The Jest Book: The Choicest Anecdotes and SayingsLemon, Mark
General
The Jest Book: The Choicest Anecdotes and Sayings
Lemon, Mark
Anecdotes -- Great Britain; English wit and humor
MR. BETHEL, an Irish barrister, when the question of the Union was in
debate, like all the junior barristers published pamphlets upon the
subject. Mr. Lysaght met this pamphleteer in the hall of the Four
Courts, and in a friendly way, said, "Zounds! Bethel, I wonder you never
told me you had published a pamphlet on the Union. The one I saw
contained some of the best things I have yet seen in any pamphlet upon
the subject."--"I'm very proud you think so," said the other, rubbing
his hands with satisfaction; "and pray, what are the things that pleased
you so much?"--"Why," replied Lysaght, "as I passed by a pastry-cook's
shop this morning, I saw a girl come out with three _hot mince-pies_
wrapped up in one of your works."
CVII.--NECK OR NOTHING.
A RIGHT reverend prelate, himself a man of extreme good-nature, was
frequently much vexed in the spirit by the proud, froward, perverse, and
untractable temper of his next vicar. The latter, after an absence much
longer than usual, one day paid a visit to the bishop, who kindly
inquired the cause of his absence, and was answered by the vicar, that
he had been confined to his house for some time past by an obstinate
_stiffness_ in his _knee_. "I am glad of that," replied the prelate;
"'tis a good symptom that the disorder has changed place, for I had a
long time thought it _immovably settled_ in your NECK."
CVIII.--ARCADIA.
A FARM was lately advertised in a newspaper, in which all the beauty of
the situation, fertility of the soil, and salubrity of the air were
detailed in the richest flow of rural description, which was further
enhanced with this,--N.B. There is not _an attorney_ within fifteen
miles of the neighborhood.
CIX.--QUITE PERFECTION.
A PAINTER in the Waterloo Road had the following announcement displayed
on the front of his house: "The Acme of Stencil!" A "learned Theban" in
the same line in an adjoining street, in order to outdo the "old
original" stenciller, thus set forth his pretensions: "Stencilling in
all its branches performed in the very height _of acme_!"
CX.--THE LATE MR. COLLINS.
COLLINS the poet, coming into a town the day after a young lady, of whom
he was fond, had left it, said, how unlucky he was that he had come _a
day after the fair_.
CXI.--A FAMILY PARTY.
A CERTAIN lodging-house was very much infested by vermin. A gentleman
who slept there one night, told the landlady so in the morning, when she
said, "La, sir, we haven't a _single_ bug in the house."--"No ma'am,"
said he, "they're all _married_, and have large families too."
CXII.--CALF'S HEAD SURPRISED.
A STUPID person one day seeing a man of learning enjoying the pleasures
of the table, said, "So, sir, philosophers, I see, can indulge in the
greatest delicacies."--"Why not," replied the other, "do you think
Providence intended all the _good things_ for fools?"
CXIII.--POPPING THE QUESTION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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