[L. 19.] Les grands ni les petits. Grammarians find fault with sentences in which ni is not repeated before each of the subjects or objects, but usage is against them. Haase, § 140, Rem. iii. Ayer, § 263, 3. LITTRÉ, ni, 1°, observes that the instances he quotes are in verse, but that they might be imitated in prose.
[L. 22.] et d'aller. For the French historic infinitive see Meyer-Lübke, t, iii. p. 592, who does not think it a continuance of the Latin historic infinitive, but a new thing, as the various Romance languages follow in this sensibly different ways. Italian, Spanish, Portuguese using the infinitive with the preposition à (which occurs in quite isolated cases in French: 'et bon prestre à soy-retirer,' Cent Nouvelles nouvelles) Is the verb 'to begin' understood? Meyer-Lübke thinks that the infinitive with de is used only because it was more generally employed, at the time when this turn of phrase originated, than the simple infinitive.
[L. 31.] S'empresse de servir, ordonner, disposer. Observe the rapidity imparted to the sentence by the omission of de before the last two infinitives, a departure from the more common and regular practice.
[L. 32.] excuser. Used absolutely = 'be indulgent.'
[L. 35.] La tristesse.... This rapid review of the Country Rat's grievances—all nouns and no verb—reminds one of a similar turn in La Fontaine's La Mort et le Bûcheron, when the poor wood-cutter sees at a glance all his past life: 'Point de pain quelquefois, et jamais de repos.'
[L. 38.] et de rire. See note to l. 22.
IV. LA FRIVOLITÉ.
[L. 5.] la glace inquiète. The restless looking-glass, whose reflection flits about.
[L. 10.] fluide, evanescent.