School, and that there he was slovenly and dirty.
Of his intellectual qualities we hear nothing. His father's letter to the boy, then sixteen, is subtle:
"Since you do not care to be an Assessor of the Imperial
Chamber, and desire an establishment in England, what do
you think of being Greek Professor at one of our Universities?
It is a very pretty sinecure, and requires very little knowledge
(much less than, I hope, you have already) of that language.
If you do not approve of this, I am at a loss to know what else
to propose to you."
The old earl, six months later, added as follows:
"The end I propose by your education, and which (if you
please) I shall certainly attain, is, to unite in you all the knowledge
of a scholar, with the manners of a courtier, and to join
what is seldom joined in any of my countrymen, Books and the
World. They are commonly twenty years old before they have
spoken to anybody above their schoolmaster, and the Fellows
of their College. If they happen to have learning, it is only
Greek and Latin; but not one word of Modern History or
Modern Languages. Thus prepared, they go abroad, as they
call it; but, in truth, they stay at home all that while; for,
being very awkward, confoundedly ashamed, and not speaking
the languages, they go into no foreign company, at least none
good, but dine and sup with one another at the tavern. Such
example, I am sure you will not imitate, but carefully avoid."
Young Stanhope went abroad with a tutor, Mr.
Harte, to the chief towns, first, of Germany, followed
everywhere by letters from his father, though,
as his father says in one of them, "God knows
whether to any purpose or not." He never escaped
from the paternal care. Wherever you are "I have