``Above Asia and Africa, the Love and the Sleep, in the shade of a floating drapery.  Finally, between Europe and America, a young girl symbolises the History.’’

The author commences the account of his first walk as follows:  ``Thus we begin, at present as we have let him see these two wonderworks which fly at the eyes, the Tower and the fountain, to return on his steps to retake with order this walk of recognition which will permit him, thanks to our watchfulness, to see all in a short time.’’

``The History of the human dwelling’’ is introduced thus:  ``It is the moment or never to walk among the surprising p 204restitution, of which M. Garnier the eminent architect of the Opera has made him the promoter.  On our left going along the flower-beds from the Tower till here, the constructions of the History of the human Dwelling is unfolded to our eyes.  The human Dwelling in all countries and in all times, there is certainly an excellent subject of study.  Without doubt the great works do not fail, where conscientious plates enable us to know exactly in which condition where living our ancestors, how their dwellings where disposed in the interior.  But nothing approaches the demonstration by the materiality of the fact, and it is struck with this truth that the organisators of the Exhibition resolved to erect an improvisated town, including houses of all countries and all latitudes.’’

The author finishes up his little work in the same self-satisfied manner, which shows how unconscious he was that he was writing rubbish:—­

``There is finished our common walk, and in a happy way, after six days which we dare believe it did not seem to you p 205long, and tiresome, your curiosity finding a constant aliment at every step which we made you do, in this exhibition without rivalry, where the beauties succeed to the beauties, where one leaves not one pleasure but for a new one.  As for us, our task of cicerone is too agreeable to us, that we shall do our best to retain you still near us, in efforcing us to discover still other spectacles, and to present you them after all those you know already.’’

If it be absurd to give information to Englishmen in a queer jargon which it is difficult for him to understand, what must be said of those who attempt to teach a language of which they are profoundly ignorant?  Most of us can call to mind instances of exceedingly unidiomatic sentences which have been presented to our notice in foreign conversation books; but certainly the most extraordinary of this class of blunders are to be found in the New Guide of the Conversation in Portuguese and English, by J. de Fonseca and P. Carolino, which created some stir in the English press a few years p 206ago.[14] The authors do not appear to have had even the most distant acquaintance with either the spoken or written language, so that many of the sentences are positively unintelligible, although the origin of many of them may be found in a literal translation of certain French sentences.  One chapter of this wonderful book is devoted to Idiotisms, which is a singularly appropriate title for such odd English proverbs as the following:—­