armies in ,germany3    
three such mill-stones as ,russia1      
,france1 and ,austria1 must1 sooner or  
later1 in the course of the year1 grind 
his ,prussian ,majesty down to a mere   
,,margrave of ,brandenburg4 ,but ,i have
 always some hopes of a change under a  
#8,gunarchy'--,derived from the ,greek  
word #8,iuvn' a woman1 and means female 
government--where whim and humor        
commonly prevail1 reason very seldom1   
and then only by a lucky mistake4  ,i   
expect the incomparable fair one of     
,hamburg1 that prodigy of beauty1 and   
paragon of good sense1 who has enslaved 
your mind1 and inflamed your heart4 ,if 
she is as well #8etrennee' as you say   
she shall1 you will be soon out of her  
chains2 for ,i have1 by long experience1

 found women to be like ,telephus's     
spear1 if one end kills1 the other      
cures4  ,there never was so quiet1 nor  
so silent a session of parliament as the
 present2 ,mr4 ,pitt declares only what 
he would have them do1 and they do it   
#8nemine contradicente'1 ,mr4 ,viner    
only expected4  ,duchess ,hamilton is to
 be married1 to-morrow1 to ,colonel     
,campbell1 the son of ,general          
,campbell1 who will some day or other be
 ,duke of ,argyle1 and have the estate4 
,she refused the ,duke of ,b-----r for  
him4  ,here is a report1 but ,i believe 
a very groundless one1 that your old    
acquaintance1 the fair ,madame          
,c------e1 is run away from her husband1
 with a jeweler1 that #8etrennes' her1  
and is come over here2 but ,i dare say  
it is some mistake1 or perhaps a lie4   
,adieu6 ,god bless you6     ,,letter    
,,ccxxxix  ,,london1 ,february #bg1     
#agei  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,in your   
last letter1 of the #gth1 you accuse me1
 most unjustly1 of being in arrears in  

my correspondence2 whereas1 if our      
epistolary accounts were fairly         
liquidated1 ,i believe you would be     
brought in considerably debtor4 ,i do   
not see how any of my letters to you can
 miscarry1 unless your office-packet    
miscarries too1 for ,i always send them 
to the office4 ,moreover1 ,i might have 
a justifiable excuse for writing to you 
seldomer than usual1 for to be sure     
there never was a period of time1 in the
 middle of a winter1 and the parliament 
sitting1 that supplied so little matter 
for a letter4 ,near twelve millions have
 been granted this year1 not only       
#8nemine contradicente'1 but1 #8nemine  
quicquid dicente'4 ,the proper officers 
bring in the estimates2 it is taken for 
granted that they are necessary and     
frugal2 the members go to dinner2 and   
leave ,mr4 ,west and ,mr4 ,martin to do 
the rest4  ,i presume you have seen the 
little poem of the 8,country ,lass10 by 
,soame ,jenyns1 for it was in the       
8,chronicle02 as was also an answer to  

it1 from the 8,monitor40 ,they are      
neither of them bad performances2 the   
first is the neatest1 and the plan of   
the second has the most invention4 ,i   
send you none of those #8pieces         
volantes' in my letters1 because they   
are all printed in one or other of the  
newspapers1 particularly in the         
8,chronicles02 and ,i suppose that you  
and others have all those papers among  
you at ,hamburg2 in which case it would 
be only putting you to the unnecessary  
expense of double postage4  ,i find you 
are sanguine about the ,king of ,prussia
 this year2 ,i allow his army will be   
what you say2 but what will that be     
#8vis-a-vis' ,french1 ,austrians1       
,imperialists1 ,swedes1 and ,russians1  
who must amount to more than double that
 number8 ,were the inequality less1 ,i  
would allow for the ,king of ,prussia's 
being so much #8ipse agmen' as pretty   
nearly to balance the account4 ,in war1 
numbers are generally my omens2 and1 ,i 
confess1 that in ,germany they seem not 

happy ones this year4 ,in ,america4 ,i  
think1 we are sure of success1 and great
 success2 but how we shall be able to   
strike a balance1 as they call it1      
between good success there1 and ill     
success upon the continent1 so as to    
come at a peace2 is more than ,i can    
discover4  ,lady ,chesterfield makes you
 her compliments1 and thanks you for    
your offer2 but declines troubling you1 
being discouraged by the ill success of 
,madame ,munchausen's and ,miss         
,chetwynd's commissions1 the former for 
beef1 and the latter for gloves2 neither
 of which have yet been executed1 to the
 dissatisfaction of both4 ,adieu4       
,,letter ,,ccxl  ,,london1 ,march #af1  
#agei  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have now
 your letter of the #bjth past lying    
before me1 by which you despond1 in my  
opinion too soon1 of dubbing your       
,prince2 for he most certainly will have
 the ,garter2 and he will as probably   
have it before the campaign opens1 as   
after4 ,his campaign must1 ,i doubt1 at 

best be a defensive one2 and he will    
show great skill in making it such2 for 
according to my calculation1 his enemies
 will be at least double his number4    
,their troops1 indeed1 may perhaps be   
worse than his2 but then their number   
will make up that defect1 as it will    
enable them to undertake different      
operations at the same time4 ,i cannot  
think that the ,king of ,denmark will   
take a part in the present war2 which he
 cannot do without great possible       
danger2 and he is well paid by ,france  
for his neutrality2 is safe1 let what   
will turn out2 and1 in the meantime1    
carries on his commerce with great      
advantage and security2 so that that    
consideration will not retard your visit
 to your own country1 whenever you have 
leave to return1 and that your own      
,,arrangements will allow you4 ,a short 
absence animates a tender passion1 #8et 
l'on ne recule que pour mieux sauter'1  
especially in the summer months2 so that
 ,i would advise you to begin your      

journey in ,may1 and continue your      
absence from the dear object of your    
vows till after the dog-days1 when love 
is said to be unwholesome4 ,we have been
 disappointed at ,martinico2 ,i wish we 
may not be so at ,guadaloupe1 though we 
are landed there2 for many difficulties 
must be got over before we can be in    
possession of the whole island4 ,a pro  
pos de bottes2 you make use of two      
,spanish words1 very properly1 in your  
letter2 were ,i you1 ,i would learn the 
,spanish language1 if there were a      
,spaniard at ,hamburg who could teach   
me2 and then you would be master of all 
the ,european languages that are useful2
 and1 in my mind1 it is very convenient1
 if not necessary1 for a public man to  
understand them all1 and not to be      
obliged to have recourse to an          
interpreter for those papers that chance
 or business may throw in his way4 ,i   
learned ,spanish when ,i was older than 
you2 convinced by experience that1 in   
everything possible1 it was better to   

trust to one's self than to any other   
body whatsoever4 ,interpreters1 as well 
as relaters1 are often unfaithful1 and  
still oftener incorrect1 puzzling1 and  
blundering4 ,in short1 let it be your   
maxim through life to know all you can  
know1 yourself2 and never to trust      
implicitly to the informations of       
others4 ,this rule has been of infinite 
service to me in the course of my life4 
,i am rather better than ,i was2 which  
,i owe not to my physicians1 but to an  
ass and a cow1 who nourish me1 between  
them1 very plentifully and wholesomely2 
in the morning the ass is my nurse1 at  
night the cow2 and ,i have just now1    
bought a milch-goat1 which is to graze1 
and nurse me at ,blackheath4 ,i do not  
know what may come of this latter1 and  
,i am not without apprehensions that it 
may make a satyr of me2 but1 should ,i  
find that obscene disposition growing   
upon me1 ,i will check it in time1 for  
fear of endangering my life and         
character by rapes4 ,and so we heartily 

bid you farewell4     ,,letter ,,ccxli  
,,london1 ,march #cj1 #agei  ,,my ,,dear
 ,,friend3 ,i do not like these         
frequent1 however short1 returns of your
 illness2 for ,i doubt they imply either
 want of skill in your physician1 or    
want of care in his patient4 ,rhubarb1  
soap1 and chalybeate medicines and      
waters1 are almost always specifics for 
obstructions of the liver2 but then a   
very exact regimen is necessary1 and    
that for a long continuance4 ,acids are 
good for you1 but you do not love them2 
and sweet things are bad for you1 and   
you do love them4 ,there is another     
thing very bad for you1 and ,i fear you 
love it too much4 ,when ,i was in       
,holland1 ,i had a slow fever that hung 
upon me a great while2 ,i consulted     
,boerhaave1 who prescribed me what ,i   
suppose was proper1 for it cured me2 but
 he added1 by way of postscript to his  
prescription1 #8,venus rarius colatur'2 
which ,i observed1 and perhaps that made
 the medicines more effectual4  ,i doubt

 we shall be mutually disappointed in   
our hopes of seeing one another this    
spring1 as ,i believe you will find1 by 
a letter which you will receive at the  
same time with this1 from ,lord         
,holderness2 but as ,lord ,holderness   
will not tell you all1 ,i will1 between 
you and me1 supply that defect4 ,i must 
do him the justice to say that he has   
acted in the most kind and friendly     
manner possible to us both4 ,when the   
,king read your letter1 in which you    
desired leave to return1 for the sake of
 drinking the ,tunbridge waters1 he     
said1 8,if he wants steel waters1 those 
of ,pyrmont are better than ,tunbridge1 
and he can have them very fresh at      
,hamburg4 ,i would rather he had asked  
me to come last autumn1 and had passed  
the winter here2 for if he returns now1 
,i shall have nobody in those quarters  
to inform me of what passes2 and yet it 
will be a very busy and important       
scene40 ,lord ,holderness1 who found    
that it would not be liked1 resolved to 

push it no further2 and replied1 he was 
very sure that when you knew his        
,majesty had the least objection to your
 return at this time1 you would think of
 it no longer2 and he owned that he     
7,lord ,holderness7 had given you       
encouragement for this application last 
year1 then thinking and hoping that     
there would be little occasion for your 
presence at ,hamburg this year4 ,lord   
,holderness will only tell you1 in his  
letter1 that1 as he had some reason to  
believe his moving this matter would be 
disagreeable to the ,king1 he resolved1 
for your sake1 not to mention it4 ,you  
must answer his letter upon that footing
 simply1 and thank him for this mark of 
his friendship1 for he has really acted 
as your friend4 ,i make no doubt of your
 having willing leave to return in      
autumn1 for the whole winter4 ,in the   
meantime1 make the best of your         
#8sejour' where you are2 drink the      
,pyrmont waters1 and no wine but        
,rhenish1 which1 in your case is the    

only proper one for you4  ,next week    
,mr4 ,harte will send you his 8,gustavus
 ,adolphus10 in two quartos2 it will    
contain many new particulars of the life
 of that real hero1 as he has had       
abundant and authentic materials1 which 
have never yet appeared4 ,it will1 upon 
the whole1 be a very curious and        
valuable history2 though1 between you   
and me1 ,i could have wished that he had
 been more correct and elegant in his   
style4 ,you will find it dedicated to   
one of your acquaintance1 who was forced
 to prune the luxuriant praises bestowed
 upon him1 and yet has left enough of   
all conscience to satisfy a reasonable  
man4 ,harte has been very much out of   
order these last three or four months1  
but is not the less intent upon sowing  
his lucerne1 of which he had six crops  
last year1 to his infinite joy1 and1 as 
he says1 profit4 ,as a gardener1 ,i     
shall probably have as much joy1 though 
not quite so much profit1 by thirty or  
forty shillings2 for there is the       

greatest promise of fruit this year at  
#8,blackheath1 that ever ,i saw in my   
life4 ,vertumnus and ,pomona have been  
very propitious to me3 as for ,priapus1 
that tremendous garden god1 as ,i no    
longer invoke him1 ,i cannot expect his 
protection from the birds and the       
thieves4  ,adieu6 ,i will conclude like 
a pedant1 #8,levius fit patientia       
quicquid corrigere est nefas4'          
,,letter ,,ccxlii  ,,london1 ,april #af1
 #agei  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,with     
humble submission to you1 ,i still say  
that if ,prince ,ferdinand can make a   
defensive campaign this year1 he will   
have done a great deal1 considering the 
great inequality of numbers4 ,the little
 advantages of taking a regiment or two 
prisoners1 or cutting another to pieces1
 are but trifling articles in the great 
account2 they are only the pence1 the   
pounds are yet to come2 and ,i take it  
for granted1 that neither the ,french1  
nor the ,court of ,vienna1 will have    
#8le dementi' of their main object1     

which is unquestionably ,hanover2 for   
that is the #8summa summarum'2 and they 
will certainly take care to draw a force
 together for this purpose1 too great   
for any that ,prince ,ferdinand has1 or 
can have1 to oppose them4 ,in short1    
mark the end on't1 #8j'en augure mal'4  
,if ,france1 ,austria1 the ,empire1     
,russia1 and ,sweden1 are not1 at long  
run1 too hard for the two ,electors of  
,hanover and ,brandenburg1 there must be
 some invisible power1 some tutelar     
deities1 that miraculously interpose in 
favor of the latter4  ,you encourage me 
to accept all the powers that goats1    
asses1 and bulls1 can give me1 by       
engaging for my not making an ill use of
 them2 but ,i own1 ,i cannot help       
distrusting myself a little1 or rather  
human nature2 for it is an old and very 
true observation1 that there are misers 
of money1 but none of power2 and the    
non-use of the one1 and the abuse of the
 other1 increase in proportion to their 
quantity4  ,i am very sorry to tell you 

that ,harte's 8,gustavus ,adolphus0 does
 not take at all1 and consequently sells
 very little3 it is certainly informing1
 and full of good matter2 but it is as  
certain too1 that the style is          
execrable3 where the devil he picked it 
up1 ,i cannot conceive1 for it is a bad 
style1 of a new and singular kind2 it is
 full of ,latinisms1 ,gallicisms1       
,germanisms1 and all isms but           
,anglicisms2 in some places pompous1 in 
others vulgar and low4 ,surely1 before  
the end of the world1 people1 and you in
 particular1 will discover that the     
,,manner1 in everything1 is at least as 
important as the matter2 and that the   
latter never can please1 without a good 
degree of elegance in the former4 ,this 
holds true in everything in life3 in    
writing1 conversing1 business1 the help 
of the ,graces is absolutely necessary2 
and whoever vainly thinks himself above 
them1 will find he is mistaken when it  
will be too late to court them1 for they
 will not come to strangers of an       

advanced age4 ,there is an history      
lately come out1 of the 8,reign of ,mary
 ,queen of ,scots0 and her son 7no      
matter by whom7 ,king ,james1 written by
 one ,robertson1 a ,scotchman1 which for
 clearness1 purity1 and dignity of      
style1 ,i will not scruple to compare   
with the best historians extant1 not    
excepting ,davila1 ,guicciardini1 and   
perhaps ,livy4 ,its success has         
consequently been great1 and a second   
edition is already published and bought 
up4 ,i take it for granted1 that it is  
to be had1 or at least borrowed1 at     
,hamburg1 or ,i would send it to you4   
,i hope you drink the ,pyrmont waters   
every morning4 ,the health of the mind  
depends so much upon the health of the  
body1 that the latter deserves the      
utmost attention1 independently of the  
senses4 ,god send you a very great share
 of both6 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,ccxliii
  ,,london1 ,april #bg1 #agei  ,,my     
,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have received your  
two letters of the #ajth and #acth1 by  

the last mail2 and ,i will begin my     
answer to them1 by observing to you that
 a wise man1 without being a ,stoic1    
considers1 in all misfortunes that      
befall him1 their best as well as their 
worst side2 and everything has a better 
and a worse side4 ,i have strictly      
observed that rule for many years1 and  
have found by experience that some      
comfort is to be extracted1 under most  
moral ills1 by considering them in every
 light1 instead of dwelling1 as people  
are too apt to do1 upon the gloomy side 
of the object4 ,thank ,god1 the         
disappointment that you so pathetically 
groan under1 is not a calamity which    
admits of no consolation4 ,let us       
simplify it1 and see what it amounts to4
 ,you are pleased with the expectation  
of coming here next month1 to see those 
who would have been pleased with seeing 
you4 ,that1 from very natural causes1   
cannot be1 and you must pass this summer
 at ,hamburg1 and next winter in        
,england1 instead of passing this summer

 in ,england1 and next winter at        
,hamburg4 ,now1 estimating things       
fairly1 is not the change rather to your
 advantage8 ,is not the summer more     
eligible1 both for health and pleasure1 
than the winter1 in that northern frozen
 zone8 ,and will not the winter in      
,england supply you with more pleasures 
than the summer1 in an empty capital1   
could have done8 ,so far then it        
appears1 that you are rather a gainer by
 your misfortune4  ,the ,,tour too1     
which you propose making to ,lubeck1    
,altena1 etc41 will both amuse and      
inform you2 for1 at your age1 one cannot
 see too many different places and      
people2 since at the age you are now of1
 ,i take it for granted that you will   
not see them superficially1 as you did  
when you first went abroad4  ,this whole
 matter then1 summed up1 amounts to no  
more than this--that you will be here   
next winter1 instead of this summer4 ,do
 not think that all ,i have said is the 
consolation only of an old philosophical

 fellow1 almost insensible of pleasure  
or pain1 offered to a young fellow who  
has quick sensations of both4 ,no1 it is
 the rational philosophy taught me by   
experience and knowledge of the world1  
and which ,i have practiced above thirty
 years4  ,i always made the best of the 
best1 and never made bad worse by       
fretting2 this enabled me to go through 
the various scenes of life in which ,i  
have been an actor1 with more pleasure  
and less pain than most people4 ,you    
will say1 perhaps1 one cannot change    
one's nature2 and that if a person is   
born of a very sensible1 gloomy temper1 
and apt to see things in the worst      
light1 they cannot help it1 nor new-make
 themselves4 ,i will admit it1 to a     
certain degree2 and but to a certain    
degree2 for though we cannot totally    
change our nature1 we may in a great    
measure correct it1 by reflection and   
philosophy2 and some philosophy is a    
very necessary companion in this world1 
where1 even to the most fortunate1 the  

chances are greatly against happiness4  
,i am not old enough1 nor tenacious     
enough1 to pretend not to understand the
 main purport of your last letter2 and  
to show you that ,i do1 you may draw    
upon me for two hundred pounds1 which1  
,i hope1 will more than clear you4      
,good-night3 #8aquam memento rebus in   
arduis servare mentem'3 ,be neither     
transported nor depressed by the        
accidents of life4     ,,letter ,,ccxliv
  ,,blackheath1 ,may #af1 #agei  ,,my   
,,dear ,,friend3 ,your secretary's last 
letter of the #dth1 which ,i received   
yesterday1 has quieted my fears a good  
deal1 but has not entirely dissipated   
them4 ,,your ,,fever ,,still            
,,continues1 he says1 ,,though ,,in ,a  
,,less ,,degree4 ,is it a continued     
fever1 or an intermitting one8 ,if the  
former1 no wonder that you are weak1 and
 that your head aches4 ,if the latter1  
why has not the bark1 in substance and  
large doses1 been administered8 for if  
it had1 it must have stopped it by this 

time4 ,next post1 ,i hope1 will set me  
quite at ease4 ,surely you have not been
 so regular as you ought1 either in your
 medicines or in your general regimen1  
otherwise this fever would not have     
returned2 for the ,doctor calls it1     
,,your ,,fever ,,returned1 as if you had
 an exclusive patent for it4 ,you have  
now had illnesses enough1 to know the   
value of health1 and to make you        
implicitly follow the prescriptions of  
your physician in medicines1 and the    
rules of your own common sense in diet2 
in which1 ,i can assure you1 from my own
 experience1 that quantity is often     
worse than quality2 and ,i would rather 
eat half a pound of bacon at a meal1    
than two pounds of any the most         
wholesome food4  ,i have been settled   
here near a week1 to my great           
satisfaction2 #8c'est ma place'1 and ,i 
know it1 which is not given to          
everybody4 ,cut off from social life by 
my deafness1 as well as other physical  
ills1 and being at best but the ghost of

 my former self1 ,i walk here in silence
 and solitude as becomes a ghost3 with  
this only difference1 that ,i walk by   
day1 whereas1 you know1 to be sure1 that
 other ghosts only appear by night4 ,my 
health1 however1 is better than it was  
last year1 thanks to my almost total    
milk diet4 ,this enables me to vary my  
solitary amusements1 and alternately to 
scribble as well as read1 which ,i could
 not do last year4 ,thus ,i saunter away
 the remainder1 be it more or less1 of  
an agitated and active life1 now reduced
 7and ,i am not sure that ,i am a loser 
by the change7 to so quiet and serene a 
one1 that it may properly be called     
still life4  ,the ,french whisper in    
confidence1 in order that it may be the 
more known and the more credited1 that  
they intend to invade us this year1 in  
no less than three places2 that is      
,england1 ,scotland1 and ,ireland4 ,some
 of our great men1 like the devils1     
believe and tremble2 others1 and one    
little one whom ,i know1 laugh at it2   

and1 in general1 it seems to be but a   
poor1 instead of a formidable scarecrow4
 ,while somebody was at the head of a   
moderate army1 and wanted 7,i know why7 
to be at the head of a great one1       
intended invasions were made an article 
of political faith2 and the belief of   
them was required1 as in the ,church the
 belief of some absurdities1 and even   
impossibilities1 is required upon pain  
of heresy1 excommunication1 and         
consequently damnation1 if they tend to 
the power and interest of the heads of  
the ,church4 ,but now that there is a   
general toleration1 and that the best   
subjects1 as well as the best           
,christians1 may believe what their     
reasons find their consciences suggest1 
it is generally and rationally supposed 
the ,french will threaten and not       
strike1 since we are so well prepared1  
both by armies and fleets1 to receive   
and1 ,i may add1 to destroy them4       
,adieu6 ,god bless you4     ,,letter    
,,ccxlv  ,,blackheath1 ,june #ae1 #agei 

,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,your letter of   
the #eth1 which ,i received yesterday1  
gave me great satisfaction1 being all in
 your own hand2 though it contains      
great1 and ,i fear just complaints of   
your ill state of health4 ,you do very  
well to change the air2 and ,i hope that
 change will do well by you4 ,i would   
therefore have you write after the #bjth
 of ,august1 to ,lord ,holderness1 to   
beg of him to obtain his ,majesty's     
leave for you to return to ,england for 
two or three months1 upon account of    
your health4 ,two or three months is an 
indefinite time1 which may afterward    
insensibly stretched to what length one 
pleases2 leave that to me4 ,in the      
meantime1 you may be taking your        
measures with the best economy4  ,the   
day before yesterday1 an express arrived
 from ,guadaloupe which brought an      
account of our being in possession of   
the whole island4 ,and ,i make no manner
 of doubt but that1 in about two months1
 we shall have as good news from        

,crown-point1 ,quebec1 etc4 ,our affairs
 in ,germany1 ,i fear1 will not be      
equally prosperous2 for ,i have very    
little hopes for the ,king of ,prussia  
or ,prince ,ferdinand4 ,god bless you4  
,,letter ,,ccxlvi  ,,blackheath1 ,june  
#be1 #agei  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,the  
two last mails have brought me no letter
 from you or your secretary4 ,i will    
take this as a sign that you are better2
 but1 however1 if you thought that ,i   
cared to know1 you should have cared to 
have written4 ,here the weather has been
 very fine for a fortnight together1 a  
longer term than in this climate we are 
used to hold fine weather by4 ,i hope it
 is so1 too1 at ,hamburg1 or at least at
 the villa to which you are gone2 but   
pray do not let it be your #8villa      
viciosa'1 as those retirements are often
 called1 and too often prove2 though1 by
 the way1 the original name was #8villa 
vezzosa'2 and by wags miscalled         
#8viciosa'4  ,i have a most gloomy      
prospect of affairs in ,germany2 the    

,french are already in possession of    
,cassel1 and of the learned part of     
,hanover1 that is ,gottingen2 where ,i  
presume they will not stop #8pour       
l'amour des belles lettres'1 but rather 
go on to the capital1 and study them    
upon the coin4 ,my old acquaintance1    
,monsieur ,richelieu1 made a great      
progress there in metallic learning and 
inscriptions4 ,if ,prince ,ferdinand    
ventures a battle to prevent it1 ,i     
dread the consequences2 the odds are too
 great against him4 ,the ,king of       
,prussia is still in a worse situation2 
for he has the ,hydra to encounter2 and 
though he may cut off a head or two1    
there will still be enough left to      
devour him at last4 ,i have1 as you     
know1 long foretold the now approaching 
catastrophe2 but ,i was ,cassandra4 ,our
 affairs in the new world have a much   
more pleasing aspect2 ,guadaloupe is a  
great acquisition1 and ,quebec1 which ,i
 make no doubt of1 will still be        
greater4 ,but must all these advantages1

 purchased at the price of so much      
,english blood and treasure1 be at last 
sacrificed as a peace-offering8 ,god    
knows what consequences such a measure  
may produce2 the germ of discontent is  
already great1 upon the bare supposition
 of the case2 but should it be realized1
 it will grow to a harvest of           
disaffection4  ,you are now1 to be sure1
 taking the previous necessary measures 
for your return here in the autumn and  
,i think you may disband your whole     
family1 excepting your secretary1 your  
butler1 who takes care of your plate1   
wine1 etc41 one or at most two1 maid    
servants1 and your valet de chambre and 
one footman1 whom you will bring over   
with you4 ,but give no mortal1 either   
there or here1 reason to think that you 
are not to return to ,hamburg again4 ,if
 you are asked about it1 say1 like      
,lockhart1 that you are #8le serviteur  
des ,evenemens'2 for your present       
appointments will do you no hurt here1  
till you have some better destination4  

