The Comic Almanack, Volume 2: An Ephemeris in Jest and Earnest, Containing Merry Tales, Humerous Poetry, Quips, and Oddities — David Hume — John Shaqi
The Comic Almanack, Volume 2: An Ephemeris in Jest and Earnest, Containing Merry Tales, Humerous Poetry, Quips, and Oddities
David Hume · en
When you come to a very long clause, skip it altogether, for it is sure
to be unintelligible. If you try to attach one meaning to it, the
lawyers are sure to attach another; and, therefore, if you are desirous
of obeying an act of Parliament, it will be safer not to look at it, but
wait until a few contrary decisions have been come to, and then act upon
the latest.
When any clause says either one thing or the other shall be right, you
may make sure that both will be wrong.
HINTS ON ECONOMY.
It is customary to advise that a shilling should be made to go as far as
it possibly can; but surely this would be to throw a shilling away, by
making it go so far as to prevent any chance of its coming back again.
A penny saved is said to be twopence earned; so that if you have
twopence and save a penny, you have twopence still; and if the twopence
be saved till the next day, it will be fourpence; so that at the end of
the week it will amount altogether to ten shillings and eightpence. We
recommend all very young beginners to try the experiment by putting a
penny away to-day, when, if the proverb holds good, it will have become
twopence by to-morrow.
"A pin a day is a groat a year;" and it will be advisable if any one
doubts the fact, to go and offer three hundred and sixty-five pins at
any respectable savings' bank—when, if the proverb be literally true, he
will be credited to the amount of fourpence.
"Never put off till to-morrow what you can do to-day;" and, therefore,
if you mean to do a creditor, it is better not to put him off, but to
tell him honestly that you have put him down among the things to be done
immediately.
HINTS TO EMIGRANTS.
A dealer in pencils should not go to Pencil-vain-here; nor would a man
stand a better chance at Botany Bay because he might have a knowledge of
botany.
To very hot climates, where there is no glass in the windows, it would
be madness in the glazier to take the panes to emigrate.
WINE _VERSUS_ WATER.
GREAT ANTI-TEMPERANCE MEETING.
A highly respectable meeting of some of the most influential Wines,
Beers, and Spirits, was held for the purpose of considering the best
means of opposing the Temperance Movement. Among those on the platform
we particularly noticed Port, Sherry, and Claret; while at the lower end
of the room were Cape, Marsala, and a deputation from the British Wines,
who were represented by the Two-and-Twopenny Sparkling Champagne, more
familiarly known as the "Genuine Walker." Most of the principal wines
wore the silver collars of the orders to which they respectively
belonged; and Port having been unanimously voted into the chair, the
business of the meeting was opened by Corkscrew, in a concise but
pointed manner.