Alfred de Rosann — page 44: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ALFRED DE ROSANN. _ 385 the English. But there is one fault—if fault it can be called—that is common to all : we mean their ex- treme length, which renders them tedious when sung in society. The most scrupulous critic, whose doubts as to the legitimacy of rhymes are numerous and severe, cannot quarrel with those of the French na- tional songs, nor can his lynx eye detect the slightest error In their euphony and measures. This much ean- not be said in favour of English airs of the same kind. Many of them are a compound of the most wretched nonsense, tacked together without the slightest regard to ‘rhyme or reason,’’ to agree with the notes of cer- tain tunes. Let us merely quote, as an instance of the misery of their rhymes, “ over us” and “ glorious,”’ in God save the King. The memory of the reader ean doubtless supply a thousand others. | But as these chapters are not written with a view to create elaborate comparisons between the respec- tive merits of the manners, the institutions, or the literature of the two first nations in Europe, we shall relinquish our brief criticism, and continue the thread of our narrative. Mr. Clayton was: more annoyed than ever at the dispute which had just taken place between himself and his sister-in-law; and as soon as the chanteuse had concluded her song, he seized his hat, and ran out of the room to hide his vexation elsewhere. Now, the excellent uncle of our fair heroine was somewhat of a gourmand in his way: he loved the French dishes and the French cookery as dearly as could an Apicius or a Heliogabulus, without affecting the exquisite re- finement of the former, or the delicate taste of the latter, whose usual food was peacock’s brains and sparrow’s tongues. As Mr. Clayton was walking down the street, directing his steps towards the quay, he was struck by the cleanly appearance of a new shop for the sale of comestibles, or Jriandises, which had only been opened that morning. <A few loiterers were standing opposite the entrance, gazing on the poulets truffés, the patés de foie gras, the COLMICLOOOKS (EO)