,at that season of the year1 ,i believe 
it will be better for you to come by sea
 than by land1 but that you will be best
 able to judge of from the then         
circumstances of your part in the world4
  ,your old friend ,stevens is dead of  
the consumption that has long been      
undermining him4 ,god bless you1 and    
send you health4     ,another two year  
lapse in the letters4 ,d4,w4            
,,letter ,,ccxlvii  ,,bath1 ,february   
#bf1 #agfa4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i am
 very glad to hear that your election is
 finally settled1 and to say the truth1 
not sorry that ,mr4----has been         
compelled to do1 #8de mauvaise grace'1  
that which he might have done at first  
in a friendly and handsome manner4      
,however1 take no notice of what is     
passed1 and live with him as you used to
 do before2 for1 in the intercourse of  
the world1 it is often necessary to seem
 ignorant of what one knows1 and to have
 forgotten what one remembers4  ,i have 
just now finished ,coleman's play1 and  

like it very well2 it is well conducted1
 and the characters are well preserved4 
,i own1 ,i expected from the author more
 dialogue wit2 but1 as ,i know that he  
is a most scrupulous classic1 ,i believe
 he did not dare to put in half so much 
wit as he could have done1 because      
,terence had not a single grain2 and it 
would have been #8crimen laesae         
antiquitatis'4 ,god bless you6          
,,letter ,,ccxlviii  ,,bath1 ,november  
#ba1 #agfa4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i   
have this moment received your letter of
 the #aith4 ,if ,i find any alterations 
by drinking these waters1 now six days1 
it is rather for the better2 but1 in six
 days more1 ,i think ,i shall find with 
more certainty what humor they are in   
with me2 if kind1 ,i will profit of1 but
 not abuse their kindness2 all things   
have their bounds1 #8quos ultra citrave 
nequit consistere rectum'2 and ,i will  
endeavor to nick that point4  ,the      
,queen's jointure is larger than1 from  
,,some ,,reasons1 ,i expected it would  

be1 though not greater than the very    
last precedent authorized4 ,the case of 
the late ,lord ,wilmington was1 ,i      
fancy1 remembered4  ,i have now good    
reason to believe that ,spain will      
declare war to us1 that is1 that it will
 very soon1 if it has not already1      
avowedly assist ,france1 in case the war
 continues4 ,this will be a great       
triumph to ,mr4 ,pitt1 and fully justify
 his plan of beginning with ,spain      
first1 and having the first blow1 which 
is often half the battle4  ,here is a   
great deal of company1 and what is      
commonly called good company1 that is1  
great quality4 ,i trouble them very     
little1 except at the pump1 where my    
business calls me2 for what is company  
to a deaf man1 or a deaf man to company8
  ,lady ,brown1 whom ,i have seen1 and  
who1 by the way1 has got the gout in her
 eye1 inquired very tenderly after you4 
,and so ,i elegantly rest1 ,yours1 till 
death4     ,,letter ,,ccxlix  ,,bath1   
,december #f1 #agfa4  ,,my ,,dear       

,,friend3 ,i have been in your debt some
 time1 which1 you know1 ,i am not very  
apt to be3 but it was really for want of
 specie to pay4 ,the present state of my
 invention does not enable me to coin2  
and you would have had as little        
pleasure in reading1 as ,i should have  
in writing #8le coglionerie' of this    
place2 besides1 that ,i am very little  
mingled in them4 ,i do not know whether 
,i shall be able to follow1 your advice1
 and cut a winner2 for1 at present1 ,i  
have neither won nor lost a single      
shilling4 ,i will play on this week     
only2 and if ,i have a good run1 ,i will
 carry it off with me2 if a bad one1 the
 loss can hardly amount to anything     
considerable in seven days1 for ,i hope 
to see you in town to-morrow sevennight4
  ,i had a dismal letter from ,harte1   
last week2 he tells me that he is at    
nurse with a sister in ,berkshire2 that 
he has got a confirmed jaundice1 besides
 twenty other distempers4 ,the true     
cause of these complaints ,i take to be 

the same that so greatly disordered1 and
 had nearly destroyed the most august   
,house of ,austria1 about one hundred   
and thirty years ago2 ,i mean ,gustavus 
,adolphus2 who neither answered his     
expectations in point of profit nor     
reputation1 and that merely by his own  
fault1 in not writing it in the vulgar  
tongue2 for as to facts ,i will maintain
 that it is one of the best histories   
extant4  #8,au revoir'1 as ,sir ,fopling
 says1 and ,god bless you6     ,,letter 
,,ccl  ,,bath1 ,november #b1 #agfb4     
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i arrived here1  
as ,i proposed1 last ,sunday2 but as ill
 as ,i feared ,i should be when ,i saw  
you4 ,head1 stomach1 and limbs1 all out 
of order4  ,i have yet seen nobody but  
,villettes1 who is settled here for     
good1 as it is called4 ,what            
consequences has the ,duke of           
,devonshire's resignation had8 ,he has  
considerable connections and relations2 
but whether any of them are resigned    
enough to resign with him1 is another   

matter4 ,there will be1 to be sure1 as  
many1 and as absurd reports1 as there   
are in the law books2 ,i do not desire  
to know either2 but inform me of what   
facts come to your knowledge1 and of    
such reports only as you believe are    
grounded4 ,and so ,god bless you6       
,,letter ,,ccli  ,,bath1 ,november #ac1 
#agfb4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have   
received your letter1 and believe that  
your preliminaries are very near the    
mark2 and1 upon that supposition1 ,i    
think we have made a tolerable good     
bargain with ,spain2 at least full as   
good as ,i expected1 and almost as good 
as ,i wished1 though ,i do not believe  
that we have got ,,all ,florida2 but if 
we have ,st4 ,augustin1 ,i suppose that1
 by the figure of #8pars pro toto'1 will
 be called all ,florida4 ,we have by no 
means made so good a bargain with       
,france2 for1 in truth1 what do we get  
by it1 except ,canada1 with a very      
proper boundary of the river            
,mississippi6 and that is all4 ,as for  

the restrictions upon the ,french       
fishery in ,newfoundland1 they are very 
well #8per la predica'1 and for the     
,commissary whom we shall employ3 for he
 will have a good salary from hence1 to 
see that those restrictions are complied
 with2 and the ,french will double that 
salary1 that he may allow them all to be
 broken through4 ,it is plain to me1    
that the ,french fishery will be exactly
 what it was before the war4  ,the three
 ,leeward islands1 which the ,french    
yield to us1 are not1 all together1     
worth half so much as that of ,st4      
,lucia1 which we give up to them4       
,senegal is not worth one quarter of    
,goree4 ,the restrictions of the ,french
 in the ,east ,indies are as absurd and 
impracticable as those of ,newfoundland2
 and you will live to see the ,french   
trade to the ,east ,indies1 just as they
 did before the war4 ,but after all ,i  
have said1 the articles are as good as  
,i expected with ,france1 when ,i       
considered that no one single person who

 carried on this negotiation on our     
parts was ever concerned or consulted in
 any negotiation before4 ,upon the      
whole1 then1 the acquisition of ,canada 
has cost us fourscore millions sterling4
 ,i am convinced we might have kept     
,guadaloupe1 if our negotiators had     
known how to have gone about it4  ,his  
most faithful ,majesty of ,portugal is  
the best off of anybody in this1        
transaction1 for he saves his kingdom by
 it1 and has not laid out one moidore in
 defense of it4 ,spain1 thank ,god1 in  
some measure1 #8paye les pots cassis'2  
for1 besides ,st4 ,augustin1 logwood1   
etc41 it has lost at least four millions
 sterling1 in money1 ships1 etc4  ,harte
 is here1 who tells me he has been at   
this place these three years1 excepting 
some few excursions to his sister2 he   
looks ill1 and laments that he has      
frequent fits of the yellow jaundice4   
,he complains of his not having heard   
from you these four years2 you should   
write to him4 ,these waters have done me

 a great deal of good1 though ,i drink  
but two-thirds of a pint in the whole   
day1 which is less than the soberest of 
my countrymen drink of claret at every  
meal4  ,i should naturally think1 as you
 do1 that this session will be a stormy 
one1 that is1 if ,mr4 ,pitt takes an    
active part2 but if he is pleased1 as   
the ,ministers say1 there is no other   
,a,eolus to blow a storm4 ,the ,dukes of
 ,cumberland1 ,newcastle1 and           
,devonshire1 have no better troops to   
attack with than the militia2 but ,pitt 
alone is ipse agmen4 ,god bless you6    
,,letter ,,cclii  ,,bath1 ,november #bg1
 #agfb4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i       
received your letter this morning1 and  
return you the ball #8a la volee'4 ,the 
,king's speech is a very prudent one2   
and as ,i suppose that the addresses in 
answer to it were1 as usual1 in almost  
the same words1 my ,lord ,mayor might   
very well call them innocent4 ,as his   
,majesty expatiates so much upon the    
great ,,achievements of the war1 ,i     

cannot help hoping that1 when the       
preliminaries shall be laid before      
,parliament ,,in ,,due ,,time1 which1 ,i
 suppose1 means after the respective    
ratifications of all the contracting    
parties1 that some untalked of and      
unexpected advantage will break out in  
our treaty with ,france2 ,st4 ,lucia1 at
 least4 ,i see in the newspapers an     
article which ,i by no means like1 in   
our treaty with ,spain2 which is1 that  
we shall be at liberty to cut logwood in
 the ,bay of ,campeachy1 ,,but ,,by     
,,paying ,,for ,,it4 ,who does not see  
that this condition may1 and probably   
will1 amount to a prohibition1 by the   
price which the ,spaniards may set it   
at8 ,it was our undoubted right1 and    
confirmed to us by former treaties1     
before the war1 to cut logwood gratis2  
but this new stipulation 7if true7 gives
 us a privilege something like a        
reprieve to a criminal1 with a #8non    
obstante' to be hanged4  ,i now drink so
 little water1 that it can neither do me

 good nor hurt2 but as ,i bathe but     
twice a-week1 that operation1 which does
 my rheumatic carcass good1 will keep me
 here some time longer than you had     
allowed4  ,harte is going to publish a  
new edition of his 8,gustavus10 in      
octavo2 which1 he tells me1 he has      
altered1 and which1 ,i could tell him1  
he should translate into ,english1 or it
 will not sell better than the former2  
for1 while the world endures1 style and 
manner will be regarded1 at least as    
much as matter4 ,and so1 #8,diem vous   
aye dans sa sainte garde'6     ,,letter 
,,ccliii  ,,bath1 ,december #ac1 #agfb4 
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i received your  
letter this morning1 with the inclosed  
preliminaries1 which we have had here   
these three days2 and ,i return them1   
since you intend to keep them1 which is 
more than ,i believe the ,french will4  
,i am very glad to find that the ,french
 are to restore all the conquests they  
made upon us in the ,east ,indies during
 this war2 and ,i cannot doubt but they 

will likewise restore to us all the cod 
that they shall take within less than   
three leagues of our coasts in ,north   
,america 7a distance easily measured1   
especially at sea71 according to the    
spirit1 though not the letter of the    
treaty4 ,i am informed that the strong  
opposition to the peace will be in the  
,house of ,lords1 though ,i cannot well 
conceive it2 nor can ,i make out above  
six or seven1 who will be against it    
upon a division1 unless 7which ,i cannot
 suppose7 some of the ,bishops should   
vote on the side of their maker4 ,god   
bless you4     ,,letter ,,ccliv  ,,bath1
 ,december #ac1 #agfb4  ,,my ,,dear     
,,friend3 ,yesterday ,i received your   
letter1 which gave me a very clear      
account of the debate in your ,house4   
,it is impossible for a human creature  
to speak well for three hours and a     
half2 ,i question even if ,belial1 who1 
according to ,milton1 was the orator of 
the fallen angels1 ever spoke so long at
 a time4  ,there must have been1 a trick

 in ,charles ,townshend's speaking for  
the ,preliminaries2 for he is infinitely
 above having an opinion4 ,lord         
,egremont must be ill1 or have thoughts 
of going into some other place2 perhaps 
into ,lord ,granville's1 who they say is
 dying3 when he dies1 the ablest head in
 ,england dies too1 take it for all in  
all4  ,i shall be in town1 barring      
accidents1 this day sevennight1 by      
dinnertime2 when ,i have ordered a      
haricot1 to which you will be very      
welcome1 about four o'clock4 #8,en      
attendant ,dieu vous aye dans sa sainte 
garde'6     ,,letter ,,cclv             
,,blackheath1 ,june #ad1 #agfc  ,,my    
,,dear ,,friend3 ,i received1 by the    
last mail1 your letter of the #dth1 from
 ,the ,hague2 so far so good4  ,you     
arrived #8sonica' at ,the ,hague1 for   
our ,ambassador's entertainment2 ,i find
 he has been very civil to you4 ,you are
 in the right to stop for two or three  
days at ,hanau1 and make your court to  
the lady of that place4 --,her ,royal   

,highness ,princess ,mary of ,england1  
,landgravine of ,hesse4 --,your         
,excellency makes a figure already in   
the newspapers2 and let them1 and       
others1 excellency you as much as they  
please1 but pray suffer not your own    
servants to do it4  ,nothing new of any 
kind has happened here since you went2  
so ,i will wish you a good-night1 and   
hope ,god will bless you4     ,,letter  
,,cclvi  ,,blackheath1 ,july #ad1 #agfc 
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,yesterday ,i     
received your letter from ,ratisbon1    
where ,i am glad that you are arrived   
safe4 ,you are1 ,i find1 over head and  
ears engaged in ceremony and etiquette4 
,you must not yield in anything         
essential1 where your public character  
may suffer2 but ,i advise you1 at the   
same time1 to distinguish carefully what
 may1 and what may not affect it1 and to
 despise some ,german #8minutiae'2 such 
as one step lower or higher upon the    
stairs1 a bow more or less1 and such    
sort of trifles4  ,by what ,i see in    

,cressener's letter to you1 the         
cheapness of wine compensates the       
quantity1 as the cheapness of servants  
compensates the number that you must    
make use of4  ,write to your mother     
often1 if it be but three words1 to     
prove your existence2 for1 when she does
 not hear from you1 she knows to a      
demonstration that you are dead1 if not 
buried4  ,the inclosed is a letter of   
the utmost consequence1 which ,i was    
desired to forward1 with care and speed1
 to the most ,serene ,,louis4  ,my head 
is not well to-day4 ,so ,god bless you6 
,,letter ,,cclvii  ,,blackheath1 ,august
 #a1 #agfc4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i   
hope that by this time you are pretty   
well settled at ,ratisbon1 at least as  
to the important points of the          
ceremonial2 so that you may know1 to    
precision1 to whom you must give1 and   
from whom you must require the #8seine  
,excellentz'4 ,those formalities are1 no
 doubt1 ridiculous enough in themselves2
 but yet they are necessary for manners1

 and sometimes for business2 and both   
would suffer by laying them quite aside4
  ,i have lately had an attack of a new 
complaint1 which ,i have long suspected 
that ,i had in my body1 #8in actu       
primo'1 as the pedants call it1 but     
which ,i never felt in #8actu secundo'  
till last week1 and that is a fit of the
 stone or gravel4 ,it was1 thank ,god1  
but a slight one2 but it was #8dans     
toutes les formes'2 for it was preceded 
by a pain in my loins1 which ,i at first
 took for some remains of my rheumatism2
 but was soon convinced of my mistake1  
by making water much blacker than       
coffee1 with a prodigious sediment of   
gravel4 ,i am now perfectly easy again1 
and have no more indications of this    
complaint4  ,god keep you from that and 
deafness6 ,other complaints are the     
common1 and almost the inevitable lot of
 human nature1 but admit of some        
mitigation4 ,god bless you6     ,,letter
 ,,cclviii  ,,blackheath1 ,august #bb1  
#agfc  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,you will1 

by this post1 hear from others that     
,lord ,egremont died two days ago of an 
apoplexy2 which1 from his figure1 and   
the constant plethora he lived in1 was  
reasonably to be expected4 ,you will ask
 me1 who is to be ,secretary in his     
room3 ,to which ,i answer1 that ,i do   
not know4 ,i should guess ,lord         
,sandwich1 to be succeeded in the       
,admiralty by ,charles ,townshend2      
unless the ,duke of ,bedford1 who seems 
to have taken to himself the department 
of ,europe1 should have a mind to it4   
,this event may perhaps produce others2 
but1 till this happened1 everything was 
in a state of inaction1 and absolutely  
nothing was done4 ,before the next      
session1 this chaos must necessarily    
take some form1 either by a new jumble  
of its own atoms1 or by mixing them with
 the more efficient ones of the         
opposition4  ,i see by the newspapers1  
as well as by your letter1 that the     
difficulties still exist about your     
ceremonial at ,ratisbon2 should they1   

from pride and folly1 prove insuperable1
 and obstruct your real business1 there 
is one expedient which may perhaps      
remove difficulties1 and which ,i have  
often known practiced2 but which ,i     
believe our people know here nothing of2
 it is1 to have the character of        
,,minister only in your ostensible      
title1 and that of envoy extraordinary  
in your pocket1 to produce occasionally1
 especially if you should be sent to any
 of the ,electors in your neighborhood2 
or else1 in any transactions that you   
may have1 in which your title of envoy  
extraordinary may create great          
difficulties1 to have a reversal given  
you1 declaring that the temporary       
suspension of that character1 #8ne      
donnera pas la moindre atteinte ni a vos
 droits1 ni a vos pretensions'4 ,as for 
the rest1 divert yourself as well as you
 can1 and eat and drink as little as you
 can4 ,and so ,god bless you6           
,,letter ,,cclix  ,,blackheath1         
,september #a1 #agfc  ,,my ,,dear       

,,friend3 ,great news6 ,the ,king sent  
for ,mr4 ,pitt last ,saturday1 and the  
conference lasted a full hour2 on the   
,monday following another conference1   
which lasted much longer2 and yesterday 
a third1 longer than either4 ,you take  
for granted1 that the treaty was        
concluded and ratified2 no such matter1 
for this last conference broke it       
entirely off2 and ,mr4 ,pitt and ,lord  
,temple went yesterday evening to their 
respective country houses4 ,would you   
know what it broke off upon1 you must   
ask the newsmongers1 and the            
coffee-houses2 who1 ,i dare say1 know it
 all very minutely2 but ,i1 who am not  
apt to know anything that ,i do not     
know1 honestly and humbly confess1 that 
,i cannot tell you2 probably one party  
asked too much1 and the other would     
grant too little4 ,however1 the ,king's 
dignity was not1 in my mind1 much       
consulted by their making him sole      
plenipotentiary of a treaty1 which they 
were not in all events determined to    

conclude4 ,it ought surely to have been 
begun by some inferior agent1 and his   
,majesty should only have appeared in   
rejecting or ratifying it4 ,louis ,,xiv4
 never sat down before a town in person1
 that was not sure to be taken4         
,however1 #8ce qui est differe n'est pas
 perdu'2 for this matter must be taken  
up again1 and concluded before the      
meeting of the parliament1 and probably 
upon more disadvantageous terms to the  
present ,ministers1 who have tacitly    
admitted1 by this negotiation1 what     
their enemies have loudly proclaimed1   
that they are not able to carry on      
affairs4 ,so much #8de re politica'4  ,i
 have at last done the best office that 
can be done to most married people2 that
 is1 ,i have fixed the separation       
between my brother and his wife2 and the
 definitive treaty of peace will be     
proclaimed in about a fortnight2 for the
 only solid and lasting peace1 between a
 man and his wife1 is1 doubtless1 a     
separation4 ,god bless you6     ,,letter

 ,,cclx  ,,blackheath1 ,september #cj1  
#agfc  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,you will  
have known1 long before this1 from the  
office1 that the departments are not    
cast as you wished2 for ,lord ,halifax1 
as senior1 had of course his choice1 and
 chose the southern1 upon account of the
 colonies4 ,the ,ministry1 such as it   
is1 is now settled #8en attendant       
mieux'2 but1 in1 my opinion cannot1 as  
they are1 meet the parliament4  ,the    
only1 and all the efficient people they 
have1 are in the ,house of ,lords3 for  
since ,mr4 ,pitt has firmly engaged     
,charles ,townshend to him1 there is not
 a man of the court side1 in the ,house 
of ,commons1 who has either abilities or
 words enough to call a coach4 ,lord    
,b----is certainly playing #8un dessous 
de cartes'1 and ,i suspect that it is   
with ,mr4 ,pitt2 but what that          
#8dessous' is1 ,i do not know1 though   
all the coffeehouses do most exactly4   
,the present inaction1 ,i believe1 gives
 you leisure enough for #8ennui'1 but it

 gives you time enough too for better   
things2 ,i mean reading useful books2   
and1 what is still more useful1         
conversing with yourself some part of   
every day4 ,lord ,shaftesbury recommends
 self-conversation to all authors2 and  
,i would recommend it to all men2 they  
would be the better for it4 ,some people
 have not time1 and fewer have          
inclination1 to enter into that         
conversation2 nay1 very many dread it1  
and fly to the most trifling            
dissipations1 in order to avoid it2 but1
 if a man would allot half an hour every
 night for this self-conversation1 and  
recapitulate with himself whatever he   
has done1 right or wrong1 in the course 
of the day1 he would be both the better 
and the wiser for it4 ,my deafness gives
 me more than a sufficient time for     
self-conversation2 and ,i have found    
great advantages from it4 ,my brother   
and ,lady ,stanhope are at last finally 
parted4 ,i was the negotiator between   
them2 and had so much trouble in it1    

that ,i would much rather negotiate the 
most difficult point of the #8jus       
publicum ,sacri ,romani ,imperii' with  
the whole ,diet of ,ratisbon1 than      
negotiate any point with any woman4 ,if 
my brother had had some of those        
self-conversations1 which ,i recommend1 
he would not1 ,i believe1 at past sixty1
 with a crazy1 battered constitution1   
and deaf into the bargain1 have married 
a young girl1 just turned of twenty1    
full of health1 and consequently of     
desires4 ,but who takes warning by the  
fate of others8 ,this1 perhaps1 proceeds
 from a negligence of selfconversation4 
,god bless you4     ,,letter ,,cclxi    
,,blackheath1 ,october #ag1 #agfc  ,,my 
,,dear ,,friend3 ,the last mail brought 
me your letter of the #b;d instant1 as  
the former had brought me that of the   
#beth past4 ,i did suppose that you     
would be sent over1 for the first day of
 the session2 as ,i never knew a        
stricter muster1 and no furloughs       
allowed4 ,i am very sorry for it1 for   

the reasons you hint at2 but1 however1  
you did very prudently1 in doing1 #8de  
bonne grace'1 what you could not help   
doing2 and let that be your rule in     
every thing for the rest of your life4  
,avoid disagreeable things as much as by
 dexterity you can2 but when they are   
unavoidable1 do them with seeming       
willingness and alacrity4 ,though this  
journey is ill-timed for you in many    
respects1 yet1 in point of ,,finances1  
you will be a gainer by it upon the     
whole2 for1 depend upon it1 they will   
keep you here till the very last day of 
the session3 and ,i suppose you have    
sold your horses1 and dismissed some of 
your servants4 ,though they seem to     
apprehend the first day of the session  
so much1 in my opinion their danger will
 be much greater in the course of it4   
,when you are at ,paris1 you will of    
course wait upon ,lord ,hertford1 and   
desire him to present you to the ,king2 
at the same time make my compliments to 
him1 and thank him for the very obliging

