Letters to His Son, 1759-65 / On the Fine Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman
Produced by David Widger
LETTERS TO HIS SON 1759-65
By the EARL OF CHESTERFIELD
on the Fine Art of becoming a
and a
LONDON, New-year's Day, 1759
MY DEAR FRIEND: 'Molti e felici', and I have done upon that subject, one truth being fair, upon the most lying day in the whole year.
I have now before me your last letter of the 21st December, which I am glad to find is a bill of health: but, however, do not presume too much upon it, but obey and honor your physician, that thy days may be long in the land.
Since my last, I have heard nothing more concerning the ribband; but I take it for granted it will be disposed of soon. By the way, upon reflection, I am not sure that anybody but a knight can, according to form, be employed to make a knight. I remember that Sir Clement Cotterel was sent to Holland, to dub the late Prince of Orange, only because he was a knight himself; and I know that the proxies of knights, who cannot attend their own installations, must always be knights. This did not occur to me before, and perhaps will not to the person who was to recommend you: I am sure I will not stir it; and I only mention it now, that you may be in all events prepared for the disappointment, if it should happen.
G——-is exceedingly flattered with your account, that three thousand of his countrymen; all as little as himself, should be thought a sufficient guard upon three-and-twenty thousand of all the nations in Europe; not that he thinks himself, by any means, a little man, for when he would describe a tall handsome man, he raises himself up at least half an inch to represent him.
The private news from Hamburg is, that his Majesty's Resident there is woundily in love with Madame———-; if this be true, God send him, rather than her, a good DELIVERY! She must be 'etrennee' at this season, and therefore I think you should be so too: so draw upon me as soon as you please, for one hundred pounds.
Here is nothing new, except the unanimity with which the parliament gives away a dozen of millions sterling; and the unanimity of the public is as great in approving of it, which has stifled the usual political and polemical argumentations.
Earl of Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield
---
LETTER CCXXXVII
LETTER CCXXXVIII
LETTER CCXXXIX
LETTER CCXL
LETTER CCXLI
LETTER CCXLII
LETTER CCXLIII
LETTER CCXLIV
LETTER CCXLV
LETTER CCXLVI
LETTER CCXLVIII
LETTER CCXLIX
LETTER CCL
LETTER CCLI
LETTER CCLII
LETTER CCLIII
LETTER CCLIV
LETTER CCLV
LETTER CCLVI
LETTER CCLVII
LETTER CCLVIII
LETTER CCLIX
LETTER CCLX
LETTER CCLXI
LETTER CCLXII
LETTER CCLXIII
LETTER CCLXIV
LETTER CCLXV
LETTER CCLXVI
LETTER CCLXVII
LETTER CCLXVIII
LETTER CCLXIX
LETTER CCLXX
LETTER CCLXXI
LETTER CCLXXII
LETTER CCLXXIII
LETTER CCLXXIV
LETTER CCLXXV
LETTER CCLXXVI
LETTER CCLXXVII
LETTER CCLXXVIII
LETTER CCLXXIX
LETTER CCLXXX
LETTER CCLXXXI
LETTER CCLXXXII
LETTER CCLXXXIII
ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: