and annunciations of the sublime discovery which he proposed!

WASHINGTON IRVING, "Life of Columbus."

HOW RABELAIS* GOT OUT OF TROUBLE.?

This celebrated wit3 was once at a great distance from Paris, and without money to bear his expenses thither. The ingenious author being thus sharp set, got together a convenient quantity of brickdust, and having disposed of its into several papers, wrote upon one,9 Poison for Monsieur;† upon a second, Poison for the Dauphin; and on a third, Poison for the King. Having made this provision for the royal family of France, he laid his papers so that 10 the landlord," who was an inquisitive man and a good 12 subject, might get a sight of them.13 The plot 14 succeeded as he15 desired; the host gave immediate intelligence 16 to the secretary of state. The secretary presently17 sent down a special messenger, who brought up the traitor to court, and provided

1 Annunciations, précurseurs.

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2 How R. got out of trouble, comment R. se tira d'embarras-3 wit, bel-esprit was once, se trouvait un jour-5 to bear his expenses thither, pour payer les frais de son retour- being thus sharp set, ainsi serré de près-7 got together, rassembla-8 having disposed of it, l'ayant distribuée one, le premier-10 he laid......so that, il disposa......de manière que-11 the landlord, le maître de l'hôtel -12 good, loyal13 might get a sight of them, pût les apercevoir-14 the plot, l'artifice. 15 as he......, comme il le......16 the host gave immediate intelligence, l'aubergiste en donna immédiatement avis-17 presently, sur-le-champ.

* See Biographical notice in the Appendix.

+ Monsieur, thus absolutely used, was said of the eldest brother of the Kings of France, before the Revolution of 1830.

Dauphin was the title borne, under the old monarchy, by the eldest son of the Kings of France, since 1349, when Humbert II. gave up his principality of Viennois or Dauphiné to the crown.

him,' at the King's expense, with proper accommodations on the road. As soon as he appeared, he was known to be3 the celebrated Rabelais, and his powder, upon examination, being found very innocent, the jest was only laughed at ;5 for which a less eminent droll would have been sent to the galleys.

It is an extraordinary thing that man, with a mind so wonderful that there is nothing to compare with it elsewhere in the known creation, should leave it to run wild9 in respect of 10 its highest elements and qualities. He has a power11 of comparison and judgment, by which his final resolves, and all those acts of his material system which distinguish him from the brutes, are guided 12:—shall he omit to educate and improve them 13 when education can do much? Is it towards the very principles 14 and privileges that distinguish him above other creatures he should feel indifference? Because 15 the education is internal, it is not the less 16 needful; nor is it

1 And provided him, après l'avoir pourvu-2 with proper accommodations, de tout ce qu'il lui fallait-3 he was known to be, on reconnut en lui- upon examination, examen fait-5 the jest was only laughed at, on ne fit que rire de cette plaisanterie-6 a less eminent droll, un farceur moins bien connu.

7 With, doué de- there is nothing to compare with it, il n'y a rien qu'on puisse y comparer-9 should leave it to run wild, l'abandonne à ses fantaisies-10 in respect of, lorsqu'il s'agit de-11 he has a power, il possède une force-12 by which......are guided, qui guide......13 to educate and improve them, de cultiver et d'améliorer cette double force 14 is it towards the very principles, est-ce précisément à l'égard des principes-15 because, de ce que-16 it is not the less, elle n'en est pas

moins.

more the duty of a man1 that he should cause his child to be taught than that he should teach himself. Indolence may tempt him to neglect the self-examination and experience which form his school, and weariness may induce the evasion of1 the necessary practices; but surely a thought of the prize should suffice to stimulate him to the requisite exertion, and to those who reflect upon the many hours and days devoted by a lover of sweet sounds, to gain a moderate facility upon a mere mechanical instrument, it ought to bring a blush of shame, if they feels convicted of neglecting the beautiful living instrument wherein play all the powers 10 of the mind.

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FARADAY.

TO JOHN CHUTE, ESQ.

Houghton, Aug. 20th, 1743.

