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
CCV.--MODEST.
IT has been said that a lady once asked Lord B--g--m who was the best
debater in the House of Lords. His lordship modestly replied, "Lord
Stanley is the _second_, madam."
CCVI.--A JOINT CONCERN.
A STUPID fellow employed in blowing a cathedral organ, said after the
performance of a fine anthem, "I think we performed very well
to-day."--"_We_ performed!" answered the organist; "I think it was _I_
performed, or I am much mistaken." Shortly after another celebrated
piece of music was to be played. In the middle of the anthem the organ
stopped; the organist cried out in a passion, "Why don't you blow?" The
fellow popped out his head from behind the organ, and said, "Shall it
be _we_ then?"
CCVII.--PROFESSIONAL.
AN editor at a dinner-table being asked if he would take some pudding,
replied, in a fit of abstraction, "Owing to a crowd of other matter, we
are unable to find room for it."
CCVIII.--A GOOD REASON.
A RICH peer resolved to make his will; and having remembered all his
domestics except his steward, the omission was respectfully pointed out
to him by the lawyer. "I shall leave him nothing," said the nobleman,
"because he has _served me_ these twenty years."
CCIX.--ON A BAD MAN.
BY imbecility and fears
Will is restrain'd from doing ill;
His mind a porcupine appears,
A porcupine _without a quill_.
CCX.--A CLEVER DOG.
AFTER witnessing the first representation of a dog-piece by Reynolds,
called the "Caravan," Sheridan suddenly came into the green-room, on
purpose, it was imagined, to wish the author joy. "Where is he?" was the
first question: "where is my guardian angel?"--"Here I am," answered
Reynolds. "Pooh!" replied Sheridan, "I don't mean _you_, I mean _the
dog_."
CCXI.--A KNOTTY POINT.
THE Bristol magistrates were at the time of the great riots _scattered_
through the town. They argued that under the circumstances it was
impossible they could have been _collected_.
CCXII.--GEORGE SELWYN.
THIS gentleman, travelling in a stage-coach, was interrupted by the
frequent impertinence of a companion, who was constantly teazing him
with questions and asking him how he did. "How are you now, sir?" said
the impertinent. George, in order to get rid of his importunity,
replied, "Very well; and I intend to continue so _all the rest_ of the
journey."
CCXIII.--EMPEROR OF CHINA.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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