THE FLOWERS OF WIT, OR A CHOICE COLLECTION OF BON MOTS, BOTH ANTIENT AND MODERN, WITH BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL REMARKS. BY HENRY KETT, AUTHOR OF THE ELEMENTS OF GENERAL KNOWLEDGE COMPLETE IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. 1825. able proof of the moderation and prudence of King George II. PRIOR. He was a skilful versifier, rather than an original poet, and possessed a happy facility of expressing the ideas he borrowed from his predecessors in neat and flowing rhymes. He showed much of the airy vivacity which marked the French poets of the same period, and like them, excelled in the pleasantries of con versation. 494. In a gay French company, when every one sang a little song or stanza, of which the burden was 'Bannissons la melancholie;' when it came to his turn to sing, after the performance of a young lady that sat next him, he produced these extemporary lines : Mais cette voix, et ces beaux yeaux, Bannissons la melancholie." 495. As he was surveying the apartments at Versailles, being shown the victories of Louis XIV. painted by Le Brun, and asked whether the king of England's palace had any such decorations; "The monuments of my master's actions,' said Prior, 'are to be seen every where but in his own house.' 496. When he was ambassador at Paris, he went one night to the Opera, and sat in the same box with a nobleman, who, as is the custom in France, sung louder than the performer on the stage. Prior burst out into violent invectives against the performer; upon which the nobleman ceased singing, asked Prior very seriously the reason of his abuse, and assured him upon bis honour that the person he exclaimed against had one of the finest voices in Europe, "That may be,' said Prior; but how can I have any patience with a fellow mak ing such a horrid noise, that I cannot have the pleasure of hearing your lordship?" 497. Towards the close of his life he became deaf, or at least thought himself so. When some person asked. him, whether he had ever observed himself deaf when he was in office; Faith, replied he, 'I was then so afraid of my head, that I did not much attend to my ears.' PSALMANAZAR. 498. HE endeavoured to impose upon the public, by pretending to be a native of an island he called Formosa. One day as he was enlarging upon its beauties, a gentleman, who had no great relish for his flights of fancy, remarked to him: "If this island be in the latitude you describe, the sun must shine perpendicularly down the chimneys, and put all the fires out.' 'O sir,' said Psalmanazar without any hesitation, the inhabitants are aware of this inconvenience, and so all the chimneys are built obliquely.' DANIEL PURCELL. 499. He was a very determined nonjuror. He told a friend of his, that when king George I. landed at Greenwich, he had a full view of him. Then,' said his friend, you know him by sight.' 'Yes,' replied Purcell, ' Í think I know him, but I cannot swear to him.' THE DUCHESS OF QUEENSBURY. 500. THE duchess was the patroness of Gay, and being fond of the company of his brother-wits, invited a party, consisting of Addison, Pope, Swift, and Arbuthnot, to dine with him at her table. Addison talked little; and what he said was with such embarrassment, that he could hardly finish a sentence. Pope was the orator of the company; his voice was shrill, and he made many tart observations. Swift was in one of his odd humours, and was determined to tease the duchess; so, as soon as the company were seated at dinner, he complained he had left his snuff-box behind him, and requested one of the servants might be sent for it. He soon after complained of the want of his tooth-pick case, and a second servant was despatched for that, which he described as an indispensable requisite to his comfort. He then complained of the want of his pocket-book, and a third servant was sent for that: in short, he contrived to have so many distinct wants, that not a single servant was left in the room. The duchess looked around, and seeing no servants; 'Gentlemen,' said she, we are reduced to such a state that we must wait upon ourselves. If I want a piece of bread or a clean plate, I shall rise and help myself, and you must do the same." Swift, finding his scheme of putting the duchess out of humour had failed, sat in sullen silence; but Gay, a fat jolly figure, threw himself back in his chair in an immoderate fit of laughter, delighted at his mortification. I am now fully convinced,' said he, of what I have often heard; that her grace, our noble hostess, is the best-natured woman in the world.' 6 QUIN. 501. QUIN thought angling a very cruel diversion; and on being asked why, gave this reason: Suppose some superior being should bait a book with venison, and go a quinning; I should certainly bite, and what a figure I should make dangling in the air!' 502. Quin told lady Berkeley, who was a beautiful woman, that she looked blooming as the spring; but, recollecting that the season was not then very promis ing, he added, 'I wish the spring would look like your ladyship.' 503. A young fellow, whose talent lay in comedy, came to offer himself to the play house; and having given a specimen of his abilities, Mr. Quin asked if he had ever played any parts in comedy? The young fetlow answered, Yes, he had played Abel in the Alchymist. I am rather of opinion,' said Quin, you played Cain, for I am certain you murdered Abel.' 504. When manager, he kept a tragedy so long that the author called frequently; and being very angry. Quin sent him to his bureau and desired him to take it. After searching for some time among several other plays, and not finding his own; "Well,' said Quin,' be con tent-take two comedies and a farce for it.' 505. Being asked, what he thought of the conduct of the people of England with regard to the Bottle Conjurer, Elizabeth Canning, and the Cock-Lane Ghost; The first,' he answered, was a proof of their ridicu lous credulity; the second, of their extravagant folly; and the last, of their blind superstition.' RACINE. 506. In one year I have written half a dozen tragedies,' said an arrogant scribbler to Racine; but you have written only one tragedy in half a dozen years.' True,' said the poet; but my tragedy was Athalia. Did you never read Esop's Fables? Some one reproached a lioness that she brought but one young one at a birth. I allow it, she replied; but that one is a lion.' DR. RADCLIFFE. 507. ATTENDING an intimate friend in a dangerous illness, he declared, in an unusual strain of generosity, that be would not take a fee. At last when the cure was complete, and the physician was taking his leave, I have put every day's fee,' said the patient, in this purse, my dear doctor; nor must your goodness get the better of my gratitude.' The doctor eyed the purse, counted the days of his attendance in a moment; and 6 |