he has been sentenced; he will be immediately reinstated in all his rights, and have the power of granting you a pardon. The undertaking was certainly hazardous; no great confidence could be reposed in a parricide. Yet the convicted criminal pardoned the pretended murderer, and this villainy, conducted in due form of law, was completely successful. Memoirs of Baron De Tott,

v. 1, p. 199.

WHEN the rapid and dreadful conflagration happened on board the Boyne, a marine was peaceably sitting in his birth with his wife and son, a boy about twenty months old, just beneath the place where the misfortune began, and finding every effort to escape the flames in the ordinary way ineffectual, the man, with the greatest composure and presence of mind, took from the pens a sheep of the captain's live stock, and bracing the boy on the. animals fleecy back, dropped them into the sea.

There," said he, "turn to the land, and God go with you." Encouraged by her husband's resolution, his wife leaped into the brine, and the man followed after, supporting his companion above water, till the boats arrived to their assistance, when they were taken up, little worse for the venture. The sheep, with the greatest steadiness, was seen making for the shore, with young Ben Bowline riding upon his back like an infant river-god, to the vast delight of the spectators on shore, who, from the tenderest motives, finding themselves interested in the boys safety, rushed into the watery element to meet the young navigator, whom they

presently unsheeped, and succoured with tenderness, till he again fell into the arms of his adventurous parents. The singularity of this event attached the patronage of a most liberal lady in the Isle of Wight, who, having prevailed on the mother of the child to leave his future fortune to her guidance, declared in the most friendly manner, "that as the boy had begun his naval career on a lamb, she would never leave him till he was able to end it like a lion." Naval Anecdotes, p. 150.

PETRARCH, in one of his letters, anno 1332, says: Liege is considerable from its wealth and the number of its clergy: as I had heard there were some good manuscripts to be met with, I stopped there. Is it not singular that in so celebrated a city, I could hardly find ink enough to copy two orations of Cicero? and what I did meet with was yellow as saffron.

Dobson's Life of Petrarch, v. 1, p. 55.

DR JAMES being once asked his opinion of the difference between a doctor and an apothecary, replied, "it did not become him to decide on such a delicate point; however, he would tell the company an anecdote which perhaps might elucidate the question.

"A monkey belonging to a gentleman's house in the country, observed the butler one day go into the cellar, take the spigot out of the barrel, draw himself a jug of ale, and then return it into the barrel again. When the butler went away, Jacko, who wished to be an imitator without the capacity

of his original, drew the spigot out of the barrel; but, not knowing how to stop it again, let the beer run all about the place, while he frisked up and down stairs in the greatest fright and confusion imaginable." Foote's Memoirs, v. 3, p. 75.

IN 1770 when antiquarian curiosity was so urgent with the dean of Westminster as to prevail on him to permit several of the society to taste the pickle which had so long preserved Edward I. in so lively a manner-an antiquary well known, attempted to steal the king's thumb!!

Flim Flams, v. 1, p. 179.

In a conversation held before Charles IX. by several learned men, it was disputed what condition in life was the most unfortunate. "In my opinion" (said Tasso) "the most unfortunate condition is that of an impatient old man depressed with poverty; for," added he, "the state of that person is doubtless very deplorable, who has neither the gifts of fortune to preserve him from want, nor the principles of philosophy to support himself under affliction." Hoole's Life of Tasso, p. xxvi.

I never dined at the mess when I was on the lakes, because it was kept on shore. At other times I did, and discovered that it is not true that "the Irish gentleman is linked to his bottle," any more than the English gentleman; for enjoying perfect liberty," no one got more drunk than another. The only appeal to the chair was with regard to one gentleman's drinking unfairly, Ee

but that was by no means a drunken Englishman's appeal; for when the chairman offered to fine him a bumper, the other cried, " Och by Jasus, that's not it--he drinks unfair I say, because he has drunk two glasses to my one.'

994

My Pocket Book, p. 185.

A person, who had a suit in chancery, whilst sir Thomas More was lord chancellor, sent him two silver flaggons, not doubting the agreeableness of the present. On receiving them, More called one of his servants, and told him to fill up these two vessels with the best wine in his cellar; and turning round to the servant who had presented them, Tell your master, (replied the inflexible magistrate,) that if he approves of my wine, I beg he will not spare it." Lord Bacon's Essays.

THERE is a witty satirical story of Foote. He had a small bust of Garrick placed upon his bureau. You may be surprised (said he) that I allow him to be so near my gold;-but you will observe, he has no hands." Boswell.

Two sailors were one day disputing, on board his majesty's ship Abundance, off Woolwich, respecting the wisdom of king Solomon, and after having made some very original and singular remarks on this mighty monarch, one of them closed his argument as follows:-"Why, Jack, you may talk till the tongue drops out of your wooden head; but I'll tell you what perhaps neither you nor king Solomon ever knew; that is, that d-n my eyes

but the times are so altered, that if he was now alive, he would not know a jib-boom from a pooplanthorn! Naval Anecdotes, p. 118.

DURING the siege of Newcastle, in the month of October, 1644, the general of the Scottish army sent a threatening message to sir John Marley, the mayor, telling him, that if he persisted in his refusal to deliver up the town, they would demolish the steeple of St. Nicholas' church.' Upon this the mayor, immediately ordered the chief of the Scottish prisoners to be taken to the lantern of the tower, and then returned his answer; that, if the steeple of St. Nicholas fell, it should not fall alone. That their countrymen should preserve it, or be buried in its ruins.' This spirited reply prevented it from being demolished.

Brand's History of Newcastle, v. 1, p. 263.

IN the quarrels of Italy the family of Colonna had been great sufferers, and there is a fine passage related of one of them whose name was Stephen. When in the heat of battle, and oppressed with numbers, one of his friends, terrified with the peril in which he saw him, ran to his aid, crying out, 'Stephen! where is your fortress?' Here it is,' he replied with a smile, laying his hand upon his heart. Dobson's Life of Petrarch, v. 1, p. 22.

WE talked of war. Johnson. Every man thinks meanly of himself for not having been a soldier, or not having been at sea." Boswell. "Lord Mansfield does not." Johnson. "Sir, if lord