_ Wilkes's Luckiest Number_.--A rich farmer in Devonshire made a will,
in which the following article was found:--"I bequeath to John
Wilkes, late member of parliament for Aylesbury, five thousand pounds
sterling, as a grateful return for the courage with which he defended
the liberty of his country, and opposed the dangerous progress of
arbitrary power."
_Owen's Alms-houses, Islington_, were founded by Dame Alice Owen, in
consequence of a providential escape. In the fields, near this spot,
in the reign of Queen Mary, the archers frequently exercised with bows
and arrows. Dame Owen walking with her maid, and observing a woman
milking a cow, was desirous of trying to milk the cow herself, which
she did, when on leaving the cow, an arrow pierced the crown of her
hat, without doing her the least injury. In gratitude for her escape,
she built the school and houses. For many years an arrow was fixed on
the top of them. SWAINE.
_Origin of Tory_.--Our friend, Mr. George Olaus Borrow, who has
devoted his attention specially to the Celtic dialect, suggests that
the long-disputed etymology of the word Tory may be traced to the
Irish adherents of Charles II., during the Cromwellian era. The words
_Tar a Ri_ (pronounced _Tory_,) and meaning _Come, O King_, having
been so constantly in the mouths of the Royalists as to have become
a by-word to designate them. Mr. Borrow's paper on the subject has
appeared in the _Norfolk Chronicle_.
_Toast_.--May the man who wins a woman's heart never be instrumental
in breaking its peace.
_Progress of Life_.
When man full thirty years has spent,
The road at times both rough and stony,
To clear life's vapour, and repent
He seeks the stream of Matrimony!
_Caught at last_.--Sir Jervis Elwayes, lieutenant of the Tower, being
much addicted to gaming, used to say, in his prayers, "Lord, let me
hanged, if ever I play more." He broke this serious prayer a thousand
times, and at last was hanged on Tower Hill, in 1615, for the murder
of Sir Thomas Overbury.
Edward the Confessor took great delight in Haverley Bower, in Essex,
it being woody, solitary, and fit for devotion; but it so abounded
with warbling nightingales, that they disturbed him in his devotions.
He earnestly prayed for their absence, since which time it is
superstitiously said, never nightingale was heard to sing in the park,
though occasionally the warbler is heard outside the pales.
_Wages_.--In 1352, (25th Edward III.) the wages paid to haymakers was
1d. a-day; a mower of meadows, 3d. a-day, or 5d. an acre; reapers of
corn in the first week of August, 2d., in the second 3d. per day, and
so on till the end of August, without meat, drink, or other allowance;
finding their own tools. For threshing a quarter of wheat or rye,
2-1/2d.; a quarter of barley, beans, peas, and oats, 1-1/2d. A master
carpenter, 3d. per day, other carpenters 2d. A master mason 4d. per
day, other masons 3_d_., and their servants 1-1/2d. per day. Tilers
3d., and their "knaves" 1-1/2d. Thatchers 3d. a-day, and their knaves
1-1/2d. Plasterers, and other workers of mud walls and their knaves
in like manner, without meat or drink, and this from Easter to
Michaelmas; and from that time less, according to the direction of the
justices. T. GILL.
_Literary Quizzing_.--Of all human quizzing, ancient and modern,
plebeian or patrician, nothing equals that now in triumphant practice
in the lists of literature. From Zoilus to the penny newspapers, never
has there been criticism, penned or spoken, so bitterly pungent as
some of the grave laudatory articles, by which authors are now quizzed
down to zero in the popular reviews. Satan Montgomery is bantered with
the name of Isaiah; Miss Landon by a comparison with La Rochefoucault;
and Don Trueba, with Pigault le Brun. This is a refinement in cruelty.
It is twining the rack with flowers; and hanging a man with a cord of
gold. The sentence of the reviewer should be "Yea, yea; and nay, nay!"
A Barmecide's feast of fame is a supererogation of malice. We hold
that all authors so derided have a right to call upon their critics
to make good their words; and build up the visionary castles of their
_Fata Morgana_, (like London Bridge in the nursery song) with "gravel
and stone;" or rather, "with silver and gold." A heavy mulct should be
imposed on literary quizzing.--_Tait's Edinburgh Magazine_.
_Cross Readings_, (_from the Spanish_.)--Suddenly King Alphonso
Riberro Fernando rose from his couch, and sallying from his tent with
fierce looks and sword in hand--swore the total annihilation of every
bug in the Castiles.
And the king with great despatch, forthwith ordered a strong body of
cavalry, for--there was a mouse scratching behind the wainscot.
So the queen, Mary, rising majestically from her throne, with
imperial, yet gentle look, exclaimed in a sweet voice--"Scratch Poll's
head."
There was a goodly array of gay knights following the king to the
hunt--the rats being numerous they afforded good sport.
These specimens of Spanish satire came out in the form of
cross-readings, a few months after the death of Cervantes; they were
affirmed to be by that illustrious author; how truly so I know not.
R.N.
_Cannon Clock_.--In the gardens of the Palais Royal and the
Luxembourg, at Paris, is a specimen of this contrivance invented by
one Rousseau. A burning-glass is fixed over the vent of a cannon, so
that the sun's rays, at the moment of its passing the meridian, are
concentrated by the glass, on the priming, and the piece is fired. The
burning-glass is regulated, for this purpose, every month.
* * * * *
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