“Fine ambassadors monsieur the archduke sends here, to announce to us Madame Marguerite!”

“Your eminence,” replied the abb�, “wastes your politeness on these Flemish swine. Margaritas ante porcos, pearls before swine.”

“Say rather,” retorted the cardinal, with a smile, “Porcos ante Margaritam, swine before the pearl.”

The whole little court in cassocks went into ecstacies over this play upon words. The cardinal felt a little relieved; he was quits with Coppenole, he also had had his jest applauded.

Now, will those of our readers who possess the power of generalizing an image or an idea, as the expression runs in the style of to-day, permit us to ask them if