Your other puff and panegyrist, Mr. Harte, is gone to Windsor in his way to Cornwall, in order to be back soon enough to meet you here:  I really believe he is as impatient for that moment as I am, ‘et c’est tout dire’:  but, however, notwithstanding my impatience, if by chance you should then be in a situation, that leaving Paris would cost your heart too many pangs, I allow you to put off your journey, and to tell me, as Festus did Paul, at A more convenient season I will speak to thee.  You see by this that I eventually sacrifice my sentiments to yours, and this in a very uncommon object of paternal complaisance.  Provided always, and be it understood (as they say in acts of Parliament), that ’quae te cumque domat Venus, non erubescendis adurit ignibus’.  If your heart will let you come, bring with you only your valet de chambre, Christian, and your own footman; not your valet de place, whom you may dismiss for the time, as also your coach; but you had best keep on your lodgings, the intermediate expense of which will be but inconsiderable, and you will want them to leave your books and baggage in.  Bring only the clothes you travel in, one suit of black, for the mourning for the Prince will not be quite out by that time, and one suit of your fine clothes, two or three of your laced shirts, and the rest plain ones; of other things, as bags, feathers, etc., as you think proper.  Bring no books, unless two or three for your’ amusement upon the road; for we must apply simply to English, in which you are certainly no ‘puriste’; and I will supply you sufficiently with the proper English authors.  I shall probably keep you here till about the middle of October, and certainly not longer; it being absolutely necessary for you to pass the next winter at Paris; so that; should any fine eyes shed tears for your departure, you may dry them by the promise of your return in two months.

Have you got a master for geometry?  If the weather is very hot, you may leave your riding at the ‘manege’ till you return to Paris, unless you think the exercise does you more good than the heat can do you harm; but I desire you will not leave off Marcel for one moment; your fencing likewise, if you have a mind, may subside for the summer; but you will do well to resume it in the winter and to be adroit at it, but by no means for offense, only for defense in case of necessity.  Good night.  Yours.

P. S. I forgot to give you one commission, when you come here; which is, not to fail bringing the graces along with you.

LETTER CXLVII

Greenwich, June 13, O. S. 1751.

My dear friend:  ’Les bienseances’—­[This single word implies decorum, good-breeding, and propriety]—­are a most necessary part of the knowledge of the world.  They consist in the relations of persons, things, time, and place; good sense points them out, good company perfects them ( supposing always an attention and a desire to please), and good policy recommends them.