A modern French author says, that the French language is not capable of
the _jeux de mots_. _Les jeux de mots_, are not, says he, in the genius
_de notre langue, qui est grave, de serieuse_. Perhaps it maybe so; but
the language, and the men, are then so different, that I thought quite
otherwise,--though the following beautiful specimen of the seriousness
of the language ought, in some measure; to justify his remark:
Un seul est frappé, & tous sont delivrés,
Dieu frappe sons fils innocent, pour l'amour
Des hommes coupables, & pardonne aux hommes
Coupables, pour l'amour de son fils innocent.