BRANDY AND SEA SICKNESS. 203 



Here it follows, somewhat abridged indeed, but in all other res- 

 pects as accurately as my memory permitted. 



The Dane. Vat imagination ! vat language ! vat vast sci- 

 ence ! and vat eyes ! vat a milk-vite forehead ! — O my heafen ! 

 vy, you r'e a Got ! 



Answer. You do me too much honour, Sir. 



The Dane. O me ! if you should dink I is flattering you ! — 

 No, no, no ! I haf ten tousand a year — yes, ten tousand a year — 

 yes, ten tousand pound a year ! Veil — and vat is dhat ? a mere 

 trifle ! I 'ould n't gif my sincere heart for ten times dhe money. — 

 Yes, you r'e a Got ! I a mere man ! But, my dear friend ! dhink 

 of me as a man ! Is, is — I mean to ask you now, my dear friend — 

 is I not very eloquent ? Is I not speak English very fine ? 



Answ. Most admirably ! Believe me, Sir ! I have seldom 

 heard even a native talk sojiuentlt/. 



The Dane, (squeezing my hand with great vehemence) My 

 dear friend ! vat an affection and fidelity we have for each odher ! 

 But tell me, do tell me, — Is I not, now and den, speak some 

 fault ? Is I not in some wrong ? 



Answ. Why, Sir, perhaps it might be observed by nice crit- 

 ics in the English language, that you occasionally use the word 

 " Is " instead of " am." In our best companies we generally say 

 I am, and not I is or Ise. Excuse me. Sir, it is a mere trifle. 



The Dane. O, — is, is, am, am, am. Yes, yes — I know, I 

 know. 



Answ. I am, thou art, he is, we are, ye are, they are. 



The Dane. Yes, yes — I know, I know — Am, am, am, is dhe 

 presens, and Is is dhe perfectum — yes, yes — and are is dhe plus- 

 quam perfectum. 



Answ. And " Art," Sir, is ? 



The Dane. My dear friend, it is dhe plusquam perfectum, 

 no, no — dhat is a great lie. " Are " is dhe plusquam perfectum — 

 and " art " is dhe plusquam plueperfectum — (then swinging my 

 hand too and fro, arid cocking his little bright hazle eyes at me, 

 that danced with vanity and wine) You see, my dear friend, that 

 I too have some lehrning. 



Answ. Learning, Sir ? Who dares suspect it ? Who can 

 listen to you for a minute, who can even look at you, without 

 perceiving the extent of it ? 



The Dane. My dear friend, — {then with a would-be humble 

 look, and in a tone of voice as if he was ixasoning) I could not 

 talk so of presens and imperfectum, and futurum and plusquam- 



