SHERIDAN was once asked by a gentleman: "How is it that your name has not an O prefixed to it? Your family is Irish, and no doubt illustrious."--"No family," replied Sheridan, "has a better right to an O than our family; for, in truth, we _owe_ everybody." MDCXCIX.--A CONVERSATIONAL EPIGRAM. SAID Bluster to Whimple, "You juvenile fool, Get out of my way, do you hear?" Said Whimple, "A fool did you say? by that rule I'm much _in your way_ as I fear." MDCC.--A PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT. THE late Lord Dudley and Ward was one of the most absent of men. Meeting Sydney Smith one day in the street, he invited him to meet himself! "Dine with me to-day,--dine with me to-day,--I will get Sydney Smith to meet you." The witty canon admitted the temptation held out to him, but said, "_he was engaged with him elsewhere_." MDCCI.--A ROYAL JEST. A CAPTAIN, remarkable for his uncommon height, being one day at the rooms at Bath, the late Princess Amelia was struck with his appearance; and being told that he had been originally intended for the Church, "Rather for the _steeple_," replied the royal humorist. MDCCII.--EXTREMELY SULPHUROUS. LORD CHESTERFIELD, being told that a certain termagant and scold was married to a gamester, replied, "that _cards and brimstone_ made the best matches." MDCCIII.--A JOKE FROM THE NORTH. THE reigning _bore_ at one time in Edinburgh was Professor L----; his favorite subject the _North Pole_. One day the arch tormentor met Jeffrey in a narrow lane, and began instantly on the North Pole. Jeffrey, in despair, and out of all patience, darted past him, exclaiming, "Hang the North Pole!" Sydney Smith met Mr. L---- shortly after, boiling over with indignation at Jeffrey's contempt of the North Pole. "O, my dear fellow," said Sydney, "never mind; no one minds what Jeffrey says, you know; he is a privileged person,--he respects nothing, absolutely nothing. Why, you will scarcely credit it, but it is not more than a week ago that I heard him speak disrespectfully of the _Equator_." MDCCIV.--MULTIPLYING ONE. SYDNEY SMITH once said: "I remember entering a room with glass all round it at the French embassy, and saw myself reflected on every side. I took it for a _meeting of the clergy_, and was delighted of course." MDCCV.--AN AFFIRMATIVE EPIGRAM. WHEN Julia was asked, if to church she would go, The fair one replied to me, "No, Richard, no." At her meaning I ventured a pretty good guess, For from grammar I learned _No_ and _No_ stood for _Yes_. MDCCVI.--THE RULING PASSION. A LADY'S beauty is dear to her at all times. A very lovely woman, worn out with a long and painful sickness, begged her attendants to desist rubbing her temples with Hungary water, _as it would make her hair gray_! MDCCVII.--INDIFFERENCE TO DEATH.