"JACK ROBINSON AND GEORGE III.

John Robinson, of Appleby, rose, under the patronage of Sir James Lowther, from being footboy in his service, to sit in Parliament for Westmoreland and Harwich, and Secretary of the Treasury, under Lord North's Administration, when he was caricatured as the political ratcatcher. He was made by Pitt Surveyor-General of His Majesty's Woods and Forests; when he died, there were found in his writing-desk upwards of 300 letters written to him by George III.

Mr. Serjeant Atkinson relates of Robinson: The King was once obliged in the chase to cross Wyke Farm (Robinson lived at Wyke House, near Brentford), when on riding up to one of the gates, he found it locked. He hailed a man close by, but the fellow seemed lazy or unwilling to do as he was bid. "Come, come," said the King, "open the gate." "Nay, ye mun gang aboot," was the answer. "Gang aboot!" replied the King;-" open the gate, man-I'm the King!" "Why, may be," said the chap, "but ye mun gang aboot, if ye ert king;" and sure enough, the King was force to "gang aboot," which in plain English means that he was obliged to go round nearly the whole inclosure of Osterley Park. Robinson came home in the afternoon, and hearing of the King's disappointment, instantly ordered horses to his carriage, and drove post haste to Kew. He was admitted, as usual, without ceremony, and his Majesty, laughing, greeted him thus: "Ah, Robinson, I see you are in distress-be of good cheer! I wish I had such fine fellows in my pay as auld gang aboot. Tell him from me that I shall always be glad to see him." Robinson was at ease; and auld gang aboot very soon and very often found a more direct path than around the palings of Osterley Park to Kew Palace, where he always met with kindness. The King never saw Robinson afterwards without inquiring affectionately after "auld gang aboot."

SIR JOHN DINELY, BART.

This eccentric baronet, of the family of the Dinelys, of Charlton, descended, by the female line, from the Royal House of Plantagenet, having dissipated the wreck of the family estates, obtained the pension and situation of a poor knight of Windsor. His chief occupation consisted in adver

tising for a wife, and nearly thirty years were passed in assignations to meet the fair respondents to his advertisements. His figure was truly grotesque in wet weather, he was mounted on a high pair of pattens; he wore the coat of the Windsor uniform, with a velvet embroidered waistcoat, satin breeches, silk stockings, and a full-bottomed wig. In this finery he might be seen strolling one day; and next out marketing, carrying a penny loaf, a morsel of butter, a quartern of sugar, and a farthing candle. Twice or thrice a year he came to London, and visited Vauxhall Gardens and the theatres. His fortune, if he could recover it, he estimated at 300,000l. He invited the widow, as well as the blooming maiden of sixteen, and addressed them in printed documents, bearing his signature, in which he specified the sum the ladies. must possess; he expected less property with youth than age or widowhood; adding that few ladies would be eligible that did not possess at least 10,000l. a-year, which, however, was nothing compared to the honour his high birth and noble. descent would confer; the incredulous he referred to Nash's Worcestershire. He addressed his advertisements to "the angelic fair" from his house, in Windsor Castle (one of the poor knights' houses). He cherished to the last the expectation of forming a connubial connexion with some lady of property, but, alas! he died a bachelor in 1808.

THAT YOU MUST LOVE ME AND LOVE MY DOG.

An excellent story to this moral is told of Merry, of Della Cruscan memory. In tender youth, he loved and courted a modest appanage to the opera, in truth a dancer, who had won him by the artless contrast between her manners and situation. She seemed to him a native violet, that had been transplanted by some rude accident into that exotic and artificial hot-bed. Nor, in truth, was she less genuine and sincere than she appeared to him. He wooed and won this flower. Only for appearance' sake, and for due honour to the bride's relations, she craved that she might have the attendance of her friends and kindred at the approaching solemnity. The request was too amiable not to be conceded; and in this solicitude for conciliating the good-will of mere relations, he found a presage of her superior attentions to himself, when the golden shaft should have "killed the flock of all attentions else." The

morning came; and at the Star and Garter, Richmond-the place appointed for the breakfasting-accompanied by one English friend, he impatiently awaited what reinforcements the bride should bring to grace the ceremony. A rich muster she had made. They came in six coaches-the whole corps de ballet-French and Italian, men and women. Monsieur de B., the famous pirouetter of the day, led his fair spouse, but scraggy, from the banks of the Seine. The prima donna had sent her excuse. But the first and second buffa were there; and Signor Sc-, and Signora Ch-, and Madame V-, with a countless cavalcade besides of chorusers and figurantes, at the sight of whom Merry afterwards declared, that "then for the first time it struck him seriously that he was about to marry-a dancer." But there was no help for it. Besides, it was her day; these were, in fact, her friends and kinsfolk. The assemblage, though whimsical, was all very natural. But when the bride-handing out of the last coach a still more extraordinary figure than the rest-presented to him as the father—the gentleman that was to give her away -no less a person than Signor Delpini himself with a sort of pride, as much as to say, "See what I have brought to do us honour!"-the thought of so extraordinary a paternity quite overcame him; and, slipping away under some pretence from the bride and her motley adherents, poor Merry took horse from the back-yard to the nearest sea-coast, from which, shipping himself to America, he shortly after consoled himself with a more congenial match in the person of Miss Brunton; relieved from his intended clown father, and a bevy of painted buffas for bridemaids.-Charles Lamb.

