Reading, which was always a pleasure to me, in the time even of my greatest dissipation, is now become my only refuge; and, I fear, I indulge it too much at the expense of my eyes.  But what can I do?  I must do something; I cannot bear absolute idleness; my ears grow every day more useless to me, my eyes consequently more necessary; I will not hoard them like a miser, but will rather risk the loss, than not enjoy the use of them.

Pray let me know all the particulars, not only of your reception at Munich, but also at Berlin; at the latter, I believe, it will be a good one; for his Prussian Majesty knows, that I have long been an admirer and respecter of his great and various talents.  Adieu.

LETTER CXCIV

London, February 1, 1754

My dear friend:  I received, yesterday, yours of the 12th, from Munich; in consequence of which, I direct this to you there, though I directed my three last to Berlin, where I suppose you will find them at your arrival.  Since you are not only domesticated, but ‘niche’ at Munich, you are much in the right to stay there.  It is not by seeing places that one knows them, but by familiar and daily conversations with the people of fashion.  I would not care to be in the place of that prodigy of beauty, whom you are to drive ‘dans la course de Traineaux’; and I am apt to think you are much more likely to break her bones, than she is, though ever so cruel, to break your heart.  Nay, I am not sure but that, according to all the rules of gallantry, you are obliged to overturn her on purpose; in the first place, for the chance of seeing her backside; in the next, for the sake of the contrition and concern which it would give you an opportunity of showing; and, lastly, upon account of all the ’gentillesses et epigrammes’, which it would naturally suggest.  Voiture has made several stanzas upon an accident of that kind, which happened to a lady of his acquaintance.  There is a great deal of wit in them, rather too much; for, according to the taste of those times, they are full of what the Italians call ‘concetti spiritosissimi’; the Spaniards ‘agudeze’; and we, affectation and quaintness.  I hope you have endeavored to suit your ‘Traineau’ to the character of the fair-one whom it is to contain.  If she is of an irascible, impetuous disposition (as fine women can sometimes be), you will doubtless place her in the body of a lion, a tiger, a dragon, or some tremendous beast of prey and fury; if she is a sublime and stately beauty, which I think more probable (for unquestionably she is ’hogh gebohrne’), you will, I suppose, provide a magnificent swan or proud peacock for her reception; but if she is all tenderness and softness, you have, to be sure, taken care amorous doves and wanton sparrows should seem to flutter round her.  Proper mottos, I take it for granted, that you have eventually prepared; but if not, you may find a great many ready-made ones in ’Les Entretiens d’Ariste et d’Eugene, sur les Devises’, written by Pere Bouhours, and worth your reading at any time.  I will not say to you, upon this occasion, like the father in Ovid,