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half-an-hour for this meal, and an hour for dinner; which time was taken up in innocent mirth between my wife and daughters, and in philosophical arguments between my son and me.

8

As we rose with the sun, so we never pursued our labour after it was gone down, but returned home to the expecting family, where smiling looks, a neat hearth, and pleasant fire were prepared for our reception. Nor were we without guests: sometimes Farmer Flamborough, our talkative neighbour, and often the blind piper, would pay us a visit, and taste our gooseberry wine; for the making of which we had lost neither the receipt nor the reputation. These harmless people had several ways of being good company; while one played, the other would sing some soothing ballad, 'Johnny Armstrong's Last Goodnight,' or 'The Cruelty of Barbara Allen.' The night was concluded in the manner we began the morning, my youngest boys being appointed to read the lessons of the day, and he that read loudest, distinctest, and best, was to have a halfpenny on Sunday to put into the poor's box.

When Sunday came, it was indeed a day of finery, which all my sumptuary edicts could not restrain. How well soever I fancied my lectures10 against pride had conquered the vanity of my daughters, yet I still found them secretly attached to all their former finery; they still loved laces, ribbons, bugles, and catgut; my wife herself retained a passion for her crimson paduasoy, because I formerly happened to say it became her.11

The first Sunday in particular their behaviour served to mortify me: I had desired my girls the preceding night to be dressed early the next day, for I always loved to be at church a good while before the rest of the congregation. They punctually obeyed my directions; but when we were to assemble in the morning at breakfast, down came my wife and daughters, dressed out in all their former splendour, their hair plastered up with pomatum, their faces patched to taste,12 their trains bundled up into a heap behind, and rustling at every motion. I could not help smiling at their vanity, particularly that of my wife, from whom I expected more discretion. In this exigence, therefore, my only resource was to order my son, with an important air, to call13 our coach. The girls were amazed at the command; but I repeated it with more solemnity than before. 'Surely, my dear, you jest,' cried my wife; 'we can walk (it) perfectly well; we want no coach to carry us now.' 'You mistake, child,' returned I, 'we do want a coach; for if we walk14 to church in this trim, the very children in the parish will hoot after us.' 'Indeed,' replied my wife, 'I always imagined15 that my Charles was fond of seeing16 his children neat and handsome about him.' 'You may be as neat as you please,' interrupted I, 'and I shall love you the better for it; but all this is not neatness, but frippery. These rufflings, and pinkings, and patchings, will

only make us hated by17 all the wives of our neighbours. No, my children,' continued I, more gravely, 'those gowns may be altered into something of a plainer cut, for finery is very unbecoming in us18 who want the means of decency. I do not know whether such flouncing and shredding is becoming even in the rich, if we consider upon a moderate calculation19 that the nakedness of the indigent world may be clothed from the trimmings of the vain.'

This remonstrance had the proper effect; 20 they went with great composure, that very instant, to change their dress; and the next day I had the satisfaction of finding my daughters, at their own request, employed in cutting up their trains into Sunday waistcoats for Ted and Bill, the two little ones; and, what was still more satisfactory, the gowns seemed improved by this curtailing.—GOLDSMITH.

1 Loin du monde poli. 2 Célébraient Noël. 3 Des lacs d'amour le jour de Saint Valentin. 4 Pendant le carnaval. 5 N'avait qu'un étage. 6 Elle n'en était que plus chaude. 7 Nous nous agenouillions tous pour remercier l'Etre. 8 Mais nous retournions au milieu de la famille qui nous attendait. 9 La fabrication duquel. 10 Quoique je m'imaginasse que mes sermons. 11 Il m'arriva de lui dire qu'elle lui allait bien. 12 Avec des mouches à la mode. 13 De faire venir. 14 Nous allons à pied. 15 Je m'étais toujours figurée. 16 Aimait à voir. 17 Ne serviront qu'à nous faire détester de. 18 Très-déplacée en nous. 19 D'après un calcul modéré. 20 L'effet désirable.

EPISTOLARY CORRESPONDENCE

CONTAINING

PRACTICAL HINTS ON FRENCH LETTER-WRITING,
EXAMPLES OF LETTERS ON VARIOUS
SUBJECTS, WITH NOTES, ETC.

