The Letters of Phillip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield [5]

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THE LETTERS OF LORD CHESTERFIELD VOL.

FIVE

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ft THE LETTERS OF

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PHILIP DORMER STANHOPE 4_th

EARL OF

CHESTERFIELD EDITED, WITH AN INTRODUCTION, BY

BONAMY DOBR£E ★

IN SIX VOLUMES

Volume letters:

Five

175 1-1761

1 93 2

4

4

AMS PRESS • NEW YORK

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Reprinted with the permission of Eyre & Spottiswoode From the edition of 1932, London & New York First AMS EDITION published 1968 Manufactured in the United States of America

Reprinted from a copy in the collections of the Harvard College Library.

Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number: 68-59007

AMS PRESS, INC New York, N.Y. 10003

THE LETTERS OF PHILIP DORMER STANHOPE FOURTH EARL OF CHESTERFIELD Nos. 1798-2115 November, 175 i-September, 1761

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(continued) No. 1798

To

Lord Huntingdon

(Steuart 16) My Dear Lord,

London, 25 November O.S. 1751

I was very glad to find by the last letter you honoured me with that your time for leaving Paris was at last fixed. For though I look upon that place to be much the best in Europe for forming a young man of quality, yet as you have now had so much, though you wanted so much less of it than other people, and as you have a good deal still to do abroad, and, as your predecessor Hastings says in ‘Jane Shore,’ but a little time to do it in, it is time to set about it. If (as I suppose was the case) Mademoiselle Lany prevailed with you to pass this winter at Paris, the cause was at your age, a very justifiable one; I believe I should do the same at mine, without half so many or so good reasons for it, as I dare say you had. Her situation, and degree of character made your connection with her for a time not unbecoming. It is the duration of those connections that makes them dis¬ graceful, when the influence of the lady is supposed to be extended from the senses to the understanding and conduct of her friend. Since you take the trouble of going to Spain, where probably you will never go again, I would advise you to see it well when you are there. If from Madrid you go down southward to Seville, and from thence come up again through Grenada and Valentia to Barcelona, you will have 17.93

seen the best parts of Spain, and particularly those that are dignified by the remains of Roman, Gothic and. Moorish antiquities. From Barcelona (if you are not sea sick) your passage by sea to Genoa or Leghorn will be short and pleasant in the autumn. Mr. Keene, the King s Ambassador at Madrid, will, I am very sure, show you all the attention and regard that you deserve, and consequently you will want no letters of recommendation to Madrid, nor of any those provinces of Spain which you propose to visit after¬ wards. Otherwise I would have sent you some from the Spanish Ambassador here; I spoke to him about it, and he assured me that Mr. Keene was as well known in Spain as he was, and could do you as much, or more, service there. May I beg of you, my dear Lord, to make my compliments to Monsieur Duclos, and to return him my particular thanks for the great pleasure he has given me by his last performance, Les Memoires, etc.} It is just what I wished for, when I had read his Considerations I wanted to have those just reflections exemplified and set in all their light by characters. He has done it in my mind incomparably; the pictures are finely drawn and highly coloured; and what the Italians [call] the Costumi most exactly observed. I wish it had been wrote, and that I had read it, seven-and-thirty years ago; I think it would have saved me some vices, and many follies, which were really not my own, but adoptive ones in complaisance to les Mceurs du Siecle. If our accounts here from Paris are true, the change of the temper and genius of the French people with regard to their Government is astonishing. They used to hug their chains and boast their servitude; they now seem to be galled by them and struggling to shake them off. If they have found out (though late) that kings are not a part of the Divinity; that they are not exactly the images of God upon earth; that they are neither anointed nor appointed by Him to be the scourges of their fellow creatures; that they have no other rights but those of civil and mutual compact; but that man-

1794

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kind in general have natural and inherent rights which no power upon earth can legally deprive them of; if, I say they have at last discovered these truths, which by the way are not very abstruse ones, their natural vivacity, and their shame of so long an entertained error will probably carry them very far the other way. People are very apt to run into the opposite extreme of a detected and exploded prejudice; and ce germe de raison qui tend a se developper en France, as Duclos observed, will probably grow too strong for ab¬ solute power, which can only be supported by error, ignorance and prejudice. As a friend to mankind, I shall be glad if it proves so, and as a friend to my own country, I heartily wish it may; for without troubles at home France is now too powerful and formidable abroad. Might it not be worth your while to take a Spanish master at Paris, till you go to Spain, and to take another during your stay at Madrid? It is a very easy, though a very copious language; and many, not to say most of the Spaniards, even the people of quality, speak no other language. It will more¬ over facilitate your learning Italian, which it resembles ex¬ tremely, excepting some Moorish words. I have sent your little servant back to Paris, to profit by your example, and to form himself upon your model, if he can. Those were at least the instructions I gave him, and I think I could not give him shorter nor more useful ones. Adieu, my dear Lord, without peroration. Professions are inconsistent with that truth and friendship with which I am most faith¬ fully and unalterably yours. No. 1799 To the Bishop of Waterford

