Last words of U. DOMERGUE (1745-1810), a celebrated French grammarian, when asked how he was. Père D. BOUHOURS (16281702) is also credited with a similar saying on his death-bed. "Je vais ou je vas bientôt mourir: l'un et l'autre se disent (I am going [je vais or je vas] to die soon: one and the other are said).

Je me sens fort bien. (I feel very well.)

Dying words of C.-J. DORAT (1734-80) to his servant. Preceded by: "Ils sont plaisants, ces médecins ils voient tout de mauvais œil. Le mien me trouve très-affaibli, et moi, je," etc.

(These doctors are very funny! they see everything in an unfavourable light. Mine thinks me very weak and I, etc.) He then repeated two lines that he had just composed to begin a satire against doctors, and expired.

Je me souviens qu'il a été mon ami, et ses malheurs m'ont fait oublier le reste. (I remember that he has been my friend, and his misfortunes have made me forget the rest.) Remark made by GUILLAUME DE LAMOIGNON (1617-77) chief president of the Paris parliament with regard to FOUQUET. The former presided over the judges by whom Fouquet was tried. He also said to Colbert (1619-83) who tried to prejudice him against Fouquet (1615-80): Un juge ne donne qu'une fois son avis et sur les fleurs de lis. (A judge gives his opinion once only and on the fleurs-de-lis.) Je meurs; cela m'est égal, c'ést

pour la liberté ! (I am dying; never mind, it is for liberty!) Dying words attributed by Robespierre (in his report made May 7, 1794, to the Convention) AGRICOLE

VIALI (1780-93).

to

A

similar phrase: "Je meurs content, je meurs pour la liberté de mon pays.' (I die content, I die for the liberty of my country) is attributed to LEPELLETIER DE ST.-FARGEAN (born 1760; assassinated in 1793), but those who were present deny that he said anything. Je meurs en adorant Dieu, en aimant mes amis et en détestant la superstition. (I die worshipping God, loving my friends and hating superstition.)

Declaration made by VOLTAIRE (1694-1778), thinking his last hour had come (Feb. 28, 1778).

Je meurs innocent de tous les crimes qu'on m'impute. Je pardonne aux auteurs de ma mort, et je prie Dieu que le sang que vous allez répandre ne retombe jamais sur la France. (I die innocent of all the crimes laid to my charge. I forgive the authors of my death, and I pray God that the blood which you are about to shed may never fall on France.) Dernières heures de Louis XVI.*.

Last words of Louis XVI (175493) on the scaffold.

career). See Mort au champ d'honneur.

J'emporte avec moi le deuil de la monarchie; après ma mort, les factieux s'en disputeront les lambeaux. (I carry away with me the mourning of monarchy; after my death, the factionists will quarrel over the fragments.)

Dying words of MIRABEAU (174991), to FROCHOT. A. Mézières, Vie de Mirabeau, p. 323.

Je m'y ferai porter, et nous sauterons ensemble. (I'll have myself carried there, and we will be blown up together.) Attributed to LOUIS XVIII (1755-1824), alluding to the bridge of Jena that Blucher wanted to blow up, but invented by count J.-C. BEUGNOT (1761-1835) who admits it in his Memoires (1866, vol. 2, pp. 312-3).

Je n'ai jamais eu si froid que le jour où je fus brûlé. (I was never so cold as the day when I was burned.)

HENRI ESTIENNE (1528-98), the celebrated printer, on learning the date when his effigy was burned as a punishment for his violent attacks against the Romish Church in his At the time apologie d'Hérodote.

he was wandering about in the depth of winter.

Je n'ai pas besoin de conseil,

mais d'assistance. (I need no advice, but assistance.) HENRY IV (1553-1610). June 3 [or 5], 1595-to those who begged him not to risk his life at FontaineFrançaise (Côte d'Or). When, in the most critical position, he was advised to flee, he resolutely went to the assistance of Biron, saying: y a plus de peril à la fuite qu'à la chasse." (There is more danger in being chased than in chasing.)

Je n'ai trouvé que bons citoyens et braves soldats, mais pas un bourreau. (I found only good citizens and brave soldiers, but no executioners.)

Said to have been written in a letter from d'Aspremont, VISCOUNT ORTHE, the tyrannical and very unpopular governor of Bayonne, to the King, Charles IX, refusing to obey the orders of the Court after the massacre of Saint Bartholomew, but the letter is regarded as apocryphal.-d'Aubigné, Histoire univer

selle.

Viscount Orthe was one of the three provincial governors who refused to obey these orders; the others were: le comte de Tende, governor of Provence, and Saint Hérem, governor of Auvergne.

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Another version is: Sire, je "n'ai trouvé, parmi les habitants "et les gens de guerre, que de bons citoyens, de braves soldats et pas 66 un bourreau. Ainsi, eux et moi, "nous supplions Votre Majesté 'd'employer nos bras et nos jours "à des services plus honorables."

