much in doubt whether they always performed their duty honestly--he
called the Sun the _Yellow-hair'd Laddie_ ~260~~ --and the Prince of
Darkness, the _Black Prince_--ask'd what was the difference between a
sigh-heaver and a coal-heaver; but obtaining no answer, I will tell you,
said he--The coal-heaver has a load at his back, which he can carry--but
a sigh-heaver has one at his heart, which he can not carry. He had a
whimsical knack of quoting old proverbs, and instead of saying, the
Cobbler should stick to his last, he conceived it ought to be, the
Cobbler should stick to his wax, because he thought that the more
practicable--What is bred in the bone, said he, will not come out with
the skewer; and justified his alteration by asserting it must be plain
enough to the fat-headed comprehensions of those epicurean persons who
have the magpie-propensity of prying into marrow-bones.

Dashall having remarked, in the course of conversation, that _necessity
has no law_.

He declared he was sorry for it--it was surely a pity, considering
the number of learned Clerks she might give employ to if she had--her
Chancellor (continued he) would have no sinecure of it, I judge: hearing
the petitions of her poor, broken-fortuned and bankrupt, subjects would
take up all his terms, though every term were a year, and every year
a term. Thus he united humour with seriousness, and seriousness with
humour, to the infinite amusement of those around him.

Merrywell, who was well acquainted with, and knew his humour, took
every opportunity of what is called drawing him out, and encouraging
his propensity to punning, a species of wit at which he was particularly
happy, for puns fell as thick from him as leaves from autumn bowers; and
he further entertained them with an account of the intention he had some
short time back of petitioning for the office of pun-purveyor to his
late Majesty; but that before he could write the last line--"And your
petitioner will ever pun" it was bestowed upon a Yeoman of the Guard.
Still, however, said he, I have an idea of opening business as a
pun-wright in general to his Majesty's subjects, for the sale and
diffusion of all that is valuable in that small ware of wit, and
intend to advertise--Puns upon all subjects, wholesale, retail, and for
exportation. N B. 1. An allowance will be made to Captains and Gentlemen
going to the East and West Indies--Hooks, Peakes, Pococks,{1} supplied
on

1 Well-known drama