Your letters, except when upon a given subject, are exceedingly laconic, and neither answer my desires nor the purpose of letters; which should be familiar conversations, between absent friends.  As I desire to live with you upon the footing of an intimate friend, and not of a parent, I could wish that your letters gave me more particular accounts of yourself, and of your lesser transactions.  When you write to me, suppose yourself conversing freely with me by the fireside.  In that case, you would naturally mention the incidents of the day; as where you had been, who you had seen, what you thought of them, etc.  Do this in your letters:  acquaint me sometimes with your studies, sometimes with your diversions; tell me of any new persons and characters that you meet with in company, and add your own observations upon them:  in short, let me see more of you in your letters.  How do you go on with Lord Pulteney, and how does he go on at Leipsig?  Has he learning, has he parts, has he application?  Is he good or ill-natured?  In short, What is he? at least, what do you think him?  You may tell me without reserve, for I promise you secrecy.  You are now of an age that I am desirous to begin a confidential correspondence with you; and as I shall, on my part, write you very freely my opinion upon men and things, which I should often be very unwilling that anybody but you and Mr. Harte should see, so, on your part, if you write me without reserve, you may depend upon my inviolable secrecy.  If you have ever looked into the “Letters” of Madame de Sevigne to her daughter, Madame de Grignan, you must have observed the ease, freedom, and friendship of that correspondence; and yet, I hope and I believe, that they did not love one another better than we do.  Tell me what books you are now reading, either by way of study or amusement; how you pass your evenings when at home, and where you pass them when abroad.  I know that you go sometimes to Madame Valentin’s assembly; What do you do there?  Do you play, or sup, or is it only ‘la belle conversation?’ Do you mind your dancing while your dancing-master is with you?  As you will be often under the necessity of dancing a minuet, I would have you dance it very well.  Remember, that the graceful motion of the arms, the giving your hand, and the putting on and pulling off your hat genteelly, are the material parts of a gentleman’s dancing.  But the greatest advantage of dancing well is, that it necessarily teaches you to present yourself, to sit, stand, and walk, genteelly; all of which are of real importance to a man of fashion.

I should wish that you were polished before you go to Berlin; where, as you will be in a great deal of good company, I would have you have the right manners for it.  It is a very considerable article to have ’le ton de la bonne compagnie’, in your destination particularly.  The principal business of a foreign minister is, to get into the secrets, and to know all ‘les allures’ of the courts