Okay, I am not going to push myself for the sake of pushing myself. I have 1300 words left in the assignment (ergo, 3700 source words laid down on phosphor). I ought to be able to dispatch that tomorrow morning.
I have run across a copy of
A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy, by Laurence Sterne. I recall trying to read
Tristam Shandy once, at the recommendation of one of my lit profs, but never was able to get past the first few pages. From what little I read, however, it appeared to me that Sterne had a quality of writing that, albeit dated, nonetheless seemed to talk to me as I sat swaddled in my 20th century environment.
One interesting item from
Sentimental Journey that I ran across by accident:
It was but last night, said the landlord qu'un my Lord Anglais presentoit un ecu à la fille de chambre -- Tant pis, pour Mademoiselle Janatone, said I.
Now Janatone being the landlord's daughter, and the landlord supposing I was young in French, took the liberty to inform me, I should have not said tant pis -- but, tant mieux. Tant mieux, toujours monsieur, said he, when there is anything to be got -- tant pis, when there is nothing. It comes to the same thing, said I. Pardonnez moi, said the landlord.
I cannot take fitter opportunity to observe, once for all, that tant pis and tant mieux being two of the great hinges in French conversation, a stranger would do well to set himself right in the use of them, before he gets to Paris.
*le sigh*
Cheers...
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