THE DATE OF LETTERS.

The date of letters, along with the place of residence, are generally placed at the top as in English; it is sometimes placed last, to the left of the signature; and (except the first) the cardinal number should be used for the date, which should precede the month; as

PARIS, le 1er Avril 1867.
LONDRES, cel 7 Mai 1867.

The abbreviations of the months are-Janv., Fev. Avr., Juil., Sept., or 7bre, Oct. or 8bre, Nov. or 9bre, Dec. or 10bre.

BEGINNING OF LETTERS.

After the usual form of address, Monsieur, Madame, Mon cher Monsieur, Ma chère Dame, Ma chère Demoiselle, Mon cher Cousin, or any other, as the case may be, begin your letter.

It is not elegant to begin a letter with a participle, or with celle-ci; as, celle-ci est pour vous informer; nor by j'ai reçu

la vôtre.

Avoid also the following English expressions, because they are not French :

J'étais, or je fus heureux.
Ma sœur, etc., est très-bien.

Je fus plu d'entendre que.

Je n'ai pas entendu de lui pour un longtemps.

Je fus favorisé avec, etc.

1 Le and ce are frequently omitted: PARIS, ler Janvier.

The following may serve as a guide for beginning a French

letter:

Je m'empresse de répondre à votre lettre.

J'ai reçu avec beaucoup de plaisir votre aimable lettre.

Mille remerciments pour.

La lettre que vous avez bien voulu m'écrire m'est parvenue ce matin.

La lettre dont vous m'avez honoré.

Je profite de l'occasion.

J'ai l'honneur de vous informer que. Etc. etc.

CONCLUSION OF LETTERS.

The way of concluding a letter in French is generally more ceremonious and formal than in English; the most usual forms are thus:

Je suis, Monsieur,

avec le plus profond respect,

votre très-humble serviteur (m), servante (f),

N. N.

J'ai l'honneur d'être, Madame,

avec respect et reconnaissance,

votre très-humble et très obéissant serviteur,

N. N.

Agréez, Monsieur, l'hommage du respect,

avec lequel je suis,

votre obéissant serviteur,
N. N.

Recevez, Monsieur, l'assurance

de mon respectueux attachement,

N. N.

The following expressions may serve as a guide to conclude a letter in French :

Faites, je vous prie, mes compliments à votre chère famille, et croyezmoi, votre sincère ami, N. N.

En attendant le plaisir de vous revoir, je vous serre la main, or je vous embrasse, tout à vous, N. N.

Adieu, mon cher L-; rappelez-moi au souvenir de tous mes amis, et croyez-moi,

[blocks in formation]

Je vous salue avec une considération distinguée, et suis,

votre,

N. N.

Veuillez me croire pour la vie,

votre,

N. N.

En attendant de vos nouvelles, je vous salue très-sincèrement, et suis,

[blocks in formation]

J'attends votre réponse, et vous prie d'agréer l'assurance de mon par

fait dévouement.

N. N

Tout à vous de cœur et d'affection.

N. N.

Veuillez excuser la peine que je vous donne et me croire,

[blocks in formation]

Dans l'attente d'une prompte réponse, j'ai l'honneur d'être,

[blocks in formation]

Agréez l'expression de ma gratitude pour les amitiés dont vous ne

cessez de me combler, et croyez moi,

votre, N. N.

Comptez à jamais, Monsieur, sur la reconnaissance et l'attachement,

de votre, N. N.

Je saisis cette occasion de renouveler à-les assurances de ma parfaite considération.

Auriez-vous la bonté de me rappelez au souvenir de.

Faites mes amitiés à.

Mes tendres amitiés à.

Votre très-humble et très-obéissant serviteur.

Tout à vous.

Adieu, je vous embrasse comme je vous aime.

Croyez-moi votre tendre sœur, or, votre sœur affectionnée.
Mes devoirs, or mes respects à.

In mentioning the name of persons to whom we owe deference, we use Monsieur, Madame, or Mademoiselle, before their names.

We say Ma chère Dame if we do not add the name, and Ma chère Madame L—, if we add it.

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