English Jests and Anecdotes, Collected from Various SourcesVarious
General
English Jests and Anecdotes, Collected from Various Sources
Various
Anecdotes -- England; English wit and humor
General Wolfe, happening to overhear a young officer talk of him
in a very familiar manner, as, “Wolfe and I drank a bottle of wine
together,” and so on, appeared, and said, “I think you might say
General Wolfe.” “No,” replied the subaltern, with a happy presence of
mind, “did you ever hear of General Achilles, or General Julius Cæsar.”
AMENDMENT AMENDED.
A member of parliament making a motion to bring in a bill for repairing
a very bad road in a particular county, another member stood up and
said, “It would be more economical to pass an act for making it
navigable.”
MUTATIS MUTANDIS.
Whitfield once preached at a chapel in New England, where a collection
was to be made after the sermon. A British seaman, who had strolled
into the meeting, observed some persons take plates, and place
themselves at the door; upon which, he laid hold of one, and taking
his station, received a considerable sum from the congregation as they
departed, which he very deliberately put into the pocket of his tarry
trousers. This being told to Whitfield, he applied to the sailor for
the money, saying it was collected for charitable uses, and must be
given to him. “Avast there,” said Jack, “it was given to me, and I
shall keep it.” “You will be d--d,” said the parson, “if you don’t
return it.” “I’ll be d--d if I do,” replied Jack, and sheered off with
his prize.
REAL DANGER.
A physician being sent for by a maker of universal specifics, grand
salutariums, &c., expressed his surprise at being called in on an
occasion apparently trifling. “Not so trifling neither,” replied the
quack; “for, to tell you the truth, I have, by a mistake, taken some of
my own pills.”
PROMISING CANDIDATE.
Some years ago a candidate for a Welsh burgh told his constituents,
that if they would elect him he should take care they should have
any kind of weather they liked best. This was a tempting offer, and
they could not resist choosing a man, who, to use their own language,
“was more of a Cot Almighty than Sir Watkin himself.” Soon after the
election, one of his constituents waited upon him, and requested some
rain. “Well, my good friend, and what do you want with rain? won’t it
spoil your hay?” “Why, it will be very serviceable to the wheat, and as
to my hay, I have just got it in.” “But has your neighbour got his in?
I should suppose rain would do him some mischief.” “Why, ay,” replied
the votary, “rain would do him harm indeed.” “Ay, now you see how it
is, my dear friend! I have promised to get you any kind of weather you
like; but if I give you rain, I must disoblige him: so your best way
will be, I think, to meet together all of you, and agree on the weather
that will be best for you all,--and you may depend upon having it.”
PROFESSIONAL BLINDNESS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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