Letters to His Son 1748 | Page 8

thing. Seek and you will find, in this world as well as in
the next. See everything; inquire into everything; and you may excuse
your curiosity, and the questions you ask which otherwise might be
thought impertinent, by your manner of asking them; for most things
depend a great deal upon the manner. As, for example, I AM AFRAID
THAT I AM VERY TROUBLESOME WITH MY QUESTIONS; BUT
NOBODY CAN INFORM ME SO WELL AS YOU; or something of
that kind.
Now that you are in a Lutheran country, go to their churches, and
observe the manner of their public worship; attend to their ceremonies,
and inquire the meaning and intention of everyone of them. And, as
you will soon understand German well enough, attend to their sermons,
and observe their manner of preaching. Inform yourself of their church
government: whether it resides in the sovereign, or in consistories and
synods. Whence arises the maintenance of their clergy; whether from
tithes, as in England, or from voluntary contributions, or from pensions
from the state. Do the same thing when you are in Roman Catholic
countries; go to their churches, see all their ceremonies: ask the
meaning of them, get the terms explained to you. As, for instance,
Prime, Tierce, Sexte, Nones, Matins, Angelus, High Mass, Vespers,
Complines, etc. Inform yourself of their several religious orders, their
founders, their rules, their vows, their habits, their revenues, etc. But,

when you frequent places of public worship, as I would have you go to
all the different ones you meet with, remember, that however erroneous,
they are none of them objects of laughter and ridicule. Honest error is
to be pitied, not ridiculed. The object of all the public worships in the
world is the same; it is that great eternal Being who created everything.
The different manners of worship are by no means subjects of ridicule.
Each sect thinks its own is the best; and I know no infallible judge in
this world, to decide which is the best. Make the same inquiries,
wherever you are, concerning the revenues, the military establishment,
the trade, the commerce, and the police of every country. And you
would do well to keep a blank paper book, which the Germans call an
ALBUM; and there, instead of desiring, as they do, every fool they
meet with to scribble something, write down all these things as soon as
they come to your knowledge from good authorities.
I had almost forgotten one thing, which I would recommend as an
object for your curiosity and information, that is, the administration of
justice; which, as it is always carried on in open court, you may, and I
would have you, go and see it with attention and inquiry.
I have now but one anxiety left, which is concerning you. I would have
you be, what I know nobody is--perfect. As that is impossible, I would
have you as near perfection as possible. I know nobody in a fairer way
toward it than yourself, if you please. Never were so much pains taken
for anybody's education as for yours; and never had anybody those
opportunities of knowledge and improvement which you, have had, and
still have, I hope, I wish, I doubt, and fear alternately. This only I am
sure of, that you will prove either the greatest pain or the greatest
pleasure of, Yours.

LETTER XXX
BATH, February 22, O. S. 1748.
DEAR Boy: Every excellency, and every virtue, has its kindred vice or
weakness; and if carried beyond certain bounds, sinks into one or the
other. Generosity often runs into profusion, economy into avarice,
courage into rashness, caution into timidity, and so on:--insomuch that,
I believe, there is more judgment required, for the proper conduct of
our virtues, than for avoiding their opposite vices. Vice, in its true light,
is so deformed, that it shocks us at first sight, and would hardly ever

seduce us, if it did not, at first, wear the mask of some virtue. But virtue
is, in itself, so beautiful, that it charms us at first sight; engages us more
and more upon further acquaintance; and, as with other beauties, we
think excess impossible; it is here that judgment is necessary, to
moderate and direct the effects of an excellent cause. I shall apply this
reasoning, at present, not to any particular virtue, but to an excellency,
which, for want of judgment, is often the cause of ridiculous and
blamable effects; I mean, great learning; which, if not accompanied
with sound judgment, frequently carries us into error, pride, and
pedantry. As, I hope, you will possess that excellency in its utmost
extent, and yet without its too common failings, the hints, which my
experience can suggest, may probably not be useless to you.
Some learned men,