31 JANUARY 1925, Page 17

AUTHOR WANTED

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SlIt,—I wonder if any of your correspondents could tell me the original author of the saying, " Le micuz est rennenti du lrien." Voltaire, irfLo-Beguettle, quotes it in the form in which we. know .it, but ascribes it to " un .sage Italien." I have searched both French and Italian dictionaries of quotations in vain for the proVerb.-7I am, Sir, &c., C. M. Ilt-i3SONT.

[We always thought that Voltaire attributed to an un- patned Italian a phrase which he really invented himself, just us Sir Walter Scott used to attribute to that prolific author Anon " verses which lie actually composed himself.---Fu. Spectator.]