In the second place, you will be expected to make yourself useful in the Review--generally useful, sir--doing whatever is required of you; for it is not customary, at least with me, to permit writers, especially young writers, to choose their subjects.

In these two departments, sir, namely, compilation and reviewing, I had yesterday, after due consideration, determined upon employing you.

I had intended to employ you no further, sir--at least for the present; but, sir, this morning I received a letter from my valued friend in the country, in which he speaks in terms of strong admiration (I don't overstate) of your German acquirements.

Sir, he says that it would be a thousand pities if your knowledge of the German language should be lost to the world, or even permitted to sleep, and he entreats me to think of some plan by which it may be turned to account.
Sir, I am at all times willing, if possible, to oblige my worthy friend, and likewise to encourage merit and talent; I have, therefore, determined to employ you in German." "Sir," said I, rubbing my hands, "you are very kind, and so is our mutual friend; I shall be happy to make myself useful in German; and if you think a good translation from Goethe--his 'Sorrows' for example, or more particularly his 'Faust'-- " "Sir," said the publisher, "Goethe is a drug; his 'Sorrows,' are a drug, so is his 'Faustus,' more especially the last, since that fool -- - rendered him into English.

No, sir, I do not want you to translate Goethe or anything belonging to him; nor do I want you to translate anything from the German; what I want you to do, is to translate into German.