OBSTINACY IN ARGUMENT.

The warmth with which some disputants point out simple misnomers, reminds one of the indignant retort of Curl upon the charge of being tossed in a blanket at Eton-" Here (quoth he), Scriblerus, thou leezest, for I was not tossed in a blanket, but in a rug."

66 THE REJECTED ADDRESSES." The fame of the brothers James and Horatio Smith was confined to a limited circle, until the publication of "The Rejected Addresses." James used to dwell with much pleasure on the criticism of a Leicestershire clergyman: "I do not see why they ('The Addresses') should have been rejected: I think some of them very good." This, he would add, is almost as good as the avowal of the Irish Bishop, that there were some things in "Gulliver's Travels" which he could not believe.

SILENT WOMAN.

Madame Rignier, the wife of a law-officer at Versailles, while talking in the presence of a numerous party, dropped some remarks which were out of place, though not important. Her husband reprimanded her before the whole company, saying, "Silence, madam; wo are a fool!" She lived twenty or thirty years afterwards, and never uttered a single word, even to her children! A pretended theft was committed in her presence, in the hope of taking her by surprise, but without effect; and nothing could induce her to speak. When her consent was requisite for the marriage of any of her children, she bowed her head, and signed the contract.

THE LAW'S DELAY.

It is well known, upon one of the English circuits, that a leading barrister once undertook to speak while an express went twenty miles to bring back a witness, whom it was necessary to produce on the trial. But, what is this to the performance of an American counsellor, who, upon a like emergency, held the judge and the jury by their ears for three mortal days! He was, indeed, put to his wit's end for words wherewith to fill up the time; and he introduced so many truisms, and argued at the utmost length so many indisputable points, and expatiated so profusely upon so many trite ones, that Judge Marshal, the most patient of listeners, at last said, "Mr. Such-a-one (addressing him by his name, in a deliberate tone of the mildest reprehension), there are some things with which the Court should be supposed to be acquainted."

COOL RETORT.

Henderson, the actor, was seldom known to be in a passion. When at Oxford, he was one day debating with a fellow student, who, not keeping his temper, threw a glass of wine in the actor's face; when Henderson took out his handkerchief, wiped his face, and coolly said, "That, sir, was a digression; now for the argument."

DRINKING ALONE.

The author of the "Parson's Daughter," when surprised one evening in his arm-chair, two or three hours after dinner, is reported to have apologised, by saying, "When one is alone, the bottle does come round so often." On a similar occasion, Sir Hercules Langreish, on being asked, "Have you finished all that port (three bottles) without assistance?" answered, "No-not quite that-I had the assistance of a bottle of Madeira."

zee.

ZUMMERZETSHIRE.

Benson Hill relates the following rich specimen of this dialect:-"I was walking, with my sister, up the Wells (Bath) Road, when, as we paused beside a gardener's shed, to admire his vegetable store," that alarming sight, a caparisoned, but riderless steed, rushed by us. To a sheepish-looking native, who now came to the gate, I said something of an "accident." He pulled his fair forelock, answering-"Eees, zur, I'd zpoaz 'ow it war. I doan't think ad a dunt a purpuz, pore blood!" "Blood?" echoed Bell, shudderingly-for she is a sad coward that way. "Now doan't you go vur to vret, Miss, I zaw't appun. He bean't urt, bless'ee! Vell inta az zaft a bed o' dust, like, az iver you Tull brush awf, ma'am." "But the horse, farmer?" said I. "Oh, a may be they'll stop 'un, at the turnpike, down yander" ('twas a mile off). "The beast war in want of a gallop. Too much carn in 'un, measter, and too little o' man on 'iz back." The now powdered beau ran up. To him my new acquaintance coolly continued-"I be zaaing to thin gentlemun, az zum brutes be better ved nor taught. What a you iver done that they should stick you a top o' a hoss?" "Vy, you uncommon stoopid, and purticler rood person!" fumed the dismounted dandy, "carn't you nither ketch a oss, nor elp a shuperior hup?" "Volk bean't az cute az Cockneys in our parts," replied the bump-. kin. "Har yer larfin hat me, fellar? Hits wery vell as I bruk my vip, lest vise my temper's riz so that I've a moind." "Well, I ax pardon," pleaded my friend, “I didn't azist 'ee, but now I will, raayurlee. Teake a vool's advice. Afore ever your trust yourself again outzide a speretty animal, in the very power o' a creatur as can't like 'ee, you come any day, zee one o' our bways back a unbroke colt, wiout zaddle, or bridle, or aalter, and yit stick on, houlding by main vorce, as a body may zaay. Then you'll vind out that tiz one thing to ha' a good hoss, and another to know how to ride 'un."

