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The Wise and Ingenious Companion, French and English; / or, A Collection of the Wit of the Illustrious Persons, Both Ancient and Modern cover

The Wise and Ingenious Companion, French and English; / or, A Collection of the Wit of the Illustrious Persons, Both Ancient and Modern

Chapter 200: 1
By Abel Boyer
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Essays, Letters & Speeches

About This Book

A bilingual anthology gathers apophthegms, noble sentiments, witty repartees, jests, and pleasant anecdotes drawn from ancient and modern notable figures, presented in English and French. A prefatory essay examines the nature and use of such sayings, distinguishing grave apophthegms from playful repartees, criticizing mere puns, and recommending selection based on translatability and intellectual substance. The collection aims to balance entertainment and instruction by supplying concise maxims, moral observations, and pointed examples intended to enliven conversation and offer practical reflections for readers of both languages.

The ingenious Thoughts, noble Sentiments, Jests and witty Reparties of the MODERNS. With some pleasant STORIES, ENGLISH and FRENCH.

1

HEnry the Eighth King of England, being at odds with Francis I. King of France, resolv’d to send him an Ambassadour with a very haughty and threatning Message, and to that purpose made choice of Bishop Bonner, in whom he reposed great Confidence. The Bishop told him, that his Life would be in great danger, if he should offer such Language to so high-spirited a King as Francis the First. Be not afraid, said Henry VIII. for should the French King put you to Death, I would take off many a Head of those French Men that are here in my Power: I believe so, answer’d the Bishop, but of all those Heads, added he with smile, none would fit my Shoulders so well as this, pointing to his own. This witty answer pleased the King, and made him reform the Instructions of his Ambassador.

Les Pensees ingenieuses, nobles Sentimens, Bons Mots, & Reparties fines des MODERNES. Avec quelques CONTES Plaisans. En ANGLOIS & en FRANÇOIS.
1

HEnry VIII. Roy d’Angleterre, ayant des demelez avec François I. Roy de France, resolut de lui envoyer un Ambassadeur, & de le charger de plusieurs paroles fieres & menaçantes, & choisit pour cét employ l’Evêque Bonner, en qui il avoit beaucoup de confiance; cét Eveque lui representa que sa vie seroit en grand danger, s’il tenoit de pareils discours à un Roy aussi fier qu’ètoit le Roy François Premier: Ne craignez rien lui dit Henry VIII. Si le Roy de France vous faisoit mourir, je ferois abbatre bien de têtes à quantité de François, qui sont ici en ma puissance; je le crois, répondit l’Eveque, Mais de toutes ces têtes, ajoûta t-il en riant, il n’y en a pas une qui vint si bien sur mes Epaules que celle-cy, en lui montrant la sienne. Cette reponse agréable pût au Roy, & l’obligea à reformer l’instruction de son Ambassadeur.