becomes of double value, when we have the opportunity of sharing it with others. 660. Cereus in vitium flecti, monitoribus asper, Utilium tardus provisor, prodigus æris, Sublimis cupidusque et amata relinquere pernix. (L.) Hor. A. P. 163. Pliant as wax to those who lead him wrong, He takes up things and lays them down as soon.-Conington. 661. Cernis ut ignavum corrumpant otia corpus; Ut capiant vitium, ni moveantur, aquæ. (L.) Ov. Ep. 1, 5, 5. You see how ease impairs an idler's strength: 662. Certa amittimus dum incerta petimus: atque hoc evenit In labore atque in dolore ut mors obrepat interim. (L.) Plaut. Ps. 2, 3, 19.-We lose what is sure, while we are seeking what is not sure; and so it happens that between labour and sorrow death meanwhile steals upon us. 663. Certe ignoratio futurorum malorum utilius est quam scientia. (L.) Cic. Div. 2, 9, 23.-Certainly our ignorance of impending evils is more advantageous than would be a knowledge of them. 664. Certiorari. (L.) Law Term.-To certify. Writ issuing out of Chancery or King's Bench, directed to the judges or officers of inferior Courts, commanding them to certify or return the records of a cause depending before them. By this writ indictments may be removed from inferior Courts to the King's Bench. 665. Certum est quod certum reddi potest. (L.) Law Max.— That is sufficiently certain which can be made certain. If, e.g., a lease for so many years be granted after three lives yet in being, the uncertainty depending on those lives ceases when the remaining life comes to an end, and id certum est quod, etc. 666. Certum quia impossibile. (L.) Tert. de Carne Christi, 5. -It is certain because it is impossible. Said of the resurrection of Our Blessed Lord, in answer to Marcion. Another form is, Credo quia impossibile-I believe because it is impossible. 667. Certum voto pete finem. (L.) Hor. Ep. 1, 2, 56.—Put a fixed limit to your wishes. F 668. Cervi luporum præda rapacium Sectamur ultro, quos opimus Fallere et effugere est triumphus. (L.) Hor. C. 4, 4, 50. Weak deer, the wolves' predestin'd prey, "Twere triumph won to steal away.-Conington. 669. Cervius hæc inter vicinus garrit aniles Ex re fabellas. (L.) Hor. S. 2, 6, 77.—Between these matters my neighbour Cervius talks his old women's tales, as occasion serves. 670. Ces malheureux rois Dont on dit tant de mal, ont du bon quelquefois. (Fr.) Andrieux, Meunier de Sans Souci.-These miserable kings of whom so much evil is said, have their good points sometimes. Said of Frederick 11. and the miller. 671. Ce sont là jeux de prince : On respecte un moulin, on vole une province! (Fr.) Andrieux, Meunier de Sans Souci.-Such is the sport of princes; they spare a windmill and steal a province! The king had threatened to seize his neighbour, the miller's, windmill, to which the latter replies, "Oui, si nous n'avions pas de juges à Berlin:" in the end the mill is spared. 672. Ce sont toujours les avanturiers qui font de grandes choses, et non pas les souvrains de grands empires. (Fr.) Montesquieu ?--It is by adventurers that great actions are performed, and not by the sovereigns of great empires. 673. Cessante ratione legis cessat ipsa lex. (L.) Law Max.—When the reason for any particular law comes to an end, the law itself expires. Thus, a Member of Parliament may not be arrested during session, but the reason for such privilege ceases when the session is over, and cessante causa, cessat effectus, the cause ceasing, the effect likewise comes to an end. 674. C'est ainsi que je poursuis la communication de quelque esprit fameux, non afin qu'il m'enseigne, mais afin que je le connaisse, et que le connaissant, s'il le faut, que je l'imite. (Fr.) Montaigne ?-It is thus that I study the mind of any famous author, not necessarily to be instructed, but in order to embrace his meaning, and having arrived at this, then, if necessary, to imitate him. 675. C'est double plaisir de tromper le trompeur. (Fr.) La Font. Le coq et le Renard.—It is a double pleasure to deceive the deceiver. 676. C'est du Nord aujourd'hui que nous vient la lumière. (Fr.) Volt. to Catherine II.-It is from the North nowadays that we get our light. A piece of flattery having allusion to the encouragement which the Empress afforded to literature, and perhaps to her own essays in authorship. 677. C'est la force et le droit qui règlent toutes les choses dans le monde; la force en attendant le droit. (Fr.) Joubert-Force and right govern everything in this world; force till right is ready. Mr M. Arnold, tr. 678. C'est là le diable. (Fr.)-There's the rub. That's the mischief. 679. C'est la prospérité qui donne des amis, c'est l'adversité qui les éprouve. (Fr.)-Prosperity gives us friends, adversity proves them. 689. C'est le bon sens, la raison qui fait tout: Qu'est ce vertu? Raison mise en pratique. Et le génie est la raison sublime. (Fr.) M. J. Chénier? What talent, but reason in brilliant dress? What is wit but the same that can finely express? And genius itself is but reason sublime.