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<h2> LETTER XLI </h2>
<h3> LONDON, May 31, O. S. 1748 </h3>
<p>DEAR BOY: I have received, with great satisfaction, your letter of the
28th N. S., from Dresden: it finishes your short but clear account of the
Reformation which is one of those interesting periods of modern history,
that can not be too much studied nor too minutely known by you. There are
many great events in history, which, when once they are over, leave things
in the situation in which they found them. As, for instance, the late war;
which, excepting the establishment in Italy for Don Philip, leave things
pretty much in state quo; a mutual restitution of all acquisitions being
stipulated by the preliminaries of the peace. Such events undoubtedly
deserve your notice, but yet not so minutely as those, which are not only
important in themselves, but equally (or it may be more) important by
their consequences too: of this latter sort were the progress of the
Christian religion in Europe; the Invasion of the Goths; the division of
the Roman empire into Western and Eastern; the establishment and rapid
progress of Mahometanism; and, lastly, the Reformation; all which events
produced the greatest changes in the affairs of Europe, and to one or
other of which, the present situation of all the parts of it is to be
traced up.</p>
<p>Next to these, are those events which more immediately effect particular
states and kingdoms, and which are reckoned entirely local, though their
influence may, and indeed very often does, indirectly, extend itself
further, such as civil wars and revolutions, from which a total change in
the form of government frequently flows. The civil wars in England, in the
reign of King Charles I., produced an entire change of the government
here, from a limited monarchy to a commonwealth, at first, and afterward
to absolute power, usurped by Cromwell, under the pretense of protection,
and the title of Protector.</p>
<p>The Revolution in 1688, instead of changing, preserved one form of
government; which King James II. intended to subvert, and establish
absolute power in the Crown.</p>
<p>These are the two great epochs in our English history, which I recommend
to your particular attention.</p>
<p>The league formed by the House of Guise, and fomented by the artifices of
Spain, is a most material part of the history of France. The foundation of
it was laid in the reign of Henry II., but the superstructure was carried
on through the successive reigns of Francis II., Charles IX. and Henry
III., till at last it was crushed, partly, by the arms, but more by the
apostasy of Henry IV.</p>
<p>In Germany, great events have been frequent, by which the imperial dignity
has always either gotten or lost; and so it they have affected the
constitution of the empire. The House of Austria kept that dignity to
itself for near two hundred years, during which time it was always
attempting extend its power, by encroaching upon the rights and privileges
of the other states of the empire; till at the end of the bellum
tricennale, the treaty of Munster, of which France is guarantee, fixed the
respective claims.</p>
<p>Italy has been constantly torn to pieces, from the time of the Goths, by
the Popes and the Anti-popes, severally supported by other great powers of
Europe, more as their interests than as their religion led them; by the
pretensions also of France, and the House of Austria, upon Naples, Sicily,
and the Milanese; not to mention the various lesser causes of squabbles
there, for the little states, such as Ferrara, Parma, Montserrat, etc.</p>
<p>The Popes, till lately, have always taken a considerable part, and had
great influence in the affairs of Europe; their excommunications, bulls,
and indulgences, stood instead of armies in the time of ignorance and
bigotry; but now that mankind is better informed, the spiritual authority
of the Pope is not only less regarded, but even despised by the Catholic
princes themselves; and his Holiness is actually little more than Bishop
of Rome, with large temporalities, which he is not likely to keep longer
than till the other greater powers in Italy shall find their conveniency
in taking them from him. Among the modern Popes, Leo the Tenth, Alexander
the Sixth, and Sextus Quintus, deserve your particular notice; the first,
among other things, for his own learning and taste, and for his
encouragement of the reviving arts and sciences in Italy. Under his
protection, the Greek and Latin classics were most excellently translated
into Italian; painting flourished and arrived at its perfection; and
sculpture came so near the ancients, that the works of his time, both in
marble and bronze, are now called Antico-Moderno.</p>
<p>Alexander the Sixth, together with his natural son Caesar Borgia, was
famous for his wickedness, in which he, and his son too, surpassed all
imagination. Their lives are well worth your reading. They were poisoned
themselves by the poisoned wine which they had prepared for others; the
father died of it, but Caesar recovered.</p>
<p>Sixtus the Fifth was the son of a swineherd, and raised himself to the
popedom by his abilities: he was a great knave, but an able and singular
one.</p>
<p>Here is history enough for to-day: you shall have some more soon. Adieu.</p>
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<h2> LETTER XLII </h2>
<h3> LONDON, June 21, O. S. 1748. </h3>
<p>DEAR BOY: Your very bad enunciation runs so much in my head, and gives me
such real concern, that it will be the subject of this, and, I believe, of
many more letters. I congratulate both you and myself, that, was informed
of it (as I hope) in time to prevent it: and shall ever think myself, as
hereafter you will, I am sure think yourself, infinitely obliged to Sir
Charles Williams for informing me of it. Good God! if this ungraceful and
disagreeable manner of speaking had, either by your negligence or mine,
become habitual to you, as in a couple of years more it would have been,
what a figure would you have made in company, or in a public assembly? Who
would have liked you in the one or attended you; in the other? Read what
Cicero and Quintilian say of enunciation, and see what a stress they lay
upon the gracefulness of it; nay, Cicero goes further, and even maintains,
that a good figure is necessary for an orator; and particularly that he
must not be vastus, that is, overgrown and clumsy. He shows by it that he
knew mankind well, and knew the powers of an agreeable figure and a
graceful, manner. Men, as well as women, are much oftener led by their
hearts than by their understandings. The way to the heart is through the
senses; please their eyes and their ears and the work is half done. I have
frequently known a man's fortune decided for ever by his first address. If
it is pleasing, people are hurried involuntarily into a persuasion that he
has a merit, which possibly he has not; as, on the other hand, if it is
ungraceful, they are immediately prejudiced against him, and unwilling to
allow him the merit which it may be he has. Nor is this sentiment so
unjust and unreasonable as at first it may seem; for if a man has parts,
he must know of what infinite consequence it is to him to have a graceful
manner of speaking, and a genteel and pleasing address; he will cultivate
and improve them to the utmost. Your figure is a good one; you have no
natural defect in the organs of speech; your address may be engaging, and
your manner of speaking graceful, if you will; so that if you are not so,
neither I nor the world can ascribe it to anything but your want of parts.
