and the applications to the minister to succeed Dr Monsey, were innumerable.

In consequence of their ardent hopes of the place, the court of Chelsea college used to be the favourite walk of the medical condidates. Here they used to enjoy themselves in the contemplation of the advantages of the situation, its vicinity to the metropolis, and the beauty of the surrounding scenery. Coach-houses gratis, and a hundred other agrémens, had certainly their due weight; while the doctor, sitting at his window, used to enjoy his own thoughts, and smile at their presumption. One day, this humourist saw, from his observatory, a physician, accompanied by his friend, who were taking a survey of the spot. The friend was pointing out to the candidate the pleasant situation of the medical apartments, and enumerating the various advantages of the college residence. As Monsey was fond of teizing, he immediately descended. A few words served for his introduction; when, turning to the physician, he said,

"So, sir, I find you are one of the candidates to succeed me."

The physician bowed, and he proceeded. "But you will be confoundedly disappointed." Disappointed!" said the physician, with quivering lips.

"Yes," returned Dr M. " you expect to outlive me, but I can discern from your countenance, and other concomitant circumstances, that you are deceiving yourself—you will certainly die first: though, as I have nothing to expect from that event, I shall not rejoice at your death, as I am persuaded you would at mine."

This was actually the case: the candidate lived but a short time. But, to return to the doctor: he was so diverted with checking the aspiring hopes of his brethren of the faculty, that whensoever he saw a physician on the look out, he used to go down and comfort him in the like manner. He had done so to several, and which is very extraordinary, his prognostications were in every instance verified: the medical speculators shrunk aghast from Chelsea; so that, at the death of Dr Monsey, the minister was not engaged by a single promise, nor had for some time had a single application for the place of physician to the college.

M.

IN the rolls of parliament, A. D. 1445, is a petition from the commons of two counties, showing, that the number of attorneys had increased from eight to twenty-four, whereby the peace of those counties had been greatly interrupted by suits: the commons, therefore, petitioned that it may be ordained, that there shall be no more than six common attorneys for Norfolk, sia for Suffolk, and two for the city of Norwich. Any other person, acting. as an attorney, to forfeit 20s. They granted the prayer of the petition, provided the judges thought it reasonable! Stultifera Navis.

KNIGHTHOOD was originally conferred in England by the priest at the altar, after confession, and the consecration of the sword, during the Saxon heptarchy. The first knight made by the sovereign, with the sword of state, was Athelstan, on whom Alfred conferred this new dignity. The

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custom of ecclesiastics conferring knighthood was abolished at a synod held at Westminster in 1100 -and in the reign of Henry the third, 1254—all persons having a yearly income of ten pounds, were obliged to be knighted, or pay a fine to be excused. W.- -M. Mirror, 1808.

AMONGST the many facelia related of Dr Radcliffe, it has been noticed that when set in for a drinking bout, he was very unwilling to leave the company, even though sent for by persons of the highest consequence. Whilst he was thus deeply engaged at a tavern a person called in order to induce the doctor to visit his wife, who was dangerously ill, but no entreaties could prevail on the disciple of Esculapius, to postpone his sacrifice to the god of the vine. Enraged at the doctor's obstinacy, the man who was strong and athletic took him in his arms, threw him over his back, and carried him off in spite of his resistance. Radcliffe was at first much enraged, particularly as the circumstance excited much laughter amongst the spectors; having cooled a little however before he was set down, he listened to the apology of the anxious husband, who excused himself for his rudeness by the extreme illness of his wife; he then exclaimed, with a rough oath in his usual manner, now you impudent dog, I'll be revenged of you, for I'll cure your wife!" Anecdotes of distinguished Persons.

Ir is a most mortifying reflection, says Dr Johnson, for any man to consider what he has done, compared with what he might have done.

Table Talk.

THE Cutter, a work lately published in five lectures, says," A cut, in the metaphorical sense "A conferred upon it by the fashionable world," is the intentional slighting, or overlooking, of any one connected with us, either by acquaintance, friendship, or relation."—" The cutter signifies the agent, or inflictor of a cut; by the cuttee is meant he on whom the cut is made." The author proceeds;

"If you are riding on horseback, and would cut an acquaintance, whom you might perhaps condescend to notice in a lane, give your eyes a direction parallel with the two sides of the street, or turn your body obliquely to the opposite side of the horse, and examining very closely the parts adjacent to the hoof, look seriously, as if you suspected lameness, or the grease."

"As relatives are not a little obtuse in their nerves, and very apt to misunderstand, and not receive a cut, it will be often requisite to assist their weak minds with a frowning stare, a significant shrug of the shoulders, which will elevate the cape of your waistcoat to the vicinity of your ears; and, if more needful, a smile of the most profound contempt. But should they presume to speak and stop you, your only means of escape is to hear them out, to measure them all over with a lack-lustre eye, and with a buzzing sort of whistle to cross over the way." Cutter, p. 12, 23, 74.

THE popularity of Wilkes ran so high at one time that many people thought him a handsome man, and that his squinting became him; a laughable instance of this is recorded: In a conversation

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between two of his followers at Guildhall one day, after he had made a considerable speech, "Tom," says the one to the other, "What a dd fine handsome fellow master Wilkes is!" Handsome!' says Tom, Nay, not much of that, for he squints most horribly.' "Squints!" says the other, taking a steadier view of him, " Why yes, to be sure he squints a little; but, d-mn my eyes, not more than a gentleman should do!"

Anecdotes of Wilkes.

SOON after Mr Burnet, afterwards judge, was called to the bar, he went the home circuit, when he unfortunately happened to lodge next door to a tall man, who shewed himself as an exhibition, and whose trumpeter kept blowing before the door from eight o'clock in the morning till night. Burnet, who yet loved his bottle, and did not return home from the tavern till late, found himself so annoyed from this circumstance, that he scarcely could get a wink of rest. At last a thought struck him to get rid of so troublesome a neighbour, by very formally sending the giant (as he was called) a subpæna to appear as a witness in a cause which was to have come on the next day.

The man, though conscious of his knowing nothing about the business alluded to, yet had sense enough to know, that if he once made his appearance in court, the novelty of his person was at an end, very prudently decamped from his lodgings in the night, and took up his quarters at the next country town.

The judge being one day at a circuit dinner, a