Sion College

: Miscellaneous.

Upon the recovery of George III. in 1789, the librarian and
others connected with Sion College were at a loss what device or motto to

select for the illumination of the building; when the following happy

choice was made by a worthy divine, from the book of Psalms; "_Sion_ heard

of it and was glad."





Dean Swift having preached an assize sermon in Ireland, was invited to dine

with the judges; and havi
g in his sermon considered the use and abuse of

the law, he pressed somewhat hard upon those counsellors, who plead causes,

which they knew in their consciences to be wrong. When dinner was over, and

the glass began to go round, a young barrister retorted upon the dean; and

after several altercations, the counsellor asked him, "If the devil was to

die, whether a _parson_ might not be found, who, for money, would preach

his funeral?" "Yes," said Swift, "I would gladly be the man, and I would

then give the _devil_ his due, as I have this day done his _children_."





Swift disliked nothing so much as being troubled with applications from

authors to correct their works. A poor poet having written a very

indifferent tragedy, got himself introduced to the dean in order to have

his opinion of it; and in about a fortnight after, called at the deanery.

Swift returned the play, carefully folded up, telling him he had read it,

and taken some pains with it, and he believed the author would not find

above half the number of faults that it had when it came into his hands.

The poor author, after a thousand acknowledgments, retired in company with

the gentleman who had introduced him, and was so impatient to see the

corrections, that he stopped under the first gateway they came to, when to

his utter astonishment and confusion, he saw that the dean had taken the

pains to blot out every second line throughout the whole play, so carefully

as to render them quite illegible.





Lady Carteret, wife of the Lord Lieutenant, said to Swift one day, "The air

of Ireland is excellent and healthy." "For God's sake, madam," said Swift,

falling down before her, "don't say so in England, for if you do they will

tax it."





Dr Savage, who died in 1747, travelled in his younger days, with the Earl

of Salisbury, to whom he was indebted for a considerable living in

Hertfordshire. One day at the levee, the King (George I.) asked him how

long he had resided at Rome with Lord Salisbury. Upon his answering him how

long,--"Why," said the king, "you staid there long enough; how is it you

did not convert the pope?"--"Because, sir," replied the doctor, "I had

nothing better to offer him."



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