proved of the ground) of saying, " it had its capability," was no less distinguished in his profession than for the plainness and integrity of his mind in all transactions. Being one day consulted by a baronet, of an antient family but no very large estate, about improving his grounds; and the baronet having suggested a number of very expensive alterations, Browne heard him with great attention, and thus replied: "Why, sir John, I grant the ground has its capabilities, and all of what you propose may be done, and even more, and what is still better, I must get a great deal of money by the job, which willl take up several years; but I have one question to ask you, previous to our commencement on this business,-Have you provided for your younger children?" This blunt question had its proper effect. The baronet shook him by the hand, and led him back to the dining parlour, where they drank another bottle, and the improvements were totally laid aside. Anecdotes of illustrious Characters.

ON an application made to Louis XVI. by Tippoo Saib, not long before he suffered, to assist him in taking possession of some provinces in India from the English, and annexing them to the crown of France, Louis nobly refused his assent, and said, "In the American war, my ministers took advantage of my youth and inexperience. Every calamity that we have suffered in France took its rise from that event.'

During his infamous mock trial, this prince was asked, what he had done with a certain sum of

money-a few thousand pounds. His voice failed him, and the tears came into his eyes at this question; at last he replied, 'J'aimais à faire des heureux. I had a pleasure in making other people happy. He had given the money away in charity. On the night preceding his execution he said to M. Edgeworth, I do not know what I have done to my cousin the duke of Orleans, to induce him to behave to me in the way in which he has done; but he is to be pitied; he is still more wretched than I am; I would not change situations with him.'

A few hours before he died, he said to the same gentleman, How happy am I to have retained my faith in religion. In what a terrible state of mind should I have been at this moment, had not the grace of God preserved this blessing to me. Yes, I shall now be able to shew my enemies that I do not fear them.' Original Anecdotes, European Magazine, 1797.

DR JOHNSON sitting one evening at sir Joshua Reynolds's, in company with a number of ladies and gentlemen of his acquaintance, the former, by way of heightening the good-humour of the company, agreed to toast ordinary women, and to have them matched with ordinary men. In this round, one of the ladies gave Mrs Williams (the wellknown inmate of Dr Johnson, who was both very plain in her person and nearly blind,) when another instantly paired her with Dr Goldsmith. This whimsical union set the company laughing, and in particular so pleased the lady who gave the first toast, that though she had some pique with the lady

who gave Dr Goldsmith, she ran round the table, kissed her, and said she forgave her every thing past for the apropos of her last toast. Johnson, who saw and heard all this, and who did not like to have two of his most intimate friends thus made the butt of ridicule, growled out, "Aye, this puts me in mind of an observation of Swift's, who says, that the quarrels of women are made up like those of antient kings: there is always an animal sacrificed on the occasion." M. S.

IN the history of the church I had heard of many strange baptismal ceremonies, and among the rest that of baptising corn, which I had here an opportunity of seeing for the first time at Easter. A man walked up and down the field with a vessel of holy water, and sprinkled it upon the seed. Another from time to time stuck something in the earth, which, as I afterwards heard, were consecrated wooden crucifixes, and on fixing these in their places, he muttered some form of prayer. If the ground be well tilled, the seed properly sown, and the weather favourable, this pious ceremony will do no harm. Seume's Tour— Lithuania.

When general V- was quartered in a small town in Ireland, he and his lady were regularly besieged, whenever they got into their carriage, by an old beggarwoman, who kept her post at the door, assailing them daily with fresh importunities and fresh tales of distress. At last the lady's charity, and the general's patience, were nearly exhausted,

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but their petitioner's wit was still in its pristine vigour. One morning, at the accustomed hour, when the lady was getting into her carriage, the old woman began-" Agh! my lady; success to your ladyship, and success to your honour's honour, this morning, of all days in the year; for sure didn't I dream last night, that her ladyship gave me a pound of ta, and that your honour gave me a pound of tobacco?"

"But, my good woman," said the general, "do not you know, that dreams always go by the rule of contrary?"

"Do they so, plase your honour," rejoined the old woman. "Then it must be your honour that will give me the ta, and her ladyship that will give me the tobacco."

The general being of Sterne's opinion, that a bon mot is always worth something, even more than a pinch of snuff, gave the ingenious dreamer the value of her dream. Edgeworth's Essay

on Irish Bulls.

WHEN Philip of Macedon vanquished the Athenians, in a pitched battle, they sent next morning to demand their baggage; the king laughed, and ordered it to be returned, saying, "I do be. lieve the Athenians think we did not fight in earnest." Memoirs de Grammont.

ONE of those booksellers in Paternoster-row, who publish things in numbers, went to Gibbon's lodgings in St. James's-street, sent up his name, and was admitted. "Sir," said he, "I am now

publishing a history of England, done by several good hands. I understand you have a knack at them there things, and should be glad to give you every reasonable encouragement."

As soon as Gibbon recovered the use of his legs and tongue, which were petrified with surprise, he ran to the bell, and desired his servant to shew this encourager of learning down stairs.

Walpoliana, v. 2, p. 136.

THE art of physic, is properly enough compared by Hippocrates to a battle, and also to a farce, acted between three persons, the patient, the doctor, and the disease. The doctor and the disease, however, risque nothing; the risque is always upon the patient. Rabelais.

A lady of high rank and fortune, too anxiously careful of the health of an only son, as well as par tial to his merits, sent for Dr Ratcliffe relative to his health. On a previous consultation with the lady about the malady of his patient, she very gravely told him, "that although she could not say her son was immediately affected with any disorder, yet she was afraid, from the excess of his spirits, and the very great prematureness of his understanding, he might, without the doctor's medical interference, verify the old proverb-" Soon ripe, soon rotten."

The doctor by this time having pretty well taken measure of the lady's understanding, as well as the wants of her son, desired to see his patient-when presently a servant introduced a strong chubby boy, between nine and ten years of age, eating a large