Brussels menacing his life if he persisted in the prosecution of 2 Egmont. He held such menaces as light as he did the3 entreaties of the Countess, or the arguments of her counsel. Far from being moved by personal considerations, no power could turn him from that narrow path which he professed to regard as the path of duty. He went surely, though it might be slowly, towards the mark, crushing by his iron will every obstacle that lay in his track. We shudder at the contemplation of such a character, relieved by scarcely a single touch of humanity. Yet we must admit there is something which challenges our admiration in the stern, uncompromising 10 manner, without fear or favour, with which 11 a man of this indomitable temper carries his plans into execution.

PRESCOTT, "History of the Reign of Philip II."

A FAMILY PICTURE.

My wife and daughters happening to return 12 a visit

1 Menacing his life, le menaçant de la mort-2 in the prosecution of, à poursuivre-3 he held such menaces as light as he did the, il fit aussi peu de cas de ces menaces que des-4 turn, détourner-5 he went surely, though it might be slowly, towards the mark, il marchait au but, lentement peut-être, mais d'un pas sûr-6 every..... that lay in his track, tous les......qui se trouvaient sur son chemin -"at the thought"-8" a such"-9 relieved by scarcely a single touch of humanity, à peine adouci par un seul sentiment humain 10" inflexible" with which, dont.

12 Happening to return, étant allées rendre.

a Although the first part of this sentence is rendered in note 3, above, it may be well to remark that this peculiar construction of the verb to do, to avoid the repetition of the preceding verb (held), is also found in French, even before an accusative case, as in our text, and we might say here: Il méprisa ces menaces comme il fit les prières, etc. "On regarde une femme savante," says La Bruyère, comme on fait une belle arme."

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2

A FAMILY PICTURE.

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65

at neighbour Flamborough's," found that family had lately got their pictures drawn by a limner who travelled the country, and took likenesses for fifteen shillings a head. As this family and ours had long a sort of rivalry in point of taste, our spirit took the alarm at this stolen march upon us,8 and notwithstanding all I could say, and I said much,10 it was resolved that we should have our pictures done 12 too.

11

Having, therefore, engaged the limner, (for what could I do?) our next deliberation was to 13 show the superiority of our taste in the attitudes.14 As for our neighbour's family, there were seven of them,15 and they were drawn 16 with seven oranges,17 a thing quite out of taste,18 no variety in life, no composition in the world.19 We desired to have 20 something in 21 a brighter style; and after many debates, at length came to the unanimous

1 Found, etc.......drawn, literally: "perceived the portraits of all the family recently done"-" travelled the country, courait le pays -3 took likenesses, faisait le portrait-for, à-5 a head, par tête6 had long, étaient depuis long-temps dans-7 in point of, en fait de 8 our spirit, etc.......upon us, notre amour-propre prit l'alarme: c'était nous voler le pas-9 all I could say, toutes mes observations 10 literally: "and I made many of them" (see note a, p. 11)— 11 we......too, nous aussi, nous... .(see note a, p. 42)-12" should make to do our portraits (see note, p. 38)—13 our next deliberation was to, il fallut nous entendre pour-14 attitudes, poses-15 there were seven of them, "it was composed (se composait) of seven members"-16 drawn, "represented"-17 with seven oranges, seven oranges in (à) the hand "-18 a thing quite out of taste, pas de goût dans l'idée-19 no variety, etc.......in the world, pas la moindre variété, pas la moindre originalité-20 we desired to have, nous voulûmes avoir or simply: nous voulûmes-21 in, "of."

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a At neighbour F's, chez le voisin F.-The definite article le must be added here, as in all similar cases when it is familiarly omitted in English. Ex.: "Cousin Jonathan," "Father Mathew," "Uncle Tom," etc., "le cousin Jonathan," "le père Mathew,' ""l'oncle Tom." The article is as necessary here as it is before titles attached to an office or designating a liberal profession, as Bishop A, Senator B, Doctor C, Professor D, Captain E.l'évêque A, le sénateur B, etc.

F

resolution of being drawn together1 in one large historical family-piece. This would be cheaper, since one frame would serve for all, and it would be infinitely more genteel; 2 for all families of any 3 taste were now drawn 4 in 5 the same manner.

8

were

As we did not immediately recollect an historical subject to hit us, we were contented 7 each with being drawn as independent historical figures. My wife desired to be represented as 10 Venus, and the painter was requested not to be too frugal of his diamonds in her stomacher 11 and hair.12 Her two little ones 13 to be as Cupids 14 by her side,15 while I, in my gown and band, was to present her with 16 my books on the Whistonian controversy. Olivia would be drawn as an Amazon, sitting upon a bank 17 of flowers, dressed in a green joseph 18 richly faced with gold,19 and a whip in her hand.20 Sophia was to be 21 a shepherdess, with as many sheep as the painter could put in 22 for nothing; and Moses was to be dressed out 23 with a hat and white feather.24

2

were......