(Maty III. 12) My Dear Lord,

30

November

1751

My reproach by Dr. Thomas, I insist upon it, was a very just one, and your excuse a very lame one! Indifferent

1795

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as I am grown about most things, you could not suppose that I was become so where the health and happiness of you and your family were concerned; on the contrary, I find that in proportion as one renounces public, one grows more sen¬ sible to private social cares. My circle, thank God, is so much contracted, that my attention can, and does, from its centre extend itself to every point of the circumference. I am very glad to hear that your son goes on so well; and, as he does go on so well, why should you move him? The Irish schools and Universities are indisputably better than ours, with this additional advantage, that having him within your reach will be much better for him than a better place out of it: a man no more liveth by Latin and Greek than by bread alone; but a father’s care of his son’s morals and manners is surely more useful than the critical knowledge of Homer and Virgil, supposing that it were, which it very seldom is, acquired at schools. I do not therefore hesitate to advise you to put your son to the best school, that is, the nearest to your usual place of residence, that you may see and examine him often and strictly, and watch his pro¬ gress, not only in learning, but in morals and manners, instead of trusting to interested accounts of distant school¬ masters. His Grace of Tuam’s recovery1 has, I find, delayed, if not broke, a long chain of Ecclesiastical promotions, of which the first link is the only one I interest myself in; I mean the translation of that good man and citizen the Bishop of Meath,2 to Tuam; the more he gets, the more Ireland gets; that being your case too, pray how goes the copper mine? Fruitful, and yet inexhaustible, I hope. If it will but supply you with riches, I will answer for your making the best use of them. *Dr. Josiah Hort. He died, however, in the ensuing year, and was succeeded by Bishop John Ryder, of Down and Connor.—M.

2Dr. Henry Maule, Bishop of Dromore, 1731-1744; Bishop of Meath, 17441758.

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I hear with great pleasure that Ireland improves daily, and that a spirit of industry spreads itself, to the great increase of trade and manufactures. I think I interest myself more in that country than in this; this is past its perfection, and seems gradually declining into weakness and caducity; that seems but tending to its vigour and perfection, and engages one’s expectations and hopes. One loves a promising youth, one only esteems an old man; the former is a much quicker sen¬ timent than the latter: both those sentiments conspire, I assure you, in forming that friendship with which I am, My dear Lord, your most faithful humble servant. No. 1800 To Solomon Dayrolles, Esq. {Mahon III. 4S0) London, 6 December O.S.

1751

Dear Dayrolles,

Our long friendship neither requires nor allows cere¬ mony and compliments. We are, I dare say, reciprocally glad to write to each other, whenever business does not interfere on your part, or laziness on mine; in either of which cases, be it understood, that the party at leisure, or in humour, va toujours son train, whether the other answers or not. Colonel Yorke has, I suppose, brought you your pass to Brussels, which I suppose too that you will soon make use of. The sooner the better; in the present situation of affairs in the United Provinces and at St. James’s, that of an English minister at the Hague is not to be envied, elk sera scabreuse. If your Gouvernante will govern by a faction, a Holland is certainly better than a Frise faction. No faction at all would be the best; and if the ablest and most respect¬ able people of the whole Province of Holland were cordially consulted, they would insensibly be reconciled to the new

1797

form of government, at the same time that their experience would enable them, and their interest in the whole incline them, to point out the most prudent measures. In all events you will be out of the scrape, and I am very glad of it. If you get into any at Brussels with Monsieur le Marquis Botta d’Adorno, it will be of no great conse¬ quence, as he is not in very good odour here. Our Parliament is so unanimous that the House of Lords hardly sits at all, and the House of Commons seldom till three o’clock, to the infinite grief of the Speaker, who, I believe, would now willingly change with the first President of the Parliament of Paris, which makes a greater figure at present. The heau monde is not quite in such a state of in¬ action. Your friend, the eldest Miss Gunning, carries on her negotiation in all public places with Lord Coventry. The treaty must surely be near a conclusion one way or another, but whether it will be a final or only a provisional one is not yet clear. Miss Roach exhibits to the public ... of several months by the eldest Delaval,1 and neither of the belligerent or contracting parties seems to care who knows it. Miss Ashe is happily reconciled to Lady Caroline Petersham,2 who had broke with her upon account of her indiscretion, but who has taken her under her protection again upon the assurances that she is as good as married to Mr. Wortley Montagu,3 who seems so puzzled between Le Chatelet in France and his wife in England, that it is not yet known in favour of which he will determine. I have sent my Baron some bad books by Colonel Yorke, whose departure did not give me time to send him the others that he desired, which I will do by the first opportunity. I 1For the Delavals, see Walpole to Mann, 13th March, 1751. 2William Stanhope, Lord Petersham, afterwards Earl of Harrington, married in 1746 Lady Caroline Fitzroy, daughter of the Duke of Grafton.—M. 3The only son of Lady Mary, well known for his wayward character and eccentric life. Horace Walpole writes of him at this period: ‘Wortley, you know, has been a perfect Gil Bias, and for one of his last adventures is thought to have added the famous Miss Ashe to the number of his wives.’ (To Sir H. Mann, 22nd November 1751.)—M.

