letters to his son, 1752-第17节

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e　influenced　by　the　King　of　Poland；　who　must　be　determined　by　Russia；　considering　his　views　upon　Poland；　which；　by　the　by；　I　hope　he　will　never　obtain；　I　mean；　as　to　making　that　crown　hereditary　in　his　family。　　As　for　his　sons　having　it　by　the　precarious　tenure　of　election；　by　which　his　father　now　holds　it；　'a　la　bonne　heure'。　But；　should　Poland　have　a　good　government　under　hereditary　kings；　there　would　be　a　new　devil　raised　in　Europe；　that　I　do　not　know　who　could　lay。　I　am　sure　I　would　not　raise　him；　though　on　my　own　side　for　the　present。

I　do　not　know　how　I　came　to　trouble　my　head　so　much　about　politics　today；　which　has　been　so　very　free　from　them　for　some　years：　I　suppose　it　was　because　I　knew　that　I　was　writing　to　the　most　consummate　politician　of　this；　and　his　age。　　If　I　err；　you　will　set　me　right；　'si　quid　novisti　rectius　istis；　candidus　imperti'；　etc。

I　am　excessively　impatient　for　your　next　letter；　which　I　expect　by　the　first　post　from　Hanover；　to　remove　my　anxiety；　as　I　hope　it　will；　not　only　with　regard　to　your　health；　but　likewise　to　OTHER　THINGS；　in　the　meantime　in　the　language　of　a　pedant；　but　with　the　tenderness　of　a　parent；　'jubeo　te　bene　valere'。

Lady　Chesterfield　makes　you　many　compliments；　and　is　much　concerned　at　your　indisposition。




LETTER　CLXXV

TO　MONSIEUR　DE　VOLTAIRE；　NOW　STAYING　AT　BERLIN。

LONDON；　August　27；　O。　S。　　1752。

SIR：　　As　a　most　convincing　proof　how　infinitely　I　am　interested　in　everything　which　concerns　Mr。　Stanhope；　who　will　have　the　honor　of　presenting　you　this　letter；　I　take　the　liberty　of　introducing　him　to　you。　He　has　read　a　great　deal；　he　has　seen　a　great　deal；　whether　or　not　he　has　made　a　proper　use　of　that　knowledge；　is　what　I　do　not　know：　he　is　only　twenty　years　of　age。　　He　was　at　Berlin　some　years　ago；　and　therefore　he　returns　thither；　for　at　present　people　are　attracted　toward　the　north　by　the　same　motives　which　but　lately　drew　them　to　the　south。

Permit　me；　Sir；　to　return　you　thanks　for　the　pleasure　and　instruction　I　have　received　from　your　'History　of　Lewis　XIV'。　　I　have　as　yet　read　it　but　four　times；　because　I　wish　to　forget　it　a　little　before　I　read　it　a　fifth；　but　I　find　that　impossible：　I　shall　therefore　only　wait　till　you　give　us　the　augmentation　which　you　promised；　let　me　entreat　you　not　to　defer　it　long。　　I　thought　myself　pretty　conversant　in　the　history　of　the　reign　of　Lewis　XIV。；　by　means　of　those　innumerable　histories；　memoirs；　anecdotes；　etc。；　which　I　had　read　relative　to　that　period　of　time。　　You　have　convinced　me　that　I　was　mistaken；　and　had　upon　that　subject　very　confused　ideas　in　many　respects；　and　very　false　ones　in　others。　　Above　all；　I　cannot　but　acknowledge　the　obligation　we　have　to　you；　Sir；　for　the　light　which　you　have　thrown　upon　the　follies　and　outrages　of　the　different　sects；　the　weapons　you　employ　against　those　madmen；　or　those　impostors；　are　the　only　suitable　ones；　to　make　use　of　any　others　would　be　imitating　them：　they　must　be　attacked　by　ridicule；　and；　punished　with　contempt。　　'A　propos'　of　those　fanatics；　I　send　you　here　inclosed　a　piece　upon　that　subject；　written　by　the　late　Dean　Swift：　I　believe　you　will　not　dislike　it。　　You　will　easily　guess　why　it　never　was　printed：　it　is　authentic；　and　I　have　the　original　in　his　own　handwriting。　　His　；Jupiter；　at　the　Day　of　judgment；　treats　them　much　as　you　do；　and　as　they　deserve　to　be　treated。

