LONDON,February 20,O.S.1752.
MY DEAR FRIEND:In all systems whatsoever,whether of religion,government,morals,etc.,perfection is the object always proposed,though possibly unattainable;hitherto,at least,certainly unattained.
However,those who aim carefully at the mark itself,will unquestionably come nearer it,than those who from despair,negligence,or indolence,leave to chance the work of skill.This maxim holds equally true in common life;those who aim at perfection will come infinitely nearer it than those desponding or indolent spirits,who foolishly say to themselves:Nobody is perfect;perfection is unattainable;to attempt it is chimerical;I shall do as well as others;why then should I give myself trouble to be what I never can,and what,according to the common course of things,I need not be,PERFECT?
I am very sure that I need not point out to you the weakness and the folly of this reasoning,if it deserves the name of reasoning.It would discourage and put a stop to the exertion of any one of our faculties.
On the contrary,a man of sense and spirit says to himself:Though the point of perfection may (considering the imperfection of our nature)be unattainable,my care,my endeavors,my attention,shall not be wanting to get as near it as I can.I will approach it every day,possibly,Imay arrive at it at last;at least,what I ,am sure is in my own power,I will not be distanced.Many fools (speaking of you)say to me:What!
would you have him perfect?I answer:Why not?What hurt would it do him or me?O,but that is impossible,say they;I reply,I am not sure of that:perfection in the abstract,I admit to be unattainable,but what is commonly called perfection in a character I maintain to be attainable,and not only that,but in every man's power.He hath,continue they,a good head,a good heart,a good fund of knowledge,which would increase daily:What would you have more?Why,I would have everything more that can adorn and complete a character.Will it do his head,his heart,or his knowledge any harm,to have the utmost delicacy of manners,the most shining advantages of air and address,the most endearing attentions,and the most engaging graces?But as he is,say they,he is loved wherever he is known.I am very glad of it,say I ;but I would have him be liked before he is known,and loved afterward.I would have him,by his first abord and address,make people wish to know him,and inclined to love him:he will save a great deal of time by it.Indeed,reply they,you are too nice,too exact,and lay too much stress upon things that are of very little consequence.Indeed,rejoin I,you know very little of the nature of mankind,if you take those things to be of little consequence:
one cannot be too attentive to them;it is they that always engage the heart,of which the understanding is commonly the bubble.And I would much rather that he erred in a point of grammar,of history,of philosophy,etc.,than in point of manners and address.But consider,he is very young;all this will come in time.I hope so;but that time must be when he is young,or it will never be at all;the right 'pli'