The Staffordshire Collieries
MANY anecdotes might be collected to show the great difficulty of
discovering a person in the collieries without being in possession of
his nickname. The following was received from a respectable attorney.
During his clerkship he was sent to serve some legal process on a man
whose name and address were given to him with legacy accuracy. He
traversed the village to which he had been directed from end to end
without succ
to abandon it in despair, when a young woman who had witnessed his
labors kindly undertook to make inquiries for him, and began to hail her
friends for that purpose. Oi say, Bullyed, does thee know a man named
Adam Green? The bull-head was shaken in sign of ignorance. Loy-a-bed,
does thee? Lie-a-bed's opportunities of making acquaintance had been
rather limited, and she could not resolve the difficulty. Stumpy (a man
with a wooden leg), Cowskin, Spindleshanks, Corkeye, Pigtail, and
Yellowbelly were severally invoked, but in vain; and the querist fell
into a brown study, in which she remained for some time. At length,
however, her eyes suddenly brightened, and, slapping one of her
companions on the shoulder, she exclaimed, triumphantly, Dash my wig!
whoy he means my feyther! and then, turning to the gentleman, she
added, You should ha' ax'd for Ould Blackbird!
More
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The Reason Why
A MAN said the only reason why his dwelling was not blown away in a late storm was, because there was a heavy mortgage on it. ... The Reason Why
FOOTE was once asked, why learned men are to be found in rich men's houses, and rich men never to be seen in those of the learned. Why, said he, the first know what they want, but the latter do not. ... The Rebel Lords
AT the trial of the rebel lords, George Selwyn, seeing Bethel's sharp visage looking wistfully at the prisoners, said, What a shame it is to turn her face to the prisoners, until they are condemned! Some women were scolding Selwyn for going to see... The Republic Of Learning
ONE asked another why learning was always called a republic. Forsooth, quoth the other, because scholars are so poor that they have not a sovereign amongst them. ... The Republic Of Letters
HOOD suggests that the phrase republic of letters was hit upon to insinuate that, taking the whole lot of authors together, they had not got a sovereign amongst them. ... The Retort Cutting
BISHOPS SHERLOCK and HOADLY were both freshmen of the same year, at Catherine Hall, Cambridge. The classical subject in which they were first lectured was Tully's Offices, and one morning Hoadly received a compliment from the tutor for the excellenc... The Richmond Hoax
ONE of the best practical jokes in Theodore Hook's clever Gilbert Gurney, is Daly's hoax upon the lady who had never been at Richmond before, or, at least, knew none of the peculiarities of the place. Daly desired the waiter, after dinner, to bring ... The Right Organ
SPURZHEIM was lecturing on phrenology. What is to be conceived the organ of drunkenness? said the professor. The barrel-organ, interrupted an auditor. ... The Rising Son
POPE dining once with Frederic, Prince of Wales, paid the prince many compliments. I wonder, Pope, said the prince, that you, who are so severe on kings, should be so complaisant to me.--It is, said the wily bard, because I like the lion before his ... The Rivals
A GOOD story of Gibbon is told in the last volume of Moore's Memoirs. The dramatis personae were Lady Elizabeth Foster, Gibbon the historian, and an eminent French physician,--the historian and doctor being rivals in courting the lady's favor. Impat... The Ruling Passion
IN the last illness of George Colman, the doctor being late in an appointment, apologized to his patient, saying that he had been called in to see a man who had fallen down a well. Did he kick the bucket, doctor? groaned out poor George. ... The Ruling Passion
THE death of Mr. Holland, of Drury Lane Theatre, who was the son of a baker at Chiswick, had a very great effect upon the spirits of Foote, who had a very warm friendship for him. Being a legatee, as well as appointed by the will of the deceased one... The Ruling Passion
