Paris，August10，1787

Dear Peter，——I have received your twoletters of December the 30th and April the 18th，and am very happy to find by them，as well as byletters from Mr.Wythe，that you have been sofortunate as to attract his notice and good will；Iam sure you will find this to have been one of themost fortunate events of your life，as I have everbeen sensible it was of mine.I enclose you a sketchreading，which submit to his correction.Many ofthese are among your father's books，which youshould have brought to you.As I do not recollectthose of them not in his library，you must write tome for them，making out a catalogue of such asyou think you shall have occasion for，in eighteenmonths from the date of your letter，andconsulting Mr.Wythe on the subject.To thissketch.I will add a few particular observations：

Italian.I fear that learning this language willconfound you French and Spanish.Being all ofthem degenerated dialects of the Latin，they areapt to mix in conversation.I have never seen aperson speaking the three languages，who did notmix them.It is a delightful language，but lateevents having rendered the Spanish more useful，lay it aside to prosecute that.

Moral Philosophy.I think it lost time toattend lectures on this branch.He who made uswould have been a pitiful bungler，if he had madethe rules of our moral conduct a matter of science.For one man of science，there are thousands whoare not.What would have become of them？Man was destined for society.His morality，therefore，was to be formed to this object.He was endowed with a sense of right and wrong，merely relative tothis.This sense is as much a part of his nature，asthe sense of hearing，seeing，feeling；it is the truefoundation of morality，and not the to kaol，truth，etc.，as fanciful writers have imagined.The moral sense，or conscience，is as much a partof man as his leg or arm.It is given to all humanbeings in a stronger or weaker degree，as force ofmembers is given them in a greater or less degree.It may be strengthened by exercise，as may any particular limb of the body.This sense is submitted，indeed，in some degree，to the guidance of reason；but it is a small stock which isrequired for this even a less one than what we callcommon sense.State a moral case to a plowmanand a professor.The former will decide it as welland often better than the latter，because he has notbeen led astray by artificial rules.In this branch，therefore，read good books，because they willencourage，as well as direct your feelings.Thewritings of Sterne，particularly，form the bestcourse of morality that ever was written.Besidesthese，read the books mentioned in the enclosedpaper，and，above all things，lose no occasion ofexercising your dispositions to be grateful，to begenerous，to be charitable，to be humane，to betrue，just，firm，orderly，courageous，etc.。Consider every act of this kind， as an exercisewhich will strengthen your moral faculties andincrease your worth.

Traveling.This makes men wiser，but lesshappy.When men of sober age travel，they gatherknowledge，which they may apply usefully for their country；but they are subject ever after torecollections mixed with regret；their affections areweakened by being extended over more objects； and they learn new habits which cannot be gratifiedwhen they return home.Young men，who travel，are exposed to all these inconveniences in a higherdegree，to others still more serious， and do notacquire that wisdom for which a previous foundation is requisite by repeated and justobservations at home.The glare of pomp and pleasure is analogous to the motion of the blood；it absorbs all their affection and attention，they aretorn from it as from the only good in this world，and return to their home as to a place of exile andcondemnation.Their eyes are forever turned backto the object they have lost，and its recollectionpoisons the residue of their lives.Their first andmost delicate passions are hackneyed on unworthyobjects here，and they carry home the dregs，insufficient to make themselves or anybody elsehappy.Add to this，that a habit of idleness，aninability to apply themselves to business isacquired，and renders them useless to themselvesand their country.These observations are foundedin experience.There is no place where your pursuit of knowledge will be so little obstructed byforeign objects，as in your own country，nor any，wherein the virtues of the heart will be lessexposed to be weakened.Be good，be learned，and be industrious，and you will not want the aid oftraveling，to render you precious to your country，dear to your friends，happy within yourself.Irepeat my advice，to take a great deal of exercise，and on foot. Health is the first requisite aftermorality.Write to me often，and be assured of theinterest I take in your success，as well as thewarmth of those sentiments of attachment withwhich I am，dear Peter，your affectionate friend.

