Letters to His Son 1752 | Page 7

they detested the society, from reason and
knowledge, have always remained attached to it, from habit and
prejudice. The, Jesuits know, better than any set of people in the world,
the importance of the art of pleasing, and study it more; they become
all things to all men in order to gain, not a few, but many. In Asia,
Africa, and America they become more than half pagans, in order to
convert the pagans to be less than half Christians. In private families
they begin by insinuating themselves as friends, they grow to be
favorites, and they end DIRECTORS. Their manners are not like those
of any other regulars in the world, but gentle, polite, and engaging.
They are all carefully bred up to that particular destination, to which
they seem to have a natural turn; for which reason one sees most Jesuits
excel in some particular thing. They even breed up some for martyrdom
in case of need; as the superior of a Jesuit seminary at Rome told Lord
Bolingbroke. 'E abbiamo anche martiri per il martirio, se bisogna'.

Inform yourself minutely of everything concerning this extraordinary
establishment; go into their houses, get acquainted with individuals,
hear some of them preach. The finest preacher I ever heard in my life is
le Pere Neufville, who, I believe, preaches still at Paris, and is so much
in the best company, that you may easily get personally acquainted
with him.
If you would know their 'morale' read Pascal's 'Lettres Provinciales', in
which it is very truly displayed from their own writings.
Upon the whole, this is certain, that a society of which so little good is
said, and so much ill believed, and that still not only subsists, but
flourishes, must be a very able one. It is always mentioned as a proof of
the superior abilities of the Cardinal Richelieu, that, though hated by all
the nation, and still more by his master, he kept his power in spite of
both.
I would earnestly wish you to do everything now, which I wish, that I
had done at your age, and did not do. Every country has its peculiarities,
which one can be much better informed of during one's residence there,
than by reading all the books in the world afterward. While you are in
Catholic countries, inform yourself of all the forms and ceremonies of
that tawdry church; see their converts both of men and women, know
their several rules and orders, attend their most remarkable ceremonies;
have their terms of art explained to you, their 'tierce, sexte, nones,
matines; vepres, complies'; their 'breviares, rosaires, heures, chapelets,
agnus', etc., things that many people talk of from habit, though few
people know the true meaning of anyone of them. Converse with, and
study the characters of some of those incarcerated enthusiasts. Frequent
some 'parloirs', and see the air and manners of those Recluse, who are a
distinct nation themselves, and like no other.
I dined yesterday with Mrs. F----d, her mother and husband. He is an
athletic Hibernian, handsome in his person, but excessively awkward
and vulgar in his air and manner. She inquired much after you, and, I
thought, with interest. I answered her as a 'Mezzano' should do: 'Et je
pronai votre tendresse, vos soins, et vos soupirs'.
When you meet with any British returning to their own country, pray
send me by them any little 'brochures, factums, theses', etc., 'qui font du
bruit ou du plaisir a Paris'. Adieu, child.

LETTER CLVII
LONDON, January 23, O. S. 1752.
MY DEAR FRIEND: Have you seen the new tragedy of
Varon,--[Written by the Vicomte de Grave; and at that time the general
topic of conversation at Paris.]--and what do you think of it? Let me
know, for I am determined to form my taste upon yours. I hear that the
situations and incidents are well brought on, and the catastrophe
unexpected and surprising, but the verses bad. I suppose it is the subject
of all conversations at Paris, where both women and men are judges
and critics of all such performances; such conversations, that both form
and improve the taste, and whet the judgment; are surely preferable to
the conversations of our mixed companies here; which, if they happen
to rise above bragg and whist, infallibly stop short of everything either
pleasing or instructive.
I take the reason of this to be, that (as women generally give the 'ton' to
the conversation) our English women are not near so well informed and
cultivated as the French; besides that they are naturally more serious
and silent.
I could wish there were a treaty made between the French and English
theatres, in which both parties should make considerable concessions.
The English ought to give up their notorious violations of all the unities;
and