The Colloquies of Erasmus - BestLightNovel.com
You’re reading novel The Colloquies of Erasmus Part 8 online at BestLightNovel.com. Please use the follow button to get notification about the latest chapter next time when you visit BestLightNovel.com. Use F11 button to read novel in full-screen(PC only). Drop by anytime you want to read free – fast – latest novel. It’s great if you could leave a comment, share your opinion about the new chapters, new novel with others on the internet. We’ll do our best to bring you the finest, latest novel everyday. Enjoy
_Cy._ She never is otherwise to me, but never worse in my Life than now.
_Ma._ I am sorry for that. I am sorry for your Misfortune. But pray, what is this Mischance?
_Cy._ I have lost all my Money.
_Ma._ What in the Sea?
_Cy._ No, on Sh.o.r.e, before I went abroad.
_Ma._ Where?
_Cy._ Upon the _English_ Coast.
_Ma._ It is well you scap'd with your Life; it is better to lose your Money, than that; the loss of ones good Name, is worse than the Loss of Money.
_Cy._ My Life and Reputation are safe; but my Money is lost.
_Ma._ The Loss of Life never can be repair'd; the Loss of Reputation very hardly; but the Loss of Money may easily be made up one Way or another. But how came it about?
_Cy._ I can't tell, unless it was my Destiny. So it pleas'd G.o.d. As the Devil would have it.
_Ma._ Now you see that Learning and Virtue are the safest Riches; for as they can't be taken from a Man, so neither are they burthensome to him that carries them.
_Cy._ Indeed you Philosophize very well; but in the mean Time I'm in Perplexity.
_CLAUDIUS, BALBUS._
_Cl._ I am glad to see you well come Home _Balbus_.
_Ba._ And I to see you alive _Claudius_.
_Cl._ You are welcome Home into your own Country again.
_Ba._ You should rather congratulate me as a Fugitive from _France_.
_Cl._ Why so?
_Ba._ Because they are all up in Arms there.
_Cl._ But what have Scholars to do with Arms?
_Ba._ But there they don't spare even Scholars.
_Cl._ It is well you're got off safe.
_Ba._ But I did not get off without Danger neither.
_Cl._ You are come back quite another Man than you went away.
_Ba._ How so?
_Cl._ Why, of a _Dutch_ Man, you are become a _French_ Man.
_Ba._ Why, was I a Capon when I went away?
_Cl._ Your Dress shows that you're turn'd from a _Dutch_ Man into a _French_ Man.
_Ba._ I had rather suffer this Metamorphosis, than be turn'd into a Hen.
But as a Cowl does not make a Monk, so neither does a Garment a _French_ Man.
_Cl._ Have you learn'd to speak _French?_
_Ba._ Indifferently well.
_Cl._ How did you learn it?
_Ba._ Of Teachers that were no dumb ones I a.s.sure you.
_Cl._ From whom.
_Ba._ Of little Women, more full of Tongue, than Turtle Doves.
_Cl._ It is easy to learn to speak in such a School. Do you p.r.o.nounce the _French_ well?
_Ba._ Yes, that I do, and I p.r.o.nounce _Latin_ after the _French_ Mode.
_Cl._ Then you will never write good Verses.
_Ba._ Why so?
_Cl._ Because you'll make false Quant.i.ties.
_Ba._ The Quality is enough for me.
_Cl._ Is _Paris_ clear of the Plague?
_Ba._ Not quite, but it is not continual, sometimes it abates, and anon it returns again; sometimes it slackens, and then rages again.
_Cl._ Is not War itself Plague enough?
_Ba._ It is so, unless G.o.d thought otherwise.
_Cl._ Sure Bread must be very dear there.
_Ba._ There is a great Scarcity of it. There is a great Want of every Thing but wicked Soldiers. Good Men are wonderful cheap there.