亲爱的彼得，我已收到你12月30日和4月18日的两封来信。从你和威思先生的来信中，我高兴地发现你很幸运地引起了威思先生的注意并获得了他的好感；我相信你会发现这是你生活中最幸运的事情，正如我的直觉告诉我的，那也是我的最幸运的事情。我附上一份学科概要，希望你按威思先生的建议去申请这些学科。我也提到这些学科中值得一读的书，当然以威思先生的指正为准。其中许多书都在你父亲的藏书中，可能你已随身带去。由于我不记得哪些书你父亲的书房中没有，所以你一定要为此给我写封信，把你认为从你写信的那天起至今后的十八个月内有机会接触到的书列出一个清单，并就此请教威思先生。对这个概要，我还将特别地补充几点我的看法：

意大利语。我怕学习意大利语会使你把法语和西班牙语与之混淆不清。这几种语言都是由拉丁语退化衍生出来的方言，所以容易在会话中混淆。我还从未见过一个人同时说这三种语言而没弄混的。意大利语是一门令人愉快的语言，但近来发生的事情倒使西班牙语用处更大。这个问题先放到一边再说吧。

道德哲学。我认为听这门课纯属浪费时间。如果要我们去听课的人把我们的道德行为准则定为一门科学，那么他定是一个可怜的工作拙劣的家伙。对于获有该学问的人来说，会有无数不懂该学问的人。他们的遭遇会是怎么样的呢？人是一个社会的人，因此，他的道德形成是为了达到这个目标。他被赋予仅与此有关的正误感。这种正误感就像听、说、感觉等一样是人本能的一部分；因而那是道德真正的基础，而不是如那些富于幻想的作家所幻想的那样是美、真等的真正基础。道德或良知，就像一个人的腿或胳膊一样，是他身体的一部分，并以一种或强或弱的形式赋予给人类，就像被赋予给人类的四肢力量有大有小一样。道德或良心可以通过实践而得到提高，就像身体的任何一个肢体可以通过锻炼变得强壮一样。在某种程度上，这种道德的确服从于理智的导向，但服从理智指导的道德只是很小的一部分，甚至比我们的常识还要少。如果对一个农民和一个教授陈述一宗道德案件，前者也会作出判定，而且常常还比后者判定得要好，因为他没有被人为制定的清规戒律引入歧途。因此，在这个方面，你要读好书，因为他们不但能给你鼓励而且能引导你的感觉，尤其是斯特恩的书，它们是已有的道德教科书中最好的教程。除此以外，还要读我在信里提到的那些书；最主要的，随时注意陶冶你的性情，要有感激之心，要慷慨大度，要有善心，要讲人道，要真实、公正、坚定、有条理、勇敢等等。把这其中的每一个方面的实践活动看作是一个可以提高你的道德水平和自身价值的锻炼。

旅游。旅游使人明智，却不那么快乐。中年人旅游，获得知识，并可能用这些知识服务为他们的国家服务。但在后来的岁月里，他们容易产生回忆，并夹带着遗憾；他们的情感因投入到众多的事物上而减弱；他们学到一些新习惯，却在返回自己的祖国时不能得到满足。年轻人旅游更易于遇到这类不便和其它更为严重的问题。他们没有获得那种见识，因为这需要以往的知识经历作为基础，而这个基础只有通过在家里反复和客观的观察才能建立。庄丽和光彩夺目好比血液的运动。炫耀凝聚着他们所有的情感和注意力，要从中分离，就像是与世上唯一的好东西分离，当他们返回到他们的家乡时，宛如回到了一个流放和服刑之地。他们的眼睛永远盯在他们已失去的事物对象上，其回忆毒害了他们的余生。他们最初的最亲近的情感被出租给这里的毫无价值的事物对象上，他们把糟粕带回家，使自己和别的人都不高兴。此外，他们养成了懒散的习气，丧失了干事业的能力，这使得他们既无助于自己，也无助于国家。这些观察是出自于自己的经历中。不存在这样的地方，在那儿你对知识的追求会像在自己国家那样极少受到外物的阻碍，也不存在这样的国家，在那儿你心灵的美德不会受到影响。要有教养，要有学问，要勤奋。不要依赖旅游的帮助使自己于国家宝贵，于朋友亲切，自我快乐。我重复我的忠告，多运动，多步行。健康是继德行之后人的第一需求。常给我写信，并确保我对你的成功总是感兴趣、总是充满着热情。亲爱的彼得，爱你的朋友。

于巴黎

1787年8月10日