Imatges de pàgina
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A COUNTRY FREE AND STRONG.

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to his weakness. Do not forget that his free choice1 has been perverted from 2 his cradle; that an iniquitous fatality has weighed upon his mind; that he has been hungry, that he has been cold, that he has not learnt goodness.

LOUIS BLANC," Révolution Française."

A COUNTRY FREE AND STRONG.

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England is not one of those parks with straight avenues and well-trimmed trees, where you look forward till the eye loses itself in the distance, where everything is kept straight," tended, gravelled, and watered by police regulations. It is a vigorous and thick forest, where there are good and bad districts, charming lawns and abominable sloughs, centenary oaks and inextricable briars, but where all is spontaneous, robust, genuine, and where life bursts forth and abounds in every part.10 But 11 you must explore it,12 sound it, penetrate it, in all directions and in all seasons, to form an idea of what it Even then you will never be sure that your idea 14 is exact or complete; but you will know, you will feel, that there is in it a mass of life,15 of strength, and beauty, which will no doubt one day perish like all that is human, which may to-morrow be consumed by the wrath of Heaven, but where nothing indicates as yet 16 the decay

is.13

1 Free choice, libre arbitre-2 from, dès.

3 With, à— where you look, etc......distance, où le regard va droit devant soi à perte de vue-5 kept straight, aligné- tended, émondé -7 by police regulations, par ordonnance de police-districts, cantons 9 briars, broussailles-10 in every part, de toutes parts-11 but, seulement-12 you must explore it, il faut en faire le tour-13 to form an idea of what it is, pour s'en faire une idée-14 even then, etc......idea, encore ne sait-on jamais très-bien si cette idée-15 there is in it a mass of life, il y a là un foyer de vie-16 as yet, encore.

and mortality that some take pleasure in foretelling for

her.1

MONTALEMBERT,

"Avenir Politique de l'Angleterre."

MODERN GREEKS AT HOME.

Does Greek patriotism go the length of exposing itself

to 2 musket balls?

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This is a question I have often discussed with the Philhellenes. Europe believed at one time that all Greeks were heroes. I have heard some old soldiers affirm that they were all cowards. I think I am1 nearer the truth in saying that they have a sort of discreet and reflecting courage. 5 During the War of Independence they fought chiefly as skirmishers, behind bushes. It will be easy to believe this, when I add that they are given to resting their gun on a tree or a stone, to make sure of their shot. Their sportsmen seldom kill game flying;10 they shoot partridges sitting, and hares in the form.12 It is in this way they formerly went out shooting man.18 No doubt there have been found among them 14 some soldiers brave enough to venture on the plain,15 but they were not 16 the greater number. Canaris, who would go and set fire to 17 a fleet by lying alongside of it,18 was a subject of astonishment

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1 That some take pleasure in......for her, qu'on se plaît à lui.................. 2 The length of exposing itself to, jusqu'à affronter-3 at one time, dans un temps-4 I think I am, je crois être-5 reflecting, réfléchi

as, en- they are given to resting, ils appuient volontiers- see note ", p. 37-9 to make sure of their shot, pour assurer le coup10 flying, au vol-11 sitting, au posé-12 in the form, au gîte—13 it is, etc......man, c'est ainsi qu'ils ont fait autrefois la chasse à l'homme 14 there have been found among them, il s'est rencontré parmi euxon the plain, en plaine-16 they were not, ce n'est pas-17 would go and set fire to, allait incendier (see note ", p. 54)—18 by lying alongside of it, à bout portant.

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MODERN GREEKS AT HOME.

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to1 the whole nation. It must not be supposed that all the Greeks are like Canaris, and it is always a bad system to judge of a nation from an individual. It was not the Greek fleet that attacked Xerxes at Salamis; it was one man, it was Themistocles. The Greeks wanted not to fight; and Herodotus relates that a voice was heard in the air7 which exclaimed, "Cowards! when will you cease to retreat ?" 8

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The Greek nation 9 is not born to make war, whatever it may say. Had it as much courage as it pretends to,10 discipline, which is the main spring of war, will always be wanting. The Greeks assert that they are not born for agriculture, and I am afraid they are right; agricul-. ture requires more patience, more perseverance, and a more stable mind 11 than the Hellenes have ever been gifted with.12 They like distant voyages, hazardous enterprises, venturesome speculations. The Greek finds himself in his right place 13 at 14 the door of a shop, whence he invites customers, or on the deck of a vessel, where he amuses the passengers. Sitting, he is satisfied with 15 his dignity; standing, he admires himself for 16 his elegance; but it is repugnant to him to stoop towards the earth. Our labourers would call him an idler; 17 they would be wrong-he has mental activity. Greeks who cultivate the ground feel themselves humiliated ; their ambition is to have a servant's place, or to own a

