Memoria Technica.

The Books of the Old Testament-The Books of the New-Versified helps to
Memory-Names of Shakespeare's Plays-List of English Sovereigns—
Names of the Presidents-The Decalogue in verse-Short Metrical Gram-
mar-Number of days in each Month-How Quakers Remember...................

Origin of Things Familiar.

327

Mind your P's and Q's-All Fool's Day-The First Playing Cards—“Suð
Rosa"-" Over the Left"-" Kicking the Bucket"-The Bumper-A Royal
Saying-Story of Joe Dun, the Bailiff-The First Humbug-Pasquinade—
The First Bottled Ale-The Gardener and the Potatoes-Tarring and
Feathering-The Stockings of Former Time-The Order of the Garter-
Drinking Healths-A Feather in his Cap-The Word "Book"-Nine Tail-
ors and One Man-" Viz "-Signature of the Cross-The Turkish Crescent-
The Post-paid Envelopes of the 17th Century-Who first sang the" Old
Hundredth?" Who wrote the "Marseillaise Hymn?"-Thrilling Story
of the French Revolution-The Origin of Yankee Doodle"-Story of
Lucy Lockett and Kitty Fisher-How Dutchmen sing“ Yankee Doodle".
How the American Flag was chosen-Who was Brother Jonathan? What
is known of Uncle Sam !”—The Dollar Mark [$]: what does it mean?—
Bows and Arrows in the Olden Time-All about Guns-The first Insurance
Company-The Banks of three Centuries ago-The Invention of Bells-
Who first said "Boo!"-Who made the first Clock-The Watches of the
Olden Time-All about the Invention of Printing-The first Cock-fights-
Meaning of the word Turncoat"-Who invented Lucifer Matches?—
When was the Flag of England first unfurled—Why are Literary ladies
called Blue Stockings?"-Origin of the word "Skedaddle "-How Fools-
cap Paper got its name-The First Forged Bank-Note-Who made the first
Piano Forte?"-The first Doctors-The first Thanksgiving Proclamation—
First Prayer in Congress-The first Reporters-Origin of the word “News”
-The Earliest Newspapers-Who sent the first Telegraphic Message.... 33:

Nothing New Under the Sun.

First idea of the Magnetic Telegraph-Telegraph before Morse-Telegraph a
Century Ago-Who made the first Steam Engine?-What Marian de
Orme saw in the Mad-house-What the Marquis of Worcester Did-
Richelieu's Mistake-Wonderful Invention of James Watt-The first Ocean

Steamer-Fulton an 1 the Steam Engine-The first Balloon Ascension-What
Franklin said about the Baby-An Inventor's Mistake--Discovery of the Cir-
calation of the Blood-What is "Anaesthesia?"-How the First Anodynes were
made-How Adam's "Rib" was taken from him-All about the Boomerang-
Who Discovered the Centre of Gravity?—The first Rifle-Table-moving
and Spirit-rapping in Ancient Times-What is "Auscultation ?"-The
Stereoscope-Ancient Prediction of the Discovery of America

Triumphs of Ingenuity.

315

How the Planet Neptune was Discovered-Le Verrier's Wonderful Calculation-
The Story of a poor Physician—An Astronomer at Home-How Lescarbault
became Famous-The Discovery of the Planet Vulcan—Ingenious Strategem
of Columbus-How an Eclipse was made Useful –Story of King John and
the Abbot-A Picture of the Olden Time-Clever Reply to Three Puzzling
Questions-The Father Abbot in a Fix........

The Fancies of fact.

895

The Wounds of Julius Cæsar—Some Curious Old Bills—“ Mending the Ten Com-
mandments"-Screwing a Horn on the Devil-Glueing a bit on his Tail—
Repairing the Virgin Mary before and behind-Making a New Child-Why
Bishops and Parsons have no Souls-The Story of a Curious Conversion—
Singular Prayer of Lord Ashley-A Moonshine Story of Sir Walter Scott-
Do Lawyers tell the Truth ?-Patrick Henry's Little Chapel-The True
Form of the Cross-How Poets and Painters have led us astray-Curious
Coincidences-How a Bird was Shot with a Stick-How a Musket-shot in the
Lungs saved a Man's life— Mysterious Tin Box found in a Shark's Stomach —
A Curious Card Trick-Which was the right Elizabeth Smith ? — How Mrs.
Stephens's Patients were Cured-How a Girl's Good Memory Caught a Thief
-Choosing a Motto for a Sun-dial-Strange Story of a Murdered Man-The
Chick in the Egg-Innate Appetite-The Indian and the Tame Snake-Why
do Alligators Swallow Stones?-Curious Anecdote about Sheep-Celebrated

