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digious difference between the conversation of those who have been well educated and of those who have not enjoyed this advantage. Education gives fecundity of thought, copiousness of illustration,1 quickness, vigour, fancy, words, images, and illustrations-2 it decorates every common thing, and gives the power of trifling without being undignified 3 and absurd. The subjects themselves may not be wanted upon which the talents of an educated man have been exercised; but there is always a demand for 5 those talents which his education has rendered strong and quick. Now, really, nothing can be further from our intention than to say anything 6 rude and unpleasant; but we must be excused for observing that it is not now a very common thing to be interested by the variety and extent of female knowledge, but it is a very common thing to lament, that the finest faculties in the world have been confined to trifles utterly unworthy of their richness and their strength.

sex; nor

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11

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The pursuit of knowledge is the most innocent and interesting occupation which can be given to the female. 10 can there be a better method 11 of checking a spirit of dissipation, than by 13 diffusing a taste for 14 literature. The true way to attack vice, is by setting up something else against it. Give to women, in early youth, something to acquire, of sufficient interest and importance to command the application of their mature faculties, and to excite their perseverance in future life; 15 teach them, that happiness is to be derived from the acquisition of knowledge, as well as the gratification of vanity; and you will raise up a much more formidable barrier against dissipation, than a host of invectives and exhortations can supply.16

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It sometimes happens that an unfortunate man gets drunk with very bad wine-not to gratify his palate but to forget his cares : he does not set any value 2 on what he receives, but 3 on account of what it excludes ;— it 5 keeps out something worse than itself. Now, though 6 it were denied that the acquisition of serious knowledge is of itself important to a woman, still it prevents a taste for silly and pernicious works of imagination; it keeps away the horrid trash of novels; and, in lieu of that eagerness for emotion and adventure 8 which books of that sort inspire, promotes a calm and steady temperament of mind.

A man who deserves such a piece of good fortune,10 may generally find an excellent companion 11 for all the vicissitudes of his life; but it is not so easy to find a companion for his understanding, who has similar pursuits with himself, or who can comprehend the pleasure he derives from them. We really can see no reason why it should not be 12 otherwise; nor comprehend how the pleasures of domestic life can be promoted by diminishing the number of subjects in 13 which persons who are to spend their lives together take a common interest.

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than you could do (page 5, note 8) by a host. . . . and exhortations; and leave out 'supply:' 'to supply a barrier' is a very questionable expression.

soucis, in this sense. We might translate here by noyer ses soucis (or, ses chagrins): 'noyer ses chagrins (ses soucis) dans le vin,' means precisely perdre le souvenir de ses chagrins en buvant, 'to forget one's cares by drinking,' 'to drink away-to drown-one's cares.' 2 n'attache aucun prix. 3 si ce n'est.

4 what he receives.... what it excludes.' Very bad sentence: 'it' relates to the first 'what ('what he receives excludes'); so the sentence comes to this, 'but on account of what what excludes.' See, for a reflection fully

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applicable to this case, page 60, note 2. Turn, 'on account of what happens thereby to be excluded.

est.

5 it;' ce vin, tout mauvais qu'il

6 though,' here, quand même, or quand bien même, with the conditional; and see page 8, note 6: use on here.

7 toujours est-il que.
8 l'esprit d'aventure.
9 situation.

10

11

un tel bonheur. compagne (fem.,-compagnon is the masculine).

12 Nous ne voyons en vérité point pourquoi il n'en serait pas;-en, here, means 'about it?' in the same way we say, il en sera toujours ainsi, 'it (i.e., things) will always be so '-with regard to the particular case in question. 13 'to.'

One of the most agreeable consequences of knowledge, is the respect and importance which it communicates to old age. Men rise in character often as they increase in years; they are venerable from 2 what they have acquired, and pleasing from what they can impart. If they outlive their faculties, the mere frame itself is respected for what it once contained; but women (such is their unfortunate style of education) hazard everything upon one cast of the die; when youth is gone all is gone. 3 No human creature gives his admiration for nothing: either the eye must be charmed, or the understanding gratified. A woman must talk wisely or look well. Every human being must put up with 5 the coldest civility, who has neither the charms of youth nor the wisdom of age. Neither is there the slightest commiseration for decayed accomplishments ;—no man mourns over the fragments of a dancer, or drops a tear on the relics of musical skill. They are flowers destined to perish; but the decay of great talents is always the subject of solemn pity; and, even when their last memorial is over, their ruins and vestiges are regarded with pious affection.-(SYDNEY SMITH.)

