It happened, he says, that during a feast given to his lordship by the
Corporation of Worcester, when he was First Lord of the Admiralty, a
servant let fall a dish with a boiled neat's tongue, as he was
bringing it to table. The Mayor expressing his concern to his
lordship, "Never mind," said he, "it's only a _lapsus linguæ_!" which
Witty saying creating a great deal of mirth, one of the Aldermen
present, at a dinner he gave soon after, instructed his servant to
throw down a roast leg of mutton, that he too might have his joke.
This was done; "Never mind," he exclaimed to his friends, "it's only a
_lapsus linguæ_." The company stared, but he begun a roaring laugh,
_solus_. Finding nobody joined therein, he stopped his mirth, saying,
that when Lord Sandwich said it, every body laughed, and he saw no
reason why they should not laugh at him. This sally had the desired
effect, and the company, one and all, actually shook their sides, and
our host was satisfied.
* * * * *