KISSING HANDS.

Dr. Leifchild has left the following amusing account of the reception of a deputation to George the Fourth, with its attendant ceremonies :

"Not only had my father the honour of conversing with a royal duke, but while at Kensington he was introduced to royalty itself. He must be allowed to narrate the event in his own words :-'I was one of the ministers of the three denominations, Presbyterian, Baptist, and Independent, who proceeded to Carlton Palace, Pall Mall, with an Address of Congratulation to the Prince Regent upon his accession to the

throne as George the Fourth. We were a motley group, of various dimensions, dresses, and appearance. We advanced in a somewhat confused manner through a long room, with noblemen in waiting on each side, like statues, to the King, who was seated on a low throne at the further end. He was lusty, pappy, and pale, in a kind of uniform, and with a cocked hat, which on our approach he took off with inimitable gracefulness. Dr. Rees, our senior, a Presbyterian, and a fine-looking man, read the address. The King's air of supineness had given way to a mirthful smile, as he saw the satisfaction on our countenances when we were admitted to the royal presence. At the close of the address he read a brief reply, and then unexpectedly addressed us impromptu in these words:- -"The manner in which you have spoken of my late revered father must touch every heart, and none more than my own (laying his hand upon his breast). You may assure yourselves, gentlemen, of a continuance, while I sway the sceptre, of all the privileges you enjoyed under his auspicious reign." To this we had almost audibly said, "hear, hear." When the King was informed that we waived the usual privilege of all kissing hands on account of the fatigue it would occasion him, and that as twelve only of the clergy had been permitted to do so, six only of our number would be selected for the honour, he smilingly observed, "O you may all kiss hands." Upon this we all fell in a most humiliating posture on our knees to kiss his extended hand. Some of those who were large and aged men, especially Doctors Rees and Waugh, had great difficulty in rising, and retired backwards in some confusion, not being accustomed to such a movement. As we retired, the King said to us, "You may stay in the adjoining room till I return.' While waiting there, we saw a small deputation of Quakers advancing with an address, which one of their number held before him in a frame. One of the pages coming towards them to take off their hats, Dr. Waugh, who loved a joke, said to the foremost Quaker in an audible whisper, "Persecution, brother"; to which the brother significantly replied, while pointing upwards, "Not so bad to take off the hat as the head." We saw the King again as he returned in procession, and departed well pleased. I believe we were all remarkably loyal in our prayers the next Sunday.""

ECCENTRIC MR. BLACKBURN.

This gentleman, one of the oldest members of the House of Commons, was very absent: once, Captain Gronow gave him a letter to frank, which he deliberately opened, and read in the Captain's presence; and on being asked if it amused him, he replied that he did not understand what it meant.

Mr. Blackburn was intimate with the Duke of Gloucester : one day, he accompanied His Royal Highness to shoot pheasants; when, suddenly, Mr. B. observing that the Duke's gun was cocked, asked His Royal Highness whether he always carried his gun cocked. "Yes, Blackburn, always," was the reply. "Well then, good morning, your Royal Highness; I will no longer accompany you."

At dinner, he would never surrender his place at table, even to royalty; so the Duke was obliged to sit near him. Whenever the royal servant filled the Duke's glass with wineand-water, Mr. B. invariably drank it off; until, at length, the Duke having secured a glass, drank it off and said, Well, Blackburn, I have done you at last." After dinner, in the drawing-room, the servant in royal livery was holding a tray with a cup of tea for the Duke. Mr. Blackburn, seeing nobody took the cup of tea, determined on drinking it; the servant retired a little, but Blackburn followed, and persisted; upon which the servant said, "Sir, it is for His Royal Highness." "D-n his Royal Highness, I will have this tea." The Duke exclaimed "That's right, Blackburn," and ordered the servant to hand it to him.-Captain Gronow's Reminiscences.

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IRISH WIFE-HUNTING.

An old Catholic family chanced to be in pecuniary difficulties, and a rich wife was the prescribed remedy. A priest, a friend of the family, who, as matrimony is one of the seven sacraments, thinks himself in duty bound to promote so salubrious a rite, was consulted. He gave a couple of taps to his gold snuff-box, protested that there are risks in celibacy, that it is needful to husband the constitution and the estate, and observing that the young squire, though a little pale, was a pretty fellow, put his finger to his nose, and hinted at a young damsel in Newrow (a penitent of his