royal family. Being restrained from speaking their sentiments openly, they strung together many ambiguous terms; among others was, wishing for a return of the "good old times," which really meant a return to the monarchial system, and the demolition of Cromwell's government; although, if required, a less objectional (to the governors) explanation might have been given,

BY HOOK OR BY CROOK!

The proverb of getting any thing by Hook or by Crook, is said to have arisen in the time of Charles I., when there were two learned judges named Hooke and Crooke; and a difficult cause was to have been gotten either by Hooke or by Crooke. Spenser, however, mentions these words twice in his Faery Queene, which is a proof that this proverb is much older than that time; and that the phrase was not then used as a proverb but applied as a pun.-Warton.

HOBSON'S CHOICE!

This saying is derived from one Hobson, who let out horses at Cambridge, and obliged such as wanted one, to take that next the stable door, being the one which had had most rest.

GOOD WINE NEEDS NO BUSH.

Bushes of evergreen, such as ivy, cypress, &c., were anciently signs where wine was sold; hence the proverb, or saying, “Good wine needs no bush!"

Commentators have been sadly puzzled to find out the meaning of this proverb, which a residence in France during the autumn would easily have solved. In the departments where the vine is cultivated, the peasant sells its vintage, and as a sign, a green bush is stuck in the wall over the door; this is a regulation of the police; and as long as the peasant has any wine to sell, so long must the bush remain. If one has made better wine than another, the news is soon spread abroad among the topers, and hence the proverb, "good wine needs no bush."

THEY ARE SWORN BROTHERS!

The term "sworn brothers" arose from a custom in Morlachia, and other places, where friendships between the same sex are, like marriages, ratified at the altar. Others say, from persons covenanting formerly to share each other's fortune in an expedition to invade a country, as were Robert de Oily and Robert de Ivery in William the First's expedition into England, or the three Pizarros to Peru. Hence, also, the term of "brethren in iniquity," because of their dividing plunder.

GOD BLESS YOU! TO THE SNEEZER.

The custom of saying "God bless you" to any one who sneezes, seems to have begun about the year of our Lord 750. According to Mythology, the first sign of life Prometheus's artificial man gave, was by sneezing, which Prometheus observing, offers up a fervent prayer for the preservation of so singular a being. His automaton observed him, and remembering his ejaculation, was very careful, on the like occasions, to offer these wishes in behalf of his descendants, who perpetuated it from father to son in all their colonies. This custom is practised among the Jews and among the Abyssinians. When the king of Monomotapa sneezes, those who are near him loudly wish him happiness, this is catched by those farther off, and is echoed through the whole city.

DINING WITH DUKE HUMPHREY!

"Dining with duke Humphrey" is said of those who walked in Saint Paul's Church during dinner-time, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, being a man of great hospitality, and supposed to have been buried in Saint Paul's. But (saith Doctor Fuller) that saying is as far from truth as they from dinner, even twenty miles off, seeing this duke was buried in the Church of St Albans, to which he was a great benefactor.

AS STUPID AS A GOOSE!

"As stupid as a goose" is a very common saying indeed, and is used to denote the extreme of stupidity. It may be truly said, as regards geese in general, that it carries with it its origin; and is introduced here merely to show that all geese are not stupid alike. History informs us, that the cackling of geese saved the capitol of Rome; and the Glasgow Courier, not long ago, gave us the following instance of the above position. "A haughty dunghill cock, at a farm at the head of this county, took a particular antipathy to a fine goose, the guardian of a numerous brood; and accordingly, wheresoever and whenever they met, the cock immediately set upon his antagonist. The goose, who had little chance with the nimble and sharp heels of his opponent, and who had accordingly suffered severely in various rencontres, got so exasperated against his assailant, that one day, during a severe combat, he grasped the neck of his foe with his bill, and dragging him along by main force, he plunged him into an adjoining pond, keeping his head, in spite of every effort, under water, and where the cock would have been drowned, had not a servant who witnessed the proceeding rescued the humble foe. From that day forward the goose received no further trouble from his enemy." The compiler here suggests, that the North Country Geese may

be an exception to the general rule, especially after laying his hand on the following:

"One morning lately, during the frost, the geese were as usual let out of their roosting-place, and, according to their customary habit, went directly to the pond on the common; they were observed by the family to come back immediately, but you may guess their astonishment, when in a few minutes they were seen to return to the pond, each, five in number, with a woman's patten in their mouths!!! The females, to rescue so useful a part of their dress from the possession of the invaders of their property, immediately made an attack, when the waddling banditti made such a stout resistance, that it was not till some male allies were called in, that a victory could be obtained :" the relater continues, “I was much concerned, when this anecdote was related to me, that the geese were not suffered to proceed."—Letter from York. So much for the saying, "As stupid as a goose!"

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HORSE-CHESTNUT AND A CHESTNUT HORSE?