1 Of being drawn together, "that we should all be put together (réunis)" genteel, comme il faut-3 any, some drawn, se faisaient...... peindre-5 in, "of”—6 to hit us, qui nous convînt-7 we were contented, "we contented ourselves ". 8 each, to be left out-9 with being, etc.......figures, de figurer comme personnages historiques isolés-10 as, en-11 not to be, etc.......stomacher, de ne pas lui épargner les diamants au corsage-12" nor in the hair”– 13 little ones, marmots-14 were to be as Cupids, devaient être (see note, p. 40) placés en Amours-15" by the side (à côté) of her". 16 while I, etc.......with, literally: "I, in gown and with my band, I would present to her " (see note a, p. 7)-17 bank, tertre-18 dressed in a green joseph, en robe de cheval verte-19 faced with gold, galonnée d'or 20" at the hand "-21 see note, p. 40-22" could put in of them" (see note a, p. 11)-23 dressed out, en grande toilette-24 with a hat and white feather, coiffé d'un chapeau à plume blanche.

a At length, etc., translate, "we at length resolved unanimously," nous finîmes par décider unanimement, i. e. we ended by resolving unanimously. Notice this construction, which occurs frequently, and answers to at length construed with a verb.

A FAMILY PICTURE.

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67

The painter was therefore set to work;1 and as he wrought with assiduity and expedition, in a less than four days the whole was completed. The piece was large, and it must be owned3 he did not spare 1 his colours, for which my wife gave him great encomiums.5 We were all perfectly satisfied with his performance; but an unfortunate circumstance, which had not occurred to us till the picture was finished, now struck us with dismay.9 It was so very large 10 that we had no place in the house where 11 to fix it. How we all came to disregard so material a point is inconceivable; 12 but certain it is 18 we had all been greatly remiss.14 The picture, therefore, instead of gratifying our vanity, as we hoped,15 leaned in a most mortifying manner against 16 the kitchen wall, where the canvas was 17 stretched and painted, much too large to be got through any 18 of the doors, and the jest of 19 all our neighbours.

13

2

One 20

1 Was therefore set to work, se mit donc à l'œuvre- large, vaste -3 it must be owned, il faut en convenir-4 he did not spare, il n'avait pas épargné (see note ", p. 6)—5 for which my wife gave him great encomiums, ce qui lui valut de grands éloges de la part de ma femme-6 with, de-7 which, etc......to us, à laquelle nous n'avions pas songé-8 till, avant que-9 now struck us with dismay, nous déconcerta cruellement-10 simply: so large (grand)”—îî “ we had not in the whole house a single room where " (see note ", p. 13)— 12 how, etc.......inconceivable, comment avions nous pu tous oublier un point si capital? c'est inconcevable-13 but certain it is, ce qui est certain, c'est que 14 greatly remiss, bien imprévoyants-15 we hoped, we had hoped it " (see notes a, p. 6, and 6, p. 48)—16 leaned, etc.......against, resta piteusement adossé à-17 was, "had been "18 to be got through any, pour passer par aucune-19 the jest of, en butte aux railleries de-20 one, l'un.

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a In to be rendered by "en" here, not by "dans." Two examples will show the material difference between those two prepositions in reference to time:-"I start for Paris in 10 hours,"

(hence); "je pars pour Paris dans 10 heures."- "One goes to

Paris now in 10 hours;" "On va maintenant à Paris en 10 heures." b Less than and more than are rendered by "moins de" and "plus de" not "que"-before the cardinal numbers, and also before the nouns moitié, tiers, quart, etc., dizaine, douzaine, vingtaine, etc.

2

α

compared it to Robinson Crusoe's long boat, too large to be removed; another thought a it more resembled 3 a reel in a bottle; some wondered how it could be got out, but still more were amazed 5 how it ever got in.o GOLDSMITH, "Vicar of Wakefield."

SYDNEY SMITH* AND THEODORE HOOK.†

8

At dinner to-day there was an attempt made by two very clever men to place Theodore Hook above Sydney Smith. I fought with all my might against both. It seems to me that a mind must be strangely warped that could ever place on a par 10 two men with aspirations and purposes so different,11 whether 12 we consider them merely as individuals, or called before the bar of the public as writers.13 I do not take to 14

1 Long boat, canot 2 to be removed, pour démarrer-3 it more resembled, qu'il ressemblait plutôt à—1 some, etc.......got out, quelquesuns se demandaient comment il pourrait sortir-5 but, etc....... amazed, d'autres en plus grand nombre s'étonnaient-6 how it ever got in, "how it could have got in" (see note ", p. 27).

7" At the "-8 there was, etc.......to, deux hommes fort habiles ont essayé de 9 with all my might, de toutes mes forces-10 it seems, etc.......on a par, il faut, ce me semble, avoir l'esprit étrangement malade (or: le jugement bien faussé) pour jamais songer à mettre de niveau-11 with......so different, si différents dans leurs...... 12 whether, que (with the subjunctive)-13 or called before......as writers, ou comme appelés, en qualité d'écrivains, à......14 I do not take to, je n'ai pas de faible pour.

a To think, in reference to a question of taste, a matter of liking or disliking, would generally be expressed in French by the verb 'trouver," and not by "penser." Ex.: "Je trouve que cela fait bon effet." "Je la trouve fort jolie." "Je lui trouve l'air intelligent."--The same very often in a matter of opinion, as in our text; ex: "Je trouve que vous avez tort."-In the same way the question, "how do you like this or that ?" must be translated "comment trouvez-vous ceci ou cela ?"

*The Rev. Sydney Smith was born at Woodford, in Essex, in 1769, and died in 1845.

†Theodore Edward Hook was born in London, in 1788, and died in 1841.