 message he left at my house in town2   
and tell him1 that1 had ,i received it  
in time from thence1 ,i would have come 
to town on purpose to have returned it  
in person4 ,if there are any new little 
books at ,paris1 pray bring them me4 ,i 
have already ,voltaire's #8,zelis dans  
le ,bain'1 his #8,droit du ,seigneur'1  
and #8,olympie'4 ,do not forget to call 
once at ,madame ,monconseil's1 and as   
often as you please at ,madame du       
,pin's4 ,au revoir4     ,,letter        
,,cclxii  ,,bath1 ,november #bd1 #agfc  
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i arrived here1  
as you suppose in your letter1 last     
,sunday2 but after the worst day's      
journey ,i ever had in my life3 it      
snowed and froze that whole morning1 and
 in the evening it rained and thawed1   
which made the roads so slippery1 that  
,i was six hours coming post from the   
,devizes1 which is but eighteen miles   
from hence2 so that1 but for the name of
 coming post1 ,i might as well have     
walked on foot4 ,i have not yet quite   

got over my last violent attack1 and am 
weak and flimsy4  ,i have now drank the 
waters but three days2 so that1 without 
a miracle1 ,i cannot yet expect much    
alteration1 and ,i do not in the least  
expect a miracle4 ,if they proved #8les 
eaux de ,jouvence' to me1 that would be 
a miracle indeed2 but1 as the late ,pope
 ,lambertini said1 #8,fra noi1 gli      
miracoli sono passati girt un pezzo'4   
,i have seen ,harte1 who inquired much  
after you3 he is dejected and           
dispirited1 and thinks himself much     
worse than he is1 though he has really a
 tendency to the jaundice4 ,i have yet  
seen nobody else1 nor do ,i know who    
here is to be seen2 for ,i have not yet 
exhibited myself to public view1 except 
at the pump1 which1 at the time ,i go to
 it1 is the most private place in ,bath4
  ,after all the fears and hopes1       
occasioned severally by the meeting of  
the parliament1 in my opinion1 it will  
prove a very easy session4 ,mr4 ,wilkes 
is universally given up2 and if the     

ministers themselves do not wantonly    
raise difficulties1 ,i think they will  
meet with none4 ,a majority of two      
hundred is a great anodyne4 ,adieu6 ,god
 bless you6     ,,letter ,,cclxiii      
,,bath1 ,december #c1 #agfc4  ,,my      
,,dear ,,friend3 ,last post brought me  
your letter of the #bith past4 ,i       
suppose ,c-----,t-----let off his speech
 upon the ,princess's portion1 chiefly  
to show that he was of the opposition2  
for otherwise1 the point was not        
debatable1 unless as to the quantum1    
against which something might be said2  
for the late ,princess of ,orange 7who  
was the eldest daughter of a king7 had  
no more1 and her two sisters but half1  
if ,i am not mistaken4  ,it is a great  
mercy that ,mr4 ,wilkes1 the intrepid   
defender of our rights and liberties1 is
 out of danger1 and may live to fight   
and write again in support of them2 and 
it is no less a mercy1 that ,god hath   
raised up the ,earl of ,s------to       
vindicate and promote true religion and 

morality4 ,these two blessings will     
justly make an epoch in the annals of   
this country4  ,i have delivered your   
message to ,harte1 who waits with       
impatience for your letter4 ,he is very 
happy now in having free access to all  
,lord ,craven's papers1 which1 he says1 
give him great lights into the #8bellum 
tricenale'2 the old ,lord ,craven having
 been the professed and valorous        
knight-errant1 and perhaps something    
more1 to the ,queen of ,bohemia2 at     
least1 like ,sir ,peter ,pride1 he had  
the honor of spending great part of his 
estate in her royal cause3  ,i am by no 
means right yet2 ,i am very weak and    
flimsy still2 but the doctor assures me 
that strength and spirits will return2  
if they do1 #8lucro apponam'1 ,i will   
make the best of them2 if they do not1  
,i will not make their want still worse 
by grieving and regretting them4 ,i have
 lived long enough1 and observed enough1
 to estimate most things at their       
intrinsic1 and not their imaginary      

value2 and1 at seventy1 ,i find nothing 
much worth either desiring or fearing4  
,but these reflections1 which suit with 
seventy1 would be greatly premature at  
two-and-thirty4 ,so make the best of    
your time2 enjoy the present hour1 but  
#8memor ultimae'4 ,god bless you6       
,,letter ,,cclxiv  ,,bath1 ,december    
#ah1 #agfc  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i    
received your letter this morning1 in   
which you reproach me with not having   
written to you this week4 ,the reason   
was1 that ,i did not know what to write4
 ,there is that sameness in my life     
here1 that ,,every ,,day ,,is ,,still   
,,but ,,as ,,the ,,first4 ,i see very   
few people2 and1 in the literal sense of
 the word1 ,i hear nothing4  ,mr4       
,l------and ,mr4 ,c-----,i hold to be   
two very ingenious men2 and your image  
of the two men ruined1 one by losing his
 law-suit1 and the other by carrying it1
 is a very just one4 ,to be sure1 they  
felt in themselves uncommon talents for 
business and speaking1 which were to    

reimburse them4  ,harte has a great     
poetical work to publish1 before it be  
long2 he has shown me some parts of it4 
,he had entitled it 8,emblems10 but ,i  
persuaded him to alter that name for two
 reasons2 the first was1 because they   
were not emblems1 but fables2 the second
 was1 that if they had been emblems1    
,quarles had degraded and vilified that 
name to such a degree1 that it is       
impossible to make use of it after him2 
so they are to be called fables1 though 
moral tales would1 in my mind1 be the   
properest name4 ,if you ask me what ,i  
think of those ,i have seen1 ,i must    
say1 that #8sunt plura bona1 quaedam    
mediocria1 et quaedam----'  ,your report
 of future changes1 ,i cannot think is  
wholly groundless2 for it still runs    
strongly in my head1 that the mine we   
talked of will be sprung1 at or before  
the end of the session4  ,i have got a  
little more strength1 but not quite the 
strength of ,hercules2 so that ,i will  
not undertake1 like him1 fifty          

deflorations in one night2 for ,i really
 believe that ,i could not compass them4
 ,so good-night1 and ,god bless you6    
,,letter ,,cclxv  ,,bath1 ,december #bd1
 #agfc4  ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i confess ,i 
was a good deal surprised at your       
pressing me so strongly to influence    
,parson ,rosenhagen1 when you well know 
the resolution ,i had made several years
 ago1 and which ,i have scrupulously    
observed ever since1 not to concern     
myself1 directly or indirectly1 in any  
party political contest whatsoever4 ,let
 parties go to loggerheads as much and  
as long as they please2 ,i will neither 
endeavor to part them1 nor take the part
 of either2 for ,i know them all too    
well4 ,but you say1 that ,lord ,sandwich
 has been remarkably civil1 and kind to 
you4 ,i am very glad of it1 and he can  
by no means impute to you my obstinacy1 
folly1 or philosophy1 call it what you  
please3 you may with great truth assure 
him1 that you did all you could to obey 
his commands4  ,i am sorry to find that 

you are out of order1 but ,i hope it is 
only a cold2 should it be anything more1
 pray consult ,dr4 ,maty1 who did you so
 much good in your last illness1 when   
the great medicinal ,mattadores did you 
rather harm4 ,i have found a ,monsieur  
,diafoirus here1 ,dr4 ,moisy1 who has   
really done me a great deal of good2 and
 ,i am sure ,i wanted it a great deal   
when ,i came here first4 ,i have        
recovered some strength1 and a little   
more will give me as much as ,i can make
 use of4  ,lady ,brown1 whom ,i saw     
yesterday1 makes you many compliments2  
and ,i wish you a merry ,christmas1 and 
a good-night4 ,adieu6     ,,letter      
,,cclxvi  ,,bath1 ,december #ca1 #agfc  
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,gravenkop wrote  
me word1 by the last post1 that you were
 laid up with the gout3 but ,i much     
question it1 that is1 whether it is the 
gout or not4 ,your last illness1 before 
you went abroad1 was pronounced the     
gout1 by the skillful1 and proved at    
last a mere rheumatism4 ,take care that 

the same mistake is not made this year2 
and that by giving you strong and hot   
medicines to throw out the gout1 they do
 not inflame the rheumatism1 if it be   
one4  ,mr4 ,wilkes has imitated some of 
the great men of antiquity1 by going    
into voluntary exile3 it was his only   
way of defeating both his creditors and 
his prosecutors4 ,whatever his friends1 
if he has any1 give out of his returning
 soon1 ,i will answer for it1 that it   
will be a long time before that soon    
comes4  ,i have been much out of order  
these four days of a violent cold which 
,i do not know how ,i got1 and which    
obliged me to suspend drinking the      
waters3 but it is now so much better1   
that ,i propose resuming them for this  
week1 and paying my court to you in town
 on ,monday or ,tuesday seven-night3 but
 this is #8sub spe rati' only4 ,god     
bless you6     ,,letter ,,cclxvii       
,,blackheath1 ,july #bj1 #agfd4  ,,my   
,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have this moment    
received your letter of the #c;d from   

,prague1 but ,i never received that     
which you mention from ,ratisbon2 this  
made me think you in such rapid motion1 
that ,i did not know where to take aim4 
,i now suppose that you are arrived1    
though not yet settled1 at ,dresden2    
your audiences and formalities are1 to  
be sure1 over1 and that is great ease of
 mind to you4  ,i have no political     
events to acquaint you with2 the summer 
is not the season for them1 they ripen  
only in winter2 great ones are expected 
immediately before the meeting of       
parliament1 but that1 you know1 is      
always the language of fears and hopes4 
,however1 ,i rather believe that there  
will be something patched up between the
 ,,ins and the ,,outs4  ,the whole      
subject of conversation1 at present1 is 
the death and will of ,lord ,bath3 he   
has left above twelve hundred thousand  
pounds in land and money2 four hundred  
thousand pounds in cash1 stocks1 and    
mortgages2 his own estate1 in land1 was 
improved to fifteen thousand pounds     

a-year1 and the ,bradford estate1 which 
he-----is as much2 both which1 at only  
five-and twenty years' purchase1 amount 
to eight hundred thousand pounds2 and   
all this he has left to his brother1    
,general ,pulteney1 and in his own      
disposal1 though he never loved him4    
,the legacies he has left are trifling2 
for1 in truth1 he cared for nobody3 the 
words ,,give and ,,bequeath were too    
shocking for him to repeat1 and so he   
left all in one word to his brother4    
,the public1 which was long the dupe of 
his simulation and dissimulation1 begins
 to explain upon him2 and draws such a  
picture of him as ,i gave you long ago4 
,your late secretary has been with me   
three or four times2 he wants something 
or another1 and it seems all one to him 
what1 whether civil or military2 in     
plain ,english1 he wants bread4 ,he has 
knocked at the doors of some of the     
ministers1 but to no purpose4 ,i wish   
with all my heart that ,i could help    
him3 ,i told him fairly that ,i could   

not1 but advised him to find some       
channel to ,lord ,b-----1 which1 though 
a ,scotchman1 he told me he could not4  
,he brought a packet of letters from the
 office to you1 which ,i made him seal  
up2 and keep it for you1 as ,i suppose  
it makes up the series of your ,ratisbon
 letters4  ,as for me1 ,i am just what  
,i was when you left me1 that is1       
nobody4 ,old age steals upon me         
insensibly4 ,i grow weak and decrepit1  
but do not suffer1 and so ,i am content4
  ,forbes brought me four books of      
yours1 two of which were ,bielefeldt's  
8,letters10 in which1 to my knowledge1  
there are many notorious lies4  ,make my
 compliments to ,comte ,einsiedel1 whom 
,i love and honor much2 and so          
good-night to #8seine ,excellentz'4     
,now our correspondence may be more     
regular1 and ,i expect a letter from you
 every fortnight4 ,i will be regular on 
my part3 but write oftener to your      
mother1 if it be but three lines4       
,,letter ,,cclxviii  ,,blackheath1 ,july

 #bg1agfd  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i     
received1 two days ago1 your letter of  
the #aath from ,dresden1 where ,i am    
very glad that1 you are safely arrived  
at last4 ,the prices of the necessaries 
of life are monstrous there2 and ,i do  
not conceive how the poor natives       
subsist at all1 after having been so    
long and so often plundered by their own
 as well as by other sovereigns4  ,as   
for procuring you either the title or   
the appointments of ,plenipotentiary1 ,i
 could as soon procure them from the    
,turkish as from the ,english ,ministry2
 and1 in truth1 ,i believe they have it 
not to give4  ,now to come to your civil
 list1 if one may compare small things  
with great3 ,i think ,i have found out a
 better refreshment for it than you     
propose2 for to-morrow ,i shall send to 
your cashier1 ,mr4 ,larpent1 five       
hundred pounds at once1 for your use1   
which1 ,i presume1 is better than by    
quarterly payments2 and ,i am very apt  
to think that next midsummer day1 he    

will have the same sum1 and for the same
 use1 consigned to him4  ,it is reported
 here1 and ,i believe not without some  
foundation1 that the queen of ,hungary  
has acceded to the ,family ,compact     
between ,france and ,spain3 if so1 ,i am
 sure it behooves us to form in time a  
counter alliance1 of at least equal     
strength2 which ,i could easily point   
out1 but which1 ,i fear1 is not thought 
of here4  ,the rage of marrying is very 
prevalent2 so that there will be        
probably a great crop of cuckolds next  
winter1 who are at present only #8cocus 
en herbs'4 ,it will contribute to       
population1 and so far must be allowed  
to be a public benefit4 ,lord ,g------1 
,mr4 ,b-------1 and ,mr4 ,d-------1 are1
 in this respect1 very meritorious2 for 
they have all married handsome women1   
without one shilling fortune4 ,lord must
 indeed take some pains to arrive at    
that dignity3 but ,i dare say he will   
bring it about1 by the help of some     
young ,scotch or ,irish officer4        

,good-night1 and ,god bless you6        
,,letter ,,cclxix  ,,blackheath1        
,september #c1 #agfd4  ,,dear ,,friend3 
,i have received your letter of the     
#acth past4 ,i see that your complete   
arrangement approaches1 and you need not
 be in a hurry to give entertainments1  
since so few others do4  ,comte         
,flemming is the man in the world the   
best calculated to retrieve the ,saxon  
finances1 which have been all this      
century squandered and lavished with the
 most absurd profusion3 he has certainly
 abilities1 and ,i believe integrity2 ,i
 dare answer for him1 that the          
gentleness and flexibility of his temper
 will not prevail with him to yield to  
the importunities of craving and        
petulant applications4 ,i see in him    
another ,sully2 and therefore ,i wish he
 were at the head of our finances4      
,france and ,spain both insult us1 and  
we take it too tamely2 for this is1 in  
my opinion1 the time for us to talk high
 to them4 ,france1 ,i am persuaded1 will

 not quarrel with us till it has got a  
navy at least equal to ours1 which      
cannot be these three or four years at  
soonest2 and then1 indeed1 ,i believe we
 shall hear of something or other2      
therefore1 this is the moment for us to 
speak loud2 and we shall be feared1 if  
we do not show that we fear4  ,here is  
no domestic news of changes and chances 
in the political world2 which1 like     
oysters1 are only in season in the ,r   
months1 when the parliament sits4 ,i    
think there will be some then1 but of   
what kind1 ,god knows4  ,i have received
 a book for you1 and one for myself1    
from ,harte4 ,it is upon agriculture1   
and will surprise you1 as ,i confess it 
did me4 ,this work is not only in       
,english1 but good and elegant ,english2
 he has even scattered graces upon his  
subject2 and in prose1 has come very    
near ,virgil's 8,georgics0 in verse4 ,i 
have written to him1 to congratulate his
 happy transformation4 ,as soon as ,i   
can find an opportunity1 ,i will send   

you your copy4 ,you 7though no          
,agricola7 will read it with pleasure4  
,i know ,mackenzie1 whom you mention4   
#8,c'est une delie2 sed cave'4  ,make   
mine and ,lady ,chesterfield's          
compliments to ,comte et ,comtesse      
,flemming2 and so1 #8,dieu vous aye en  
sa sainte garde'6     ,,letter ,,cclxx  
,,blackheath1 ,september #ad1 #agfd     
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,yesterday ,i     
received your letter of the #cjth past1 
by which ,i find that you had not then  
got mine1 which ,i sent you the day     
after ,i had received your former2 you  
have had no great loss of it2 for1 as ,i
 told you in my last1 this inactive     
season of the year supplies no materials
 for a letter2 the winter may1 and      
probably will1 produce an abundant crop1
 but of what grain ,i neither know1     
guess1 nor care4 ,i take it for granted1
 that ,lord ,b------#8surnagera encore'1
 but by the assistance of what bladders 
or cork-waistcoats ,god only knows4 ,the
 death of poor ,mr4 ,legge1 the         

epileptic fits of the ,duke of          
,devonshire1 for which he is gone to    
,aix-la-,chapelle1 and the advanced age 
of the ,duke of ,newcastle1 seem to     
facilitate an accommodation1 if ,mr4    
,pitt and ,lord ,bute are inclined to   
it4  ,you ask me what ,i think of the   
death of poor ,iwan1 and of the person  
who ordered it4 ,you may remember that  
,i often said1 she would murder or marry
 him1 or probably both2 she has chosen  
the safest alternative2 and has now     
completed her character of femme forte1 
above scruples and hesitation4 ,if      
,machiavel were alive1 she would        
probably be his heroine1 as ,caesar     
,borgia was his hero4 ,women are all so 
far ,machiavelians1 that they are never 
either good or bad by halves2 their     
passions are too strong1 and their      
reason too weak1 to do anything with    
moderation4 ,she will1 perhaps1 meet1   
before it is long1 with some ,scythian  
as free from prejudices as herself4 ,if 
there is one ,oliver ,cromwell in the   

three regiments of guards1 he will      
probably1 for the sake of his dear      
country1 depose and murder her2 for that
 is one and the same thing in ,russia4  
,you seem now to have settled1 and      
#8bien nippe' at ,dresden4 ,four        
sedentary footmen1 and one running one1 
#8font equipage leste'4 ,the ,german    
ones will give you1 #8seine             
,excellentz'2 and the ,french ones1 if  
you have any1 ,monseigneur4  ,my own    
health varies1 as usual1 but never      
deviates into good4 ,god bless you1 and 
send you better6     ,,letter ,,cclxxi  
,,blackheath1 ,october #d1 #agfd4  ,,my 
,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have now your last  
letter1 of the #afth past1 lying before 
me1 and ,i gave your inclosed to        
,grevenkop1 which has put him into a    
violent bustle to execute your          
commissions1 as well and as cheap as    
possible4 ,i refer him to his own       
letter4 ,he tells you true as to        
,comtesse ,cosel's diamonds1 which      
certainly nobody will buy here1 unsight 

unseen1 as they call it2 so many        
minutiae concurring to increase or      
lessen the value of a diamond4 ,your    
,cheshire cheese1 your ,burton ale and  
beer1 ,i charge myself with1 and they   
shall be sent you as soon as possible4  
,upon this occasion ,i will give you a  
piece of advice1 which by experience ,i 
know to be useful4 ,in all commissions1 
whether from men or women1 #8point de   
galanterie'1 bring them in your account1
 and be paid to the uttermost farthing2 
but if you would show them #8une        
galanterie'1 let your present be of     
something that is not in your           
commission1 otherwise you will be the   
#8,commissionaire banal' of all the     
women of ,saxony4 #8,a propos'1 ,who is 
your ,comtesse de ,cosel8 ,is she       
daughter1 or grand-daughter1 of the     
famous ,madame de ,cosel1 in ,king      
,augustus's time8 ,is she young or old1 
ugly or handsome8  ,i do not wonder that
 people are wonderfully surprised at our
 tameness and forbearance1 with regard  

to ,france and ,spain4 ,spain1 indeed1  
has lately agreed to our cutting log    
wood1 according to the treaty1 and sent 
strict orders to their governor to allow
 it2 but you will observe too1 that     
there is not one word of reparation for 
the losses we lately sustained there4   
,but ,france is not even so tractable2  
it will pay but half the money due1 upon
 a liquidated account1 for the          
maintenance of their prisoners4 ,our    
request1 to have the ,comte d',estaing  
recalled and censured1 they have        
absolutely rejected1 though1 by the laws
 of war1 he might be hanged for having  
twice broke his parole4 ,this does not  
do ,france honor3 however1 ,i think we  
shall be quiet1 and that at the only    
time1 perhaps this century1 when we     
might1 with safety1 be otherwise3 but   
this is nothing new1 nor the first time1
 by many1 when national honor and       
interest have been sacrificed to        
private4 ,it has always been so3 and one
 may say1 upon this occasion1 what      

,horace says upon another1 #8,nam fuit  
ante ,helenam'4  ,i have seen #8les     
,contes de ,guillaume ,vade'1 and like  
most of them so little1 that ,i can     
hardly think them ,voltaire's1 but      
rather the scraps that have fallen from 
his table1 and been worked up by        
inferior workmen1 under his name4 ,i    
have not seen the other book you        
mention1 the #8,dictionnaire ,portatif'4
 ,it is not yet come over4  ,i shall    
next week go to take my winter quarters 
in ,london1 the weather here being very 
cold and damp1 and not proper for an    
old1 shattered1 and cold carcass1 like  
mine4 ,in ,november ,i will go to the   
,bath1 to careen myself for the winter1 
and to shift the scene4 ,good-night4    
,,letter ,,cclxxii  ,,london1 ,october  
#ai1 #agfd4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3      
,yesterday morning ,mr4-----came to me1 
from ,lord ,halifax1 to ask me whether  
,i thought you would approve of vacating
 your seat in parliament1 during the    
remainder of it1 upon a valuable        

consideration1 meaning ,,money4 ,my     
answer was1 that ,i really did not know 
your disposition upon that subject3 but 
that ,i knew you would be very willing1 
in general1 to accommodate them1 so far 
as lay in your power3 that your         
election1 to my knowledge1 had cost you 
two thousand pounds2 that this          
parliament had not sat above half its   
time2 and that1 for my part1 ,i approved
 of the measure well enough1 provided   
you had an equitable equivalent4 ,i take
 it for granted that you will have a    
letter from------1 by this post1 to that
 effect1 so that you must consider what 
you will do4 ,what ,i advise is this3   
,give them a good deal of #8,galbanum'  
in the first part of your letter4 #8,le 
,galbanum ne coute rien'2 and then say  
that you are willing to do as they      
please2 but that you hope an equitable  
consideration will be had to the two    
thousand pounds1 which your seat cost   
you in the present parliament1 of which 
not above half the term is expired4     

,moreover1 that you take the liberty to 
remind them1 that your being sent from  
,ratisbon1 last session1 when you were  
just settled there1 put you to the      
expense of three or four hundred pounds1
 for which you were allowed nothing2 and
 that1 therefore1 you hope they will not
 think one thousand pounds too much1    
considering all these circumstances3 but
 that1 in all events1 you will do       
whatever they desire4 ,upon the whole1  
,i think this proposal advantageous to  
you1 as you probably will not make use  
of your seat this parliament2 and1      
further1 as it will secure you from     
another unpaid journey from ,dresden1 in
 case they meet1 or fear to meet1 with  
difficulties in any ensuing session of  
the present parliament4 ,whatever one   
must do1 one should do #8de bonne       
grace'4 #8,dixi'4 ,god bless you6       
,,letter ,,cclxxiii  ,,bath1 ,november  
#aj1 #agfd4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i am
 much concerned at the account you gave 
me of yourself1 in your last letter4    

,there is1 to be sure1 at such a town as
 ,dresden1 at least some one very       
skillful physician1 whom ,i hope you    
have consulted2 and ,i would have you   
acquaint him with all your several      
attacks of this nature1 from your great 
one at ,laubach1 to your late one at    
,dresden3 tell him1 too1 that in your   
last illness in ,england1 the physicians
 mistook your case1 and treated it as   
the gout1 till ,maty came1 who treated  
it as a rheumatism1 and cured you4 ,in  
my own opinion1 you have never had the  
gout1 but always the rheumatism2 which1 
to my knowledge1 is as painful as the   
gout can possibly be1 and should be     
treated in a quite different way2 that  
is1 by cooling medicines and regimen1   
instead of those inflammatory cordials  
which they always administer where they 
suppose the gout1 to keep it1 as they   
say1 out of the stomach4  ,i have been  
here now just a week2 but have hitherto 
drank so little of the water1 that ,i   
can neither speak well nor ill of it4   