-Ed. 681. C'est le commencement de la fin. (Fr.)—It is the beginning of the end. Mot belonging to the time of the "Hundred Days," and said or, at least, endorsed by Talleyrand. Cf. Shakesp. Midsummer Night, 5, 1.-"That is the true beginning of our end." 682. C'est le propre de l'érudition populaire de rattacher toutes ses connaissances à un nom vulgaire. (Fr.) Nodier? It is the characteristic of the learning of the people to couple each item of its information with some well-known name. 683. C'est l'imagination qui gouverne le genre humain. (Fr.) Napoleon I.-The human race is governed by its imagination. 684. C'est par l'étude que nous sommes contemporains de tous les tems, et citoyens de tous les lieux. (Fr.) De La Motte-It is by study that we become contemporaries of every generation, and citizens of every country. 685. C'est plus qu'un crime, c'est une faute. (Fr.)—It is worse than a crime, it is a blunder. Said by Fouché (Minister of Police under the First Empire) of the execution of the Duc d'Enghien. The saying is often attributed to Talleyrand. 686. C'est posséder les biens que de savoir s'en passer. (Fr.) Regnard, Joueur, 4, 13.-To be able to do without things amounts to possessing them. Cf. Sen. Ep. 29. Summæ opes, inopia cupiditatum. (L.)— 687. C'est souvent hasarder un bon mot et vouloir le perdre, que de le donner pour sien: il n'est pas relevé, il tombe avec des gens d'esprit, ou qui se croient tels, qui ne l'ont pas dit, et qui doivent le dire. C'est, au contraire, le faire valoir que de le rapporter comme d'un autre. . . . Il est dit avec plus d'insinuation, et reçu avec moins de jalousie. (Fr.) La Bruy. Car. vol. ii. p. 84.-A good saying often runs the risk of being missed and thrown away when it is quoted as the speaker's own: having nothing to set it off, it falls somewhat flat with those who are or who claim to be witty, and should have said it themselves, only they have not done so. On the contrary, it enhances a good saying to report it of a third person. It is told with greater insinuation, and received with less jealousy. 688. C'est une grande difformité dans la nature qu'un vieillard amoureux. (Fr.) La Bruy. Car. vol. ii. p. 50.—An old man in love is a monstrous anomaly. 689. C'est une grande folie de vouloir être sage tout seul. (Fr.) La Rochef. Max. p. 61, § 238.-It is a great piece of jolly to wish to be wise all alone. He must be silly indeed who insists on holding the only right view of things in the face of universal public opinion the other way. 690. C'est une grande misère que de n'avoir pas assez d'esprit pour bien parler, ni assez de jugement pour se taire. Voilà le principe de toute impertinence. (Fr.) La Bruy. Car. vol. i. p. 84.-It is a great misfortune not to possess talent enough to speak well, nor sufficient tact to hold one's tongue. All indiscretions have no other origin than this. 691. C'est une sphère infinie, dont le centre est partout, la cir conférence nulle part. (Fr.) Pascal, Pensées.-It (i.e., the universe) is an infinite sphere, the centre of which is everywhere, and the circumference nowhere. But the idea was borrowed from Rabelais (Pantagruel, 3, 47), who says of the intellectual sphere: "De laquelle en tous lieux est le centre et n'a aucun circonférence, que nous appelons Dieu." It is besides attributed to St Bonaventure (1250), Gerson (1400), and others. 692. C'est un foible roseau que la prosperité. (Fr.) Daniel D'Anchères, 1608, Tyr et Sidon.-Prosperity is but a feeble reed to lean upon. 693. C'est un grand pas dans la finesse, que de faire penser de soi, que l'on n'est que médiocrement fin. (Fr.) La Bruy. Car. It is a great proof of address in negotiation, to induce those with whom you treat to under-rate your acuteness. 694. C'est un verre qui luit Qu'un souffle peut détruire, et qu'un souffle a produit. (Fr.) De Caux (comparing the world to his hour-glass). -It is but a glittering glass that a breath can destroy, as a breath has created it. Cf. Goldsmith, Deserted Village, 54: A breath can make them, as a breath has made. 695. C'est un zero en chiffres. (Fr.)-He is a mere cypher. He is a person of no consequence or consideration whatever. 696. Cet âge est sans pitié. (Fr.) La Font. Deux Pigeons.— This age (childhood) is without pity. Children have no mercy. They roar for what they want at the expense of the weaker nerves of their seniors. Observe also their treatment of animals, kittens, and suchlike. 697. Cet animal est très méchant, Quand on l'attaque il se défend. (Fr.) La Ménagerie. -This animal is extremely vicious, if you attack him he will defend himself! Burlesque on a passage from L'Histoire Générale des Voyages, Walckenaer, 1826, recounting the adventures of Vasco de Gama and his comrades amongst some "sea-wolves" of an extraordinary size, and armed with tremendous teeth. "Ces animaux," it proceeds,, "sont si furieux, qu'il se défendent contre ceux qui les attaquent." It is difficult to say which is the most ludicrous, the serious prose or the burlesque verse. |