Give　me　leave；　Sir；　to　tell　you　freely；　that　I　am　embarrassed　upon　your　account；　as　I　cannot　determine　what　it　is　that　I　wish　from　you。　　When　I　read　your　last　history；　I　am　desirous　that　you　should　always　write　history；　but　when　I　read　your　'Rome　Sauvee'　（although　ill…printed　and　disfigured）；　yet　I　then　wish　you　never　to　deviate　from　poetry；　however；　I　confess　that　there　still　remains　one　history　worthy　of　your　pen；　and　of　which　your　pen　alone　is　worthy。　　You　have　long　ago　given　us　the　history　of　the　greatest　and　most　outrageous　madman　（I　ask　your　pardon　if　I　cannot　say　the　greatest　hero）　of　Europe；　you　have　given　us　latterly　the　history　of　the　greatest　king；　give　us　now　the　history　of　the　greatest　and　most　virtuous　man　in　Europe；　I　should　think　it　degrading　to　call　him　king。　To　you　this　cannot　be　difficult；　he　is　always　before　your　eyes：　your　poetical　invention　is　not　necessary　to　his　glory；　as　that　may　safely　rely　upon　your　historical　candor。　　The　first　duty　of　an　historian　is　the　only　one　he　need　require　from　his；　'Ne　quid　falsi　dicere　audeat；　ne　quid　veri　non　audeat'。　　Adieu；　Sir！　　I　find　that　I　must　admire　you　every　day　more　and　more；　but　I　also　know　that　nothing　ever　can　add　to　the　esteem　and　attachment　with　which　I　am　actually；　your　most　humble　and　most　obedient　servant；　CHESTERFIELD。




LETTER　CLXXVI

LONDON；　September　19；　1752；

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　　Since　you　have　been　at　Hanover；　your　correspondence　has　been　both　unfrequent　and　laconic。　　You　made　indeed　one　great　effort　in　folio　on　the　18th；　with　a　postscript　of　the　22d　August；　N。　S。；　and　since　that；　'vous　avez　rate　in　quarto'。　　On　the　3lst　August；　N。　S。；　you　give　me　no　informations　of　what　I　want　chiefly　to　know；　which　is；　what　Dr。　Hugo　（whom　I　charged　you　to　consult）　said　of　your　asthmatic　complaint；　and　what　he　prescribed　you　to　prevent　the　returns　of　it；　and　also　what　is　the　company　that；　you　keep　there；　who　has　been　kind　and　civil　to　you；　and　who　not。

