THE EGYPTIAN TALE.

11. In the darkness of the night, the surviving brother tells the
king's daughter, whom her father had employed to detect him, the story
of his exploits in baffling the guards and carrying off the body of his
brother.

12. The king's daughter attempts to seize the brother, but he baffles
her, by leaving in her hand a dead arm instead of his own.

13. The king, who admires the audacity and ingenuity of the surviving
brother, offers him, by proclamation, pardon and reward; and, on his
coming forward, gives him his daughter in marriage.

THE ARABIAN TALE.

11. In the dusk of the evening, Baba Mustapha relates to the two
robbers in succession, who had been employed to detect Ali Baba, the
story of his having sewed a dead body together; and, blindfold, himself
conducts each of them to Ali Baba's door.

12. The two robbers successively mark the house of Ali Baba with chalk;
but his female slave baffles them by putting a similar mark on the
other houses, in consequence of which they are put to death instead of
her master.

13. Ali Baba, saved from the robber captain's designs by the course and
ingenuity of Morgiana, his female slave, gives her freedom, and marries
her to his son.

Here, then, are above a dozen striking coincidences in this one example;
and they are given with but slight dislocation or transposition. Other
examples might be adduced, but I must reserve them for another
communication.

J. W. THOMAS.

Dewsbury.

* * * * *

LA ROCHEFOUCAULD.

Meeting occasionally, in reading new French works and journals, with
sentiments and criticisms by eminent living writers on the characteristic
peculiarities of some of the most distinguished French authors of the age
of Louis XIV. and subsequently, perhaps you will allow me to send you, from
time to time, "notes" or extracts from the criticisms alluded to, in case
you should be of opinion that they may be agreeable to some of your
readers, who may not be aware of the healthier and more Christian tone that
now pervades one, at least, of the most influential organs of public
opinion in France. Let us begin with _La Rochefoucauld_, as recently
reviewed in the _Journal des Debats_.

J. MACRAY.

Oxford.

_"La Rochefoucauld._

"Pourquoi La Rochefoucauld m'inspire-t-il une repugnance invincible?
Pourquoi cette souf