Since I wrote what goes before,I have talked you over minutely with Lord Albemarle,who told me,that he could very sincerely commend you upon every article but one;but upon that one you were often joked,both by him and others.I desired to know what that was;he laughed and told me it was the article of dress,in which you were exceedingly negligent.
Though he laughed,I can assure you that it is no laughing matter for you;and you will possibly be surprised when I assert (but,upon my word,it is literally true),that to be very well dressed is of much more importance to you,than all the Greek you know will,be of these thirty years.Remember that the world is now your only business;and that you must adopt its customs and manners,be they silly or be they not.To neglect your dress,is an affront to all the women you keep company with;as it implies that you do not think them worth that attention which everybody else doth;they mind dress,and you will never please them if you neglect yours;and if you do not please the women,you will not please half the men you otherwise might.It is the women who put a young fellow in fashion even with the men.A young fellow ought to have a certain fund of coquetry;which should make him try all the means of pleasing,as much as any coquette in Europe can do.Old as I am,and little thinking of women,God knows,I am very far from being negligent of my dress;and why?From conformity to custom,and out of decency to men,who expect that degree of complaisance.I do not,indeed,wear feathers and red heels,which would ill suit my age;but I take care to have my clothes well made,my wig well combed and powdered,my linen and person extremely clean.I even allow my footman forty shillings a year extraordinary,that they may be spruce and neat.Your figure especially,which from its stature cannot be very majestic and interesting,should be the more attended to in point of dress as it cannot be 'imposante',it should be 'gentile,aimable,bien mise'.It will not admit of negligence and carelessness.
I believe Mr.Hayes thinks that you have slighted him a little of late,since you have got into so much other company.I do not by any means blame you for not frequenting his house so much as you did at first,before you had got into so many other houses more entertaining and more instructing than his;on the contrary,you do very well;but,however,as he was extremely civil to you,take care to be so to him,and make up in manner what you omit in matter.See him,dine with him before you come away,and ask his commands for England.
Your triangular seal is done,and I have given it to an English gentleman,who sets out in a week for Paris,and who will deliver it to Sir John Lambert for you.
I cannot conclude this letter without returning again to the showish,the ornamental,the shining parts of your character;which,if you neglect,upon my word you will render the solid ones absolutely useless;nay,such is the present turn of the world,that some valuable qualities are even ridiculous,if not accompanied by the genteeler accomplishments.
Plainness,simplicity,and quakerism,either in dress or manners,will by no means do;they must both be laced and embroidered;speaking,or writing sense,without elegance and turn,will be very little persuasive;and the best figure in the world,without air and address,will be very ineffectual.Some pedants may have told you that sound sense and learning stand in,need of no ornaments;and,to support that assertion,elegantly quote the vulgar proverb,that GOOD WINE NEEDS NO BUSH;but surely the little experience you have already had of the world must have convinced you that the contrary of that assertion is true.All those accomplishments are now in your power;think of them,and of them only.
I hope you frequent La Foire St.Laurent,which I see is now open;you will improve more by going there with your mistress,than by staying at home and reading Euclid with your geometry master.Adieu.'Divertissez-vous,il n'y a rien de tel'.
