EXTRACTS.

Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist, Volume 2, Issue 27, 8 February 1844, Page 4

EXTRACTS.

The following anecdote has often been told by the Emperor Alexander, and is amongst the traditions of the Russian Court: —ln 1814, during the period that the Allies were masters of Paris, the Czar, who resided in the hotel of M. de Tuilieyrand, was in the daily habit of taking a walk (in the strickest incognite) every morning in the gardens of the Tuilleries and thence to the Palais Royale. He one day met two other sovereigns, and the three were retuning arm in-arm to breakfast in the Rue St. Eloreutin, when, on there way (hither, they encountered a provincial, evidently freshly imported to Haris,and who had lost his way. “Gentleman said he,* r can you tell me which is the Tuillries?” “Yes replied Alexander, “ follow us, we are going that way, and will show you.” Thanks on the part of the countryman led them soon into conversation. A few minutes sufficed to arrive at the Palace; and, as here their routes lav in opposite directions, they bade each other, reciprocally, adieu.” Parbleu t” cried all at once the provincial,

•* I should be glad to know the names of persons amiable and complaisant as you are?” “ My name I” said the first—“ oh, certainly ; you have perhaps heard of me. I am the Emperor Alexanderl”,, A capital joke, ” exclaimed gascon; “ an Emperor J —and you,” addressing the second individual “ who may you be?” “I ?” replied he ; “ why probably I am not unknown to you, at least by name, “ 1 am the King of Prussia !” “ Better and better,” said the man ; “ and you, what are you, then ?” looking at the the third person. “I am the Emperor of Austria!” ««Perfect, perfect,” exclaimed the provincial, laughing with all his might. “ But now, monsieur, ” said the Lmperor Alexander, “ surely you will also let us know whom we have had the honour to speak

to?” “To be sure,” replied the man quit* ing them with an important -strut, “ 1 am the Great Mogul!” A small compass has lately been offered for sale to the French Government

by a Chevalier Auriol, to which acurious history is attached. This little instrument, which is in a plain gilt case, and of English manufacture, was first sent, with other astronomical instruments, to Louis XVI. by a decendant of Sir fsaac Newton.lt appears that it was afterwards given by the unfortunate Monarch to the Dau--1 phin, who had it with him in prison, and while there gave it to a faithful dependant who had tried to assist him to escape. This party had been at school at Brienne with Napoleon, and accompanied him to Egypt* There he happened to show the little compass to Napoleon, who admired 1( it, and it was accordingly presented to him, Napoleon, on returning to France, a and having become Emperor, being, as is *' well known, superstitious, setgreat value on the instrument, had the letter “ N" and

his imperial crown engraved on it, and made use of it in his campaigns, and never parted with it until his captivity in St.Helvetia; and then, either considering it as a useless talisman, or as the best means of acknowledging the disinterested kindness of the party, he presented it to Madam Au.iol. Marshal Sonlt is now in treaty with the Chevalier d ’ Auriol for the purchase of it, with the view of placing this Royal and imperial relic among the other objects preserved in the Hotel des U nvaiides, as having been about the person of Napoieou

Curiosity Caroline, the Queen of the second George, had a large share of that curiosity which is said to be natural to all women , in regard to the appearance and domestic behaviour of men who (nuke a noise in the world. One day , when conversing with the great Duke of Argyle about the Highlands, and in particular about the strong political feeling which prevailed there at that time in favour of the Stuarts, she asked his grace what sort of persons those were whom she heard so often spoken of by the name of Clans, and who appeared to regulate the motions of the barbarous hordes of the north . Argyle, piqued at the language used by Her Majesty, in reference to his countrymen , begged leaf to assure his royal mistress, that in some main points the Highland Chiefs were very tilce German Princes, being very poor and very prond.

Profitless Customer— in the good town of Shiewsbery there were, and still are, very probably, three inns, called the Lion, thefl’albot,and the Raven, whereat were hoiden the maikct ordinaries, the charge for dinner being IBd a head, beer included. A frequeuter of the market and its tables d’hote was oue Mr. David Williams, a dealer in welch flannel by profession, of whom his friends were wont to say he was blessed with an excellent wheu he dined at home he ate as much appetite, the English of which was, that when he dined at home he ate as much as six ploughmen, and wheu he dined abroad as sixteen. The Raven was David’s favorite ordinary, and for many a long year the landlord put up with the flannel merchant’s custom with a resignation worthy of a more distinguished martyrdom . At last, when bankruptcy began to stare him in the face, on receiving the accustomed 18d for three fried soles, a rabbit smothered with onions a pair of roast fowls, a pound of plum podding, and half a gallon of ale, his natural politeness forsook him, and he spoke thus . ‘ Mr M ihiams , 1 have no desire any longer to monopolise all your favours, I am quite satisfied of your wiihes to serve me. Why don’t you give the Lion a turn?’— Globe.