cross ask on which side he should turn, the procession having arrived at a cross way. The ventriloquist, imitating the voice of the deceased, said, "When I was alive I went on the side where we are." These words spread terror amongst the people present, every one fled, and the dead was left alone. In another instance, under the portico, where wheat is sold, there is a provisional prison destined for those who disturb the market. The ventriloquist sent forth cries as if those of a poor prisoner torn by a mad cat. All the inhabitants of the town, together with the Gendarmerie, and the troops of the Corps de Garde, in consequence assembled, when the trick was discovered, and the ventriloquist arrested.

49. French Arrogance.-In the 17th century, Monsieur Cornelius Burdeau, a famous mathematician, by great study and labour brought to perfection a very curious piece of clock-work. At the expiration of every hour, a coach and horses moved round, and the coachman, with his whip, struck on the bell, which told the hour; and Monsieur had so ordered his clock, that the Grand Louis sat in a chair of state, and every quarter of an hour a German or Italian prince moved towards the king, and after making his obeisance, struck with a cane upon the bell; and the like was performed at the expiration of every hour by the crowned heads of Europe in their turns. Notice being given in a public print when it would be first exposed to view, a great concourse of people were drawn together to see its operations; and after several princes had performed their obeisance to the French king, and told him what it was o'clock, it came to the turn of king William III. of England. The inventor, in his excess of zeal to make him bow lower than the rest, overstrained a wheel of the work, which breaking, it twitched the French king from his chair, and threw him on his back. Upon this, Monsieur, the inventor, was committed to the Bastile, being accused of having intentionally disgraced the Grand Monarque!

50. Conceit can kill, and Conceit can cure.—Mr. Meanwell, a gentleman of very good fortune, and who lived in the country, had a son named Retort, who had a mighty desire of being made a surgeon; so that seeing his mind was bent particularly on that

profession, his father bound him apprentice for seven years to Mr Gripish, a surgeon and apothecary of noted skill in the neighbourhood. The youth was very ingenious; and before he was out of his time, was looked upon to be as great a proficient in his business as his master.

His apprenticeship being up, Mr. Meanwell addressed Mr. Gripish thus: "Now, sir, my son has finished his apprenticeship, I hope you have kept nothing from him that may render him deficient in his profession; because, as I am persuaded of his capacity and inclination, I should be grieved to find any thing left undone that might prevent or lessen his qualification in the art he professes." "Sir," replied Mr. Gripish, "I believe he is as capable of it as myself, except that he has not had so much experience; nor is it possible that he should. And for my own part, I have not spared to instruct him in all that I am capable of, one single point excepted, and that is a secret that I discovered myself, and which I have sufficiently experienced; so that I would not communicate it to my own brother, or any body living, except I had some consideration for it worthy the discovery."

Mr. Meanwell, unwilling that his son should want any thing to complete his qualifications, demanded what was the price of this mighty secret, which he so much boasted of. "Why, sir," replied Mr. Gripish, "if he makes a proper use of it, it may be better to him than thousands in his pocket. I look upon it as infallible; and to a man of practice and prudence it is invaluable. But as your son has served his time with me, and has been very diligent in his business, and a very good apprentice, I will make him master of this most useful and most excellent nostrum for thirty guineas." Mr. Meanwell thought this a great deal too much money to give for a secret, and at last agreed to give him twenty guineas for it. So as soon as the money was paid, the apothecary delivered a recipe of this great and valuable nostrum to him, and which was no more than this: Conceit can kill, and Conceit can

cure.

When the old gentleman saw it, he immediately burst into a violent passion, and threatened the apothecary with a prosecution if he did not immediately return the money. Being in the pos

session of the money, the apothecary answered, "Why, sir, although you make so slight of this valuable secret, now you know it, yet insignificant as it may seem to you, it has put many hundred pounds into my pocket; and if your son will take care to bear it in his mind, and use it properly, he may turn it to as good an account as I have done."

The old gentleman still insisted on having his money back again, affirming that he was a downright cheat; but at length the son interposed as follows:

"Sir," says he to his father, " do not make yourself uneasy about the purchase of this seeming trifle; my master has been most kind and honourable to me, during my whole apprenticeship; and I have no reason to believe he would impose on either of us. I do not doubt in the least but, as Mr. Gripish says, to make my account of this valuable arcanum; and therefore, sir, I beg you will rest quite satisfied on this point, and leave the rest to me the money shall not be thrown away."-By this interposition of his son, the father was satisfied.

The young gentleman having got consent of his father to travel, set out for Paris: having spent some time in the hospitals there, he set forwards, and made a tour through Germany and Italy; and after about seven years' experience, in both physic and surgery, and having acquired great improvement, both in his person, learning, and profession, he returned to Old England, with a resolution to travel all over it, in the character of a mountebank doctor, which profession at that time was in great esteem in both Germany and Italy.

This accordingly he did with very great success and applause; and at length, in the course of his circuit, he arrived at the same town where he had served his time, assuming the name of Dr. De la Retort. After he had been there some small time, being one day upon his stage, his old master, Gripish, with whom he served his apprenticeship, came pretty near to him, to hear this learned doctor, who had travelled, make an harangue: but as soon as the mountebank saw him, a pleasant fancy immediately came into his head, and he proceeded as follows:

"Gentlemen, it is notorious that the practitioners and pro