Wet And Dry
DR. MACKNIGHT, who was a better commentator than preacher, having been
caught in a shower of rain, entered the vestry soaked with wet. As the
time drew on for divine service he became much distressed, and
ejaculated over and over, O, I wish that I was dry! Do you think I'm
dry? Do you think I'm dry eneuch noo? To this his jocose colleague, Dr.
Henry, the historian, returned: Bide a wee, doctor, and ye'se be dry
eneuch when ye get into the pu'pit.
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Walpoliana
SIR JOHN GERMAIN was so ignorant, that he is said to have left a legacy to Sir Matthew Decker, as the author of St. Matthew's Gospel. Churchill (General C----, a natural son of the Marlborough family) asked Pulteney the other day, Well, Mr. Pulten... Walpoliana
SIR CHARLES WAGER always said, that if a sea-fight lasted three days, he was sure the English suffered the most for the two first, for no other nation would stand beating for two days together. Yesterday we had another hearing of the petition of t... Warm Friendships
SOME people were talking with Jerrold about a gentleman as celebrated for the intensity as for the shortness of his friendships. Yes, said Jerrold, his friendships are so warm that he no sooner takes them up than he puts them down again. ... Warning To Ladies
BEWARE of falling in love with a pair of moustaches, till you have ascertained whether their wearer is the original proprietor. ... Waste Of Time
AN old man of ninety having recovered from a very dangerous illness, his friends congratulated him, and encouraged him to get up. Alas! said he to them, it is hardly worth while to dress myself again. ... Waste Powder
DR. JOHNSON being asked his opinion of the title of a very small volume remarkable for its pomposity, replied, That it was similar to placing an eight-and-forty pounder at the door of a pigsty. ... Way Of The World
DETERMINED beforehand, we gravely pretend To ask the opinion and thoughts of a friend; Should his differ from ours on any pretence, We pity his want both of judgment and sense; But if he falls into and flatters our plan, Wh... Way Of Using Books
STERNE used to say, The most accomplished way of using books is to serve them as some people do lords, learn their titles and then brag of their acquaintance. ... Wearing Away
A SCHOOLMASTER said of himself: I am like a hone, I sharpen a number of blades, but I wear myself in doing it. ... Well Matched
DR. BUSBY, whose figure was beneath the common size, was one day accosted in a public coffee-room by an Irish baronet of colossal stature, with, May I pass to my seat, O Giant? When the doctor, politely making way, replied, Pass, O Pigmy!--O, sir, s... Well Said
A GENTLEMAN, speaking of the happiness of the married state before his daughter, disparagingly said, She who marries, does well; but she who does not marry, does better.--Well then, said the young lady, I will do well; let those who choose do better... Well Turned
ON the formation of the Grenville administration, Bushe, who had the reputation of a waverer, apologized one day for his absence from court, on the ground that he was cabinet-making. The chancellor maliciously disclosed the excuse on his return. O, ... Well-bred Horse
HOW does your new-purchased horse answer? said the late Duke of Cumberland to George Selwyn. I really don't know, replied George, for I never asked him a question. ... Wellington Surprised
A NOBLEMAN ventured, in a moment of conviviality at his grace's table, to put this question to him: Allow me to ask, as we are all here titled, if you were not SURPRISED at Waterloo? To which the duke responded, No; but I am NOW. ... Welsh Wig-ging
AN Englishman and a Welshman, disputing in whose country was the best living, said the Welshman, There is such noble housekeeping in Wales, that I have known above a dozen cooks employed at one wedding dinner.--Ay, answered the Englishman, that was ... Wet And Dry
DR. MACKNIGHT, who was a better commentator than preacher, having been caught in a shower of rain, entered the vestry soaked with wet. As the time drew on for divine service he became much distressed, and ejaculated over and over, O, I wish that I w... What Everybody Does
HOPKINS once lent Simpson, his next door neighbor, an umbrella, and having an urgent call to make on a wet day, knocked at Simpson's door. I want my umbrella.--Can't have it, said Simpson. Why? I want to go to the East End, and it rains in torrents;... What Is An Archdeacon?
LORD ALTHORP, when Chancellor of the Exchequer, having to propose to the House of Commons a vote of L400 a year for the salary of the Archdeacon of Bengal, was puzzled by a question from Mr. Hume, What are the duties of an archdeacon? So he sent one... What's A Hat Without A Head?
CAPTAIN INNES of the Guards (usually called Jock Innes by his contemporaries) was with others getting ready for Flushing, or some of those expeditions at the beginning of the great war. His commanding officer remonstrated about the badness of his ha... What's Going On?
A VERY prosy gentleman, who was in the habit of waylaying Jerrold, met his victim, and, planting himself in the way, said, Well, Jerrold, what is going on to-day? Jerrold said, darting past the inquirer, I am! ... What's In A Name?
SOON after Lord ----'s elevation to the peerage, he remarked that authors were often very ridiculous in the titles they gave. That, said a distinguished writer present, is an error from which even sovereigns appear not to be exempt. ... What's In A Syllable?
LONGFELLOW, the poet, was introduced to one Longworth, and some one noticed the similarity of the first syllable of the names. Yes, said the poet, but in this case I fear Pope's line will apply,--'Worth makes the man, the want of it the fellow.' ... What's My Thought Like?
Quest. WHY is a pump like Viscount Castlereagh? Ans. Because it is a slender thing of wood, That up and down its awkward arm doth sway, And coolly shout, and spout, and spout away, In one weak, washy, everla... Where Is The Audience?
THE manager of a country theatre looked into the house between the acts, and turned with a face of dismay to the prompter, with the question of, Why, good gracious, where's the audience?--Sir, replied the prompter, without moving a muscle, he is jus... Where It Came From
A LADY, whose fondness for generous living had given her a flushed face and rubicund nose, consulted Dr. Cheyne. Upon surveying herself in the glass, she exclaimed, Where in the name of wonder, doctor, did I get such a nose as this?--Out of the deca... Whig And Tory
WHIG and Tory scratch and bite, Just as hungry dogs we see; Toss a bone 'twixt two, they fight; Throw a couple, they agree. ... Whist
MRS. BRAY relates the following of a Devonshire physician, happily named Vial, who was a desperate lover of whist. One evening in the midst of a deal, the doctor fell off his chair in a fit. Consternation seized on the company. Was he alive or dead?... Whist-playing
CHARLES LAMB said once to a brother whist-player, who was a hand more clever than clean, and who had enough in him to afford the joke: M., if dirt were trumps, what hands you would hold! ... Whitbread's Entire
ON the approach of the election at Westminster, when Earl Percy was returned, Mr. Denis O'Brien, the agent of Mr. Sheridan, said, that there were thousands in Westminster who would sooner vote for the Duke of Northumberland's porter, than give their... White Hands
IN a country market a lady, laying her hand upon a joint of veal, said, Mr. Smallbone, I think this veal is not quite so white as usual.--Put on your gloves, madam, replied the butcher, and you will think differently. The lady did so, and the veal w...