make-you pleafe, it must be only becaufe fhe will not, and not because the cannot. I hope you are, du bois dont on en fait and if fo, fhe is fo good a fculptor, that I am fure the can give you whatever form the pleafes. I have of late been a fort of an aftronome malgré moi ‡, by bringing, laft Monday, into the house of lords, a bill for reforming our prefent calendar, and taking the new ftyle-upon which occafion I was obliged to talk fome aftronomical jargon, of which I did not underftand one word, but got it by heart, and spoke it by rote from a master. I wished that I had known a little more of it myself; and fo much I would have you know. But the great and neceffary knowledge of all is, to know yourself and others: this knowledge requires great attention and long experience: exert the former, and may you have the latter.-Adieu ! P. S. I have this moment received your letters of the 27th February, and the 2d March. The feal fhall be done as foon as poffible. I am glad that you are employed in Lord Albemarle's bureau: it will teach you, at leaft, the mechanical part of that bufinefs, fuch as folding, entering, and docketing, letters; for you muft not imagine that you are let into the fin fin of the correfpondence, nor indeed is it fit that you should, at your age. However, ufe yourself to fecrecy as to the letters you either read or write, that in time you may be trufted with Jecret, vely fecret, feparate, apart, c. LETTER CXIII. Comment on the words "Gentle in Manner, firm in Conduct"... Kings and Minifters...Command of Temper. -MY DEAR FRIEND, I MENTIONED to you, fome time ago, a sentence, which I would moft ea neftly with you always to re + Wood that will bear carving. tain in your thoughts, and obferve in your conduct. It is fuavitèr in modo, fortiter in re. I do not know any cne rule fo unexceptionably ufeful and neceffary in every part of life. I fhall therefore take it for my text to-day; and as old men love preaching, and I have fome right to preach to you, I here prefent you with my fermon upon these words. To proceed then regularly and pulpitically; I will first fhew you, my beloved! the neceflary connection of the two members of my text-favitèr in modo; fortitèr in re. In the next place, I fall fet forth the advantages and utility refulting from a ftri&t obfervance of the precept contained in my text; & conclude with an application of the whok The fuaviter in modo alone, would degenerate and fink into a mean, timid complaifance, and paffivenefs, if not supported and dignified by the fortiter in res which would alfo run into impetuofity and brutality, if not tempered and foftened by the fuaviter in mode: however, they are feldom united. The warm, choleric man, with ftrong animal fpirits, defpifes the fuaviter in modo, and thinks to carry all before him by the fortiter in re. He may poflibly, by great accident, now and then fucceed, when he has only weak and timid people to deal with; but his general fate will be, to fhock, offend, be hated, and fail. On the other hand, the cunning, crafty man, thinks to gain all his ends by the faviter in modo only: he becomes all things to all men; he feems to have no opinion of his own, and fervilely adopts the prefent opinion of the prefent perfon; infinuates himself only into the efteem of fools, but is foon detected, and furely defpifed by every body elle. The wife man (who differs as much from the cunning, as from the choleric) alone joins the the Juavièr in mede with the fortiter in re.-Now to the advantages arifing from the ftrict obfervance of this precept. he If you are in authority, and have a right to command, your commands delivered fuavitèr in mode will be willingly, cheerfully, and confequently well obeyed; whereas, if given only fortiter, that is brutally, they will rather, as Tacitus fays, be interpreted than exe ་ exted. For my own part, if I bid my footman bring me a glass of wine, in a rough, infulting manner, I fhould expect, that, in obeying me, he would contrive to fpill fome of it upon me; and I am fure I should deferve it. A cool, fteady refolution fhould show, that where you have a right to command, you will be obeyed; but at the fame time, a gentleness in the manner of enforcing that obedience thould make it a cheerful one, and foften, as much as poffible, the mortifying confcioufnefs of inferiority. If you are to afk a favour, or even to folicit your due, you must do it fuavitèr in modo, or you will give thofe, who have a mind to refufe you either, a pretence to do it, by refenting the manner; but, on the other hand, you must, by a fteady perfeverance and decent tenacioufnefs, fhow the fortiter in re. The right motives are feldom the true ones of men's actions, efpecially of kings, minifters, and people in high ftations, who often give to importunity and fear what they would refuse to justice or to merit. By the fuavitèr in modo engage