"O ciel! ainsi ta Providence
A tous les maux nous condamna:
Un souffle éteint notre existence
Comme un souffle nous la donna."
The second is a line which occurs in Curiosities of Literature, and which I am compelled to quote from memory, having no access to that work. It is as follows:
"A breath revived him, but a breath o'erthrew."
That Goldsmith wrote the line in question with the word "unmakes," there seems little reason to doubt. To say of princes and lords that "a breath can make them, as a breath has made," far from conveying any idea of their "fading," would be, on the contrary, to indicate the facile process by which they may be perpetuated. It would show how they may "flourish," but not how they may "fade."
Although this emendation in Goldsmith was pointed out many years ago, and recommends itself by its appositeness, and its obvious adaptation to the context, yet I believe it has never been introduced into any edition of that poet. I have before me two copies of The Deserted Village, and both contain the words "can make." As, however, among the many useful hints thrown out by "NOTES AND QUERIES", that of suggesting the emendation of obscure or difficult passages in our poets, appears to have met with the approbation of your readers, I trust some future editor of Goldsmith may be induced to notice this passage, and restore the text to its original accuracy.
HENRY H. BREEN.
St. Lucia.