The young Princess Esterhazy was a great favourite of George IV. At a ball given in honour of his Majesty's birth-day, the young ladies were each expected to kneel, and present him with a nosegay; but the princess declared, that as she was of royal blood, she would prefer death to such degradation. The King received her graciously, notwithstanding her obstinacy; but her governess sent the child to bed immediately after dinner. "_Bon pour la digestion_," exclaimed the princess; which so enraged the governess, that she took her out of bed and whipped her soundly. "_Bon pour la circulation_," said the princess; and the next day the governess resigned.--_Atlas._ * * * * * PLAIN SPEAKING. At St. Augustine's Sessions, in an appeal case, a witness was asked by Sir Edward Knatchbull, to relate what took place between him and his master, which he did as follows:--"I told him he was a liar." Chairman--"Very improper language." Witness--"Can't help that, I am come here to speak the truth, and you have got it."--_Kent and Essex Mer_. * * * * * THE DEAD HAND. It is an opinion very prevalent among the "finest pisantry in the world," that a lighted candle placed in a dead man's hand will not be seen by any but those by whom it is used; and also that, if a candle in a dead hand be introduced into a house, it will prevent those who may be asleep from awaking! Under the influence of this superstition, a party, a few nights since _armed with a dead man's hand_ and lighted candle, attacked the house of Mrs. Leonard (the mother of the priest), in the town of Oldcastle, county of Meath; but, unfortunately for the credit of the creed, the inmates were alarmed, and the robbers fled, leaving the hand behind them. * * * * * EPIGRAMS. "Upon his arrival at Perthshire, his Majesty is to be received by a band of two hundred men, _entirely of the Mac clan_, arrayed in the ancient national costume."--_Scotsman_. In Scotia our king's to be blessed with a treat, A _balle_ting one if the Scotch have their nacks, For the papers put forth he's at Perthshire to meet, Dressed in tartan and bonnet, _a band of all "Macs."_ (Almacks.) Which wert thou, cruel Bishop Bonner, A savage _wit_, or senseless _noddy_, When to extinguish Ridley's faith, Thou _mad'st a bonfire_ of his body? Disdain'd by the Helen he fondly had wooed, A love-stricken swain in a region _campestris_, Thus "clerkly" gave vent to his sorrowful mood, _Ah! vota si mea valíssent cum Vestris!_[3] Ah me! what _foggy thoughts_ environ The man that reads Gait's "Life of Byron." --_Hudibras parodied_. "What pens doth Galt in general use?" To Farthing thus said Simon Shark; "Mostly the _Nocto-Polygraph_, Or pen that writes Sir--_in the dark_." PUN-ICUS. [3] Vide Certamen Ajacis et Ulyssis. _Ovid's Met._ * * * * * PARLIAMENTARY ABSTINENCE.