A LADY'S beauty is dear to her at all times. A very lovely woman, worn out with a long and painful sickness, begged her attendants to desist rubbing her temples with Hungary water, as it would make her hair gray! ... The Ruling Passion After Death
A DRUNKEN witness leaving the box, blurted out, My Lord, I never cared for anything but women and horseflesh! Mr. Justice Maule: Oh, you never cared for anything but women and horseflesh? Then I advise you to go home and make your will, or, if you h... The Ruling Passion Strong In Death
CURRAN'S ruling passion was his joke. In his last illness, his physician observing in the morning that he seemed to cough with more difficulty, he answered, That is rather surprising, as I have been practising all night. ... The Ruling Passion Strong In Death
A DYING miser sent for his solicitor, and said, Now begin, and I will dictate particulars.--I give and I bequeath, commenced the man of law. No, no, interrupted the testator; I do nothing of the kind; I will never give or bequeath anything: I cannot... The Saddle On The Right Horse
AS a man who, deeply involved in debt, was walking in the street with a very melancholy air, one of his acquaintance asked him why he was so sorrowful. Alas! said he, I am in a state of insolvency.--Well, said his friend, if that is the case, it is ... The Safe Side
DURING the riots of 1780, most persons in London, in order to save their houses from being burnt or pulled down, wrote on their doors, No Popery! Old Grimaldi, the father of the celebrated Joey, to avoid all mistakes, wrote on his, No Religion! ... The Salic Law
IS a most sensible and valuable law, banishing gallantry and chivalry from Cabinets, and preventing the amiable antics of grave statesmen. ... The Scold's Vocabulary
THE copiousness of the English language perhaps was never more apparent than in the following character, by a lady, of her own husband:-- He is, says she, an abhorred, barbarous, capricious, detestable, envious, fastidious, hard-hearted, illiberal... The Season-ings
COME here, Johnny, and tell me what the four seasons are. Young Prodigy: Pepper, salt, mustard, and vinegar. ... The Snuff-box
AT a party in Portman Square, Brummell's snuff-box was particularly admired: it was handed round, and a gentleman, finding it rather difficult to open, incautiously applied a dessert-knife to the lid. Poor Brummell was on thorns; at last he could no... The Specific Gravity Of Folly
COLERIDGE once dined in company with a grave-looking person, an admirable listener, who said nothing, but smiled and nodded, and thus impressed the poet with an idea of his intelligence. That man is a philosopher, thought Coleridge. At length, towar... The Spirit And The Letter
A MAN was described in a plea as I. Jones, and the pleader referred in another part of the plea to I as an initial. The plaintiff said that the plea was bad, because I was not a name. Sir W. Maule said that there was no reason why a man might not be... The Staffordshire Collieries
MANY anecdotes might be collected to show the great difficulty of discovering a person in the collieries without being in possession of his nickname. The following was received from a respectable attorney. During his clerkship he was sent to serve s... The Sun In His Eye
LORD PLUNKETT had a son in the Church at the time the Tithe Corporation Act was passed, and warmly supported the measure. Some one observed, I wonder how it is that so sensible a man as Plunkett cannot see the imperfections in the Tithe Corporation ... The Superiority Of Machinery
A MECHANIC his labor will often discard, If the rate of his pay he dislikes: But a clock--and its case is uncommonly hard-- Will continue to work though it strikes! ... The Sword And The Scabbard
A WAG, on seeing his friend with something under his cloak, asked him what it was. A poniard, answered he; but he observed that it was a bottle: taking it from him, and drinking the contents, he returned it, saying, There, I give you the scabbard ba... The Tanner; An Epigram
A BERMONDSEY tanner would often engage, In a long tete-a-tete with his dame, While trotting to town in the Kennington stage, About giving their villa a name. A neighbor, thus hearing the skin-dresser talk, Stole out, ... The Time Out Of Joint
