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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； 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
smooth