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will send him two copies of Hammond’s Elegies of which he will send you one to Brussels, if you are there before he receives them. His tender turn is a new one, and may possibly remove his fear of collision with human bodies. Pray return him my thanks for les Memoires de Brandebourg, which I have at last received from Lord Holderness, with a Sybil’s leaf, which I snatched and saved from the wind. Pray make my compliments to Mrs. Dayrolles, dont la belle edition grossit apparemment tous les jours. Yours faithfully. No. 1801 To his Son (Stanhope CCLXVj London, 19 December O.S. 1751 My Dear Friend,

You are now entered upon a scene of business,1 where I hope you will one day make a figure. Use does a great deal, but care and attention must be joined to it. The first thing necessary in writing letters of business is extreme clearness and perspicuity; every paragraph should be so clear and unambiguous, that the dullest fellow in the world may not be able to mistake it, nor obliged to read it twice in order to understand it. This necessary clearness implies a correctness, without excluding an elegancy of style. Tropes, figures, antitheses, epigrams, etc., would be as misplaced and as impertinent in letters of business, as they are sometimes (if judiciously used) proper and pleasing in familiar letters, upon common and trite subjects. In busi¬ ness, an elegant simplicity, the result of care, not of labour, is required. Business must be well, not affectedly, dressed, but by no means negligently. Let your first attention be to clearness, and read every paragraph after you have written 'As

attache

in Paris.

1799

it, in the critical view of discovering whether it is possible that any one man can mistake the true sense of it; and correct it accordingly. Our pronouns and relatives often create obscurity or ambiguity; be therefore exceedingly attentive to them, and take care to mark out with precision their particular relations. For example: Mr. Johnson acquainted me that he had seen Mr. Smith, who had promised him to speak to Mr. Clarke, to return him (Mr. Johnson) those papers which he (Mr. Smith) had left some time ago with him (Mr. Clarke); it is better to repeat a name, though unnecessarily, ten times, than to have the person mistaken once. Who, you know, is singly relative to persons, and cannot be applied to things; which and that are chiefly relative to things, but not abso¬ lutely exclusive of persons; for one may say, the man that robbed or killed such-a-one; but it is much better to say, the man who robbed or killed. One never says, the man or the woman which. Which and that, though chiefly relative to things, cannot be always used indifferently as to things; and the eiKpwpla must sometimes determine their place. For instance: The letter which I received from you, which you referred to in your last, which came by Lord Albemarle’s messenger, and which I showed to such-a-one; I would change it thus: The letter that I received from you, which you referred to in your last, that came by Lord Albemarle’s messenger, and which I showed to such-a-one. Business does not exclude (as possibly you wish it did) the usual terms of politeness and good-breeding, but, on the contrary, strictly requires them; such as, I have the honour to acquaint your Lordship; Permit me to assure you:j If I may be allowed to give my opinion, etc. For the minister abroad, who writes to the minister at home, writes to his superior; possibly to his patron, or at least to one who he desires should be so. Letters of business will not only admit of, but be the better for certain graces', but then, they must be scattered 1800

with a sparing and a skilful hand; they must fit their place exactly. They must decently adorn without encumbering, and modestly shine without glaring. But as this is the ut¬ most degree of perfection in letters of business, I would not advise you to attempt those embellishments till you have first laid your foundation well. Cardinal d’Ossat’s letters are the true letters of business; those of Monsieur D’Avaux are excellent; Sir William Temple’s are very pleasing, but I fear too affected. Carefully avoid all Greek or Latin quotations; and bring no precedents from the virtuous Spartans, the polite Athenians, and the brave Romans. Leave all that to futile pedants. No flourishes, no declamation. But (I repeat it again) there is an elegant simplicity and dignity of style absolutely neces¬ sary for good letters of business; attend to that carefully. Let your periods be harmonious, without seeming to be laboured; and let them not be too long, for that always occasions a degree of obscurity. I should not mention correct orthography, but that you very often fail in that particular, which will bring ridicule upon you; for no man is allowed to spell ill. I wish too that your handwriting were much better, and I cannot conceive why it is not, since every man may certainly write whatever hand he pleases. Neat¬ ness in folding up, sealing, and directing your packets, is by no means to be neglected; though I dare say you think it is. But there is something in the exterior, even of a packet, that may please or displease; and consequently worth some attention. You say that your time is very well employed, and so it is, though as yet only in the outlines, and first routine of business. They are previously necessary to be known; they smooth the way for parts and dexterity. Business requires no conjuration nor supernatural talents, as people un¬ acquainted with it are apt to think. Method, diligence, and discretion, will carry a man of good strong common sense much higher than the finest parts, without them, can do. 1801

