English Jests and Anecdotes, Collected from Various SourcesVarious
General
English Jests and Anecdotes, Collected from Various Sources
Various
Anecdotes -- England; English wit and humor
When George I. landed at Greenwich, the inhabitants, after discussing
the subject, of what was the highest honour they could confer upon the
newly arrived sovereign, determined upon electing him churchwarden,
which was accordingly done. A dispute, however, afterwards took place
in the vestry, as to whether he who was elected to serve the office of
king could serve the office of churchwarden at the same time.
LORD BARRYMORE.
One evening Lord Barrymore made a remark, which transported Anthony
Pasquin so much, that he vociferated for writing materials to note
it down. The former called him to order, and asked what he wanted?
“Ink--ink--ink, my lord!” he replied, striking his hand on the table.
“Do you?” said his lordship; “wash your hands, and then you’ll get a
quart.”
RECIPE FOR COOKING BEEF-STEAKS.
Two gentlemen, remarkable for a nice appetite, were disputing at a
coffee-house upon the best mode of cooking a beef-steak, and were
enumerating the different processes for bringing it to the table in
the highest perfection. Mr. Wewitzer, of Drury-Lane Theatre, who was
present, observed, that “of all the methods of cooking a beef-steak,
he thought Shakespeare’s recipe to be the shortest and the best.” Upon
being asked for an explanation, “Why, gentlemen,” said Wewitzer,
“If, when ’twere done, ’twere _well done_,
Then ’twere well it were _done quickly_.”
WHAT DO YOU WAIT FOR?
An officer, who had lost an eye, supplied it with a glass one, which he
always took out when he went to bed. Being in an inn, he took out his
eye, and gave it to the wench who attended, desiring her to lay it on
the table. The maid still waiting, and staring, he asked her, “What do
you wait for?” “Only for the other eye, sir,” said she.
LIKE THE MINISTRY.
Lord North, exulting over Charles Fox, on the news, in an extraordinary
gazette, of New York being conquered, the patriotic wit replied, “It
is a mistake, sir; New York is not conquered; it is only like the
ministry, _abandoned_!”
BON MOT OF A CLOWN, RELATED BY LORD SHAFTESBURY.
A clown once took a fancy to hear the Latin disputes of doctors at a
university. He was asked what pleasure he could take in viewing such
combatants, when he could never know so much as which of the parties
had the better. “For that matter,” replied the clown, “I a’n’t such
a fool neither, but I can see who’s the first that puts t’other in a
passion.”
READY MONEY LEGACY.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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