er "Dona _K_imena de Guzman," and sometimes
"Dona _Ch_imena," a manifest proof that "Dona _X_imena" was written in
the work from which he transcribed; as the French substitute sometimes
_k_ and sometimes _ch_, for the Spanish _x_.
Pedros is used for Pedroga, (the name of a noble family.)
Moyades for Miagades, (a village.)
Zendero for Zenzano, (do.)
Salceda for Salcedo, (do.)
Calderone for Calderon.
Oliguera for Lahiguera.
Niebles for Niebla.
Jutella for Antella.
Leiva for Chiva.
After Gil Blas's promotion, he says that his haughty colleague treated
him with more respect; and this is expressed in such a way as to show
that Le Sage was ignorant of Spanish etiquette, and did not understand
thoroughly the meaning of what he transcribed. "Il Don Rodrigo de
Calderone ne m'appela plus que Seigneur de Santillane, lui qui
jusqu'alors ne m'avoit traite que de _vous_, sans jamais se servir du
terme de seigneurie," supposing the meaning equivalent--whereas, in
fact, though Gil Blas might complain of not being addressed in the third
person, which would draw with it the use of senor, and was a common form
of civility--it would have been ridiculous to represent him as addressed
by a name, senoria, to which none but people of high station and
illustrious rank were entitled. But Le Sage supposed that every one
addressed as senor, might also be spoken of by the term senoria; a
mistake against which a very moderate knowledge of Spanish usages would
have guarded him. We may illustrate this by a quotation from Navarete:--
"En este estado enviaron a decir a Magallanes.... Que si se queria
avenir a lo que cumpliese, al servicio de S. M. estarian a lo que
les mandase, y que si hasta entonces le dieron tratamiento de
merced, _en adelante se lo darian de senoria_, y le besarian pies y
manos."
This was intended as a proof of the greatest reverence by the mutineers,
whom, notwithstanding this submission, Magallanes took an early
opportunity to destroy.
Gil Blas relates the absurd resolution of the Conde Duque D'Olivarez, to
adopt the son of a person with whom he, among others, had intrigued as
his own. This anecdote was well known in Spain. The supposed father of
this youth was an alcalde de corte, called Valcancel; and _he_ had been
rivaled by an alguazil. The son was called in the early part of his life
Julian Valcancel. When adopted by Olivarez, he took the name of Eurique
Felipe de Guzm
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