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very great and good companies； to meet with some dexterous gentlemen； who may be very desirous； and also very sure； to win your money； if they can but engage you to play with them。 Therefore lay it down as an invariable rule never to play with men； but only with women of fashion； at low play； or with women and men mixed。 But； at the same time； whenever you are asked to play deeper than you would； do not refuse it gravely and sententiously； alleging the folly of staking what would be very inconvenient to one to lose； against what one does not want to win； but parry those invitations ludicrously； 'et en badinant'。 Say that； if you were sure to lose； you might possibly play； but that as you may as well win； you dread 'l'embarras des richesses'； ever since you have seen what an encumbrance they were to poor Harlequin； and that； therefore； you are determined never to venture the winning above two louis a…day； this sort of light trifling way of declining invitations to vice and folly； is more becoming your age； and at the same time more effectual； than grave philosophical refusals。 A young fellow who seems to have no will of his own； and who does everything that is asked of him； is called a very good…natured； but at the same time； is thought a very silly young fellow。 Act wisely； upon solid principles； and from true motives； but keep them to yourself； and never talk sententiously。 When you are invited to drink； say that you wish you could； but that so little makes you both drunk and sick； 'que le jeu me vaut pas la chandelle'。
Pray show great attention； and make your court to Monsieur de la Gueriniere； he is well with Prince Charles and many people of the first distinction at Paris； his commendations will raise your character there； not to mention that his favor will be of use to you in the Academy itself。 For the reasons which I mentioned to you in my last； I would have you be interne in the Academy for the first six months； but after that； I promise you that you shall have lodgings of your own 'dans un hotel garni'； if in the meantime I hear well of you； and that you frequent； and are esteemed in the best French companies。 You want nothing now； thank God； but exterior advantages； that last polish； that 'tournure du monde'； and those graces； which are so necessary to adorn； and give efficacy to； the most solid merit。 They are only to be acquired in the best companies； and better in the best French companies than in any other。 You will not want opportunities； for I shall send you letters that will establish you in the most distinguished companies； not only of the beau monde； but of the beaux esprits； too。 Dedicate； therefore； I beg of you； that whole year to your own advantage and final improvement； and do not be diverted from those objects by idle dissipations； low seduction； or bad example。 After that year； do whatever you please； I will interfere no longer in your conduct； for I am sure both you and I shall be safe then。 Adieu！
LETTER CXI
LONDON； April 30； O。 S。 1750
MY DEAR FRIEND： Mr。 Harte； who in all his letters gives you some dash of panegyric； told me in his last a thing that pleases me extremely； which was that at Rome you had constantly preferred the established Italian assemblies to the English conventicles setup against them by dissenting English ladies。 That shows sense； and that you know what you are sent abroad for。 It is of much more consequence to know the 'mores multorem hominum' than the 'urbes'。 Pray continue this judicious conduct wherever you go； especially at Paris； where； instead of thirty； you will find above three hundred English； herding together and conversing with no one French body。
The life of 'les Milords Anglois' is regularly； or； if you will； irregularly； this。 As soon as they rise； which is very late； they breakfast together； to the utter loss of two good morning hours。 Then they go by coachfuls to the Palais； the Invalides； and Notre…Dame； from thence to the English coffee…house； where they make up their tavern party for dinner。 From dinner； where they drink quick； they adjourn in clusters to the play； where they crowd up the stage； dressed up in very fine clothes； very ill…made by a Scotch or Irish tailor。 From the play to the tavern again； where they get very drunk； and where they either quarrel among themselves； or sally forth； commit some riot in the streets； and are taken up by the watch。 Those who do not speak French before they go； are sure to learn none there。 Their tender vows are addressed to their Irish laundress； unless by chance some itinerant Englishwoman； eloped from her husband； or her creditors； defrauds her of them。 Thus they return home； more petulant； but not more informed； than when they left it； and show； as they think； their improvement by affectedly both speaking and dressing in broken French：
〃Hunc to Romane caveito。〃
Connect yourself； while you are in France； entirely with the French； improve yourself with the old； divert yourself with the young； conform cheerfully to their customs； even to their little follies； but not to their vices。 Do not； however； remonstrate or preach against them； for remonstrances do not suit with your age。 In French companies in general you will not find much learning； therefore take care not to brandish yours in their faces。 People hate those who make them feel their own inferiority。 Conceal all your learning carefully； and reserve it for the company of les Gens d'Eglise； or les Gens de Robe； and even then let them rather extort it from you； than find you over…willing to draw it。 Your are then thought； from that seeming unwillingness； to have still more knowledge than it may be you really have； and with the additional merit of modesty into the bargain。 A man who talks of； or even hints at； his 'bonnes fortunes'； is seldom believed； or； if believed； much blamed； whereas a man who conceals with care is often supposed to have more than he has； and his reputation of discretion gets him others。 It is just so with a man of learning； if he affects to show it； it is questioned； and he is reckoned only superficial； but if afterward it appears that he really has it； he is pronounced a pedant。 Real merit of any kind； 'ubi est non potest diu celari'； it will be discovered； and nothing can depreciate it but a man's exhibiting it himself。 It may not always be rewarded as it ought； but it will always be known。 You will in general find the women of the beau monde at Paris more instructed than the men； who are bred up singly for the army； and thrown into it at twelve or thirteen years old； but then that sort of education； which makes them ignorant of books； gives them a great knowledge of the world； an easy address； and polite manners。
Fashion is more tyrannical at Paris than in any other place in the world； it governs even more absolutely than their king； which is saying a great deal。 The least revolt against it is punished by proscription。 You must observe； and conform to all the 'minutiae' of it； if you will be in fashion there yourself； and if you are not in fashion； you are nobody。 Get； therefore； at all events； into the company of those men and women 'qui donnent le ton'； an