Quite Perfection
A PAINTER in the Waterloo Road had the following announcement displayed
on the front of his house: The Acme of Stencil! A learned Theban in
the same line in an adjoining street, in order to outdo the old
original stenciller, thus set forth his pretensions: Stencilling in
all its branches performed in the very height of acme!
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Question And Answer
A QUAKER was examined before the Board of Excise, respecting certain duties; the commissioners thinking themselves disrespectfully treated by his theeing and thouing, one of them with a stern countenance asked him, Pray, sir, do you know what we sit... Question Answered
THAT idiot W---- coming out of the Opera one night, called out, Where is my fellow?--Not in England, I'll swear, said a bystander. ... Quid Pro Quo
A PHYSICIAN of an acrimonious disposition, and having a thorough hatred of lawyers, reproached a barrister with the use of phrases utterly unintelligible. For example, said he, I never could understand what you lawyers mean by docking an entail.--Th... Quid Pro Quo
SMITH and Brown, running opposite ways round a corner, struck each other. Oh dear! says Smith, how you made my head ring!--That's a sign it's hollow, said Brown. Didn't yours ring? said Smith. No, said Brown. That's a sign it's cracked, replied his ... Quid Pro Quo
AN Irish lawyer, famed for cross-examining, was, on one occasion, completely silenced by a horse-dealer. Pray, Mr. ----, you belong to a very honest profession?--I can't say so, replied the witness; for, saving you lawyers, I think it the most disho... Quid Pro Quo
A WORTHY Roman Catholic clergyman, well known as Priest Matheson, and universally respected in the district, had charge of a mission in Aberdeenshire, and for a long time made his journeys on a piebald pony, the priest and his Pyet Shelty sharing an... Quiet Theft
A SADDLE being missing at a funeral, it was observed, no wonder that nothing was heard of it, for it is believed to have been stolen by a mute. ... Quin And Charles I
QUIN sometimes said a wise thing. Disputing concerning the execution of Charles I.,--By what laws, said his opponent, was he put to death? Quin replied, By all the laws that he had left them. ... Quin And The Parson
A WELL-BENEFICED old parson having a large company to dinner, entertained them with nothing else but the situation and profits of his parochial livings, which he said he kept entirely to himself. Quin, being one of the party, and observing that the ... Quin's Saying
ON the 30th of January (the martyrdom of King Charles the First), Quin used to say, Every king in Europe would rise with a crick in his neck. ... Quin's Soliloquy On Seeing The Embalmed Body Of Duke
HUMPHREY, AT ST. ALBAN'S. A PLAGUE on Egypt's arts, I say-- Embalm the dead--on senseless clay Rich wine and spices waste: Like sturgeon, or like brawn, shall I, Bound in a precious pickle lie, Which I can neve... Quite Aground
IT is said that poor H---- T---- has been living on his wits. He certainly must be content with very limited premises. ... Quite At Ease
FOOTE, the actor, was one day taken into White's Club-House by a friend who wanted to write a note. Lord Carmarthen approached to speak to him; but feeling rather shy, he merely said, Mr. Foote, your handkerchief is hanging out of your pocket. Foote... Quite Natural
DID any of you ever see an elephant's skin? asked the master of an ... Quite Perfection
A PAINTER in the Waterloo Road had the following announcement displayed on the front of his house: The Acme of Stencil! A learned Theban in the same line in an adjoining street, in order to outdo the old original stenciller, thus set forth his prete... Quite Poetical
HARRY ERSKINE made a neat remark to Walter Scott after he got his Clerkship of Session. The scheme to bestow it on him had been begun by the Tories, but (most honorably) was completed by the Whigs, and after the fall of the latter, Harry met the new... Quite Professional
A COMEDIAN, who had been almost lifted from his feet by the pressure at the funeral of a celebrated tragedian, ultimately reached the church-door. Having recovered his breath, which had been suspended in the effort, he exclaimed, And so this is the ... Quite True
AVARICE is criminal poverty. ... Rare Virtue
THE paucity of some persons' good actions reminds one of Jonathan Wild, who was once induced to be guilty of a good action, after fully satisfying himself, upon the maturest deliberation, that he could gain nothing by refraining from it. ... Rather A-curate
IT is strange that the Church dignitaries, the further they advance in their profession, become the more incorrigible; at least, before they have gone many steps, they may be said to be past a CURE. ... Rather Ethereal
DR. JOHN WILKINS wrote a work in the reign of Charles II., to show the possibility of making a voyage to the moon. The Duchess of Newcastle, who was likewise notorious for her vagrant speculations, said to him, Doctor, where am I to bait at in the u... Rather Ferocious
AS Burke was declaiming with great animation against Hastings, he was interrupted by little Major Scott. Am I, said he, indignantly, to be teased by the barking of this jackal while I am attacking the royal tiger of Bengal? ... Rather Hard
WE are told that a member for old Sarum (consisting of one large mansion) was once in danger of being pelted with stones; he would have found it hard to have been assailed with his own constituents. ... Rather Saucy
YOU had better ask for manners than money, said a finely-dressed gentleman to a beggar who asked for alms. I asked for what I thought you had the most of, was the cutting reply. ... Rather The Worst Half
ON one occasion a lad, while at home for the holidays, complained to his mother that a schoolfellow who slept with him took up half the bed. And why not? said the mother; he's entitled to half, isn't he!--Yes, mother, rejoined her son; but how would... Ready Reckoner
THE Duke of Wellington, when Premier, was the terror of the idlers in Downing Street. On one occasion when the Treasury clerks told him that some required mode of making up the accounts was impracticable, they were met with the curt reply: Never min... Ready Reply
THE grass-plots in the college courts or quadrangles are not for the unhallowed feet of the under-graduates. Some, however, are hardy enough to venture, in despite of all remonstrance. A master of Trinity had often observed a student of his college ... Ready-made Wood Pavement
WHEN the Marylebone vestrymen were discussing the propriety of laying down wood pavement within their parish, and were raising difficulties on the subject, Jerrold, as he read the report of the discussion, said:-- Difficulties in the way! Absurd. ...