Journeys on Horseback-A Horse that went to top of St. Peters' at Rome-A
Wonderful Lock-Wonders of Manufacturing-How Iron can be made More
Precious than Gold-The Spaniard and his Emeralds-How a Cat was sold
for Six Hundred Dollars-Another Cat sold for a Pound of Gold-The amount
of Gold in the World—Amount of Treasure collected by David-How much
Gold was found in California-What was brought from Australia-The
Wealth of Ancient Romans-Wine at Two Million dollars a Bottle, or $272 per
drop-Who is permitted to drink it-Monster Beer Casks, and who made

them-Gigantic Wine-tuns at Heidelberg and Königstein-A Beer-vat in

which Two Hundred People Dined-Difference between the English Poets-

Perils of Precocity-Children who were too Knowing-What became of 146

Englishmen who were confined in the Black Hole-How the Finns make
Barometers of Stone-Singular Bitterness of Strichnia-Something about Salt
-Curious Change of Taste-The Children of Israel armed with Guns-
Simeon with a pair of "Specs"- Eve in a handsome Flounced Dress - St.
Peter and the Tobacco Pipe-Abraham shooting Isaac with a Blunderbuss-
The Marriage of Christ with St. Catherine-Cigar-lighters at the Last
Supper-Shooting Ducks with a Gun in the Garden of Eden-Wonderful
Specimens of Minute Mechanism-Homer in a Nutshell-The Bible in a
Walnut Squaring the Circle-Mathematical Prodigies-Story of a Wonder-
ful Boy-Babbage's Calculating Machine-Extraordinary Feats of Memory-
A Bishop's Heroism-Silent Compliment.....

The Fancies of fact.-CONTINUED.

406

The Eract Dimensions of Heaven-The cost of Solomon's Temple-The Mystic

Numbers Seven and "

Three"- Curions power of Number Nine-Size of

Noah's Ark and the Great Eastern-About Colors: their Immense Variety -

Vast Aerolites, and what they are-Fate of America's Discoverers-Facts

about the Presidents-Value of Queen Victoria's Jewels-An Army of

Women-The Star in the East -Benjamin Franklin's Court Dress-Extraor-

dinary instances of Longevity-Do Americans live long?-A man who lived

more than 200 years—“ Quack-quack” and “ Bow-wow"-A Marriage Vow

of the Olden Time-" Burum in Bedde and at the Borde"- What came in a

dream to Herschel-Singular Facts about Sleep-Curious Chinese Torture-Do

Fishes ever Sleep? -How a Bird Grasps his Perch when A sleep-How to gain

Seven Years and a half of Life-Effects of Opium and Indian Hemp-Confes-

sion of an English Opium-Eater —Strange Effects of Fear-The Thief and the

Feathers-The Poisoned Coachman-How a Man Died of Nothing-What

Chas. Bell did to the Monkey-A Man with Two Faces-Thrilling Story of a

"Broken heart"—.

-NoComfort in being Beheaded—A Man who Spoke after his

Head was cut off -A Man who Lived after Sensation was Destroyed - Comical
Antipathies-Afraid of Boiled Lobsters—A Fish and a Fever-Why Joseph
Scaliger couldn't Drink Milk-The Man who Ran away from a Cat--
About the Cock that Frightened Cæsar-The Two Brothers with One Set of
feelings-How Dennis Hendrick won his Strange Bet-Walking Blind-folded
-How to Tell the Time by Cats' Eyes-Ilow a Young Woman was Cured
by a Ring-The Story told by a Skull-A Romantic Highway Robber.. 435

Singular Customs.

The Coffin on the Table-Queer Mode of Enjoying Oneself—A Beautiful Indian

Custom-Why the People of Carazan Murder their Guests-Danger of Being

Handsome-How an Evil Spirit was Frightened Away-Beefsteaks from a

Live Cow-Compliments Paid to a Bear-How Noses are Made-How Lions are

Caught by the Tail-A Picture of High Life Four Centuries Ago-Why Hairs

were put in Ancient Seals-Fining People for not Getting Married-A

Curious Matrimonial Advertisement...

Facetiæ.