(Sire, I have found, among the inhabitants and soldiers, only good citizens and brave soldiers and not one executioner. Therefore, they and I, we beg your Majesty to use our arms and our days for more honourable services.)

Je n'aurais pas cru qu'il fût mort horizontalement. (I should

not have thought that he would have died horizontally). Saying attributed to BOUVART (1717-87) on learning the death (1776) of his confrère and enemy Bordeu.

Je ne connais en Europe aucun

ministre ni plénipotentiaire capable de faire la barbe à ce capucin, quoiqu'il y ait belle prise. (I do not know any minister or plenipotentiary

in Europe capable of shaving this capuchin, although there is plenty to take hold of.) A jeu de mots on "faire la barbe" in its literal and figurative, senses of 'to shave' and 'to surpass.'

Said of his confidential agent, LE PERE JOSEPH (1577-1638), by RICHELIEU (1585-1642).

Je ne croirai pas à la Révolution, tant que je verrai ces carrosses et ces cabriolets écraser les passants. (I shall not believe in the Revolution as long as I see these coaches and cabriolets running over the pedestrians.) CHAMFORT (1741-94).

Je ne croyais pas qu'on pût faire mourir un gentilhomme pour si peu de chose! (I didn't think that they could kill a gentleman for such a trifle !) Dying words of J.-F.-J. LEFEBVRE, chevalier de Labarre (174766)-condemned to death for not having saluted a procession and having mutilated a crucifix.

Je ne fais pas assez de cas de la vie pour en faire part à quelqu'un. (I do not attach

enough importance to life to share it with anyone.) Reply made by the MARECHAL DE GASSION (1609-47), when spoken to on the subject of marriage. Je ne lis plus, monsieur, je relis.

(I no longer read, sir; I reread.)

Remark made by P.-P. ROYERCOLLARD (1763-1846) to A. DE VIGNY (1797-1863), a candidate for the French Academy.-Ste-Beuve, Notes et Pensées (par. 204).

Je ne m'amuse pas à penser aux morts. (I don't amuse myself by thinking of the dead.)

NAPOLEON'S (1769-1821) reply at Berlin (1807), when it was hinted that he should appear sad on receiving news of the death of his nephew Napoleon (son of his brother Louis, king of Holland).

DE

Je n'en vois pas la nécessité. (I don't see the necessity of it.) Reply by MARC PIERRE VOYER, COMTE D'ARGENSON (1696-1764) to the ABBÉ DESFONTAINES (1685-1745) according to a letter from Voltaire, dated December 23, 1760 (to the Marquis Albergati Capacelli).

The abbé had been apologising for his frequent publication of libels and added, "Il faut que tout le monde vive." (Everybody must live.)

Attributed also to TALLEYRAND (1754-1838) and to the COMTE d'ARGENTAL (1700-88).

Referred to in a foot-note by Lord Mahon (1845-53 ed., vol. 2, p. 209) to a letter of Lord Chesterfield to his son, Jan. 23, 1752.

Cf. "Vivere ergo habes?" (What necessity is there that you should live?) Tertullian, Liber de idolatria, ch. V.

See πλεῖν ἀνάγκη ξῆν οὐκ, &c.

Cf. "Navigare necesse est, vivere non est necesse." (It is necessary to sail; it is not necessary to live.)— Inscription on a house, founded in 1525 in Bremen for invalided sailors and for the support of their widows and orphans.

Je ne souffre pas, mes amis, mais je sens une certaine difficulté d'être. (I do not suffer, my friends, but I feel a certain difficulty in existing.)

Last words of FONTENELLE (1657-1757).

Je ne suis pas grande, je suis seulement élevée. (I am not great, I am only elevated.)

MME. DE MAINTENON (16351719)--speaking of her position.

Je ne vois pas assez Dieu pour l'aimer au-dessus de toutes choses, et je vois beaucoup trop mon prochain pour l'aimer comme moi-même. (I do not see enough of God to love him above all things, and I see too much of my neighbour to love him as myself.) Saying of the MARQUISE DE CRÉQUI (1714-1803). President Harlay (1639-1712) is said to have made the following confession :

"Je me confesse de n'avoir pu ainer Dieu au-dessus de toutes choses, ni mon prochain comme moi-même." (I confess to

not

having loved God above all things, nor my neighbour as myself.)

J'entends, vous avez juroté. (I

understand, you only partly swore.)

Reply of LOUIS XVIII (17551824) to BARENTIN (1738-1819) at Ghent, where the latter came to explain as well as he could his visit to Napoleon after the return to Paris from Elba (Mar. 20, 1815). "Je n'ai pas précisément juré," said Barentin (I did not exactly swear [fidelity to Napoleon]). "J'entends,' replied the king, avez juroté. A votre âge, on ne fait plus les choses qu'à demi." (I understand, you only partly swore. At your age, one no longer does things except by halves.)

