The Wise and Ingenious Companion, French and English;: or, A Collection of the Wit of the Illustrious Persons, Both Ancient and ModernBoyer, Abel
General
The Wise and Ingenious Companion, French and English;: or, A Collection of the Wit of the Illustrious Persons, Both Ancient and Modern
Boyer, Abel
Anecdotes; Wit and humor
A Gentleman came into an Inn in _Chelmsford_, upon a very cold
Day, and could get no room near the Fire, whereupon he calls to
the Ostler to fetch a peck of Oysters, and give them to his Horse
presently; will your Horse eat Oysters, reply’d the Ostler, I pray,
try him, says the Gentleman; Immediately the People running to see
this wonder, the fire side was clear’d, and the Gentleman had his
choice of Seats. The Ostler brings the Oysters, and said the Horse
would not meddle with them; why then, says the Gentleman, I must be
forc’d to eat them my self.
105
Un Gentilhomme arriva dans une Hotelerie de _Chelmsford_, un jour
qu’il faisoit grand froid, & comme il ne pouvoit avoir place
auprés du feu, il appella le valet d’Escurie, & lui dit d’aller
chercher un Picotin d’Huitres, & de les donner au plus vite à
son cheval. Est-ce que vôtre cheval mange des huitres, reprit le
valet d’Escurie? Vous n’avez qu’à essayer, lui dit le Gentilhomme.
D’abord tout le monde accourut pour voir cette merveílle, & le feu
demeurant libre, le Gentilhomme prit la place qu’il voulut. Un
moment aprés le valet d’Escurie rapporte les huitres, & dit que le
Chêval n’y vouloít pas mordre, Hé bien, dit le Gentilhomme, il faut
que je les mange moí-même.
106
A Gentleman wanted two resolute Ruffians, to do some Exploit on
one that had abused him, his Man brings him two whose Faces were
slash’d and Cut: _No_, says he, _I’ll have none of you: but if you
can bring me them, who gave you those Wounds, they are for my turn_.
106
Un Gentilhomme ayant affaire de deux Coupe-jarrets determinez pour
faire piece à un homme qui lui avoit fait affront, son valet lui en
amena deux, qui avoient le visage balafré: _Non_, dit-il, _je ne
veux point de vous; Mais si vous pouvez m’amener ceux qui vous ont
fait ces Balafres, ils feront mon affaire_.
107
Two Friends, who had not seen one another a great while, meeting
by chance, one ask’d the other how he did? he said he was not very
well, and was Married since he saw him. That is good news indeed,
says he; Nay, not so much good news, neither, replies the other,
for I have married a Shrew; that is bad, said the other; not so bad
neither, said he; for I had two Thousand Pounds with her; that’s
well again, said the other; not so well neither, for I laid it out
in Sheep, and they died of the Rot; that was hard indeed, says his
Friend; not so hard neither, says he, for I sold the Skins for more
Money than the Sheep cost; that made you amends, says the other;
not so much amends neither, said he, for I laid out my Money in a
House, and it was burn’d: That was a great Loss indeed; Nay, not so
great a Loss neither, for my Wife was Burnt in it.
107
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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