,the number of people in this place is  
infinite2 but very few whom ,i know4    
,harte seems settled here for life4 ,he 
is not well1 that is certain2 but not so
 ill neither as he thinks himself1 or at
 least would be thought4  ,i long for   
your answer to my last letter1          
containing a certain proposal1 which1 by
 this time1 ,i suppose has been made    
you1 and which1 in the main1 ,i approve 
of your accepting4  ,god bless you1 my  
dear friend6 and send you better health6
 ,adieu4     ,,letter ,,cclxxiv         
,,london1 ,february #bf1 #agfe  ,,my    
,,dear ,,friend3 ,your last letter1 of  
the #eth1 gave me as much pleasure as   
your former had given me uneasiness2 and
 ,larpent's acknowledgment of his       
negligence frees you from those         
suspicions1 which ,i own ,i did         
entertain1 and which ,i believe every   
one would1 in the same concurrence of   
circumstances1 have entertained4 ,so    
much for that4  ,you may depend upon    
what ,i promised you1 before midsummer  

next1 at farthest1 and ,,at ,,least4    
,all ,i can say of the affair between   
you1 of the ,corps ,diplomatique1 and   
the ,saxon ,ministers1 is1 #8que voila  
bien du bruit pour une omelette au      
lard'4 ,it will most certainly be soon  
made up2 and in that negotiation show   
yourself as moderate and healing as your
 instructions from hence will allow1    
especially to ,comte de ,flemming4 ,the 
,king of ,prussia1 ,i believe1 has a    
mind to insult him personally1 as an old
 enemy1 or else to quarrel with ,saxony1
 that dares not quarrel with him2 but   
some of the ,corps ,diplomatique here   
assure me it is only a pretense to      
recall his envoy1 and to send1 when     
matters shall be made up1 a little      
secretary there1 #8a moins de fraix'1 as
 he does now to ,paris and ,london4     
,comte ,bruhl is much in fashion here2  
,i like him mightily2 he has very much  
#8le ton de la bonne campagnie'4 ,poor  
,schrader died last ,saturday1 without  
the least pain or sickness4 ,god bless  

you6     ,,letter ,,cclxxv  ,,london1   
,april #bb1 #agfe  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3
 ,the day before yesterday ,i received  
your letter of the #c;d instant4 ,i find
 that your important affair of the      
ceremonial is adjusted at last1 as ,i   
foresaw it would be4 ,such minutiae are 
often laid hold on as a pretense1 for   
powers who have a mind to quarrel2 but  
are never tenaciously insisted upon     
where there is neither interest nor     
inclination to break4 ,comte ,flemming1 
though a hot1 is a wise man2 and ,i was 
sure would not break1 both with ,england
 and ,hanover1 upon so trifling a point1
 especially during a minority4 #8,a     
propos' of a minority2 the ,king is to  
come to the ,house to-morrow1 to        
recommend a bill to settle a ,regency1  
in case of his demise while his         
successor is a minor4 ,upon the ,king's 
late illness1 which was no trifling one1
 the whole nation cried out aloud for   
such a bill1 for reasons which will     
readily occur to you1 who know          

situations1 persons1 and characters     
here4 ,i do not know the particulars of 
this intended bill2 but ,i wish it may  
be copied exactly from that which was   
passed in the late ,king's time1 when   
the present ,king was a minor4 ,i am    
sure there cannot be a better4  ,you    
inquire about ,monsieur de ,guerchy's   
affair2 and ,i will give you as succinct
 an account as ,i can of so             
extraordinary and perplexed a           
transaction3 but without giving you my  
own opinion of it by the common post4   
,you know what passed at first between  
,mr4 de ,guerchy and ,monsieur d',eon1  
in which both our ,ministers and        
,monsieur de ,guerchy1 from utter       
inexperience in business1 puzzled       
themselves into disagreeable            
difficulties4 ,about three or four      
months ago1 ,monsieur du ,vergy         
published in a brochure1 a parcel of    
letters1 from himself to the ,duc de    
,choiseul2 in which he positively       
asserts that ,monsieur de ,guerchy      

prevailed with him 7,vergy7 to come over
 into ,england to assassinate d',eon2   
the words are1 as well as ,i remember1  
#8que ce n'etoit pas pour se servir de  
sa plume1 mais de son epee1 qu'on le    
demandoit en ,angleterre'4 ,this        
accusation of assassination1 you may    
imagine1 shocked ,monsieur de ,guerchy1 
who complained bitterly to our          
,ministers2 and they both puzzled on for
 some time1 without doing anything1     
because they did not know what to do4   
,at last du ,vergy1 about two months    
ago1 applied himself to the ,grand ,jury
 of ,middlesex1 and made oath that ,mr4 
de ,guerchy had hired him 7du ,vergy7 to
 assassinate d',eon4 ,upon this         
deposition1 the ,grand jury found a bill
 of intended murder against ,monsieur de
 ,guerchy2 which bill1 however1 never   
came to the ,petty ,jury4 ,the ,king    
granted a #8noli prosequi' in favor of  
,monsieur de ,guerchy2 and the          
,attorney-,general is actually          
prosecuting du ,vergy4 ,whether the     

,king can grant a #8noli prosequi' in a 
criminal case1 and whether #8le droit   
des gens' extends to criminal cases1 are
 two points which employ our domestic   
politicians1 and the whole ,corps       
,diplomatique4 #8,enfin'1 to use a very 
coarse and vulgar saying1 #8il y a de la
 merde au bout du baton1 quelque part'4 
,i see and hear these storms from shore1
 #8suave mari magno'1 etc4 ,i enjoy my  
own security and tranquillity1 together 
with better health than ,i had reason to
 expect at my age1 and with my          
constitution3 however1 ,i feel a gradual
 decay1 though a gentle one2 and ,i     
think that ,i shall not tumble1 but     
slide gently to the bottom of the hill  
of life4 ,when that will be1 ,i neither 
know nor care1 for ,i am very weary4    
,god bless you6  ,mallet died two days  
ago1 of a diarrhoea1 which he had       
carried with him to ,france1 and brought
 back again hither4     ,,letter        
,,cclxxvi  ,,blackheath1 ,july #b1 #agfe
  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have this    

moment received your letter of the #bb;d
 past2 and ,i delayed answering your    
former in daily1 or rather hourly       
expectation of informing you of the     
birth of a new ,ministry2 but in vain2  
for1 after a thousand conferences1 all  
things remain still in the state which  
,i described to you in my last4 ,lord   
,s4 has1 ,i believe1 given you a pretty 
true account of the present state of    
things2 but my ,lord is much mistaken1  
,i am persuaded1 when he says that ,,the
 ,,king ,,has ,,thought ,,proper ,,to   
,,re-,,establish ,,his ,,old ,,servants 
,,in ,,the ,,management ,,of ,,his      
,,affairs2 for he shows them all the    
public dislike possible2 and1 at his    
levee1 hardly speaks to any of them2 but
 speaks by the hour to anybody else4    
,conferences1 in the meantime1 go on1 of
 which it is easy to guess the main     
subject1 but impossible1 for me at      
least1 to know the particulars2 but this
 ,i will venture to prophesy1 that the  
whole will soon centre in ,mr4 ,pitt4   

,you seem not to know the character of  
the ,queen3 here it is4 ,she is a good  
woman1 a good wife1 a tender mother2 and
 an unmeddling ,queen4 ,the ,king loves 
her as a woman2 but1 ,i verily believe1 
has never yet spoke one word to her     
about business4 ,i have now told you all
 that ,i know of these affairs2 which1  
,i believe1 is as much as anybody else  
knows1 who is not in the secret4 ,in the
 meantime1 you easily guess that        
surmises1 conjectures1 and reports are  
infinite2 and if1 as they say1 truth is 
but one1 one million at least of these  
reports must be false2 for they differ  
exceedingly4  ,you have lost an honest  
servant by the death of poor ,louis2 ,i 
would advise you to take a clever young 
,saxon in his room1 of whose character  
you may get authentic testimonies1      
instead of sending for one to ,france1  
whose character you can only know from  
far4  ,when ,i hear more1 ,i will write 
more2 till when1 ,god bless you6        
,,letter ,,cclxxvii  ,,blackheath1 ,july

 #ae1 #agfe  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i   
told you in my last1 that you should    
hear from me again1 as soon as ,i had   
anything more to write2 and now ,i have 
too much to write1 therefore will refer 
you to the 8,gazette10 and the office   
letters1 for all that has been done2 and
 advise you to suspend your opinion1 as 
,i do1 about all that is to be done4    
,many more changes are talked of1 but so
 idly1 and variously1 that ,i give      
credit to none of them4 ,there has been 
pretty clean sweeping already2 and ,i do
 not remember1 in my time1 to have seen 
so much at once1 as an entire new ,board
 of ,treasury1 and two new ,secretaries 
of ,state1 #8cum multis aliis'1 etc4    
,here is a new political arch almost    
built1 but of materials of so different 
a nature1 and without a key-stone1 that 
it does not1 in my opinion1 indicate    
either strength or duration4 ,it will   
certainly require repairs1 and a        
key-stone next winter2 and that         
key-stone will1 and must necessarily be1

 ,mr4 ,pitt4 ,it is true he might have  
been that keystone now2 and would have  
accepted it1 but not without ,lord      
,temple's consent1 and ,lord ,temple    
positively refused4 ,there was evidently
 some trick in this1 but what is past my
 conjecturing4 #8,davus sum1 non        
,o,edipus'4  ,there is a manifest       
interregnum in the ,treasury2 for ,i do 
suppose that ,lord ,rockingham and ,mr4 
,dowdeswell will not think proper to be 
very active4 ,general ,conway1 who is   
your ,secretary1 has certainly parts at 
least equal to his business1 to which1  
,i dare say1 he will apply4 ,the same   
may be said1 ,i believe1 of the ,duke of
 ,grafton2 and indeed there is no magic 
requisite for the executive part of     
those employments4 ,the ministerial part
 is another thing2 they must scramble   
with their fellow-servants1 for power   
and favor1 as well as they can4 ,foreign
 affairs are not so much as mentioned1  
and1 ,i verily believe1 not thought of4 
,but surely some counterbalance would be

 necessary to the ,family compact2 and1 
if not soon contracted1 will be too     
late4 ,god bless you6     ,,letter      
,,cclxxviii  ,,blackheath1 ,august #ag1 
#agfe  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,you are   
now two letters in my debt2 and ,i fear 
the gout has been the cause of your     
contracting that debt4 ,when you are not
 able to write yourself1 let your       
,secretary send me two or three lines to
 acquaint me how you are4  ,you have now
 seen by the ,london 8,gazette10 what   
changes have really been made at court2 
but1 at the same time1 ,i believe you   
have seen that there must be more1      
before a ,ministry can be settled2 what 
those will be1 ,god knows4 ,were ,i to  
conjecture1 ,i should say that the whole
 will centre1 before it is long1 in ,mr4
 ,pitt and ,co41 the present being an   
heterogeneous jumble of youth and       
caducity1 which cannot be efficient4    
,charles ,townshend calls the present a 
,lutestring ,ministry2 fit only for the 
summer4 ,the next session will be not   

only a warm1 but a violent one1 as you  
will easily judge2 if you look over the 
names of the ,,ins and of the ,,outs4   
,i feel this beginning of the autumn1   
which is already very cold3 the leaves  
are withered1 fall apace1 and seem to   
intimate that ,i must follow them2 which
 ,i shall do without reluctance1 being  
extremely weary of this silly world4    
,god bless you1 both in it and after it6
     ,,letter ,,cclxxix  ,,blackheath1  
,august #be1 #agfe  ,,my ,,dear         
,,friend3 ,i received but four days ago 
your letter of the #b;d instant4 ,i find
 by it that you are well1 for you are in
 good spirits4 ,your notion of the new  
birth or regeneration of the ,ministry  
is a very just one2 and that they have  
not yet the true seal of the covenant   
is1 ,i dare say1 very true2 at least it 
is not in the possession of either of   
the ,secretaries of ,state1 who have    
only the ,king's seal2 nor do ,i believe
 7whatever his ,grace may imagine7 that 
it is even in the possession of the     

,lord ,privy ,seal4 ,i own ,i am lost1  
in considering the present situation of 
affairs2 different conjectures present  
themselves to my mind1 but none that it 
can rest upon4 ,the next session must   
necessarily clear up matters a good     
deal2 for ,i believe it will be the     
warmest and most acrimonious one that   
has been known1 since that of the       
,excise4 ,the late ,ministry1 ,,the     
,,present ,,opposition1 are determined  
to attack ,lord ,b-----publicly in      
parliament1 and reduce the late         
,opposition1 ,,the ,,present ,,ministry1
 to protect him publicly1 in consequence
 of their supposed treaty with him4     
#8,en attendant mieux'1 the paper war is
 carried on with much fury and          
scurrility on all sides1 to the great   
entertainment of such lazy and impartial
 people as myself3 ,i do not know       
whether you have the 8,daily            
,advertiser10 and the 8,public          
,advertiser10 in which all political    
letters are inserted1 and some very     

well-written ones on both sides2 but ,i 
know that they amuse me1 #8tant bien que
 mal'1 for an hour or two every morning4
 ,lord ,t------is the supposed author of
 the pamphlet you mention2 but ,i think 
it is above him4 ,perhaps his brother   
,c----,t------1 who is by no means      
satisfied with the present arrangement1 
may have assisted him privately4 ,as to 
this latter1 there was a good ridiculous
 paragraph in the newspapers two or     
three days ago4 ,,we ,,hear ,,that ,,the
 ,,right ,,honorable ,,mr4              
,c-----,t------,,is ,,indisposed ,,at   
,,his ,,house ,,in ,,oxfordshire1 ,,of  
,a ,,pain ,,in ,,his ,,side2 ,,but ,,it 
,,is ,,not ,,said ,,in ,,which ,,side4  
,i do not find that the ,duke of ,york  
has yet visited you2 if he should1 it   
may be expensive1 #8mais on trouvera    
moyen'4 ,as for the lady1 if you should 
be very sharp set for some ,english     
flesh1 she has it amply in her power to 
supply you if she pleases4 ,pray tell me
 in your next1 what you think of1 and   

how you like1 ,prince ,henry of         
,prussia4 ,god bless you6     ,,letter  
,,cclxxx  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,your   
great character of ,prince ,henry1 which
 ,i take to be a very just one1 lowers  
the ,king of ,prussia's a great deal2   
and probably that is the cause of their 
being so ill together4 ,but the ,king of
 ,prussia1 with his good parts1 should  
reflect upon that trite and true maxim1 
#8,qui invidet minor'1 or ,mr4 de la    
,rouchefoucault's1 #8,que l'envie est la
 plus basse de toutes les passions1     
puisqu'on avoue bien des crimes1 mais   
que personae n'avoue l'envie'4 ,i thank 
,god1 ,i never was sensible of that dark
 and vile passion1 except that formerly 
,i have sometimes envied a successful   
rival with a fine woman4 ,but now that  
cause is ceased1 and consequently the   
effects4  ,what shall ,i1 or rather what
 can ,i tell you of the political world 
here8 ,the late ,ministers accuse the   
present with having done nothing1 the   
present accuse the late ones with having

 done much worse than nothing4 ,their   
writers abuse one another most          
scurrilously1 but sometimes with wit4 ,i
 look upon this to be #8peloter en      
attendant partie'1 till battle begins in
 ,st41 ,stephen's ,chapel4 ,how that    
will end1 ,i protest ,i cannot          
conjecture2 any farther than this1 that 
if ,mr4 ,pitt does not come into the    
assistance of the present ministers1    
they will have much to do to stand their
 ground4 ,c-----,t------will play booty2
 and who else have they8 ,nobody but    
,c-----1 who has only good sense1 but   
not the necessary talents nor           
experience1 #8,a,ere ciere viros        
martemque accendere cantu'4 ,i never    
remember1 in all my time1 to have seen  
so problematical a state of affairs1 and
 a man would be much puzzled which side 
to bet on4  ,your guest1 ,miss ,c-----1 
is another problem which ,i cannot      
solve4 ,she no more wanted the waters of
 ,carlsbadt than you did4 ,is it to show
 the ,duke of ,kingston that he cannot  

live without her8 a dangerous           
experiment6 which may possibly convince 
him that he can4 ,there is a trick no   
doubt in it2 but what1 ,i neither know  
nor care2 you did very well to show her 
civilities1 #8cela ne gute jamais rien'4
 ,i will go to my waters1 that is1 the  
,bath waters1 in three weeks or a month1
 more for the sake of bathing than of   
drinking4 ,the hot bath always promotes 
my perspiration1 which is sluggish1 and 
supples my stiff rheumatic limbs4       
#8,d'ailleurs'1 ,i am at present as     
well1 and better than ,i could          
reasonably expect to be1 #8annu         
septuagesimo primo'4 ,may you be so as  
long1 #8y mas'6 ,god bless you6         
,,letter ,,cclxxxi  ,,london1 ,october  
#be1 #agfe  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i    
received your letter of the #ajth       
#8sonica'2 for ,i set out for ,bath     
to-morrow morning4  ,if the use of those
 waters does me no good1 the shifting   
the scene for some time will at least   
amuse me a little2 and at my age1 and   

with my infirmities1 #8il faut faire de 
tout bois feche'4 ,some variety is as   
necessary for the mind as some medicines
 are for the body4  ,here is a total    
stagnation of politics1 which1 ,i       
suppose1 will continue till the         
parliament sits to do business1 and that
 will not be till about the middle of   
,january2 for the meeting on the #agth  
,december is only for the sake of some  
new writs4 ,the late ministers threaten 
the present ones2 but the latter do not 
seem in the least afraid of the former1 
and for a very good reason1 which is1   
that they have the distribution of the  
loaves and fishes4 ,i believe it is very
 certain that ,mr4 ,pitt will never come
 into this1 or any other administration3
 he is absolutely a cripple all the     
year1 and in violent pain at least half 
of it4 ,such physical ills are great    
checks to two of the strongest passions 
to which human nature is liable1 love   
and ambition4 ,though ,i cannot persuade
 myself that the present ministry can be

 long lived1 ,i can as little imagine   
who or what can succeed them1 #8telle   
est la-disette de sujets papables'4 ,the
 ,duke of swears that he will have ,lord
 personally attacked in both ,houses2   
but ,i do not see how1 without          
endangering himself at the same time4   
,miss ,c------is safely arrived here1   
and her ,duke is fonder of her than     
ever4 ,it was a dangerous experiment    
that she tried1 in leaving him so long2 
but it seems she knew her man4  ,i pity 
you for the inundation of your good     
countrymen1 which overwhelms you2 #8je  
sais ce qu'en vaut l'aune4 ,it is1      
besides1 expensive1 but1 as ,i look upon
 the expense to be the least evil of the
 two1 ,i will see if a ,new-,year's gift
 will not make it up4  ,as ,i am now    
upon the wing1 ,i will only add1 ,god   
bless you6     ,,letter ,,cclxxxii      
,,bath1 ,november #bh1 #agfe  ,,my      
,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have this moment    
received your letter of the #ajth4 ,i   
have now been here a month1 bathing and 

drinking the waters1 for complaints much
 of the same kind as yours1 ,i mean     
pains in my legs1 hips1 and arms3       
whether gouty or rheumatic1 ,god knows2 
but1 ,i believe1 both1 that fight       
without a decision in favor of either1  
and have absolutely reduced me to the   
miserable situation of the ,sphinx's    
riddle1 to walk upon three legs2 that   
is1 with the assistance of my stick1 to 
walk1 or rather hobble1 very            
indifferently4 ,i wish it were a        
declared gout1 which is the distemper of
 a gentleman2 whereas the rheumatism is 
the distemper of a hackney-coachman or  
chairman1 who is obliged to be out in   
all weathers and at all hours4  ,i think
 you will do very right to ask leave1   
and ,i dare say you will easily get it1 
to go to the baths in ,suabia2 that is1 
supposing that you have consulted some  
skillful physician1 if such a one there 
be1 either at ,dresden or at ,leipsic1  
about the nature of your distemper1 and 
the nature of those baths2 but1 #8suos  

quisque patimur manes'4 ,we have but a  
bad bargain1 ,god knows1 of this life1  
and patience is the only way not to make
 bad worse4 ,mr4 ,pitt keeps his bed    
here1 with a very real gout1 and not a  
political one1 as is often suspected4   
,here has been a congress of most of the
 #8ex ,ministres'4 ,if they have raised 
a battery1 as ,i suppose they have1 it  
is a masked one1 for nothing has        
transpired2 only they confess that they 
intend a most vigorous attack4          
#8,d'ailleurs'1 there seems to be a     
total suspension of all business1 till  
the meeting of the parliament1 and then 
#8,signa canant'4 ,i am very glad that  
at this time you are out of it3 and for 
reasons that ,i need not mention3 you   
would certainly have been sent for over1
 and1 as before1 not paid for your      
journey4  ,poor ,harte is very ill1 and 
condemned to the ,hot well at ,bristol4 
,he is a better poet than philosopher3  
for all this illness and melancholy     
proceeds originally from the ill success

 of his 8,gustavus ,adolphus40 ,he is   
grown extremely devout1 which ,i am very
 glad of1 because that is always a      
comfort to the afflicted4  ,i cannot    
present ,mr4 ,larpent with my           
,new-,year's gift1 till ,i come to town1
 which will be before ,christmas at     
farthest2 till when1 ,god bless you6    
,adieu4     ,,letter ,,cclxxxiii        
,,london1 ,december #bg1 #agfe4  ,,my   
,,dear ,,friend3 ,i arrived here from   
,bath last ,monday1 rather1 but not much
 better1 than when ,i went over there4  
,my rheumatic pains1 in my legs and     
hips1 plague me still1 and ,i must never
 expect to be quite free from them4     
,you have1 to be sure1 had from the     
office an account of what the parliament
 did1 or rather did not do1 the day of  
their meeting2 and the same point will  
be the great object at their next       
meeting2 ,i mean the affair of our      
,american ,colonies1 relatively to the  
late imposed ,stamp-duty1 which our     
,colonists absolutely refuse to pay4    

,the ,administration are for some       
indulgence and forbearance to those     
froward children of their mother        
country2 the ,opposition are for taking 
vigorous1 as they call them1 but ,i call
 them violent measures2 not less than   
#8les dragonnades'2 and to have the tax 
collected by the troops we have there4  
,for my part1 ,i never saw a froward    
child mended by whipping2 and ,i would  
not have the mother country become a    
stepmother4 ,our trade to ,america      
brings in1 #8communibus annis'1 two     
millions a year2 and the ,stamp-duty is 
estimated at but one hundred thousand   
pounds a year2 which ,i would by no     
means bring into the stock of the       
,exchequer1 at the loss or even the risk
 of a million a year to the national    
stock4  ,i do not tell you of the       
,garter given away yesterday1 because   
the newspapers will2 but1 ,i must       
observe1 that the ,prince of            
,brunswick's riband is a mark of great  
distinction to that family2 which ,i    

believe1 is the first 7except our own   
,royal ,family7 that has ever had two   
blue ribands at a time2 but it must be  
owned they deserve them4  ,one hears of 
nothing now in town1 but the separation 
of men and their wives4 ,will ,finch1   
the ,ex-vice ,chamberlain1 ,lord        
,warwick1 and your friend ,lord         
,bolingbroke4 ,i wonder at none of them 
for parting2 but ,i wonder at many for  
still living together2 for in this      
country it is certain that marriage is  
not well understood4  ,i have this day  
sent ,mr4 ,larpent two hundred pounds   
for your ,christmas-box1 of which ,i    
suppose he will inform you by this post4
 ,make this ,christmas as merry a one as
 you can2 for #8pour le peu du bon tems 
qui nous reste1 rien nest si funeste1   
qu'un noir chagrin'4 ,for the new       
years--,god send you many1 and happy    
ones6 ,adieu4                           
,,letters ,,to ,,his ,,son              
#agff-ga             ,by the ,,earl ,,of
 ,,chesterfield             on the ,fine

