(_For the Mirror._)
_James the First._
Robert Cecil, great grandson to the first Earl of Salisbury, told Lord
Dartmouth that his ancestor, inquiring into the character of king James,
Bruce (his majesty's own ambassador) answered, "Ken ye a John Ape? en
I's have him, he'll bite _you_; en you's have him, he'll bite _me_."
_Sir Edward Seymour._
Speaker of the House of Commons, was one day coming to his duty, when
his coach happening to break down, he ordered the beadle to stop the
first gentleman's coach they met, and bring it to him. The owner felt
much surprised to be turned out of his own coach; but Sir Edward told
him it was much more proper for him to walk in the streets than the
speaker of the House of Commons; and accordingly left him to do so
without farther apology.--This arbitrary exercise of authority is
perhaps without a parallel.
_Henry the Fourth._
Of France used to say that a king should have the heart of a child
towards God, but the heart of a father towards his subjects.
_George the Third._
His late majesty was very partial to Mr. Carbonel, the wine-merchant,
and frequently admitted him to the royal hunts. Returning from the chase
one day, the king entered affably into conversation with his
wine-merchant, and rode with him side by side a considerable distance.
Lord Walsingham was in attendance, and watching an opportunity, called
Mr. C. aside, and whispered something to him. "What's that? what has
Walsingham been saying to you?" inquired the good-humoured monarch.
"I find, sire, I have been unintentionally guilty of disrespect by not
taking off my hat when I address your majesty; but you will please to
observe, that whenever I hunt my hat is fastened to my wig, and my wig
to my head; and as I am mounted on a very spirited horse, if any thing
goes off, we must all go off together." The king laughed heartily at
the whimsical apology.
_The Duke of Wellington._
A certain noble lord, who was the duke's aide-de-camp, visited his
grace early on the morning of the battle of Salamanca, and perceiving
him lying on a very small camp bedstead, observed, "that his grace had
not room to turn himself;" who immediately, in his usual characteristic
manner, rejoined, "When you have lived as long and seen so much as
I have, you will know, that when a general thinks of turning _in_ his
bed, it is full time to turn _out_."
_Rubens._
An artist named Brendel, possessed with the folly of the "philosopher's
stone," proposed to Rubens to join him in the discovery of that
mystery. He replied, "Your application is too late; for these twenty
years past my pencils and pallet have revealed to me the secret about
which you are so anxious."
_Queen Elizabeth._
When the ambassador of Henry IV. of France was in England, the queen
asked him one birth-night, which was attended by a splendid assembly of
the court, how he liked her ladies. Knowing her majesty was not averse
to flattery, he made the following elegant reply: "It is hard, madam,
to judge of _stars_ in the presence of the _sun_."
_Louis XIII._
Was remarkable in his youth for piety; entering a little village,
the better sort of inhabitants wished to attend him with a canopy.
He answered, "I hear you have no church here. I cannot suffer a canopy
of state to be borne over my head in a place where God hath not a
consecrated roof to dwell under."
_Sigismund._
Emperor of Germany, being once asked what was the surest method of
living happy in the world, replied, "By doing in health those good works
you promised to do on the bed of sickness."