their hearts, if you can at leaft prevent the pretence of offence: but take care to fhow enough of the fortiter in re to extort from their love of eafe, or their fear, what you might in vain hope for from their juftice or good na ture. People in high life are hardened to the wants and diftreffes of mankind, as furgeons are to their bodily pains; they fee and hear of them all day long, and even of fo many fimulated ones, that they do not know which are real, and which not. Other fentiments are therefore to be applied than thofe of mere juftice and humanity; their favour must be captivated by the fuaviter in modo: their love of eafe difturbed by unwea ried importunity, or their fears wrought upon by a decent intimation of implacable, cool: refentment: this is the true fortiter in re. This precept is the only way I know in the world, of being loved without being defpifed, and feared without being hated. It conftitutes the dignity of character, which every wife man must endeavour to establish. Now to apply what has been faid, and fo conclude. If you find that you have a haftinefs in your tempes which unguardedly breaks out into indifcreet fallies, or rough expreffions, to either your fuperiors, your equals, or your inferiors, watch it narrowly, check it carefully, and call the fuaviter in modo to your aflistance; at the firit impulfe of paflion, be filent, till you can be soft. Labor even to get the command of your countenance fo well, that thofe emotions may not be read in it a most unfpeakable advantage in bufinefs! On the other hand, let no complaifance, no gentlenefs of temper, no weak defire of pleafing on your part, no wheedling, coaxing, nor flattery, on other people's make you recede one jot from any point which reas fon and prudence have bid you purfue; but return to the charge, perfift, perfevere, and you will find moft things attainable that are poffible. A yielding, timid meeknefs is always infulted and abufed by the unjust and unfeeling; but when fuftained by the fortiter inst is always refpected, commonly fuccefsful. In your friendships and connections, as well as in your ene mies, this rule is particularly ufeful; let your firm nefs and vigor preferve and invite attachments to you, but, at the fame time, let your manner hinder the ene mies of your friends and dependants from becoming yours: let your enemies be difarmed by the gentlenes of your manner; but let them feel, at the fame time, the fteadiness of your juft resentment; for there is great difference between bearing malice, which is al ways ungenerous, and a refolute felf-defence, which is always prudent and juftifiable. In negociations with foreign minifters, remember the fortiter in re; give up. no point, accept of no expedient, till the utmoft necel ty reduces you to it, and even then difpute the ground inch by inch; but then, while you are con tending with the minifter. fortiter in re, remember to gain the man by the fuaviter in modo. Tell him, in a frank, gallant manner, that your minifterial wrangles. do not leffen, your perfonal regard for his merit; but that, on the contrary, his zeal and ability, in the fervice of his mafter increafe it; and that, of all things, you defire to make a good friend of so good a fervant, By thefe means you may and will very often be gainer, -you never can be a lofer. Some people cannot gain upon themselves to be eafy and civil to thofe who are either their rivals, competitors, or oppofers; though, independently of thofe accidental circumftances, they would like and efteem them. They betray a fhynefs. and an awkwardnefs in company with them, and catch at any little thing to expofe them; and so, from temporary and only occafional opponents, make them their perfonal enemies. This is exceedingly weak. and detrimental, as, indeed, is all humor in bufinefs :: which can only be carried on fuccefsfully, by unadulterated good policy and right reafoning. In fuch cases. I would be more particularly and noblement, civil, eafy, and frank with the man whofe defigns I traversed; this is commonly called generofity and magnanimity, but is, in truth, good fenfe and policy. The manner is often as important as the matter, fometimes more fo; a favor may make an enemy, and and an injury may make a friend, according to the different manner in which they are feverally done. The countenance, the addrefs, the words, the enunciation, the graces, add: great efficacy to the the fuaviter in modo, and great dig-. nity to the fortiter in re; and confequently they deferve the utmost attention.. From what has been faid,. I conclude with this obfervation, That gentlenefs of manners, with firmness: of mind, is a fhort, but full defcription of human perfection, on this fide of religious and moral duties. That you may be feriously convinced of this truth, and fhow. it in your life and converfation, is the most fincere and ardent with of yours.. |