through two fuch long and filken eyelashes with such penetration, that she look'd into my very heart and reins-It may feem ftrange, but I could actually feel fhe did

It is no matter, said I, taking up a couple of the pairs next me, and putting them into my pocket.

I was fenfible the beautiful Griffet had not afk'd above a single livre above the price -I wifh'd fhe had afk'd a livre more, and was puzzling my brains how to bring the matter about-Do you think, my dear Sir, faid fhe, mistaking my embarassment, that I could ask a fous too much of a ftranger whole politeness, more than his want of gloves, has done me the honour to lay himself at my mercy ?-M'en croyezvous capable?—Faith! not I, said I; and if you were, you are welcome-So counting the money into her hand, and with a lower bow than one generally makes to a fhopkeeper's wife, I went out, and her lad with his parcel followed me.

THE TRANSLATION.

PARIS.

THERE was nobody in the box I

was let into, but a kindly old French officer. I love the character, not only because I honour the man whofe manners are softened by a profession which makes bad men worse; but that I once knew one-for he is no more-and why should I not rescue one page from violation, by writing his name in it, and telling the world it was Captain Tobias Shandy, the dearest of my flock and friends, whofe philanthropy I never think of at this long diftance from his death-but my eyes gush out with tears. For his fake, I have a predilection for the whole corps of veterans; and fo I ftrode over the two back rows of benches, and placed myself befide 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 spec

tacles 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.

Translate this into any civilized language in the world-the fense is this:

"Here's a poor ftranger come into the "box-he feems as if he knew nobody; "and is never likely, was he to be seven 66 years in Paris, if every man he comes . near keeps his fpectacles upon his nose

-'tis Chutting the door of conversation "absolutely in his face-and using him "worse than a German."

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 "fenfible of his attention, and return'd "him a thousand thanks for it."

There is not a secret so aiding to the progrefs of fociality, as to get mafter of this fhort hand, and to 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 ftreets of London, I go tranflating all the way; and have more than once ftood behind in the circle, where not three words have been said, and have brought off twenty different dialogues with me, which I could have fairly wrote down and fworn to.

I was going one evening to Martini's concert at Milan, and was juft entering the door of the hall, when the Marquifina di F*** was coming out in a fort of a hurry-fhe was almoft upon me before I saw her; so I gave a spring to one fide, to let her pass-She had done the fame, and on the fame fide too; fo we ran our heads together: fhe inftantly 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 passage again -We both flew together to the other fide, and then back-and fo on :-it was ridicu lous; we both blush'd intolerably; so I did, at last, the thing I should have done at firft-I ftood ftock ftill, and the Marquifina had no more difficulty. I had no power to go into the room, till I had made her so much reparation as to wait and fol

low her with my eye to the end of the paffage She 'look'd back twice, and walk'd along it rather fide-ways, as if she would make room for any one coming up ftairs to pass her; - No, said I—that's a vile tranflation: the Marquifina has a right to the beft apology I can make her; and that opening is left for me to do it in-so I ran and begg'd pardon for the embarrassment 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 ftairs; and seeing no chichesbee near her, I begg❜d to hand her to her coachso we went down the stairs, stopping at every third ftep to talk of the concert and the adventure-Upon my word, Madam, faid I, when I had handed her in, I made fix different efforts to let you go out And I made fix efforts, replied she, to

let

you enter-I wish to Heaven you would make a seventh, said I—With all my heart, said she, making room—Life is too fhort to be long about the forms of it-fo I inftantly stepp'd in, and she carried me