 ,art of becoming a                ,,man
 ,,of ,,the ,,world                     
and a                  ,,gentleman      
,,letter ,,cclxxxiv  ,,london1 ,february
 #aa1 #agff  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i   
received two days ago your letter of the
 #beth past2 and your former1 which you 
mention in it1 but ten days ago2 this   
may easily be accounted for from the    
badness of the weather1 and consequently
 of the roads4 ,i hardly remember so    
severe a win ter2 it has occasioned many
 illnesses here4 ,i am sure it pinched  
my crazy carcass so much that1 about    
three weeks ago1 ,i was obliged to be   
let blood twice in four days1 which ,i  
found afterward was very necessary1 by  
the relief it gave to my head and to the
 rheumatic pains in my limbs2 and from  
the execrable kind of blood which ,i    
lost4  ,perhaps you expect from me a    
particular account of the present state 
of affairs here2 but if you do you will 
be disappointed2 for no man living 7and 
,i still less than anyone7 knows what it

 is2 it varies1 not only daily1 but     
hourly4  ,most people think1 and ,i     
among the rest1 that the date of the    
present ,ministers is pretty near out2  
but how soon we are to have a new style1
 ,god knows4 ,this1 however1 is certain1
 that the ,ministers had a contested    
election in the ,house of ,commons1 and 
got it but by eleven votes2 too small a 
majority to carry anything2 the next day
 they lost a question in the ,house of  
,lords1 by three4 ,the question in the  
,house of ,lords was1 to enforce the    
execution of the ,stamp-act in the      
colonies #8vi et armis'4 ,what          
conclusions you will draw from these    
premises1 ,i do not know2 but ,i protest
 ,i draw none2 but only stare at the    
present undecipherable state of affairs1
 which1 in fifty years' experience1 ,i  
have never seen anything like4 ,the     
,stamp-act has proved a most pernicious 
measure2 for1 whether it is repealed or 
not1 which is still very doubtful1 it   
has given such terror to the ,americans1

 that our trade with them will not be1  
for some years1 what it used to be2 and 
great numbers of our manufacturers at   
home will be turned a starving for want 
of that employment which our very       
profitable trade to ,america found them3
 and hunger is always the cause of      
tumults and sedition4  ,as you have     
escaped a fit of the gout in this severe
 cold weather1 it is to be hoped you may
 be entirely free from it1 till next    
winter at least4  ,p4 ,s4 ,lord having  
parted with his wife1 now1 keeps another
 w---e1 at a great expense4 ,i fear he  
is totally undone4     ,,letter         
,,cclxxxv  ,,london1 ,march #ag1 #agff4 
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,you wrong me in  
thinking me in your debt2 for ,i never  
receive a letter of yours1 but ,i answer
 it by the next post1 or the next but   
one1 at furthest3 but ,i can easily     
conceive that my two last letters to you
 may have been drowned or frozen in     
their way2 for portents and prodigies of
 frost1 snow1 and inundations1 have been

 so frequent this winter1 that they have
 almost lost their names4  ,you tell me 
that you are going to the baths of      
,,baden2 but that puzzles me a little1  
so ,i recommend this letter to the care 
of ,mr4 ,larpent1 to forward to you2 for
 ,baden ,i take to be the general       
,german word for baths1 and the         
particular ones are distinguished by    
some epithet1 as ,weissbaden1           
,carlsbaden1 etc4 ,i hope they are not  
cold baths1 which ,i have a very ill    
opinion of1 in all arthritic or         
rheumatic cases2 and your case ,i take  
to be a compound of both1 but rather    
more of the latter4  ,you will probably 
wonder that ,i tell you nothing of      
public matters2 upon which ,i shall be  
as secret as ,hotspur's gentle ,kate1   
who would not tell what she did not     
know2 but what is singular1 nobody seems
 to know any more of them than ,i do4   
,people gape1 stare1 conjecture1 and    
refine4 ,changes of the ,ministry1 or in
 the ,ministry at least1 are daily      

reported and foretold1 but of what kind1
 ,god only knows4 ,it is also very      
doubtful whether ,mr4 ,pitt will come   
into the ,administration or not2 the two
 present ,secretaries are extremely     
desirous that he should2 but the others 
think of the horse that called the man  
to its assistance4 ,i will say nothing  
to you about ,american affairs1 because 
,i have not pens1 ink1 or paper enough  
to give you an intelligible account of  
them4 ,they have been the subjects of   
warm and acrimonious debates1 both in   
the ,lords and ,commons1 and in all     
companies4  ,the repeal of the          
,stamp-act is at last carried through4  
,i am glad of it1 and gave my proxy for 
it1 because ,i saw many more            
inconveniences from the enforcing than  
from the repealing it4  ,colonel ,browne
 was with me the other day1 and assured 
me that he left you very well4 ,he said 
he saw you at ,spa1 but ,i did not      
remember him2 though ,i remember his two
 brothers1 the ,colonel and the         

ravisher1 very well4 ,your ,saxon       
colonel has the brogue exceedingly4     
,present my respects to ,count          
,flemming2 ,i am very sorry for the     
,countess's illness2 she was a most     
well-bred woman4  ,you would hardly     
think that ,i gave a dinner to the      
,prince of ,brunswick1 your old         
acquaintance4 ,i glad it is over2 but ,i
 could not avoid it4 #8,il m'avait tabli
 de politesses'4 ,god bless you6        
,,letter ,,cclxxxvi  ,,blackheath1 ,june
 #ac1 #agff4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i  
received yesterday your letter of the   
#cjth past4 ,i waited with impatience   
for it1 not having received one from you
 in six weeks2 nor your mother neither1 
who began to be very sure that you were 
dead1 if not buried4 ,you should write  
to her once a week1 or at least once    
a-fortnight2 for women make no allowance
 either for business or laziness2       
whereas ,i can1 by experience1 make     
allowances for both3 however1 ,i wish   
you would generally write to me once a  

fortnight4  ,last week ,i paid my       
midsummer offering1 of five hundred     
pounds1 to ,mr4 ,larpent1 for your use1 
as ,i suppose he has informed you4 ,i am
 punctual1 you must allow4  ,what       
account shall ,i give you of ministerial
 affairs here8 ,i protest ,i do not     
know3 your own description of them is as
 exact a one as any ,i1 who am upon the 
place1 can give you4 ,it is a total     
dislocation and #8derangement'2         
consequently a total inefficiency4 ,when
 the ,duke of ,grafton quitted the      
seals1 he gave that very reason for it1 
in a speech in the ,house of ,lords3 he 
declared1 8that he had no objection to  
the persons or the measures of the      
present ,ministers2 but that he thought 
they wanted strength and efficiency to  
carry on proper measures with success2  
and that he knew but one man ,,meaning1 
,,as ,,you ,,will ,,easily ,,suppose1   
,,mr4 ,,pitt who could give them        
strength and solidity2 that1 under this 
person1 he should be willing to serve in

 any capacity1 not only as a ,general   
,officer1 but as a pioneer2 and would   
take up a spade and a mattock40 ,when he
 quitted the seals1 they were offered   
first to ,lord ,egmont1 then to ,lord   
,hardwicke2 who both declined them1     
probably for the same reasons that made 
the ,duke of ,grafton resign them2 but  
after their going a-begging for some    
time1 the ,duke of-------begged them1   
and has them #8faute de mieux'4 ,lord   
,mountstuart was never thought of for   
,vienna1 where ,lord ,stormont returns  
in three months2 the former is going to 
be married to one of the ,miss          
,windsors1 a great fortune4 ,to tell you
 the speculations1 the reasonings1 and  
the conjectures1 either of the          
uninformed1 or even of the best-informed
 public1 upon the present wonderful     
situation of affairs1 would take up much
 more time and paper than either you or 
,i can afford1 though we have neither of
 us a great deal of business at present4
  ,i am in as good health as ,i could   

reasonably expect1 at my age1 and with  
my shattered carcass2 that is1 from the 
waist upward2 but downward it is not the
 same3 for my limbs retain that         
stiffness and debility of my long       
rheumatism2 ,i cannot walk half an hour 
at a time4 ,as the autumn1 and still    
more as the winter approaches1 take care
 to keep yourself very warm1 especially 
your legs and feet4  ,lady ,chesterfield
 sends you her compliments1 and triumphs
 in the success of her plaster4 ,god    
bless you6     ,,letter ,,cclxxxvii     
,,blackheath1 ,july #aa1 #agff4  ,,my   
,,dear ,,friend3 ,you are a happy       
mortal1 to have your time thus employed 
between the great and the fair2 ,i hope 
you do the honors of your country to the
 latter4 ,the ,emperor1 by your account1
 seems to be very well for an emperor2  
who1 by being above the other monarchs  
in ,europe1 may justly be supposed to   
have had a proportionably worse         
education4 ,i find1 by your account of  
him1 that he has been trained up to     

homicide1 the only science in which     
princes are ever instructed2 and with   
good reason1 as their greatness and     
glory singly depend upon the numbers of 
their fellow-creatures which their      
ambition exterminates4 ,if a sovereign  
should1 by great accident1 deviate into 
moderation1 justice1 and clemency1 what 
a contemptible figure would he make in  
the catalogue of princes6 ,i have always
 owned a great regard for ,king ,log4   
,from the interview at ,torgaw1 between 
the two monarchs1 they will be either a 
great deal better or worse together2 but
 ,i think rather the latter2 for our    
namesake1 ,philip de ,co mines1         
observes1 that he never knew any good   
come from l'abouchement des ,rois4 ,the 
,king of ,prussia will exert all his    
perspicacity to analyze his ,imperial   
,majesty2 and ,i would bet upon the one 
head of his black eagle1 against the two
 heads of the ,austrian eagle2 though   
two heads are said1 proverbially1 to be 
better than one4 ,i wish ,i had the     

direction of both the monarchs1 and they
 should1 together with some of their    
allies1 take ,lorraine and ,alsace from 
,france4 ,you will call me #8l',abbe de 
,st4 ,pierre'2 but ,i only say what ,i  
wish2 whereas he thought everything that
 he wished practicable4  ,now to come   
home4 ,here are great bustles at ,court1
 and a great change of persons is       
certainly very near4 ,you will ask me1  
perhaps1 who is to be out1 and who is to
 be in8 ,to which ,i answer1 ,i do not  
know4 ,my conjecture is that1 be the new
 settlement what it will1 ,mr4 ,pitt    
will be at the head of it4 ,if he is1 ,i
 presume1 #8qu'il aura mis de l'eau dans
 son vin par rapport a ,mylord ,b-----2 
when that shall come to be known1 as    
known it certainly will soon be1 he may 
bid adieu to his popularity4 ,a         
minister1 as minister1 is very apt to be
 the object of public dislike2 and a    
favorite1 as favorite1 still more so4   
,if any event of this kind happens1     
which 7if it happens at all7 ,i         

conjecture will be some time next week1 
you shall hear further from me4  ,i will
 follow your advice1 and be as well as  
,i can next winter1 though ,i know ,i   
shall never be free from my flying      
rheumatic pains1 as long as ,i live2 but
 whether that will be more or less1 is  
extremely indifferent to me2 in either  
case1 ,god bless you6     ,,letter      
,,cclxxxviii  ,,blackheath1 ,august #a1 
#agff4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,the      
curtain was at last drawn up1 the day   
before yesterday1 and discovered the new
 actors1 together with some of the old  
ones4 ,i do not name them to you1       
because to-morrow's ,gazette will do it 
full as well as ,i could4 ,mr4 ,pitt1   
who had carte blanche given him1 named  
everyone of them3 but what would you    
think he named himself for8 ,lord ,privy
 ,seal2 and 7what will astonish you1 as 
it does every mortal here7 ,earl of     
,chatham4 ,the joke here is1 that he has
 had ,a ,,fall ,,up ,,stairs1 and has   
done himself so much hurt1 that he will 

never be able to stand upon his leg's   
again4 ,everybody is puzzled how to     
account for this step2 though it would  
not be the first time that great        
abilities have been duped by low        
cunning4 ,but be it what it will1 he is 
now certainly only ,earl of ,chatham2   
and no longer ,mr4 ,pitt1 in any respect
 whatever4 ,such an event1 ,i believe1  
was never read nor heard of4 ,to        
withdraw1 in the fullness of his power  
and in the utmost gratification of his  
ambition1 from the ,house of ,commons   
7which procured him his power1 and which
 could alone insure it to him71 and to  
go into that hospital of incurables1 the
 ,house of ,lords1 is a measure so      
unaccountable1 that nothing but proof   
positive could have made me believe it3 
but true it is4 ,hans ,stanley is to go 
,ambassador to ,russia2 and my nephew1  
,ellis1 to ,spain1 decorated with the   
red riband4 ,lord ,shelburne is your    
,secretary of ,state1 which ,i suppose  
he has notified to you this post1 by a  

circular letter4 ,charles ,townshend has
 now the sole management of the ,house  
of ,commons2 but how long he will be    
content to be only ,lord ,chatham's     
vicegerent there1 is a question which ,i
 will not pretend to decide4 ,there is  
one very bad sign for ,lord ,chatham1 in
 his new dignity2 which is1 that all his
 enemies1 without exception1 rejoice at 
it2 and all his friends are stupefied   
and dumbfounded4 ,if ,i mistake not     
much1 he will1 in the course of a year1 
enjoy perfect #8otium cum dignitate'4   
,enough of politics4  ,is the fair1 or  
at least the fat1 ,miss ,c----with you  
still8 ,it must be confessed that she   
knows the arts of courts1 to be so      
received at ,dresden1 and so connived at
 in ,leicester-fields4  ,there never was
 so wet a summer as this has been1 in   
the memory of man2 we have not had one  
single day1 since ,march1 without some  
rain2 but most days a great deal4 ,i    
hope that does not affect your health1  
as great cold does2 for1 with all these 

inundations1 it has not been cold4 ,god 
bless you6     ,,letter ,,cclxxxix      
,,blackheath1 ,august #ad1 #agff4  ,,my 
,,dear ,,friend3 ,i received yesterday  
your letter of the #cjth past1 and ,i   
find by it that it crossed mine upon the
 road1 where they had no time to take   
notice of one another4  ,the newspapers 
have informed you1 before now1 of the   
changes actually made2 more will        
probably follow1 but what1 ,i am sure1  
,i cannot tell you2 and ,i believe      
nobody can1 not even those who are to   
make them3 they will1 ,i suppose1 be    
occasional1 as people behave themselves4
 ,the causes and consequences of ,mr4   
,pitt's quarrel now appear in print1 in 
a pamphlet published by ,lord ,t------2 
and in a refutation of it1 not by ,mr4  
,pitt himself1 ,i believe1 but by some  
friend of his1 and under his sanction4  
,the former is very scurrilous and      
scandalous1 and betrays private         
conversation4 ,my ,lord says1 that in   
his last conference1 he thought he had  

as good a right to nominate the new     
,ministry as ,mr4 ,pitt1 and            
consequently named ,lord ,g-----1 ,lord 
,l------1 etc41 for ,cabinet ,council   
employments2 which ,mr4 ,pitt not       
consenting to1 ,lord ,t-----broke up the
 conference1 and in his wrath went to   
,stowe2 where ,i presume he may remain  
undisturbed a great while1 since ,mr4   
,pitt will neither be willing nor able  
to send for him again4 ,the pamphlet1 on
 the part of ,mr4 ,pitt1 gives an       
account of his whole political life2    
and1 in that respect1 is tedious to     
those who were acquainted with it       
before2 but1 at the latter end1 there is
 an article that expresses such supreme 
contempt of ,lord ,t-----1 and in so    
pretty a manner1 that ,i suspect it to  
be ,mr4 ,pitt's own3 you shall judge    
yourself1 for ,i here transcribe the    
article3 8,but this ,i will be bold to  
say1 that had he 7,lord ,t-----7 not    
fastened himself into ,mr4 ,pitt's      
train1 and acquired thereby such an     

interest in that great man1 he might    
have crept out of life with as little   
notice as he crept in2 and gone off with
 no other degree of credit1 than that of
 adding a single unit to the bills of   
mortality0 ,i wish ,i could send you all
 the pamphlets and half-sheets that     
swarm here upon this occasion2 but that 
is impossible2 for every week would make
 a ship's cargo4 ,it is certain1 that   
,mr4 ,pitt has1 by his dignity of ,earl1
 lost the greatest part of his          
popularity1 especially in the city2 and 
,i believe the ,opposition will be very 
strong1 and perhaps prevail1 next       
session1 in the ,house of ,commons2     
there being now nobody there who can    
have the authority and ascendant over   
them that ,pitt had4  ,people tell me   
here1 as young ,harvey told you at      
,dresden1 that ,i look very well2 but   
those are words of course1 which        
everyone says to everybody4 ,so far is  
true1 that ,i am better than at my age1 
and with my broken constitution1 ,i     

could have expected to be4 ,god bless   
you6     ,,letter ,,ccxc  ,,blackheath1 
,september #ab1 #agff4  ,,my ,,dear     
,,friend3 ,i have this moment received  
your letter of the #bgth past4 ,i was in
 hopes that your course of waters this  
year at ,baden would have given you a   
longer reprieve from your painful       
complaint4 ,if ,i do not mistake1 you   
carried over with you some of ,dr4      
,monsey's powders4 ,have you taken any  
of them1 and have they done you any     
good8 ,i know they did me a great deal4 
,i1 who pretend to some skill in physic1
 advise a cool regimen1 and cooling     
medicines4  ,i do not wonder1 that you  
do wonder1 at ,lord ,c-----#8s conduct4 
,if he was not outwitted into his       
peerage by ,lord ,b----1 his accepting  
it is utterly inexplicable4 ,the        
instruments he has chosen for the great 
office1 ,i believe1 will never fit the  
same case4 ,it was cruel to put such a  
boy as ,lord ,g---over the head of old  
,ligonier2 and if ,i had been the       

former1 ,i would have refused that      
commission1 during the life of that     
honest and brave old general4 ,all this 
to quiet the ,duke of ,r----to a        
resignation1 and to make ,lord          
,b----,lieutenant of ,ireland1 where1 ,i
 will venture to prophesy1 that he will 
not do4 ,ligonier was much pressed to   
give up his regiment of guards1 but     
would by no means do it2 and declared   
that the ,king might break him if he    
pleased1 but that he would certainly not
 break himself4  ,i have no political   
events to inform you of2 they will not  
be ripe till the meeting of the         
parliament4 ,immediately upon the       
receipt of this letter1 write me one1 to
 acquaint me how you are4  ,god bless   
you2 and1 particularly1 may ,he send you
 health1 for that is the greatest       
blessing6     ,,letter ,,ccxci          
,,blackheath1 ,september #cj1 #agff4    
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i received1      
yesterday1 with great pleasure1 your    
letter of the #ahth1 by which ,i        

consider this last ugly bout as over2   
and1 to prevent its return1 ,i greatly  
approve of your plan for the south of   
,france1 where ,i recommend for your    
principal residence1 ,pezenas ,toulouse1
 or ,bordeaux2 but do not be persuaded  
to go to ,aix en ,provence1 which1 by   
experience1 ,i know to be at once the   
hottest and the coldest place in the    
world1 from the ardor of the ,provencal 
sun1 and the sharpness of the ,alpine   
winds4 ,i also earnestly recommend to   
you1 for your complaint upon your       
breast1 to take1 twice a-day1 asses' or 
7what is better mares' milk71 and that  
for these six months at least4 ,mingle  
turnips1 as much as you can1 with your  
diet4  ,i have written1 as you desired1 
to ,mr4 ,secretary ,conway2 but ,i will 
answer for it that there will be no     
difficulty to obtain the leave you ask4 
,there is no new event in the political 
world since my last2 so ,god bless you6 
,,letter ,,ccxcii  ,,london1 ,october   
#bi1 #ggff4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,the 

last mail brought me your letter of the 
#agth4 ,i am glad to hear that your     
breast is so much better4 ,you will find
 both asses' and mares' milk enough in  
the south of ,france1 where it was much 
drank when ,i was there4 ,guy ,patin    
recommends to a patient to have no      
doctor but a horse1 and no apothecary   
but an ass4 ,as for your pains and      
weakness in your limbs1 #8je vous en    
offre autant'2 ,i have never been free  
from them since my last rheumatism4 ,i  
use my legs as much as ,i can1 and you  
should do so too1 for disuse makes them 
worse4 ,i cannot now use them long at a 
time1 because of the weakness of old    
age2 but ,i contrive to get1 by         
different snatches1 at least two hours' 
walking every day1 either in my garden  
or within doors1 as the weather permits4
 ,i set out to-morrow for ,bath1 in     
hopes of half repairs1 for ,medea's     
kettle could not give me whole ones2 the
 timbers of my wretched vessel are too  
much decayed to be fitted out again for 

use4 ,i shall see poor ,harte there1    
who1 ,i am told1 is in a miserable way1 
between some real and some imaginary    
distempers4  ,i send you no political   
news1 for one reason1 among others1     
which is that ,i know none4 ,great      
expectations are raised of this session1
 which meets the #aath of next month2   
but of what kind nobody knows1 and      
consequently everybody conjectures      
variously4 ,lord ,chatham comes to town 
to-morrow from ,bath1 where he has been 
to refit himself for the winter         
campaign2 he has hitherto but an        
indifferent set of aides-decamp2 and    
where he will find better1 ,i do not    
know4 ,charles ,townshend and he are    
already upon ill terms4 #8,enfin je n'y 
vois goutte'2 and so ,god bless you6    
,,letter ,,ccxciii  ,,bath1 ,november   
#ae1 #agff4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i   
have this moment received your letter of
 the #eth instant from ,basle4 ,i am    
very glad to find that your breast is   
relieved1 though perhaps at the expense 

of your legs3 for1 if the humor be      
either gouty or rheumatic1 it had better
 be in your legs than anywhere else4 ,i 
have consulted ,moisy1 the great        
physician of this place1 upon it2 who   
says1 that at this distance he dares not
 prescribe anything1 as there may be    
such different causes for your          
complaint1 which must be well weighed by
 a physician upon the spot2 that is1 in 
short1 that he knows nothing of the     
matter4 ,i will therefore tell you my   
own case1 in #agcb1 which may be        
something parallel to yours4 ,i had that
 year been dangerously ill of a fever in
 ,holland2 and when ,i was recovered of 
it1 the febrific humor fell into my     
legs1 and swelled them to that degree1  
and chiefly in the evening1 that it was 
as painful to me as it was shocking to  
others4 ,i came to ,england with them in
 this condition2 and consulted ,mead1   
,broxholme1 and ,arbuthnot1 who none of 
them did me the least good2 but1 on the 
contrary1 increased the swelling1 by    

applying poultices and emollients4 ,in  
this condition ,i remained near six     
months1 till finding that the doctors   
could do me no good1 ,i resolved to     
consult ,palmer1 the most eminent       
surgeon of ,st4 ,thomas's ,hospital4 ,he
 immediately told me that the physicians
 had pursued a very wrong method1 as the
 swelling of my legs proceeded only from
 a relaxation and weakness of the       
cutaneous vessels2 and he must apply    
strengtheners instead of emollients4    
,accordingly1 he ordered me to put my   
legs up to the knees every morning in   
brine from the salters1 as hot as ,i    
could bear it2 the brine must have had  
meat salted in it4 ,i did so2 and after 
having thus pickled my legs for about   
three weeks1 the complaint absolutely   
ceased1 and ,i have never had the least 
swelling in them since4 ,after what ,i  
have said1 ,i must caution you not to   
use the same remedy rashly1 and without 
the most skillful advice you can find1  
where you are2 for if your swelling     

proceeds from a gouty1 or rheumatic     
humor1 there may be great danger in     
applying so powerful an astringent1 and 
perhaps ,,repellant as brine4 ,so go    
piano1 and not without the best advice1 
upon a view of the parts4  ,i shall     
direct all my letters to you #8,chez    
,monsieur ,sarraxin'1 who by his trade  
is1 ,i suppose1 #8sedentaire' at ,basle1
 while it is not sure that you will be  
at any one place in the south of        
,france4 ,do you know that he is a      
descendant of the ,french poet          
,sarrazin8  ,poor ,harte1 whom ,i       
frequently go to see here1 out of       
compassion1 is in a most miserable way2 
he has had a stroke of the palsy1 which 
has deprived him of the use of his right
 leg1 affected his speech a good deal1  
and perhaps his head a little4 ,such are
 the intermediate tributes that we are  
forced to pay1 in some shape or other1  
to our wretched nature1 till we pay the 
last great one of all4 ,may you pay this
 very late1 and as few intermediate     

tributes as possible2 and so #8jubeo te 
bene valere'4 ,god bless you6           
,,letter ,,ccxciv  ,,bath1 ,december #i1
 #agff4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i       
received1 two days ago1 your letter of  
the #bfth past4 ,i am very glad that you
 begin to feel the good effects of the  
climate where you are2 ,i know it saved 
my life1 in #agda1 when both the        
skillful and the unskillful gave me     
over4 ,in that ramble ,i stayed three or
 four days at ,nimes1 where there are   
more remains of antiquity1 ,i believe1  
than in any town in ,europe1 ,italy     
excepted4 ,what is falsely called #8la  
maison quarree'1 is1 in my mind1 the    
finest piece of architecture that ,i    
ever saw2 and the amphitheater the      
clumsiest and the ugliest3 if it were in
 ,england1 everybody would swear it had 
been built by ,sir ,john ,vanbrugh4     
,this place is now1 just what you have  
seen it formerly2 here is a great crowd 
of trifling and unknown people1 whom ,i 
seldom frequent1 in the public rooms2 so

 that ,i may pass my time #8tres        
uniment'1 in taking the air in my       
post-chaise every morning1 and in       
reading of evenings4 ,and #8a propos' of
 the latter1 ,i shall point out a book1 
which ,i believe will give you some     
pleasure2 at least it gave me a great   
deal4 ,i never read it before4 ,it is   
#8,reflexions sur la ,poesie et la      
,peinture1 par l',abbee de ,bos'1 in two
 octavo volumes2 and is1 ,i suppose1 to 
be had at every great town in ,france4  
,the criticisms and the reflections are 
just and lively4  ,it may be you expect 
some political news from me3 but ,i can 
tell you that you will have none1 for no
 mortal can comprehend the present state
 of affairs4 ,eight or nine people of   
some consequence have resigned their    
employments2 upon which ,lord           
,c-----made overtures to the ,duke of   
,b-----and his people2 but they could by
 no means agree1 and his ,grace went1   
the next day1 full of wrath1 to ,woburn1
 so that negotiation is entirely at an  

end4 ,people wait to see who ,lord      
,c-----will take in1 for some he must   
have2 even ,,he cannot be alone1        
#8contra mundum'4 ,such a state of      
affairs1 to be sure1 was never seen     
before1 in this or in any other country4
 ,when this ,ministry shall be settled1 
it will be the sixth ,ministry in six   
years' time4  ,poor ,harte is here1 and 
in a most miserable condition2 those who
 wish him the best1 as ,i do1 must wish 
him dead4 ,god bless you6     ,,letter  
,,ccxcv  ,,london1 ,february #ac1 #agfg4
  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,it is so long  
since ,i have had a letter from you1    
that ,i am alarmed about your health2   
and fear that the southern parts of     
,france have not done so well by you as 
they did by me in the year #agda1 when  
they snatched me from the jaws of death4
 ,let me know1 upon the receipt of this 
letter1 how you are1 and where you are4 
,i have no news to send you from hence2 
for everything seems suspended1 both in 
the court and in the parliament1 till   

