ACT I

1. Morbihan. — A maritime department in the western port of France, forming about one-fifth of the ancient provinces of Bretagne. The chef-lieu, or capital, is Vannes, mentioned a fewspeeches below. About one half of the Morbihan is occupied by vast heaths. Bretagne, oï Brittany, is proverbially the most conservative part of France. Nowhere are the* people more averse to modem improvements of ail kinds, and in no other province has the ancient nobility maintained itself so much aloof from the political and social changes of the nineteenth century. The countess dowager of Lesneven in this play, is the embodiment of the dislike which the decayed noble Breton families entertain for ail that is new, and of the contempt in which they hold ail that is connected witb trade or manufactures {industrie).

2. C'en est donc fait ! — It is settled then; or, It is ail over. Embourbé dans l'industrie. — Deep in the mire of business.

3. Drainage. — A neologism which calls forth the indignation of the countess, whose speech may be translated, " Drainage ! what's that new word again V must upstarts thrust themselves every where, even into the dictionary?"

New technical words borrowed from the English are becoming more ami more common every day in France. They relate generally to the usc'ul arts. Vienne!, in his Ëpitre à Boileau, thus sunis up a few: —

Le railway, le tunnel, le ballast, le tender, Express, trucks, et wagons ; une bouche française. Semble broyer du verre ou mâcher de la braise.

There is also at présent a fashionabîe Parisian Anglomania, a few sam* p't s of which occur in this play, which strives to use English words, but o?i applies them in a way that brings to mind the famous combination, Ifaibifde mouton.

4. Cent actions hors part. — A hundred shares over and above.

5. J'ai beau parer. — For ail I may adorn: see Note 11 to " La Maison de Penarvan."

6. Le Magasin des Demoiselles. — An iîlustrated periodical now in its twenty-fifth year. The countess, in her answer, inverts the words, aud says Leave it to the demoiselles de magasin" (shop-girls).

* 7 Vous faits la sévère. — You put on a severe look; or, You assume a wvere tone.