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proper times； and in proper places； is what particularly constitutes a
man of the world； and a well…bred man。
Here is advice enough； I think； and too much； it may be； you will think；
for one letter； if you follow it； you will get knowledge； character； and
pleasure by it； if you do not； I only lose 'operam et oleum；' which； in
all events； I do not grudge you。
I send you； by a person who sets out this day for Leipsig； a small packet
from your Mamma； containing some valuable things which you left behind；
to which I have added； by way of new…year's gift； a very pretty tooth…
pick case； and； by the way； pray take great care of your teeth； and keep
them extremely clean。 I have likewise sent you the Greek roots； lately
translated into English from the French of the Port Royal。 Inform
yourself what the Port Royal is。 To conclude with a quibble： I hope you
will not only feed upon these Greek roots； but likewise digest them
perfectly。 Adieu。
LETTER XXI
LONDON； December 15； O。 S。 1747
DEAR Boy： There is nothing which I more wish that you should know； and
which fewer people do know； than the true use and value of time。 It is
in everybody's mouth； but in few people's practice。 Every fool； who
slatterns away his whole time in nothings； utters； however； some trite
commonplace sentence； of which there are millions； to prove； at once； the
value and the fleetness of time。 The sun…dials； likewise all over
Europe； have some ingenious inscription to that effect； so that nobody
squanders away their time； without hearing and seeing； daily； how
necessary it is to employ it well； and how irrecoverable it is if lost。
But all these admonitions are useless； where there is not a fund of good
sense and reason to suggest them； rather than receive them。 By the
manner in which you now tell me that you employ your time； I flatter
myself that you have that fund； that is the fund which will make you rich
indeed。 I do not； therefore； mean to give you a critical essay upon the
use and abuse of time； but I will only give you some hints with regard to
the use of one particular period of that long time which； I hope； you
have before you； I mean； the next two years。 Remember； then； that
whatever knowledge you do not solidly lay the foundation of before you
are eighteen； you will never be the master of while you breathe。
Knowledge is a comfortable and necessary retreat and shelter for us in an
advanced age； and if we do not plant it while young； it will give us no
shade when we grow old。 I neither require nor expect from you great
application to books； after you are once thrown out into the great world。
I know it is impossible； and it may even； in some cases； be improper；
this； therefore； is your time； and your only time； for unwearied and
uninterrupted application。 If you should sometimes think it a little
laborious； consider that labor is the unavoidable fatigue of a necessary
journey。 The more hours a day you travel； the sooner you will be at your
journey's end。 The sooner you are qualified for your liberty； the sooner
you shall have it； and your manumission will entirely depend upon the
manner in which you employ the intermediate time。 I think I offer you a
very good bargain； when I promise you； upon my word； that if you will do
everything that I would have you do； till you are eighteen； I will do
everything that you would have me do ever afterward。
I knew a gentleman； who was so good a manager of his time； that he would
not even lose that small portion of it； which the calls of nature obliged
him to pass in the necessary…house； but gradually went through all the
Latin poets； in those moments。 He bought； for example； a common edition
of Horace； of which he tore off gradually a couple of pages； carried them
with him to that necessary place； read them first； and then sent them
down as a sacrifice to Cloacina ： this was so much time fairly gained；
and I recommend you to follow his example。 It is better than only doing
what you cannot help doing at those moments； and it will made any book；
which you shall read in that manner； very present in your mind。 Books of
science； and of a grave sort； must be read with continuity； but there are
very many； and even very useful ones； which may be read with advantage by
snatches； and unconnectedly； such are all the good Latin poets； except
Virgil in his 〃AEneid〃： and such are most of the modern poets； in which
you will find many pieces worth reading； that will not take up above
seven or eight minutes。 Bayle's； Moreri's； and other dictionaries； are
proper books to take and shut up for the little intervals of （otherwise）
idle time； that everybody has in the course of the day； between either
their studies or their pleasures。 Good night。
LETTER XXII
LONDON； December 18； O。 S。 1747。
DEAR Boy： As two mails are now due from Holland；
I have no letters of yours； or Mr。 Harte's to acknowledge； so that this
letter is the effect of that 'scribendi cacoethes；' which my fears； my
hopes； and my doubts； concerning you give me。 When I have wrote you a
very long letter upon any subject； it is no sooner gone； but I think I
have omitted something in it； which might be of use to you； and then I
prepare the supplement for the next post： or else some new subject occurs
to me； upon which I fancy I can give you some informations； or point out
some rules which may be advantageous to you。 This sets me to writing
again； though God knows whether to any purpose or not； a few years more
can only ascertain that。 But； whatever my success may be； my anxiety and
my care can only be the effects of that tender affection which I have for
you； and which you cannot represent to yourself greater than it really
is。 But do not mistake the nature of that affection； and think it of a
kind that you may with impunity abuse。 It is not natural affection；
there being in reality no such thing； for； if there were； some inward
sentiment must necessarily and reciprocally discover the parent to the
child； and the child to the parent； without any exterior indications；
knowledge； or acquaintance whatsoever； which never happened since the
creation of the world； whatever poets； romance； and novel writers； and
such sentiment…mongers； may be pleased to say to the contrary。 Neither
is my affection for you that of a mother； of which the only； or at least
the chief objects； are health and life： I wish you them both most
heartily； but； at the same time； I confess they are by no means my
principal care。
My object is to have you fit to live； which； if you are not； I do not
desire that you should live at all。 My affection for you then is； and
only will be； proportioned to your merit； which is the only affection
that one rational being ought to have for another。 Hitherto I have
discovered nothing wrong in your heart； or your head： on the contrary
I think I see sense in the one； and sentiments in the other。 This
persuasion is the only motive of my present affection； which will either
increase or diminish； according to your merit or demerit。 If you have
the knowledge； the honor； and probity； which you may have； the marks and
warmth of my affection shall amply reward them； but if you have them not；
my aversion and indignation will rise in the same proportion； and； in
that case； remember； that I am under no further obligation； than to give
you the necessary means of subsisting。 If ever we quarrel； do not expect
or depend upon any weakness in my nature； for a reconciliation；
as children frequently do； and often meet with； from silly parents；
I have no such weakness about me： and； as I will never quarrel with you
but upon some essential point； if once we quarrel； I will never forgive。
But I hope and believe； that this declaration （for it is no threat） will
prove unnecessary。 You are no stranger to the principles of virtue； and；
surely； whoever knows virtue must love it。 As for knowledge； you have
already enough of it； to engage you to acquire more。 The ignorant only；
either despise it； or think that they have enough： those who have the
most are always the most desirous to have more； and know that the most
they can have is； alas！ but too little。
Reconsider； from time to time； and retain the friendly advice which I
send you。 The advantage will be all your own。
LETTER XXIII
LONDON； December 29； O。 S。 1747
DEAR BOY： I have received two letters from you of the 17th and 22d； N。
S。； by the last of which I find that some of mine to you must have
miscarried； for I have never been above two posts without writing to you
or to Mr。 Harte； and even very long letters。 I have also received a
letter from Mr。 Harte； which gives me great satisfaction： it is full of
your praises； and he answers for you； that； in two years more； you will
deserve your manumission； and be fit to go into the world； upon a footing
that will do you honor； and give me pleasure。
I thank you for your offer of the new edition of 'Adamus Adami；' but I do
not want it； having a good edition of it at present。 When you have read
that； you will do well to follow it with Pere Bougeant's 'Histoire du
Traite de Munster；' in two volumes quarto； which c