A CORRECTION.
[To THE Ernes OF THE "SPECTATOR:1 SIR,—May I venture to point out a misquotation in the usually accurate and scholarly Spectator ? In your issue of December 5th you say on p. 986: "How far can Italy afford to rely upon the proverb, ' Everything comes to those who wait' P" The French version of the proverb is the correct one : "Tout vient k point n qui sait attendre"; that is, "Everything conies to the man who knows how to bide his time." There is probably a Greek variant, and this the writer of the interesting article iu last week's issue on familiar phrases may know : I am not sufficiently learned. Now, Sir, mark the difference. The proverb as you quote it and as it is very frequently quoted, would be an incentive to laziness and indifference; in the French version it is the very opposite. If one wishes to succeed one must be con- stantly watchful, yet not in a hurry ; one must wait till the adversary makes a false step or is, through anger or other cause, off his guard, and then one steps in and disarms the foolish adversary. But there must be no slackness or want of vigilance. May I be permitted to quote in this connexion a saying of the shrewd Voltaire ? "On ne renssit dans ce monde gel In Pointe de l'eree, et on meurt les- times it In main."—I am, Sir, ccze., C. D. CAMPBELL. • Scottish Liberal Club, Edinburgh.
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