I would also have you acquire a liberal taste of the two liberal arts of painting and sculpture;but without descending into those minutia,which our modern virtuosi most affectedly dwell upon.Observe the great parts attentively;see if nature be truly represented;if the passions are strongly expressed;if the characters are preserved;and leave the trifling parts,with their little jargon,to affected puppies.I would advise you also,to read the history of the painters and sculptors,and Iknow none better than Felibien's.There are many in Italian;you will inform yourself which are the best.It is a part of history very entertaining,curious enough,and not quite useless.All these sort of things I would have you know,to a certain degree;but remember,that they must only be the amusements,and not the business of a man of parts.
Since writing to me in German would take up so much of your time,of which I would not now have one moment wasted,I will accept of your composition,and content myself with a moderate German letter once a fortnight,to Lady Chesterfield or Mr.Gravenkop.My meaning was only that you should not forget what you had already learned of the German language and character;but,on the contrary,that by frequent use it should grow more easy and familiar.Provided you take care of that,I do not care by what means:but I do desire that you will every day of your life speak German to somebody or other (for you will meet with Germans enough),and write a line or two of it every day to keep your hand in.
Why should you not (for instance)write your little memorandums and accounts in that language and character?by which,too,you would have this advantage into the bargain,that,if mislaid,few but yourself could read them.
I am extremely glad to hear that you like the assemblies at Venice well enough to sacrifice some suppers to them;for I hear that you do not dislike your suppers neither.It is therefore plain,that there is somebody or something at those assemblies,which you like better than your meat.And as I know that there is none but good company at those assemblies,I am very glad to find that you like good company so well.
I already imagine that you are a little,smoothed by it;and that you have either reasoned yourself,or that they have laughed you out of your absences and DISTRACTIONS;for I cannot suppose that you go there to insult them.I likewise imagine,that you wish to be welcome where you wish to go;and consequently,that you both present and behave yourself there 'en galant homme,et pas in bourgeois'.
If you have vowed to anybody there one of those eternal passions which Ihave sometimes known,by great accident,last three months,I can tell you that without great attention,infinite politeness,and engaging air and manners,the omens will be sinister,and the goddess unpropitious.
Pray tell me what are the amusements of those assemblies?Are they little commercial play,are they music,are they 'la belle conversation',or are they all three?'Y file-t-on le parfait amour?Y debite-t-on les beaux sentimens?Ou est-ce yu'on y parle Epigramme?And pray which is your department?'Tutis depone in auribus'.Whichever it is,endeavor to shine and excel in it.Aim at least at the perfection of everything that is worth doing at all;and you will come nearer it than you would imagine;but those always crawl infinitely short of it whose aim is only mediocrity.Adieu.
P.S.By an uncommon diligence of the post,I have this moment received yours of the 9th,N.S.