Middletown transcript., 1883-02-23
A ROLAND FOR AN OLIVER.


We are told that the Emperor Char
lemagne in his expedition against the
Saracens in 778 was accompanied by
two pages, named Roland and Oliver,
who were so excellent and so equally
matched that the equality became pro-
verbal, {" I'll give you Roland for
your Oliver" being the same as the vul-
gar saying, Cit for tat, )" that is, "I'n
give you the same generally in a retail
iatory sense] as you give me-" OF the
more classical one of quid pro quo-to
be even with one.
A very clever reply to a somewhat
satirical remark was that given to Louis
XIV. by Cardinal Richelieu, who was a
nobleman as well as a priest. A cele-
brated Archbishop of Parvis, Hardouin
de Beaumont de Perefxe, was appointed
preceptor to his Majesty. One day he
preached a notable sermon before the
court Of France, which touched prin-
cipally upon the duties of the nobility.
"Ah ~ said the King to Richelieu,
"the preacher has thrown a vast guam
tity of stones into your garden to-day"
g Yes, SIRE" answered the cardinal;
"and a few have fallen into the royal
park. A courtly amount of etiquette
of expression is observable in this ans
wer, with which we may presume that
even royalty itself could in no wise be
offended.
Equally as good is the following, in
which we shall carefully note by the
way that praise has different effects on
different minds. The Emperor Alex
ander, of Russia, during the occupation
of Paris, was present at the anniver-
sary of one Of the hospitals. Plates
for contributions were passed round,
and they were borne by some of the
patrons wives and daughters. The
plate presented to the Emperor was
held by an extremely pretty girl. AS
he literally gave his louis-d'ors he whis-
pered, " Mademoiselle, this is for your
beautiful bright eyes.'' The charming
little damsel politely courtesied, and
Immediately presented the plate again.
"What ~ said the Emperor, in amaze
ment, "more ?'' Yes, sire,'' said
she !" now want something for the
poor.''
On one occasion an English gentle
man who possessed a keen wit was at
brilliant assembly of the elite of Vienna,
where distinguished lady of that city
frequently amused herself and immedi-
ate circle of friends by saying smart and
rather uncourteous things, evidently
for the purpose Of annoyance. "By- .
the-way, = inquired his fair interrogation
g how is it your countrymen speak
French so very imperfectly We
Austrians use it with the same freedom
as if it were our native tongue"
" Madame retorted the Englishman
in the blandest manner, g really can
not say, unless it be that the French
army have not been twice in our capital
to teach it, as they have beenin yours"
One of the most distinguished incl
dents of Zimmermann's life was the
summons which he received to attend
Frederick the Great in his last illness
in 17S6. One day the King said to his
eminent physician, "You have, L pre-
sumo, sir, helped many man into an
other world ?'' Any ordinary person
would doubtless have been scared by so
momentous an inquiry, and it was, in
fact, a somewhat bitter pill for the
doctor but the dose he gave the King
in return was a judicious mixture of
truth and fattery: "Not so many as
your Majesty, nor with so much honor
to myself. "-Hdrper's Bazar.