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truth。 The age of Lewis XIV。 was very like the Augustan； Boileau； Moliere； La Fontaine； Racine；； etc。； established the true； and exposed the false taste。 The reign of King Charles II。 （meritorious in no other respect） banished false taste out of England； and proscribed puns； quibbles； acrostics； etc。 Since that； false wit has renewed its attacks； and endeavored to recover its lost empire； both in England and France； but without success； though； I must say； with more success in France than in England。 Addison； Pope； and Swift； have vigorously defended the rights of good sense； which is more than can be said of their contemporary French authors； who have of late had a great tendency to 'le faux brillant'； 'le raffinement； et l'entortillement'。 And Lord Roscommon would be more in the right now； than he was then； in saying； that；
〃The English bullion of one sterling line； Drawn to French wire； would through whole pages shine。〃
Lose no time； my dear child； I conjure you； in forming your taste； your manners； your mind； your everything； you have but two years' time to do it in； for whatever you are； to a certain degree； at twenty； you will be； more or less； all the rest of your life。 May it be a long and happy one。 Adieu。
LETTER CVI
LONDON； February 22； O。 S。 1750
MY DEAR FRIEND： If the Italian of your letter to Lady Chesterfield was all your own； I am very well satisfied with the progress which you have made in that language in so short a time； according to that gradation； you will； in a very little time more； be master of it。 Except at the French Ambassador's； I believe you hear only Italian spoke； for the Italians speak very little French； and that little generally very ill。 The French are even with them； and generally speak Italian as ill； for I never knew a Frenchman in my life who could pronounce the Italian ce； ci； or ge； gi。 Your desire of pleasing the Roman ladies will of course give you not only the desire； but the means of speaking to them elegantly in their own language。 The Princess Borghese； I am told； speaks French both ill and unwillingly； and therefore you should make a merit to her of your application to her language。 She is； by a kind of prescription （longer than she would probably wish）； at the head of the 'beau monde' at Rome； and can； consequently； establish or destroy a young fellow's fashionable character。 If she declares him 'amabile e leggiadro'； others will think him so； or at least those who do not will not dare to say so。 There are in every great town some such women； whose rank； beauty； and fortune have conspired to place them at the head of the fashion。 They have generally been gallant； but within certain decent bounds。 Their gallantries have taught； both them and their admirers； good…breeding； without which they could keep up no dignity； but would be vilified by those very gallantries which put them in vogue。 It is with these women； as with ministers and favorites at court； they decide upon fashion and characters； as these do of fortunes and preferments。 Pay particular court； therefore； wherever you are； to these female sovereigns of the 'beau monde'； their recommendation is a passport through all the realms of politeness。 But then； remember that they require minute officious attentions。 You should； if possible； guess at and anticipate all their little fancies and inclinations； make yourself familiarly and domestically useful to them； by offering yourself for all their little commissions； and assisting in doing the honors of their houses； and entering with seeming unction into all their little grievances； bustles； and views； for they are always busy。 If you are once 'ben ficcato' at the Palazzo Borghese； you twill soon be in fashion at Rome； and being in fashion will soon fashion you； for that is what you must now think of very seriously。
I am sorry that there is no good dancing…master at Rome； to form your exterior air and carriage； which； I doubt； are not yet the genteelest in the world。 But you may； and I hope you will； in the meantime； observe the air and carriage of those who are reckoned to have the best； and form your own upon them。 Ease； gracefulness； and dignity； compose the air and address of a man of fashion； which is as unlike the affected attitudes and motions of a 'petit maitre'； as it is to the awkward； negligent； clumsy； and slouching manner of a booby。
I am extremely pleased with the account Mr。 Harte has given me of the allotment of your time at Rome。 Those five hours every morning； which you employ in serious studies with Mr。 Harte； are laid out with great interest； and will make you rich all the rest of your life。 I do not look upon the subsequent morning hours； which you pass with your Ciceroni； to be ill…disposed of； there is a kind of connection between them； and your evening diversions in good company are； in their way； as useful and necessary。 This is the way for you to have both weight and lustre in the world； and this is the object which I always had in view in your education。
Adieu； my friend！ go on and prosper。
Mr。 Grevenkop has just received Mr。 Harte's letter of the 19th N。 S。
LETTER CVII
LONDON； March 8； O。 S。 1750
Young as you are； I hope you are in haste to live； by living； I mean living with lustre and honor to yourself； with utility to society； doing what may deserve to be written； or writing what may deserve to be read； I should wish both。 Those who consider life in that light； will not idly lavish one moment。 The present moments are the only ones we are sure of； and as such the most valuable； but yours are doubly so at your age； for the credit； the dignity； the comfort； and the pleasure of all your future moments； depend upon the use you make of your present ones。
I am extremely satisfied with your present manner of employing your time； but will you always employ it as well？ I am far from meaning always in the same way； but I mean as well in proportion； in the variation of age and circumstances。 You now； study five hours every morning； I neither suppose that you will； nor desire that you should do so for the rest of your life。 Both business and pleasure will justly and equally break in upon those hours。 But then； will you always employ the leisure they leave you in useful studies？ If you have but an hour； will you improve that hour； instead of idling it away？ While you have such a friend and monitor with you as Mr。 Harte； I am sure you will。 But suppose that business and situations should； in six or seen months； call Mr。 Harte away from you； tell me truly； what may I expect and depend upon from you； when left to yourself ？ May I be sure that you will employ some part of every day； in adding something to that stock of knowledge which he will have left you？ May I hope that you will allot one hour in the week to the care of your own affairs； to keep them in that order and method which every prudent man does？ But； above all； may I be convinced that your pleasures； whatever they may be； will be confined within the circle of good company； and people of fashion？ Those pleasures I recommend to you； I will promote them I will pay for them； but I will neither pay for； nor suffer； the unbecoming； disgraceful； and degrading pleasures （they should not be called pleasures）； of low and profligate company。 I confess the pleasures of high life are not always strictly philosophical； and I believe a Stoic would blame； my indulgence； but I am yet no Stoic； though turned of five…and…fifty； and I am apt to think that you are rather less so； at eighteen。 The pleasures of the table； among people of the first fashion； may indeed sometimes； by accident； run into excesses： but they will never sink into a continued course of gluttony and drunkenness。 The gallantry of high life； though not strictly justifiable； carries； at least； no external marks of infamy about it。 Neither the heart nor the constitution is corrupted by it； neither nose nor character lost by it； manners； possibly； improved。 Play； in good company； is only play； and not gaming； not deep； and consequently not dangerous nor dishonorable。 It is only the interacts of other amusements。
This； I am sure； is not talking to you like an old man； though it is talking to you like an old friend； these are not hard conditions to ask of you。 I am certain you have sense enough to know how reasonable they are on my part； how advantageous they are on yours： but have you resolution enough to perform them？ Can you withstand the examples； and the invitations； of the profligate； and their infamous missionaries？ For I have known many a young fellow seduced by a 'mauvaise honte'； that made him ashamed to refuse。 These are resolutions which you must form； and steadily execute for yourself； whenever you lose the friendly care and assistance of your Mentor。 In the meantime； make a greedy use of him； exhaust him； if you can； of all his knowledge； and get the prophet's mantle from him； before he is taken away himself。
You seem to like Rome。 How do you go on there？ Are you got into the inside of that extraordinary government？ Has your Abbate Foggini discovered many of those mysteries to you？ Have you made an acquaintance with some eminent Jesu