English Jests and Anecdotes, Collected from Various SourcesVarious
General
English Jests and Anecdotes, Collected from Various Sources
Various
Anecdotes -- England; English wit and humor
Some time after a late nobleman had abjured the Roman Catholic
religion, he was sent ambassador to France, where he resided several
years. Being one day at an entertainment, a noble duke, his near
relation, rallying him on the score of religion, asked his lordship
whether the ministers of state, or the ministers of the gospel, had the
greatest share in his conversion. “Good God, my lord duke!” replied the
witty peer, “how can you ask me such a question? Do you not know that
when I quitted the Roman Catholic religion I left off confession?”
WIT OF A RESURRECTIONIST.
A large party of soldiers surprising two resurrection men in a
churchyard, the officer, seizing one of them, asked him what he had to
say for himself:--“Say, sir!” replied the surgeon’s provider, “why,
that we came here to raise a corpse, and not a regiment.”
BREAKING UP OF A NURSERY.
The organ of early destructiveness sometimes exhibits itself in a droll
way. The mother of a family was one day saying, that as soon as the
youngest child was of such an age, she should break up the nursery.
“La, mamma!” said one of the children, “that will be fine sport--I’ll
break up the chairs, and John shall break up the tables.”
BOW STREET BON-MOT.
A lady went into the Police Office, Bow Street, and inquired the price
of some fur and silk articles. Townsend quizzingly replied, “Oh, ma’am,
we’re all fair and above board--we’ve no cloaks here.” To which the
lady rejoined, “Sir, I beg pardon; I really thought that this was the
celebrated _pelisse office_.”
A YORKSHIRE EATING MATCH.
There was a famous eating match at a village in Yorkshire, between two
men, named Gubbins and Muggins, which caused a great deal of interest
in the neighbourhood; and a countryman, leaving the place before the
match was decided, was stopped by almost every one on the road with
“Who beats? how does the match get on?” &c.: to which he answered,
“Why, I doant exactly know--they say Gubbins’ll get it; but I thinks
Muggins’ll bet ’un yet, for when I leaft he was oanly two geese and a
torkey behind him!”
ALL GONE OUT.
A gentleman having appointed to meet his friend on particular
business, went to his house and knocked at the door, which was
opened by a servant girl. He informed her he wanted her master. “He
is gone out, sir,” said she. “Then your mistress will do,” said the
gentleman. “She,” said the girl, “is gone out too.” “My business is of
consequence,” returned he; “is your master’s son at home?” “No, sir,”
replied the girl, “he is gone out.” “That’s unlucky indeed,” replied
he; “but perhaps it may not be long before they return; I will step in
and sit by your fire.” “Oh, sir,” said the girl, “the fire is gone out
too.” Upon which the gentleman bade her inform her master, that he did
not expect to be received so coolly.
MUSICAL TASTE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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