I must confess； the just punishment of my errors。
Take warning then by them： choose your pleasures for yourself； and do not
let them be imposed upon you。 Follow nature and not fashion： weigh the
present enjoyment of your pleasures against the necessary consequences of
them； and then let your own common sense determine your choice。
Were I to begin the world again； with the experience which I now have of
it； I would lead a life of real； not of imaginary pleasures。 I would
enjoy the pleasures of the table； and of wine； but stop short of the
pains inseparably annexed to an excess of either。 I would not； at twenty
years； be a preaching missionary of abstemiousness and sobriety； and I
should let other people do as they would； without formally and
sententiously rebuking them for it； but I would be most firmly resolved
not to destroy my own faculties and constitution； in complaisance to
those who have no regard to their own。 I would play to give me pleasure；
but not to give me pain； that is； I would play for trifles； in mixed
companies； to amuse myself； and conform to custom； but I would take care
not to venture for sums； which； if I won； I should not be the better for；
but； if I lost； should be under a difficulty to pay： and when paid； would
oblige me to retrench in several other articles。 Not to mention the
quarrels which deep play commonly occasions。
I would pass some of my time in reading； and the rest in the company of
people of sense and learning； and chiefly those above me； and I would
frequent the mixed companies of men and women of fashion； which； though
often frivolous； yet they unbend and refresh the mind； not uselessly；
because they certainly polish and soften the manners。
These would be my pleasures and amusements； if I were to live the last
thirty years over again； they are rational ones； and； moreover； I will
tell you； they are really the fashionable ones； for the others are not；
in truth； the pleasures of what I call people of fashion； but of those
who only call themselves so。 Does good company care to have a man
reeling drunk among them？ Or to see another tearing his hair； and
blaspheming； for having lost； at play； more than he is able to pay？
Or a whoremaster with half a nose； and crippled by coarse and infamous
debauchery？ No； those who practice； and much more those who brag of
them； make no part of good company； and are most unwillingly； if ever；
admitted into it。 A real man of fashion and pleasures observes decency：
at least neither borrows nor affects vices： and if he unfortunately has
any； he gratifies them with choice； delicacy； and secrecy。
I have not mentioned the pleasures of the mind （which are the solid and
permanent ones）； because they do not come under the head of what people
commonly call pleasures； which they seem to confine to the senses。 The
pleasure of virtue； of charity； and of learning is true and lasting
pleasure； with which I hope you will be well and long acquainted。 Adieu！
LETTER VIII
LONDON； April 3； O。 S。 1747
DEAR BOY： If I am rightly informed； I am now writing to a fine gentleman；
in a scarlet coat laced with gold； a brocade waistcoat； and all other
suitable ornaments。 The natural partiality of every author for his own
works makes me very glad to hear that Mr。 Harte has thought this last
edition of mine worth so fine a binding； and； as he has bound it in red；
and gilt it upon the back； I hope he will take care that it shall be
LETTERED too。 A showish binding attracts the eyes； and engages the
attention of everybody； but with this difference； that women； and men who
are like women； mind the binding more than the book； whereas men of sense
and learning immediately examine the inside； and if they find that it
does not answer the finery on the outside； they throw it by with the
greater indignation and contempt。 I hope that； when this edition of my
works shall be opened and read； the best judges will find connection；
consistency； solidity； and spirit in it。 Mr。 Harte may 'recensere' and
'emendare；' as much as he pleases； but it will be to little purpose； if
you do not cooperate with him。 The work will be imperfect。
I thank you for your last information of our success in the
Mediterranean； and you say very rightly that a secretary of state ought
to be well informed。 I hope； therefore； you will take care that I shall。
You are near the busy scene in Italy； and I doubt not but that； by
frequently looking at the map； you have all that theatre of the war very
perfect in your mind。
I like your account of the salt works； which shows that you gave some
attention while you were seeing them。 But notwithstanding that； by your
account； the Swiss salt is （I dare say） very good； yet I am apt to
suspect that it falls a little short of the true Attic salt in which
there was a peculiar quickness and delicacy。 That same Attic salt
seasoned almost all Greece； except Boeotia； and a great deal of it was
exported afterward to Rome； where it was counterfeited by a composition
called Urbanity； which in some time was brought to very near the
