Letters to His Son 1748 | Page 5

Greek Professor at one of our universities? It is a very pretty sinecure,
and requires very little knowledge (much less than, I hope, you have
already) of that language. If you do not approve of this, I am at a loss to
know what else to propose to you; and therefore desire that you will
inform me what sort of destination you propose for yourself; for it is

now time to fix it, and to take our measures accordingly. Mr. Harte tells
me that you set up for a ----------; if so, I presume it is in the view of
succeeding me in my office;--[A secretary of state.]--which I will very
willingly resign to you, whenever you shall call upon me for it. But, if
you intend to be the --------, or the ------- ----, there are some trifling
circumstances upon which you should previously take your resolution.
The first of which is, to be fit for it: and then, in order to be so, make
yourself master of ancient and, modern history, and languages. To
know perfectly the constitution, and form of government of every
nation; the growth and the decline of ancient and modern empires; and
to trace out and reflect upon the causes of both. To know the strength,
the riches, and the commerce of every country. These little things,
trifling as they may seem, are yet very necessary for a politician to
know; and which therefore, I presume, you will condescend to apply
yourself to. There are some additional qualifications necessary, in the
practical part of business, which may deserve some consideration in
your leisure moments; such as, an absolute command of your temper,
so as not to be provoked to passion, upon any account; patience, to hear
frivolous, impertinent, and unreasonable applications; with address
enough to refuse, without offending, or, by your manner of granting, to
double the obligation; dexterity enough to conceal a truth without
telling a lie; sagacity enough to read other people's countenances; and
serenity enough not to let them discover anything by yours; a seeming
frankness with a real reserve. These are the rudiments of a politician;
the world must be your grammar.
Three mails are now due from Holland; so that I have no letters from
you to acknowledge. I therefore conclude with recommending myself
to your favor and protection when you succeed. Yours.

LETTER XXVI
LONDON, January 29, O. S. 1748.
DEAR BOY: I find, by Mr. Harte's last letter, that many of my letters
to you and him, have been frozen up on their way to Leipsig; the thaw
has, I suppose, by this time, set them at liberty to pursue their journey
to you, and you will receive a glut of them at once. Hudibras alludes, in
this verse,
"Like words congealed in northern air,"

to a vulgar notion, that in Greenland words were frozen in their
utterance; and that upon a thaw, a very mixed conversation was heard
in the air, of all those words set at liberty. This conversation was, I
presume, too various and extensive to be much attended to: and may
not that be the case of half a dozen of my long letters, when you receive
them all at once? I think that I can, eventually, answer that question,
thus: If you consider my letters in their true light, as conveying to you
the advice of a friend, who sincerely wishes your happiness, and desires
to promote your pleasure, you will both read and attend to them; but, if
you consider them in their opposite, and very false light, as the dictates
of a morose and sermonizing father, I am sure they will be not only
unattended to, but unread. Which is the case, you can best tell me.
Advice is seldom welcome; and those who want it the most always like
it the least. I hope that your want of experience, of which you must be
conscious, will convince you, that you want advice; and that your good
sense will incline you to follow it.
Tell me how you pass your leisure hours at Leipsig; I know you have
not many; and I have too good an opinion of you to think, that, at this
age, you would desire more. Have you assemblies, or public spectacles?
and of what kind are they? Whatever they are, see them all; seeing
everything, is the only way not to admire anything too much.
If you ever take up little tale-books, to amuse you by snatches, I will
recommend two French books, which I have already mentioned; they
will entertain you, and not without some use to your mind and your
manners. One is, 'La Maniere de bien penser dans les Ouvrages
d'Esprit', written by Pere Bouhours; I believe you read it once in
England, with