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM. Much research has been bestowed in the endeavour to ascertain the origin of this popular air, and to collect all that has been said would fill volumes. 1. It is said to have been composed by Doctor John Bull, in the year 1607; but this composition, which was published by Doctor Kitchiner, from the original manuscript in his possession, was found to be nothing more than a ground for the organ on four notes, C G F E, with twenty-six different basses, and bearing not the most distant resemblance to the air in question. 2. The Duchess of Perth has stated, in her "Memoirs," that the said anthem is of French origin, and was first sung by the nuns of St. Cyr to James II.; and that Handel procured a copy of it when in France, and then passed it on to George I. and the English nation as his own composition. The Duchess has also given a verse of the anthem to confirm her account. But the works of Handel were much better known in England than in France, and not one syllable can be found throughout his life or writings about his claiming to be the author or composer of "God save the King." On the contrary, his own musical amanuensis, John Christopher Smith, commonly called Handel Smith, is the very individual who, in a letter to Dr. Heminton, declares that Harry Carey was both the author and composer. The verse her Grace has given is also at variance with her statement, for the verses or stanzas of our national anthem have each seven lines-the one given in French has ten lines; and it is absolutely impossible to adapt all the syllables in those ten lines to the notes of "God save the King," unless we had six bars to the last strain. 3. Mr. Pinkerton, in his "Recollections of Paris," vol. ii., says, that "the supposed national air is a mere transcript of a Scottish anthem" in a collection printed in 1682. In this bold assertion he, no doubt, alludes to a work which excited some interest a few years ago, from this imagined discovery, "Cantus; Songs and Fancies to several musical parts, &c., as taught in the Music School of Aberdeen," printed by John Forbes, in Aberdeen. Mr. Cross, in his account of the Yorkshire Musical Festival, informs us that a copy of this work was sold by auction, by Evans, in February, 1819, for £11, on the supposition of its containing the original of "God save the King!" This singular publication, commonly called Forbes' Cantus, is an odd voice part of some old English glees, Christmas carols, &c.; and yet, in its imperfect state, it went through three editions, viz. in 1662, 1666, and 1682; moreover this, the only known publication of music in Scotland during the whole of the seventeenth century, is now universally admitted not to contain a single Scottish air. The tune in question, "Remember, O thou man," is a Christmas carol, taken from Ravenscroft's Melismata, printed in London in 1611. 4. A writer in the Gentleman's Magazine for March, 1796,

page 208, says, "The original tune of God save the King-the tune, at least, which evidently furnished the subject of it-is to be found in a book of harpsichord lessons published by Purcell's widow, in Dean's yard, Westminster;" but it is certain that "God save the King" has never yet been discovered in Purcell's works, or with his name attached to it in any manner whatever. It now only remains to make a few remarks upon Henry Carey's claim to the authorship. Carey, who was a Jacobite, in common with all who fixed their hopes on James, is said to have written it on the eve of the contest with the Pretender, in 1715, at which time he was upwards of fifty years of age, and, according to his constant practice, set his own music to his own words. But the hopes of the Jacobites were defeated, and the song laid by and forgotten till 1740. It has been proved that the author sang it publicly, and with the greatest success, at a dinner given to celebrate the victory of Admiral Vernon, 1740; and on this occasion Carey himself applied the song to George, in consequence of the recent splendid victory

Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,

Long to reign over us.

