[11] A dish so indigestible that a late novelist at the end of his book,
could imagine no more summary mode of getting rid of all his heroes and
heroines than by a hearty supper of stewed lampreys.
[12] They killed Henry I. of England:-"a food [says Hume, gravely], which
always agreed better with his palate than his constitution."
[13] A famous Restaurateur--now Dupont.
LETTER IX.
PROM PHIL. FUDGE, ESQ., TO
THE LORD VISCOUNT CASTLEREAGH.
My Lord, the Instructions, brought to-day,
"I shall in all my best obey."
Your Lordship talks and writes so sensibly!
And--whatsoe'er some wags may say--
Oh! not at _all_ incomprehensibly.
I feel the inquiries in your letter
About my health and French most flattering;
Thank ye, my French, tho' somewhat better,
Is, on the whole, but weak and smattering:--
Nothing, of course, that can compare
With his who made the Congress stare
(A certain Lord we need not name),
Who, even in French, would have his trope,
And talk of "_batir_ un systeme
"Sur _l'equilibre_ de l'Europe!"
Sweet metaphor!--and then the Epistle,
Which bid the Saxon King go whistle,--
That tender letter to _"Mon Prince"_[1]
Which showed alike thy French and sense;--
Oh no, my Lord--there's none can do
Or say _un-English_ things like you:
And, if the schemes that fill thy breast
Could but a vent congenial seek,
And use the tongue that suits them best,
What charming Turkish wouldst thou speak!
But as for _me_, a Frenchless grub,
At Congress never born to stammer,
Nor learn like thee, my Lord, to snub
Fallen Monarchs, out of CHAMBAUD'S grammar--
Bless you, you do not, _can not_, know
How far a little French will go;
For all one's stock, one need but draw
On some half-dozen words like toese--
_Comme ca--par-la--la-bas--ah ha_!
They'll take you all thro' France with ease.
Pages:
1356
1357
1358
1359
1360
1361
1362
1363
1364
1365
1366
1367
1368
1369
1370
1371
1372
1373
1374
1375
1376
1377
1378
1379
1380