Premier plan, — Foregroand

8. Timbrée cf Auray, pleine Vendée. — Postmarked Anray, In the very heart of Vendée. La Vendée was the stronghold of royalism under the Kepublic. Troubles and nprisings were fréquent even after the accès* sion of Napoléon I.

4. Maître des requêtes. — Master of rei^uests; anciently, an officer of much importance. Now, there are forty maîtres des requêtes j who, iu the Council of State, draw up reports upon certain state matters. They rank below the Counsellors of State.

5. TaUeyrand. — Pronounced as if written TaUercufid. A celebrated diplomatist, who died in 1838.

6. O^mqttât. — Should ofiTend. This verb, the primitive meanin^ of which is to obscure, is hère used in the imperfect subjunctive. Nothing in the grammatical structure of a French phrase bêtrays qnicker the good-breeding and éducation of the speaker than the skillful mana^ ment of this tense. It is almost unknown to the uneducated, while its too fréquent introduction, even where the laws of grammar demand it, dégénérâtes into affectation and pedantir. It is otten avoided, even in writing, and the présent is used insteaa of it. Thus Voltaire wrote Voudri&s vous que je vous dîse^ not disse. Forms like parlassions^ parlaS' tiez écrivissions^ etc., are too harsh to be frequently, if ever, toïerated. Another tum may be given to the phrase.