repeated all, word for word, when the king was at dinner, before
the whole court.

* * * * *

LOYAL BEQUEST.

Col. Windham, who assisted Charles II. in his escape, is said to have told
the king, that Sir Thomas, his father, in the year 1636, a few
days before his death, called to him his five sons:--"My children," said
he, "we have hitherto seen serene and quiet times under our three last
sovereigns; but I must now warn you to prepare for clouds and storms.
Factions arise on every side, and threaten the tranquillity of your native
country. But, whatever happen, _do you faithfully honour and obey your
prince, and adhere to the crown. I charge you never to forsake the crown,
though it should hang upon a bush._"

* * * * *

SHETLAND ISLES.

Here, on the shortest--day, the sun rises 17-1/2 min. past 9 o'clock, and
sets 42 min. past 2 o'clock. The nights begin to be very short early in
May, and from the middle of that month to the end of July, darkness is
absolutely unknown--the sun scarcely quits the horizon, and his short
absence is supplied by a bright twilight. Nothing can surpass the calm
serenity of a fine summer night in the Shetland Isles.

* * * * *

A SAFE WAY TO OPEN STALE OYSTERS.

There is an old proverb, viz. "_The Mayor of Northampton opens oisters
with his dagger_." The meaning of which is, to keep them at a
sufficient distance from his nose. For this town being eighty miles from
the sea, fish may well be presumed stale therein. "Yet I have heard (says
Dr. Fuller,) that oisters put up with care, and carried in the cool, were
weekly brought fresh and good to _Althrop_, the seat of the _Lord
Spencer_, at equal distance; and it is no wonder, for I myself have eaten,
in Warwickshire, above eighty miles from London, oisters sent from that
city, fresh and good, and they must have, been carried some miles before
they came there."

P.T.W.

* * * * *

Castellan, in his funeral sermon on the death of his patron, Francis I.
modestly expressed his belief that the great prince was in paradise; this
gave great offence to the Sorbonne, who complained of it to the court of
France. Their remonstrance was coldly received, and Mendoze, who had been
steward to Francis, told them, "that he knew the disposition of his old
master better than they, that he never could bear to remain long