the whole corps of veterans; and so I strode over the two back rows of benches, and placed myself beside him. The old officer was reading attentively a small pamphlet, it might be the book of the opera, with a large pair of spectacles. As foon as I fat down, he took his spectacles off, and putting them into a shagreen cafe, return'd them and the book into his pocket together. I half rose up, and made him a bow. 4 Translate this into any civilized language in the world-the sense is this: *Here's a poor stranger come in to the "box-he seems as if he knew no body; "and is never likely, was he to be seven years in Paris, if every man he comes near keeps his spectacles upon his nose "-'tis shutting the door of converfa "tion "tion absolutely in his face-and using "him worse than a Gerinan." The French officer might as well have faid it all aloud; and if he had, I should in course have put the bow I made him into French too, and told him, "I was sensible of his attention, "and return'd him a thousand thanks "for it." There is not a secret so aiding to the progress of sociality, as to get master of this short hand, and be quick in rendering the several turns of looks and limbs, with all their inflections and delineations, into plain words. For my own part, by long habitude, I do it fo mechanically, that when I walk the streets of London, I go translating all the way; and have more than once stood behind in the circle, where not three K 3 three words have been faid, and have brought off twenty different dialogues with me, which I could have fairly wrote down and sworn to. : I was going one evening to Martini's concert at Milan, and was just entering the door of the hall, when the Marquefina di F-- was coming out in a fort of a hurry-she was almost upon me before I faw her; so I gave a spring to one side to let her pass-She had done the fame, and on the fame fide too; fo we ran our heads together: she instantly got to the other fide to get out: I was just as unfortunate as she had been; for I had sprung to that fide, and oppofed her paflage again-We both flew toge, ther to the other fide, and then backand fo on-it was ridiculous; we both blush'd intolerably; so I did at last the thing I should have done at first-I flood ftock : stock still, and the Marquefina had no more difficulty. I had no power to go as if into the room, till I had made her fo much reparation as to wait and follow her with my eye to the end of the passage- She look'd back twice, and walk'd along it rather fide-ways, she would make room for any one coming up ftairs to pass her-No, faid Ithat's a vile translation: the Marquefina has a right to the best apology I can make her; and that opening is left for me to do it in-fo. I ran and begg'd pardon for the embaraffinent I had given her, saying it was my intention to have made her way. She answered, she was guided by the same intention towards me-fo we reciprocally thank'd each other. She was at the top of the stairs; and feeing no chichefbee near her, I begg'd to hand her to her coach-fo we went down the stairs, stopping at every K4 third third step to talk of the concert and the adventure-Upon my word, Madame, faid I when I had handed her in, I made fix different efforts to let you go outAnd I made fix efforts, replied she, to let you enter-I wish to heaven you would make a seventh, faid I-With all my heart, faid she, making room-Life is too short to be long about the forms of it-fo I instantly stepp'd in, and she carried me home with her-And what became of the concert, St. Cecilia, who, I fuppofe, was at it, knows more than I. |