time; that's impossible."

_Mr. ----._ "Then there is something in the words which you don't
understand: in the _common_ sense of the words, they contradict each
other; but try if you can find out any uncommon sense--any word which
can be understood in two senses."

_S----_ muttered the words, "If he tells truth, he lies," and looked
indignant, but presently said, "Oh, now I understand; the beggar was
lying down; he lies, means he lies down, not he tells a lie."

The perception of the double meaning of the words, did not seem to
please this boy; on the contrary, it seemed to provoke him; and he
appeared to think that he had wasted his time upon the discovery.

_Mr. ----._ "Now I will give you an instance of wit that depends upon
the ideas, rather than on the words. A man of very bad character had
told falsehoods of another, who then made these two lines;

"Lie on, whilst my revenge shall be,
To tell the very truth of thee."

_S----_ approved of this immediately, and heartily, and recollected
the only epigram he knew by rote, one which he had heard in
conversation two or three months before this time. It was made upon a
tall, stupid man, who had challenged another to make an epigram
extempore upon him.

Unlike to Robinson shall be my song;
It shall be witty, and it shan't be long.

At the time S---- first heard this epigram, he had been as slow in
comprehending it as possible; but after it had been thoroughly
explained, it pleased him, and remained fixed in his memory.

Mr. ---- observed, that this epigram contained wit both in words and
in ideas: and he gave S----one other example. "There were two
contractors; I mean people who make a bargain with government, or with
those who govern the country, to supply them with certain things at a
certain price; there were two contractors, one of whom was employed to
supply government with corn; the other agreed to supply government
with rum. Now, you know, corn may be called grain, and rum may be
called spirit. Both these contractors cheated in their bargain; both
their names were the same; and the following epigram was made on them:

"Both of a name, lo! two contractors come;
One cheats in corn, and t'other cheats in rum.
Which is the greater, if you can, explain,
A rogue in spirit, or a rogue in grain?"

"_Spirit_," continued Mr. ----, "has another sense, you know--will,
intention, soul; he has the spirit of a rogue; she has the spir