SIR ROGER DE COVERLEY AND THE SIGN. 139

dent; 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 2 upon the verge of his estate, we stopped at a little inn to rest ourselves and our horses." The man of the

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servant in the

his old master, Sir Roger, put him

house had, it seems,5 been formerly a knight's, family; and to 7 do honour to had some time since,8 unknown to up in a sign-post before the door; so that the knight's head had hung out 10 upon 11 the road about 12 a week 13 before he himself knew anything about the matter.14 As soon as Sir Roger was acquainted with it,15 finding 16 that his servant's indiscretion proceeded wholly from affection and good will, he only told him 17 that he had

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How desirous......are of, combien...... tiennent à-2 when we were arrived, étant arrivés- upon the verge, à la limite (or: à l'entrée) the man of the house, l'aubergiste-5 it seems, à ce qu'il paraît-6 a, to be left out-7 see note ", p. 30-8 some time since, récemment up in, au haut d'- -10 had hung out, avait été suspendue-" upon, au-dessus de 12 about, pendant environ-13 a week, "eight days"-4 before, etc.......matter, avant qu'il en sût rien lui-même-15 was acquainted with, en eut connaisseeing"-17 he only told him, il se contenta de lui dire.

sance-16 «<

a To rest ourselves and our horses, pour nous reposer nous et nos chevaux. As the pronoun nous must precede the verb, its repetition in its disjunctive character is indispensable to keep the two accusatives "ourselves and our horses" connected together. It happens that nous is the same (as also vous), whether conjunctive or disjunctive; but supposing any other reflective pronoun, me (myself), te (thyself), or se (himself, herself, themselves, or one's self), the sentence would be " pour me reposer moi et mon cheval"-" pour te reposer toi et ton, etc."- "pour se reposer lui, or elle, eux, elles, or soi, et son or leur, etc."

This double personal pronoun, conjunctive and disjunctive, is equally indispensable in all constructions of this kind when the verb is not reflective. Ex.: Je le verrai demain lui et son frère. And with a dative case: Je lui écrirai à lui et à son frère.

b Unknown to, thus used absolutely, is rendered by the locution à l'insu de before a noun, and when attached to a personal pronoun, "unknown to me, to thee, to him, etc.," they are both expressed together as follows: à mon insu, à ton insu, à son insu, à notre insu, à votre insu, à leur insu.

made him too high a compliment; and when the fellow 1 seemed to think that could hardly be, added 2 with a

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more decisive look 3 that it was too great an honour for any man under 4 a duke; but told him at the same time that it 5 might be altered with a very few touches," and that he himself would be at the charge of it.7 Accordingly, they got 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, told him 10 in my hearing 11 that his honour's head was brought back last night 13 with the alterations that he had ordered to be made in it.14 Upon this 15 my friend, with his usual cheerfulness, related the particulars above mentioned,16 and ordered the head to be brought 17 into the room. I could not forbear discovering greater expressions of mirth than ordinary 18 upon the appearance of this 19 monster face, under which, notwithstanding it was made to frown and stare in a most extraordinary manner,20 I could still discover a distant resemblance

of 21 my old friend. old friend.

Sir Roger, upon

Sir Roger, upon 22 seeing me laugh, desired me to tell him truly 23 if I thought it possible

1 When the fellow, comme notre homme-2" he added"—3 with a ......look, d'un air...... under, au-dessous de-5 it, le portrait6 a very few touches, quelques coups de pinceau-7 he himself would be at the charge of it, il en supporterait lui-même les frais8 they got, ils chargèrent-9 by a little aggravation of, en grossissant un peu-10 had not.....on Sir R.'s alighting, told him, si, lorsque sir R. eut mis pied à terre,......ne lui eût dit-" in my hearing, devant moi-12 was, avait été-13 last night, la veille au soir-14 that he had ordered to be made in it, qu'il avait ordonné qu'on y fîtupon this, sur cela-16 above mentioned, ci-dessus-17 ordered the head to be brought, fit apporter la tête-18 I could not, etc................. ordinary, mon sérieux habituel m'échappa malgré moi-19 upon the appearance of this......, "when this......appeared"-20 notwithstanding, etc......manner, malgré le regard étrangement fixe et sévère qu'on lui avait donné-21 of, avec-22 upon, en-23 truly, franchement.