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l y51

Par negotiis, neque supra,1 is the true character of a man of business; but then it implies ready attention, and no absences-, and a flexibility and versatility of attention from one object to another, without being engrossed by any one. Be upon your guard against the pedantry and affectation of business, which young people are apt to fall into, from the pride of being concerned in it young. They look thoughtful, complain of the weight of business, throw out mysterious hints, and seem big with secrets which they do not know. Do you on the contrary never talk of business but to those with whom you are to transact it; and learn to seem vacuus and idle when you have the most business. Of all things, the volto sciolto and the pensieri stretti are necessary. Adieu!

No. 1802 A

Madame la Marquise de Monconseil

(Maty I. Ixiii) A Londres, ce 30 decembre V.S. 1751

Je ne veux done plus etre le Roi des deux Siciles, puisque, si vous etiez Pape, vous n’en seriez pas contente, et j aime mieux relever de vous comme serf par des hommages plus frequents. Je les souhaiterais seulement plus dignes de vous etre presentes. ^ N etes-vous pas bien touchee, mais je suis sur que vous l’etes, de la miserable mort de notre ami Bolingbroke?2 Le remede a avance sa mort, contre laquelle il n’y avait point de remede, car son cancer n’etait point ce qu’on appelle topique, mais universel, et tout son sang en etait infecte incurablement. Ce que je regrette le plus, e’est que le remede lui a cause des douleurs cruelles; mal que je crains bien plus, 1Tacitus, Annals^ vi. 39.

1802

2Lord Bolingbroke died 15th December 1751.

pour mes amis et pour moi-meme, que la mort. Je perds un ami chaud, aimable, et instructif; je l’avais vu quinze jours avant sa mort, quand il comptait, comme je faisais aussi, sur sa guerison, et il me pria de ne plus revenir jusqu’a ce qu’elle fut complete, a quoi il s’attendait en dix ou douze jours. Le lendemain, les grandes douleurs commenc^rent, et ne le quitterent que deux jours avant sa mort, pendant lesquels il resta insensible. Quel homme! Quelle etendue de connaissances! Quelle memoire! Quelle eloquence! Ses passions, qui etaient fortes, faisaient tort a la delicatesse de ses sentiments, on les confondait, et souvent expres: on lui rendra plus de justice a present, qu’on ne lui en a rendu de son vivant. j’espere que la parfaite convalescence de Madame votre mere aura contribue a vous consoler de la perte d’un ami, qui vous aimait, et qui vous honorait. Il n’est question chez vous actuellement que de fetes, jeux, feux d’artifices, enfin ‘Ce ne sont que festons, ce ne sont qu’astragales,’1 au lieu que chez nous, les deuils se succedent, et depuis neuf mois tout est noir.2 Le Due de Mirepoix, qui devait nous egayer un peu, par sa fete, Fa laisse tomber. On en donne mille raisons, et pas une bonne; en tout cas, il en est bienaise, et je ne m’en etonne point. Pour moi, je ne suis plus dans le cas d’en etre fache; les foules et les plaisirs bruyants n’etant plus de mon ressort. Votre eleve me jure qu’il frequente les bonnes compagnies, et qu’il tache de se former, et qu’on lui dit meme qu’il a de meilleures manieres, et meilleur air qu’il n’avait: cela est-il bien vrai, Madame? Il vous cite meme pour une de ses proneuses, ce que je comprends bien, sans qu’il le merite; l’esprit etant en amide, aussi bien qu’en amour, souvent la dupe du cceur. :A line from Scuderv ridiculed by Boileau.—M. 2On account of the death of Frederick, Prince of Wales, 20th March 1751.—M.

1803

ij5i Nous regardons Milady Hervey comme expatriee,, et naturalisee frangaise. Je la regrette sans en blarner; j en connais d’autres qui en feraient autant, s ils en etaient les maitres, et qui alors ne vous ecriraient plus, mais qui vous diraient en petsonne ce que vous m avez defendu de vous

,1

dire par ecrit.

No. 1803 To his Son (