A Lord having pitcht upon an ignoramus to be his Library-keeper, That’s the Seraglio, said a very witty Lady, committed to the Custody of an Eunuch.
21
Un Seigneur ayant choisi un homme ignorant pour être son Bibliotéquaire, C’est, dit une Femme de qualité fort spirituelle, le Serrail qu’on a donné à garder à un Eunuque.
22
Balzac having occasion for some Money, sent to his Friend Voiture to desire him to lend him four Hundred Crowns, and charged his Valet-de-Chambre to give him a Note for the like Sum. Voiture told the Money, and being offered the Note, which ran thus, I promise to pay to Mr. Voiture the Sum of four Hundred Crowns which he has sent me, &c. He takes it, peruses it, and underwrites these Words, I promise to pay to Mr. Voiture the Sum of eight Hundred Crowns, for the Favour he has done me of borrowing four Hundred of me, &c. And so he gives the Note to the Valet-de-Chambre to carry it back to his Master.
22
Balzac ayant besoin d’Argent, envoya prier Voiture son Ami de vouloir bien lui preter quatre Cens êcus & chargea son Valet de Chambre de donner à Voiture une Promesse de pareille somme: Voiture conta l’Argent, & comme on lui presenta la Promesse où il y avoit ces Mots, Je promets de payer à Monsieur de Voiture la somme de quatre cens écus qu’il ma pretée, &c. il la prend, la lit, & souscrit ces Paroles, Je promets de payer à Monsieur de Balzac la somme de huit cents écus, pour le plaisir qu’il m’a fait de m’en emprunter quatre cens. Aprés cela il rend la promesse au Valet de Chambre pour la reporter à son Maître.
23
Henry IV. King of France was so generous, that he ordered Vitri, Captain of his Life-Guards, to take into his Troop the Man that wounded him in the Battle of Aumale. The Mareschal d’Estrees being one Day in his Coach, and this Life-Guard-man riding by the Boot, There is, said the King, pointing to him, the Soldier who wounded me at the Battle of Aumale.
23