DU GUESCLIN

Thème.

Brittany, where Bertrand du Guesclin was born in 1320, is on the western coast of France. When fifteen years of âge he took part in a tournament, and at once made for himself a réputation for courage. At that time there was war everywhere, and Bertrand had many opportunities to fight. He conquered the King of Navarre in Normandy, and then went to Spain to combat the Black Prince, son of Edward III. of England. A battle was fought near Navarette, in which Du Guesclin was taken prisoner. His ransom, which was promptly paid by the king of France, was made one hundred thousand pounds, and the hero was set free.

About that time he was elevated to the rank of high constable, which was the highest dignity under the old monarchy. The high constable was given the command of ail armies, and the right to chose officers for ail régiments. Until that time, this high dignity had only been conferred on noblemen. Du Guesclin wished to refuse it, but the king wrote him that no one more than he was worthy of such an honor. At that time one third of France was in the hands of the English, and as the soldiers had been frightened by the defeats of Crecy and Poitiers, it was thought best to inaugurate a new System of war, and to substitute skirmishes, ambuscades, and the siège of cities for battles in open fields. In this Du Guesclin was completely succès sful.

He was besieging Chateau-Bandon when he fell ill. As the commander of the place had promised to surrender if he were not rescued, he came and placed the keys of the fortress on the coinn of the French gênerai. Bertrand du Guesclin was buried in Saint Denis in the tomb of the kings of France.

Exercices de Traduction. 213

COPEKNIC.

Thème.

Coperxicus was the first astrononier worth mentioning.

As lie lost his fatlier very early, he was brought up by his uncle, Luc Wasselrode, the bishop of Warmie. He thoroughly studied Greek and Latin literatures, and acquired a pure and élégant style. After having completed bis classical course, he studied medicine, but paid more attention to mathematics and philosophy than to anything else.

At the âge of twenty-three he went to Italy, and pursued with enthusiasm a course in astronomy given in Bologna by Dominique Ferrare. He soon became personally acquainted with his teacher, and the two men were afterwards united by a profound sympathy. In 1499 Copernicus was offered a professorship of mathematics in the University of Eome. In 1502 he returned to his country, soon became a priest, and henceforth his whole life was devoted to science and charity. He had a laboratory in which he prepared medicines for the poor, and at night he observed the stars ; but as télescopes were then unknown it was more upon theory than actual observation that he built his System of the universe.

He hesitated a long time before publishing the results of his studies, and it was not until 1541. when he already had reached the âge of sixty-eight, that he made up his mind to dedicate his work to Pope Paul III. ; he had the good luck to die before his théories were censurée! by the church.

AU BÉXIK

Thème.

Whex I arrived in Akou it was almost dark. The next morning I got up early to go out in order to gather plants and

flowers. The ground around the village is very fertile, and since it is not much liigher than the river Niger, it is flooded every year, and being always in a moist state is covered with the most beautiful végétation.

I had been walking for some time when I saw some girls busy milking their cows in front of their cabins. I could not resist the temptation of having a diïnk of milk, and for a few cauris I was given permission to drink to my heart's content. I also bonght of an old woman a few honeycombs, and had thus a good breakfast.

The people in Bénin live on a kind of bread made of millet and corn flour ; they also go hnnting and nshing. They own large nuinbers of cattle, but cows are hère of small size.

Their hnts are built of bamboo and reeds, and the roofs are made of straw. The interior of each cabin is sometimes divided into two parts, and they hardly use any furniture at ail.

Each house is surrounded by a garden which is enclosed by . a live hedge formed of shrubs of the palm-tree family. This hedge grows so thick and bristles with so many thorns that it is a safe defence against Wild animais.

AU BÉNIN (fin).

Thème.

The people of Bénin are not cruel when they are not excited by war or intoxication ; but when they are under the influence of either, their cruelty knows of no limit. They are fond of festivals, and they hâve so many of them during the year that, if it were not for the women and slaves, their fields would remain uncultivated. The most important of their festivals is the one they celebrate in September, when yams begin to ripen. That festival lasts for ten or twelve days

Exercices de Traduction. 215

and human sacrifices are in order. Ail the neighboring chiefs must go to Oueni, Bénin's capital, where they are passed in review by tlie king. On the next day the king présides over an assembly of his vassals and settles the difficulties that hâve arisen between them. On the tenth day he and his courtiers go to the market-place, where the new yams are partaken of by him and his followers.

There is in Bénin a superstition which is almost always f ound among uncivilized peoples ; it is the killing of animais which are supposed to be laden with ail the sins of the nation. In Oueni a sheep and a goat are slaughtered and thrown into the river, and the people believe that their sins hâve thereby been wiped out.