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A NOBLE TRIBUTE TO A DEVOTED WIFE. 141

for people to know him1 in 2 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.

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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 10 an intelligent companion and a tender friend, a prudent monitress, the most faithful of wives, and a mother as tender as children ever had the misfortune to lose.11 I met a woman who, by the tender management of my weaknesses, 12 gradually corrected the most pernicious of them.13 She became prudent from 14 affection; and though of the most generous nature, she was taught economy and frugality by her love for me.15 During the most critical period of my life she preserved order in my affairs, from the care 16 of which she relieved

1 If I thought it possible for people to know him, si je croyais qu'il fût possible qu'on le reconnût-2 in, sous-3 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—5 in the best manner, le mieux que-6 much might be said, il y avait beaucoup à dire.

"I

7 In justice to her memory, comme un hommage dû à sa mémoire -8 I was, j'avais été (see note a, p. 6)—9 only, uniquement-10 ❝ found in her"-11 as tender as, etc. ....to lose, telle que jamais enfants n'eurent le malheur d'en perdre une plus tendre-12 by the tender management of my weaknesses, par les soins affectueux avec lesquels elle traitait mes défauts-13 gradually, etc.......of them, me corrigea peu à peu des plus pernicieux-14 from, par-15 she was 16 taught, etc., "her love for me taught her, etc."care, souci.

me. She gently reclaimed me from1 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 3 my heedlessness and improvidence. To her1 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,6 for which I but too often gave her cause (would to God I could recall those moments!) she had no sullenness or acrimony. Her feelings were warm and impetuous,10 but she was placable, tender, and constant. Such was she whom 11 I have lost; and I have lost her when 12 her excellent natural sense was rapidly improving, after eight years of struggle and distress 13 had bound us fast together,14 and moulded15 our tempers to each other,16—when a 17 knowledge of her worth had refined my youthful love into 18 friendship, before age had deprived it of much of 19 its original ardour, I lost her, alas! (the choice of my youth and the partner of my misfortunes), at a moment when 20 I had the prospect of her sharing my better days.2

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1 She...reclaimed me from, elle m'arracha...à (see note b, p. 30)— 2 she propped, elle retrempa-3 at hand to admonish, prête à me mettre en garde contre-4 to her, c'est à elle que-5 she never for a moment forgot, elle ne perdit jamais un seul instant de vue-6 in her occasional resentment, dans ses moments de déplaisir—7 for which I but too often gave her cause, que je ne provoquai que trop souvent -8 would to God I could, plût à Dieu qu'il me fût donné de-9 she had no sullenness or acrimony, elle n'était ni morose ni acerbe-10 her feelings were warm and impetuous, elle sentait vivement et était d'une nature impétueuse--she whom, celle que-12 when, alors que (see note a, p. 49)—13 distress, gêne-14 had bound us fast together, qui nous avaient étroitement unis-15 moulded, qui avaient façonné-16 to each other, l'un à l'autre-17 "the"-18 had refined my youthful love into, avait épuré l'amour de ma jeunesse en-19 had deprived it of much of, eût sensiblement diminué-20 at a moment when, au moment où21 of her sharing my better days, de lui faire partager des jours meil

leurs.

A NOBLE TRIBUTE TO A DEVOTED WIFE. 143

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The philosophy which I have learnt only teaches me that virtue and friendship are the greatest of human blessings, and that their loss is 2 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 7 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 13 12 to man. The sentiments of Religion which were implanted in my mind in my early youth,1 and which were 15 revived by the awful scenes which I have seen passing 16 before my eyes in the world, are, I trust,17 deeply rooted in my heart by this great calamity.

SIR JAMES MACKINTOSH, "Memoirs."

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1 The greatest of human blessings, les plus grands bonheurs de la vie—2 see note ©, p. 80—3 under it, du chagrin que j'en éprouve— governed, dominé-5 opinion, pensée-6 as well as, comme-7 “it bestows"-8 Superintending, Souveraine-9 the darkness, etc...... prospects, les ténèbres qui enveloppent notre nature et nous voilent l'avenir-10 ways, voies-11 yet, un jour-12 vindicated, justifiées— 13 to, aux yeux de-14 in my early youth, au début de ma jeunesse— see note ", p. 32-16 see note ", p. 55—17 I trust, j'en ai la con

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fiance.