HALF-HOURS OF TRANSLATION.

Part First.

THE INFLUENCE OF BOOKS.

Would you know whether the tendency of a book is good or evil, examine in what state of mind you lay it down. Has it induced you to suspect that what you have been accustomed to think unlawful,1 may after all be5 innocent, and that that may be harmless which you have hitherto been taught to think' dangerous? Has it tended to make you dissatisfied and impatient under the control of others; 10 and disposed you to relax in that selfgovernment,12 without which both 13 the laws of God and man tell us there can be no virtue, and consequently no11 happiness? Has it attempted to abate

1 Would you, voudriez-vous-2 state, disposition-3 you lay it down, vous le fermez-4 to think unlawful, à regarder comme illicite5 may......be, peut......être.-6 and that that may be harmless which, et qu'il peut n'y avoir aucun mal dans ce que-7 you have hitherto been taught to think, on vous a jusqu'alors enseigné à considérer comme-8 make, rendre-9 impatient under, impatient de-10 of others, d'autrui and disposed you, vous a-t-il disposé-12 to relax in that self-government, à vous relâcher de cet empire sur vous-même13 both to be left out-14 there can be no......and consequently no, qu'il ne peut y avoir de......ni par conséquent de.

your admiration of1 what is great and good, and to diminish in you the love of your country and your fellow-creatures? Has it addressed itself to your pride, your vanity, your selfishness, or any other of your evil propensities? Has it defiled the imagination with what is loathsome, or shocked the heart with what is monstrous ? Has it disturbed the sense of right and wrong1 the Creator has implanted in the human soul? If so if you are conscious of all or any of these effects-or if, having escaped from all, you have felt that such were the effects it was intended to produce, throw the book into the fire, whatever name it may bear on the title-page! Throw it into the fire, young man. Young lady! away with the whole set, though it should be the prominent feature in 10 a rosewood bookcase.

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SOUTHEY, "Doctor."

A FATAL TRIUMPH.

Once, in some far oriental kingdom, when11 the Sultan of all the land, with his princes, ladies, and chief omrahs,12 were flying their falcons,13 a hawk suddenly flew at1 a majestic eagle; and, in defiance of 15 the eagle's natural advantages, in contempt 16 also

1 Of, pour-2 and 3 with, de- of right and wrong, du bien et du mal-5 if so, s'il en est ainsi 16 if you are conscious of all or any of these effects, si vous avez conscience de tous ces effets ou même de quelques uns 7 from, à-8 it was intended to, qu'il avait pour but de-9 young lady! away with the whole set, jeune fille! au feu toute la collection-10 though it should be the prominent feature in, formâtelle le principal ornement de.

11 Once, in some far oriental kingdom, when, un jour que dans un certain royaume à l'extrêmité de l'orient-12 and chief omrahs, et ses principaux omrahs-13 were flying their falcons, lançait le faucon14 flew at, s'élança......sur-15 in defiance of, en dépit de— 16 in contempt, au mépris.

of the eagle's traditional royalty, and before the whole assembled field of astonished spectators from Agra and Lahore, killed the eagle on the spot.2 Amazement seized the Sultan3 at the unequal contest, and burning5 admiration for its unparalleled result. He commanded that the hawk should be brought before him; he caressed the bird with enthusiasm; and he ordered that, for the commemoration of his matchless courage, a diadem of gold and rubies should be solemnly placed on the hawk's head; but then that, immediately after this solemn coronation, the bird should be led off to execution,10 as the most valiant indeed of traitors, but not the less 12 a traitor, as having 13 dared to rise rebelliously 14 against his liege lord 15 and anointed 16 sovereign, the eagle.

DE QUINCEY, "The English Mail-coach."

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A SCHOOL-BOY'S TRICK.

There was a boy in the class who 17 stood always at the top,18 nor could I 19 with 20 all my efforts supplant him. Day came after day,21 and still he kept his place, do what I would,22 till 23 at length I observed that,

1 The whole assembled field, l'assemblée entière-2 on the spot, sur place-3 amazement seized the Sultan, le Sultan fut saisi d'étonnement at the, à la vue de cette -5 and burning, et d'une ardente 6 should be, fût-7 for the commemoration of, en honneur de 8 should be, fût-9 then, ensuite-10 to execution, au supplice-11 as the most valiant indeed of traitors, comme un traître, à vrai dire le plus vaillant 12 not the less, néanmoins-13 as having, pour avoir-14 to rise rebelliously, se révolter—15 liege lord, seigneur lige—16 anointed......, ......sacré.

17 A boy in the class, who, dans ma classe un garçon qui-18 stood always at the top, était toujours le premier-19 nor could I, et je ne pouvais-20 with, malgré-21 day came after day, les jours se succédaient 22 do what I would, quoi que je fisse-23 till to be left out.

when a question was asked him,' he always fumbled with his fingers at a particular button in the lower parts of his waistcoat. To remove it, therefore, became expedient in my eyes; and in an evil moment1 it was removed with a knife. Great was my anxiety to know the success of my measure,5 and it succeeded too well. When the boy was again questioned,“ his fingers sought again for the button, but it was not to be found. In his distress he looked down for it;" it was to be seen no more than be felt.10 He stood confounded, and I took possession of his place; nor did he ever recover it, or ever,11 I believe, suspect 12 who was the author of his wrong.13 Often, in after-life,14 has the sight of him smote me as I passed by him; 15 and often have I resolved to make him some reparation; 16 but it ended in 17 good resolutions. Though I never renewed my 18 acquaintance with him, I often saw him, for he filled some inferior office in one of the courts of law 19 in Edinburgh.20 Poor fellow! I believe he is dead; he took early to drinking.21 SIR W. SCOTT, "Autobiography."

1 When a question was asked him, lorsqu'on lui faisait une question-2 he always fumbled with his fingers at, il portait aussitôt les doigts machinalement à-3 in the lower part, au bas—4 in an evil moment, dans un moinent de méchanceté-5 great was, etc....measure, j'attendais impatiemment le resultat de cette manoeuvre-6 when the boy was again questioned, à la première question qui fut faite au pauvre garçon-7 sought again for, cherchèrent comme toujours-8 it was not to be found, cette fois ils ne le trouvèrent pas-9 he looked down for it, il baissa les yeux pour tâcher de l'apercevoir-10 it was, etc....... felt, il ne le vit pas plus qu'il ne l'avait senti- nor did he ever recover it, or ever, qu'il ne regagna jamais, et jamais 12 suspect, il ne soupçonna-13 his wrong, cette injustice-14 in after-life, plus tard (or: après ma sortie de collége) -15 has the sight of him smote me as I passed by him, en le rencontrant dans la rue j'ai éprouvé un vif regret- 16 to make him some reparation, de lui faire réparation-17 it ended in, cela s'est borné à-18 my to be left out-19 courts of law, cours de justice-20 in E., d'E.-21 he took early to drinking, il s'était adonné de bonne heure à la boisson.

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