1 To, pour-2 to judge of, que de juger-3 from an individual, sur échantillon-4 it was not, ce n'est pas-5 S, Salamine-6 wanted not to, ne voulaient pas-7 a voice was heard in the air, il s'éleva dans les airs une voix-8 to retreat, de reculer-9 nation, peuple— 10 had it......as it pretends to, eût-il......qu'il s'en attribue-11 α more stable mind, plus d'esprit de suite-12 have, etc......with, n'en ont jamais eu (see note ", p. 29)—13 in his right place, à sa place —14 at, sur—15 sitting, he is satisfied with, assis, il se complaît dans16 for, dans-17 would call him an idler, le traiteraient de fainéant.

little tavern.1

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The ungrateful soil which they torment does not speak to their hearts-they have not, like our peasants, or their ancestors, a love of the soil; they have forgotten the poetical myths which fabled it the mother of men.4 The French peasant thinks only of enlarging his field; the Greek peasant is always ready to sell it.

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For that matter, they sell whatever they can, first to get 7 money, and then for the pleasure of selling. In France, if you proposed to a workman to buy his coat, he would answer you, in thrusting his hands into his pockets,-"My coat is not to be sold." 10 In Greece, stop a man who is out walking,11 and ask him if he will 12 sell his shoes; if you offer a somewhat reasonable price,18 the odds are ten to one 14 he will return home barefooted. In our travels, when we lodged in the houses of persons pretty well off,15 we had no need to send to the bazaar; our hosts gave us, at fair market prices,16 the wine from their cellar, the bread from their oven, and the chicken from their hen-roost. They would undress,17 if required,18 to sell us their clothes; I have brought away with me 19 an Albanian shirt, very well embroidered, which I bought 20 while still 21 warm! On the other hand,22 once or twice peasants have begged us to sell them things

1 Tavern, cabaret-2 does not speak, ne dit rien- 3 a, "the"4 the poetical, etc......men, les fables poëtiques qui en faisaient la mère des hommes-5 of enlarging, à arrondir-6 for that matter, au reste-7 to get, pour avoir- to......his, de lui......son-9 in thrusting, en enfonçant-10 to be sold, à vendre-l who is out walking, à la promenade 12 will, veut (see note a, p. 1)-13 if you offer a somewhat reasonable price, pour peu que vous en offriez un prix raisonnable-14 the odds are ten to one, il y a dix à parier contre un-15 in the houses of persons pretty well off, chez des particuliers un peu aisés-16 at fair market prices, au plus juste prix-17 would undress, imperf.-18 if required, au besoin-19 brought away with me, rapporté 20❝had bought"-21 while still, toute-22 on the other hand, en revanche.

STRAFFORD'S TRIAL.

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they saw in our possession.1 One day at Sparta, an individual who had come to sell me some coins, wanted to 2 buy the inkstand I was using. having heard that Beulé wanted to

Petros, our servant,

sell his horse, came to him,3 rolling his cap between his fingers, and asked to be allowed to have the refusal of it.4 “But what on earth," asked Beulé, "would you do with my horse?"—"I would let it out to you for the day, sir." EDMOND ABOUT, "La Grèce Contemporaine."

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STRAFFORD'S TRIAL (A.D. 1641).

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Before his counsel began to speak on the question of law, Strafford summed up his defence; he spoke long and with 10 marvellous eloquence, still applying himself 11 to prove that by no law could any one of his actions be charged as 12 high treason. Conviction every moment grew stronger 13 in the minds 14 of his judges, and he ably followed its 15 progress,16 adapting his words to the impressions he saw springing up;17 deeply agitated,18 but not allowing his emotion to keep him from watching and perceiving what was passing around him. My lords," he said, in conclusion,19 "these gentlemen tell me they speak in 20 defence of the commonwealth against my arbitrary laws; give me leave to say it, I speak in

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1 In our possession, dans nos mains-2 wanted to, voulut 3 came to him (see note a, p. 40)—4 asked, etc......of it, lui demanda la préférence—5 but what on earth, mais au nom du ciel-6 with, de— for the day, pour la promenade.

8 Before, etc......law, avant que ses conseils prissent la parole pour traiter la question de droit-9 summed up, résuma-10 see note 6, p. 44-11 still applying himself, toujours appliqué-12 could, etc......as, aucun de ses actes n'était qualifié de-13 grew stronger, grandissait 14 the minds, l'âme-15 its (see note, p. 80)-16 plural -17springing up, naître-18 agitated, ému—19 in conclusion, en finissant-20 in, pour.

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