無論你做出什么樣的舉動,都會在某種程度上對我產生非常明顯的影響。最近我收到兩封洛桑的來信,一封寄自聖•日耳曼夫人,另一封寄自龐比尼先生,他們都對你贊賞有加,我感到十分欣慰。因此,為了不幸負他們,也為了不辜負你,我覺得有必要寫信讓你知道。

那些配得上享有美名的人,應該讓他們了解自己享有的名聲,從而感到快慰。這不僅是一種獎賞,而且是一種激勵。他們在信中夸你不僅彬彬有禮,而且很有教養;他們還說,原來你所具有的拘謹、害羞、膽怯和粗魯的英國式的外表(在我看來,你以前的確有過這些毛病),現在几乎全都消失了。聽了這些我十分高興,因為就像我經常對你說的那樣,那些和藹可親的風度、落落大方的儀表、溫文爾雅的舉止等次要的修養,比一般人所想像的要更為重要,尤其是在英國。

品格和學識就像黃金般珍貴,它們具有永恆的價值,然而如果不加以雕琢,它們肯定會失去絕大部分的光澤,人們甚至會把閃閃發光的黃銅看得比粗糙的黃金更珍貴。

法國人良好的儀態和教養不知掩蓋了多少瑕疵啊！有很多法國人缺乏常識,甚至更多的法國人非常淺薄。但是,他們總會用儀態彌補這些缺點,因此人們往往察覺不到。

我常常這樣說,也這樣想,一個品德高尚、學識淵博、理性健全的法國人再加上他們特有的儀態和良好的教養,可以說具有十全十美的人格了。只要你愿意,你一樣也能(我也期望你一定會)達到這種十全十美的境界。

你應該明白什么叫品德,只要你樂意,你就能得到它,它是人人都做得到的事情,沒有得到它的人非常不幸。上天已經賦予你遠見卓識,你的學問也足夠用了 ― 你在不算太長的時間裡學會了應該學的東西。你在擁有這些之後,很早就被送出去增長見識。你在外面如果吸取不到其他能使你的品格變得更加完美的修養,那就是你自己的問題了。

你應該再去拜訪聖•日耳曼夫人和龐比尼先生,告訴他們你從我這裡了解到他們對你的溢美之詞,并向他們表示感謝。

再見！繼續努力吧,孩子！你要讓自己配得上這些贊美之詞,這樣的話,你就值得享有并且已享有我的真愛。

舊歷1747年3月6日于倫敦

London

March 6, O.S. 1747.

Dear Boy,

Whatever you do, will always affect me, very sensibly, one way or another; and I am now most agreeably affected by two letters, which I have lately seen from Lausanne, upon your subject; the one was from Madame St. Germain, the other from Monsieur Pampigny: they both give so good an account of you, that I thought myself obliged, in justice both to them and to you, to let you know it.

Those who deserve a good character ought to have the satisfaction of knowing that they have it, both as a reward and as an encouragement. They write, that you are not only décrotté, but tolerably well-bred; and that the English crust of awkward bashfulness, shyness, and roughness,( of which, by the bye, you had hour share) is pretty well rubbed off. I am most heartily glad of it; for, as I have often told you, lesser talents, of an engaging, insinuating manner, an easy good-breeding, a genteel behaviour and address, are of infinitely more advantage than they are generally thought to be, especially here in England.    

Virtue and learning, like gold, have their intrinsic value; but if they are not polished, they certainly lose a great deal of their lustre; and even polished brass will pass upon more people than rough gold.

What a number of sins does the cheerful, easy good-breeding of the French frequently cover! Many of them want common sense, many more common learning; but, in general, they make up so much, by their manner, for those defects, that, frequently, they pass undiscovered.

I have often said, and do think, that a Frenchman, who, with a fund of virtue, learning, and good-sense, has the manners and good-breeding of this country, is the perfection of human nature. This perfection you may, if you please, and I hope you will, arrive at.

You know what virtue is: you may have it it you will; it it in every man's power; and miserable is the man who has it not. Goodsense God has given you. Learning you already possess enough of, to have, in a reasonable time, all that a man need have. With this, you are thrown out early into the world, where it will be your own fault if you do not acquire all the other accomplishments necessary to complere and adorn your character.

You will do well to make your compliments to Madame St. Germain and Monsieur Pampigny; and tell them how sensible you are of their partiality to you, in the advantageous testimonies which, you are informed, they have given of you here.

Adieu! Continue to deserve such testimonies; and then you will not only deserve, but enjoy, my truest affection.