High-Flown Professions Of Friendship And Attachment Constitute
The Language Of Common Compliment In This Country, And Are Never
Supposed
To be understood in the literal acceptation of the
words; and, if their acts of generosity are but very rare,
We
ought to ascribe that rarity, not so much to a deficiency of
generous sentiments, as to their vanity and ostentation, which
engrossing all their funds, utterly disable them from exerting
the virtues of beneficence. Vanity, indeed, predominates among
all ranks, to such a degree, that they are the greatest egotists
in the world; and the most insignificant individual talks in
company with the same conceit and arrogance, as a person of the
greatest importance. Neither conscious poverty nor disgrace will
restrain him in the least either from assuming his full share of
the conversation, or making big addresses to the finest lady,
whom he has the smallest opportunity to approach: nor is he
restrained by any other consideration whatsoever. It is all one
to him whether he himself has a wife of his own, or the lady a
husband; whether she is designed for the cloister, or pre-ingaged
to his best friend and benefactor. He takes it for granted that
his addresses cannot but be acceptable; and, if he meets with a
repulse, he condemns her taste; but never doubts his own
qualifications.
I have a great many things to say of their military character,
and their punctilios of honour, which last are equally absurd and
pernicious; but as this letter has run to an unconscionable
length, I shall defer them till another opportunity. Mean-while,
I have the honour to be, with very particular esteem - Madam, Your
most obedient servant.
LETTER VIII
To MR. M -
LYONS, October 19, 1763.
DEAR SIR, - I was favoured with yours at Paris, and look upon your
reproaches as the proof of your friendship. The truth is, I
considered all the letters I have hitherto written on the subject
of my travels, as written to your society in general, though they
have been addressed to one individual of it; and if they contain
any thing that can either amuse or inform, I desire that
henceforth all I send may be freely perused by all the members.
With respect to my health, about which you so kindly enquire, I
have nothing new to communicate. I had reason to think that my
bathing in the sea at Boulogne produced a good effect, in
strengthening my relaxed fibres. You know how subject I was to
colds in England; that I could not stir abroad after sun-set, nor
expose myself to the smallest damp, nor walk till the least
moisture appeared on my skin, without being laid up for ten days
or a fortnight. At Paris, however, I went out every day, with my
hat under my arm, though the weather was wet and cold: I walked
in the garden at Versailles even after it was dark, with my head
uncovered, on a cold evening, when the ground was far from being
dry:
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