tlemen ;) why 'tis odds if you can get access to him yourself."-"What the devil! (returned he,) do Irish lawyers take such state upon them?" "You are to consider, sir Edward, (said the other,) he is a gentleman of family, has a noble fortune, and is so eminent in his profession, that should he be employed against you, you may bid farewell to your cause."

This last argument had such force with it, that sir Edward condescended to wait on Meade the next morning; who being apprised of what the other had said, resolved to be as stately himself, and accordingly sent him down word, that he was then very busy, but if he was pleased to stay till he was at leisure, he would see him: so sir Edward was shewn into a parlour, where he remained for an hour, to mortify him, before he could obtain an audience. When Meade thought he had humbled him enough, he then sent to let him know that he should be glad to see him; and received him with a politeness natural to him; but when sir Edward went to open his case, he told him, he must leave his brief, for he could not spare time to hear him. Sir Edward laid down his brief with a purse of gold upon it; and then taking his leave, departed full of indignation that he had now met an Irishman prouder than himself.

When the day appointed for trial came, there were several eminent council engaged on the opposite side; and sir John, resolving to try the patience of his client to the utmost, permitted every one of them to speak before him, without interruption, and sat drawing of birds with a pencil, while sir

Edward could hardly dissemble his resentment, thinking himself betrayed, and judging by the pleadings that the cause must inevitably be determined against him. At length, however, sir John stood up, and desired to be heard; and having made himself master of the subject he was to speak upon, he so fully refuted all sir Edward's antagonists, and made his title to the estate so evident, and with such masterly eloquence, that he obtained a decree to be put in immediate possession.

On the breaking up of the court, sir Edward pressed sir John to give him his company that evening; but he excused himself, telling his client he was that night engaged to a club. "Well, then, (said sir Edward,) let me accompany you, if you think it will not be disagreeable. to your friends." Sir John made answer, 66 They would all, he was sure, think he did them honour." So accordingly sir Edward met them. Some of his friends finding him in bed at twelve o'clock on the ensuing day, he told them, he had been up all night. "With whom, sir Edward?" "Why, (returned he,) with Homer, Plato, Socrates, Cicero, and all the ancient Greek and Latin poets, philosophers, and orators."

Anecdotes of Illustrious Characters.

SOME one says, that the disposition of a person. is to be known by his hand-writing., The handwriting of the great prince of Condé perfectly agreed with the impetuosity of his character. Segrais says of him, that he used to write without stopping, so that those who read his letters were

obliged to take breath occasionally, and that he only added a point when he changed his subject. He wrote without putting strokes or dots to his letters.

Drossiana.

A subscription was raised through the diocese of Salisbury to repair the cathedral. The king having inquired of the bishop how it succeeded, proceed to ask, why he himself had not been applied to for a contribution. The prelate, with courtly submission, disclaimed such presumption as highly improper. I live at Windsor, said the king, in your diocese, and though I am not rich, can afford to give you an organ, which I know you want; so order one in my name, and let it be suitable to so fine a cathedral.

Espriella's Letters, v. 1, p. 51.

Johnson was told one day of the French equivoque of an English lady at Spa, who was asked by a German lady, on what account she drank the waters of that spa. She meaning to say, because she had no spirits, replied, because she had no understanding parce que je n'ai point d'esprit. The doctor laughed heartily at the mistake, but said, that after all it was the true reason, perhaps, why she and many other persons frequented that and other watering-places. M. S.

DR RATCLIFFE attending the lady of lord chief justice Holt with a diligence remarkable for one of his situation as a physician, was asked by one of his intimate friends the cause of it" Why,"

says Dr Ratcliffe, "to be sure I have brought her through a very obstinate disorder, though I have no particular regard for the woman; but I know her husband hates her, and therefore I wish to plague him. European Mag. 1796.

It is an extraordinary fact, and redounds highly to the credit of the new system of education, that the whole disbursements of Mr Lancaster's school, from Midsummer 1806 to Midsummer 1807, were only 1561. 10s. with which sum he educated 900 boys and 250 girls; being an expence of rather less than 2s. 9d. each. Univ. Mag. 1808.

JOHNY GROAT'S house was so called from the name of a man who for a long time kept the ferry boat, which passes between Scotland and the Orcades. The family of the Groats were of Dutch extraction. Three brothers of that name emigrated from the south of Scotland to Caithness, where they realized considerable estates. This property came afterwards to be divided among eight individuals of the same family. The eight chieftains held an annual meeting, at which there arose a dispute, which should first take the door, and which should take the top of the table. The dispute would have probably ended in bloodshed, had not Johny Groat, the ferry-man, interfered, and promised that the quarrel should be settled to their mutual satisfaction. Before the anniversary of the next meeting, Johny built a room in the form of an octagon, with eight doors and eight windows; he placed also in the middle a table of the same

M m

figure. When the day of meeting arrived, John desired each to enter at his own door, and sit at the top of the table; and when all were seated, John took the empty place. Finding thus no room for envy or jealousy, they spent the day in harmony and mirth, and parted with sentiments of mutualaffection. The building was afterwards called John o' Groat's house, and though not a vestige of it remains, the place where it once stood, still retains the name. Notes on the Poem of the Siller Gun.

SOME years since Mrs Jordan was playing at Margate theatre with a new performer, an Irishman, and when he was to have kissed her, she turned her head so as to present little more than her ear. "Och, by Jasus, then," exclaimed the Hibernian, "I'll be dif I kiss you at all.-If you won't let me play my part as a man shouldyou may do it all yourself." And with this he walked off amidst a roar of laughter.

R M. Mirror, 1808.

THE following curious anecdote is given on the authority of a record in the consistorial court of Cork. The picture of the bishop to whom it relates, in his captain's uniform, the left hand wanting a finger, with his name and date of appointment, are also still to be seen in the episcopal palace of that city.

Dr William Lyons, who was preferred to the bishopric of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, towards the conclusion of the reign of queen Elizabeth, was