, 1873-05-04

In the year 1856 there was published in Pari
| a phrase-book called "The Guide to tho Conyer
sation in Portuguese aad English" It is a worl
on conversation which deserves to rank consid
| orably above some OF the aids to disconrso tha
have been more popular. This book fell unde
the diaappro7al Of the Portuguese Government
and WIS finally suppressed, 30 that copies OF
| are quite rare. But, although its main object o
| facilitating communication hetween Portuguese
! and English strangers may not have been succeae
ful there is great deal in it that should be pre-
| served. From time to time it has been noticed
in various journals, and nov, at the riek ofreviy
! ing old memories With come who have alread,
seen it, ne venture to make few quotation
from it for the benefit Of those who, not having
seen the book, are cropping in ignorance Of some
OF the most surprising things IN the Engli.E
language. The Introduction closes as follows
and is itself key to the nature and object Of the
entire work. It says:
1--WE expect then, who the little book (for the
care that ne wrote him and for her typographical
correction) that may be worth the acceptation Of
the studious persons and especially OF the Youth
st which We dedicate him particularly"
Each page is arranged with double columns
eame thing rendered into English. An effort tt
made to have the contents suit all emergencies
OF ordinary life, and 80, in case the Portuguese
gentleman travelling in England should suffer
from that scourge OF humanity, the toothache
he is furnished with this dialogue, which lie is to
carry on with dentists
IL have a teethtache; please you TO examine
my %outh2 4; ,.r. hal +oo., w;u ,,,,
pull out this tooth?
"1 cant to decide me it; that me many great
"You tooth is absolutely roted; II yon leave it,
shalt spoil the others
p ain such case draw it.
81 shall you neat also your mouth, and you
could caro- entertain it clasn for to preserve the
mamel Of the teeth; could give you aopiate to
strengthen the gums.
III thank you; prefer the only mems, which
Is to rinse my mouth with some water or a little
brandy"
Among 9 number of anecdotes which are
az's: Gin to 'nTsn the book and successfully i"
"Cesar seeing one day to Roma some strangers
very riches which bore between her ar1ns little
dogs and little monldes and who WAS carressing
them too tenderly, WAS ashng with 80 many great
deal reasons; whether tho woman OF her country
don't had some children 2"
There are 30 many others equally entertaining
that it is Irresistible to publish them By the
column, but it will probably suffice for the youth
which ~ it is dedicated to close With : few
selections from several pages Of English idiot
is;us and proverbs" Most Of them are intelligi-
bio. but some require careful study. Thoy are
as follows:
"He is armed at foot at up"-"come veal,
arrive what he mny be'-"He is beggar as
4l8I6 ID u0t pdLLGI EAuC6 WHO
the appetite '-'1To come back at their
muttons &c Spoken Of the wolf one sees the
tail -" Which not tell word, consent" -
f' Which not risk nothing has anything $50
many go. the jar to spring than at last rest
here "-"To make from stone tWo blows"
two bites Of q cherry)-"A thing to tell another
thing is make" Zone thing to say, another to do)
=" Take the occasion for the hairs ''(previously
rendered t. time by the forolock " y" Necessity
1on't know the law"
These are some Of the ''idiotism With which
he volume abounds. It is . pity that it is ont
II circulation, for it contains some valuable
for the makers Of a new language,
IS It has been proposed to do for the Japanese.