letters to his son, 1749-第15节

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we　see　plainly　neither　hears；　minds；　or　understands　us。　　Moreover；　I　aver　that　no　man　is；　in　any　degree；　fit　for　either　business　or　conversation；　who　cannot　and　does　not　direct　and　command　his　attention　to　the　present　object；　be　that　what　it　will。　　You　know；　by　experience；　that　I　grudge　no　expense　in　your　education；　but　I　will　positively　not　keep　you　a　Flapper。　　You　may　read；　in　Dr。　Swift；　the　description　of　these　flappers；　and　the　use　they　were　of　to　your　friends　the　Laputans；　whose　minds　（Gulliver　says）　are　so　taken　up　with　intense　speculations；　that　they　neither　can　speak　nor　attend　to　the　discourses　of　others；　without　being　roused　by　some　external　traction　upon　the　organs　of　speech　and　hearing；　for　which　reason；　those　people　who　are　able　to　afford　it；　always　keep　a　flapper　in　their　family；　as　one　of　their　domestics；　nor　ever　walk　about；　or　make　visits　without　him。　　This　flapper　is　likewise　employed　diligently　to　attend　his　master　in　his　walks；　and；　upon　occasion；　to　give　a　soft　flap　upon　his　eyes；　because　he　is　always　so　wrapped　up　in　cogitation；　that　he　is　in　manifest　danger　of　falling　down　every　precipice；　and　bouncing　his　head　against　every　post；　and；　in　the　streets；　of　jostling　others；　or　being　jostled　into　the　kennel　himself。　　If　CHRISTIAN　will　undertake　this　province　into　the　bargain；　with　all　my　heart；　but　I　will　not　allow　him　any　increase　of　wages　upon　that　score。　　In　short；　I　give　you　fair　warning；　that；　when　we　meet；　if　you　are　absent　in　mind；　I　will　soon　be　absent　in　body；　for　it　will　be　impossible　for　me　to　stay　in　the　room；　and　if　at　table　you　throw　down　your　knife；　plate；　bread；　etc。；　and　hack　the　wing　of　a　chicken　for　half　an　hour；　without　being　able　to　cut　it　off；　and　your　sleeve　all　the　time　in　another　dish；　I　must　rise　from　the　table　to　escape　the　fever　you　would　certainly　give　me。　　Good　God！　how　I　should　be　shocked；　if　you　came　into　my　room；　for　the　first　time；　with　two　left　legs；　presenting　yourself　with　all　the　graces　and　dignity　of　a　tailor；　and　your　clothes　hanging　upon　you；　like　those　in　Monmouth　street；　upon　tenter…hooks！　whereas；　I　expect；　nay；　require；　to　see　you　present　yourself　with　the　easy　and　genteel　air　of　a　man　of　fashion；　who　has　kept　good　company。　　I　expect　you　not　only　well　dressed　but　very　well　dressed；　I　expect　a　gracefulness　in　all　your　motions；　and　something　particularly　engaging　in　your　address；　All　this　I　expect；　and　all　this　it　is　in　your　power；　by　care　and　attention；　to　make　me　find；　but　to　tell　you　the　plain　truth；　if　I　do　not　find　it；　we　shall　not　converse　very　much　together；　for　I　cannot　stand　inattention　and　awkwardness；　it　would　endanger　my　health。　　You　have　often　seen；　and　I　have　as　often　made　you　observe　L's　distinguished　inattention　and　awkwardness。　　Wrapped　up；　like　a　Laputan；　in　intense　thought；　and　possibly　sometimes　in　no　thought　at　all　（which；　I　believe；　is　very　often　the　case　with　absent　people）；　he　does　not　know　his　most　intimate　acquaintance　by　sight；　or　answers　them　as　if　he　were　at　cross　purposes。　　He　leaves　his　hat　in　one　room；　his　sword　in　another；　and　would　leave　his　shoes　in　a　third；　if　his　buckles；　though　awry；　did　not　save　them：　his　legs　and　arms；　by　his　awkward　management　of　them；　seem　to　have　undergone　the　question　extraordinaire；　and　his　head；　always　hanging　upon　one　or　other　of　his　shoulders；　seems　to　have　received　the　first　stroke　upon　a　block。　　I　sincerely　value　and　esteem　him　for　his　parts；　learning；　and　virtue；　but；　for　the　soul　of　me；　I　cannot　love　him　in　company。　　This　will　be　universally　the　case；　in　common　life；　of　every　inattentive；　awkward　man；　let　his　real　merit　and　knowledge　be　ever　so　great。　　When　I　was　of　your　age；　I　desired　to　shine；　as　far　as　I　was　able；　in　every　part　of　life；　and　was　as　attentive　to　my　manners；　my　dress；　and　my　air；　in　company　of　evenings；　as　to　my　books　and　my　tutor　in　the　mornings。　　A　young　fellow　should　be　ambitious　to　shine　in　everythingand；　of　the　two；　always　rather　overdo　than　underdo。　　These　things　are　by　no　means　trifles：　they　are　of　infinite　consequence　to　those　who　are　to　be　thrown　into　the　great　world；　and　who　would　make　a　figure　or　a　fortune　in　it。　　It　is　not　sufficient　to　deserve　well；　one　must　please　well　too。　　Awkward；　disagreeable　merit　will　never　carry　anybody　far。　　Wherever　you　find　a　good　dancing…master；　pray　let　him　put　you　upon　your　haunches；　not　so　much　for　the　sake　of　dancing；　as　for　coming　into　a　room；　and　presenting　yourself　genteelly　and　gracefully。　　Women；　whom　you　ought　to　endeavor　to　please；　cannot　forgive　vulgar　and　awkward　air　and　gestures；　'il　leur　faut　du　brillant'。　　The　generality　of　men　are　pretty　like　them；　and　are　equally　taken　by　the　same　exterior　graces。

