Page:Littell's Living Age - Volume 127.djvu/459

  expression, "Mon père, Milord Chesterfield." To this childish Folly a period was, however, at length put, to the mutual advantage of Stanhope and his audience; neither were the foolish words ever more repeated after the Gentleman had made the following sharp observation, "Comment, Monsieur, Milord Chesterfield est voire Père? Apparément donc Miladi Chesterfield est voire Mère?" With all these failings, Stanhope was, however, what is usually called a Pleasant Fellow. He was good-humoured though perfectly inattentive. Not unendowed with sense, though his Talent was obscured by a naturally bad Enunciation. A good scholar, and well versed in many of the modern Languages, though the same Defect attended him through them all. His Face was rather handsome, but his person was Dutch built, thick, short, and clumsy; and the very reverse of grace seemed to be the Essence of his whole Demeanour. Yet might he have passed well enough thro' life, if his Father had not insisted upon making him a fine gentleman; and however the memory of Lord Chesterfield may have been affected by the Publication of his Letters, certainly Mrs. Stanhope has thereby most essentially injured the memory of her Husband, whose obvious Deficiencies have been rendered more glaring by our knowledge of the unavailing Pains that were taken to obviate them. So true it is that the first principle of Education is the Discovery of that for which Nature has fitted our Pupil, and that which She has rendered it impossible for him to attain —

But where there is no vis insita of the sort you wish to promote. Education, with all its Powers will, I fear, never be able to impart it.

Mrs. Stanhope had two Sons by her Husband, of whom Lord Chesterfield, from his Letters to her, appears to have taken care. His coolness towards the Mother is, however, also apparent from these same Letters, where He never styles Her Daughter, or even Dear Madam, but simply Madam. — ''From the MSS. of the first Earl of Charlemont''.

 

  