letters to his son, 1749-第11节
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en is equally good。 By cooling； I mean cooling in its consequences； not cold to the palate； for nothing is more dangerous than very cold liquors； at the very time that one longs for them the most； which is； when one is very hot。 Fruit； when full ripe； is very wholesome； but then it must be within certain bounds as to quantity； for I have known many of my countrymen die of bloody…fluxes； by indulging in too great a quantity of fruit； in those countries where； from the goodness and ripeness of it； they thought it could do them no harm。 'Ne quid nimis'； is a most excellent rule in everything； but commonly the least observed； by people of your age； in anything。
As to your future motions； I am very well pleased with them； and greatly prefer your intended stay at Verona to Venice； whose almost stagnating waters must； at this time of the year； corrupt the air。 Verona has a pure and clear air； and； as I am informed； a great deal of good company。 Marquis Maffei； alone； would be worth going there for。 You may； I think； very well leave Verona about the middle of September； when the great heats will be quite over； and then make the best of your way to Naples； where； I own； I want to have you by way of precaution （I hope it is rather over caution） in case of the last remains of a pulmonic disorder。 The amphitheatre at Verona is worth your attention； as are also many buildings there and at Vicenza； of the famous Andrea Palladio； whose taste and style of buildings were truly antique。 It would not be amiss； if you employed three or four days in learning the five orders of architecture； with their general proportions； and you may know all that you need know of them in that time。 Palladio's own book of architecture is the best you can make use of for that purpose； skipping over the mechanical part of it； such as the materials； the cement； etc。
Mr。 Harte tells me； that your acquaintance with the classics is renewed； the suspension of which has been so short； that I dare say it has produced no coldness。 I hope and believe； you are now so much master of them； that two hours every day； uninterruptedly； for a year or two more； will make you perfectly so； and I think you cannot now allot them a greater share than that of your time； considering the many other things you have to learn and to do。 You must know how to speak and write Italian perfectly； you must learn some logic； some geometry； and some astronomy； not to mention your exercises； where they are to be learned； and； above all； you must learn the world； which is not soon learned； and only to be learned by frequenting good and various companies。
Consider； therefore； how precious every moment of time is to you now。 The more you apply to your business； the more you will taste your pleasures。 The exercise of the mind in the morning whets the appetite for the pleasures of the evening； as much as the exercise of the body whets the appetite for dinner。 Business and pleasure； rightly understood； mutually assist each other； instead of being enemies； as silly or dull people often think them。 No man tastes pleasures truly； who does not earn them by previous business； and few people do business well； who do nothing else。 Remember that when I speak of pleasures； I always mean the elegant pleasures of a rational being； and； not the brutal ones of a swine。 I mean 'la bonne Chere'； short of gluttony； wine； infinitely short of drunkenness； play； without the least gaming； and gallantry without debauchery。 There is a line in all these things which men of sense； for greater security； take care to keep a good deal on the right side of； for sickness； pain； contempt and infamy； lie immediately on the other side of it。 Men of sense and merit； in all other respects； may have had some of these failings； but then those few examples； instead of inviting us to imitation； should only put us the more upon our guard against such weaknesses： and whoever thinks them fashionable； will not be so himself； I have often known a fashionable man have some one vice； but I never in my life knew a vicious man a fashionable man。 Vice is as degrading as it is criminal。 God bless you； my dear child！
LETTER LXXVIII
LONDON； August 20； O。 S。 1749。
DEAR BOY： Let us resume our reflections upon men； their characters； their manners； in a word； our reflections upon the world。 They may help you to form yourself； and to know others； a knowledge very useful at all ages； very rare at yours。 It seems as if it were nobody's business to communicate it to young men。 Their masters teach them； singly； the languages or the sciences of their several departments； and are indeed generally incapable of teaching them the world： their parents are often so too； or at least neglect doing it； either from avocations； indifference； or from an opinion that throwing them into the world （as they call it） is the best way of teaching it them。 This last notion is in a great degree true； that is； the world can doubtless never be well known by theory： practice is absolutely necessary； but surely it is of great use to a young man； before he sets out for that country full of mazes； windings； and turnings； to have at least a general map of it； made by some experienced traveler。
There is a certain dignity of manners absolutely necessary； to make even the most valuable character either respected or respectable。＇Meaning worthy of respect。＇
Horse…play； romping； frequent and loud fits of laughter； jokes； waggery； and indiscriminate familiarity； will sink both merit and knowledge into a degree of contempt。 They compose at most a merry fellow； and a merry fellow was never yet a respectable man。 Indiscriminate familiarity either offends your superiors； or else dubbs you their dependent and led captain。 It gives your inferiors just； but troublesome and improper claims of equality。 A joker is near akin to a buffoon； and neither of them is the least related to wit。 Whoever is admitted or sought for； in company； upon any other account than that of his merit and manners； is never respected there； but only made use of。 We will have such…a…one； for he sings prettily； we will invite such…a…one to a ball； for he dances well； we will have such…a…one at supper； for he is always joking and laughing； we will ask another； because he plays deep at all games； or because he can drink a great deal。 These are all vilifying distinctions； mortifying preferences； and exclude all ideas of esteem and regard。 Whoever is HAD （as it is called） in company for the sake of any one thing singly； is singly that thing and will never be considered in any other light； consequently never respected； let his merits be what they will。
This dignity of manners； which I recommend so much to you； is not only as different from pride； as true courage is from blustering； or true wit from joking； but is absolutely inconsistent with it； for nothing vilifies and degrades more than pride。 The pretensions of the proud man are oftener treated with sneer and contempt； than with indignation； as we offer ridiculously too little to a tradesman； who asks ridiculously too much for his goods； but we do not haggle with one who only asks a just and reasonable price。
Abject flattery and indiscriminate assentation degrade as much as indiscriminate contradiction and noisy debate disgust。 But a modest assertion of one's own opinion； and a complaisant acquiescence to other people's； preserve dignity。
Vulgar； low expressions； awkward motions and address； vilify； as they imply either a very low turn of mind； or low education and low company。
Frivolous curiosity about trifles； and a laborious attention to little objects which neither require nor deserve a moment's thought； lower a man； who from thence is thought （and not unjustly） incapable of greater matters。 Cardinal de Retz； very sagaciously； marked out Cardinal Chigi for a little mind； from the moment that he told him he had wrote three years with the same pen； and that it was an excellent good one still。
A certain degree of exterior seriousness in looks and motions gives dignity； without excluding wit and decent cheerfulness； which are always serious themselves。 A constant smirk upon the face； and a whifing activity of the body； are strong indications of futility。 Whoever is in a hurry； shows that the thing he is about is too big for him。 Haste and hurry are very different things。
I have only mentioned some of those things which may； and do； in the opinion of the world； lower and sink characters； in other respects valuable enough；but I have taken no notice of those that affect and sink the moral characters。 They are sufficiently obvious。 A man who has patiently been kicked may as well pretend to courage； as a man blasted by vices and crimes may to dignity of any kind。 But an exterior decency and dignity of manners will even keep such a man longer from sinking； than otherwise he would be： of such consequence is the ＇****＇； even though affected and put on！ Pray read frequently； and with the utmost attention； nay； get by heart； if you can； that incomparable chapter in Cicero's 〃Offices；〃 upon the ＇****＇； or the Decorum。 It contains whatever is necessary for the dignity of manners。
In my next I will send you a general map of c