What is the constant and just observation as to all actors upon the stage?
Is it not, that those who have the best sense, always speak the best,
though they may happen not to have the best voices? They will speak
plainly, distinctly, and with the proper emphasis, be their voices ever so
bad. Had Roscius spoken QUICK, THICK, and UNGRACEFULLY, I will answer for
it, that Cicero would not have thought him worth the oration which he made
in his favor. Words were given us to communicate our ideas by: and there
must be something inconceivably absurd in uttering them in such a manner
as that either people cannot understand them, or will not desire to
understand them. I tell you, truly and sincerely, that I shall judge of
your parts by your speaking gracefully or ungracefully. If you have parts,
you will never be at rest till you have brought yourself to a habit of
speaking most gracefully; for I aver, that it is in your power —You
will desire Mr. Harte, that you may read aloud to him every day; and that
he will interrupt and correct you every time that you read too fast, do
not observe the proper stops, or lay a wrong emphasis. You will take care
to open your teeth when you speak; to articulate every word distinctly;
and to beg of Mr. Harte, Mr. Eliot, or whomsoever you speak to, to remind
and stop you, if you ever fall into the rapid and unintelligible mutter.
You will even read aloud to yourself, and time your utterance to your own
ear; and read at first much slower than you need to do, in order to
correct yourself of that shameful trick of speaking faster than you ought.
In short, if you think right, you will make it your business; your study,
and your pleasure to speak well. Therefore, what I have said in this, and
in my last, is more than sufficient, if you have sense; and ten times more
would not be sufficient, if you have not; so here I rest it.</p>
<p>Next to graceful speaking, a genteel carriage, and a graceful manner of
presenting yourself, are extremely necessary, for they are extremely
engaging: and carelessness in these points is much more unpardonable in a
young fellow than affectation. It shows an offensive indifference about
pleasing. I am told by one here, who has seen you lately, that you are
awkward in your motions, and negligent of your person: I am sorry for
both; and so will you be, when it will be too late, if you continue so
some time longer. Awkwardness of carriage is very alienating; and a total
negligence of dress and air is an impertinent insult upon custom and
fashion. You remember Mr.———very well, I am sure, and
you must consequently remember his, extreme awkwardness: which, I can
assure you, has been a great clog to his parts and merit, that have, with
much difficulty, but barely counterbalanced it at last. Many, to whom I
have formerly commended him, have answered me, that they were sure he
could not have parts, because he was so awkward: so much are people, as I
observed to you before, taken by the eye. Women have great influence as to
a man's fashionable character; and an awkward man will never have their
votes; which, by the way, are very numerous, and much oftener counted than
weighed. You should therefore give some attention to your dress, and the
gracefulness of your motions. I believe, indeed, that you have no perfect
model for either at Leipsig, to form yourself upon; but, however, do not
get a habit of neglecting either; and attend properly to both, when you go
to courts, where they are very necessary, and where you will have good
masters and good models for both. Your exercises of riding, fencing, and
dancing, will civilize and fashion your body and your limbs, and give you,
if you will but take it, 'l'air d'un honnete homme'.</p>
<p>I will now conclude with suggesting one reflection to you; which is, that
you should be sensible of your good fortune, in having one who interests
himself enough in you, to inquire into your faults, in order to inform you
of them. Nobody but myself would be so solicitous, either to know or
correct them; so that you might consequently be ignorant of them yourself;
for our own self-love draws a thick veil between us and our faults. But
when you hear yours from me, you may be sure that you hear them from one
who for your sake only desires to correct them; from one whom you cannot
suspect of any, partiality but in your favor; and from one who heartily
wishes that his care of you, as a father, may, in a little time, render
every care unnecessary but that of a friend. Adieu.</p>
<p>P. S. I condole with you for the untimely and violent death of the tuneful
Matzel.</p>
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