| Description | (Directed to Mr. Bourdon's, rue de Maurepas.)
I received my dear Son's letter (sans date). The information you give me respecting Mr. Genet's and Mr. Bourdon's retrait gives me real concern, and serves as an instance amongst thousands of others to confirm my opineon that no man can be happy who is dependant on others-at least, his happiness is very precarious. I always liked the spirit of the Miller of Mansfield, as express'd in an old English song:
How happy a state does the miller possess
Who would be no greater nor fears to be less;
On his mill and himself he depends for support
Without bowing or serving or cringing at Court.
As to Mr. Genet, I presume he hath an independant fortune, and I am sure he has abilities that may be so usefully applyed to the service of the state as to ensure him employ in one department or another.
As to Mr. Bourdon, I should be very happy to learn that he is not totaly disapointed but is appointed to some other place equaly as profitable: however, it will encrease my concern for him to remove you at this gloomy juncture. Yet, nevertheless, if I could, or Mrs. De Lassert or Mr. Guyot could, find you a faithfull friend, companion, and instructor, one of good morals, with virtuous and honorable principles, one that would spend the greatest part of his time with you and that was well qualify'd to instruct you to speak and write correctly the French language, that would attend you to publick lectures of chymistry, minerology, or natural philosophy-I say, if Mrs. de Lassert could find such a person, I should consent to your going to Paris for six months; but unless such a person can be found I cannot consent, as your inexperience would render your situation in Paris very dangerous.
The prosperity of every man depends more on the company he keeps and the acquaintances he forms than on any other circumstance I know. I fear you are not in a situation to make any great advancements in learning or knowledge at Versailles, and yet it is better to gain a little ground than to go backward. However, I have by this post wrote fully to Madam de Lassert and requested her advice and assistance in procuring a situation more favourable for improvment than your present; and you may in a few days wait upon her, when perhaps she will shew you my letter and give you her opineon, if she thinks it probable that such a person as I have discribed can be found.
If you should go to live at Paris I must positivly insist upon it that you do not keep company with any of your own countrymen, as you will neither learn French or anything that is good of them. The young English at Paris are in general rakes, spendthrifts, blockheads, and puppys; I therefore beg you'l never associate with any such.
The company you find at Mrs. De Lassert's are quite of another class; pray tell me per return of post what part of that family is gone to Lyons, &c.
When you go to Paris, pray call on Mr. Droz, No. 18 rue Macon, and see if he has begun to engrave any dye for me, and desire him to write to me and tell me how he settled with General Eliott.
Pray did Werstein deliver the two books call'd Evalina to Miss de Lassert, and if he did I recommend that you read them; they will please you.
I have received a letter from Mr. Bourdon, but I ca[nnot] read his hand writing; however, I will write to him per next post. I have not receiv'd any line from Madam de Lassert of several months.
I shall stay here till the middle of November and beg you will write to me one or twice a week. The copper trade is bad and many of the mines will be obliged to be knacked. Mr. Wilson and family, William Murdock, Lawson, &c., desire to be remember'd to you. We have just erected an engine here that raises at each stroke seven feet high a column of water that weighs eighty thousand pounds' weight, and is the most powerful that ever was in the world .
Pray read Telemackus over again in the French; you'l find some useful moral in that elegant written book.
I hope you receiv'd the letter I wrote you from London; you have not yet acknowledged it.
Present my compliments to Mr. Genit and Mr. Bourdon. God bless you, my dear son. I am ever yours most affectionately,
M. B.
[Edited transcript.] |