You　say　that　you　go　constantly　to　the　parade；　and　you　do　very　well；　for　though　you　are　not　of　that　trade；　yet　military　matters　make　so　great　a　part　both　of　conversation　and　negotiation；　that　it　is　very　proper　not　to　be　ignorant　of　them。　　I　hope　you　mind　more　than　the　mere　exercise　of　the　troops　you　see；　and　that　you　inform　yourself　at　the　same　time；　of　the　more　material　details；　such　as　their　pay；　and　the　difference　of　it　when　in　and　out　of　quarters；　what　is　furnished　them　by　the　country　when　in　quarters；　and　what　is　allowed　them　of　ammunition；　bread；　etc。；　when　in　the　field；　the　number　of　men　and　officers　in　the　several　troops　and　companies；　together　with　the　non…commissioned　officers；　as　'caporals；　frey…caporals；　anspessades'；　sergeants；　quarter…masters；　etc。；　the　clothing　how　frequent；　how　good；　and　how　furnished；　whether　by　the　colonel；　as　here　in　England；　from　what　we　call　the　OFF…RECKONINGS；　that　is；　deductions　from　the　men's　pay；　or　by　commissaries　appointed　by　the　government　for　that　purpose；　as　in　France　and　Holland。　　By　these　inquiries　you　will　be　able　to　talk　military　with　military　men；　who；　in　every　country　in　Europe；　except　England；　make　at　least　half　of　all　the　best　companies。　　Your　attending　the　parades　has　also　another　good　effect；　which　is；　that　it　brings　you；　of　course；　acquainted　with　the　officers；　who；　when　of　a　certain　rank　and　service；　are　generally　very　polite；　well…　bred　people；　'et　du　bon　ton'。　　They　have　commonly　seen　a　great　deal　of　the　world；　and　of　courts；　and　nothing　else　can　form　a　gentleman；　let　people　say　what　they　will　of　sense　and　learning；　with　both　which　a　man　may　contrive　to　be　a　very　disagreeable　companion。　　I　dare　say；　there　are　very　few　captains　of　foot；　who　are　not　much　better　company　than　ever　Descartes　or　Sir　Isaac　Newton　were。　　I　honor　and　respect　such　superior　geniuses；　but　I　desire　to　converse　with　people　of　this　world；　who　bring　into　company　their　share；　at　least；　of　cheerfulness；　good…breeding；　and　knowledge　of　mankind。　　In　common　life；　one　much　oftener　wants　small　money；　and　silver；　than　gold。　　Give　me　a　man　who　has　ready　cash　about　him　for　present　expenses；　sixpences；　shillings；　half…crowns；　and　crowns；　which　circulate　easily：　but　a　man　who　has　only　an　ingot　of　gold　about　him；　is　much　above　common　purposes；　and　his　riches　are　not　handy　nor　convenient。　　Have　as　much　gold　as　you　please　in　one　pocket；　but　take　care　always　to　keep　change　in　the　other；　for　you　will　much　oftener　have　occasion　for　a　shilling　than　for　a　guinea。　　In　this　the　French　must　be　allowed　to　excel　all　people　in　the　world：　they　have　'un　certain　entregent；　un　enjouement；　un　aimable　legerete　dans　la　conversation；　une　politesse　aisee　et　naturelle；　qui　paroit　ne　leur　rien　couter'；　which　give　society　all　its　charms。　　I　am　sorry　to　add；　but　it　is　too　true；　that　the　English　and　the　Dutch　are　the　farthest　from　this；　of　all　the　people　in　the　world；　I　do　by　no　means　except　even　the　Swiss。

Though　you　do　not　think　proper　to　inform　me；　I　know　from　other　hands　that　you　were　to　go　to　the　Gohr　with　a　Comte　Schullemburg；　for　eight　or　ten　days　only；　to　see　the　reviews。　　I　know　also　that　you　had　a　blister　upon　your　arm；　which　did　you　a　great　deal　of　good。　　I　know　too；　you　have　contracted　a　great　friendship　with　Lord　Essex；　and　that　you　two　were　inseparable　at　Hanover。　　All　these　things　I　would　rather　have　known　from　you　than　from　others；　and　they　are　the　sort　of　things　that　I　am　the　most　desirous　of　knowing；　as　they　are　more　immediately　relative　to　yourself。

I　am　very　sorry　for　the　Duchess　of　Newcastle's　illness；　full　as　much　upon　your　as　upon　her　account；　as　it　has　hindered　you　from　being　so　much　known　to　the　Duke　as　I　could　have　wished；　use　and　habit　going　a　great　way　with　him；　as　indeed　they　do　with　most　people。　　I　have　known　many　people　patronized；　pushed　up；　and　preferred　by　those　who　could　have　given　no　other　reason　for　it；　than　that　they　were　used　to　them。　　We　must　never　seek