Page:Hannah More (1887 Charlotte Mary Yonge British).djvu/86

74 religion against me, and said he would do so against the whole Bench of Bishops, that the Fourth Commandment was the most amiable and merciful law that ever was promulgated, as it entirely considers the ease and comfort of the hard-labouring poor, and beasts of burthen; but that it was never intended for persons of fashion, who have no occasion to rest, as they never do anything on the other days; and, indeed, at the time the law was made there were no people of fashion. He really pretended to be in earnest, and we parted mutually unconverted, he lamenting that I had fallen into the heresy of puritanical strictness, and I lamenting that he is a person of fashion for whom the Ten Commandments were not made."

Another of Hannah's jeux d'esprit must be given, a letter supposed to be written in the next century, when French idioms should have invaded the English language. What is amusing is that it is so prophetic that we believe many young readers will accept several of the constructions as natural, while, on the other hand, French itself has become much less idiomatic:—

"Alamode Castle. "June 20th, 1840.

",

"I no sooner found myself here than I visited my new apartment, which is composed of five pieces, the small room which gives upon the garden is practised