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If； by the application which I recommend to you； you acquire great
knowledge； you alone are the gainer； I pay for it。 If you should deserve
either a good or a bad character； mine will be exactly what it is now；
and will neither be the better in the first case； nor worse in the
latter。 You alone will be the gainer or the loser。
Whatever your pleasures may be； I neither can nor shall envy you them；
as old people are sometimes suspected by young people to do； and I shall
only lament； if they should prove such as are unbecoming a man of honor；
or below a man of sense。 But you will be the real sufferer； if they are
such。 As therefore； it is plain that I can have no other motive than
that of affection in whatever I say to you； you ought to look upon me as
your best； and； for some years to come； your only friend。
True friendship requires certain proportions of age and manners； and can
never subsist where they are extremely different； except in the relations
of parent and child； where affection on one side； and regard on the
other； make up the difference。 The friendship which you may contract
with people of your own age may be sincere； may be warm； but must be；
for some time； reciprocally unprofitable； as there can be no experience
on either side。 The young leading the young； is like the blind leading
the blind； （they will both fall into the ditch。） The only sure guide is；
he who has often gone the road which you want to go。 Let me be that
guide； who have gone all roads； and who can consequently point out to you
the best。 If you ask me why I went any of the bad roads myself； I will
answer you very truly； That it was for want of a good guide： ill example
invited me one way； and a good guide was wanting to show me a better。
But if anybody； capable of advising me； had taken the same pains with me；
which I have taken； and will continue to take with you； I should have
avoided many follies and inconveniences； which undirected youth run me
into。 My father was neither desirous nor able to advise me； which is
what； I hope； you cannot say of yours。 You see that I make use； only of
the word advice； because I would much rather have the assent of your
reason to my advice； than the submission of your will to my； authority。
This； I persuade myself； will happen； from that degree of sense which I
think you have； and therefore I will go on advising； and with hopes of
success。
You are now settled for some time at Leipsig； the principal object of
your stay there is the knowledge of books and sciences； which if you do
not； by attention and application； make yourself master of while you are
there； you will be ignorant of them all the rest of your life； and； take
my word for it； a life of ignorance is not only a very contemptible； but
a very tiresome one。 Redouble your attention； then； to Mr。 Harte； in
your private studies of the 'Literae Humaniores；' especially Greek。
State your difficulties； whenever you have any； and do not suppress them；
either from mistaken shame； lazy indifference； or in order to have done
the sooner。 Do the same when you are at lectures with Professor Mascow；
or any other professor； let nothing pass till you are sure that you
understand it thoroughly； and accustom yourself to write down the capital
points of what you learn。 When you have thus usefully employed your
mornings； you may； with a safe conscience； divert yourself in the
evenings； and make those evenings very useful too； by passing them in
good company； and； by observation and attention； learning as much of the
world as Leipsig can teach you。 You will observe and imitate the manners
of the people of the best fashion there； not that they are （it may be）
the best manners in the world； but because they are the best manners of
the place where you are； to which a man of sense always conforms。 The
nature of things （as I have often told you） is always and everywhere the
same； but the modes of them vary more or less； in every country； and an
easy and genteel conformity to them； or rather the assuming of them at
proper times； and in proper places； is what particularly constitutes a
man of the world； and a well…bred man。
Here is advice enough； I think； and too much； it may be； you will think；
for one letter； if you follow it； you will get knowledge； character； and
pleasure by it； if you do not； I only lose 'operam et oleum；' which； in
all events； I do not grudge you。
I send you； by a person who sets out this day for Leipsig； a small packet
from your Mamma； containing some valuable things which you left behind；
to which I have added； by way of new…year's gift； a very pretty tooth…
pick case； and； by the way； pray take great care of your teeth； and keep
them extremely clean。 I have likewise sent you the Greek roots； lately
translated into English from the French of the Port Royal。 Inform
yourself what the Port Royal is。 To conclude with a quibble： I hope you
will not only feed upon these Greek roots； but likewise digest them
perfectly。 Adieu。
LETTER XXI
LONDON； December 15； O。 S。 1747
DEAR Boy： There is nothing which I more wish that you should know； and
which fewer people do know； than the true use and value of time。 It is
in everybody's mouth； but in few people's practice。 Every fool； who
slatterns away his whole time in nothings； utters； however； some trite
commonplace sentence； of which there are millions； to prove； at once； the
value and the fleetness of time。 The sun…dials； likewise all over
Europe； have some ingenious inscription to that effect； so that nobody
squanders away their time； without hearing and seeing； daily； how
necessary it is to employ it well； and how irrecoverable it is if lost。
But all these admonitions are useless； where there is not a fund of good
sense and reason to suggest them； rather than receive them。 By the
manner in which you now tell me that you employ your time； I flatter
myself that you have that fund； that is the fund which will make you rich
indeed。 I do not； therefore； mean to give you a critical essay upon the
use and abuse of time； but I will only give you some hints with regard to
the use of one particular period of that long time which； I hope； you
have before you； I mean； the next two years。 Remember； then； that
whatever knowledge you do not solidly lay the foundation of before you
are eighteen； you will never be the master of while you breathe。
Knowledge is a comfortable and necessary retreat and shelter for us in an
advanced age； and if we do not plant it while young； it will give us no
shade when we grow old。 I neither require nor expect from you great
application to books； after you are once thrown out into the great world。
I know it is impossible； and it may even； in some cases； be improper；
this； therefore； is your time； and your only time； for unwearied and
uninterrupted application。 If you should sometimes think it a little
laborious； consider that labor is the unavoidable fatigue of a necessary
journey。 The more hours a day you travel； the sooner you will be at your
journey's end。 The sooner you are qualified for your liberty； the sooner
you shall have it； and your manumission will