sation naturally turned on
the mutability of the world. "Can you account for this?" said S----, a
master builder, who happened to sit next to Foote. "Why, not very
clearly," said the other; "except we could suppose the world was built
by contract."

AN APPROPRIATE MOTTO

During one of Foote's trips to Dublin, he was much solicited by a
silly young man of fashion to assist him in a miscellany of poems and
essays which he was about to publish; but when he asked to see the
manuscript, the other told him "that at present he had only conceived
the different subjects, but had put none of them to paper."

"Oh! if that be the state of the case," replied Foote, "I will give
you a motto from Milton for the work in its present state:

'Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme.'"

REAL FRIENDSHIP

A young gentleman, making an apology to his father for coming late to
dinner, said "that he had been visiting a poor friend of his in St.
George's Fields." "Ah! a pretty kind of friend indeed," says the
father, "to keep us waiting for dinner in this manner."

"Aye, and for the best kind, too," said Foote: "as you know, my dear
sir, a friend in need is a friend indeed."

ANECDOTE OF AN AUTHOR

An author was boasting that as a reviewer he had the power of
distributing literary reputations as he liked. "Take care," said
Foote, "you are not too prodigal of that, or you may leave none for
yourself."

DR. BLAIR

When Foote first heard of Dr. Blair's writing 'Notes on Ossian' (a
work the reality of which has always been much doubted), he observed,
"The publishers ought to allow a great discount to the purchaser, as
the notes required such a stretch of credit."

ADVICE TO A DRAMATIC WRITER

A dull dramatic writer, who had often felt the severity of the public,
was complaining one day to Foote of the injustice done him by the
critics; but added, "I have, however, one way of being even with them,
by constantly laughing at all they say."

"You do perfectly right, my friend," said Foote; "for by this method
you will not only disappoint your enemies, but lead the merriest life
of any man in England."

THE GRAFTON MINISTRY

A gentleman coming into the Cocoa-Tree one morning during the Duke of
Grafton's administration, was observing "that he was afraid the poor
ministry were at their wits' end."

"Well, if it should be so," said Foote, "what reason have they to
complain of so short a journey?"

JOHN FORD