ing specimens have undoubtedly been lost. For with such enchanting facility it flowed from him,' that with hardly any of his friends in the higher social circles which he now began to enter did it fail to help him to a more gracious acceptation, to warmer and more cordial intimacy. It takes but3 the touch of nature to please highest and lowest alike; and whether he thanked Lord Clare or the manager of Ranelagh, answered an invitation to the charming Miss Hornecks, or supplied author or actor with an epilogue, the same exquisite tact, the same natural art, the same finished beauty of humour and refinement, recommended themselves to all.

FORSTER, "Oliver Goldsmith's Life and Times."

6

SIR ROGER DE COVERLEY AND THE SIGN.

8

In our return home we met with a very odd accident; which I cannot forbear relating, because it shows how desirous all who know Sir Roger are of giving him marks of their esteem. When we were arrived upon the verge 10 of his estate, we stopped at a little inn to rest ourselves and our horses. The man of the house had, it seems,' 12 been formerly a13 servant in the knight's family; and, to do honour to

1 For......it flowed from him, car ce style coulait de sa plume......2 that with hardly any of his friends......did it fail to help him to a ......acceptation, qu'il manqua rarement de lui valoir, auprès de ses amis......un accueil...... it takes but, il suffit de answered, soit qu'il répondît à-5 to, chez-6 or supplied author......with an......, ou qu'il fournît un......à un auteur.......

4

In our return home, en revenant chez nous-8 we met with, il nous arriva-9 how desirous......are of, combien..... tiennent à-10 upon the verge, à la limite (or: à l'entrée)-11 to rest ourselves and, pour nous reposer, nous et-12 it seems, à ce qu'il parait-13 a to be left out.

his old master, had some time since,' unknown to2 'Sir Roger, put him up in a sign-post before the door; so that the knight's head had hung out upon the road about a week before he himself knew anything about the matter.3 As soon as Sir Roger was acquainted with it, finding that his servant's indiscretion proceeded wholly from affection and good will, he only told him that he had made him too high a compliment; and when the fellow seemed to think that could hardly be, added with a more decisive look that it was too great an honour for any man under a duke; but told him at the same time that it might be altered with a very few touches,8 and that he himself would be at the charge of it.9 Accordingly, they got1o a painter, by the knight's directions, to add a pair of whiskers to the face, and by a little aggravation of the features to change it into the Saracen's Head. I should not have known this story had not the innkeeper, on Sir Roger's alighting,12 told him in my hearing 13 that his honour's head was 14 brought back last night 15 with the alterations that he had ordered to be made in it.16 Upon this 17 my friend, with his usual cheerfulness, related the particulars above mentioned,18 and ordered the head to be brought 19 into the room. I could not

1 Some time since, récemment-2 unknown to, à l'insu de-3 before, etc......matter, avant qu'il en sût rien lui-même-4 he only told him, il se contenta de lui dire-5 when the fellow, comme notre homme6 with a......look, d'un air......-7 under, au-dessous de-8 a very few touches, quelques coups de pinceau-9 he himself would be at the charge of it, il en supporterait lui-même les frais-10 they got, ils chargèrent

11 by a little aggravation of, en grossissant un peu-12 on Sir R. s alighting, lorsque Sir R. eut mis pied à terre-13 in my hearing, devant moi-14 was, avait été-15 last night, la veille au soir-16 that he had ordered to be made in it, qu'il avait ordonné qu'on y fit-17 upon this, là-dessus-18 above mentioned, ci-dessus-19 ordered the head to be brought, il fit apporter la tête.

forbear discovering greater expressions of mirth than ordinary upon the appearance of this monster face, under which, notwithstanding it was made to frown and stare in a most extraordinary manner, I could still discover a distant resemblance of my old friend. Sir Roger, upon3 seeing me laugh, desired me to tell him truly if I thought it possible for people to know him in that disguise. I at first kept my usual silence; but upon the knight's conjuring me to tell him whether it was not still more like himself than a Saracen, I composed my countenance in the best manner? I could, and replied that "much might be said on both sides.'

ADDISON.

A NOBLE TRIBUTE TO A DEVOTED WIFE.

