A Choice
: Servants.At a recent examination at Marlborough House Grammar School, a
piece written for the occasion, entitled "Satan's Address to Nena Sahib,"
was to have been recited by two pupils. Only one of the pupils came
forward, Mr. Barrett stating that he could not prevail upon any pupil to
take the part of Nena Sahib, they having such an abhorrence to the
character, though several had offered to take the part of the Devil.
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Jonas Hanway having once advertised for a coachman, he had a great number
of applicants. One of them he approved of, and told him, if his character
answered, he would take him on the terms agreed on: "But," said he, "my
good fellow, as I am rather a particular man, it may be proper to inform
you, that every evening, after the business of the stable is done, I expect
you to come to my house for a quarter of an hour to attend family prayers.
To this I suppose you can have no objection."--"Why as to that, sir,"
replied the fellow, "I doesn't see much to say against it; but I hope
you'll consider it in my wages!"
Coleridge, among his other speculations, started a periodical, in prose and
verse, entitled _The Watchman_, with the motto, "that all might know the
truth, and that the truth might make us free." He watched in vain! His
incurable want of order and punctuality, and his philosophical theories,
tired out his readers, and the work was discontinued after the ninth
number. Of the unsaleable nature of this publication, he himself relates an
amusing illustration. Happening one morning to rise at an earlier hour than
usual, he observed his servant girl putting an extravagant quantity of
paper into the grate in order to light the fire, and mildly checked her for
her wastefulness: "La! sir," replied Nanny; "it's only _Watchmen_."
The Marquis of Granby having returned from the army in Germany, travelled
with all possible expedition from the English port at which he landed to
London, and finding on his arrival that the king was at Windsor, he
proceeded there in his travelling-dress; where desiring to be instantly
introduced to his majesty, a certain lord came forward, who said he hoped
the noble marquis did not mean to go into the presence of his majesty in so
improper a habit, adding, "'Pon my honour, my lord, you look more like a
_groom_ than a gentleman."--"Perhaps I may," replied the marquis, "and I
give you my word, if you do not introduce me to the king this instant, I
will _act_ like a groom, and _curry_ you in a way you won't like."
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300 scudi (L62), with the words, "For the advocate ..
Pius IX.," in the pontiff's own handwriting. Dr. Glynn was remarkable for many acts of kindness to poor persons. He had attended a sick family in the fens near Cambridge for a considerable time, and had never thought of any recompense for his skill... A Beggar's Wedding
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Clerambault, who was deformed, was elected to succeed La Fontaine in the French Academy. On that occasion it was said that "La Fontaine was very properly succeeded by Esop." ... An Appropriate Version
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The subject of this anecdote was a sister of General Isaac Worrell. She died two or three years since in Philadelphia. The following tribute to her patriotism and humanity, was paid by a New Jersey newspaper, ... Astley Cooper
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A fleet of merchant ships, on their return from Spain, about three hundred years ago, were shipwrecked on the fatal rocks on which Sir Cloudsley Shovel was cast away: among these unfortunate men none were saved but three, viz. _Miles Bishop_, and _James...