913. Gibbon the historian, notwithstanding his shortness and rotundity, was very gallant. One day being alone with Madame de Cronuas, Gibbon wished to seize the favourable moment, and suddenly dropping on his knees, he declared his love in the most passionate terms. Madame de Cronuas replied in a tone to prevent the repetition of such a scene. Gibbon was thunder-struck, but still remained on his knees, though frequently desired to get up and resume his seat. Sir, said Madame de Cronuas, will you have the goodness to rise? Alas, madam, replied the unhappy lover, I cannot―(his size prevented him from rising without assistance)―upon this Madame de Cronuas rang the bell, saying to the servant, Assist Mr. Gibbon up. 914. An Irishman, who served on board a man-of-war in the capacity of a waister, was selected by one of the officers to haul in a tow-line, of considerable length, that was towing over the taffrail. After rowsing-in forty or fifty fathoms, which had put his patience severely to proof, as well as every muscle of his arms, he muttered to himself, By my soul, it’s as long as to-day and to-morrow!―It’s a good week’s work for any five in the ship!―Bad luck to the arm or leg it’ll lave me at last!―What! more of it yet!―Och, murder; the sa’s mighty deep, to be sure! When, after continuing in a similar strain, and conceiving there was little probability of the completion of the labour, he stopped suddenly short, and addressing the officer of the watch, exclaimed, Bad manners to me sir, if I don’t think somebody’s cut off the other end of it! 915. Rose, private secretary to Louis XIV., having married his daughter to M. Portail, president of the parliament, was constantly receiving from his son-in-law, complaints of his daughter’s ill temper. To one of these he at length answered, that he was fully convinced of her misconduct, and was resolved to punish her for it: in short, that if he heard any more of it, he would disinherit her. He heard no more. 916. It was some years ago said in the parliament-house at Edinburgh, that a gentleman who was notorious for a pretty good appetite, had eaten away his senses. Poh! replied Erskine, they would not be a mouthful to a man of his bowels. 917. Sir Watkin Williams Wynne talking to a friend about the antiquity of his family, which he carried up to Noah, was told that he was a mere mushroom of yesterday. How so, pray? said the baronet. Why continued the other, when I was in Wales, a pedigree of a particular family was shown to me: it filled up above five large skins of parchment, and near the middle of it was a note in the margin―About this time the world was created. 918. A gentleman having occasion to call upon Mr. Joseph Graham, writer, found him at home in his writing chamber. He remarked the great heat of the apartment, and said, It was hot as an oven. So it ought, replied Mr. G., for ’tis here I make my bread.