477

The Jests of Hierocles-

Odd Tilles for a Sham Library-Puns of Tom Hood

Curious Letter of Rothschild's-Some Singularly Short Letters—A Disappoint-

ed Lover" The Happiest Dog Alive"-What Happened Between Abernethy

and the Lady-Witty Sayings of Talleyrand-Why Rochester's Poem was

Best-How the Emperor Nicholas was "Sold"-Difference Between “Old

Harry" and "Old Nick "— Comical Story of a very Mean Man-Instances of

Audacious Boasting—Chas. Mathews and the Silver Spoon-How a King

Upset his Inside-Curious Story of Some Relics-What "Topsy's" Other

Name Was-Minding their P's and Q's-Practical Jokes of a Russian Jester.

Boots!"-A

Flashes of Repartee.

482

"Game" of a

Curran and Sir Boyle Roche-Witty Reply of a Fishwoman-Cobden and the

American Lady-Witty Suggestion of Napoleon-Making

Lady-The Road that no Peddler ever Traveled-"A Puppy in his

Quaker's Queer Suggestion-What the Girl said to Curran—A

Man who had "never been Weaned"—Ready Wit of Theodore Hook—

"Chaff" between Barrow and Rochester-A Windy M. P.-A Clergyman

known by his “ Walk”— A Man who had a Right to Speak"-The "Weak

Brother" and Tobacco Pipes-Beecher Lecturing for F-A-M-E—Admiral

Keppel and the He Goat-Thackeray and the Beggar Woman-What Paddy

said about “ Ayther and Nayther"-Scribe and the French Millionaire-

Voltaire and Haller-Why Paddy

"A Most Excellent Judge "-Thackeray Snubbed-Christian Cannibalism—

How a Barrister's Eloquence was Silenced..........

"Loved her Still"-Bacon and Hogg-

The Sexes.

495

Masculine and Feminine Virtues and Vices-Character of the Happy Woman-
What Mrs. Jameson said about Women--Old Ballad in Praise of Women-

The Two Sexes Compared-What John Randolph said in Praise of Matri-

mony-Wife; Mistress; or Lady?-St. Leon's Toast to his Mother.... 501

Moslem Wisdom.

The Caliph of Bagdad-Shrewd Decision of a Moslem Judge-A Question of

Dinner-How the Money was Divided-The Wisdom of Ali-The Prophet's

Judgment: Wisdom and Wealth-Mohammedan Logic-The Foolish Young

Man who Fell in Love-Queer Case of Consequential Damages-Sad Blunder

of Omar-A Perplexing Turkish Will-The Dervise's Device........ 508

Excerpta from Persian Poetry.

Earth an Illusion-Heaven an Echo of Earth-A Moral Atmosphere-Fortune

and Worth-Broken Hearts-To a Generous Man-Beauty's Prerogative-

Proud Humility-Folly for Oneself-An Impossibility—Sober Drunken-

ness-A Wine Drinker's Metaphors-The Verses of Mirtsa Schaffy-The

Unappreciative World-The Caliph and Satan-Curious Dodge of the

Devil.....

511

Epigrams.

An Epigram on Epigrams-Midas and Modern Statesmen-“"Come Gentle
Sleep"-A Man who Wrote Long Epitaphs-The Fool and the Poet-
"Dum Vivimus Vivamus "-Dr. Johnson and Molly Ashton-A Know-
Nothing-Epigram on "Our Bed"—On a Late Repentance-A Pale Lady
with a Red-Nosed Husband-Snowflakes on a Lady's Breast-To John
Milton-Wesley on Butler-Ridiculous Compliment to Pope-Athol Brose-
What is Eternity-Stolen Sermons-Comical Advice to an Author-A Frugal
Queen-Man With a Thick Skull-Miss Prue and the Kiss-A Ready-
Made Angel-The Lover and the Looking-Glass-A Capricious Friend-A
Man who Told “ Fibs”—Unlucky End of a Scorpion-The Lawyer and the
Novel-A Woman's Will-Wellington's Big Nose-The Miser and his
Money-On Bad Singing-Old Nick and the Fiddle-Foot-man versus Toe-
man-"Hot Corn"-Bonnets of Straw-An Original Sin" Man-On
Writing Verses-Prudent Simplicity—A Friend in Distress-Hog v. Bacon-
A Warm Reception-Taking Medical Advice-Definition of a Dentist-Dr.
Goodenough's Sermon-What Might Have Been-A Reflection-The Woman
in the Case-How Lawyers are "Keen"-Dux and Drakes-The Purson's
Eyes-" He Didn't Mean Her"—Affinity Between Gold and Love-The Crier
who Could not Cry-The Parson and the Butcher—A Hard Case of Strikes-
Coats of Male-The Beaux upon the Quiver-On Burning Widows-