perfection of the original Attic salt。 The more you are powdered with
these two kinds of salt； the better you will keep； and the more you will
be relished。
Adieu！ My compliments to Mr。 Harte and Mr。 Eliot。
LETTER IX
LONDON； April 14； O。 S。 1747。
DEAR BOY： If you feel half the pleasure from the consciousness of doing
well； that I do from the informations I have lately received in your
favor from Mr。 Harte； I shall have little occasion to exhort or admonish
you any more to do what your own satisfaction and self love will
sufficiently prompt you to。 Mr。 Harte tells me that you attend； that you
apply to your studies； and that beginning to understand； you begin to
taste them。 This pleasure will increase； and keep pace with your
attention； so that the balance will be greatly to your advantage。 You
may remember； that I have always earnestly recommended to you； to do what
you are about； be that what it will； and to do nothing else at the same
time。 Do not imagine that I mean by this； that you should attend to and
plod at your book all day long； far from it； I mean that you should have
your pleasures too； and that you should attend to them for the time； as
much as to your studies； and； if you do not attend equally to both； you
will neither have improvement nor satisfaction from either。 A man is fit
for neither business nor pleasure； who either cannot； or does not；
command and direct his attention to the present object； and； in some
degree； banish for that time all other objects from his thoughts。 If at
a ball； a supper； or a party of pleasure； a man were to be solving；
in his own mind； a problem in Euclid； he would be a very bad companion；
and make a very poor figure in that company； or if； in studying a problem
in his closet； he were to think of a minuet； I am apt to believe that he
would make a very poor mathematician。 There is time enough for
everything； in the course of the day； if you do but one thing at once；
but there is not time enough in the year； if you will do two things at a
time。 The Pensionary de Witt； who was torn to pieces in the year 1672；
did the whole business of the Republic； and yet had time left to go to
assemblies in the evening； and sup in company。 Being asked how he could
possibly find time to go through so much business； and yet amuse himself
in the evenings as he did； he answered； there was nothing so easy； for
that it was only doing one thing at a time； and never putting off
anything till to…morrow that could be done to…day。 This steady and
undissipated attention to one object is a sure mark of a superior genius；
as hurry； bustle； and agitation are the never…failing symptoms of a weak
and frivolous mind。 When you read Horace； attend to the justness of his
thoughts； the happiness of his diction； and the beauty of his poetry； and
do not think of Puffendorf de Homine el Cive； and； when you are reading
Puffendorf； do not think of Madame de St。 Germain； nor of Puffendorf；
when you are talking to Madame de St。 Germain。
Mr。 Harte informs me； that he has reimbursed you of part of your losses
in Germany； and I consent to his reimbursing you of the whole； now that I
know you deserve it。 I shall grudge you nothing； nor shall you want
anything that you desire； provided you deserve it； so that you see； it is
in your own power to have whatever you please。
There is a little book which you read here with Monsieur Codere entitled；
'Maniere de bien penser dans les Ouvrages d'Esprit；' written by Pyre
Bonhours。 I wish you would read this book again at your leisure hours；
for it will not only divert you； but likewise form your taste； and give
you a just manner of thinking。 Adieu！
LETTER X
LONDON； June 30； O。 S。 1747
DEAR BOY： I was extremely pleased with the account which you gave me in
your last； of the civilities that you received in your Swiss progress；
and I have written； by this post； to Mr。 Burnaby； and to the 'Avoyer；'
to thank them for their parts。 If the attention you met with pleased
you； as I dare say it did； you will； I hope； draw this general conclusion
from it； that attention and civility please all those to whom they are
paid； and that you will please others in proportion as you are attentive
and civil to them。
Bishop Burnet has wrote his travels through Switzerland； and Mr。 Stanyan；
from a long residence there； has written the best account； yet extant；
of the Thirteen Cantons； but those books will be read no more； I presume；
after you shall have published your account of that country。 I hope you
will favor me with one of the first copies。 To be serious； though I do
not desire that you should immediately turn author； and oblige the world
with your travels； yet； wherever you go； I would have you as curious and
inquisitive as if you did intend to write them。 I do not mean that you
should give yourself so much trouble； to know the number of houses；
inhabitants； signposts； and tombstones； of every town that you go
through； but that you should inform yourself； as well as your stay will
permit you； whether the town is free； or to whom it belongs