Meltait au jour —Was revealing

153, Zeilblait.—German, newspaper ; the usual word is Zeitung.

Vésuvius.—The usual French form is Vésuve * the classical forms of proper names, employed in Germany, are occasiona!ly used in this volume to give a greater air of naturalness.

Assignats.—$See note to p. 28.

154, IL se moquait de la nouvelle ère prétendue républicaine —Ït made fun of the new so-called republican era. In this the years dated from the foundation of the Republic, 224 of September, 1792. The year was divided into twelve equal months of thirty days, the four seasons being distinguished by the terminations, and significant names being given to each month, thus: Vendémiaire, Brumaire, Frimaire ; Nivôse, Piuviôse, Ventôse; Germinai, Floréal, Prairial ; Messidor, Thermidor, Fructidor. To these, five complementary days, Jours complémentaires, were added in ordinary years and six in leab vears, The months were divided into three décades of

ten days each. To these were given numerical names : pri midi, duodi, tridi, ete. The last, décadi, was a day of rest.

155, Qué écrive.—The use of tbe present subjunctive here seems à little strange.

XIIT.