English Jests and Anecdotes, Collected from Various SourcesVarious
General
English Jests and Anecdotes, Collected from Various Sources
Various
Anecdotes -- England; English wit and humor
WIT IN THE GALLERY.
Soon after the accession of George III., an additional tax was laid
on beer, to the great discontent of the populace. His majesty was
one night attending the theatre, when a fellow in the upper gallery
called to another to come and drink with him, as he had got a full pot.
“What did you give for your full pot?” inquired the invited person.
“Threepence-halfpenny.” “Threepence-halfpenny! Why, where did you send
for it?” “To George the Third.” “You fool,” said the other, “why did
you not send to George the Second? you would have had it there for
threepence.”
PROFESSIONAL OBLIQUITY OF UNDERSTANDING.
A gentleman, passing a woman who was skinning eels, and observing the
torture of the poor animals, asked her, how she could have the heart to
put them to such pain. “Lord, sir,” she replied, “they be used to it.”
A fishmonger of famous London town was telling a neighbour that he
intended to take a trip to Margate, where he should spend some time.
“And will you bathe?” inquired the other. “O, Lord, no!” answered the
worthy citizen; “the fishes would know me.”
SET FORMS.
A person, going into a meeting-house, happened to stumble over one of
the forms which were set near the entrance. “Who the devil,” he cried,
as he rubbed his irritated shins, “would have expected to find _set
forms_ in a meeting-house?”
FAVOR AND SODORINI.
Soon after M. Favor was appointed first ballet-master of the Opera
(towards the close of the last century), Signor Sodorini, another
performer there, came one day upon the stage, after the rehearsal, and
said to him: “Allow me, my dear sir, to introduce myself to you. You
are the dearest friend I have on earth. Let me thank you a thousand
times for the happiness you have conferred upon me by coming amongst
us. Command me in any way; for, whatever I do for you, I can never
sufficiently repay you.” The ballet-master, who had never seen or heard
of Sodorini before, was astounded. At last, he said, “Pray, sir, to
what particular piece of good fortune may I attribute the compliments
and professions with which you favour me.” “To your unparalleled
ugliness, my dear sir,” replied Sodorini; “for, before your arrival,
I was considered the ugliest man in Great Britain.” The ballet-master
(strange to say) took this joke in good part; and the two were ever
after warm friends.
MUSICAL PRIDE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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