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Lord Chesterfield's Letters (oup)
輋園尺牘

28 June 1742, To his son:

Dear Boy,

Your promises give me great pleasure; and your performance of them, which I rely upon, will give me still greater. I am sure you know that breaking of your word is a folly, a dishonour, and a crime.

It is a folly, because nobody will trust you afterwards; and it is both a dishonour and a crime, truth being the first duty of religion and morality: and whoever has not truth, cannot be supposed to have any one good quality, and must become the detestation of God and man.

...

Consider, then, which you would choose; to attend diligently while you are learning ... and have great deal more time to play; or else not mind your book, ... and have no time to play at all; for, I assure you, if you will not learn, you shall not play.

無限上綱, 極盡恐嚇之能事.

大抵鐘鳴鼎食之家, 世代簪纓之族, 治家嚴者, 或者莫不如此. 比諸紅樓夢中, 賈母論管教寶玉之語: .....