“He who in Nature’s bitters findeth sweet food every day,
‘Eureka! till I pull up ill I take rue,’ well might say.”
Equivoque.
COPY OF A LETTER WRITTEN BY CARDINAL RICHELIEU TO THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR AT ROME.
First read the letter across, then double it in the middle, and read the first column.
| Sir,—Mons. Compigne, a Savoyard by birth, | a Friar of the order of Saint Benedict, |
| is the man who will present to you | as his passport to your protection, |
| this letter. He is one of the most | discreet, the wisest and the least |
| meddling persons that I have ever known | or have had the pleasure to converse with. |
| He has long earnestly solicited me | to write to you in his favor, and |
| to give him a suitable character, | together with a letter of credence; |
| which I have accordingly granted to | his real merit, rather I must say, than to |
| his importunity; for, believe me, Sir, | his modesty is only exceeded by his worth, |
| I should be sorry that you should be | wanting in serving him on account of being |
| misinformed of his real character; | I should be afflicted if you were |
| as some other gentlemen have been, | misled on that score, who now esteem him, |
| and those among the best of my friends; | wherefore, and from no other motive |
| I think it my duty to advertise you | that you are most particularly desired, |
| to have especial attention to all he does, | to show him all the respect imaginable, |
| nor venture to say any thing before him, | that may either offend or displease him |
| in any sort; for I may truly say, there is | no man I love so much as M. Compigne, |
| none whom I should more regret to see | neglected, as no one can be more worthy to be |
| received and trusted in decent society. | Base, therefore, would it be to injure him. |
| And I well know, that as soon as you | are made sensible of his virtues, and |
| shall become acquainted with him | you will love him as I do; and then |
| you will thank me for this my advice. | The assurance I entertain of your |
| Courtesy obliges me to desist from | urging this matter to you further, or |
| saying any thing more on this subject. | Believe me, Sir, &c. RICHELIEU. |
A LOVE-LETTER.
The reader, after perusing it, will please read it again, commencing on the first line, then the third and fifth, and so on, reading each alternate line to the end.
To Miss M——.
—The great love I have hitherto expressed for you