XII; and Bossuet, in his letter of solicitation, dwells on them with great eloquence.

DEAN SWIFT.

A friend came one morning to see Dean Swist in Dublin. The dean requested him to sit down, "No," he replied, "I cannot stay, I must go "immediately to the park, to prevent two gen"tlemen from fighting a duel." "Sit down, sit "down," said the dean, "you must not stir, "let them fight it out, it would be better for the "world that all such men should kill one an"other."

REVEREND P. SKELTON.

While the Rev. Philip Skelton, of facetious memory, was in Dublin, the oakboys, a society of rebels thus denominated in Ireland, seized on Arthur Johnston, Esq. of Enniskillen, a gentleman of a stiff temper, worth five hundred a year. They then ordered him to swear to be true to their cause, and so on; but he refused obstinately; on which they put a rope about his neck, and were on the point of hanging him, when one Simpson, a supernumerary gauger, who afterwards got a commission in the army, bursting in on them with a pistol, rescued him out of their hands. Skelton, on his return,

met Mr. Johnston, in the streets of Enniskillen, and putting his hand in his pocket, took out a shilling, and gave it to him, saying, "here, take "this, I gave a shilling to see a camel in Dublin, "but an honest man is a greater wonder in the "county of Fermanagh."

Te a gentleman, who told him once, he expected to represent that county in parliament he said, "aye, they are all a parcel of rascals, “and a rascal is fittest to represent them."

NORMAN CURATE.

Mrs. Stothard, in her letters from Normandy, gives the following account of the hospitable manners of the Curè of Josselin. "We had no "sooner informed him that we were English "travellers, than the Curé rose from his seat, "and welcomed us with cordial hospitality. "The Cure then informed us that he had passed "ten years in England, during the emigration "of the French, and had returned to his own "parish of Josselin at the short peace. You "are English people,' said the old gentleman; "the English shall ever be welcome to rest at ་ my house; I came into their country when I was driven from my own; I had neither friends, money, nor their language; for the first three 46 years I eat my daily meal at their cost.

taught them my tongue, and they regarded "me as a brother: for ten years I was supported "by their notice, and protected by their laws; "gratitude opens my door at the approach of

any of their nation.' The venerable man "came forward, seated us close to the fire, and "ordered more faggots to replenish it. He "pressed us to leave the inn, and begged we "would take up our residence at his house. "This we declined, but promised to breakfast "and dine with him the next day, in compliance "with his invitation, given in English, that we "would take with him the luck of the pot. Ac

cordingly, the next morning we presented "ourselves at the door of Monsieur le Curè, "who received us in his state apartment; it "was hung with old tapestry, and decorated "with a few family portraits, languishing in the "full bottomed wigs of Louis the fourteenths "time: the oaken floor was so nicely waxed, "that I nearly slipt down while Monsieur hand"ed me to the great chair at the upper end of "the room, which I found he considered the "most ceremonious seat.

"Monsieur le Curé is a complete character, "hospitable and kind. He related to us an "anecdote that evinced both his good nature "aud the extreme simplicity of his character;

"P

፡፡

" during the late war, a person belonging to an English ship, induced by motives of curiosity, "landed on the coast of Brittany, without ар"prehending danger; of course he was imme"diately seized on suspicion of being a spy, and "marched up the country. The escort arrived "at Josselin with the prisoner in a most dis"tressed condition, his shoes being actually

66

worn off his feet; they brought him before "Monsieur le Curé, who commenced his inter"rogation with, You are an Englishman. "What is your name? My name,' replied the "the prisoner, 'is B****. 'B****,' said Mon“sieur, 'surely I must know that name. Stop "a moment, I will return to you immediately. "Away went the Cure to consult the old court "calendar; and there finding Lord B****, Peer "of the Realm, returned back to the ragged "prisoner, convinced of his identity with the "nobleman in question.

"My Lord,' said the old gentleman, 'Why 66 do you conceal your rank? Of what use can it "be? What is your motive for doing so? Your name you say is B****. You are a gentleman; " and I find in my court

"Peer of the Realm.

calendar, Lord B****, Now, if you are Lord

"B****, I will furnish you with money and "necessaries, and use the interest I have with

“my friends at Paris, to get you out of France.' “'I thank you, Sir,' replied the prisoner, 'I am

certainly Lord B****, as you say I am: and "if you will perform what you have so kindly "offered, the money shall be returned when I "arrive in England, by any means you may "point out. All succeeded to the prisoner's "desire; and the money was honestly returned "to the good Curé, who prides himself upon his own sagacity, and the great benefit arising "from the old court calendar brought from England sixteen years since."

BISHOP HOUGH.

It is related of bishop Hough, that he always kept a thousand pounds in his house, for unexpected occurences. One day the collectors for a public charity, applied to the bishop for his contribution. He immediately told his steward to give them five hundred pounds. The steward made signs to his master, intimating that he did not know where to get so large a sum. “You "are right," said the benevolent bishop, “I "have not given enough, give the gentlemen a "thousand; you will find it in such a place,' directing him to where the money was kept.