Letters to His Son 1752 | Page 5

you know, all lands that, are not fiefs are equally
divided among all the children, which ruins those families; but all male
fiefs of the empire descend unalienably to the next male heir, which
preserves those families. In France, I believe, descents vary in different
provinces.
The nature of marriage contracts deserves inquiry. In England, the
general practice is, the husband takes all the wife's fortune; and in
consideration of it settles upon her a proper pin-money, as it is called;

that is, an annuity during his life, and a jointure after his death. In
France it is not so, particularly at Paris; where 'la communaute des
biens' is established. Any married woman at Paris (IF YOU ARE
ACQUAINTED WITH ONE) can inform you of all these particulars.
These and other things of the same nature, are the useful and rational
objects of the curiosity of a man of sense and business. Could they only
be attained by laborious researches in folio-books, and wormeaten
manuscripts, I should not wonder at a young fellow's being ignorant of
them; but as they are the frequent topics of conversation, and to be
known by a very little degree of curiosity, inquiry and attention, it is
unpardonable not to know them.
Thus I have given you some hints only for your inquiries; 'l'Etat de la
France, l'Almanach Royal', and twenty other such superficial books,
will furnish you with a thousand more. 'Approfondissez.'
How often, and how justly, have I since regretted negligences of this
kind in my youth! And how often have I since been at great trouble to
learn many things which I could then have learned without any! Save
yourself now, then, I beg of you, that regret and trouble hereafter. Ask
questions, and many questions; and leave nothing till you are
thoroughly informed of it. Such pertinent questions are far from being
illbred or troublesome to those of whom you ask them; on the contrary,
they are a tacit compliment to their knowledge; and people have a
better opinion of a young man, when they see him desirous to be
informed.
I have by last post received your two letters of the 1st and 5th of
January, N. S. I am very glad that you have been at all the shows at
Versailles: frequent the courts. I can conceive the murmurs of the
French at the poorness of the fireworks, by which they thought their
king of their country degraded; and, in truth, were things always as they
should be, when kings give shows they ought to be magnificent.
I thank you for the 'These de la Sorbonne', which you intend to send me,
and which I am impatient to receive. But pray read it carefully yourself
first; and inform yourself what the Sorbonne is by whom founded, and
for what puraoses.
Since you have time, you have done very well to take an Italian and a
German master; but pray take care to leave yourelf time enough for
company; for it is in company only that you can learn what will be

much more useful to you than either Italian or German; I mean 'la
politesse, les manieres et les graces, without which, as I told you long
ago, and I told you true, 'ogni fatica a vana'. Adieu.
Pray make my compliments to Lady Brown.

LETTER CLVI
LONDON, January 6, O. S. 1752.
MY DEAR FRIEND
I recommended to you, in my last, some inquiries into the constitution
of that famous society the Sorbonne; but as I cannot wholly trust to the
diligence of those inquiries, I will give you here the outlines of that
establishment; which may possibly excite you to inform yourself of
particulars, which you are more 'a portee' to know than I am.
It was founded by Robert de Sorbon, in the year 1256 for sixteen poor
scholars in divinity; four of each nation, of the university of which it
made a part; since that it hath been much extended and enriched,
especially by the liberality and pride of Cardinal Richelieu; who made
it a magnificent building for six-and-thirty doctors of that society to
live in; besides which, there are six professors and schools for divinity.
This society has long been famous for theological knowledge and
exercitations. There unintelligible points are debated with passion,
though they can never be determined by reason. Logical subtilties set
common sense at defiance; and mystical refinements disfigure and
disguise the native beauty and simplicity of true natural religion; wild
imaginations form systems, which weak minds adopt implicitly, and
which sense and reason oppose in vain; their voice is not strong enough
to be heard in schools of divinity. Political views are by no means
neglected in those sacred places; and questions are agitated and decided,
according to the degree of