INTELLECTUAL GLADIATORSHIP. 



261 



death through jealousy ; others, 

 that it was done in order to be 

 revenged for his railleries and in- 

 sults ; and others, in order to free 

 the kingdom from a troublesome 

 prince. Neither is the manner of 

 his death known whether he died 

 by bleeding, like Seneca, or was 

 suffocated between two mattresses, 

 or strangled by the executioner. 

 After his death, a collection of his 

 extravagances was made in Spa- 

 nish. He possessed talents, but so 

 unregulated by judgment, that it 

 cannot be denied that he was in a 

 great measure the author of his 

 fate. 



The little romance of Don Carlos, 

 by the Abbe St. Eeal, is extremely 

 well written, and paints exactly the 

 character of this young prince ; 

 but the truth of history is violated, 

 as is generally the case in such 

 works. 



ORIGINES. 



Pauliis Jovius is the first who 

 has introduced mottoes : Dorat the 

 first who brought anagrams into 

 fashion. Rabelais is the first who 

 has written satires in French prose : 

 Etienne Jodelle the first who intro- 

 duced tragedies into France. The 

 Cardinal of Ferrara, archbishop of 

 Lyons, is the first person who had 

 a tragi-comedy performed on the 

 stage by Italian comedians. The 

 lirst sonnet which appeared in 

 French, is attributed to Jodelle. 



INTELLECTUAL GLADIATORSHIP. 



The celebrated Father Simon, of 

 the Oratoire, had long delayed 

 taking on himself the order of 

 priesthood, on account of his great 

 and profound study ; but in con- 

 sequence of a peremptory order 

 from his superior, he was at last 

 obliged to leave his house at July, 

 and to set out for Meaux, to receive 

 his ordination. He arrived, with 

 two of his companions, after the 

 usual hour of examination. M. dc 



Ligny, who was then bishop of the 

 diocese, seeing these fathers arrive 

 at this uncommon hour, thought 

 they must be some ignorant fellows, 

 who had come with the view 

 of annoying him ; and under this 

 impression, he recommended to the 

 examiner, whom he had kept to 

 dine with him, not to spare them. 

 The signal being given, the exami- 

 ner, turning to. M. de Simon, said 

 to him, in a grave tone, " I shall 

 not ask you if you understand 

 Latin : I know it is taught in your 

 college with reputation. Horace, 

 however, has his difficulties. Will 

 you explain to me the first satire V 

 presenting to him the book. M. 

 Simon having acquitted himself 

 well, the examiner went on " And 

 philosophy I suppose you are 

 pretty fairly stocked with?" M. 

 Simon, who was in the practice of 

 teaching it, answered modestly, that 

 he studied it every day. The exa- 

 miner having stated a captious 

 argument, M. Simon escaped adroit- 

 ly by a distinguo. " I see," said 

 the examiner, "you know something 

 of philosophy and theology no 

 doubt ? a priest of the Oratoire 

 without theology, would be as bad 

 as a Cordelier wi thout Latin." With 

 this, the examiner attacked M. 

 Simon on the controversial ques- 

 tions of the time ; but finding him 

 orthodox on them, he abandoned 

 them for more solid discussion. 

 " We see enough," said he, "of theo- 

 logians and philosophers in the 

 ecclesiastical state, but we have but 

 few who devote themselves to the 

 study of the Oriental languages, 

 and read the Scriptures in the 

 original. Ah ! how delightful," 

 said he, turning to the bishop, " to 

 read these sacred volumes as they 

 were written ! what charms does 

 the Hebrew possess for men of 

 learning !" The prelate casting 

 down his eyes, answered, that he 

 had heard as much from Messieurs 

 de Muys and de Flavigny, both. 



