- The
Count De B- Did Not Understand Music, So Desired Me To Explain It
Some Other Way.
A polish'd nation, my dear Count, said I, makes
every one its debtor:
And besides, Urbanity itself, like the fair
sex, has so many charms, it goes against the heart to say it can do
ill; and yet, I believe, there is but a certain line of perfection,
that man, take him altogether, is empower'd to arrive at: - if he
gets beyond, he rather exchanges qualities than gets them. I must
not presume to say how far this has affected the French in the
subject we are speaking of; - but, should it ever be the case of the
English, in the progress of their refinements, to arrive at the
same polish which distinguishes the French, if we did not lose the
politesse du coeur, which inclines men more to humane actions than
courteous ones, - we should at least lose that distinct variety and
originality of character, which distinguishes them, not only from
each other, but from all the world besides.
I had a few of King William's shillings, as smooth as glass, in my
pocket; and foreseeing they would be of use in the illustration of
my hypothesis, I had got them into my hand when I had proceeded so
far: -
See, Monsieur le Count, said I, rising up, and laying them before
him upon the table, - by jingling and rubbing one against another
for seventy years together in one body's pocket or another's, they
are become so much alike, you can scarce distinguish one shilling
from another.
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