II. blanc d'Espagne, Spanish white, a sort of chalk

20. femme de plume, a literary woman. Notice the pun on the vrorà plume^ which means both pen 2iu6. feather.

23. Scarron, burlesque poet of the seventeenth century and first husband of Madame de Maintenon.

37. — 28. Est-ce que ma femme déteint, is my wife's color running?

38. — 12. d'une lessive, a thorough soaking. Lessive means generally the periodical family washing.

21. que je limais une rature, when I was giving a final polish to a phrase.

21. selon le précepte de Boileau. Boileau (1636-1711), the celebrated poet, author of *' Satires" and ** L'Art poétique." This famous precept gives the following advice :

** Hâtez-vous lentement et sans perdre couragfe. Vingt fois sur le métier remettez votre ouvrage; Polissez-le sans cesse et le repolissez, Ajoutez quelquefois, et souvent effacez.^'

311. — 7. le simulacre (Lat. simulacrum)^ a reproduction, figuratively a shadow or appearance. May be translated as 'vain form.'

14. Cléopâtre, the famous queen of Egypt, is said to hâve dissolved in vinegar a priceless pearl and to hâve drunk it.