第94章 LETTER LXVI(1)

DEAR BOY:I direct this letter to your banker at Venice,the surest place for you to meet with it,though I suppose that it will be there some time before you;for,as your intermediate stay anywhere else will be short,and as the post from hence,in this season of easterly winds is uncertain,I direct no more letters to Vienna;where I hope both you and Mr.Harte will have received the two letters which I sent you respectively;with a letter of recommendation to Monsieur Capello,at Venice,which was inclosed in mine to you.I will suppose too,that the inland post on your side of the water has not done you justice;for Ireceived but one single letter from you,and one from Mr.Harte,during your whole stay at Berlin;from whence I hoped for,and expected very particular accounts.

I persuade myself,that the time you stay at Venice will be properly employed,in seeing all that is to be seen in that extraordinary place:

and in conversing with people who can inform you,not of the raree-shows of the town,but of the constitution of the government;for which purpose I send you the inclosed letters of recommendation from Sir James Grey,the King's Resident at Venice,but who is now in England.These,with mine to Monsieur Capello,will carry you,if you will go,into all the best company at Venice.

But the important point;and the important place,is Turin;for there Ipropose your staying a considerable time,to pursue your studies,learn your exercises,and form your manners.I own,I am not without my anxiety for the consequence of your stay there,which must be either very good or very bad.To you it will be entirely a new scene.Wherever you have hitherto been,you have conversed,chiefly,with people wiser and discreeter than yourself;and have been equally out of the way of bad advice or bad example;but in the Academy at Turin you will probably meet with both,considering the variety of young fellows about your own age;among whom it is to be expected that some will be dissipated and idle,others vicious and profligate.I will believe,till the contrary appears,that you have sagacity enough to distinguish the good from the bad characters;and both sense and virtue enough to shun the latter,and connect yourself with the former:but however,for greater security,and for your sake alone,I must acquaint you that I have sent positive orders to Mr.Harte to carry you off,instantly,to a place which I have named to him,upon the very first symptom which he shall discover in you,of drinking,gaming,idleness,or disobedience to his orders;so that,whether Mr.Harte informs me or not of the particulars,I shall be able to judge of your conduct in general by the time of your stay at Turin.

If it is short,I shall know why;and I promise you,that you shall soon find that I do;but if Mr.Harte lets you continue there,as long as Ipropose that you should,I shall then be convinced that you make the proper use of your time;which is the only thing I have to ask of you.