Page images
PDF
EPUB

Je l'ai soigné, il a guéri.

(I

attended him, he has recovered.) Saying of CORVISART-DESMARESTS (1755-1821), Napoleon's physician. Cf. the saying of AMBROISE PARE (1517-90). "Je le pansay, Dieu le guarist." (I attended him, God cured him.) Cf. Euvres complètes, 1840, p. 296, Introduction. Cf. also. "Le roi te touche, Dieu te guérisse!" (The king touches thee, God cures thee!) Phrase used by the kings of France when touching for scrofula or King's evil, after being anointed. According to Père

Daniel's Histoire de France, Robert II (970-1031) surnamed le Pieux (the Pious), son of Hugues Capet, was the first to exercise this privilege, and the custom is said to have been maintained until the reign (1715-74) of Louis XV. Henry IV (1553-1610) at the battle of Ivry (Mar. 14, 1590) is said to have laid about him right and left with his sword, saying, "Je te touche, Dieu te guérisse!" (I touch thee, may God cure thee!) Edward the Confessor is supposed to have had the power of curing scrofula conferred upon him.

Je l'ai vaincu, il faut me vaincre

moi-même. (I have conquered him, I must conquer myself.) Phrase used by Louis XII (14621515) referring to GENERAL ALVIANO, commander of the Venetian army, who was taken prisoner and brought before the king. The captive received the king's advances with brusqueness. Said he : "Il vaut mieux le laisser, "je m'emporterais et j'en serais "fâché. Je l'ai vaincu," etc. (It is better to leave him, I might lose my temper and I should be sorry for it. I have conquered him, etc.) Je louerois davantage vostre

œuvre si elle ne me louoit tant

(or si elle me louoit moins.) (I should praise your work more if it did not praise me so much.) Written at the beginning of her Memoirs by MARGUERITE DE VALOIS (1552-1615) (daughter of Henri II and Catherine de Médicis), addressing Brantôme, who had sent her his book, Les Dames illustres. She was a prisoner in the château d'Usson at the time. Said to have been repeated by LOUIS XIV (1638-1715) when Boileau read to him the last 40 lines of his first epistle. Said the king to the poet : "Voilà qui est très beau ; "cela est admirable. Je vous "louerois davantage si Vous ne "m'aviez pas tant loué (or si vous "m'aviez loué moins)." (That is very fine, admirable. I should praise you more if you had not praised me so much, or if you had praised me less.)

Je me nomme Elisabeth de France sœur du roi. (My name is Elisabeth of France, sister of the king.)

Last words of MME. ELISABETH (Philippine-Marie-Hélène) DE FRANCE (1764-94), sister of Louis XVI-on the scaffold.-F. de Barghon Fort-Rion, Mémoires de Mme. Elisabeth de France, (1860, p. 78.)

Je m'en vais avec l'Europe. (I am going away and Europe with me.)

Dying words attributed to the count JOSEPH DE MAISTRE (17531821), but contradicted by his son in the Life written by him (see Revue de Genève, Aug. 1851, p. 56).

Je m'en vais ou je m'en vas. L'un et l'autre se dit ou se disent. (I am going away [Je m'en vais or je m'en vas]. One and the other is said or are said.)

[blocks in formation]

The

Je me souviens qu'il a été mon
ami, et ses malheurs m'ont
fait oublier le reste. (I re-
member 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.
former presided over the judges by
He also
whom Fouquet was tried.
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 Robes-
pierre (in his report made May 7,
the Convention)
1794, to
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 supersti-
tion.)

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.

[blocks in formation]

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 Mémoires (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 apologie d'Hérodote. At the time 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 51, 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.)

[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

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.

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, 66 nous supplions Votre Majesté 'd'employer nos bras et nos jours "à des services plus honorables."

[ocr errors]

(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).

rosses

ces

Je ne croirai pas à la Révolution, tant que je verrai ces caret 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).

Je n'en vois pas la nécessité.

(I

DE

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 aimer Dieu au-dessus de toutes choses, ni mon prochain comme moi-même." (I confess having loved God above all things, nor my neighbour as myself.)

to

not

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, Vous 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.)

[ocr errors]
[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

mon appui." (I have lost my comforter and support) Cf. Bazin, Hist. de France sous Louis XIII, vol. 4, pp. 115-9.

Je perds sur ce que je vends, mais je me rattrape sur la quantité. (I lose on what I sell, but I make it up on the quantity.)

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.

« PreviousContinue »