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present purpose； or often not thinking at all； which silly and idle
suspension of thought they would dignify with the name of ABSENCE and
DISTRACTION。 They go afterward； it may be； to the play； where they gape
at the company and the lights； but without minding the very thing they
went to； the play。
Pray do you be as attentive to your pleasures as to your studies。 In
the latter； observe and reflect upon all you read； and； in the former；
be watchful and attentive to all that you see and。 hear； and never have
it to say； as a thousand fools do； of things that were said and done
before their faces； that； truly； they did not mind them； because they
were thinking of something else。 Why were they thinking of something
else？ and if they were； why did they come there？ The truth is； that the
fools were thinking of nothing。 Remember the 'hoc age；' do what you are
about； be what it will； it is either worth doing well； or not at all。
Wherever you are； have （as the low vulgar expression is） your ears and
your eyes about you。 Listen to everything that is said； and see
everything that is done。 Observe the looks and countenances of those who
speak； which is often a surer way of discovering the truth than from what
they say。 But then keep all those observations to yourself； for your own
private use； and rarely communicate them to others。 Observe； without
being thought an observer； for otherwise people will be upon their guard
before you。
Consider seriously； and follow carefully； I beseech you； my dear child；
the advice which from time to time I have given； and shall continue to
give you； it is at once the result of my long experience； and the effect
of my tenderness for you。 I can have no interest in it but yours。
You are not yet capable of wishing yourself half so well as I wish you；
follow therefore； for a time at least； implicitly； advice which you
cannot suspect； though possibly you may not yet see the particular
advantages of it； but you will one day feel them。 Adieu。
LETTER XIX
LONDON； November 6； O。 S。 1747
DEAR BOY： Three mails are now due from Holland； so that I have no letter
from you to acknowledge； I write to you； therefore； now； as usual； by way
of flapper； to put you in mind of yourself。 Doctor Swift； in his account
of the island of Laputa； describes some philosophers there who were so
wrapped up and absorbed in their abstruse speculations； that they would
have forgotten all the common and necessary duties of life； if they had
not been reminded of them by persons who flapped them； whenever they
observed them continue too long in any of those learned trances。 I do
not indeed suspect you of being absorbed in abstruse speculations； but；
with great submission to you； may I not suspect that levity； inattention；
and too little thinking； require a flapper； as well as too deep thinking？
If my letters should happen to get to you when you are sitting by the
fire and doing nothing； or when you are gaping at the window； may they
not be very proper flaps； to put you in mind that you might employ your
time much better？ I knew once a very covetous； sordid fellow； who used
frequently to say； 〃Take care of the pence； for the pounds will take care
of themselves。〃 This was a just and sensible reflection in a miser。
I recommend to you to take care of the minutes； for hours will take care
of themselves。 I am very sure； that many people lose two or three hours
every day； by not taking care of the minutes。 Never think any portion of
time whatsoever too short to be employed； something or other may always
be done in it。
While you are in Germany； let all your historical studies be relative to
Germany； not only the general history of the empire as a collective body；
but the respective electorates； principalities； and towns； and also the
genealogy of the most considerable families。 A genealogy is no trifle in
Germany； and they would rather prove their two…and…thirty quarters； than
two…and…thirty cardinal virtues； if there were so many。 They are not of
Ulysses' opinion； who says very truly；
Genus et proavos； et qua non fecimus ipsi；
Vix ea nostra voco。
Good night。
LETTER XX
LONDON； November 24； O。 S。 1747
DEAR BOY： As often as I write to you （and that you know is pretty often）；
so often I am in doubt whether it is to any purpose； and whether it is
not labor and paper lost。 This entirely depends upon the degree of
reason and reflection which you are master of； or think proper to exert。
If you give yourself time to think； and have sense enough to think right；
two reflections must necessarily occur to you； the one is； that I have a
great deal of experience； and that you have none： the other is； that I am
the only man living who cannot have； directly or indirectly； any interest
concerning you； but your own。 From which two undeniable principles； the
obvious and necessary conclusion is； that you ought； for your own sake；
to attend to and follow my advice。
If； by the application which I recommend to you； you acquire great
knowledge； you alone are the gainer； I pay for it。 If you should deserve
either a good or a bad character； mine will be exactly what it is now；
and will neither be the better in the first case； nor worse in the
latter。 You alone will be the gainer or the loser。
Whatever your pleasures may be； I neither can nor shall envy you them；
as old people are sometimes suspected by young people to do； and I shall
only lament； if they should prove such as are unbecoming a man of honor；
or below a man of sense。 But you will be the real sufferer； if they are
such。 As therefore； it is plain that I can have no other motive than
that of affection in whatever I say to you； you ought to look upon me as
your best； and； for some years to come； your only friend。
True friendship requires certain proportions of age and manners； and can
never subsist where they are extremely different； except in the relations
of parent and child； where affection on one side； and regard on the
other； make up the difference。 The friendship which you may contract
with people of your own age may be sincere； may be warm； but must be；
for some time； reciprocally unprofitable； as there can be no experience
on either side。 The young leading the young； is like the blind leading
the blind； （they will both fall into the ditch。） The only sure guide is；
he who has often gone the road which you want to go。 Let me be that
guide； who have gone all roads； and who can consequently point out to you
the best。 If you ask me why I went any of the bad roads myself； I will
answer you very truly； That it was for want of a good guide： ill example
invited me one way； and a good guide was wanting to show me a better。
But if anybody； capable of advising me； had taken the same pains with me；
which I have taken； and will continue to take with you； I should have
avoided many follies and inconveniences； which undirected youth run me
into。 My father was neither desirous nor able to advise me； which is
what； I hope； you cannot say of yours。 You see that I make use； only of
the word advice； because I would much rather have the assent of your
reason to my advice； than the submission of your will to my； authority。
This； I persuade myself； will happen； from that degree of sense which I
think you have； and therefore I will go on advising； and with hopes of
success。
You are now settled for some time at Leipsig； the principal object of
your stay there is the knowledge of books and sciences； which if you do
not； by attention and application； make yourself master of while you are
there； you will be ignorant of them all the rest of your life； and； take
my word for it； a life of ignorance is not only a very contemptible； but
a very tiresome one。 Redouble your attention； then； to Mr。 Harte； in
your private studies of the 'Literae Humaniores；' especially Greek。
State your difficulties； whenever you have any； and do not suppress them；
either from mistaken shame； lazy indifference； or in order to have done
the sooner。 Do the same when you are at lectures with Professor Mascow；
or any other professor； let nothing pass till you are sure that you
understand it thoroughly； and accustom yourself to write down the capital
points of what you learn。 When you have thus usefully employed your
mornings； you may； with a safe conscience； divert yourself in the
evenings； and make those evenings very useful too； by passing them in
good company； and； by observation and attention； learning as much of the
world as Leipsig can teach you。 You will observe and imitate the manners
of the people of the best fashion there； not that they are （it may be）
the best manners in the world； but because they are the best manners of
the place where you are； to which a man of sense always conforms。 The
nature of things （as I have often told you） is always and everywhere the
same； but the modes of them vary more or less； in every country； and an
easy and genteel conformity to them； or rather the assuming of them at
proper times； and in proper places； is what particularly constitutes a
man of t