Making allowance for the difference of manners in eastern and northern nations, there is, certainly, such a similarity between this oriental anecdote and Joe Miller’s story, that we may conclude the latter is stolen from the former. Now, an _Irish_ bull must be a species of blunder _peculiar_ to Ireland; those that we have hitherto examined, though they may be called Irish bulls by the ignorant vulgar, have no right, title, or claim to such a distinction. We should invariably exclude from that class all blunders which can be found in another country. For instance, a speech of the celebrated Irish beauty, Lady C----, has been called a bull; but as a parallel can be produced in the speech of an English nobleman, _it tells for nothing_. When her ladyship was presented at court, his majesty, George the Second, politely hoped, “that, since her arrival in England, she had been entertained with the gaieties of London.” “Oh, yes, please your majesty, I have seen every sight in London worth seeing, except a coronation.” This _naïveté_ is certainly not equal to that of the English earl marshal, who, when his king found fault with some arrangement at his coronation, said, “Please your majesty, I hope it will be better next time.” A _naïveté_ of the same species entailed a heavy tax upon the inhabitants of Beaune, in France. Beaune is famous for burgundy; and Henry the Fourth, passing through his kingdom, stopped there, and was well entertained by his loyal subjects. His Majesty praised the burgundy which they set before him--“It was excellent! it was admirable!” “Oh, sire!” cried they, “do you think this excellent? _we have much finer_ burgundy than this.” “Have you so? then you can afford to pay for it,” replied Harry the Fourth; and he laid a double tax thenceforward upon the burgundy of Beaune. Of the same class of blunders is the following speech, which we actually heard not long ago from an Irishman:-- “Please your worship, he sent me to the devil, and I came straight to your honour.” We thought this an original Irish blunder, till we recollected its prototype in Marmontel’s Annette and Lubin. Lubin concludes his harangue with, “The bailiff sent us to the devil, and we come to put ourselves under your protection, my lord.” [26] The French, at least in former times, were celebrated for politeness; yet we meet with a _naïve_ compliment of a Frenchman, which would have been accounted a bull if it had been found in Ireland. A gentleman was complimenting Madame Denis on the manner in which she had just acted Zaire. “To act that part,” said she, “a person should be young and handsome.” “Ah, madam!” replied the complimenter _naïvement_, “you are a complete proof of the contrary.” [27] We know not any original Irish blunder superior to this, unless it be that which Lord Orford pronounced to be the best bull that he ever heard.