Ten Thousand Wonderful Things: Comprising whatever is marvellous and rare, curious, eccentric and extraordinary in all ages and nations
History
Ten Thousand Wonderful Things: Comprising whatever is marvellous and rare, curious, eccentric and extraordinary in all ages and nations
Curiosities and wonders; Encyclopedias and dictionaries; Folklore
Mary Lynn, condemn'd last Assizes for the County of Norfolk, was burnt
to ashes at a stake, for being concern'd in the murder of her mistress;
and Smith, the principal, was hang'd for the same fact. She deny'd her
being guilty, and said Smith could clear her if he would. She behaved
with decency, and died penitent. Smith was drunk at the gallows; and
seem'd to have but little sense either of his crime or punishment;
however, desired all masters to pay their servants' wages on Saturday
night, that they might have money to spend, and not run in debt. Said,
"My mother always told me I should die in my shoes, but I will make her
a liar;" so threw them off.
PERSONAL CHARMS DISCLAIMED.
If any human being was free from personal vanity, it must have been
the second Duchess d'Orleans, Charlotte Elizabeth of Bavaria. In one
of her letters (dated 9th August, 1718), she says, "I must certainly
be monstrously ugly. I never had a good feature. My eyes are small, my
nose short and thick, my lips broad and thin. These are not materials
to form a beautiful face. Then I have flabby, lank cheeks, and long
features, which suit ill with my low stature. My waist and my legs
are equally clumsy. Undoubtedly I must appear to be an odious little
wretch; and had I not a tolerable good character, no creature could
endure me. I am sure a person must be a conjuror to judge me by my eyes
that I have a grain of wit."
CADER IDRIS.
On the very summit of Cader Idris there is an excavation in the solid
rock, resembling a couch; and it is said that whoever should rest a
night in that seat, will be found in the morning either dead, raving
mad, or endued with supernatural genius.
OLD LONDON SIGNS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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