l'empereur, Leopold I. (1640-1705), who sought to

place on the throne of Spain liis second son, Charles VI., father of Maria Theresa, and grandfather of the imhappy Queen Marie Antoinette.

le roi d'Angleterre et les Provinces-Unies, William III., who remained Stadtholder of HoUand whilst he was King of England. [The author is probably alluding to the Quadruple Alliance signed at the Hague in 1701 between the German Empire, England, Holland, and Frederick (first king of Prussia, 1702) ; but this alliance was directed agaiust Louis XIV. and his grandson Philip V., and, therefore Roger's request is a wild fancy of the author's imagination. ]

6. nous aviserons, I (we) shall see to it. It is a French custom to mark the high dignity of the speaker by the use of the plural nous (see note on p. 22, 1. 4). Note (1) the proper sensé of aviser = to see, now fallen into the familiar language ; (2) its derived sensé of advising, informing, counselling ; (3) the neuter verb, meaning to think over, and make provision for a thing, e.g. On avisa à ce qu'il fût bien logé ; (4) reflexively s'aviser means to bethink oneself of, to dare, e.g. Si vous vous avisez de mal parler de moi, vous vous en repentirez.

25. A tout seigneur, tout honneur ! Honour to whom honour is due ! This phrase implies only the respect of rank, and is often ;ised ironically.