letters to his son, 1752-第14节
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almost universally； that the least things either please or displease most； because they necessarily imply； either a very strong desire of obliging； or an unpardonable indifference about it。 I will give you a ridiculous instance enough of this truth； from my own experience。 When I was Ambassador the first time in Holland； Comte de Wassenaer and his wife； people of the first rank and consideration； had a little boy of about three years old； of whom they were exceedingly fond； in order to make my court to them； I was so too； and used to take the child often upon my lap； and play with him。 One day his nose was very dirty； upon which I took out my handkerchief and wiped it for him； this raised a loud laugh； and they called me a very； handy nurse； but the father and mother were so pleased with it； that to this day it is an anecdote in the family； and I never receive a letter from Comte Wassenaer； but he makes me the compliments 'du morveux gue j'ai mouche autrefois'； who； by the way； I am assured； is now the prettiest young fellow in Holland。 Where one would gain people； remember that nothing is little。 Adieu。
LETTER CLXXI
LONDON； June 26； O。 S。 1752。
MY DEAR FRIEND： As I have reason to fear； from your M last letter of the 18th； N。 S。； from Manheim； that all； or at least most of my letters to you； since you left Paris； have miscarried； I think it requisite； at all events； to repeat in this the necessary parts of those several letters； as far as they relate to your future motions。
I suppose that this will either find you； or be but a few days before you at Bonn； where it is directed； and I suppose too； that you have fixed your time for going from thence to Hanover。 If things TURN OUT WELL AT HANOVER； as in my opinion they will； 'Chi sta bene non si muova'； stay there till a week or ten days before the King sets out for England； but； should THEY TURN OUT ILL； which I cannot imagine； stay； however； a month； that your departure may not seem a step of discontent or peevishness； the very suspicion of which is by all means to be avoided。 Whenever you leave Hanover； be it sooner or be it later； where would you go？ 'Lei Padrone'； and I give you your choice： would you pass the months of November and December at Brunswick； Cassel； etc。？ Would you choose to go for a couple of months to Ratisbon； where you would be very well recommended to； and treated by the King's Electoral Minister； the Baron de Behr； and where you would improve your 'Jus publicum'？ or would you rather go directly to Berlin； and stay there till the end of the Carnival？ Two or three months at Berlin are； considering all circumstances； necessary for you； and the Carnival months are the best； 'pour le reste decidez en dernier ressort； et sans appel comme d'abus'。 Let me know your decree； when you have formed it。 Your good or ill success at Hanover will have a very great influence upon your subsequent character； figure； and fortune in the world ； therefore I confess that I am more anxious about it； than ever bride was on her wedding night； when wishes； hopes； fears； and doubts； tumultuously agitate； please； and terrify her。 It is your first crisis： the character which you will acquire there will； more or less； be that which will abide by you for the rest of your life。 You will be tried and judged there； not as a boy； but as a man； and from that moment there is no appeal for character； it is fixed。 To form that character advantageously； you have three objects particularly to attend to： your character as a man of morality； truth； and honor； your knowledge in the objects of your destination； as a man of business； and your engaging and insinuating address； air and manners； as a courtier； the sure and only steps to favor。
Merit at courts； without favor； will do little or nothing； favor； without merit； will do a good deal； but favor and merit together will do everything。 Favor at courts depends upon so many； such trifling； such unexpected； and unforeseen events； that a good courtier must attend to every circumstance； however little； that either does； or can happen； he must have no absences； no DISTRACTIONS； he must not say； 〃I did not mind it； who would have thought it？〃 He ought both to have minded； and to have thought it。 A chamber…maid has sometimes caused revolutions in courts which have produced others in kingdoms。 Were I to make my way to favor in a court； I would neither willfully； nor by negligence； give a dog or a cat there reason to dislike me。 Two 'pies grieches'； well instructed； you know； made the fortune of De Luines with Lewis XIII。 Every step a man makes at court requires as much attention and circumspection； as those which were made formerly between hot plowshares； in the Ordeal； or fiery trials； which； in those times of ignorance and superstition； were looked upon as demonstrations of innocence or guilt。 Direct your principal battery； at Hanover； at the D of N 's： there are many very weak places in that citadel； where； with a very little skill； you cannot fail making a great impression。 Ask for his orders in everything you do； talk Austrian and Anti…gallican to him； and； as soon as you are upon a foot of talking easily to him； tell him 'en badinant'； that his skill and success in thirty or forty elections in England leave you no reason to doubt of his carrying his election for Frankfort； and that you look upon the Archduke as his Member for the Empire。 In his hours of festivity and compotation； drop that he puts you in mind of what Sir William Temple says of the Pensionary De Witt；who at that time governed half Europe；that he appeared at balls； assemblies； and public places； as if he had nothing else to do or to think of。 When he talks to you upon foreign affairs； which he will often do； say that you really cannot presume to give any opinion of your own upon those matters； looking upon yourself at present only as a postscript to the corps diplomatique； but that； if his Grace will be pleased to make you an additional volume to it； though but in duodecimo； you will do your best that he shall neither be ashamed nor repent of it。 He loves to have a favorite； and to open himself to that favorite。 He has now no such person with him； the place is vacant； and if you have dexterity you may fill it。 In one thing alone do not humor him； I mean drinking； for； as I believe； you have never yet been drunk； you do not yourself know how you can bear your wine； and what a little too much of it may make you do or say； you might possibly kick down all you had done before。
You do not love gaming； and I thank God for it； but at Hanover I would have you show； and profess a particular dislike to play； so as to decline it upon all occasions； unless where one may be wanted to make a fourth at whist or quadrille ； and then take care to declare it the result of your complaisance； not of your inclinations。 Without such precaution you may very possibly be suspected； though unjustly； of loving play； upon account of my former passion for it； and such a suspicion would do you a great deal of hurt； especially with the King； who detests gaming。 I must end this abruptly。 God bless you！
LETTER CLXXII
MY DEAR FRIEND： Versatility as a courtier may be almost decisive to you hereafter； that is； it may conduce to； or retard your preferment in your own destination。 The first reputation goes a great way； and if you fix a good one at Hanover； it will operate also to your advantage in England。 The trade of a courtier is as much a trade as that of a shoemaker； and he who applies himself the most； will work the best： the only difficulty is to distinguish （what I am sure you have sense enough to distinguish） between the right and proper qualifications and their kindred faults； for there is but a line between every perfection and its neighboring imperfection。 As； for example； you must be extremely well…bred and polite； but without the troublesome forms and stiffness of ceremony。 You must be respectful and assenting； but without being servile and abject。 You must be frank； but without indiscretion； and close； without being costive。 You must keep up dignity of character； without the least pride of birth or rank。 You must be gay within all the bounds of decency and respect； and grave without the affectation of wisdom； which does not become the age of twenty。 You must be essentially secret； without being dark and mysterious。 You must be firm； and even bold； but with great seeming modesty。
With these qualifications； which； by the way； are all in your own power； I will answer for your success； not only at Hanover； but at any court in Europe。 And I am not sorry that you begin your apprenticeship at a little one； because you must be more circumspect； and more upon your guard there； than at a great one； where every little thing is not known nor reported。
When you write to me； or to anybody else； from thence； take care that your letters contain commendations of all that you see and hear there； for they will most of them be opened and read； but； as frequent couriers will come from Hanover to England； you may sometimes write to me without reserve； and put your letters into a very little box； which you may send safely by some of them。
I must not omit mentioni
