2

was the imperial answer; "don't trouble me, man,1 in my glory. How catch the reins? Why, through the windows, through the keyholes-anyhow!" Finally, this contumacious coachman lengthened the checkstrings into a sort of jury-reins, communicating with the horses; with these he drove as steadily as Pekin had any right to expect.5

The Emperor returned after the briefest of circuits; 6 he descended in great pomp from his throne, with the severest 7 resolution never to remount it. A public thanksgiving was ordered for his Majesty's happy escape from the disease of broken neck,10 and the state-coach was dedicated thenceforward as a votive offering 11 to the god Fo, Fo-whom the learned more accurately call Fi, Fi.

66

DE QUINCEY, “ The English Mail Coach."

Lavater

HANDS.

told 12 Goëthe † that on a certain occasion when 13 he held the velvet bag in 14 the church as collector of the offerings, he tried to observe only the

1 Don't trouble me, man, ne m'importune pas, malheureux— why, mais-3 lengthened the check-strings into a sort of jury-reins, allongea les cordons en guise de rênes improvisées-4 with these, avec cela-5 had, etc.......to expect, avait droit de s'y attendre-6 circuits, promenades-7 the severest, la plus ferme- never to, de ne jamais-it, "there" (y)-10 a public, etc.......neck, des prières publiques furent ordonnées pour remercier le Ciel de ce que Sa Majesté avait heureusement échappé à l'inconvénient de se casser le cou-11 as a votive offering, en forme d'ex-voto.

12 Told, racontait à-13 on a certain occasion when, un jour que "at."

14 in,

* Jean Gaspard Lavater, the celebrated physiognomist, was born at Zurich, in 1741, and died in 1801.

John Wolfgang von Goëthe was born at Frankfort-on-theMaine, in 1749, and died at Weimar in 1832.

hands; and he satisfied himself1 that in every 2 individual the shape of the hand and of the fingers, the action and sentiment in dropping the gift into the bag, were distinctly different and individually characteristic.

8

6

4

3

What then shall we say of Van Dyck,* who painted the hands of his men and women, not from 5 individual nature, but from a model hand-his own,7 very often?—and every one who considers for a moment will see in Van Dyck's portraits, that, however well painted and elegant the hands, they in few instances harmonize with the personnalité;—that the position 10 is 11 often affected, and as if intended for display, 12-the display of 13 what is in itself 14 a positive fault,15 and from which some little knowledge of comparative physiology would have saved him.16

There are hands of various character; 17 the hand to catch, and the hand to hold; the hand to clasp, and the hand to grasp; the hand that has worked or could work, and the hand that has never done anything but hold itself out to be kissed,18 like that of Joanna of Arragon in Raphael's † picture.

....

1 He satisfied himself, il s'assura-2 every, chaque (see note p. 82)-3 were distinctly different and, "presented marked differences and were"-4" and of his"-5 from, d'après—6 from, sur— 7 simply: "his"—8 every one who considers for a moment, quiconque y regarde un peu de près-9 however, etc. elegant, quelque bien peintes et élégantes que soient-10 position, pose—11 is, en est—12 as if intended for display, comme si son but était de les étaler-13 the display of, d'étaler-14 in itself, en soi-15 fault, défaut-16 and from which some little......would have saved him, et que lui aurait épargné une légère......(see note ", p. 13)-17 plural-is but hold itself out to be kissed, que se donner à baiser.

* Sir Anthony van Dyck was born at Antwerp in 1598, and died in 1641.

+ Raphael was born at Urbino, in the States of the Church, in 1483, and died at the age of 37.

Let any one look at the hands in Titian's portrait. of old3 Paul IV.; though exquisitely modelled, they have an expression which reminds us of claws; they belong to the face of that grasping old man, and could 5 belong to no other.

MRS. JAMESON, "Notes on Art."

LITERATURE AND LITERARY MEN IN ENGLAND.

8

6

Among the characteristics of English society there is one which cannot fail to be remarked as worthy of notice, and 10 that is the "curious felicity" which distinguishes the tone of conversation. In most countries people of the higher stations 11 preserve, with a certain degree of jealousy, the habit of a clear and easy 12 clegance in conversation. In France, to talk the language well is still 18 the indispensable accomplishment 14 of a gentleman. Society preserves the happy diction and the . graceful phrase which literature has stamped with 15 its authority; and the Court may be considered as the master of the 16 ceremonies to the 17 Muses; in fact,18 to catch the expressions of the Court is,19 in France, to acquire elegance of style. But in England, people even in

1 Let any one look at, regardez-moi (see note ", p. 87)-2 the, "those" in Titian's portrait of old, dans le portrait par le Titien du vieux-4 which reminds us of, qui éveille en nous l'idée de- see note, p. 16.

