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； or in what
manner： whether it has any peculiar privileges or customs； what trade or
manufactures； and such other particulars as people of sense desire to
know。 And there would be no manner of harm if you were to take
memorandums of such things in a paper book to help your memory。 The only
way of knowing all these things is to keep the best company； who can best
inform you of them。 I am just now called away； so good night。
LETTER XI
LONDON； July 20； O。 S。 1747
DEAR BOY： In your Mamma's letter； which goes here inclosed； you will
find one from my sister； to thank you for the Arquebusade water which you
sent her； and which she takes very kindly。 She would not show me her
letter to you； but told me that it contained good wishes and good advice；
and； as I know she will show your letter in answer to hers； I send you
here inclosed the draught of the letter which I would have you write to
her。 I hope you will not be offended at my offering you my assistance
upon this occasion； because； I presume； that as yet； you are not much
used to write to ladies。 'A propos' of letter…writing； the best models
that you can form yourself upon are； Cicero； Cardinal d'Ossat； Madame
Sevigne； and Comte Bussy Rebutin。 Cicero's Epistles to Atticus； and to
his familiar friends； are the best examples that you can imitate； in the
friendly and the familiar style。 The simplicity and the clearness of
Cardinal d'Ossat's letters show how letters of business ought to be
written； no affected turns； no attempts at wit； obscure or perplex his
matter； which is always plainly and clearly stated； as business always
should be。 For gay and amusing letters； for 'enjouement and badinage；'
there are none that equal Comte Bussy's and Madame Sevigne's。 They are
so natural； that they seem to be the extempore conversations of two
people of wit； rather； than letters which are commonly studied； though
they ought not to be so。 I would advise you to let that book be one in
your itinerant library； it will both amuse and inform you。
I have not time to add any more now； so good night。
LETTER XII
LONDON； July 30； O。 S。 1747
DEAR BOY： It is now four posts since I have received any letter； either
from you or from Mr。 Harte。 I impute this to the rapidity of your
travels through Switzerland； which I suppose are by this time finished。
You will have found by my late letters； both to you and Mr。 Harte； that
you are to be at Leipsig by next Michaelmas； where you will be lodged in
the house of Professor Mascow； and boarded in the neighborhood of it；
with some young men of fashion。 The professor will read you lectures
upon 'Grotius de Jure Belli et Pacis；' the 'Institutes of Justinian' and
the 'Jus Publicum Imperii；' which I expect that you shall not only hear；
but attend to； and retain。 I also expect that you make yourself
perfectly master of the German language； which you may very soon do
there； if you please。 I give you fair warning； that at Leipsig I shall
have an hundred invisible spies about you； and shall be exactly informed
of everything that you do； and of almost everything that you say。 I hope
that； in consequence of those minute informations； I may be able to say
of you； what Velleius Paterculus says of Scipio； that in his whole life；
'nihil non laudandum aut dixit； aut fecit； aut sensit。' There is a great
deal of good company in Leipsig； which I would have you frequent in the
evenings； when the studies of the day are over。 There is likewise a kind
of court kept there； by a Duchess Dowager of Courland； at which you
should get introduced。 The King of Poland and his Court go likewise to
the fair at Leipsig twice a year； and I shall write to Sir Charles
Williams； the king's minister there； to have you presented； and
introduced into good company。 But I must remind you； at the same time；
that it will be to a very little purpose for you to frequent good
company； if you do not conform to； and learn their manners； if you are
not attentive to please； and well bred； with the easiness of a man of
fashion。 As you must attend to your manners； so you must not neglect
your person； but take care to be very clean； well dressed； and genteel；
to have no disagreeable attitudes； nor awkward tricks； which many people
use themselves to； and then cannot leave them off。 Do you take care to
keep your teeth very clean； by washing them constantly every morning； and
after every meal？ This is very necessary； both to preserve your teeth a
great while； and to save you a great deal of pain。 Mine have plagued me
long； and are now falling out； merely from want of care when I was your
age。 Do you dress well； and not too well？ Do you consider your air and
manner of presenting yourself enough； and not too much？ Neither
negligent nor stiff？ All these things deserve a degree of care；
a second…rate attention； they give an additional lustre to real merit。
My Lord Bacon says； that a pleasing figure is a perpetual letter of