The original words were applied to Jamessoon to reign over us. Carey himself applied the words to George, altering soon to long. Thus applied, it then became popular beyond conception. By Dr. Pepeesch it was altered in the melody of the first bar, and immediately afterwards, with a perfect bass, introduced on the stage; and it has been constantly and enthusiastically sung to the same words, which it has retained from 1740 till the death of the last George.-Leicester Journal.

UNFORTUNATE RESEMBLANCE.

Captain Atkins, who was lost in the Defence, off the coast of Jutland, in 1811, had a double, that was the torment of his life; for this double was a swindler, who, having discovered the, for him, lucky fac-simileship, obtained goods, took up money, and at last married a wife, in Atkins's name. Once, when the real captain returned from a distant station, this poor woman, who was awaiting him at Plymouth, put off in a boat, boarded the ship as soon as it came to anchor, and ran to welcome him as her husband.

KEAN'S LIFE,

Edmund Kean, the tragedian, one day, speaking of his portraits, remarked to a friend: "Every one tries to flatter me. They will omit this inequality in the bridge of my nose. Sir, it was dealt me by a-pewter pot, hurled from the hand of Jack Thurtell. We were borne, drunk and bleeding, to the watch-house, for the night; when I was taken out, washed, plastered, left to cogitate on any lie, of an accident in a stage fight. I told it, and was believed, for the next day 1 -dined with the Bishop of Norwich!"

MINOR GRECIANS.

66

"Cooper," said Graham, "have you seen 'Epidibus ?" " Where?" asked the courteous John," and what may it be?" "Why,

a tragedy now playing, with great success at the Tottenham-street Theatre; and, from its classic beauties, carried over the water to the void ground near the new Bedlam: there I heard it announced for representation by a gentleman in Roman armour, who, with a truncheon, pointed to a board, on which I perceived the important informationC.H.E.X. 'Chex here."" "Ah!" remarked Cooper, "these minor theatres will destroy the legitimate drama. Not that I know Epidibus,' either in Inchbald's or Oxberry's collection--some blunder, of course.' "Yes," said Graham, "the fellow meant that edifying drama, called " 'Edipus.' "Oh, of course I ." "I see," interrupted Graham, and the conversation was changed.

66

MONK LEWIS'S PLAY OF "THE CASTLE SPECTRE."

The terrors inspired by the "Castle Spectre" were not confined to Drury-Lane; but, as the following shows, on one occasion they even extended considerably beyond it. Mrs. Powell, who played Evelina, having become, from the number of representations, heartily tired and weared with the character, one evening, on returning from the theatre, walked listlessly into a drawingroom, and, throwing herself into a seat, exclaimed, 'Oh, this ghost; this ghost! Heavens! how the ghost torments me!" "Ma'am?" uttered a tremulous voice, from the other side of the table. Mis. Powell looked up hastily. "Sir!" she reiterated in nearly the same tone, as she encountered the pale countenance of a very sober-looking gentleman opposite. "What-what was it you said, madam?" 'Really, sir," replied the astonished actress, "I have not the pleasure of Why, good Heavens! what have they been about in the room ?" "Madam!" continued the gentleman, "the room is mine, and I will thank you to explain- "Yours!" screamed Mrs. Powell; "surely, sir, this is No. 1?" "No, indeed, madam," he replied; "this is No. 2; and really your language is so very extraordinary, that Mrs. Powell,

amidst her confusion, could scarcely refrain from laughter. "Ten thousand pardons!" she said. "The coachman must have mistaken the house. I am Mrs. Powell, of Drury-Lane, and have just come from performing the 'Castle Spectre.' Fatigue and absence of mind have made me an unconscious intruder. I lodge next door, and I hope you will excuse the unintentional alarm I have occasioned you." It is almost needless to add that the gentleman was much relieved by this rational explanation, and participated in the mirth of his nocturnal visitor, as he politely escorted her to the street-door. "Good night," said the still laughing actress; "and I hope, sir, in future, I shall pay more attention to number one."

