Quatrain de Pybrac

Posted 14 September 2009 - 11:10pm by David Thrale

The famous Quatrain1 de Pybrac which hindered his being made Chancellor of France I likewise imitated & published about the same Time.

Je hai ces mots de puissance absoluë
De plein Pouvoir de premier Mouvement;
Aux Saints Decrets ils ont premierement,
Puis de nos Loix la puissance tolluë.—

I hate this vile Maxim of absolute Sway
To Britons a new fangled Notion;
From our Laws all the Life it has taken away,
And lost us the Rule of the Ocean.—

Written by Hester Lynch Thrale. Thraliana entry dated July 1779.

  1. 1. Number 93.
Hester Thrale's spelling, grammar, punctuation and capitalisation, some of which may not conform to today's standards, are reproduced faithfully throughout. More writings by her »