all about him, unless he was one of the Burrs of Newcastle!?? *

Two men riding from Shipton to Burford, and seeing a miller ride softly before them on his sacks, resolved to abuse him; so one went on one side of him, and t'other on the other side, saying, "Miller,, now tell us, which art thou more knave or fool ""Truly (says he) I do not know which I am most, but I guess I am between both !”

BEAU NASH soliciting a nobleman for a subscription to a public charity, his lordship being somewhat out of temper, put him off, telling him he would consider of it: but Nash begged his lordship would give him a positive answer, yes or no. To which the nobleman replied, "No, I tell you no!" "I thank your lordship," says Nash, taking out his list; "how much shall I set you down?" "What do you mean by thanking me," returned the nobleman, "when I gave you a negative?” "Hold, my lord," returned Nash," you said no twice, and I need not inform your lordship that two negatives make an affirmative." This repartee so pleased the nobleman, that he gave him a handsome subscription.

A RICH farmer's son, who had been bred at the university, coming home to visit his father and mo

*It is notorious that the accent of the Newcastle people in general sounds as though they had a burr in their throats, and that the letter R is the most difficult for them to pronounce: hence the laconic lines,

While round the rugged rocks
The ragged rascals run.

ther, they being one night at supper on a couple of fowls, he told them, that by logic and arithmetic he could prove those two fowls to be three. "Well, let us hear," said the old man. "Why this," cried the scholar, is one, and this," continued he, "is two: two and one, you know, father, make three." "Since you have made it out so well," answered the old man, 66 your mother shall have the first fowl, I will have the second, and the third you may keep to yourself for your great learning.” ...Dec..

A SAILOR passing by a cooper's shop, and seeing a number of tubs piled above each other at the door, began to kick and tumble them about "the The master coming out, and desiring to know the reason. 66 Hang it," replied Jack, “why should not every tub stand upon its own bottom ???

street.

HENRY VIII. of England, and Francis I. of France were both princes of a very warm temper and the former having a design of sending an angry message to the latter, pitched on Sir Thomas More, his chancellor, for the messenger.

Sir Thomas

having received his instructions, told Henry that he feared that if he carried such a message to such a violent man as Francis was, it might cost him his head. "Never fear, man," said the king, " if Francis was to cut off your head, I would make every Frenchman now in my power a head shorter." "I am much obliged to your majesty,” replied the facetious chancellor, "but I much doubt if any of their heads will fit my shoulders !"

LORD M

once on a visit at Carlton-house, was struck with amazement at the prince's Highlander, against whose knee-pan his lordship, by ac

cident, brushed his nose. The Highlander boo'd doon, and hoped he had not offended; and this his lordship took so kindly, that he put a piece of money into his hands, at the same time saying, You are one of the most extraordinary animals I ever saw." The Highlander, with peculiar archness, refused the money, faying, "My lord, we naw taak any thing from one another.

DOCTOR JOHNSON's dictionary was not entirely written by himself: one Steward, a porter-drinking man, was employed with him; Steward's business was to collect the authorities for the different words.

Whilst this dictionary was in hand, Dr. Johnson was in debt to a inilkman, who attempted to arrest him. The doctor then lived in Gough-square. Once, on an alarm of this kind, he brought down his bed and barricadoed the door, and from the window harangued the milkman and bailiffs in these words: "Depend upon it, I will defend this my little citadel to the utmost.

About this time the doctor exhibited a proof that the most ingenuous mind may be so debased by distress as to commit mean actions. In order to raise a present supply, Johnson delivered to Mr.

the printer, as new copy, several sheets of his dictionary already printed and paid for, for which he thus obtained a second payment. The doctor's credit with his bookseller not being then sterling, and the occasion for money very press.ng, ways and means, to raise the supply wanted, were. necessary to prevent a refusal.

These circumstances the writer of the above artis cles received from a person who was concerned in printing the dictionary.

PUBLIC RECANTATION.

WHEREAS I, George Robinson, of Leegomery, in the parish of Wellington, in the county of Salop, weaver, did some time back, go to the house of Mr. John Roden, of Wellington, victualler, and in the presence of several people then in the house, wantonly and maliciously say to his wife, that she had fallen asleep in church during divine service, and that she awoke and sang out Tally O the grinder,' in the midst, and to the great disturbance of the congregation: which calumny has been circulated as a fact, to the great prejudice and injury of the said Mr. and Mrs. Roden, both in business and reputation; for which an action hath been commenced against me, but on my promise not to be guilty of the like in future, and publicly asking her pardon, as well as to pay the expences already incurred, they have consented to withdraw the same.

I do therefore now humbly beg her pardon, and declare to the world that words I spoke were without any foundation whatever, and I do promise not to be guilty of the like again. Witness my mark this 4th day of February, 1801. Witness, John Philips. Thomas Pugh,

The mark+of

GEORGE ROBINSON.

JOHNSON AND GARRICK.---In Mr. Murphy's Life of Garrick, just published, we hope he has not omitted the following anecdote. When Johnson and Garrick were dining together in a large party, the doctor humorously ascertaining the chronology of something, expressed himself thus: "That was the year when I came to London with twopencehalfpenny in my pocket." Garrick overhearing him, exclaimed, "Eh! what do you say? with twopence-halfpenny in your pocket!" "Why, yes, Davy, when I came with that sum, and you with three halfpence in thine !" What Garrick amassed as actor and manager is pretty well known.

BIOGRAPHICAL ANECDOTES

OF

THE LATE PARSON PATTEN.

BY FRANCIS GROSE, F.R.S.

HE Rev. Mr. Patten, curate of Whitstable, THE was of a very singular character: he had originally been a sea chaplain, and contracted much of the tar-like roughness; he was of an athletic make, and had some wit and humour, not restrained by any very strict ideas of professional propriety. He was for many years curate of Whitstable, at a very small stipend, and used to travel, to serve that and another church, in a butcher's cart.--Whitstable is situated by the sea-side, and is extremely agueish; so that had he been dismissed, it would not have been very easy for the Archbishop of Canterbury (who was the rector) to have procured another curate at the same price. This he well knew, and presuming on it, was a terror to every new archbishop.

Mr. Patten was not a rigid high priest: he openly kept a mistress; and on any one going into church in sermon time, and shewing him a lemon, he would instantly conclude his discourse and adjourn to the alehouse. He used to call the prebendaries of Canterbury, cardinals, and all the young fellows of his acquaintance who came over to Whitstable, his nephews.

When Dr. Wake was archbishop, some tale. bearer informed his grace that Patten had given a marriage certificate, which he had signed by the title of Bishop of Whitstable! At his next visitation the archbishop sternly asked Mr. Patten whether that report was true. To which Patten replied, "I shall answer your grace's question by

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