BETTING.

The folly of betting is well satirized in one of Walpole's Letters:-"Sept. 1st, 1750,They have put in the papers a good story made at White's. A man dropped down dead at the door, and was carried in; the club immediately made bets whether he was dead or not, and when they were going to bleed him, the wagerers for his death interposed, and said it would affect the fairness of the bet."

THE KING'S CHAMPION.

A ludicrous circumstance occurred at the coronation of William and Mary. Charles Dymock, Esq., who then exercised his right (Champion), cast his gauntlet in the usual form, and the challenge was proclaimed, when an old woman, who had entered the Hall on crutches, took it up and quitted the spot with extraordinary agility, leaving her crutches, and a glove, with a challenge in it, to meet the Champion, next day, at Hyde Park. Accordingly, the old woman-or, as is generally supposed, a good swordsman in disguise-attended at the hour and place named; but the Champion did not make his appearance; nor is it recorded whether any measures were taken to discover who had passed so disloyal a joke.

THE WITNESS AWAKE.

The

One night the Protector (Cromwell) went privately to Thurloe's chambers, and had proceeded to some lengths in disclosing an affair of the utmost secresy and importance, when, for the first time, he perceived a clerk asleep at his desk. This person was Mr. Morland (afterwards Sir Samuel Morland), the famous mechanist, not unknown as a statesman, and at whose house in Lambeth Charles II. passed the first night of his restoration. Cromwell, apprehensive that his conversation had been overheard, drew his dagger, and would have despatched the slumberer on the spot, had not Thurloe, with some difficulty, prevented him; assuring him that his intended victim was unquestionably asleep, since, to his own knowledge, he had been sitting up two nights together. nature of the secret interview between Cromwell and Thurloe subsequently transpired, and was no less than a design to inveigle Charles II., then an exile at Bruges, and his younger brothers, the Dukes of York and Gloucester, into the Protector's power. It had been treacherously intimated to them, through the agency of Sir Richard Willis, that if, on a stated day, they would land on the coast of Sussex, they would be received by a body of five hundred men, which would be augmented the following morning by two thousand horse. Had they fallen into the snare, it seems that all three would have been shot immediately on reaching the shore. Morland, however had not been asleep, as was supposed by Thurloe and Cromwell; and, through his means, the King and his brothers were made acquainted with the design against their lives.

COOKERY AND CONCENTRATION.

The Prince de Soubise, having announced to his cook his intention to give a supper, demanded a ménu. The cook presented himself with his estimate, the first item in which that struck the Prince was fifty hams. "Eh, what!" said he, "you must be out of your senses; are you going to feast my whole regiment ?" "No, monseigneur; one only will appear upon the table; the rest are not the less necessary for my espagnole, my blonds, my garnitures, my "Bertrand, you

are plundering me, and this article shall not pass." ." "Oh, my Lord," replied the indignant artist, "you do not understand our resources. Give me the word, and these fifty hams, which confound you, will put into a glass bottle no bigger than my thumb." What answer could be made? The Prince nodded, and the article passed.

LATE DISCOVERY.

Lord Dalmeny, son of the Earl of Rosebery, married, about eighty years ago, a widow, at Bath, for her beauty. They went abroad; she sickened, and, on her death-bed, requested that she might be interred in some particular churchyard, either in Sussex or Suffolk. The body was embalmed; but at the custom-house in the port where it was landed, the officer suspected smuggling, and insisted on opening it. They then recognised the features of the wife of their own clergyman, who, having been married to him against her own inclination, had eloped. Both husbands followed the body to the grave.

RIVAL BASS SINGERS.

