her parrot, begged he might be sent to Chelsea, to learn some better lessons from a good master, and to whom he would probably listen more attentively as being one of his own species.

The matter having been agreed upon, the profane parrot was intrusted to the care of a waterman, to be conveyed to the school of piety at Chelsea. On the passage up the river, it happened to rain very heavily; and the waterman often exclaimed, "d-mn my mistress for sending me out such a wet day as this!" The words came from the man's heart, and were therefore very impressive. The parrot seldom let such things escape him. As soon as he got to Chelsea, and was hung up in his cage near his intended tutor, feeling a strong desire to give some specimen of his talents, he distinctly repeated, "d-mn my mistress for sending me out such a wet day as this!"-The other parrot with great fervor responded, " graciously hear us, O Lord!" Light Reading at Leisure

Hours, p. 379.

WHEN Charles II. was on a progress through his dominions, he was waited upon by the magistracy of a certain city in the north of England. The mayor had prepared, with no little study, a splendid oration for so memorable an occasion: kneeling down to deliver his address, the worthy magistrate (who was excessively fat) commenced by a feu-de-joye of rather a singular nature: Whether he deemed such an expression of loyalty tantamount to a royal salute of the present day, history is silent: Certain it is, he felt greatly embarrassed,

and blundered his oration most wofully. "I have, please your majesty, begun at the wrong end," (cried the good mayor, endeavouring to apologize for the incoherency of his speech.) "So I remarked," (replied the facetious monarch) but I fear the mistake can't now be corrected:-Rise up, sir Walter Cannon!" H. A.

"THE Commonest women in Dublin are remarkable for the whiteness of the bosom.”—A traveller should see every thing! They are fine stout manly creatures" powerfully made, and able to protect themselves." They are "frequently highly educated; very few do not speak French fluently, and many speak it" so that it sounds like French. Their "brogue," is vastly agreeable.

My Pocket Book, p. 101.

THOMAS lord Cromwell was the son of a blacksmith at Putney, and was soldier under the duke of Bourbon, at the sacking of Rome, in the year 1527. While he was abroad in a military character, in a very low station, he fell sick, and was unable to follow the army; he was observed one day by an Italian merchant to walk very pensive, and had all the appearance of penury and wretchedness. The merchant enquired of him the place of his birth, and fortune, and upon conversing with Cromwell, was so well pleased with the account he gave of himself, that he supplied him with money and credit to carry him to England. Cromwell afterwards made the most rapid progress in state-preferments ever known. Honours were multiplied

thick upon him, and he came to have the dispensing of his sovereign's bounty. It happened that this Italian merchant's circumstances decayed, and he came to England to solicit the payment of some debts due to him by his correspondents; who finding him necessitous, were disposed to put him off, and to take the advantage of his want, to avoid payment. This not a little embarrassed the foreigner, who was now in a situation forlorn enough. As Providence would have it, lord Cromwell, then earl of Essex, riding to court, saw this merchant walking with a dejected countenance, which put him in mind of his former situation. He immediately ordered one of his attendants to desire the merchant to come to his house. His lordship asked the merchant whether he knew him? He answered, "No." Cromwell then related the circumstance of the merchant's relieving a certain Englishman; and asked if he remembered it? The merchant answered, that he had always made it his business to do good, but did not remember that circumstance. His lordship then enquired the reason of his coming to England; and upon the merchant's telling him his story, he so interested himself, as soon to procure the payment of all his debts.-Cromwell then informed the merchant, that he was himself the person he had thus relieved; and for every ducat which the merchant had given him, he returned to the value of a hundred, telling him, that this was the payment of his debt. He then made him a munificent present, and asked him, whether he chose to settle in England, or return to his own country? The foreigner chose the

latter, and returned to spend the remainder of his days in competence and quiet, after having experienced in lord Essex as high an instance of generosity and gratitude as perhaps ever was known.

Edinburgh Budget, p. 68.

SWIFT has an odd blunt way that is mistaken by strangers for ill nature. It is so odd that there is no describing it but by facts. I'll tell you one that first comes into my head. One evening Gay and I went to see him: you know how intimately we were all acquainted. On our coming in, "Heyday, gentlemen (says the doctor), what's the meaning of this visit? How came you to leave all the lords that you are so fond of, to come here to see a poor dean?" "Because we would rather see you than any of them." Ay, any one that did not know so well as I do, might believe you. But since you are come, I must get some supper for you, I suppose." "No, doctor, we have supped already.' "Supped already, that's impossible! why it is not eight o'clock yet. That's very strange! But if you had not supped, I must have got something for you. Let me see; what should I have had? A couple of lobsters; ay, that would have done very well; two shillings: tarts, a shilling. But you will drink a glass of wine with me, though you have supped so much before your usual time only to spare my pocket." No,

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we had rather talk with you than drink with you.' "But if you had supped with me, as in all reason you ought to have done, you must then have drank with me. A bottle of wine, two shillings--two

Gg

and two is four, and one is five; just two and sixpence a piece. There, Pope, there's half-a-crown for you; and there's another for you, sir; for I won't save any thing by you I am determined." This was all said and done with his usual serious. ness on such occasions; and, in spite of every thing we could say to the contrary, he actually obliged us to take the money." Swiftiana, v. 2, p. 183.

A Roman being about to repudiate his wife, among a variety of other questions from her enraged kinsman, was asked, "Is not your wife a sensible woman? Is she not a handsome woman? Has she not borne you five children?" In answer to all which questions, slipping off his shoe he held it up, and interrogating them in his turn, "Is not this shoe," said he," a very handsome one? Is it not quite new? Is it not extremely well made? How then is it that none of you can tell me where it pinches ?" Plutarch.

but

MEROPE is not yet printed: I am afraid it will not be so well received in the closet as on the stage. The success of the piece was not due to me, to Mademoiselle Dumesnil. What do you think of an actress who kept the audience in tears through three successive acts? The public have been mistaken in giving me credit for the pleasure which they received from the excellence of the perform ers. The seduction was so great that the pit with loud shouts insisted upon seeing me. I was seized in the hiding-place where I had sheltered myself, and carried by force into Madame de Villar's box,