Among the many advantages which you have had in your education, I do not consider your knowledge of several languages as the least.  You need not trust to translations; you can go to the source; you can both converse and negotiate with people of all nations, upon equal terms; which is by no means the case of a man, who converses or negotiates in a language which those with whom he hath to do know much better than himself.  In business, a great deal may depend upon the force and extent of one word; and, in conversation, a moderate thought may gain, or a good one lose, by the propriety or impropriety, the elegance or inelegance of one single word.  As therefore you now know four modern languages well, I would have you study (and, by the way, it will be very little trouble to you) to know them correctly, accurately, and delicately.  Read some little books that treat of them, and ask questions concerning their delicacies, of those who are able to answer you.  As, for instance, should I say in French, ‘la lettre que je vous ai ECRIT’, or, ’la lettre que je vous ai ECRITE’? in which, I think, the French differ among themselves.  There is a short French grammar by the Port Royal, and another by Pere Buffier, both which are worth your reading; as is also a little book called ’Les Synonymes Francois.  There are books of that kind upon the Italian language, into some of which I would advise you to dip; possibly the German language may have something of the same sort, and since you already speak it, the more properly you speak it the better; one would, I think, as far as possible, do all one does correctly and elegantly.  It is extremely engaging to people of every nation, to meet with a foreigner who hath taken pains enough to speak their language correctly; it flatters that local and national pride and prejudice of which everybody hath some share.

Francis’s “Eugenia,” which I will send you, pleased most people of good taste here; the boxes were crowded till the sixth night, when the pit and gallery were totally deserted, and it was dropped.  Distress, without death, was not sufficient to affect a true British audience, so long accustomed to daggers, racks, and bowls of poison:  contrary to Horace’s rule, they desire to see Medea murder her children upon the stage.  The sentiments were too delicate to move them; and their hearts are to be taken by storm, not by parley.

Have you got the things, which were taken from you at Calais, restored? and, among them, the little packet which my sister gave you for Sir Charles Hotham?  In this case, have you forwarded it to him?  If you have not had an opportunity, you will have one soon; which I desire you will not omit; it is by Monsieur d’Aillion, whom you will see in a few days at Paris, in his way to Geneva, where Sir Charles now is, and will remain some time.  Adieu: 

LETTER CLXII

London, March 5, O. S. 1752