Some seventy years ago, as the late Sir W. W. Wynn (grandfather to the present Baronet) was riding in the neighbourhood of Wrexham, he heard a man sing in a cooper's workshop, with whose voice he was very much struck. It was Mr. Meredith, who possessed a splendid bass voice. Sir Watkin had him instructed, and he became celebrated as a singer of sacred music: he was engaged at the Ancient Concerts, Oratorios, &c., but he resided chiefly at Liverpool. The following anecdote is told of him:-Having heard that a parish-clerk of a village in the Vale of Clywd, of the name of Griffiths, could sing down to double C, he was determined to visit him. He accordingly started, and walked about forty miles. When he arrived in the village, he inquired for Griffiths. A very little fellow, digging potatoes in a garden, was pointed out to him. "What!" thought Meredith, "that shrimp of a thing to sing lower than I can? Impossible!" Meredith was a fine tall man, upwards of six feet high. He walked around the garden, eyeing poor Griffiths disdainfully; at length, he said, upon low G, "Good day to you, sir." Griffiths, resting on his spade, replied, on double low C (five notes lower), "Good day to you, sir." Upon which Meredith marched off, with double C ringing in his ear, all the way to Liverpool.

MADEIRA WINE.

Some people are very proud of their wine, and court your approbation by incessant questions. One of a party being invited by Sir Thomas Grouts to a second glass of his "old East India," he replied, "One was a dose-had rather not double the Cape:" and, at the first glass of champagne, he inquired whether there had been a plentiful supply of gooseberries last year.

THE PICKWICK PAPERS.

Mr. Davy, who accompanied Colonel Chestney up the Euphrates, has recently been in the service of Mehemet Ali Pacha. "Pickwick" happening to reach Davy while he was at Damascus, he read a part of it to the Pacha, who was so delighted with it, that Davy was, on one occasion, summoned to him in the middle of the night, to finish the reading of some part in which they had been interrupted. Mr. Davy read, in Egypt, upon another occasion, some passages from these unrivalled papers to a blind Englishman, who was in such ecstacy with what he heard, that he exclaimed he was almost thankful he could not see he was in a foreign country, for that, while he listened, he felt completely as though he were again in England.

LORD ELLENBOROUGH'S POWERS OF RIDICULE.

"He had no mean power of ridicule-as playful as a mind more strong than refined could make it; while of sarcasm he was an eminent professor, but of the kind which hacks, and tears, and flays its victims, rather than destroys by cutting keenly. His interrogative exclamation in Lord Melville's case, when the party's ignorance of having taken accommodation out of the public fund was alleged-indeed, was proved-may be remembered as very picturesque, though, perhaps, more pungent than dignified. Not know money? Did he see it when it glittered? Did he hear it when it chinked?" On the Bench, he had the very well-known, though not very eloquent, Henry Hunt before him, who, in mitigation of some expected sentence, spoke of some one who complained of his dangerous eloquence.' 'They do you great injustice, sir,' said the considerate and merciful Chief Justice, kindly wanting to relieve him from all anxiety on this charge. he had been listening to two conveyancers for a whole day of a long and most technical argument, in silence, and with a wholesome fear of lengthening it by any interruption whatever, one of them, in reply to a remark from another judge, said: "If it is the pleasure of your Lordship that I should go into that matter.' 'We, sir,' said the Chief Justice, have no pleasure in it any way.' When a favourite special pleader was making an excursion, somewhat unexpected by his hearers, as unwonted in him, into a pathetic topic An't we, sir, rather getting into the high sentimental latitudes now?"-Lord Brougham.

After

LORD ST. VINCENT'S ENTRY INTO THE NAVY, RELATED BY HIMSELF.