Allow me, in justice to her memory, to tell you what she was, and what I owed her. I was guided in my choice only by the blind affection of my youth. I found an intelligent companion and a tender friend, a prudent monitress, the most faithful of wives, and a mother as tender as children ever had 10 the misfortune to lose. I met a woman who, by the tender management of my weaknesses, gradually corrected

11

1 Notwithstanding it was made to frown and stare, malgré le regard fixe et sévère qu'on lui avait donné-2 of, avec-3 upon, en- if I thought it possible for people to know him, si je croyais qu'il fût possible qu'on le reconnût-5 upon the knight's conjuring me, comme le chevalier me conjura- whether, etc......than a, si cette tête ne lui ressemblait pas encore plus qu'à un-7 in the best manner, le mieux que -8 much might be said, il y avait beaucoup à dire.

10

• In justice to her memory, comme un hommage dû à sa mémoireas children ever had, qu'enfants eurent jamais-11 by the tender management of my weaknesses, par les soins affectueux avec lesquels elle traitait mes défauts.

1

the most pernicious of them. She became prudent from affection; and though of the most generous nature, she was taught economy and frugality by her love for me. During the most critical period of my life she preserved order in my affairs, from the care1 of which she relieved me. She gently reclaimed me from dissipation; she propped my weak and irresolute nature; she urged my indolence to all the exertions that have been useful or creditable to me; and she was perpetually at hand to admonish my heedlessness and improvidence. To hers I owe whatever I am; to her whatever I shall be. In her solicitude for my interest, she never for a moment? forgot my feelings or my character. Even in her occasional resentment, 10 for which I but too often gave her causell (would to God 12 I could recall those moments!), she had no sullenness or acrimony.13 Her feelings were warm and impetuous, but she was placable, tender, and constant. Such was she whom 14 I have lost; and I have lost her when her excellent natural sense was rapidly improving, after eight years of struggle and distress 15 had bound us fast together,16 and moulded 17 our tempers to each other, 18 -when a knowledge of her worth had refined my

...9

1 Gradually, etc......of them, me corrigea peu à peu des plus pernicieux-2 from, par-3 she was taught......by her love, son amour...... lui enseigna......~ care, souci-5 reclaimed me from, m'arracha...... à-6 she propped, elle retrempa-7 at hand to, prête à-8 to her, c'est à elle que- she never for a moment.. elle n'......jamais un seul instant-10 in her occasional resentment, dans ses moments de déplaisir -11 for which I but too often gave her cause, que je ne provoquai que trop souvent-12 would to God, plût à Dieu que-13 she had no sullenness or acrimony, elle n'était ni morose ni acerbe-14 she whom, celle que-15 distress, gêne-16 had bound us fast together, qui nous avaient étroitement unis- 17 moulded, façonné-18 to each other, l'un à l'autre.

youthful love into1 friendship, before age had deprived it of much of its original ardour,-I lost her, alas! (the choice of my youth and the partner of my misfortunes), at a moment when3 I had the prospect of her sharing my better days.*

The philosophy which I have learnt only teaches me that virtue and friendship are the greatest of human blessings, and that their loss is irreparable. It aggravates my calamity, instead of consoling me under it. My wounded heart seeks another consolation. Governed by these feelings which have in every age and region of the world actuated the human mind, I seek relief, and I find it, in the soothing hope and consolatory opinion, that a Benevolent Wisdom inflicts the chastisement, as well as bestows the enjoyments of human life; that Superintending Goodness will one day enlighten the darkness which surrounds our nature and hangs over our prospects; that this dreary and wretched life is not the whole of man; that an animal so sagacious and provident, and capable of such proficiency in science and virtue, is not like the beasts that perish; that there is a dwelling-place prepared for the spirits of the just, and that the ways 10 of God will yet be vindicated to man. 11 The sentiments of Religion which were implanted in my mind in my early youth,12 and

1 Had refined my youthful love into, eut épuré l'amour de ma jeunesse en- -2 had deprived it of much of, eût sensiblement diminué3 at a moment when, au moment où-4 of her sharing my better days, de lui faire partager des jours meilleurs-5 under it, du chagrin que j'en éprouve governed, dominé-7 as well as, comme-8 Superintending, Sonveraine the darkness which surrounds our nature and hangs over our prospects, les ténèbres qui enveloppent notre nature et nous voilent l'avenir-10 ways, voies-11 vindicated, justifiées-12 in my early youth, au début de ma jeunesse.