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 some maids of honor--those
cheesecakes for which the place has, time out of mind, been celebrated.
The lady stared, then laughed, and asked, What do you mean by 'maids of
ho
a place, and so completely under the influence of state etiquette, that
everything in Richmond is called after the functionaries of the palace?
What are called cheesecakes elsewhere, are here called maids of honor;
a capon is called a lord chamberlain; a goose is a lord steward; a
roast pig is a master of the horse; a pair of ducks, grooms of the
bedchamber; a gooseberry-tart, a gentleman usher of the black rod; and
so on. The unsophisticated lady was taken in, when she actually saw the
maids of honor make their appearance in the shape of cheesecakes; she
convulsed the whole party by turning to the waiter, and desiring him, in
a sweet but decided tone, to bring her a gentleman usher of the black
rod, if they had one in the house quite cold!
More
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The Medicine Must Be Of Use
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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
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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
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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
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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
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