524 Memoirs and Writings of Rabelais. [Nov. 
Chapter 33.—Rondibilis prescribes a cure for cuckoldry. 
Chapter 53.—An essay on the propriety of doing what'we ought not to do. 
Chapter 42,—How. law-suits, if tenderly hatched and nursed; ‘come after- 
wards to a full and perfect growth. 
Chapter 52.—How Bridlegoose, albeit a judge, was also honest. © 
Chapter 54,— A dissertation upon hemp. 
Chapter 2. Book 4.—Why monks love to be in Stations! 
Chapter 27.—Of the strange death of Giant Wide-nostrils, the swallower of 
windmills. 
Chapter 28.— How the Bishop Homenas, albeit a devout Bishop, yet hed 
no objection to a good dinner. 
The remaining books (we have selected only two) are supieee with 
similar humour, so that the reader who, trusting to our recommendation, 
acquaints himself with the writings of Rabelais, may, whether he look 
to amusement or instruction, expect ample satisfaction. With | us he is 
a first-love ; and it was in the retirement of South Wales that, in the year 
1820, attracted by the quaint novelty of its engravings, we first peeped 
into the pages of Gargantua. Many casualties have since transpired 
to disturb our recollection of its humour; but when last week, at a 
book-stall, we again picked up and cheapened the four brown, dingy well- 
thumbed duodecimos, with their old fashioned illustrations, we felt that 
we had renewed acquaintance with a friend. Rabelais, indeed, of all 
authors we ever met with, is the one most likely to make an impression 
on an unformed mind. His very quaintnesses, transferred into creditable 
English by Ozell, tell with strange effect at an age, when what is un- 
common claims but. too often undisturbed possession of the faculties. 
Mr. Jeffrey has somewhere said that the poetry of Keats is a good 
standard whereby to rate the kindred genius of the reader: Rabelais 
for a similar reason may be put into his hands, andif he possess to any 
extent either wit or fancy, the impression left by the perusal will never 
be effaced. One word more: it has long been the fashion among 
commentators (at. least so says Ozell) to decry the private character of 
Rabelais; and we are sorry to find that a man like Sir William Temple 
has joined i in this senseless abuse. Is it, however, probable that an author 
thus wedded to immorality would have been chosen as the bosom friend 
of such notoriously virtuous and celebrated prelates as’ Cardinal Du 
Bellay, the Bishop of Maillezais, and a hundred others equally gifted ? 
Was it probable that the Vatican would have selected him as the person 
best qualified to officiate in the pulpit at Paris, at a time when religion 
reigned, if not {n all its primaeval sincerity, at least externally in the most 
starched and punctilious severity ? The proofs of such friendships, and 
such honourable ecclesiastical employments, speak not volumes only, but 
whole libraries in Rabelais’ behalf, and convince us that his character 
as a man, was only inferior to his ability as an author. — 
