The parliament will be dissolved in about ten days, and the writs for the election of the new one issued out immediately afterward; so that, by the end of next month, you may depend upon being ’Membre de la chambre basse’; a title that sounds high in foreign countries, and perhaps higher than it deserves.  I hope you will add a better title to it in your own, I mean that of a good speaker in parliament:  you have, I am sure, all, the materials necessary for it, if you will but put them together and adorn them.  I spoke in parliament the first month I was in it, and a month before I was of age; and from the day I was elected, till the day that I spoke.  I am sure I thought nor dreamed of nothing but speaking.  The first time, to say the truth, I spoke very indifferently as to the matter; but it passed tolerably, in favor of the spirit with which I uttered it, and the words in which I had dressed it.  I improved by degrees, till at last it did tolerably well.  The House, it must be owned, is always extremely indulgent to the two or three first attempts of a young speaker; and if they find any degree of common sense in what he says, they make great allowances for his inexperience, and for the concern which they suppose him to be under.  I experienced that indulgence; for had I not been a young member, I should certainly have been, as I own I deserved, reprimanded by the House for some strong and indiscreet things that I said.  Adieu!  It is indeed high time.

LETTER CC

London, March 26, 1754

My dear friend:  Yesterday I received your letter of the 15th from Manheim, where I find you have been received in the usual gracious manner; which I hope you return in a graceful one.  As this is a season of great devotion and solemnity in all Catholic countries, pray inform yourself of, and constantly attend to, all their silly and pompous church ceremonies; one ought to know them.  I am very glad that you wrote the letter to Lord------, which, in every different case that can possibly be supposed, was, I am sure, both a decent and a prudent step.  You will find it very difficult, whenever we meet, to convince me that you could have any good reasons for not doing it; for I will, for argument’s sake, suppose, what I cannot in reality believe, that he has both said and done the worst he could, of and by you; What then?  How will you help yourself?  Are you in a situation to hurt him?  Certainly not; but he certainly is in a situation to hurt you.  Would you show a sullen, pouting, impotent resentment?  I hope not; leave that silly, unavailing sort of resentment to women, and men like them, who are always guided by humor, never by reason and prudence.  That pettish, pouting conduct is a great deal too young, and implies too little knowledge of the world, for one who has seen so much of it as you have.  Let this be one invariable rule of your conduct,—­Never