I knew very well a French Chevalier, who on coming to England, applied
himself with amazing ardour to the study of our language, and his
remarks upon it, if not always very acute were at least entertaining.
One day, reading aloud an English work, he stopped at the word SPLASH;
expressed himself highly delighted with it, as a term, which minutely
described the thing meant; then repeating it many times with marked
pleasure, and a strong sibillation, he added, "No! no! dere is noting at
all, noting in _my_ language dat de same would be like _splash_!"
Perhaps the following sentence from the satire of a notorious wit in
Elizabeth's reign, is a fair specimen of those expressive words which
_paint_, the object of which they speak:--"To which place, Gabriel came,
_ruffling_ it out, hufty-tufty, in his new suit of velvet." The man was
vain; the writer has made him a _peacock_. M.L.B.
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I would no more bring a new work out in summer than I would sell pork in
the dog-days.--_Bookseller in Cit. World._
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