letters to his son, 1750-第4节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Verse were but vain； the Muses fail； Without the Graces' aid； The God of Verse could not prevail To stop the flying maid。
Attention by attentions gain； And merit care by cares； So shall the nymph reward your pain； And Venus crown your prayers。 Probatum est。
A man's address and manner weigh much more with them than his beauty； and； without them； the Abbati and Monsignori will get the better of you。 This address and manner should be exceedingly respectful； but at the same time easy and unembarrassed。 Your chit…chat or 'entregent' with them neither can； nor ought to be very solid； but you should take care to turn and dress up your trifles prettily； and make them every now and then convey indirectly some little piece of flattery。 A fan； a riband； or a head…dress； are great materials for gallant dissertations； to one who has got 'le ton leger et aimable de la bonne compagnie'。 At all events； a man had better talk too much to women； than too little； they take silence for dullness； unless where they think that the passion they have inspired occasions it； and in that case they adopt the notion； that
Silence in love betrays more woe Than words； though ne'er so witty； The beggar that is dumb； we know； Deserves a double pity。
'A propos' of this subject： what progress do you make in that language； in which Charles the Fifth said that he would choose to speak to his mistress？ Have you got all the tender diminutives； in 'etta； ina'； and 'ettina'； which； I presume； he alluded to？ You already possess； and； I hope； take care not to forget； that language which he reserved for his horse。 You are absolutely master； too； of that language in which he said he would converse with men； French。 But； in every language； pray attend carefully to the choice of your words； and to the turn of your expression。 Indeed； it is a point of very great consequence。 To be heard with success； you must be heard with pleasure： words are the dress of thoughts； which should no more be presented in rags； tatters； and dirt； than your person should。 By the way； do you mind your person and your dress sufficiently？ Do you take great care of your teeth？ Pray have them put in order by the best operator at Rome。 Are you be…laced； bepowdered； and be…feathered； as other young fellows are； and should be？ At your age； 'il faut du brillant； et meme un peu de fracas； mais point de mediocre； il faut un air vif； aise et noble。 Avec les hommes； un maintien respectueux et en meme tems respectable； avec les femmes； un caquet leger； enjoue； et badin； mais toujours fort poli'。
To give you an opportunity of exerting your talents； I send you； here inclosed； a letter of recommendation from Monsieur Villettes to Madame de Simonetti at Milan； a woman of the first fashion and consideration there； and I shall in my next send you another from the same person to Madame Clerici； at the same place。 As these two ladies' houses are the resort of all the people of fashion at Milan； those two recommendations will introduce you to them all。 Let me know； in due time； if you have received these two letters； that I may have them renewed； in case of accidents。
Adieu； my dear friend！ Study hard； divert yourself heartily； distinguish carefully between the pleasures of a man of fashion； and the vices of a scoundrel； pursue the former； and abhor the latter； like a man of sense。
LETTER CIV
LONDON； February 5； O。 S。 1750
MY DEAR FRIEND： Very few people are good economists of their fortune； and still fewer of their time； and yet of the two； the latter is the most precious。 I heartily wish you to be a good economist of both： and you are now of an age to begin to think seriously of those two important articles。 Young people are apt to think that they have so much time before them； that they may squander what they please of it； and yet have enough left； as very great fortunes have frequently seduced people to a ruinous profusion。 Fatal mistakes； always repented of； but always too late！ Old Mr。 Lowndes； the famous Secretary of the Treasury in the reigns of King William； Queen Anne； and King George the First； used to say；TAKE CARE OF THE PENCE； AND THE POUNDS WILL TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES。 To this maxim； which he not only preached but practiced； his two grandsons at this time owe the very considerable fortunes that he left them。
This holds equally true as to time； and I most earnestly recommend to you the care of those minutes and quarters of hours； in the course of the day； which people think too short to deserve their attention； and yet； if summed up at the end of the year； would amount to a very considerable portion of time。 For example： you are to be at such a place at twelve； by appointment； you go out at eleven； to make two or three visits first； those persons are not at home； instead of sauntering away that intermediate time at a coffeehouse； and possibly alone； return home； write a letter； beforehand； for the ensuing post； or take up a good book； I do not mean Descartes； Malebranche； Locke； or Newton； by way of dipping； but some book of rational amusement and detached pieces； as Horace； Boileau； Waller； La Bruyere； etc。 This will be so much time saved； and by no means ill employed。 Many people lose a great deal of time by reading： for they read frivolous and idle books； such as the absurd romances of the two last centuries； where characters； that never existed； are insipidly displayed； and sentiments that were never felt； pompously described： the Oriental ravings and extravagances of the 〃Arabian Nights；〃 and Mogul tales； or； the new flimsy brochures that now swarm in France； of fairy tales； 'Reflections sur le coeur et l'esprit； metaphysique de l'amour； analyse des beaux sentimens'； and such sort of idle frivolous stuff； that nourishes and improves the mind just as much as whipped cream would the body。 Stick to the best established books in every language； the celebrated poets； historians； orators； or philosophers。 By these means （to use a city metaphor） you will make fifty PER CENT。 Of that time； of which others do not make above three or four； or probably nothing at all。
Many people lose a great deal of their time by laziness； they loll and yawn in a great chair； tell themselves that they have not time to begin anything then； and that it will do as well another time。 This is a most unfortunate disposition； and the greatest obstruction to both knowledge and business。 At your age； you have no right nor claim to laziness； I have； if I please； being emeritus。 You are but just listed in the world； and must be active； diligent； indefatigable。 If ever you propose commanding with dignity； you must serve up to it with diligence。 Never put off till tomorrow what you can do to…day。
Dispatch is the soul of business； and nothing contributes more to dispatch than method。 Lay down a method for everything； and stick to it inviolably； as far as unexpected incidents may allow。 Fix one certain hour and day in the week for your accounts； and keep them together in their proper order； by which means they will require very little time； and you can never be much cheated。 Whatever letters and papers you keep； docket and tie them up in their respective classes； so that you may instantly have recourse to any one。 Lay down a method also for your reading； for which you allot a certain share of your mornings； let it be in a consistent and consecutive course； and not in that desultory and unmethodical manner； in which many people read scraps of different authors； upon different subjects。 Keep a useful and short commonplace book of what you read； to help your memory only； and not for pedantic quotations。 Never read history without having maps and a chronological book； or tables； lying by you； and constantly recurred to； without which history is only a confused heap of facts。 One method more I recommend to you； by which I have found great benefit； even in the most dissipated part of my life； that is； to rise early； and at the same hour every morning； how late soever you may have sat up the night before。 This secures you an hour or two； at least； of reading or reflection before the common interruptions of the morning begin； and it will save your constitution； by forcing you to go to bed early； at least one night in three。
You will say； it may be； as many young people would； that all this order and method is very troublesome； only fit for dull people； and a disagreeable restraint upon the noble spirit and fire of youth。 I deny it； and assert； on the contrary； that it will procure you both more time and more taste for your pleasures； and； so far from being troublesome to you； that after you have pursued it a month； it would be troublesome to you to lay it aside。 Business whets the appetite； and gives a taste to pleasure； as exercise does to food； and business can never be done without method； it raises the spirits for pleasures； and a SPECTACLE； a ball； an assembly； will much more sensibly affect a man who has employed； than a man who ha
