ploits d'Hercule sont de la Saint Jean aupres de_..., "The
exploits of Hercules are but of the St. John order compared to...."

_Monsieur, ne vous retournez pas_, "Sir, do not return yourself."

* * * * *

But to return to John Bull, junior.

I pass young worthies who translate "_I have never read any thing by
Moliere_" by "_Je n'ai pas jamais lit quelque chose par Moliere_," on
the ground that "it is so in English." This "French" sentence was,
by-the-bye, the first essay on Moliere I received at the hands of the
English boys.

Some little fellows, trusting their sense of sight, have the
objectionable habit of writing the translation of a text before looking
at it, at all events before seeing it.

Result: "_Il raccommodait les vieux souliers_"--"_He recommended the
old soldiers._"

A clever boy, whilst reading a comedy at first sight, translated
"EGLANTINE (_baissant les yeux_)" by "EGLANTINE (_kissing his eyes_)."

You naughty boy!

* * * * *

I once read the following sound advice given in the preface of a French
Translation book:

"HINTS ON TRANSLATING UNSEEN PASSAGES."

"1. Read the passage carefully through, at least twice."

"2. Keep as closely as possible to the original in sense, but use
English idiom boldly."

"3. Never write down nonsense."

Now, and whilst I think of it, why _unseen_?

It may be that I do not perceive the niceties of the English language,
but this commonly used word, "unseen," never conveyed any meaning to my
mind. Would not "unforeseen" be a better word? I would timidly suggest.

If the book in question succeeded in making boys carry out the
foregoing suggestions, it would be worth its weight in gold.

As far as my experience goes, the only hint which I have known them
follow is the one that tells them to use English idiom boldly.

A drawback to these hints is that they are given in the preface. Now,
dear colleagues and _confreres_, which of you has ever known a
school-boy read the preface of his book?

VII.

ENGLISH BOYS ON FRENCH ETYMOLOGIES.--WHY "SILENCE" IS THE ONLY FRENCH
NOUN, ENDING IN "ENCE," THAT IS OF THE MASCULINE GENDER.--A VALUABLE
SERVICE RENDERED BY THE AUTHOR TO HIS LAND OF ADOPTION.--LEARNED
ETYMOLOGIES.--RETURN TO OLD PHILOLOGICAL METHODS.--REMARKABLE QUESTIONS.
--WRITTEN AND ORAL EXAMINATIONS.--A KIND EXAMINER.--HOW LONG WOULD
IT TAKE THE