olver with
no stopper for the cock to rest on it was one of the old fashion kind
brass mounted and of such is the kingdom of heaven.

truly yourn,

ORION W MUDGE ESQ

CASUISTICAL ARITHMETIC.

A BRACE of partridges being brought in to supper for three gentlemen;
"Come, Tom," said one of them, "you are fresh from the schools, let us
see how learnedly you can divide these two birds among us three." "With
all my heart;" answered Tom, "there is one for _you two_ and here is one
for _me too_."

JOHNSONIAN ADVICE.

MRS. B. desired Dr. Johnson to give his opinion of a new work she had
just written; adding, that if it would not do, she begged him to tell
her, for she had other _irons in the fire_, and in case of its not being
likely to succeed, she could bring out something else. "Then," said the
Doctor, after having turned over a few leaves, "_I advise you, Madam, to
put it where your other irons are._"

BLUNDERS OF SIR BOYLE ROCHE.

FROM SIR JONAH BARRINGTON'S SKETCHES.

THE Baronet had certainly one great advantage over all other bull and
blunder makers: he seldom launched a blunder from which some fine
aphorism or maxim might not be easily extracted. When a debate arose in
the Irish house of commons on the vote of a grant which was recommended
by Sir John Parnel, chancellor of the exchequer, as one not likely to be
felt burdensome for many years to come--it was observed in reply, that
the house had no just right to load posterity with a weighty debt for
what could in no degree operate to their advantage. Sir Boyle, eager to
defend the measures of government, immediately rose, and in a very few
words, put forward the most unanswerable argument which human ingenuity
could possibly devise. "What, Mr. Speaker!" said he, "and so we are to
beggar ourselves for fear of vexing posterity! Now, I would ask the
honorable gentleman, and this _still more_ honorable house, why we
should put ourselves out of our way for _posterity_: for what has
_posterity_ done for _us_?"

Sir Boyle, hearing the roar of laughter which of course followed this
sensible blunder, but not being conscious that he had said anything out
of the way, was rather puzzled, and conceived that the house had
misunderstood him. He therefore begged leave to explain, as he
apprehended that gentlemen had entirely mistaken his words: he assured
the house that "by _posterity_, he did not at all mean our _ancestors_,
but those who were to c