The Wise and Ingenious Companion, French and English;: or, A Collection of the Wit of the Illustrious Persons, Both Ancient and ModernBoyer, Abel
General
The Wise and Ingenious Companion, French and English;: or, A Collection of the Wit of the Illustrious Persons, Both Ancient and Modern
Boyer, Abel
Anecdotes; Wit and humor
_Servius Geminus_ allant un jour rendre visite à _Lucius Mallius_,
Peintre très habile, & voyant ses Enfans qui ètoient fort Laids,
il ne se peut empêcher de lui dire _Qu’il s’ètonnoit de ce qu’il
faisoit de si beaux Portraits, & des Enfans si laids_. _Mallius_
lui répondit agréablement, _n’en soyez point surpris, je fais les
Portraits pendant le jour & les Enfans pendant la Nuit_.
184
King _Antigonus_ retiring from the Presence of the Enemy, who then
were more powerful than he, some took his Retreat for a Flight; but
he told them he did not fly, but rather followed his Profit and
Advantage,
184
Le Roy _Antigonus_ se retirant de la presence des Ennemis, qui
pour lors ètoient plus puissans que luy, quelques uns prirent sa
retraite pour une fuite; mais il leur dit qu’il ne fuyoit point &
qu’il alloit seulement où étoit son profit & son utilité.
185
The same Prince being ask’d how one might overcome his Enemies,
answered, by Strength and Policy: _And that if the Lions Skin would
not do, it must be ek’d out by the Fox’s Case_.
185
Ce même Prince interrogé de quelle maniere on pouvoit vaincre ses
Ennemis, repondit que c’étoit, _par la force & par la ruse_; _& que
si la peau du Lion n’étoit pas suffisante, il faloit y coudre celle
du Renard_.
186
A young Man, who was a very great Talker, making a Bargain with
_Isocrates_ to be taught by him, _Isocrates_ ask’d double the Price
his other Scholars gave him; _and the reason_, said he, _is, that I
must teach you two Sciences, the one to hold your Tongue, and the
other to speak_.
186
Un jeune homme, fort grand parleur, voulant convenir du prix avec
_Isocrate_ pour être enseigné; _Isocrate_ lui demanda le double de
ce que lui donnoient ses autres Ecoliers: _Et la raison_, dit-il,
_est qu’il faut que je t’enseigne deux Sciences, l’une de te taire,
& l’autre de parler_.
187
The Philosopher _Anacreon_ having received a Present of ten
thousand Crowns of _Policrates_ King of _Samos_, was taken with
so great a fear of being robbed, that he could not sleep for
three Nights and Days, which made him carry back the Present to
that Prince, telling him that he prefer’d his Repose before the
Disquiets which attend Riches.
187
Le Philosophe _Anacreon_ ayant receu de _Polycrate_ Roy de
_Samos_ un Present de dix mille écus, il entra dans de si grandes
apprehensions d’être volé, qu’il fut trois jours & trois nuits sans
dormir; ce qui l’obligea à rapporter le Present à ce Prince, lui
disant qu’il preferoit son repos aux inquietudes que les Richesses
trainent après elles.
188
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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