The sixth day of August, and seventh of May,
Show the first of the year in the name of the day;
But in leap-year, when leap-month has duly been reckoned,
These month-dates will show, not the first, but the second.
M.
Foreign English.
—The specimens given in "NOTES AND QUERIES" have reminded me of one which seems worthy to accompany them; in fact, to have rather a peculiar claim.
I believe the facts of the case to have been these. When it was known that Louis XVIII. was to be restored to the throne of France, a report was circulated (whether on any good authority I do not know) that the then Duke of Clarence would take the command of the vessel which was to convey the returning monarch to Calais. At all events the people of Calais expected it; and inferring that the English royal duke would pass at least one night in their town, and of course go to the play, they deemed that it would be proper to perform the English national anthem at their theatre. It was obvious, however, that "God save the King" was so very appropriate to their own circumstances, that, notwithstanding its Anglicism, it left less of compliment and congratulation for the illustrious foreigner than they really intended to offer. So that happy people, who can do everything in no time, forthwith prepared an additional verse. This being quite new, and of course unknown, they printed on the playbill, from which I learned it. If you give his lines a place in your pages, I will not say that the French poet's labour was thrown away; but for the time it was so, as the English duke did not accompany the French king. I believe that the additional verse was as follows:—
"God save noble Clarénce
Who brings our king to France,