Inspiration

A French versifier, equally deficient in poetic fire and worldly pelf, and whose nether garments were rather out of order, had commenced a series of epics on scriptural subjects. One was on the subject of Lot, and commenced,

L’amour a vaincu Loth.

On reading this aloud, his friend feigning to understand it thus,

L’amour a vingt culottes,

with a significant glance at his breeches, asked him why he did not borrow a pair. Can your critical French readers explain any difference in the sound of the two lines?

The Kaleidoscope, Jan. 22, 1822