I.--It was but last night, said the landlord, qu'un milord Anglois
presentoit un ecu a la fille de chambre.--Tant pis pour
Mademoiselle Janatone, said I.

Now Janatone, being the landlord's daughter, and the landlord
supposing I was young in French, took the liberty to inform me, I
should not have said tant pis--but, tant mieux. Tant mieux,
toujours, Monsieur, said he, when there is any thing to be got--
tant pis, when there is nothing. It comes to the same thing, said
I. Pardonnez-moi, said the landlord.

I cannot take a fitter opportunity to observe, once for all, that
tant pis and tant mieux, being two of the great hinges in French
conversation, a stranger would do well to set himself right in the
use of them, before he gets to Paris.

A prompt French marquis at our ambassador's table demanded of Mr.
H-, if he was H- the poet? No, said Mr. H-, mildly.--Tant pis,
replied the marquis.

It is H- the historian, said another,--Tant mieux, said the
marquis. And Mr. H-, who is a man of an excellent heart, return'd
thanks for both.

When the landlord had set me right in this matter, he called in La
Fleur, which was the name of the young man he had spoke of,--saying
only first, That as for his talents he would presume to say
nothing,--Monsieur was the best judge what would suit him; but for
the fidelity of La Fleur he would stand responsible in all he was
worth.