LettertoHisSon
F.D.斯坦厄普 /
Dearboy，
Theartofpleasingisaverynecessaryonetopossess， ； andyourowngoodsenseandobservationwillteachyoumoreofitthanIcan.“Doasyouwouldbedoneby，” ， ， yourtastes， oryourweaknesses， dependuponit， ， anddonotpretendtogiveit； beserious， gay， oreventrifling， asyoufindthepresenthumorofthecompany； ； thereisnothingmoretediousanddisagreeable； ifbychanceyouknowaveryshortstory， andexceedinglyapplicabletothepresentsubjectofconversation， tellitinasfewwordsaspossible； andeventhen， throwoutthatyoudonotlovetotellstories， butthattheshortnessofittemptedyou.
Ofallthingsbanishtheegotismoutofyourconversation， andneverthinkofentertainingpeoplewithyourownpersonalconcernsorprivateaffairs； thoughtheyareinterestingtoyou， theyaretediousandimpertinenttoeverybodyelse； besidesthat， onecannotkeepone’， donotaffectedlydisplaythemincompany； norlabor， asmanypeopledo， togivethatturntotheconversation， ， theywillinfalliblybediscovered， withoutyourpointingthemoutyourself， ， thoughyouthinkorknowyourselftobeintheright； butgiveyouropinionmodestlyandcoolly， whichistheonlywaytoconvince； and， ifthatdoesnotdo， trytochangetheconversation， bysaying， withgoodhumor， “Weshallhardlyconvinceoneanother； norisitnecessarythatweshould， soletustalkofsomethingelse.”
