DURING the Chief-Justiceship of the late Lord Ellenborough there was a horse-cause, to which a certain Privy Councillor was a party, and who, as of right, took his seat upon the be...
WHEN George II. was once expressing his admiration of General Wolfe, some one observed that the General was mad. Oh! he is mad, is he! said the king, with great quickness, then I w...
A PHYSICIAN, much attached to his profession, during his attendance on a man of letters, observing that the patient was very punctual in taking all his medicines, exclaimed in the...
A YOUNG man having preached for the doctor one day, was anxious to get a word of applause for his labor of love. The grave doctor, however, did not introduce the subject, and his y...
IT has been said that a lady once asked Lord B--g--m who was the best debater in the House of Lords. His lordship modestly replied, Lord Stanley is the second, madam.
LADY MARGARET HERBERT asked somebody for a pretty pattern for a nightcap. Well, said the person, what signifies the pattern of a nightcap?--O! child, said she, you know, in case of...
THREE gentlemen being in a coffee-house, one called for a dram, because he was hot. Bring me another, says his companion, because I am cold. The third, who sat by and heard them, v...
BY one decisive argument Tom gained his lovely Kate's consent, To fix the bridal day. Why in such haste, dear Tom, to wed? I shall not change my mind, she said. But then, says he,...
A HIGHLANDER, who sold brooms, went into a barber's shop in Glasgow to get shaved. The barber bought one of his brooms, and, after having shaved him, asked the price of it. Tippenc...
IN a cause respecting a will, evidence was given to prove the testatrix, an apothecary's widow, a lunatic; amongst other things, it was deposed that she had swept a quantity of pot...
A LOQUACIOUS author, after babbling some time about his piece to Sheridan, said, Sir, I fear I have been intruding on your attention.--Not at all, I assure you, replied he, I was t...
A JEW, who was condemned to be hanged, was brought to the gallows, and was just on the point of being turned off, when a reprieve arrived. When informed of this, it was expected he...
SAYS P--l--s, Why the Bishops are By nature meant the soil to share, I'll quickly make you understand; For can we not deduct with ease, That nature has designed the seas Expressly...
A YOUNG man met a rival who was somewhat advanced in years, and, wishing to annoy him, inquired how old he was? I can't exactly tell, replied the other; but I can inform you that a...
A KIND-HEARTED, but somewhat weak-headed, parishioner in the far north got into the pulpit of the parish church one Sunday before the minister, who happened on that day to be rathe...
AT the time of the threatened invasion, the laird of Logan had been taunted at a meeting at Ayr with want of a loyal spirit at Cumnock, as at that place no volunteer corps had been...
WHEN citizen Thelwall was on his trial at the Old Bailey for high treason, during the evidence for the prosecution he wrote the following note, and sent it to his counsel, Mr. Ersk...
JEKYLL saw in Colman's chambers a squirrel in the usual round cage. Ah! poor devil, said Jekyll, he's going the Home Circuit.
ONE of the wooden mitres, carved by Grinly Gibbons over a prebend's stall in the cathedral church of Canterbury, happening to become loose, Jessy White, the surveyor of that edific...
SIR WILLIAM CHERE had a very long nose, and was playing at backgammon with old General Brown. During this time, Sir William, who was a snuff-taker, was continually using his snuff-...
A LOW fellow boasted in very hyperbolical terms that the king had spoken to him; and being asked what his Majesty had said, replied, He bade me stand out of the way.
JERROLD was in France, and with a Frenchman who was enthusiastic on the subject of the Anglo-French alliance. He said that he was proud to see the English and French such good frie...
AN old friend of Charles Lamb having been in vain trying to make out a black-letter text of Chaucer in the Temple Library, laid down the precious volume, and with an erudite look t...
DR. JOHNSON was observed by a musical friend of his to be extremely inattentive at a concert, whilst a celebrated solo player was running up the divisions and sub-divisions of note...
A JUDGE, joking a young barrister, said, If you and I were turned into a horse and an ass, which would you prefer to be?--The ass, to be sure, replied the barrister. I've heard of...
COOKE and Dibdin went, at a tolerably steady quick-step, as far as the middle of Greek Street, when Cooke, who had passed his hand along all the palisades and shutters as he marche...
NO, Varus hates a thing that's base; I own, indeed, he's got a knack Of flattering people to their face, But scorns to do 't behind their back.
A SCOTCH Minister, after a hard day's labor, and while at a denner tea, as he called it, kept incessantly praising the haam, and stating that Mrs. Dunlop at hame was as fond o' haa...