LONDON,November 18,O.S.1748.
DEAR BOY:Whatever I see or whatever I hear,my first consideration is,whether it can in any way be useful to you.As a proof of this,I went accidentally the other day into a print-shop,where,among many others,I found one print from a famous design of Carlo Maratti,who died about thirty years ago,and was the last eminent painter in Europe:the subject is 'il Studio del Disegno';or "The School of Drawing."An old man,supposed to be the master,points to his scholars,who are variously employed in perspective,geometry,and the observation of the statues of antiquity.With regard to perspective,of which there are some little specimens,he has wrote,'Tanto che basti',that is,"As much as is sufficient";with regard to geometry,'Tanto che basti'again;with regard to the contemplation of the ancient statues,there is written,'Non mai a bastanza',--"There never can be enough."But in the clouds,at the top of the piece,are represented the three Graces,with this just sentence written over them,'Senza di noi ogni fatica e vana',that is,"Without us,all labor is vain."This everybody allows to be true in painting;but all people do not seem to consider,as I hope you will,that this truth is full as applicable to every other art or science;indeed to everything that is to be said or done.I will send you the print itself by Mr.Eliot,when he returns;and I will advise you to make the same use of it that the Roman Catholics say they do of the pictures and images of their saints,which is,only to remind them of those;for the adoration they disclaim.Nay,I will go further,as the transition from Popery to Pagani** is short and easy,I will classically end poetically advise you to invoke,and sacrifice to them every day,and all the day.It must be owned,that the Graces do not seem to be natives of Great Britain;and,I doubt,the best of us here have more of rough than polished diamond.
Since barbarism drove them out of Greece and Rome,they seem to have taken refuge in France,where their temples are numerous,and their worship the established one.Examine yourself seriously,why such and such people please and engage you,more than such and such others,of equal merit;and you will always find that it is because the former have the Graces and the latter not.I have known many a woman with an exact shape,and a symmetrical assemblage of beautiful features,please nobody;while others,with very moderate shapes and features,have charmed everybody.Why?because Venus will not charm so much,without her attendant Graces,as they will without her.Among men,how often have Iseen the most solid merit and knowledge neglected,unwelcome,or even rejected,for want of them!While flimsy parts,little knowledge,and less merit,introduced by the Graces,have been received,cherished,and admired.Even virtue,which is moral beauty,wants some of its charms if unaccompanied by them.
If you ask me how you shall acquire what neither you nor I can define or ascertain,I can only answer,BY OBSERVATION.Form yourself,with regard to others,upon what you feel pleases you in them.I can tell you the importance,the advantage,of having the Graces;but I cannot give them you:I heartily wish I could,and I certainly would;for I do not know a better present that I could make you.To show you that a very wise,philosophical,and retired man thinks upon that subject as I do,who have always lived in the world,I send you,by Mr.Eliot,the famous Mr.
Locke's book upon education;in which you will end the stress that he lays upon the Graces,which he calls (and very truly)good-breeding.
I have marked all the parts of that book that are worth your attention;for as he begins with the child,almost from its birth,the parts relative to its infancy would be useless to you.Germany is,still less than England,the seat of the Graces;however,you had as good not say so while you are there.But the place which you are going to,in a great degree,is;for I have known as many well-bred,pretty men come from Turin,as from any part of Europe.The late King Victor Amedee took great pains to form such of his subjects as were of any consideration,both to business and manners;the present king,I am told,follows his example:this,however,is certain,that in all courts and congresses,where there are various foreign ministers,those of the King of Sardinia are generally the ablest,the politest,and 'les plus delies'.You will therefore,at Turin,have very good models to form yourself upon:and remember,that with regard to the best models,as well as to the antique Greek statues in the print,'non mai a bastanza'.Observe every word,look,and motion of those who are allowed to be the most accomplished persons there.Observe their natural and careless,but genteel air;their unembarrassed good-breeding;their unassuming,but yet unprostituted dignity.Mind their decent mirth,their discreet frankness,and that 'entregent'which,as much above the frivolous as below the important and the secret,is the proper medium for conversation in mixed companies.I will observe,by the bye,that the talent of that light 'entregent'is often of great use to a foreign minister;not only as it helps him to domesticate himself in many families,but also as it enables him to put by and parry some subjects of conversation,which might possibly lay him under difficulties both what to say and how to look.