1837 38. SCOTCHMEN IN PARIS. 117 



occasion to remark, that lie had generally found a few Scotch 

 words sufficient to confound one who was well versed in English, 

 and quoted as a case what occurred to him in Paris. It so 

 happened that he and several other young Scotchmen paid a 

 visit one evening to the Theatre-Francois ; a short time after 

 their arrival, seating themselves in one of the most conspicuous 

 places, they began, with the characteristic recklessness of 

 Britons, to talk treason about all that was going on around them. 

 In the midst of their criticisms, a very polite old French gentle- 

 man, with a low bow, leaned over the seat behind them, and 

 suggested to the thoughtless fellows, that there were a great 

 many more of the audience knew English than they were at all 

 aware of, and that they would assuredly get themselves into 

 scrapes if they continued talking as they had done. ' Come/ 

 says Christison to his friend Cullen (he of the hat), ' well try 

 them with a little Scotch;' and so they began, Christison watch- 

 ing the face of old Monsieur, but soon convinced that he at least 

 had not studied the mysteries of ' but an' ben/ etc., and ever 

 after, when they had any foolish thing to say, they discoursed 

 it in good broad Scotch. When you commend me to my much 

 esteemed and loved friend, J. G, give him my advice, if you 

 please, to be sure and study Scotch before going abroad, and 

 then he may say anything about their vaunted pictures without 

 getting himself guillotined for his trouble. 



" In spite of Christison's studiousness in Paris, he seems 

 to have loved most heartily all sorts of fun. He told us of 

 himself and half a dozen other Scotchmen, celebrating a new- 

 year's night by a supper, and shouting and singing, to the 

 amusement or vexation of the restaurateurs ; winding it all 

 up by finding their way home through the streets of Paris, 

 singing at the full pitch of their voices, ' God save the King !' 

 to the utter astonishment of the sentries, who well knew the 

 tune 



" I wish, I hope, and I expect for you all success ; and I can 

 do this the more heartily, as I can in return crave sympathy ; 

 for though it might appear otherwise, by a reference only being 

 made to lectures and Christison, my whole time and energies 

 are occupied in reading, writing, and experimenting for my 