"I was born at Meaford, in Staffordshire, on the 9th of January, 1734, old style. My father was counsel and solicitor to the Admiralty, and treasurer of Greenwich Hospital. At a very early age I was sent to a grammar-school at Burton-upon-Trent, where I remained long enough to be considered a very capital Latin and Greek scholar for my years; and I was often selected by the master to show what proficiency his boys had attained. At the same time I frankly own to you that I know very little about the matter now. At the age of twelve years I was removed to a school at Greenwich, kept by a Mr. Swinton, and where I was to have remained until fitted for college, being destined for the law. This favourite plan of my father's was, however, frustrated by his own coachman, whose name I have now forgotten. I only remem. ber that I gained his confidence, always sitting by his side on the coach-box when we drove out. He often asked what profession I intended to choose. I told him I was to be a lawyer. O, don't be a lawyer, Master Jackey,' said the old man; all lawyers are rogues.' About this time young Strachan (father of the late Admiral Sir Richard Strachan, and a son of Dr. Strachan, who lived at Greenwich) came to the same school, and we became great friends. He told me such stories of the happiness of a sea life, into which he had lately been initiated, that he easily persuaded me to quit the school and go with him. We set out accordingly, and concealed ourselves on board of a ship at Woolwich. My father was at that time absent on the Northern Circuit. My mother and sisters were in a state of distraction at learning our absence from school, fearing that some disaster had happened to us. But, after keeping them for three days in the utmost anxiety, and suffering ourselves much privation and misery, we thought it best to return home. I went in at night and made myself known to my sisters, who remonstrated with me rather warmly on the impropriety of my conduct, and assured me that Mr. Swinton would chastise me severely for it; to which I replied that he certainly would not, for that I did not intend to go to school any more, and that I was resolved to be a sailor. The next day my mother spoke to me on the subject, and I still repeated that I would be a sailor. This threw her into much perplexity, and, in the absence of her husband, she made known her grief, in a flood of tears, to Lady Archibald Hamilton, mother of the late Sir William Hamilton, and wife of the Governor of Greenwich Hospital. Her ladyship said she did not see the matter in the same light as my mother did, that she thought the sea a very honourable and a very good profession, and said she would undertake to procure me a situation in some ship-of-war. In the mean time my mother sent for her brother, Mr. John Parker, who, on being made acquainted with my determination, ex

postulated with me, but to no purpose. I was resolved I would not be a lawyer, and that I would be a sailor. Shortly afterwards Lady Archibald Hamilton introduced me to Lady Burlington, and she to Commodore Townshend, who was at that time going out in the Gloucester, as Commander-in-Chief, to Jamaica. She requested that he would take me on his quarter-deck, to which the commodore readily consented; and I was forthwith to be prepared for a sea life. My equipment was what would now be called rather grotesque. My coat was made for me to grow up to; it reached down to my heels, and was full large in the sleeves; I had a dirk, and a gold-laced hat; and in this costume my uncle caused me to be introduced to my patroness, Lady Burlington. Here I acquitted myself but badly. I lagged behind my uncle, and held by the skirt of his coat. Her ladyship, however, insisted on my coming forward, shook hands with me, and told me I had chosen a very honourable profession. She then gave Mr. Parker a note to Commodore George Townshend, who lived in one of the small houses in Charles-street, Berkeleysquare, desiring that we should call there early the next morning. This we did; and, after waiting some time, the commodore made his appearance in his night-cap and slippers, and in a very rough and uncouth voice asked me how soon I would be ready to join my ship? I replied directly.'

Then you may go to-morrow morning,' said he, and I will give you a letter to the first-lieutenant.' My uncle, Mr. Parker, however, replied that I could not be ready quite so soon, and we quitted the commodore. In a few days after this we set off, and my uncle took me to Mr. Blanchard, the masterattendant or the boatswain of the dock-yard, I forget which, and by him I was taken on board the hulk or receiving-ship the next morning, the Gloucester being in dock at the time. This was in the year 1748. As soon as the ship was ready for sea we proceeded to Jamaica, and as I was always fond of an active life, I volunteered to go into small vessels, and saw a good deal of what was going on. My father had a very large family, with limited means. He gave me twenty pounds at starting, and that was all he ever gave me. After I had been a considerable time at the station, I drew for twenty more, but the bill came back protested. I was mortified at this rebuke, and made a promise, which I have ever kept, that I would never draw another bill without a certainty of its being paid. I immediately changed my mode of living, quitted my mess, lived alone, and took up the ship's allowance, which I found to be quite sufficient; washed and mended my own clothes, made a pair of trousers out of the ticking of my bed, and, having by these means saved as much money as would redeem my honour, I took up my bill; and from that time to this (he said this with great energy) I have taken care to keep within my means.” What an