E

38 entries

Early riser.

To be one, a sign of good morals. If one goes to bed at four in the morning and rises at eight, one is lazy; but if one goes to bed at nine in the evening and gets up the next day at five, one is a hardy type.

Earth.

Refer to its four corners since it is round.

Echo.

Mention the one in the Pantheon and the one under the bridge at Neuilly.

Eclecticism.

Thunder against as being an immoral philosophy.

Egg.

Starting point for a philosophic lecture on the origin of life.

Elephants.

Have remarkable memories; worship the sun.

Embonpoint.

Sign of elegant leisure, of utter laziness.

Embrace.

"Kiss" is more decent. A kiss is "gently stolen"; also "bestowed"—upon the damsel's brow, the mother's cheek, the pretty woman's hand, the child's neck and the mistress's lips.

Emigres.

Earned their livelihood by teaching the guitar and waiting on table.

Emir.

Used only for Abd-el-Kadr.

Empire.

"The Empire means Peace" (Napoleon III).

Empresses.

All beautiful.

Enamel.

The secret of this art is lost.

Encyclopedie.

Laugh at it pityingly for being quaint and old-fashioned; even so: thunder against.

Engineering.

The finest career for a young man; he learns all the sciences.

English.

All millionaires.

Englishwomen.

Express surprise that they can have good-looking children.

Enjoy.

Obscene word.

Enthusiasm.

Called forth exclusively by the return of Napoleon's ashes. Always "indescribable": the newspaper takes two columns to tell you so.

Epicurus.

Despise him.

Epistolary (style).

Reserved exclusively for women.

Era (of revolutions).

Still going strong, since every new government begins by promising to "call a halt."

Erection.

Said only of monuments.

Erostratus.

Bring up in any conversation about the fires of the Commune.

Esplanade.

Only found near the Invalides.

Etruscan.

All antique vases are Etruscan.

Etymology.

The easiest thing in the world, with a little Latin and ingenuity.

Eunuch.

Never can have children... Fulminate against the castrati singers of the Sistine Chapel.

Evacuation.

Usually "copious"; always "of an alarming sort."

Evenings (late).

Are decent only in the country.

Evidence.

Is "plain" when not "overwhelming."

Exasperation.

Continually at its height.

Exception.

Say it proves the rule, but don't venture to explain how.

Executions (public).

Deplore the women who go to them.

Exercise.

Prevents all diseases. Recommend it at all times.

Expire.

Verb applied exclusively to newspaper subscriptions.

Extinction.

Applies only to the national debt.

Extirpate.

Verb applied only to heresy and corns.