In the reign of queen Anne lived two gentlemen, both members in the same parliament; the one was called Montague Matthieu, the other Matthew Montague: the former a tall handsome man, the latter a deformed ugly one. On one occasion, in the house, an honourable member inadvertently attributed something that had been said by Mr. Matthew Montague, to Mr. Montague Matthieu: upon which, the latter got up and appealed to the speaker and the house in the following manner:

"Sir, an honourable member has charged me with having said that which I never gave utterance to, but which came from Mr. Matthew Montague. Now, Sir, I must appeal to you and this honourable house, whether there is not as much difference between Mr. Matthew Montague, and Mr. Montague Matthieu, as there is between a horse-chestnut and a chestnut horse?" It is almost needless to add that the house was convulsed with laughter, in which Mr. Matthew Montague most heartily joined: hence the origin of the whimsical question, "What's the difference between a horse-chestnut and a chestnut horse?"

ANOTHER FOR HECTOR!

The following is the origin of this saying: In the battle of Inverkeithing, between the Royalists and Oliver Cromwell's troops, 500 of the followers of the Laird of Maclean were left dead on the field. In the heat of the conflict, seven brothers of the clan sacrificed their lives in defence of their leader, Sir Hector Maclean, who, being hard pressed by the enemy, was supported

and covered from their attacks by these brothers, and as one fell, another came up in succession to cover him, crying, " Another for Hector!" This phrase has ever since continued as a proverb, or watchword, when a man encounters any sudden danger that requires instant success.

HECTOR'S CLOAK.

A

The Earl of Northumberland having joined the Duke of Norfolk, and others, who were the supporters of Mary Queen of Scots, the former was betrayed by a faithless borderer to the regent Moray, whose successor, Morton, sold his unfortunate captive to Lord Hunsdon, governor of Berwick, to expiate his errors on the scaffold. This borderer was Hector Graham of Harelaw. list of the Border Clans, in 1605, enumerates among them this name, and "the griefs and cuti of Harelaw." It may be some satisfaction to learn, that this villain did not go unpunished: from affluent circumstances he sunk into unaccountable poverty; and to take "Hector's Cloak," has become proverbial throughout the country for betraying a friend.

I PLEDGE YOU!

Pledging each other in drinking is a custom which took its origin from the time the Danes were in England, who invited to their banquet those island chiefs whom they wished to put out of the way either by the dagger or by poison. The consequence was, that no native would drink at a Danish festival unless his entertainers, or one of them, would "pledge" his safety in a cup of wine beforehand; and, even among those barbarian invaders, this pledge was deemed sacred. The drinking phrase, “I pledge you," is said to have originated from the murder of Edward, by his stepmother Elfrida, while drinking on horseback at the gate of Corfe castle, in the isle of Purbeck. The treachery of the crime occasioned a general distrust; no one would drink without security from him who sat beside him, that he was safe while the bowl was at his lips; and hence is said to have originated the customary expression at table of "I pledge you," when one person invited another to drink first.

SOUND AS A ROACH!

Butler states, that St. Roche, being afflicted with a pestilence, crawled into a forest, where he bore such pains, and manifested so much patience under his afflictions, that an angel visited him, healed his wounds, and made him perfectly sound. He was esteemed the patron saint from that period of all afflicted with the plague, for it was believed that the miraculous intermission of St. Roche could make them as sound as himself; and from hence came the saying, "Sound as a roach."

NERO FIDDLED WHILE ROME WAS BURNING.

Suetonius relates, that somebody in conversation saying, "When I am dead let fire devour the world;" "Nay," rejoined Nero, "let it be whilst I am living;" and then he set Rome on fire in so barefaced a manner, that many of the consular dignities detected the incendiaries with torches and tow in their own houses, and dared not touch them because they were officers of Nero's bedchamber. The fire, during six days and seven nights, consumed a prodigious number of stately buildings, the public temples, and every thing of antiquity that was remarkable and worthy of preservation. The common people were driven by this conflagration to the tombs and monuments for shelter; and Nero himself beheld the flames from a tower on the top of Mecenas's house, and sung a ditty on the destruction of Troy, in the dress which he used to perform in on the public stage. This atrocious want of feeling occasioned the saying, “Nero fiddled while Rome was burning."

A PEG TOO LOW!

Frequent and bloody were the quarrels of our Saxon ancestors over their wassail bowls. To soften these, Dunstan advised that none should drink except from cups pegged so regularly within, that from peg to peg should be considered a legal bumper. Such pegged vessels are still to be seen in the cabinets of antiquaries; and to this regulation we owe the expression of a man being a peg too low." Priests are directed, by a council held in 1102, not to drink two pegs-Nec ad pinnas bibant.

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YOUR HUMBLE SERVANT!

The use of "your humble servant" came first into England on the marriage of Queen Mary, daughter of Henry IV. of France, which is derived from votre tres humble serviteur.

SHAMMING ABRAHAM.

If any of the old accounts of London are looked into, it will be seen that, when Bethlem was first built and endowed, there was a part appropriated for the reception and maintenance of idiots. They were designated by the title of Abraham Men, because that was the name of the ward wherein they were confined. On the first of April, such as were not too incapacitated had a holiday to see their friends; such as had not any begged about the streets. They wore the dress of the hospital, and excited the compassion of many on account of the game made of them by the vulgar and children, who knew no better; which induced numbers of vagrants to imitate the dress, and pretend idiotism, till an order was