e deceit?"

I must not omit to tell you that a few days ago Gratian and the Curate
spent a pleasant day with the Bishop, who was not a little amused at
their narration of the circumstances that produced the singular
parochial epistle, which his lordship had duly received. The Bishop's
hospitality is well seasoned with conversational ease, and perfect
agreeability, and has besides that

"Seu quid suavius elegantiusve est"

which our Catullus promises to his friend Fabullus. The Bishop, a ripe
scholar, spoke much and critically of Catullus, and laid most stress
upon the extreme suavity of his measures, especially in the "Acmen
Septimius." There were present two archdeacons and a very agreeable
classical physician. All had at one time or other, they acknowledged,
translated "Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus." The physician said he
had only satisfied himself with three lines, and yet he thought their
only merit was the being line for line. He repeated both the original
and his translation:--

"Soles occidere et redire possunt:
Nobis, quum semel occidit brevis lux,
Nox est perpetua una dormienda.

"Suns die, but soon their light restore,
While we, when our brief day is o'er,
Sleep one long night to wake no more."

The Curate, with the jealousy of a rival translator, objected to "suns
_die_," and thought "suns _set_" would be quite as well and a closer
translation. The Physician assented. The Bishop smiled, and said, "suns
_die_" was probably a professional lapsus. The Physician replied, that
such would be a very unprofessional lapsus; and Gratian quoted the
passage from Fielding, who says it is an unjust misrepresentation that
"physicians are the friends of death," and instanced the two physicians
who, in the case of the death of Captain Blifil, "dismissed the corpse
with a single fee, but were not so disgusted with the living patient."
At parting, the Bishop took the Curate most kindly by the hand, and
recommended him by all means to cultivate the amiability of
versification.

After this, Gratian and the Curate had much business in hand, and we did
not meet for some time. Gratian stirred a little in this affair of the
Curate's, and with effect. We did meet, however, and recommenced the

HORAE CATULLIANAE.

You now see us again in the library--time, after tea. Gratian enjoys his
easy-chair; a small fire--for it is not cold--just musically whispers
among the coals, comfort. Gratian