-
Articles/Ads
Article ESSAY ON THE WRITINGS OF LORD CHESTERFIELD. ← Page 2 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Essay On The Writings Of Lord Chesterfield.
the son to the life of a courtier . But there is a great deal of' advice which , he deemed proper to be followed by all young men ; who are ., I suppose , to be vicious , in proportion as they approach the elevated rank to which he had destined his son ; That at the very time Chesterfield was composing his Letters , he meant them for the public we have sufficient internal evidence in the stile and manner in which they are written . ' To do justice to Lord Chesterfield ' s composition
( says Hunter ) would require a pen like his own ; or let his Lordship ' s favourite Venus and the Graces join in concert to sing his eu- > logium . ' It is , indeed , unfortunate for the world that he hath united laconic brevity with attic elegance ;'—that ' he resembles more the vernal breeze , than the thunder of Heaven . ' He had a deep design upon the general morals : hence this elegant diction- —this insinuating air .
• I hese observations on Chesterfield were occasioned by my hearing , the other day , a father recommend the ' Letters' to his son , as four excellent volumes upon education , which he ought to read at- « tentively , and from which he would reap considerable advantage . The father added , that 'to some of the letters very absurd objections had been offered ; since they were represented by thei gnoran ^ as _ te » ding to train up youth in simulation and immorality ; and that
the Hottentot Johnson had been most absurdly severe upon them , when he said , that his Lordship was inculcating into his son the manners of a dancing-master and the morals of a whore . ' The gentleman concluded his advice by observing , that ' in the minds of the most sensible people , the doctor prejudiced himself much more than Lord Chesterfield ; in whose works his son miht seehow much
g , that nobleman ( the most witty and the most wise , perhaps , this country had to boast ,-and at the same time the most accomplished ) thought address , figure , and ease in behaviour , worth the trouble of acciuiriinr . '
If I have not given the exact words , I have scrupulously preserved the turn and the manner of the expiession ; particularly the parenthesis , for which this gentleman is as remarkable in his conversations as Clarendon is in his writings . For the sentiment , I must own , his strain of applause , where censure onl } ' seemed due , excited my indignation—which the well-bred sire observing , added this strange
apostrophe ' My son ! as far as your line of life will admit of imitation , may you imitate Chesterfield in all things !'—I had nearl } ' s < iid , ' execrate him in all things . ' But I suppressed my feelings and sentiments ; because , to interfere between too such near relations would have been impertinent , and probably irritating as well as useless . But 1 think it by no means unseasonable , to throw out a few hints on
Chesterfield ' s Letters ; since they are still read and studied , and since 1 doubt not but there are many fathers , like Euttapelus . I confess , that as far as Chesterfield ' s Letteis respect behaviour , his observations are , many of them , just . But he lays much too great a stress on the exterior of a gentleman . Though it is surely worth while for every yout'g man who hath received a classical education , ' to attain the disengaged air , attention and behaviour of a gentleman ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Essay On The Writings Of Lord Chesterfield.
the son to the life of a courtier . But there is a great deal of' advice which , he deemed proper to be followed by all young men ; who are ., I suppose , to be vicious , in proportion as they approach the elevated rank to which he had destined his son ; That at the very time Chesterfield was composing his Letters , he meant them for the public we have sufficient internal evidence in the stile and manner in which they are written . ' To do justice to Lord Chesterfield ' s composition
( says Hunter ) would require a pen like his own ; or let his Lordship ' s favourite Venus and the Graces join in concert to sing his eu- > logium . ' It is , indeed , unfortunate for the world that he hath united laconic brevity with attic elegance ;'—that ' he resembles more the vernal breeze , than the thunder of Heaven . ' He had a deep design upon the general morals : hence this elegant diction- —this insinuating air .
• I hese observations on Chesterfield were occasioned by my hearing , the other day , a father recommend the ' Letters' to his son , as four excellent volumes upon education , which he ought to read at- « tentively , and from which he would reap considerable advantage . The father added , that 'to some of the letters very absurd objections had been offered ; since they were represented by thei gnoran ^ as _ te » ding to train up youth in simulation and immorality ; and that
the Hottentot Johnson had been most absurdly severe upon them , when he said , that his Lordship was inculcating into his son the manners of a dancing-master and the morals of a whore . ' The gentleman concluded his advice by observing , that ' in the minds of the most sensible people , the doctor prejudiced himself much more than Lord Chesterfield ; in whose works his son miht seehow much
g , that nobleman ( the most witty and the most wise , perhaps , this country had to boast ,-and at the same time the most accomplished ) thought address , figure , and ease in behaviour , worth the trouble of acciuiriinr . '
If I have not given the exact words , I have scrupulously preserved the turn and the manner of the expiession ; particularly the parenthesis , for which this gentleman is as remarkable in his conversations as Clarendon is in his writings . For the sentiment , I must own , his strain of applause , where censure onl } ' seemed due , excited my indignation—which the well-bred sire observing , added this strange
apostrophe ' My son ! as far as your line of life will admit of imitation , may you imitate Chesterfield in all things !'—I had nearl } ' s < iid , ' execrate him in all things . ' But I suppressed my feelings and sentiments ; because , to interfere between too such near relations would have been impertinent , and probably irritating as well as useless . But 1 think it by no means unseasonable , to throw out a few hints on
Chesterfield ' s Letters ; since they are still read and studied , and since 1 doubt not but there are many fathers , like Euttapelus . I confess , that as far as Chesterfield ' s Letteis respect behaviour , his observations are , many of them , just . But he lays much too great a stress on the exterior of a gentleman . Though it is surely worth while for every yout'g man who hath received a classical education , ' to attain the disengaged air , attention and behaviour of a gentleman ,