Indeed, my dear Sir, you certainly did not use to be stupid, and till you give me more substantial proof that you are so,12 I shall not believe it. As for your temperate diet bringing about 13 such a

11

1 Nor is it more the duty of a man, et ce n'est pas un devoir plus impérieux pour l'homme-2 that he should cause his child to be taught, de faire instruire son enfant-3 than that he should, que de-4 may induce the evasion of, peut le porter à se soustraire à-5 a thought of the prize, la seule pensée de la récompense qui y est attachée-6 to stimulate him to the requisite exertion, pour lui faire faire les efforts requis-7 and to those who, etc......to gain......it ought to bring a blush of shame, et ceux qui songent combien d'heures et de journées un amant de la mélodie consacre à acquérir...... ceux-là devraient rougir de honte if they feel, s'ils se sentent of neglecting, d'avoir négligé-10 powers,

facultés.

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11 Substantial proof, preuve concluante-12 you are so, vous l'êtes13 as for your temperate diet bringing about, quant à l'assertion que la sobriété de votre régime a amené.

metamorphosis, I hold it1 impossible. I have such lamentable proofs every day before my eyes of the stupifying qualities of beef, ale, and wine, that I have contracted a most religious veneration for your spiritual nouriture. Only imagine3 that I here every day see men, who are mountains of roast beef.

Why, I'll swear I see no difference between a country gentleman and a sirloin; . . . indeed, the sirloin does not ask5 so many questions. . . . Oh! my dear Sir, don't you find that nine parts in ten of the world are of no use but to make you wish yourself with that tenth part ? I am so far from growing used to mankind' by living amongst them, that my natural ferocity and wildness does but every day grow worse.10 They tire me, they fatigue me; I don't know what to do with them; 11 I don't know what to say to them. I fling open 12 the windows and fancy I want air; and when I get by myself,13 I undress myself, and seem 14 to have had people in my pocket, in my plaits, 15 and on my shoulders! . . . I fear 'tis growing old,16 but I literally seem to have murdered a man whose name is Ennui, for his ghost is ever before me. They say there is no English word for ennui; I think you may translate it most 17 literally by what is called "entertaining people,'

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1 I hold it, je regarde la chose comme- a, la-3 only imagine, figurez-vous- why, vraiment 5 does not ask, ne fait pas-6 nine parts in ten, les neuf dixièmes-7 are of no use but to, ne sont bons qu'à 8 wish yourself with that tenth part, désirer être avec le dixième restant to mankind, aux hommes-10 does but......grow worse, ne font qu'empirer...... 11 with them, d'eux-12 I fling open, j'ouvre à grand bruit-13 I get by myself, je me trouve seul-i seem, il me semble-15 in my plaits, dans les plis de mes vêtements-16 I fear 'tis growing old, c'est, j'en ai peur, que je deviens vieux-17 most, on ne peut plus-18 entertaining people, recevoir le monde.

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and "doing the honours;" that is, you sit an hour with somebody you don't know and don't care for,3 talk about the wind and the weather, and ask a thousand foolish questions which all begin with," "I think you live a good deal in the country," or, "I think you don't love this thing or that." Oh! 'tis dreadful.

HORACE WALPOLE.

SIR ROGER DE COVERLEY IN CHURCH.

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My friend Sir Roger, being a good churchman,8 has beautified the inside of his church with several texts of his own choosing. He has likewise given a handsome pulpit cloth,10 and railed in the communion table at his own expense. He has often told me that at his coming to his estate 12 he found 13 his parishioners very irregular; and that in order to make them kneel and join in 14 the responses, he gave every one of them a hassock and a Common Prayerbook; and at the same time employed an itinerant 15 singing master, who goes about the country 16 for that purpose, to instruct them rightly in the tunes of 17 the Psalms, upon which they now very much value them

1 That is, c'est-à-dire-2 you sit, vous restez assis-3 and don't care for, et dont vous ne vous souciez pas- talk about, à parler de―5 and ask, et à lui adresser-6 with, par-7 in, à.

8 Being a good churchman, en sa qualité de bon Anglican-9 with several texts of his own choosing, de plusieurs textes de son choix10 a pulpit cloth, un tapis de chaire- and railed in the communion table, et il a fait faire une grille à la sainte-table-12 at his coming to his estate, en entrant en possession de sa propriété-13 he found, il avait trouvé—1 join in, prendre part à—15 itinerant, ambulant—16 who goes about the country, qui parcourt la campagne-17 to instruct them rightly in the tunes of, pour leur enseigner à chanter en mesure.