6"The characteristic features "--7 see note ", p. 59-8" there is one of them" (see note ", p. 11)-9 9" to be remarked as worthy of notice," literally: "to fix the attention"-10 and, to be left out11 of the higher stations, des hautes classes-12 easy, simple-13 is still, est encore de nos jours-14 accomplishment, qualité-15 has stamped with, a marquée du sceau de 16 master of the, maîtresse de-17 to the, des-18 in fact, le fait est que-19 see note ", p. 89.

*Titian was born at Cadore, in Friuli, in 1480, and died of the plague at Venice in 1576, at the age of 96.

LITERATURE IN ENGLAND.

117

the best and most fastidious society, are not remarkable for cultivating the more pure or brilliant order of1 conversation, as the evidence of ton 2 and the attribute of rank. They reject, it is true, certain vulgarities of accent, provincial phrases, and glaring violations of grammar; but the regular and polished smoothness of 5 conversation, the unpedantic and transparent preciseness of meaning, the happy choice, unpremeditated, because habitual, of the most graceful phrases and polished 10 idioms which the language affords 11-these, the natural care and province of a lettered Court,12 are utterly unheeded by the circles 13 of the English aristocracy.

8

France owes 14 the hereditary refinement 15 and airiness 16 of conversation that distinguishes her higher orders,17 less, however, to the courtiers, than to those whom the courtiers have always sought.18 Men of letters and men of genius have been in Paris invariably drawn towards the upper circles; 19 but, in London, men of intellectual distinctions 20 are not frequently found 21 in that society which is termed the best.

The modern practice of Parliament to hold its discus

1 Are not remarkable for cultivating the more......order of....... ne se font pas remarquer par leur culture du genre de..... le plus -2 of ton, du bon ton-3 vulgarities, fantes vulgaires-4 phrases, locutions—5 the regular and polished smoothness of, la régularité et l'élégance coulante dans-unpedantic and transparent, simple et claire - of meaning, dans le sens des mots-8 unpremeditated, because, spontané parce qu'il est- -9 phrases, tours-10 polished, relevés— 11 affords, possède-12 these, the natural care and province of a lettered Court, ces qualités (see note, p. 16) qui fixent naturellement l'attention d'une cour lettrée et rentrent dans ses attributionsby the circles, dans la société-14 France owes...... less, however, to the courtiers, ce n'est pas tant cependant aux gens de cour que la France doit......-15 refinement, élégance-16 airiness, finesse— 17 higher orders, hautes classes-18 sought, recherchés-19 the upper circles, la haute société-20 of intellectual distinctions, distingués par leur intelligence-21 are not......found, ne se rencontrent pas.....

13

sions1 at night has a considerable influence in diminishing 2 the intellectual character of general society. The House of Commons naturally drains off many of the ablest and best informed of the English gentlemen: 5 the same cause has its action 6 upon men of letters, whom statesmen usually desire to collect around them;

7

the absence of one conspires to effect the absence of the other our saloons are left 10 solely 11 to the uncultivated and the idle, and you seek in vain for those nightly reunions 12 of wits 18 and senators which distinguished the reign of Anne, and still give so noble a charm to the assemblies of Paris.

16

The respect we pay to 14 wealth absorbs the respect we should 15 pay to genius. Literary men have not with us any fixed and settled position as men of letters. In the great game 17 of honours, none fall to their share. 18 We may say truly with a certain political economist, "We pay best, first, those who destroy us, generals; second, those who cheat us, politicians and quacks; third, those who amuse us, singers and musicians; and, least of all,19 those who instruct us."-"I am nothing here," said one of the most eminent men of science this country ever produced,21 "I am forced to go abroad sometimes to preserve my self-esteem."

one,

20

A literary man with us is often forced to be proud of

1 Discussions, séances-2 has a considerable influence in diminishing, contribue beaucoup à diminuer-3 House of, Chambre des4 drains off, absorbe-5 many of the......and best informed of the English gentlemen, un grand nombre de nos hommes les......et les plus instruits-6 has its action, influe-7 desire to, aiment à-8 of de l'un-9 conspires to effect, entraîne-10 left, abandonnés11 solely, exclusivement-12 for those nightly reunions, ces réunions de tous les soirs-13 wits, beaux-esprits -14 we pay to, que nous portons à-15 see note ", p. 1-16 with us, chez nous-17 game, loterie-18 none fall to their share, aucun ne leur échoit en partage-19 least of all, moins que tous les autres (or: en dernier lieu)-20 imperfect21 ever produced, ait jamais produits.