DR. JOHNSON TO THE EARL OF CHESTERFIELD.

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MY LORD, I have been lately informed, by the proprietor of the "World," that two papers, in which my Dictionary is recommended to the public, were written by your Lordship. To be so distinguished is an honour which, being very little accustomed to favours from the great, I know not well how to receive or 9 in what terms to acknowledge.

1 avancent en âge. - 'as; see page 240, note 2.

2 par.

3 coup de dé.

4 ou être de bonne mine ;-avoir bonne mine means to look well' in the sense of 'to look healthy.'

5 s'accommoder de.

6 See page 14, note 5.

7 Aussi bien ne trouve-t-on pas non plus. See page 88, note 10 8 articles.

9 See page 42, note 8.

that

When, upon some slight encouragement, I first1 visited your Lordship, I was overpowered, like the rest of mankind, by the enchantment of your address; 2 and could not forbear to wish that I might boast myself le vainqueur du vainqueur de la terre;· 3 that I might obtain regard for which I saw the world contending; but I found my attendance so little encouraged, that neither pride nor modesty would suffer me to continue it. When I had once addressed your Lordship in public, I had exhausted all the art of pleasing which a retired and uncourtly 4 scholar can possess. I had done all that I could; and no man is well pleased to have his all neglected, be it ever so little.5

Seven years, my Lord, have now past, since I waited in your outward rooms, or was repulsed from your door; during which time I have been pushing on my work through difficulties, of which it is useless to complain, and have brought it, at last, to the verge of publication, without one act of assistance, one word of encouragement, or one smile of favour. Such treatment I did not expect, for I never had a patron before.

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S

The shepherd in Virgil grew at last acquainted with? love, and found him a native of the rocks.

Is not a patron, my Lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and, when he has reached the ground, encumbers him with help? The notice which you have been pleased to take of 10 my labours, had it been early, had been kind;11 but it has been delayed till 12 I am indifferent, and cannot enjoy it; till I am solitary, and cannot impart it; till I am known, and do not want it. I hope it is no very cynical asperity not to confess 14 obligations where 15

1 for the first time;' and never separate thus, in French, the subject from the verb.

2 abord, in this particular sense. See page 177, note 2.

3 See p. 111, n. 17, and p. 7, n. 7. 4 et étranger au grand monde. 5 de voir traiter avec indifférence ce qui, si peu que ce soit, est tout 6 'that.' pour lui. 8 Invert.

7 moment.

9finit par connaître.

10 "

13

The attention which you have deigned to give (to grant) to.'

11 would have been kind if it had come sooner.'

12 jusqu'au moment où.
13 il n'y a pas de.

14 à ne pas reconnaître (or, voir). 15 là où; emphatically, pointedly. See page 177, note 13.

no benefit has been received, or to be unwilling that the public should consider me as owing that to a patron which Providence has enabled me to do for1 myself.

Having carried on my work thus far2 with so little obligation to any favourer of learning, I shall not be disappointed though I should3 conclude it, if less be possible, with less; for I have long been wakened from that dream of hope in which I once boasted myself with so much exultation, my Lord, your Lordship's most humble, most obedient servant.

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THE DEATH OF WILLIAM PITT, EARL OF CHATHAM.

rose.

WHEN the Duke of Richmond had spoken,7 Chatham For some time his voice was inaudible. At length his tones became distinct and his action animated. 10 Here and there his hearers caught a thought or an expression which reminded them of William Pitt. But it was clear that he was not himself.11 He lost the thread of his discourse, hesitated, repeated the same words several times, and was so confused that, in speaking of the Act of Settlement,12 he could not recall the name of the Electress Sophia. The House 13 listened in solemn alto

or leave it out

1 par; gether. 2 jusque-là.

3 See page 123, note 5. conclude;' see page 85, note 1.

4 je me disais (styled myself) autrefois avec une si.vive joie mêlée d'orgueil.

5 de votre Seigneurie; and, in such cases as this, observe, in French, exceptionally, the same construction as in English: not only is it more civil to put first the title of the person which you address, but, besides, this construction is more regular, as your own name will then follow immediately,

as it ought, 'humble obedient ser-
vant,' or whatever else you may
think proper to style yourself.

6 See page 183, note 1.
7 See page 27, note 15.

8 il ne put se faire entendre. There can be no ambiguity here, in the French rendering, on account of what follows.

9the tones of his voice.'
10 s'anima.

11 n'était plus le même (or, plus reconnaissable); or, almost literally, n'était plus lui-même.

12 la Loi de la succession au trône.

13 See page 135, note 8.

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