"Hm," answered Elliot, with exquisite promptitude, politeness and solidity of information, "C'EST UN VIEUX VOLEUR QUI COMMENCE A RADOTER (An old robber, now falling into his dotage),"-- let his dotard Majesty take that.
Alas, my friends!--Ignorance by herself is an awkward lumpish wench; not yet fallen into vicious courses, nor to be uncharitably treated: but Ignorance and Insolence,--these are, for certain, an unlovely Mother and Bastard! Yes;--and they may depend upon it, the grim Parish-beadles of this Universe are out on the track of them, and oakum and the correction-house are infallible sooner or later! The clever Elliot, who knew a hawk from a hernshaw, never floundered into that platitude.

This, however, is a joke of his, better or worse (I think, on his quitting Berlin in 1782, without visible resource or outlook): "I am far from having a Sans-Souci," writes he to the Edens; "and I think I am coming to be SANS SIX-SOUS."-- Here still are two small Fractions, which I must insert; and then rigorously close.

Kaiser Joseph, in these months, is travelling through France to instruct his Imperial mind.

The following is five weeks anterior to that of Lee's Red-Box:-- 1.

A BIT OF DIALOGUE AT PARIS (Saturday, 17th May, 1777).