recommendation。 It is certainly an agreeable forerunner of merit； and
smoothes the way for it。
Remember that I shall see you at Hanover next summer； and shall expect
perfection； which if I do not meet with； or at least something very near
it； you and I shall； not be very well together。 I shall dissect and
analyze you with a microscope； so that I shall discover the least speck
or blemish。 This is fair warning； therefore take your measures
accordingly。 Yours。
LETTER XIII
LONDON； August 21； O。 S。 1747。
DEAR BOY： I reckon that this letter has but a bare chance of finding you
at Lausanne； but I was resolved to risk it； as it is the last that I
shall write to you till you are settled at Leipsig。 I sent you by the
last post； under cover to Mr。 Harte； a letter of recommendation to one of
the first people at Munich； which you will take care to present to him in
the politest manner； he will certainly have you presented to the
electoral family； and I hope you will go through that ceremony with great
respect； good breeding； and ease。 As this is the first court that ever
you will have been at； take care to inform yourself if there be any
particular； customs or forms to be observed； that you may not commit any
mistake。 At Vienna men always make courtesies； instead of bows； to the
emperor； in France nobody bows at all to the king； nor kisses his hand；
but in Spain and England； bows are made； and hands are kissed。 Thus
every court has some peculiarity or other； of which those who go to them
ought previously to inform themselves； to avoid blunders and
awkwardnesses。
I have not time to say any more now； than to wish you good journey to
Leipsig； and great attention； both there and in going there。 Adieu。
LETTER XIV
LONDON； September 21； O。 S。 1747
DEAR BOY： I received； by the last post； your letter of the 8th； N。 S。；
and I do not wonder that you are surprised at the credulity and
superstition of the Papists at Einsiedlen； and at their absurd stories of
their chapel。 But remember； at the same time； that errors and mistakes；
however gross； in matters of opinion； if they are sincere； are to be
pitied； but not punished nor laughed at。 The blindness of the
understanding is as much to be pitied as the blindness of the eye；
and there is neither jest nor guilt in a man's losing his way in either
case。 Charity bids us set him right if we can； by arguments and
persuasions； but charity； at the same time； forbids； either to punish or
ridicule his misfortune。 Every man's reason is； and must be； his guide；
and I may as well expect that every man should be of my size and
complexion； as that he should reason just as I do。 Every man seeks for
truth； but God only knows who has found it。 It is； therefore； as unjust
to persecute； as it is absurd to ridicule； people for those several
opinions； which they cannot help entertaining upon the conviction of
their reason。 It is the man who tells； or who acts a lie； that is
guilty； and not he who honestly and sincerely believes the lie。
I really know nothing more criminal； more mean； and more ridiculous than
lying。 It is the production either of malice； cowardice； or vanity；
and generally misses of its aim in every one of these views； for lies are
always detected sooner or later。 If I tell a malicious lie； in order to
affect any man's fortune or character； I may indeed injure him for some
time； but I shall be sure to be the greatest sufferer myself at last；
for as soon as ever I am detected （and detected I most certainly shall
be）； I am blasted for the infamous attempt； and whatever is said
afterward； to the disadvantage of that person； however true； passes for
calumny。 If I lie； or equivocate （for it is the same thing）； in order to
excuse myself for something that I have said or done； and to avoid the
danger and the shame that I apprehend from it； I discover at once my fear
as well as my falsehood； and only increase； instead of avoiding； the
danger and the shame； I show myself to be the lowest and the meanest of
mankind； and am sure to be always treated as such。 Fear； instead of
avoiding； invites danger； for concealed cowards will insult known ones。
If one has had the misfortune to be in the wrong； there is something
noble in frankly owning it； it is the only way of atoning for it； and the
only way of being forgiven。 Equivocating； evading； shuffling； in order
to remove a present danger or inconveniency； is something so mean； and
betrays so much fear； that whoever practices them always deserves to be；
and often will be kicked。 There is another sort of lies； inoffensive
enough in themselves； but wonderfully ridiculous； I mean those lies which
a mistaken vanity suggests； that defeat the very end for which they are
calculated； and terminate in the humiliation and confusion of their
author； who is sure to be detected。 These are chiefly narrative and
historical lies； all intended to do infinite honor to their author。
He is always the hero of his own romances； he has been in dangers from
which nobody but himself ever escaped； he has seen wit