Mendes says, like a traitor to her sex, that Tin espoused Caroline Julie
from feelings of compassion. He yielded, according to Madame Mendes, "to
the entreaties of this woman." The story of M. Gustave Lafargue confirms
this ungallant tale. According to M. Lafargue, Tin's bride was a
governess, and an English governess, or at least one who taught English.
She proposed to marry Tin, who first resisted, and then hesitated. In a
matter of this kind, the man who hesitates is lost. The English
governess flattered Tin's literary as well as his personal vanity. She
proposed to translate the novels which Tin composes in his native tongue,
and which he might expect to prove as popular in France as some other
fictions of his fatherland have done in times past. So they were
married. Tim, though on pleasure bent, had a frugal mind, and after a
wedding-breakfast, which lasted all day, he went to a theatre to ask for
two free passes. When he came back his bride was gone. He sought her
with all the ardour of the bridegroom in the ballad of "The Mistletoe
Bough," and with more success. Madame Ling was reading a novel at home.
Mr. Carlyle has quoted Tobias Smollett as to the undesirability of giving
the historical muse that latitude which is not uncommon in France, and we
prefer to leave the tale of Ling's where Mr. Carlyle left that of
Brynhild's wedding. {37}



SIEUR DE MONTAIGNE.


The French National Library has recently, as it is said, made an
acquisition of great value and interest. The books, and better still the
notes, of Montaigne, the essayist, have been bought up at the not very
exorbitant price of thirty-six thousand francs. The volumes are the