,lord ,chatham's return from the ,bath1 
where he has been laid up this month1 by
 a severe fit of the gout2 and1 at      
present1 he has the sole apparent power4
 ,in what little business has hitherto  
been done in the ,house of ,commons1    
,charles ,townshend has given himself   
more ministerial airs than ,lord        
,chatham will1 ,i believe1 approve of4  
,however1 since ,lord ,chatham has      
thought fit to withdraw himself from    
that ,house1 he cannot well do without  
,charles' abilities to manage it as his 
deputy4  ,i do not send you an account  
of weddings1 births1 and burials1 as ,i 
take it for granted that you know them  
all from the ,english printed papers2   
some of which1 ,i presume1 are sent     
after you4 ,your old acquaintance1 ,lord
 ,essex1 is to be married this week to  
,harriet ,bladen1 who has ,l#bj1jjj     
down1 besides the reasonable expectation
 of as much at the death of her father4 
,my kinsman1 ,lord ,strathmore1 is to be
 married in a fortnight1 to ,miss       

,bowes1 the greatest heiress perhaps in 
,europe4 ,in short1 the matrimonial     
frenzy seems to rage at present1 and is 
epidemical4 ,the men marry for money1   
and ,i believe you guess what the women 
marry for4 ,god bless you1 and send you 
health6     ,,letter ,,ccxcvi  ,,london1
 ,march #c1 #agfg  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3
 ,yesterday ,i received two letters at  
once from you1 both dated ,montpellier2 
one of the #bith of last ,december1 and 
the other the #abth of ,february3 but ,i
 cannot conceive what became of my      
letters to you2 for1 ,i assure you1 that
 ,i answered all yours the next post    
after ,i received them2 and1 about ten  
days ago1 ,i wrote you a volunteer1     
because you had been so long silent1 and
 ,i was afraid that you were not well2  
but your letter of the #abth of         
,february has removed all my fears upon 
that score4 ,the same climate that has  
restored your health so far will        
probably1 in a little more time1 restore
 your strength too2 though you must not 

expect it to be quite what it was before
 your late painful complaints4 ,at least
 ,i find that1 since my late great      
rheumatism1 ,i cannot walk above half an
 hour at a time1 which ,i do not place  
singly to the account of my years1 but  
chiefly to the great shock given then to
 my limbs4 #8,d'ailleurs' ,i am pretty  
well for my age and shattered           
constitution4  ,as ,i told you in my    
last1 ,i must tell you again in this1   
that ,i have no news to send4 ,lord     
,chatham1 at last1 came to town         
yesterday1 full of gout1 and is not able
 to stir hand or foot4 ,during his      
absence1 ,charles ,townshend has talked 
of him1 and at him1 in such a manner1   
that henceforward they must be either   
much worse or much better together than 
ever they were in their lives4 ,on      
,friday last1 ,mr4 ,dowdeswell and ,mr4 
,grenville moved to have one shilling in
 the pound of the land tax taken off2   
which was opposed by the ,court2 but the
 ,court lost it by eighteen4 ,the       

,opposition triumph much upon this      
victory2 though1 ,i think1 without      
reason2 for it is plain that all the    
landed gentlemen bribed themselves with 
this shilling in the pound4  ,the ,duke 
of ,buccleugh is very soon to be married
 to ,lady ,betty ,montague4 ,lord ,essex
 was married yesterday1 to ,harriet     
,bladen2 and ,lord ,strathmore1 last    
week1 to ,miss ,bowes2 both couples went
 directly from the church to            
consummation in the country1 from an    
unnecessary fear that they should not be
 tired of each other if they stayed in  
town4 ,and now #8dixi'2 ,god bless you6 
,you are in the right to go to see the  
assembly of the states of1 ,languedoc1  
though they are but the shadow of the   
original ,etats1 while there was some   
liberty subsisting in ,france4          
,,letter ,,ccxcvii  ,,london1 ,april #f1
 #agfg4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3          
,yesterday ,i received your letter from 
,nimes1 by which ,i find that several of
 our letters have reciprocally          

miscarried4 ,this may probably have the 
same fate2 however1 if it reaches       
,monsieur ,sarrazin1 ,i presume he will 
know where to take his aim at you2 for  
,i find you are in motion1 and with a   
polarity to ,dresden4 ,i am very glad to
 find by it1 that your meridional       
journey has perfectly recovered you1 as 
to your general state of health2 for as 
to your legs and thighs1 you must never 
expect that they will be restored to    
their original strength and activity1   
after so many rheumatic attacks as you  
have had4 ,i know that my limbs1 besides
 the natural debility of old age1 have  
never recovered the severe attack of    
rheumatism that plagued me five or six  
years ago4 ,i cannot now walk above half
 an hour at a time and even that in a   
hobbling kind of way4  ,i can give you  
no account of our political world1 which
 is in a situation that ,i never saw in 
my whole life4 ,lord ,chatham has been  
so ill1 these last two months1 that he  
has not been able 7some say not willing7

 to do or hear of any business1 and for 
his #8sous ,ministres'1 they either     
cannot1 or dare not1 do any1 without his
 directions2 so everything is now at a  
stand4 ,this situation1 ,i think1 cannot
 last much longer1 and if ,lord ,chatham
 should either quit his post1 or the    
world1 neither of which is very         
improbable1 ,i conjecture1 that which is
 called the ,rockingham ,connection     
stands the fairest for the ,ministry4   
,but this is merely my conjecture1 for  
,i have neither #8data' nor #8postulata'
 enough to reason upon4  ,when you get  
to ,dresden1 which ,i hope you will not 
do till next month1 our correspondence  
will be more regular4 ,god bless you6   
,,letter ,,ccxcviii  ,,london1 ,may #e1 
#agfg1  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,by your  
letter of the #beth past1 from ,basle1  
,i presume this will find you at        
,dresden1 and accordingly ,i direct to  
you there4 ,when you write me word that 
you are at ,dresden1 ,i will return you 
an answer1 with something better than   

the answer itself4  ,if you complain of 
the weather1 north of ,besancon1 what   
would you say to the weather that we    
have had here for these last two months1
 uninterruptedly8 ,snow often1 northeast
 wind constantly1 and extreme cold4 ,i  
write this by the side of a good fire2  
and at this moment it snows very hard4  
,all my promised fruit at ,blackheath is
 quite destroyed2 and1 what is worse1   
many of my trees4  ,i cannot help       
thinking that the ,king of ,poland1 the 
,empress of ,russia1 and the ,king of   
,prussia1 #8s'entendent comme larrons en
 foire'1 though the former must not     
appear in it upon account of the        
stupidity1 ignorance1 and bigotry of his
 ,poles4 ,i have a great opinion of the 
cogency of the controversial arguments  
of the ,russian troops1 in favor of the 
,dissidents3 ,i am sure ,i wish them    
success2 for ,i would have all          
intoleration intolerated in its turn4   
,we shall soon see more clearly into    
this matter2 for ,i do not think that   

the ,autocratrice of all the ,russias   
will be trifled with by the ,sarmatians4
  ,what do you think of the late        
extraordinary event in ,spain8 ,could   
you have ever imagined that those       
ignorant ,goths would have dared to     
banish the ,jesuits8 ,there must have   
been some very grave and important      
reasons for so extraordinary a measure3 
but what they were ,i do not pretend to 
guess2 and perhaps ,i shall never know1 
though all the coffeehouses here do4    
,things are here in exactly the same    
situation1 in which they were when ,i   
wrote to you last4 ,lord ,chatham is    
still ill1 and only goes abroad for an  
hour in a day1 to take the air1 in his  
coach4 ,the ,king has1 to my certain    
knowledge1 sent him repeated messages1  
desiring him not to be concerned at his 
confinement1 for that he is resolved to 
support him1 #8pour et contre tous'4    
,god bless you6     ,,letter ,,ccxcix   
,,london1 ,june #a1 #agfg4  ,,my ,,dear 
,,friend3 ,i received yesterday your    

letter of the #bjth past1 from ,dresden1
 where ,i am glad to find that you are  
arrived safe and sound4 ,this has been  
everywhere an #8annus mirabilis' for bad
 weather1 and it continues here still4  
,everybody has fires1 and their winter  
clothes1 as at ,christmas4 ,the town is 
extremely sickly2 and sudden deaths have
 been very frequent4  ,i do not know    
what to say to you upon public matters2 
things remain in #8statu quo'1 and      
nothing is done4 ,great changes are     
talked of1 and1 ,i believe1 will happen 
soon1 perhaps next week2 but who is to  
be changed1 for whom1 ,i do not know1   
though everybody else does4 ,i am apt to
 think that it will be a mosaic         
,ministry1 made up #8de pieces          
rapportees' from different connections4 
,last ,friday ,i sent your subsidy to   
,mr4 ,larpent1 who1 ,i suppose1 has     
given you notice of it4 ,i believe it   
will come very seasonably1 as all       
places1 both foreign and domestic1 are  
so far in arrears4 ,they talk of paying 

you all up to ,christmas4 ,the ,king's  
inferior servants are almost starving4  
,i suppose you have already heard1 at   
,dresden1 that ,count ,bruhl is either  
actually married1 or very soon to be so1
 to ,lady ,egremont4 ,she has1 together 
with her salary as ,lady of the         
,bed-chamber1 ,l#b1ejj a year1 besides  
ten thousand pounds in money left her1  
at her own disposal1 by ,lord ,egremont4
 ,all this will sound great #8en ecus   
d',allemagne'4 ,i am glad of it1 for he 
is a very pretty man4 ,god bless you6   
,i easily conceive why ,orloff          
influences the ,empress of all the      
,russias2 but ,i cannot see why the     
,king of ,prussia should be influenced  
by that motive4     ,,letter ,,ccc      
,,blackheath1 ,,july #b1 #agfg4  ,,my   
,,dear ,,friend3 ,though ,i have had no 
letter from you since my last1 and      
though ,i have no political news to     
inform you of1 ,i write this to acquaint
 you with a piece of ,greenwich news1   
which ,i believe you will be very glad  

of2 ,i am sure ,i am4 ,know then that   
your friend ,miss-----was happily       
married1 three days ago1 to ,mr4-------1
 an ,irish gentleman1 and a member of   
that parliament1 with an estate of above
 ,l#b1jjj a-year4 ,he settles upon her  
,l#fjj jointure1 and in case they have  
no children1 ,l#a1ejj4 ,he happened to  
be by chance in her company one day     
here1 and was at once shot dead by her  
charms2 but as dead men sometimes walk1 
he walked to her the next morning1 and  
tendered her his person and his fortune2
 both which1 taking the one with the    
other1 she very prudently accepted1 for 
his person is sixty years old4          
,ministerial affairs are still in the   
same ridiculous and doubtful situation  
as when ,i wrote to you last4 ,lord     
,chatham will neither hear of1 nor do   
any business1 but lives at ,hampstead1  
and rides about the heath4 ,his gout is 
said to be fallen upon his nerves4 ,your
 provincial secretary1 ,conway1 quits   
this week1 and returns to the army1 for 

which he languished4 ,two ,lords are    
talked of to succeed him2 ,lord ,egmont 
and ,lord ,hillsborough3 ,i rather hope 
the latter4 ,lord ,northington certainly
 quits this week2 but nobody guesses who
 is to succeed him as ,president4 ,a    
thousand other changes are talked of1   
which ,i neither believe nor reject4    
,poor ,harte is in a most miserable     
condition3 ,he has lost one side of     
himself1 and in a great measure his     
speech2 notwithstanding which1 he is    
going to publish his ,,divine ,,poems1  
as he calls them4 ,i am sorry for it1 as
 he had not time to correct them before 
this stroke1 nor abilities to do it     
since4 ,god bless you6     ,,letter     
,,ccci  ,,blackheath1 ,july #i1 #agfg4  
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i have received  
yours of the #bast past1 with the       
inclosed proposal from the ,french      
#8refugies1 for a subscription toward   
building them #8un temple'4 ,i have     
shown it to the very few people ,i see1 
but without the least success4 ,they    

told me 7and with too much truth7 that  
while such numbers of poor were         
literally starving here from the        
dearness of all provisions1 they could  
not think of sending their money into   
another country1 for a building which   
they reckoned useless4 ,in truth1 ,i    
never knew such misery as is here now2  
and it affects both the hearts and the  
purses of those who have either2 for my 
own part1 ,i never gave to a building in
 my life2 which ,i reckon is only giving
 to masons and carpenters1 and the      
treasurer of the undertaking4  ,contrary
 to the expectations of all mankind     
here1 everything still continues in     
#8statu quo'4 ,general ,conway has been 
desired by the ,king to keep the seals  
till he has found a successor for him1  
and the ,lord ,president the same4 ,lord
 ,chatham is relapsed1 and worse than   
ever3 he sees nobody1 and nobody sees   
him3 it is said that a bungling         
physician has checked his gout1 and     
thrown it upon his nerves2 which is the 

worst distemper that a minister or a    
lover can have1 as it debilitates the   
mind of the former and the body of the  
latter4 ,here is at present an          
interregnum4 ,we must soon see what     
order will be produced from this chaos4 
,the ,electorate1 ,i believe1 will find 
the want of ,comte ,flemming2 for he    
certainly had abilities1 and was as     
sturdy and inexorable as a ,minister at 
the head of the finances ought always to
 be4 ,when you see ,comtesse ,flemming1 
which ,i suppose cannot be for some     
time1 pray make her ,lady               
,chesterfield's and my compliments of   
condolence4  ,you say that ,dresden is  
very sickly2 ,i am sure ,london is at   
least as sickly now1 for there reigns an
 epidemical distemper1 called by the    
genteel name of #8l'influenza'4 ,it is a
 little fever1 of which scarcely anybody
 dies2 and it generally goes off with a 
little looseness4 ,i have escaped it1 ,i
 believe1 by being here4 ,god keep you  
from all distempers1 and bless you6     

,,letter ,,cccii  ,,london1 ,october    
#cj1 #agfg4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,i   
have now left ,blackheath1 till the next
 summer1 if ,i live till then2 and am   
just able to write1 which is all ,i can 
say1 for ,i am extremely weak1 and have 
in a great measure lost the use of my   
legs2 ,i hope they will recover both    
flesh and strength1 for at present they 
have neither4 ,i go to the ,bath next   
week1 in hopes of half repairs at most2 
for those waters1 ,i am sure1 will not  
prove ,medea's kettle1 nor #8les eaux de
 ,jouvence' to me2 however1 ,i shall do 
as good courtiers do1 and get what ,i   
can1 if ,i cannot get what ,i will4 ,i  
send you no politics1 for here are      
neither politics nor ministers2 ,lord   
,chatham is quiet at ,pynsent1 in       
,somersetshire1 and his former          
subalterns do nothing1 so that nothing  
is done4 ,whatever places or preferments
 are disposed of1 come evidently from   
,lord-------1 who affects to be         
invisible2 and who1 like a woodcock1    

thinks that if his head is but hid1 he  
is not seen at all4  ,general ,pulteney 
is at last dead1 last week1 worth above 
thirteen hundred thousand pounds4 ,he   
has left all his landed estate1 which is
 eight and twenty thousand pounds       
a-year1 including the ,bradford estate1 
which his brother had from that ancient 
family1 to a cousin-german4 ,he has left
 two hundred thousand pounds1 in the    
funds1 to ,lord ,darlington1 who was his
 next nearest relation2 and at least    
twenty thousand pounds in various       
legacies4 ,if riches alone could make   
people happy1 the last two proprietors  
of this immense wealth ought to have    
been so1 but they never were4  ,god     
bless you1 and send you good health1    
which is better than all the riches of  
the world6     ,,letter ,,ccciii        
,,london1 ,november #c1 #agfg4  ,,my    
,,dear ,,friend3 ,your last letter      
brought me but a scurvy account of your 
health4 ,for the headaches you complain 
of1 ,i will venture to prescribe a      

remedy1 which1 by experience1 ,i found a
 specific1 when ,i was extremely plagued
 with them4 ,it is either to chew ten   
grains of rhubarb every night going to  
bed3 or1 what ,i think rather better1 to
 take1 immediately before dinner1 a     
couple of rhubarb pills1 of five grains 
each2 by which means it mixes with the  
aliments1 and will1 by degrees1 keep    
your body gently open4 ,i do it to this 
day1 and find great good by it4 ,as you 
seem to dread the approach of a ,german 
winter1 ,i would advise you to write to 
,general ,conway1 for leave of absence  
for the three rigorous winter months1   
which ,i dare say will not be refused4  
,if you choose a worse climate1 you may 
come to ,london2 but if you choose a    
better and a warmer1 you may go to ,nice
 en ,provence1 where ,sir ,william      
,stanhope is gone to pass his winter1   
who1 ,i am sure1 will be extremely glad 
of your company there4  ,i go to the    
,bath next ,saturday4 #8,utinam de      
frustra'4 ,god bless you6     ,,letter  

,,ccciv  ,,bath1 ,september #ai1 #agfg4 
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,yesterday ,i     
received your letter of the #bith past1 
and am very glad to find that you are   
well enough to think that you may       
perhaps stand the winter at ,dresden2   
but if you do1 pray take care to keep   
both your body and your limbs           
exceedingly warm4  ,as to my own health1
 it is1 in general1 as good as ,i could 
expect it1 at my age2 ,i have a good    
stomach1 a good digestion1 and sleep    
well2 but find that ,i shall never      
recover the free use of my legs1 which  
are now full as weak as when ,i first   
came hither4  ,you ask me questions     
concerning ,lord ,c------1 which neither
 ,i1 nor1 ,i believe1 anybody but       
himself can answer2 however1 ,i will    
tell you all that ,i do know1 and all   
that ,i guess1 concerning him4 ,this    
time twelvemonth he was here1 and in    
good health and spirits1 except now and 
then some little twinges of the gout4   
,we saw one another four or five times1 

at our respective houses2 but for these 
last eight months1 he has been          
absolutely invisible to his most        
intimate friends1 #8les sous            
,ministres'3 he would receive no        
letters1 nor so much as open any packet 
about business4  ,his physician1        
,dr4-----1 as ,i am told1 had1 very     
ignorantly1 checked a coming fit of the 
gout1 and scattered it about his body2  
and it fell particularly upon his       
nerves1 so that he continues exceedingly
 vaporish2 and would neither see nor    
speak to anybody while he was here4 ,i  
sent him my compliments1 and asked leave
 to wait upon him2 but he sent me word  
that he was too ill to see anybody      
whatsoever4 ,i met him frequently taking
 the air in his post-chaise1 and he     
looked very well4 ,he set out from hence
 for ,london last ,tuesday2 but what to 
do1 whether to resume1 or finally to    
resign the ,administration1 ,god knows2 
conjectures are various4 ,in one of our 
conversations here1 this time           

twelvemonth1 ,i desired him to secure   
you a seat in the new parliament2 he    
assured me that he would1 and1 ,i am    
convinced1 very sincerely2 he said even 
that he would make it his own affair2   
and desired that ,i would give myself no
 more trouble about it4 ,since that1 ,i 
have heard no more of it2 which made me 
look out for some venal borough and ,i  
spoke to a borough-jobber1 and offered  
five-and-twenty hundred pounds for a    
secure seat in parliament2 but he       
laughed at my offer1 and said that there
 was no such thing as a borough to be   
had now1 for that the rich ,east and    
,west ,indians had secured them all1 at 
the rate of three thousand pounds at    
least2 but many at four thousand1 and   
two or three that he knew1 at five      
thousand4 ,this1 ,i confess1 has vexed  
me a good deal2 and made me the more    
impatient to know whether ,lord ,c---had
 done anything in it2 which ,i shall    
know when ,i go to town1 as ,i propose  
to do in about a fortnight2 and as soon 

as ,i know it you shall4 ,to tell you   
truly what ,i think--,i doubt1 from all 
this ,,nervous ,,disorder that ,lord    
,c-----is hors de combat1 as a          
,minister2 but do not ever hint this to 
anybody4 ,god bless you6     ,,letter   
,,cc  ,,bath1 ,december #bg1 #agfg4     
#8,en nova progenies'6  ,,my ,,dear     
,,friend3 ,the outlines of a new        
,ministry are now declared1 but they are
 not yet quite filled up2 it was formed 
by the ,duke of ,bedford4 ,lord ,gower  
is made ,president of the ,council1     
,lord ,sandwich1 ,postmaster1 ,lord     
,hillsborough1 ,secretary of ,state for 
,america only1 ,mr4 ,rigby1             
,vice-treasurer of ,ireland4 ,general   
,canway is to keep the seals a fortnight
 longer1 and then to surrender them to  
,lord ,weymouth4 ,it is very uncertain  
whether the ,duke of ,grafton is to     
continue at the head of the ,treasury or
 not2 but1 in my private opinion1       
,george ,grenville will very soon be    
there4 ,lord ,chatham seems to be out of

 the question1 and is at his repurchased
 house at ,hayes1 where he will not see 
a mortal4 ,it is yet uncertain whether  
,lord ,shelburne is to keep his place2  
if not1 ,lord ,sandwich they say is to  
succeed him4 ,all the ,rockingham people
 are absolutely excluded4 ,many more    
changes must necessarily be1 but no more
 are yet declared4 ,it seems to be a    
resolution taken by somebody that       
,ministers are to be annual4  ,sir      
,george ,macartney is next week to be   
married to ,lady ,jane ,stuart1 ,lord   
,bute's second daughter4  ,i never knew 
it so cold in my life as it is now1 and 
with a very deep snow2 by which1 if it  
continues1 ,i may be snow-bound here for
 ,god knows how long1 though ,i proposed
 leaving this place the latter end of   
the week4  ,poor ,harte is very ill     
here2 he mentions you often1 and with   
great affection4 ,god bless you6  ,when 
,i know more you shall4     ,,letter    
,,cccvi  ,,london1 ,january #bi1 #agfh4 
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3 ,two days ago ,i  

received your letter of the #hth4 ,i    
wish you had gone a month or six weeks  
sooner to ,basle1 that you might have   
escaped the excessive cold of the most  
severe winter that ,i believe was ever  
known4 ,it congealed both my body and my
 mind1 and scarcely left me the power of
 thinking4 ,a great many here1 both in  
town and country1 have perished by the  
frost1 and been lost in the snow4  ,you 
have heard1 no doubt1 of the changes at 
,court1 by which you have got a new     
provincial1 ,lord ,weymouth2 who has    
certainly good parts1 and1 as ,i am     
informed1 speaks very well in the ,house
 of ,lords2 but ,i believe he has no    
application4 ,lord ,chatham is at his   
house at ,hayes2 but sees no mortal4    
,some say that he has a fit of the gout1
 which would probably do him good2 but  
many think that his worst complaint is  
in his head1 which ,i am afraid is too  
true4 ,were he well1 ,i am sure he would
 realize the promise he made me         
concerning you2 but1 however1 in that   

uncertainty1 ,i am looking out for any  
chance borough2 and if ,i can find one1 
,i promise you ,i will bid like a       
chapman for it1 as ,i should be very    
sorry that you were not in the next     
parliament4 ,i do not see any           
probability of any vacancy in a foreign 
commission in a better climate2 ,mr4    
,hamilton at ,naples1 ,sir ,horace ,mann
 at ,florence1 and ,george ,pitt at     
,turin1 do not seem likely to make one4 
,and as for changing your foreign       
department for a domestic one1 it would 
not be in my power to procure you one2  
and you would become #8d'eveque munier'1
 and gain nothing in point of climate1  
by changing a bad one for another full  
as bad1 if not worse2 and a worse ,i    
believe is not than ours4 ,i have always
 had better health abroad than at home2 
and if the tattered remnant of my       
wretched life were worth my care1 ,i    
would have been in the south of ,france 
long ago4 ,i continue very lame and     
weak1 and despair of ever recovering any

 strength in my legs4 ,i care very      
little about it4 ,at my age every man   
must have his share of physical ills of 
one kind or another2 and mine1 thank    
,god1 are not very painful4 ,god bless  
you6     ,,letter ,,cccvii  ,,london1   
,march #ab1 #agfh4  ,,my ,,dear         
,,friend3 ,the day after ,i received    
your letter of the #bast past1 ,i wrote 
to ,lord ,weymouth1 as you desired2 and 
,i send you his answer inclosed1 from   
which 7though ,i have not heard from him
 since7 ,i take it for granted1 and so  
may you1 that his silence signifies his 
,majesty's consent to your request4     
,your complicated complaints give me    
great uneasiness1 and the more1 as ,i am
 convinced that the ,montpellier        
physicians have mistaken a material part
 of your case2 as indeed all the        
physicians here did1 except ,dr4 ,maty4 
,in my opinion1 you have no gout1 but a 
very scorbutic and rheumatic habit of   
body1 which should be treated in a very 
different manner from the gout2 and1 as 