SOME one who had been down in Lord Kenyon's kitchen, remarked that he saw the spit shining as bright as if it had never been used. Why do you mention his spit? said Jekyll; you must know that nothing turns upon that. In reference to the same noble l... The Timidity Of Beauty
IT'S a great comfort for timid men, that beauty, like the elephant, doesn't know its strength. Otherwise, how it would trample upon us!--D.J. ... The Truth At Last
A GOOD instance of absence of mind was an editor quoting from a rival paper one of his own articles, and heading it, Wretched Attempt at Wit. ... The Truth By Accident
ONE communion Sabbath, the precentor observed the noble family of ---- approaching the tables, and likely to be kept out by those pressing in before them. Being very zealous for their accommodation, he called out to an individual whom he considered ... The Two Smiths
A GENTLEMAN, with the same Christian and surname, took lodgings in the same house with James Smith. The consequence was, eternal confusion of calls and letters. Indeed, the postman had no alternative but to share the letters equally between the two.... The Way To Kew
HOOK, in the supposed character of Gower-street undergraduate, says: One problem was given me to work which I did in a twinkling. Given C A B to find Q. Answer: Take your C A B through Hammersmith, turn to the left just before you come to Brentford,... The Wheel Of Fortune
JEKYLL saw in Colman's chambers a squirrel in the usual round cage. Ah! poor devil, said Jekyll, he's going the Home Circuit. ... The Wide Wide Sea
HOOD says that, A Quaker loves the ocean for its broad brim. ... The Will
JERRY dying intestate, his relatives claimed, Whilst his widow most vilely his mem'ry defam'd: What! cries she, must I suffer because the old knave Without leaving a will, is laid snug in the grave? That's no wonder, says one, f... The Woolsack
COLMAN and Banister dining one day with Lord Erskine, the ex-Chancellor, amongst other things, observed that he had then about three thousand head of sheep. I perceive, interrupted Colman, your lordship has still an eye to the woolsack. ... The Worst Of All Crimes
AN old offender being asked whether he had committed all the crimes laid to his charge, answered, I have done still worse! I suffered myself to be apprehended. ... The Worst Of Two Evils
VILLIERS, Duke of Buckingham, in King Charles II.'s time, was saying one day to Sir Robert Viner, in a melancholy humor: I am afraid, Sir Robert, I shall die a beggar at last, which is the most terrible thing in the world.--Upon my word, my lord, sa... The Wrong Leg
MATHEWS being invited by D'Egville to dine one day with him at Brighton, D'Egville inquired what was Mathews's favorite dish? A roasted leg of pork, with sage and onions. This was provided; and D'Egville, carving, could not find the stuffing. He tur... The Young Idea
SCHOOLMISTRESS (pointing to the first letter of the alphabet): Come, now, what is that? Scholar: I sha'n't tell you. Schoolmistress: You won't! But you must. Come, now, what is it? Scholar: I sha'n't tell you. I didn't come here to teach you,--but f... The Zodiac Club
ON the occasion of starting a convivial club, somebody proposed that it should consist of twelve members, and be called The Zodiac, each member to be named after a sign. And what shall I be? inquired a somewhat solemn man, who was afraid that his... Theatrical Mistakes
A LAUGHABLE blunder was made by Mrs. Gibbs, at Covent Garden Theatre, in the season of 1823, in the part of Miss Stirling, in The Clandestine Marriage. When speaking of the conduct of Betty, who had locked the door of Miss Fanny's room, and walked a... Theatrical Purgations
A DRAMATIC author once observed that he knew nothing so terrible as reading his piece before a critical audience. I know but one more terrible, said Compton, the actor, to be obliged to sit and hear it. ... Theatrical Wit
HATTON, who was a considerable favorite at the Haymarket Theatre, and particularly in the part of Jack Junk, was one night at Gosport, performing the character of Barbarossa. In the scene where the tyrant makes love to Zapphira, and reminds her of h... Thereby Hangs Etc
A CERTAIN Irish judge, called the Hanging Judge, and who had never been known to shed a tear except when Macheath, in the Beggar's Opera, got his reprieve, once said to Curran, Pray, Mr. Curran, is that hung beef beside you? If it is, I will try it....