at Stow with a party, she was much teased by an impertinent young coxcomb, who was continually making some foolish observations to her. On coming to one of the temples, over which there was an inscription, she took advantage of this opportunity to expose his ignorance, and put him to silence “Pray sir,” said she, "be kind enough to explain that inscription to us," Madam," said the young gentleman, with an affected air," I really do not know what it means, for I see it is dog Latin." "How very extraordinary it is," said lady Mary, that puppies do not understand their own language!"

SIR THOMAS MORE.

When he was lord chancellor, he sentenced a gentleman to pay a considerable sum of money to a poor widow, whom he had oppressed. The gentleman remonstrated, and said, "I hope your lordship will give me time, and a long day, to pay so large a sum. You shall have your request," said the chancellor ; Monday next is St. Barnabas, the longest day in all the year: pay the widow then, or you shall sleep in the Fleet the shortest night in the year."

FREDERICK LORD NORTH.

A stranger was conversing with Lord North in a public room, and opposite to them was a party of ladies." Pray, my lord," said the gentleman," who is that large ugly woman I see yonder?" That," said his lordship, "is lady North." My dear lord," said the gentleman confused at his unfortunate observation, and making an effort to correct it,

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"I mean the lady who stands next her." "That lady," said his lordship, “is my daughter." The gentleman was now speechless. Come, come," said lord North, smiling with his usual good-nature, when he observed his confusion, you have made an ingenious but unfortunate effort to get out of a scrape: I forgive you, for I believe lady North and I are as plain a couple as any in England.”

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At the close of life he was afflicted with the total loss of sight. At Bath he met colonel Barre, who had been his warm opponent in the house of com mons, and was also blind. On being introduced to each other, lord North said, " Colonel, you and I have often been at variance; but I believe there are no people in the world, who, after all, would be more glad to see each other."

It would be difficult to find an anecdote recorded more honourable to the benevolence of an artist, or indeed of any man, than the following.-Pigalle the celebrated sculptor, who had laid by twelve louis d'ors for a journey from Lyons to Paris, seeing a man who was walking with visible marks of deep felt sorrow in his countenance, accosted him, and asked if he could in any way relieve him. "Ah, sir," exclaimed the stranger, "for want of ten louis I must be dragged this evening to a prison, and be separated from my dear wife and helpless children." that all?" said the humane artist:" follow me, I can command the sum you want, and it shall be at your service." A friend who met him next day, asked if he had relieved the distress of this poor man, as was publicly reported in Lyons. "Yes, friend,"

"Is

said Pigalle, "and what a delicious supper did I make last night, upon bread and cheese, with his family who blessed me at every mouthful they ate, and every mouthful was moistened with the tears of their gratitude!"

Diogenes paying Plato a visit, trod on his rich carpets with his dirty feet. "See," said he, "how I trample on the pride of Plato." True," said Plato," but with greater pride.”

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PLUTARCH.

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His advice to the unfortunate is very ingenious, and ought to be consolatory. Consider," says the philosopher," you equal the happiest men in the one half of your life at least; that half, I mean, which you spend in sleep.

PROFESSOR PORSON.

Some person talked to the professor in the most exaggerated terms of the poems that had been published by sir James B. Burgess and P. Pybus, and this puffer asserted, that they would obtain more fame in times to come than Homer, Virgil, or Milton. "No doubt," said Porson," they will be praised by all mankind, when Homer, Virgil, and Milton are forgotten-and not before."

PRINCE CHARLES, COMMONLY CALLED THE
PRETENDER.

There is sufficient evidence to prove, that the

Pretender was in London in the year 1753. He appeared at a card-party at lady Primrose's; the servant observed how very like the stranger was to the picture of the prince, which hung on the chimney-piece in the room in which he entered.

He walked in broad day in St. James's Park, and was seen coming out, and was recognised by several persons, and among others by Dr. Smith, professor of geometry in Oxford, who mentioned the circumstance to several of his friends in Oxford afterwards.

Mr. Hume, the historian, told all he had heard upon the above subject to Lord Holderness, who was secretary of state in 1753; and he added, that probably this piece of intelligence had escaped him. "By no means," said he; and who do you think first told me the Pretender was in London? It was the king himself: who added, And what do you think, my lord, I should do with him?" Lord Holderness confessed he was puzzled how to reply. The king perceived his embarrassment, and extricated him from it by saying: "My lord, I shall just do nothing at all; and when he is tired of England, he will go abroad again."

This story ought to be generally known, as a remarkable proof of the moderation and prudence of King George II.

THE DUCHESS OF QUEENSBURY.

The duchess was the patroness of Gay, and being fond of the company of his brother wits, invited a party, consisting of Addison, Pope, Swift, and Arbuthnot, to dine with him at her table. Addison talked little; and what he said was with such em

barrassment, that he could hardly finish a sentence. Pope was the orator of the company; his voice was shrill and he made many tart observations. Swift was in one of his odd humours, and was determined to tease the duchess; so, as soon as the company were seated at dinner, he complained he had left his snuff-box behind him, and requested one of the servants might be sent for it. He soon after complained of the want of his tooth-pick case, and a second servant was despatched for that, which he described as an indispensable requisite to his comfort. He then complained of the want of his pocket-book, and a third servant was sent for that: in short, he contrived to have so many distinct wants that not a single servant was left in the room. The duchess looked around, and seeing no servants; "Gentlemen," said she, "we are reduced to such a state that we must wait upon ourselves. If I want a piece of bread or a clean plate, I shall rise and help myself, and you must do the same." Swift finding his scheme of putting the duchess out of humour had failed, sat in sullen silence; but Gay, a fat jolly figure, threw himself back in his chair in an immoderate fit of laughter, delighted at his mortification. "I am now fully convinced," said he, "of what I have often heard; that her grace, our noble hostess, is the best-natured woman in the world."

DR. RADCLIFFE.

Attending an intimate friend in a dangerous illness, he declared, in an unusual train of generosity, that he would not take a fee. At last when the cure was complete, and the physician was taking his leave, "I have put every day's tee,” said the patient, “in this purse, my dear doctor; nor must your goodness