a plodding make, shall be a
citizen; and I design him to be the refuge of the family in their
distress, as well as their jest in prosperity. His brother Will, shall
go to Oxford with all speed, where, if he does not arrive at being a man
of sense, he will soon be informed wherein he is a coxcomb. There is in
that place such a true spirit of raillery and humour, that if they can't
make you a wise man, they will certainly let you know you are a fool,
which is all my cousin wants to cease to be so. Thus having taken these
two out of the way, I have leisure to look at my third lad. I observe in
the young rogue a natural subtilty of mind, which discovers itself
rather in forbearing to declare his thoughts on any occasion, than in
any visible way of exerting himself in discourse. For which reason I
will place him where, if he commits no faults, he may go farther than
those in other stations, though they excel in virtues. The boy is well
fashioned, and will easily fall into a graceful manner; wherefore, I
have a design to make him a page to a great lady of my acquaintance; by
which means he will be well skilled in the common modes of life, and
make a greater progress in the world by that knowledge, than with the
greatest qualities without it. A good mien in a Court will carry a man
greater lengths than a good understanding in any other place. We see a
world of pains taken, and the best years of life spent, in collecting a
set of thoughts in a college for the conduct of life; and after all, the
man so qualified shall hesitate in his speech to a good suit of clothes,
and want common sense before an agreeable woman. Hence it is, that
wisdom, valour, justice, and learning, can't keep a man in countenance
that is possessed with these excellences, if he wants that less art of
life and behaviour, called "good breeding." A man endowed with great
perfections without this, is like one who has his pockets full of gold,
but always wants change for his ordinary occasions. Will. Courtly is a
living instance of this truth, and has had the same education which I am
giving my nephew. He never spoke a thing but what was said before; and
yet can converse with the wittiest men without being ridiculous. Among
the learned, he does not appear ignorant; nor with the wise, indiscreet.
Living in conversation from his infancy, makes him nowhere at a loss;
and a long familiarity with the persons of men, is in a manner of the
same service to him, as if he