,i pretend to be a very good quack at   
least1 ,i would prescribe to you a      
strict milk diet1 with the seeds1 such  
as rice1 sago1 barley1 millet1 etc41 for
 the three summer months at least1 and  
without ever tasting wine4 ,if climate  
signifies anything 7in which1 by the    
way1 ,i have very little faith71 you    
are1 in my mind1 in the finest climate  
in the world2 neither too hot nor too   
cold1 and always clear2 you are with the
 gayest people living2 be gay with them1
 and do not wear out your eyes with     
reading at home4 #8,l'ennui' is the     
,english distemper3 and a very bad one  
it is1 as ,i find by every day's        
experience2 for my deafness deprives me 
of the only rational pleasure that ,i   
can have at my age1 which is society2 so
 that ,i read my eyes out every day1    
that ,i may not hang myself4  ,you will 
not be in this parliament1 at least not 
at the beginning of it4 ,i relied too   
much upon ,lord ,c-----#8s promise above
 a year ago at ,bath4 ,he desired that  

,i would leave it to him2 that he would 
make it his own affair1 and give it in  
charge to the ,duke of ,g----1 whose    
province it was to make the             
parliamentary arrangement4 ,this ,i     
depended upon1 and ,i think with reason2
 but1 since that1 ,lord ,c has neither  
seen nor spoken to anybody1 and has been
 in the oddest way in the world4 ,i have
 sent to the ,d-----of ,g------1 to know
 if ,l-----,c----had either spoken or   
sent to him about it2 but he assured me 
that he had done neither2 that all was  
full1 or rather running over1 at        
present2 but that1 if he could crowd you
 in upon a vacancy1 he would do it with 
great pleasure4 ,i am extremely sorry   
for this accident2 for ,i am of a very  
different opinion from you1 about being 
in parliament1 as no man can be of      
consequence in this country1 who is not 
in it2 and1 though one may not speak    
like a ,lord ,mansfield or a ,lord      
,chatham1 one may make a very good      
figure in a second rank4 #8,locus est et

 pluribus umbris'4 ,i do not pretend to 
give you any account of the present     
state of this country1 or ,ministry1 not
 knowing nor guessing it myself4  ,god  
bless you1 and send you health1 which is
 the first and greatest of all          
blessings6     ,,letter ,,cccviii       
,,london1 ,march #ae1 #agfh4  ,,my      
,,dear ,,friend3 ,this letter is        
supplemental to my last4 ,this morning  
,lord ,weymouth very civilly sent ,mr4  
,wood1 his first #8commis'1 to tell me  
that the ,king very willingly gave you  
leave of absence from your post for a   
year1 for the recovery of your health2  
but then added1 that as the ,court of   
,vienna was tampering with that of      
,saxony1 which it seems our ,court is   
desirous to #8contrequarrer'1 it might  
be necessary to have in the interim a   
#8,charge d',affaires' at ,dresden1 with
 a defalcation out of your appointments 
of forty shillings a-day1 till your     
return1 if ,i would agree to it4 ,i told
 him that ,i consented to both the      

proposals1 upon condition that at your  
return you should have the character and
 the pay of ,plenipotentiary added to   
your present character and pay2 and that
 ,i would completely make up to you the 
defalcation of the forty shillings      
a-day4 ,he positively engaged for it3   
and added1 that he knew that it would be
 willingly agreed to4 ,thus ,i think ,i 
have made a good bargain for you1 though
 but an indifferent one for myself3 but 
that is what ,i never minded in my life4
 ,you may1 therefore1 depend upon       
receiving from me the full of this      
defalcation1 when and how you please1   
independently of your usual annual      
refreshment1 which ,i will pay to       
,monsieur ,larpent1 whenever you desire 
it4 ,in the meantime1 #8,cura ut        
valeas'4  ,the person whom ,mr4 ,wood   
intimated to me would be the #8,charge  
d',affaires' during your absence1 is one
 ,mr4 ,keith1 the son of that ,mr4      
,keith who was formerly ,minister in    
,russia4     ,,letter ,,cccix  ,,london1

 ,april #ab1 #agfh4  ,,my ,,dear        
,,friend3 ,i received1 yesterday1 your  
letter of the #ast2 in which you do not 
mention the state of your health1 which 
,i desire you will do for the future4   
,i believe you have guessed the true    
reason of ,mr4 ,keith's mission2 but by 
a whisper that ,i have since heard1     
,keith is rather inclined to go to      
,turin1 as #8,charge d',affaires'4 ,i   
forgot to tell you1 in my last1 that ,i 
was almost positively assured that the  
instant you return to ,dresden1 ,keith  
should decamp4 ,i am persuaded that they
 will keep their words with me1 as there
 is no one reason in the world why they 
should not4 ,i will send your annual to 
,mr4 ,larpent1 in a fortnight1 and pay  
the forty shillings a-day quarterly1 if 
there should be occasion2 for1 in my own
 private opinion1 there will be no      
#8,charge d',affaires' sent4 ,i agree   
with you1 that #8point d'argent1 point  
d',allemand'1 as was used to be said1   
and not without more reason1 of the     

,swiss2 but1 as we have neither the     
inclination nor ,i fear the power to    
give subsidies1 the ,court of ,vienna   
can give good things that cost them     
nothing1 as archbishoprics1 bishoprics1 
besides corrupting their ministers and  
favorite with places4  ,elections here  
have been carried to a degree of frenzy 
hitherto unheard of2 that for the town  
of ,northampton has cost the contending 
parties at least thirty thousand pounds 
a side1 and-------------has sold his    
borough of---------1 to two members1 for
 nine thousand pounds4 ,as soon as      
,wilkes had lost his election for the   
city1 he set up for the county of       
,middlesex1 and carried it hollow1 as   
the jockeys say4 ,here were great mobs  
and riots upon that occasion1 and most  
of the windows in town broke1 that had  
no lights for ,,wilkes ,,and ,,liberty1 
who were thought to be inseparable4 ,he 
will appear1 the #ajth of this month1 in
 the ,court of ,king's ,bench1 to       
receive his sentence2 and then great    

riots are again expected1 and probably  
will happen4 ,god bless you6            
,,letter ,,cccx  ,,bath1 ,october #ag1  
#agfh4  ,,my ,,dear ,,friend4 ,your last
 two letters1 to myself and ,grevenkop1 
have alarmed me extremely2 but ,i       
comfort myself a little1 by hoping that 
you1 like all people who suffer1 think  
yourself worse than you are4 ,a dropsy  
never comes so suddenly2 and ,i flatter 
myself1 that it is only that gouty or   
rheumatic humor1 which has plagued you  
so long1 that has occasioned the        
temporary swelling of your legs4 ,above 
forty years ago1 after a violent fever1 
my legs swelled as much as you describe 
yours to be2 ,i immediately thought that
 ,i had a dropsy2 but the ,faculty      
assured me1 that my complaint was only  
the effect of my fever1 and would soon  
be cured2 and they said true4 ,pray let 
your amanuensis1 whoever he may be1     
write an account regularly once a-week1 
either to ,grevenkop or myself1 for that
 is the same thing1 of the state of your

 health4  ,i sent you1 in four          
successive letters1 as much of the      
,duchess of ,somerset's snuff as a      
letter could well convey to you4 ,have  
you received all or any of them8 and    
have they done you any good8 ,though1 in
 your present condition1 you cannot go  
into company1 ,i hope that you have some
 acquaintances that come and sit with   
you2 for if originally it was not good  
for man to be alone1 it is much worse   
for a sick man to be so2 he thinks too  
much of his distemper1 and magnifies it4
 ,some men of learning among the        
ecclesiastics1 ,i dare say1 would be    
glad to sit with you2 and you could give
 them as good as they brought4  ,poor   
,harte1 who is here still1 is in a most 
miserable condition3 he has entirely    
lost the use of his left side1 and can  
hardly speak intelligibly4 ,i was with  
him yesterday4 ,he inquired after you   
with great affection1 and was in the    
utmost concern when ,i showed him your  
letter4  ,my own health is as it has    

been ever since ,i was here last year4  
,i am neither well nor ill1 but         
,,unwell4 ,i have in a manner lost the  
use of my legs2 for though ,i can make a
 shift to crawl upon even ground for a  
quarter of an hour1 ,i cannot go up or  
down stairs1 unless supported by a      
servant4 ,god bless you and grant you a 
speedy recovery6     ,,note4--,this is  
the last of the letters of ,lord        
,chesterfield to his    son1 ,mr4       
,philip ,stanhope1 who died in          
,november1 #agfh4 ,the    unexpected and
 distressing intelligence was announced 
by the lady to    whom ,mr4 ,stanhope   
had been married for several years1     
unknown to his    father4 ,on learning  
that the widow had two sons1 the issue  
of this    marriage1 ,lord ,chesterfield
 took upon himself the maintenance of   
his    grandchildren4 ,the letters which
 follow show how happily the writer     
adapted himself to the trying situation4
     ,,letter ,,cccxi  ,,to ,,mrs4      
,,stanhope1 ,,then ,,at ,,paris         

,,london1 ,march #af1 #agfi4  ,,madam3  
,a troublesome and painful inflammation 
in my eyes obliges me to use another    
hand than my own to acknowledge the     
receipt of your letter from ,avignon1 of
 the #bgth past4  ,i am extremely       
surprised that ,mrs4 du ,bouchet should 
have any objection to the manner in     
which your late husband desired to be   
buried1 and which you1 very properly1   
complied with4 ,all ,i desire for my own
 burial is not to be buried alive2 but  
how or where1 ,i think must be entirely 
indifferent to every rational creature4 
,i have no commission to trouble you    
with1 during your stay at ,paris2 from  
whence1 ,i wish you and the boys a good 
journey home1 where ,i shall be very    
glad to see you all2 and assure you of  
my being1 with great truth1 your        
faithful1 humble servant1               
,,chesterfield4     ,,letter ,,cccxii   
,,to ,,the ,,same1 ,,at ,,london        
,,madam3 ,the last time that ,i had the 
pleasure of seeing you1 ,i was so taken 

up in playing with the boys that ,i     
forgot their more important affairs4    
,how soon would you have them placed at 
school8 ,when ,i know your pleasure as  
to that1 ,i will send to ,monsieur      
,perny1 to prepare everything for their 
reception4 ,in the meantime1 ,i beg that
 you will equip them thoroughly with    
clothes1 linen1 etc41 all good1 but     
plain2 and give me the account1 which ,i
 will pay2 for ,i do not intend that1   
from1 this time forward the two boys    
should cost you one shilling4 ,i am1    
with great truth1 ,madam1 your faithful1
 humble servant1 ,,chesterfield4        
,,letter ,,cccxiii  ,,madam3 ,as some   
day must be fixed for sending the boys  
to school1 do you approve of the #hth of
 next month8 ,by which time the weather 
will probably be warm and settled1 and  
you will be able to equip them          
completely4  ,i will upon that day send 
my coach to you1 to carry you and the   
boys to ,loughborough ,house1 with all  
their immense baggage4 ,i must recommend

 to you1 when you leave them there1 to  
suppress1 as well as you can1 the       
overgrowings of maternal tenderness2    
which would grieve the poor boys the    
more1 and give them a terror of their   
new establishment4 ,i am1 with great    
truth1 ,madam1 your faithful1 humble    
servant1 ,,chesterfield4     ,,letter   
,,cccxiv  ,,bath1 ,october #aa1 #agfi4  
,,madam3 ,nobody can be more willing and
 ready to obey orders than ,i am2 but   
then ,i must like the orders and the    
orderer4 ,your orders and yourself come 
under this description2 and therefore ,i
 must give you an account of my arrival 
and existence1 such as it is1 here4 ,i  
got hither last ,sunday1 the day after  
,i left ,london1 less fatigued than ,i  
expected to have been2 and now crawl    
about this place upon my three legs1 but
 am kept in countenance by many of my   
fellow-crawlers2 the last part of the   
,sphinx's riddle approaches1 and ,i     
shall soon end1 as ,i began1 upon all   
fours4  ,when you happen to see either  

,monsieur or ,madame ,perny1 ,i beg you 
will give them this melancholic proof of
 my caducity1 and tell them that the    
last time ,i went to see the boys1 ,i   
carried the ,michaelmas quarterage in my
 pocket2 and when ,i was there ,i       
totally forgot it2 but assure them1 that
 ,i have not the least intention to bilk
 them1 and will pay them faithfully the 
two quarters together1 at ,christmas4   
,i hope our two boys are well1 for then 
,i am sure you are so4 ,i am1 with great
 truth and esteem1 your most faithful1  
humble servant1 ,,chesterfield4         
,,letter ,,cccxv  ,,bath1 ,october #bh1 
#agfi4  ,,madam3 ,your kind anxiety for 
my health and life is more than1 in my  
opinion1 they are both worth2 without   
the former the latter is a burden2 and1 
indeed1 ,i am very weary of it4 ,i think
 ,i have got some benefit by drinking   
these waters1 and by bathing1 for my old
 stiff1 rheumatic limbs2 for1 ,i        
believe1 ,i could now outcrawl a snail1 
or perhaps even a tortoise4  ,i hope the

 boys are well4 ,phil1 ,i dare say1 has 
been in some scrapes2 but he will get   
triumphantly out of them1 by dint of    
strength and resolution4 ,i am1 with    
great truth and esteem1 your most       
faithful1 humble servant1               
,,chesterfield4     ,,letter ,,cccxvi   
,,bath1 ,november #e1 #agfi4  ,,madam3  
,i remember very well the paragraph     
which you quote from a letter of mine to
 ,mrs4 du ,bouchet1 and see no reason   
yet to retract that opinion1 in general1
 which at least nineteen widows in      
twenty had authorized4 ,i had not then  
the pleasure of your acquaintance3 ,i   
had seen you but twice or thrice2 and ,i
 had no reason to think that you would  
deviate1 as you have done1 from other   
widows1 so much as to put perpetual     
shackles upon yourself1 for the sake of 
your children4 ,but 7if ,i may use a    
vulgarism7 one swallow makes no summer3 
five righteous were formerly necessary  
to save a city1 and they could not be   
found2 so1 till ,i find four more such  

righteous widows as yourself1 ,i shall  
entertain my former notions of widowhood
 in general4  ,i can assure you that ,i 
drink here very soberly and cautiously1 
and at the same time keep so cool a diet
 that ,i do not find the least symptom  
of heat1 much less of inflammation4 ,by 
the way1 ,i never had that complaint1 in
 consequence of having drank these      
waters2 for ,i have had it but four     
times1 and always in the middle of      
summer4 ,mr4 ,hawkins is timorous1 even 
to minutia1 and my sister delights in   
them4  ,charles will be a scholar1 if   
you please2 but our little ,philip1     
without being one1 will be something or 
other as good1 though ,i do not yet     
guess what4 ,i am not of the opinion    
generally entertained in this country1  
that man lives by ,greek and ,latin     
alone2 that is1 by knowing a great many 
words of two dead languages1 which      
nobody living knows perfectly1 and which
 are of no use in the common intercourse
 of life4 ,useful knowledge in my       

opinion consists of modern languages1   
history1 and geography2 some ,latin may 
be thrown into the bargain1 in          
compliance with custom1 and for closet  
amusement4  ,you are1 by this time1     
certainly tired with this long letter1  
which ,i could prove to you from        
,horace's own words 7for ,i am a        
scholar7 to be a bad one2 he says1 that 
water-drinkers can write nothing good3  
so ,i am1 with real truth and esteem1   
your most faithful1 humble servant1     
,,chesterfield4     ,,letter ,,cccxvii  
,,bath1 ,october #i1 #aggj4  ,,madam3 ,i
 am extremely obliged to you for the    
kind part which you take in my health   
and life3 as to the latter1 ,i am as    
indifferent myself as any other body can
 be2 but as to the former1 ,i confess   
care and anxiety1 for while ,i am to    
crawl upon this planet1 ,i would        
willingly enjoy the health at least of  
an insect4 ,how far these waters will   
restore me to that1 moderate degree of  
health1 which alone ,i aspire at1 ,i    

have not yet given them a fair trial1   
having drank them but one week2 the only
 difference ,i hitherto find is1 that ,i
 sleep better than ,i did4  ,i beg that 
you will neither give yourself1 nor ,mr4
 ,fitzhugh1 much trouble about the pine 
plants2 for as it is three years before 
they fruit1 ,i might as well1 at my age1
 plant oaks1 and hope to have the       
advantage of their timber3 however1     
somebody or other1 ,god knows who1 will 
eat them1 as somebody or other will fell
 and sell the oaks ,i planted           
five-and-forty years ago4  ,i hope our  
boys are well2 my respects to them both4
 ,i am1 with the greatest truth1 your   
faithful and humble servant1            
,,chesterfield4     ,,letter ,,cccxviii 
,,bath1 ,november #d1aggj  ,,madam3 ,the
 post has been more favorable to you    
than ,i intended it should1 for1 upon my
 word1 ,i answered your former letter   
the post after ,i had received it4      
,however you have got a loss1 as we say 
sometimes in ,ireland4  ,my friends from

 time to time require bills of health   
from me in these suspicious times1 when 
the plague is busy in some parts of     
,europe4 ,all ,i can say1 in answer to  
their kind inquiries1 is1 that ,i have  
not the distemper properly called the   
plague2 but that ,i have all the plague 
of old age and of a shattered carcass4  
,these waters have done me what little  
good ,i expected from them2 though by no
 means what ,i could have wished1 for ,i
 wished them to be #8les eaux de        
,jouvence'4  ,i had a letter1 the other 
day1 from our two boys2 ,charles' was   
very finely written1 and ,philip's very 
prettily3 they are perfectly well1 and  
say that they want nothing4 ,what       
grown-up people will or can say as much8
 ,i am1 with the truest esteem1 ,madam1 
your most faithful servant4             
,,chesterfield4     ,,letter ,,cccxix   
,,bath1 ,october #bg1agga4  ,,madam3    
,upon my word1 you interest yourself in 
the state of my existence more than ,i  
do myself2 for it is worth the care of  

neither of us4 ,i ordered my valet de   
chambre1 according to your orders1 to   
inform you of my safe arrival here2 to  
which ,i can add nothing1 being neither 
better nor worse than ,i was then4  ,i  
am very glad that our boys are well4    
,pray give them the inclosed4  ,i am not
 at all surprised at ,mr4------#8s      
conversion1 for he was1 at seventeen1   
the idol of old women1 for his gravity1 
devotion1 and dullness4 ,i am1 ,madam1  
your most faithful1 humble servant1     
,,chesterfield4     ,,letter ,,cccxx    
,,to ,,charles ,,and ,,philip ,,stanhope
  ,i ,,received a few days ago two the  
best written letters that ever ,i saw in
 my life2 the one signed ,charles       
,stanhope1 the other ,philip ,stanhope4 
,as for you ,charles1 ,i did not wonder 
at it2 for you will take pains1 and are 
a lover of letters2 but you1 idle rogue1
 you ,phil1 how came you to write so    
well that one can almost say of you two1
 #8et cantare pores et respondre        
parati'6 ,charles will explain this     

,latin to you4  ,i am told1 ,phil1 that 
you have got a nickname at school1 from 
your intimacy with ,master ,strangeways2
 and that they call you ,master         
,strangeways2 for to be rude1 you are a 
strange boy4 ,is this true8  ,tell me   
what you would have me bring you both   
from hence1 and ,i will bring it you1   
when ,i come to town4 ,in the meantime1 
,god bless you both6  ,,chesterfield4   
,,pg ,,editor',s ,,bookmarks3       ,a  
little learning is a dangerous thing    
,a joker is near akin to a buffoon      
,a favor may make an enemy1 and an      
injury may make a friend      ,ablest   
man will sometimes do weak things       
,above all things1 avoid speaking of    
yourself      ,above the frivolous as   
below the important and the secret      
,above trifles1 he is never vehement and
 eager about them      ,absolute command
 of your temper      ,abstain from      
learned ostentation      ,absurd term of
 genteel and fashionable vices          
,absurd romances of the two last        

centuries      ,according as their      
interest prompts them to wish           
,acquainted with books1 and an absolute 
stranger to men      ,advice is seldom  
welcome      ,advise those who do not   
speak elegantly1 not to speak           
,advocate1 the friend1 but not the bully
 of virtue      ,affectation of         
singularity or superiority              
,affectation in dress      ,affectation 
of business      ,all have senses to be 
gratified      ,always made the best of 
the best1 and never made bad worse      
,always does more than he says          
,always some favorite word for the time 
being      ,always look people in the   
face when you speak to them      ,am    
still unwell2 ,i cannot help it6        
,american ,colonies      ,ancients and  
,moderns      ,anxiety for my health and
 life      ,applauded often1 without    
approving      ,apt to make them think  
themselves more necessary than they are 
,argumentative1 polemical conversations 
,arrogant pedant      ,art of pleasing  

is the most necessary      ,as willing  
and as apt to be pleased as anybody     
,ascribing the greatest actions to the  
most trifling causes      ,assenting1   
but without being servile and abject    
,assertion instead of argument          
,assign the deepest motives for the most
 trifling actions      ,assurance and   
intrepidity      ,at the first impulse  
of passion1 be silent till you can be   
soft      ,attacked by ridicule1 and1   
punished with contempt      ,attend to  
the objects of your expenses1 but not to
 the sums      ,attention to the inside 
of books      ,attention and civility   
please all      ,attention      ,author 
is obscure and difficult in his own     
language      ,authority      ,avoid    
cacophony1 and1 what is very near as    
bad1 monotony      ,avoid singularity   
,awkward address1 ungraceful attitudes  
and actions      ,be neither transported
 nor depressed by the accidents of life 
,be silent till you can be soft         
,being in the power of every man to hurt

 him      ,being intelligible is now no 
longer the fashion      ,better not to  
seem to understand1 than to reply       
,better refuse a favor gracefully1 than 
to grant it clumsily      ,blindness of 
the understanding is as much to be      
pitied      ,bold1 but with great       
seeming modesty      ,boroughjobber     
,business must be well1 not affectedly  
dressed      ,business now is to shine1 
not to weigh      ,business by no means 
forbids pleasures      ,,but ,,of ,,this
 ,,every ,,man ,,will ,,believe ,,as    
,,he ,,thinks ,,proper      ,can hardly 
be said to see what they see            
,cannot understand them1 or will not    
desire to understand them      ,cardinal
 ,mazarin      ,cardinal ,richelieu     
,cardinal de ,retz      ,cardinal       
,virtues1 by first degrading them into  
weaknesses      ,cautious how we draw   
inferences      ,cease to love when you 
cease to be agreeable      ,chameleon1  
be able to take every different hue     
,characters1 that never existed1 are    

insipidly displayed      ,cheerful in   
the countenance1 but without laughing   
,chitchat1 useful to keep off improper  
and too serious subjects      ,choose   
your pleasures for yourself             
,civility1 which is a disposition to    
accommodate and oblige others           
,clamorers triumph      ,close1 without 
being costive      ,command of our      
temper1 and of our countenance          
,commanding with dignity1 you must serve
 up to it with diligence                
,committing acts of hostility upon the  
,graces      ,common sense 7which1 in   
truth1 very uncommon7      ,commonplace 
observations      ,company is1 in truth1
 a constant state of negotiation        
,complaisance      ,complaisance to     
every or anybody's opinion              
,complaisance due to the custom of the  
place      ,complaisant indulgence for  
people's weaknesses      ,conceal all   
your learning carefully      ,concealed 
what learning ,i had      ,conjectures  
pass upon us for truths                 

