"When he was at Westminster School, Lady Kinnoul, in one of the
vacations, invited him to her home, where, observing him with a pen in
his hand, and seemingly thoughtful, she asked him if he was writing his
theme, and what in plain English the theme was? The school-boy's smart
answer rather surprised her Ladyship--'What is that to you?' She
replied--'How can you be so rude? I asked you very civilly a plain
question, and did not expect from a school-boy such a pert answer.' The
reply was, 'Indeed, my Lady, I can only answer once more, 'What is that
to you?' In reality the theme was--_Quid ad te pertinet!"--From
Holliday's Life of the Earl of Mansfield_.
* * * * *
"IN SPITE OF HIS TEETH."
King John once demanded of a certain Jew ten thousand marks, on refusal
of which, he ordered one of the Israelite's teeth to be drawn every day
till he should consent. The Jew lost seven, and then paid the required
sum. Hence the phrase--"In spite of his teeth."
* * * * *