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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 280, 3 December 1878, Page 3

Another glimpse into the " mingled ' life of the time is afforded by the trial, in the Correctional Police-court of Pari?, of a respectable-looking msn, aged 72, accused, of stealing, from a bookseller's shop,, a facsimile r< produc- ' tion of the famous Lano d'Henres (prayer-book) of Anne of Brittany, oce of the most precioaa manuscripts in the National Library. When asked what could hove induced him, a formed Professor, to, commit such a theft, he replied that he had been led away by his passion for botany. The Judge surprised at so strange an explanation of bis misdeed, inquired of tbe old fellow what connection there could be between botany and tbe unique rmnuscript of which he had' stolen a copy ? To thia question tbe old Professor replied that he was composing a work on the ancient flora of France, ib which he gave the history of each plant through successive nges, the names it had borne, and that have been attributed to il at different periods. "But," interposed the Judge, "that does not. explain why you. have stolen n book of prayers," "Yea/ replied the accused, «« it does j for this book is not a common prayer-book. Its pagels are illuminated with flowers painted in miniature upon a gold ground : there are 392 of them and the names are written in Gothic and in Latin at the bottom of eaoh page. The book was examined, and the defendant's assertion was found to be correct ; and it was curious to observe, bow differently many common plants weie called three centuries ago. The white pink was called tbe white violet ; tbe foxglove was called damsels ; the camomile was known aB the martyred mother ; nuts (noisettes) were called nauzilles ; the veronioa was then called " forget-me-not, dear ; " and the forget-me-not of now-a-dayß was then known as "re- , member me ; " and bo on. The aged Professor, notwithstanding the motive of his larceny was sentenced to a montL'd imprisonment, which be ia now undergoing. — istella.