You seem to like Rome.  How do you go on there?  Are you got into the inside of that extraordinary government?  Has your Abbate Foggini discovered many of those mysteries to you?  Have you made an acquaintance with some eminent Jesuits?  I know no people in the world more instructive.  You would do very well to take one or two such sort of people home with you to dinner every day.  It would be only a little ‘minestra’ and ‘macaroni’ the more; and a three or four hours’ conversation ‘de suite’ produces a thousand useful informations, which short meetings and snatches at third places do not admit of; and many of those gentlemen are by no means unwilling to dine ‘gratis’.  Whenever you meet with a man eminent in any way, feed him, and feed upon him at the same time; it will not only improve you, but give you a reputation of knowledge, and of loving it in others.

I have been lately informed of an Italian book, which I believe may be of use to you, and which, I dare say, you may get at Rome, written by one Alberti, about fourscore or a hundred years ago, a thick quarto.  It is a classical description of Italy; from whence, I am assured, that Mr. Addison, to save himself trouble, has taken most of his remarks and classical references.  I am told that it is an excellent book for a traveler in Italy.

What Italian books have you read, or are you reading?  Ariosto.  I hope, is one of them.  Pray apply yourself diligently to Italian; it is so easy a language, that speaking it constantly, and reading it often, must, in six months more, make you perfect master of it:  in which case you will never forget it; for we only forget those things of which we know but little.

But, above all things, to all that you learn, to all that you say, and to all that you do, remember to join the Graces.  All is imperfect without them; with them everything is at least tolerable.  Nothing could hurt me more than to find you unattended by them.  How cruelly should I be shocked, if, at our first meeting, you should present yourself to me without them!  Invoke them, and sacrifice to them every moment; they are always kind, where they are assiduously courted.  For God’s sake, aim at perfection in everything:  ’Nil actum reputans si quid superesset agendum.  Adieu.  Yours most tenderly.

LETTER CVIII

London, March 19, O. S. 1750.

My dear friend:  I acknowledge your last letter of the 24th February, N. S. In return for your earthquake, I can tell you that we have had here more than our share of earthquakes; for we had two very strong ones in eight-and-twenty days.  They really do too much honor to our cold climate; in your warm one, they are compensated by favors from the sun, which we do not enjoy.