ced:
Oh! Sally, I have got the whole
Atlantic for my waist.

"But now adieu--a long adieu!
I've solved death's awful riddle,
And would say more, but I am doomed
To break off in the middle."

TABLE-TALK OF JOHN SELDEN
[Sidenote: _John Selden_]

Old friends are best. King James used to call for his old shoes; they
were easiest for his feet.

* * * * *

'Tis sometimes unreasonable to look after respect and reverence, either
from a man's own servant, or other inferiors. A great lord and a
gentleman talking together, there came a boy by, leading a calf with
both his hands: says the lord to the gentleman, "You shall see me make
the boy let go his calf"; with that he came towards him, thinking the
boy would have put off his hat, but the boy took no notice of him. The
lord seeing that, "Sirrah," says he, "do you not know me, that you use
no reverence?" "Yes," says the boy, "if your Lordship will hold my calf,
I will put off my hat."

* * * * *

King James said to the fly, "Have I three kingdoms, and thou must needs
fly into my eye?"

HOW MARK WAS SOLD
[Sidenote: _Mark Twain_]

It is seldom pleasant to tell on one's self, but sometimes it is a sort
of relief to a man to make a sad confession. I wish to unburden my mind
now, and yet I almost believe that I am moved to do it more because I
long to bring censure upon another man than because I desire to pour
balm upon my wounded heart. (I don't know what balm is, but I believe it
is the correct expression to use in this connection--never having seen
any balm.) You may remember that I lectured in Newark lately for the
young gentlemen of the Clayonian Society? I did, at any rate. During the
afternoon of that day I was talking with one of the young gentlemen just
referred to, and he said he had an uncle who, from some cause or other,
seemed to have grown permanently bereft of all emotion. And, with tears
in his eyes, this young man said, "Oh, if I could only see him laugh
once more! Oh, if I could only see him weep!" I was touched. I could
never withstand distress.

I said: "Bring him to my lecture. I'll start him for you."

"Oh, if you could but do it! If you could but do it, all our family
would bless you for ever more, for he is so very dear to us. Oh my
benefactor, can you make him laugh? can you bring soothing tears to
those parched orbs?"

I was profoundly moved. I said: "My s