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Lady Carteret, wife of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, in Swift's time, said to him, 'the air of this country is good.' 'For God's sake, Madam,' said Swift, 'don't say so in England'; if you do, they will tax it.'
When Mr. Wilberforce was a candidate for Hull, his sister, an amiable and witty young lady, offered the compliment of a new gown to each of the wives of those freemen who voted for her brother, on which, she was saluted with a cry of 'Miss Wilberforce for ever!' when she pleasantly observed.—'Thank you, gentlemen, but I cannot agree with you, for, really, I do not wish to be Miss Wilberforce for ever.' An elderly man, from the Braes of Athol, who had never seen either a ship or sea in his life, once chanced to be crossing from Kinghorn to Leith on a very stormy day, and as the vessel heeled terri- bly, he ran to the cords and held down with his whole vigour, to keep her from upsetting. 'For to sake of our lhives, shentles, come and hold town!' cried he; or if you will nhot pe helping mhe, I'll lhet you all go to te bhottom in one mhoment. And you ploughman tere, cannot you kheep te howe of te furr, and no gang ower te crown of te rhiggs avaw ? Heich?' The steers- man at this laughing alond, the Highlander was irritated, and with one of the levers he ran and knocked him down. 'Nhow! laugh you nhow?' said he; and you weel deserve it all, for it was you who put her so mhad, kittling her thail with tat pin.' There is but one instance known, in which King James II. made a reply of wit and humour After King William had landed, it was announced
