ld have
been, that they were distinguished for the love of their _specie_.

DCCCLXVIII.--DR. JOHNSON.

WHEN Dr. Johnson courted Mrs. Potter, whom he afterwards married, he
told her that he was of mean extraction; that he had no money; and that
he had had an uncle hanged! The lady, by way of reducing herself to an
equality with the Doctor, replied, that she had no more money than
himself; and that, though she had not had a relation hanged, she had
fifty who _deserved hanging_.

DCCCLXIX.--THE POET FOILED.

TO win the maid the poet tries,
And sonnets writes to Julia's eyes,
She likes a _verse_, but, cruel whim,
She still appears _a-verse_ to him.

DCCCLXX.--A COMEDIAN AND A LAWYER.

A FEW years ago, when Billy Burton, the American actor, was in his
"trouble," a young lawyer was examining him as to how he had spent his
money. There was about three thousand pounds unaccounted for, when the
attorney put on a severe scrutinizing face, and exclaimed, with much
self-complacency,--"Now, sir, I want you to tell this court and jury how
you used those three thousand pounds." Burton put on one of his
serio-comic faces, winked at the audience, and exclaimed, "_The lawyers
got that_!" The judge and audience were convulsed with laughter. The
counsellor was glad to let the comedian go.

DCCCLXXI.--VICE VERSA.

IT is asserted that the bad Ministers have contracted the National Debt.
This cannot be; for instead of _contracting_ it at all, bad Ministers
have most materially extended it.

DCCCLXXII.--NOTHING PERSONAL.

AT a dinner-party one day a certain knight, whose character was
considered to be not altogether unexceptionable, said he would give them
a toast; and looking hard in the face of Mrs. M----, who was more
celebrated for wit than beauty, gave "Honest men an' bonny
lasses!"--"With all my heart, Sir John," said Mrs. M----, "for it
neither _applies_ to you nor me."

DCCCLXXIII.--A HINT FOR GENEALOGISTS.

MR. MOORE, who derived his pedigree from Noah, explained it in this
manner: "Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and one _more_."

DCCCLXXIV.--A MISTAKE.

OLD Dick Baldwin stoutly maintained that no man ever died of drinking.
"Some puny things," he said, "have died of _learning_ to drink, but no
man ever died of drinking." Mr. Baldwin was no mean authority; for he
spoke from great practical experience, and was, moreover, many years