affair
relating to the drama). "Sir," says Quin, "you mistake me. I am in your
debt. I owe you a hundred pounds, and I am come to pay you." Thomson, with
a disconsolate air, replied, that, as he was a gentleman whom he had never
offended, he wondered he should seek an opportunity to jest with his
misfortunes. "No," said Quin, raising his voice, "I say I owe you a hundred
pounds, and there it is," (laying a bank note of that value before him).
Thomson, astonished, begged he would explain himself. "Why," says Quin,
"I'll tell you; soon after I had read your Seasons, I took it into my head,
that as I had something to leave behind me when I died, I would make my
will; and among the rest of my legatees I set down the author of the
Seasons for a hundred pounds; and, this day hearing that you were in this
house, I thought I might as well have the pleasure of paying the money
myself, as order my executors to pay it, when, perhaps, you might have less
need of it; and this, Mr. Thomson, is my business." Of course Thomson left
the house in company with his benefactor.

Denon and De Foe.--M. de Talleyrand, having one day invited M. Denon, the
celebrated traveller, to dine with him, told his wife to read the work of
his guest, which she would find in the library, in order that she might be
the better able to converse with him. Madame Talleyrand, unluckily, got
hold, by mistake, of the "Adventures of Robinson Crusoe," by De Foe, which
she ran over in great haste; and, at dinner, she began to question Denon
about his shipwreck, his island, &c., and, finally, about his man Friday!

BONAPARTE.

Possibility.--Bonaparte was passing along the dreadful road across the
Echelles de Savoie, with his engineer, when he stopped, and pointing to the
mountain, said, "Is it not possible to cut a tunnel through yonder rock,
and to form a more safe and commodious route beneath it?" "It is
_possible_, certainly, sire," replied his scientific companion, "but"--"No
buts;--let it be done, and immediately," replied the Emperor.

Sir and Sire.--A petition from the English _detenus_ at Valenciennes was
left for signature at the house of the colonel of gendarmerie, addressed in
a fulsome manner to Bonaparte, under his title of Emperor of the French,
and beginning with "_Sire_." Some unlucky wag took an opportunity of
altering this word into "_Dear Sir_," and nearly caused the whole party to
be imprisoned.

Polignac.--Monsieur le Compte de Po