The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 14, No. 385, August 15, 1829

A snapper up of unconsidered trifles.

    SHAKSPEARE.

SUPERSTITION

Catherine de Medicis, in order to be assured of the assistance of heaven in a certain project, vowed to send a pilgrim to Jerusalem, who should walk three feet forwards and one backwards all the way. A countryman of Picardy undertook the fulfilment of this vow, and having employed a whole year in the task, was rewarded with a title and a large sum of money.

The Romans deposed their Dictator, Minutius, and the general of their cavalry, Caius Flaminius, on the same day they had been elected, because one of the citizens of Rome had heard a mouse squeak.

    A.V.M.

NAPKINS

When Diego de Torres, the Spanish ambassador, in 1547, first dined with the Emperor of Morocco at his court, he was amused by the customs of the table; neither knives, forks, nor spoons, were provided; but each person helped himself with his fingers, and cleaned his hands with his tongue, excepting the emperor, who wiped the hand he took his meat up with on the head of a black boy, ten years old, who stood by his side. The ambassador smiled, and the emperor observing it, asked what Christian kings wiped their hands with at meals, and what such things were worth? "Fine napkins," replied the ambassador, "a clean one at every meal, worth a crown a piece or more." "Don't you think this napkin much better," said the emperor, wiping his hand again on the black boy's head, "which is worth seventy or eighty crowns."

JUSTICE

"What is your fare, coachee," said a stout gentleman alighting from a hackney-coach.

Coachee.—"One shilling, sir."

Gent.—"One shilling! What an imposition for such a short distance."

Coachee.—"I'll take my oath that is my fare."

Gent.—"Will you? very well, I am a magistrate, proceed—(Coachee is sworn)—That will do, the shilling I shall keep for the affidavit."

Philip III. King of Spain, wept at an Auto da Fé, because he saw so many fellow creatures inhumanly tormented. This was thought by the Grand Inquisitor to be a great sin, and he terrified the king so much with his remonstrances, that Philip suffered himself to be bled, and the blood to be given to the common executioner, to be burnt at the next Auto da Fé, by way of penance.

Cobweb comes from the Dutch word Kopwebbe; and Kop in that language signifies a spider.

(S.I.B.'s interesting paper on the Birth of Edward VI. and Death of Queen Jane Seymour, did not reach us till our description of Hampton Court was ready for press: our Correspondent's contribution shall appear next week.)

LIMBIRD'S EDITION OF THE FOLLOWING NOVELS IS ALREADY PUBLISHED:

notes

1

An obsolete French term of salutation, abridged from Bon prou vous, i.e. much good may it do you.

2

Stow's Annals.

3

Fuller's Church History.

4

Rymer's Foedera.

5

Clarendon's History of the Rebellion.

6

Cibber tells us that the expenses of each play were £50. and the players were allowed the same sum. The King likewise gave the managers £200. more, for all the performances. For the last play, the actors received £100. One of the plays acted here was Shakspeare's Henry VIII—thus making the palace the scene of Wolseys downfall, as it had been of his splendour.

7

For an Engraving of the Maze, see MIRROR, vol. vi. page 105.

8

History of Whalley.