A taste of sculpture and painting is, in my mind, as becoming as a taste of fiddling and piping is unbecoming a man of fashion. The former is connected with history and poetry; the latter, with nothing that I know of, but bad company. [Same date.]
Amiability.—There is a certain concurrence of
various little circumstances, which compose what
the French call l'amiable; and which, now you are
entering into the world, you ought to make it your
particular study to acquire. Without them, your
learning will be pedantry, your conversation often
improper, always unpleasant, and your figure, however
good in itself, awkward and unengaging. A
diamond while rough has indeed its intrinsic value;
but till polished is of no use, and would neither be
sought for nor worn. Its great lustre, it is true,
proceeds from its solidity and strong cohesion of
parts; but without the last polish, it would remain
forever a dirty, rough mineral in the cabinets of
some few curious collectors.. You have, I hope, that
solidity and cohesion of parts; take now as much
pains to get the lustre. Good company, if you make
the right use of it, will cut you into shape, and give
you the true brilliant polish. Apropos of diamonds,
I have sent you, by Sir James Gray, the king's minister,
who will be at Venice about the middle of