,conjectures supply the defect of       
unattainable knowledge      ,connections
      ,connive at knaves1 and tolerate  
fools      ,consciousness of merit makes
 a man of sense more modest             
,consciousness and an honest pride of   
doing well      ,consider things in the 
worst light1 to show your skill         
,contempt      ,contempt      ,contempt 
,content yourself with mediocrity in    
nothing      ,conversationstock being a 
joint and common property               
,conversation will help you almost as   
much as books      ,converse with his   
inferiors without insolence      ,dance 
to those who pipe      ,darkness visible
      ,decides peremptorily upon every  
subject      ,deep learning is generally
 tainted with pedantry      ,deepest    
learning1 without goodbreeding1 is      
unwelcome      ,defended by arms1       
adorned by manners1 and improved by laws
      ,deserve a little1 and you shall  
have but a little      ,desire to       
please1 and that is the main point      

,desirous of praise from the            
praiseworthy      ,desirous to make you 
their friend      ,desirous of pleasing 
,despairs of ever being able to pay     
,dexterity enough to conceal a truth    
without telling a lie      ,dictate to  
them while you seem to be directed by   
them      ,difference in everything     
between system and practice             
,difficulties seem to them1             
impossibilities      ,dignity to be kept
 up in pleasures1 as well as in business
      ,disagreeable to seem reserved1   
and very dangerous not to be so         
,disagreeable things may be done so     
agreeably as almost to oblige           
,disputes with heat      ,dissimulation 
is only to hide our own cards           
,distinction between simulation and     
dissimulation      ,distinguish between 
the useful and the curious      ,do as  
you would be done by      ,do not become
 a virtuoso of small wares      ,do what
 you are about      ,do what you will   
but do something all day long      ,do  

as you would be done by      ,do not    
mistake the tinsel of ,tasso for the    
gold of ,virgil      ,does not give it  
you1 but he inflicts it upon you        
,doing1 #8de bonne grace'1 what you     
could not help doing      ,doing what   
may deserve to be written      ,doing   
nothing1 and might just as well be      
asleep      ,doing anything that will   
deserve to be written      ,done under  
concern and embarrassment1 must be ill  
done      ,dress like the reasonable    
people of your own age      ,dress well1
 and not too well      ,dressed as the  
generality of people of fashion are     
,ears to hear1 but not sense enough to  
judge      ,easy without negligence     
,easy without too much familiarity      
,economist of your time      ,either do 
not think1 or do not love to think      
,elegance in one language will reproduce
 itself in all      ,employ your whole  
time1 which few people do      ,endeavor
 to hear1 and know all opinions         
,endeavors to please and oblige our     

fellowcreatures      ,enemies as if they
 may one day become one's friends       
,enjoy all those advantages             
,equally forbid insolent contempt1 or   
low envy and jealousy      ,,ere        
,,tittering ,,youth ,,shall ,,shove     
,,you ,,from ,,the ,,stage              
,establishing a character of integrity  
and good manners      ,even where you   
are sure1 seem rather doubtful          
,every numerous assembly is ,,mob       
,every virtue1 has its kindred vice or  
weakness      ,every man knows that he  
understands religion and politics       
,every numerous assembly is a mob       
,every man pretends to common sense     
,,every ,,day ,,is ,,still ,,but ,,as   
,,the ,,first      ,everybody is good   
for something      ,everything has a    
better and a worse side      ,exalt the 
gentle in woman and manabove the merely 
genteel      ,expresses himself with    
more fire than elegance      ,extremely 
weary of this silly world      ,eyes and
 the ears are the only roads to the     

heart      ,eyes and ears open and mouth
 mostly shut      ,feed him1 and feed   
upon him at the same time      ,few     
things which people in general know     
less1 than how to love      ,few people 
know how to love1 or how to hate        
,few dare dissent from an established   
opinion      ,fiddlefaddle stories1 that
 carry no information along with them   
,fit to liveor not live at all          
,flattering people behind their backs   
,flattery of women      ,flattery       
,flexibility of manners is necessary in 
the course of the world      ,fools1 who
 can never be undeceived      ,fools    
never perceive where they are illtimed  
,forge accusations against themselves   
,forgive1 but not approve1 the bad4     
,fortune stoops to the forward and the  
bold      ,frank without indiscretion   
,frank1 but without indiscretion        
,frank1 open1 and ingenuous exterior1   
with a prudent interior      ,frequently
 make friends of enemies1 and enemies of
 friends      ,friendship upon very     

slight acquaintance      ,frivolous1    
idle people1 whose time hangs upon their
 own hands      ,frivolous curiosity    
about trifles      ,frivolous and       
superficial pertness      ,fullbottomed 
wigs were contrived for his humpback    
,gain the heart1 or you gain nothing    
,gain the affections as well as the     
esteem      ,gainer by your misfortune  
,general conclusions from certain       
particular principles      ,generosity  
often runs into profusion      ,genteel 
without affectation      ,gentlemen1 who
 take such a fancy to you at first sight
      ,gentleness of manners1 with      
firmness of mind      ,geography and    
history are very imperfect separately   
,german1 who has taken into his head    
that he understands ,french      ,go to 
the bottom of things      ,good manners 
,good reasons alleged are seldom the    
true ones      ,good manners are the    
settled medium of social life      ,good
 company      ,goodbreeding             
,graces3 ,without us1 all labor is vain 

,gratitude not being universal1 nor even
 common      ,grave without the         
affectation of wisdom      ,great       
learning2 which1 if not accompanied with
 sound judgment      ,great numbers of  
people met together1 animate each other 
,greatest fools are the greatest liars  
,grow wiser when it is too late         
,guard against those who make the most  
court to you      ,habit and prejudice  
,habitual eloquence      ,half done or  
half known      ,hardened to the wants  
and distresses of mankind      ,hardly  
any body good for every thing           
,haste and hurry are very different     
things      ,have no pleasures but your 
own      ,have a will and an opinion of 
your own1 and adhere to it      ,have ,i
 employed my time1 or have ,i squandered
 it8      ,have but one set of jokes to 
live upon      ,have you learned to     
carve8      ,he that is gentil doeth    
gentil deeds      ,he will find it out  
of himself without your endeavors       
,heart has such an influence over the   

understanding      ,helps only1 not as  
guides      ,herd of mankind can hardly 
be said to think      ,historians       
,holiday eloquence      ,home1 be it    
ever so homely      ,honest error is to 
be pitied1 not ridiculed      ,honestest
 man loves himself best      ,horace    
,how troublesome an old correspondent   
must be to a young one      ,how much   
you have to do2 and how little time to  
do it in      ,human nature is always   
the same      ,hurt those they love by a
 mistaken indulgence      ,i hope1 ,i   
wish1 ,i doubt1 and fear alternately    
,i shall never know1 though all the     
coffeehouses here do4      ,i shall     
always love you as you shall deserve4   
,i know myself 7no common piece of      
knowledge1 let me tell you7      ,i     
,,cannot ,,do ,,such ,a ,,thing      ,i1
 who am not apt to know anything that ,i
 do not know      ,idleness is only the 
refuge of weak minds      ,if free from 
the guilt1 be free from the suspicion1  
too      ,if you would convince others1 

seem open to conviction yourself        
,if ,i don't mind his orders he won't   
mind my draughts      ,if you will      
persuade1 you must first please      ,if
 once we quarrel1 ,i will never forgive 
,ignorant of their natural rights1      
cherished their chains      ,impertinent
 insult upon custom and fashion         
,improve yourself with the old1 divert  
yourself with the young      ,inaction  
at your age is unpardonable             
,inattention      ,inattentive1 absent2 
and distrait      ,inclined to be fat1  
but ,i hope you will decline it         
,incontinency of friendship among young 
fellows      ,indiscriminate familiarity
      ,indiscriminately loading their   
memories with every part alike          
,indolence      ,indolently say that    
they cannot do      ,infallibly to be   
gained by every sort of flattery        
,information is1 in a certain degree1   
mortifying      ,information implies our
 previous ignorance2 it must be         
sweetened      ,injury is much sooner   

forgotten than an insult                
,inquisition      ,insinuates himself   
only into the esteem of fools           
,insipid in his pleasures1 as           
inefficient in everything else          
,insist upon your neither piping nor    
fiddling yourself      ,insolent        
civility      ,,intoleration in         
religious1 and inhospitality in civil   
matters      ,intrinsic1 and not their  
imaginary value      ,it is a real      
inconvenience to anybody to be fat      
,it is not sufficient to deserve well2  
one must please well too      ,jealous  
of being slighted      ,jog on like man 
and wife2 that is1 seldom agreeing      
,judge of every man's truth by his      
degree of understanding      ,judge them
 all by their merits1 but not by their  
ages      ,judges from the appearances  
of things1 and not from the reality     
,keep your own temper and artfully warm 
other people's      ,keep good company1 
and company above yourself      ,kick   
him upstairs      ,king's popularity is 

a better guard than their army          
,know their real value1 and how much    
they are generally overrated      ,know 
the true value of time      ,know1      
yourself and others      ,knowing how   
much you have1 and how little you want  
,knowing any language imperfectly       
,knowledge is like power in this respect
      ,knowledge3 either despise it1 or 
think that they have enough             
,knowledge of a scholar with the manners
 of a courtier      ,known people       
pretend to vices they had not           
,knows what things are little1 and what 
not      ,labor is the unavoidable      
fatigue of a necessary journey          
,labor more to put them in conceit with 
themselves      ,last beautiful varnish1
 which raises the colors      ,laughing1
 ,i must particularly warn you against  
it      ,lay down a method for          
everything1 and stick to it inviolably  
,lazy mind1 and the trifling1 frivolous 
mind      ,learn to keep your own       
secrets      ,learn1 if you can1 the    

,,why and the ,,wherefore      ,leave   
the company1 at least as soon as he is  
wished out of it      ,led1 much oftener
 by little things than by great ones    
,less one has to do1 the less time one  
finds to do it in      ,let me see more 
of you in your letters      ,let them   
quietly enjoy their errors in taste     
,let nobody discover that you do know   
your own value      ,let nothing pass   
till you understand it      ,let        
blockheads read what blockheads wrote   
,life of ignorance is not only a very   
contemptible1 but tiresome              
,listlessness and indolence are always  
blameable      ,little minds mistake    
little objects for great ones           
,little failings and weaknesses         
,loud laughter is the mirth of the mob  
,love with him1 who they think is the   
most in love with them      ,loved      
without being despised1 and feared      
without being hated      ,low company1  
most falsely and impudently1 call       
pleasure      ,low buffoonery1 or silly 

accidents1 that always excite laughter  
,luther's disappointed avarice          
,machiavel      ,made him believe that  
the world was made for him      ,make a 
great difference between companions and 
friends      ,make himself whatever he  
pleases1 except a good poet      ,make  
yourself necessary      ,make every man 
,i met with like me1 and every woman    
love me      ,man is dishonored by not  
resenting an affront      ,man or woman 
cannot resist an engaging exterior      
,man of sense may be in haste1 but can  
never be in a hurry      ,man who is    
only good on holydays is good for very  
little      ,mangles what he means to   
carve      ,manner is full as important 
as the matter      ,manner of doing     
things is often more important          
,manners must adorn knowledge      ,many
 things which seem extremely probable   
are not true      ,many are very        
willing1 and very few able      ,mastery
 of one's temper      ,may you live as  
long as you are fit to live1 but no     

longer6      ,may you rather die before 
you cease to be fit to live      ,may   
not forget with ease what you have with 
difficulty learned      ,mazarin and    
,lewis the ,fourteenth riveted the      
shackles      ,meditation and reflection
      ,mere reason and good sense is    
never to be talked to a mob      ,merit 
and goodbreeding will make their way    
everywhere      ,method      ,mistimes  
or misplaces everything                 
,mitigating1 engaging words do by no    
means weaken your argument      ,,mob3  
,understanding they have collectively   
none      ,moderation with your enemies 
,modesty is the only sure bait when you 
angle for praise      ,money1 the cause 
of much mischief      ,more people have 
ears to be tickled1 than understandings 
to judge      ,more one sees1 the less  
one either wonders or admires      ,more
 you know1 the modester you should be   
,more one works1 the more willing one is
 to work      ,mortifying inferiority in
 knowledge1 rank1 fortune      ,most    

people enjoy the inferiority of their   
best friends      ,most long talkers    
single out some one unfortunate man in  
company      ,most ignorant are1 as     
usual1 the boldest conjecturers         
,most people have ears1 but few have    
judgment2 tickle those ears      ,much  
sooner forgive an injustice than an     
insult      ,my own health varies1 as   
usual1 but never deviates into good     
,mystical nonsense      ,name that we   
leave behind at one place often gets    
before us      ,national honor and      
interest have been sacrificed to private
      ,necessity of scrupulously        
preserving the appearances      ,neglect
 them in little things1 they will leave 
you in great      ,negligence of it     
implies an indifference about pleasing  
,neither know nor care1 7when ,i die7   
for ,i am very weary      ,neither      
abilities or words enough to call a     
coach      ,neither retail nor receive  
scandal willingly      ,never would know
 anything that he had not a mind to know

      ,never read history without having
 maps      ,never affect the character  
in which you have a mind to shine       
,never implicitly adopt a character upon
 common fame      ,never seek for wit2  
if it presents itself1 well and good    
,never to speak of yourself at all      
,never slattern away one minute in      
idleness      ,never quit a subject till
 you are thoroughly master of it        
,never maintain an argument with heat   
and clamor      ,never seem wiser1 nor  
more learned1 than the people you are   
with      ,never saw a froward child    
mended by whipping      ,never to trust 
implicitly to the informations of others
      ,nipped in the bud      ,no great 
regard for human testimony      ,no man 
is distrait with the man he fears1 or   
the woman he loves      ,no one feels   
pleasure1 who does not at the same time 
give it      ,not tumble1 but slide     
gently to the bottom of the hill of life
      ,not to communicate1 prematurely1 
one's hopes or one's fears      ,not    

only pure1 but1 like ,caesar's wife1    
unsuspected      ,not make their want   
still worse by grieving and regretting  
them      ,not making use of any one    
capital letter      ,not to admire      
anything too much      ,not one minute  
of the day in which you do nothing at   
all      ,notes by which dances are now 
pricked down as well as tunes           
,nothing in courts is exactly as it     
appears to be      ,nothing much worth  
either desiring or fearing      ,nothing
 so precious as time1 and so            
irrecoverable when lost      ,observe1  
without being thought an observer       
,often more necessary to conceal        
contempt than resentment      ,often    
necessary1 not to manifest all one feels
      ,often necessary to seem ignorant 
of what one knows      ,oftener led by  
their hearts than by their              
understandings      ,old fellow ought to
 seem wise whether he really be so or   
not      ,one must often yield1 in order
 to prevail      ,only doing one thing  

at a time      ,only because she will   
not1 and not because she cannot         
,only solid and lasting peace1 between a
 man and his wife      ,our             
understandings are generally the ,,dupes
 of our hearts      ,our frivolous      
dissertations upon the weather1 or upon 
whist      ,out of livery2 which makes  
them both impertinent and useless       
,outward air of modesty to all he does  
,overvalue what we do not know          
,oysters1 are only in season in the ,r  
months      ,passes for a wit1 though he
 hath certainly no uncommon share       
,patience is the only way not to make   
bad worse      ,patient toleration of   
certain airs of superiority      ,pay   
your own reckoning1 but do not treat the
 whole company      ,pay them with      
compliments1 but not with confidence    
,people never desire all till they have 
gotten a great deal      ,people lose a 
great deal of time by reading           
,people will repay1 and with interest   
too1 inattention      ,people angling   

for praise      ,people hate those who  
make them feel their own inferiority    
,perfection of everything that is worth 
doing at all      ,perseverance has     
surprising effects      ,person to you  
whom ,i am very indifferent about1 ,i   
mean myself      ,pettish1 pouting      
conduct is a great deal too young       
,petty jury      ,plain notions of right
 and wrong      ,planted while young1   
that degree of knowledge now my refuge  
,please all who are worth pleasing2     
offend none      ,pleased to some degree
 by showing a desire to please          
,pleased with him1 by making them first 
pleased with themselves      ,pleasing  
in company is the only way of being     
pleased in yourself      ,pleasure and  
business with equal inattention         
,pleasure is necessarily reciprocal     
,pleasure is the rock which most young  
people split upon      ,pleasures do not
 commonly last so long as life          
,pocket all your knowledge with your    
watch      ,polite1 but without the     

troublesome forms and stiffness         
,,politicians ,,neither ,,love ,,nor    
,,hate      ,prefer useful to frivolous 
conversations      ,prejudices are our  
mistresses      ,pride remembers it     
forever      ,pride of being the first  
of the company      ,prudent reserve    
,public speaking      ,put out your     
time1 but to good interest      ,quarrel
 with them when they are grown up1 for  
being spoiled      ,quietly cherished   
error1 instead of seeking for truth     
,read my eyes out every day1 that ,i may
 not hang myself      ,read with caution
 and distrust      ,real merit of any   
kind will be discovered      ,real      
friendship is a slow grower      ,reason
 ought to direct the whole1 but seldom  
does      ,reason1 which always ought to
 direct mankind1 seldom does            
,receive them with great civility1 but  
with great incredulity                  
,reciprocally profess wishes which they 
seldom form      ,recommend 7pleasure7  
to you1 like an ,epicurean              

,recommends selfconversation to all     
authors      ,refuge of people who have 
neither wit nor invention of their own  
,refuse more gracefully than other      
people could grant      ,repeating      
,represent1 but do not pronounce        
,reserve with your friends      ,respect
 without timidity      ,respectful      
without meanness1 easy without too much 
familiarity      ,return you the ball   
#8a la volee'      ,rich man never      
borrows      ,richelieu came and        
shackled the nation      ,rochefoucault1
 who1 ,i am afraid1 paints man very     
exactly      ,rochefoucault      ,rough 
corners which mere nature has given to  
the smoothest      ,ruined their own son
 by what they called loving him         
,same coolness and unconcern in any and 
every company      ,scandal3 receiver is
 always thought1 as bad as the thief    
,scarce any flattery is too gross for   
them to swallow      ,scarcely any body 
who is absolutely good for nothing      
,scrupled no means to obtain his ends   

,secret1 without being dark and         
mysterious      ,secrets      ,see what 
you see1 and to hear what you hear      
,seem to like and approve of everything 
at first      ,seeming frankness with a 
real reserve      ,seeming inattention  
to the person who is speaking to you    
,seeming openness is prudent      ,seems
 to have no opinion of his own          
,seldom a misfortune to be childless    
,selflove draws a thick veil between us 
and our faults      ,sentimentmongers   
,sentiments that were never felt1       
pompously described      ,serious       
without being dull      ,settled here   
for good1 as it is called               
,shakespeare      ,she has all the      
reading that a woman should have        
,she who conquers only catches a ,tartar
      ,she has uncommon1 sense and      
knowledge for a woman      ,shepherds   
and ministers are both men      ,silence
 in love betrays more woe               
,singularity is only pardonable in old  
age      ,six1 or at most seven hours   

sleep      ,smile1 where you cannot     
strike      ,some complaisance and      
attention to fools is prudent      ,some
 men pass their whole time in doing     
nothing      ,something or other is to  
be got out of everybody      ,something 
must be said1 but that something must be
 nothing      ,sooner forgive an injury 
than an insult      ,sow jealousies     
among one's enemies      ,spare the     
persons while you lash the crimes       
,speaking to himself in the glass       
,stampact has proved a most pernicious  
measure      ,stampduty1 which our      
,colonists absolutely refuse to pay     
,state your difficulties1 whenever you  
have any      ,steady assurance1 with   
seeming modesty      ,studied and       
elaborate dress of the ugliest women in 
the world      ,style is the dress of   
thoughts      ,success turns much more  
upon manner than matter      ,sure guide
 is1 he who has often gone the road     
which you want to      ,suspicion of    
age1 no woman1 let her be ever so old1  

ever forgive      ,swearing             
,tacitus      ,take the hue of the      
company you are with      ,take         
characters1 as they do most things1 upon
 trust      ,take1 rather than give1 the
 tone of the company you are in         
,take nothing for granted1 upon the bare
 authority of the author      ,taking up
 adventitious1 proves their want of     
intrinsic merit      ,talent of hating  
with goodbreeding and loving with       
prudence      ,talk often1 but never    
long      ,talk sillily upon a subject  
of other people's      ,talk of natural 
affection is talking nonsense           
,talking of either your own or other    
people's domestic affairs      ,tell me 
whom you live with1 and ,i will tell you
 who you are      ,tell stories very    
seldom      ,the longest life is too    
short for knowledge      ,the present   
moments are the only ones we are sure of
      ,the best have something bad1 and 
something little      ,the worst have   
something good1 and sometimes something 

great      ,there are many avenues to   
every man      ,they thought ,i         
informed1 because ,i pleased them       
,thin veil of ,modesty drawn before     
,vanity      ,think to atone by zeal for
 their want of merit and importance     
,think yourself less well than you are1 
in order to be quite so      ,thinks    
himself much worse than he is           
,thoroughly1 not superficially          
,those who remarkably affect any one    
virtue      ,those whom you can make    
like themselves better      ,three      
passions that often put honesty to most 
severe trials      ,timidity and        
diffidence      ,to be heard with       
success1 you must be heard with pleasure
      ,to be pleased one must please    
,to govern mankind1 one must not        
overrate them      ,to seem to have     
forgotten what one remembers      ,to   
know people's real sentiments1 ,i trust 
much more to my eyes      ,to great     
caution1 you can join seeming frankness 
and openness      ,too like1 and too    

exact a picture of human nature         
,trifle only with triflers2 and be      
serious only with the serious           
,trifles that concern you are not       
trifles to me      ,trifling parts1 with
 their little jargon      ,trite jokes  
and loud laughter reduce him to a       
buffoon      ,truth1 but not the whole  
truth1 must be the invariable principle 
,truth leaves no room for compliments   
,unaffected silence upon that subject is
 the only true medium      ,unguarded   
frankness      ,unintelligible to his   
readers1 and sometimes to himself       
,unopened1 because one title in twenty  
has been omitted      ,unwilling and    
forced2 it will never please      ,use  
palliatives when you contradict         
,useful sometimes to see the things     
which one ought to avoid      ,value of 
moments1 when cast up1 is immense       
,vanity1 interest1 and absurdity1 always
 display      ,vanity1 that source of   
many of our follies      ,warm and young
 thanks1 not old and cold ones          

,waterdrinkers can write nothing good   
,we love to be pleased better than to be
 informed      ,we have many of those   
useful prejudices in this country       
,we shall be feared1 if we do not show  
that we fear      ,well dressed1 not    
finely dressed      ,what pleases you in
 others1 will in general please them in 
you      ,what displeases or pleases you
 in others      ,what you feel pleases  
you in them      ,what have ,i done     
today8      ,what is impossible1 and    
what is only difficult      ,whatever   
pleases you most in others              
,whatever is worth doing at all1 is     
worth doing well      ,whatever one must
 do1 one should do #8de bonne grace'    
,whatever real merit you have1 other    
people will discover      ,when well    
dressed for the day think no more of it 
afterward      ,where one would gain    
people1 remember that nothing is little 
,who takes warning by the fate of       
others8      ,wife1 very often heard    
indeed1 but seldom minded      ,will not

 so much as hint at our follies         
,will pay very dear for the quarrels and
 ambition of a few      ,wish you1 my   
dear friend1 as many happy new years as 
you deserve      ,wit may created any   
admirers but makes few friends          
,witty without satire or commonplace    
,woman like her1 who has always pleased1
 and often been pleased      ,women are 
the only refiners of the merit of men   
,women choose their favorites more by   
the ear      ,women are all so far      
,machiavelians      ,words are the dress
 of thoughts      ,world is taken by the
 outside of things      ,would not tell 
what she did not know      ,wrapped up  
and absorbed in their abstruse          
speculations      ,writing anything that
 may deserve to be read      ,writing   
what may deserve to be read      ,wrongs
 are often forgiven2 but contempt never 
is      ,yielded commonly without       
conviction      ,you must be            
respectable1 if you will be respected   
,you had much better hold your tongue   

than them      ,young people are very   
apt to overrate both men and things     
,young fellow ought to be wiser than he 
should seem to be      ,young men are as
 apt to think themselves wise enough    
,your merit and your manners can alone  
raise you      ,your character there1   
whatever it is1 will get before you here