I　am　very　glad　that　you　have　received　the　diamond　buckles　safe；　all　I　desire　in　return　for　them　is；　that　they　may　be　buckled　even　upon　your　feet；　and　that　your　stockings　may　not　hide　them。　　I　should　be　sorry　that　you　were　an　egregious　fop；　but；　I　protest；　that　of　the　two；　I　would　rather　have　you　a　fop　than　a　sloven。　　I　think　negligence　in　my　own　dress；　even　at　my　age；　when　certainly　I　expect　no　advantages　from　my　dress；　would　be　indecent　with　regard　to　others。　　I　have　done　with　fine　clothes；　but　I　will　have　my　plain　clothes　fit　me；　and　made　like　other　people's：　In　the　evenings；　I　recommend　to　you　the　company　of　women　of　fashion；　who　have　a　right　to　attention　and　will　be　paid　it。　　Their　company　will　smooth　your　manners；　and　give　you　a　habit　of　attention　and　respect；　of　which　you　will　find　the　advantage　among　men。

My　plan　for　you；　from　the　beginning；　has　been　to　make　you　shine　equally　in　the　learned　and　in　the　polite　world；　the　former　part　is　almost　completed　to　my　wishes；　and　will；　I　am　persuaded；　in　a　little　time　more；　be　quite　so。　　The　latter　part　is　still　in　your　power　to　complete；　and　I　flatter　myself　that　you　will　do　it；　or　else　the　former　part　will　avail　you　very　little；　especially　in　your　department；　where　the　exterior　address　and　graces　do　half　the　business；　they　must　be　the　harbingers　of　your　merit；　or　your　merit　will　be　very　coldly　received；　all　can；　and　do　judge　of　the　former；　few　of　the　latter。

