MISCELLANEOUS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 432, 29 July 1870, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

When the body o! Lord Mohun (killed in a duel, 1712) was carried home bleeding to his house, Lady Mohun was very angry bo cause “it was flung upon the best bed.” , Loj;(l.Qoe]tburn, the biographer of Jeffrey, told me the following anecdote, for the truth of whichhesaidhecould vouch: “ Brougham after he came to reside in London, wrote to Jeffrey, saying that he had immediate occasion for £I,OOO which must be remitted to him. by return of post, and for which there should be valu“ delivered for the blue and buff. The £I,OOO was duly remitted, and in the course of six weeks Brougham sent down articles on agreat variety of subjects, which made up anentirenumber of the ‘ Edinburgh Be view,’ one of these being on a ‘ New Mode of performing the Operation of Lithotomy.’ another upon ‘The Dispute as to Light between the Bmissionists and the Uudulationists,’ and a third on the ‘Music of the Chinese.’ ” I afterwards asked Jeffrey if this was true. His answer was, “ I will not vouch for its literal truth, but Brougham certainly was wonderful for his vigour and variety.” In a letter of Horner to Jeffrey dated 11th January. 1805 (Life of Horner, voh i.,p. 278), he writes: “ You were relieved I trust, from all difficulties by the arrival of Brougham’s packet. It would be new indeed, if anything connected with Brougham were to fail in despatch. He is the surest and most voluminous among the sons of men.”—“ Lives of and Lord Brougham,” by the late Lord Campbell. Everybody knows Dr. Johnson’s definition of a fishing-rod—as a long stick with a cord attached to it, a worm at one end and a fool at the other. Prince Metternich is accredited with the invention of another definition, which is just now going the rounds of the continental papers, and which is amusing enough to be recorded here, the definition of a velocipedestrian—a fool upon rollers. It may be doubted if the doctor’s definition ever made one angler the less; and we are sure that the prince’s definition will extinguish the velocipede. A case relating to property is now before the Supreme Court in Hobart Town which is looked to with interest. The validity of a will is being tried. The fitness of a testator to make such is questioned by his heirs-at-law, aed something like a dozen doctors are to give evidence. The testator was married while on his death-bed, and the making of his will followed his maariage. It is insinuated that clerical influence was brought to bear adversely to those who, but fc the will, would have been the legal representatives. Characteristic storiesare told of the mental obliquities of Irishmen. Some people call them by a harsh name, others goodqura on redly put them down to “ blarney.’ Sheridan Knowles was oue day walking with a friend—a well-known London actor —in the strand. Knowles suddenly d -taches himself from his friend’s arm, and pours forth a volume of hearty salutations on a gentleman passing by, whom he buttonholes on the spot. The gentleman, instead of reciprocating, looks somewhat stiff and aggrieved: “No doubt you are glad to see me, Mr. Knowles.” says he, “ but I hardly think yon have treated me with very great courtesy. When 1 met you last I aske I you to dinner: you fixed your own day and your own hour; we waited for hours; you never put in an appearance, and sent no apology whatever. “Why, bless my soul answers the Irish dramatst, “ ye dont say so? But I’ve such a memory. A thousand pardons-a thousand pardons! Come now, my friend, when do you dine at home again?” “ Wednesday, and we shall be delighted to see pou?” At what hour?” “ Six o'clock.” “ Six o’clock, done—l’ll be with ye, my boy. God bless you!” The gentleman walked off. Sheridan Knowles joined his friend. Says Sheridan Knowles to his friend, a minute afterwards—" I’d give ye a thousand pounds, my boy, if ye’d tell me who that man is?”