the clamours of the foreign ministers, who made it a common cause, as well as to appease the wrath of Peter, a bill was brought into parliament, and afterwards passed into a law, to prevent and punish such outrageous insolence for the future. And a copy of this act, being elegantly engrossed and illuminated, accompanied by a letter from the queen, an ambassador extraordinary was commissioned to appear at Moscow, who declared "that though her majesty could not inflict such a punishment as was required, because of the defect in that particular of the former established constitutions of her kingdom, yet, with the unanimous consent of the parliament, she had caused a new act to be passed, to serve as a law for the future." This humiliating step was accepted as a full satisfaction by the czar; and the offenders, at his request, were discharged from all farther prosecutions.

Blackstone's Com. v. 1, p. 154.

GARRICK, one day-went into the painting room, and seeing, as he imagined, a prodigious quantity of gold strewed about the floor, began to abuse first the man who was grinding the colours, and afterwards to bawl out lustily for French, the painter. French made his appearance, and was thus accosted. Why-why-hey-damme-why you Mr French-is not it-ey-the cursedest thing that you will in this harum skarum manner-he-a-damme-ruin me!' "God bless my soul," cried French, "what is the matter sir." 'The matter sir-why where are you-with your damned lack-lustre eyes-don't you see the ground

all strewed with gold. I believe you think I roll in-money.' "Gold, sir!-oh, what the Dutch metal that we have rubbed off in gilding the new scene?it is not worth two-pence." Well

two-pence and pray why the devil should I lose two-pence? do you consider what two-pence a day will come to in a year!" "Well, sir, it is nothing out of your pocket." Yes, sir, but-ayaw you are a damned curious sort of a hey--^ how is it, nothing out of my pocket?" "why you know sir I have a salary for finding all these things." 'Oh-a-hey-a salary!-why then damme if I care two-pence about it.'

Dibdin's Musical Tour, p. 114.

LA CROIX, How prefect of Bourdeaux, having dislocated his shoulder, the surgeon who set it discovered a mark from a hot iron, inflicted on him as a thief and a forger. This scandalous discovery caused his removal. He is a member of the legion of honour!!! Les Nouvelles à la Main, Messidor, an. xii. No. 3, p. 8.

THE ear of Diogenes in Syracuse is no less a monument of the ingenuity and magnificence, than of the cruelty of that tyrant. It is a huge cavern cut out of the hard rock, in the form of the human ear. The perpendicular of it is about 80 feet, and the length of this enormous car is not less than 250. The cavern was said to be so contrived, that every sound made in it, was collected and united into one point, as into a focus; this was called the tympanum; and exactly opposite to it

B

the tyrant had made a small hole, which communicated with a little apartment where he used to conceal himself. He applied his own ear to this hole, and is said to have heard distinctly every word that was spoken in the cavern below. This apartment was no sooner finished, and a proof of it made, than he put to death all the workmen that had been employed in it. He then confined all he suspected were his enemies; and by overhearing their conversation, judged of their guilt, and condemned and acquitted accordingly. Brydone's Tour.

QUEEN Semiramis having caused her own sepulcher to be made, gave orders that this inscription should be engraven upon it. "What king soever hath neede of money, let him demolish this monument, and hee shall finde within it treasure as much as hee desireth." Now Darius having opened the said sepulcher could meet neither with silver nor gold there; but instead thereof he light upon other letters written to this effect: "If thou haddest not beene a wicked man and of insaciable avarice thou wouldest never have stirred and disquieted the graves and monuments of the dead." Holland's Plutarch, p. 403.

SIR CB was dining with a party of friends at an inn in C.

Sir

It was a day of public rejoicing, and the bells annoyed the party. Csent to desire the ringers to desist; they refused; and sir C― with much sang froid entered the belfry with a hammer and broke the bells.

The churchwardens of the place presented him to the bishop of the diocese, who wrote to sir C

telling him, he had cited him to the spiritual court for the outrage. He answered his lordship's letter thus: "My lord, I received your letter with surprise, I treat it with contempt; my goods are bespoken, and my person is sacred-I am yours, C B N. B. Sir C was in debt and in parliament.

THE Roman emperor Hadrian wrote the following lines on his death bed

Animula, vagula, blandula
Hospesque comes corporis,
Qua nunc abibis in loca,
Palidula, rigida, nudula,
Nec, ut soles, dabis jocos.

Little, courteous, wandring thing,
Whither wilt thou turn thy wing,
The body's friend and guest?
Pale and naked, cold as clay,
Forgot, alas, thy wonted play,
Where will thou take thy rest?

Gen. Biog.

ON a trial before lord Mansfield, an action was brought to ascertain some privileges concerning the boundaries of two parishes, upon which a great deal of money was spent, to elucidate a question which was not of three-pence consequence to either party. In the course of of the trial, lord Mansfield having taken notice of some strong pointed

observation, which had fallen from one of the witnesses, a farmer, he begged leave to ask him a few questions, merely for information, concerning the customs of overseers, and other officers, who manage the parish money. The farmer with great chearfulness appeared ready to satisfy him, and his lordship said, in the course of your evidence I think that you noticed that the parish money was very often improperly applied-now I do not mean to insinuate that you would be likely to misuse it, but as you mentioned that you were once churchwarden, if you have no objection, I should wish to hear what was done with the money at that time. "Why, my lord," said the farmer, "the money was worse applied while I was churchwarden than ever I knew it in my life." 'Indeed!'

said his lordship,' I should be glad to know how. Why my lord," said the farmer," I'll tell you. A gentleman, who had lived some time among us, went into Yorkshire, where he died. In his will he bequeathed about an hundred and twenty pounds to the poor of our parish. We applied for it often, but 'twould not do the executors and the lawyers, and one or another, were glad enough to keep the money in their hands; for you know, my lord, 'tis an old saying that might can overcome right. Well, we did not know what to do, and I came to your lordship for advice. You were then councellor Murray. I remember my lord, you advised us to file a bill in Chancery. We did so; and, after throwing a great deal of good money after bad, we got, I think they call it, a decree; and such a decrce it was that, when all expences were