Vous

Je perds en lui une moitié de mon âme. (In him I lose half of my soul.)

CARDINAL RICHELIEU (15851642)—at the death of PÈRE JOSEPH (1577-1638) surnamed " son Eminence grise" (His grey Eminence). — His real name was François le Clerc du Tremblay. Another version is :-"J'ai perdu ma consolation et

Popular saying, probably derived from the following anecdote: "Josserand, le maître du café de Foy; c'est celui qui disait l'année dernière: 'Je perds sur chaque glace que je vends, plus de deux sous, mais je me sauve sur la quantité. "Note by Meister to Grimm's Correspondence, under date Aug. 1781, vol. 13, p. 12.

(Josserand, the master of the café de Foy; he who used last year to say: 'I lose by every ice I sell, more than two sous, but I make it up on the quantity.') Cf. "Je perds sur tout ce que je vends. Mais il faut bien gagner sa vie !". (I lose on all I sell. But I must win my bread.) Cormon et Grangé, Don Pedre, act 2, sc. 5 (1857).

Je prendrai le plus long. (I'll go

the longest way.)

Reply of LA FONTAINE (162195) when told-on leaving the dinner-table before the others, saying that he was going to the Academy-that there was plenty of time and that he would arrive too early.

Je prie Dieu qu'il me condamne si j'ai eu autre intention que le bien de la religion et de l'Etat. (I pray God to condemn me if I have had any other thought than the welfare of the Church and the State.) Le père Griffet, vol. 3 p. 576, also Récit de ce qui s'est passé un peu avant la mort, etc.

66

Biblio. nat. MS. Fonds Dupuy, vol. DXC, fol. 298 recto. Words uttered by CARDINAL RICHELIEU (1585-1642) shortly be fore he died. He is also credited with having said in reply to the question whether he forgave his enemies, that he had none except those of the State: qu'il n'en avait point que ceux de l'Etat"(cf. Mémoires de Montglat, collection Michaud, 3rd series, vol. 5, p. 133; also Mémoires de Montchal, 1718, p. 268). "Je n'ai jamais eu d'autres ennemis que ceux de l'Etat." (I have never had any other enemies than those of the State)-d'Avenel, Richelieu et la monarchie absolue, vol. I, p. 89.

Je puis faire des nobles quand je veux, et même de très grands seigneurs; Dieu seul peut faire un homme comme celui que nous allons perdre. (I can make nobles when I will, and even great lords; God alone can create a man like the

one we are about to lose.) Attributed to FRANCISI (14941547) on noticing the disdainful looks of the courtiers who had accompanied him on his visit to LEONARDO DA VINCI, who was dying. See You have not to do with Holbein, but with me &c. I can make a lord &c. Avec quatre aunes de drap, &c. Cf. "Le roi Louis XI [1423-83] disoit qu'il annobliroit assez, mais n'être en sa puissance faire un gentilhomme: cela venant de trop loin et de rare vertu." N. Du Fail, Contes et Discours d'Eutrapel, ch. vi. (1856 edition, Propos rustiques, etc., p. 176).

Je reprends mon bien partout ou je le trouve.

See On reprend son bien ou on le trouve.

Je saurai vous trouver jusqu'au fond de vos repaires. (I shall know how to find you even in the depths of your holes.) In a speech at Cheronne, Aug. 16, 1881, by LEON GAMBETTA (1838-82) when candidate for the elections of 21st Aug.-La Républi que francaise, Aug. 1881. Je serai toujours de l'avis de M. le Prince, surtout quand il aura tort. (I shall always be of M. the prince's opinion, especially when he is wrong.) BOILEAU (1636-1711) to the great CONDÉ (1621-86) on the occasion of a dispute between them, when the latter was losing his temper.

Je serois bien marri d'avoir battu

les buissons et qu'un autre eust les oisillons. (I should be sorry to have beaten the bushes and that another should have the young birds).

Words used by the DUKE OF BEDFORD (1389-1435) at the siege of Orleans, referring to PHILIP III, surnamed le Bon, Duke of Burgundy (died 1467). The phrase,

Battre les buissons sans prendre les oiseaux " (To beat the bushes without taking the birds) has become a proverb, and is quoted by Rabelais and Mme. de Sévigné.

Je suis la moins folle femme du

monde, car de femme sage, il n'y en a pas. (I am the least stupid woman in the world, for there are no wise ones.) Saying of ANNE DE BEAUJEU (1462-1522), daughter of Louis XI. Je suis l'homme qui vous a donné

plus de royaumes que vos ancêtres ne vous ont laissé de villes. (I am the man who has given you more kingdoms than your ancestors have left you towns.)-Voltaire, Essai sur les Maurs, ch. 147.