Mr。　Harte　tells　me　that　you　have　grown　very　much　since　your　illness；　if　you　get　up　to　five　feet　ten；　or　even　nine　inches；　your　figure　will　probably　be　a　good　one；　and　if　well　dressed　and　genteel；　will　probably　please；　which　is　a　much　greater　advantage　to　a　man　than　people　commonly　think。　　Lord　Bacon　calls　it　a　letter　of　recommendation。

I　would　wish　you　to　be　the　omnis　homo；　'l'homme　universel'。　　You　are　nearer　it；　if　you　please；　than　ever　anybody　was　at　your　age；　and　if　you　will　but；　for　the　course　of　this　next　year　only；　exert　your　whole　attention　to　your　studies　in　the　morning；　and　to　your　address；　manners；　air　and　tournure　in　the　evenings；　you　will　be　the　man　I　wish　you；　and　the　man　that　is　rarely　seen。

Our　letters　go；　at　best；　so　irregularly；　and　so　often　miscarry　totally；　that　for　greater　security　I　repeat　the　same　things。　　So；　though　I　acknowledged　by　last　post　Mr。　Harte's　letter　of　the　8th　September；　N。　S。；　I　acknowledge　it　again　by　this　to　you。　　If　this　should　find　you　still　at　Verona；　let　it　inform　you　that　I　wish　you　would　set　out　soon　for　Naples；　unless　Mr。　Harte　should　think　it　better　for　you　to　stay　at　Verona；　or　any　other　place　on　this　side　Rome；　till　you　go　there　for　the　Jubilee。　　Nay；　if　he　likes　it　better；　I　am　very　willing　that　you　should　go　directly　from　Verona　to　Rome；　for　you　cannot　have　too　much　of　Rome；　whether　upon　account　of　the　language；　the　curiosities；　or　the　company。　　My　only　reason　for　mentioning　Naples；　is　for　the　sake　of　the　climate；　upon　account　of　your　health；　but　if　Mr。　Harte　thinks　that　your　health　is　now　so　well　restored　as　to　be　above　climate；　he　may　steer　your　course　wherever　he　thinks　proper：　and；　for　aught　I　know；　your　going　directly　to　Rome；　and　consequently　staying　there　so　much　the　longer；　may　be　as　well　as　anything　else。　　I　think　you　and　I　cannot　put　our　affairs　in　better　hands　than　in　Mr。　Harte's；　and　I　will　stake　his　infallibility　against　the　Pope's；　with　some　odds　on　his　side。　　Apropos　of　the　Pope：　remember　to　be　presented　to　him　before　you　leave　Rome；　and　go　through　the　necessary　ceremonies　for　it；　whether　of　kissing　his　slipper　or　his　b…h；　for　I　would　never　deprive　myself　of　anything　that　I　wanted　to　do　or　see；　by　refusing　to　comply　with　an　established　custom。　　When　I　was　in　Catholic　countries；　I　never　declined　kneeling　in　their　churches　at　the　elevation；　nor　elsewhere；　when　the　Host　went　by。　　It　is　a　complaisance　due　to　the　custom　of　the　place；　and　by　no　means；　as　some　silly　people　have　imagined；　an　implied　approbation　of　their　doctrine。　　Bodily　attitudes　and　situations　are　things　so　very　indifferent　in　themselves；　that　I　would　quarrel　with　nobody　about　them。　　It　may；　indeed；　be　improper　for　Mr。　Harte　to　pay　that　tribute　of　complaisance；　upon　account　of　his　character。

This　letter　is　a　very　long；　and　possibly　a　very　tedious　one；　but　my　anxiety　for　your　perfection　is　so　great；　and　particularly　at　this　critical　and　decisive　period　of　your　life；　that　I　am　only　afraid　of　omitting；　but　never　of　repeating；　or　dwelling　too　long　upon　anything　that　I　think　may　be　of　the　least　use　to　you。　　Have　the　same　anxiety　for　yourself；　that　I　have　for　you；　and　all　will　do　well。　　Adieu！　my　dear