The Sun.
London, England, 1825-10-25 00:00:00

ANECDOTES, &c.

VALUE OF PRAISE.—GrnzoN, the celebrated
Historian, in his own account of his life and
writings, mentioning his having attended at the
trial of Mr. Hastings, says, " he could not hear
without emotion the personal compliment paid to
him by Mr. Sheridan in the presence of the Bri-
tish nation." The passage was as follows :
Mr. Sheridan said that " the facts that made up
the volume of narrative were unparalleled in
atrociousness, and that nothing equal in crimi-
nality was to be traced either in ancient or mo-
dern history, in the correct periods of TACITUS
or the luminous page of GIBBON."—A Gentle-
man well acquainted with the ingenuity and neg•
ligence of Mr. Sheridan told him, Ova when he
read this passage he doubted, if he had ever read
the " luminous page." Mr. Sheridan's answer
literally was—" not a line."—Mr. GIBBON, with
the same confiding complacency, mentions this
circumstance in one of his letters to the late Lord,
SUEFFIELD.

FREEDOM OF SPEECIL—II is the custom of the
House of Commous, on presenting their Speaker
to the King, to claim their several privileges of
freedom of speech, from arrests, &c.; but in the
f year 1621, James 1., in reply to their petition,
said he could have wished that they had said
" their privileges were derived from the grace
and permission of our ancestors and us, and not
have used the style of your ancient and undoubt-
ed right of inheritance."
SIR HENRY WorroN.—The excellent Sir
qatittx WOTTON being at Rome made acquaint-
ance with a pleasant priest, who invited him one
evening to hear their vesper music at church.
The priest seeing Sir Henry stand obscurely in a
corner, sent to him lk boy of the choir, with a
small piece of paper with this question written
on it—" Where was your religion to be found
before Luther ?" to which question Sir Henry
replied on the same paper " My religion whiz to
be found then, where your's is not to be found
now, in the written word of God, the Bible."
The next vesper Sir Henry sent one of the choir
boys with this question to his pleasant friend, the
priest—" Do you believe that all those many
thousands of poor Christians were damned that
were excommunicated, because the Pope and the
Duke of Venice could not agree about their tem-
poral power—even those poor Christians that
knew not why they quarrelled ? Speak your
conscience." To which the priest underwrit in
French, " Monsieur, excuse* moi."
Tile INCREASE Of BUILDINGS in LONDON, and
within three miles of the City gates, was pro-
hibited by Queen ELIZABETH, in 1580, who at
the same time issued a proclamation that only
lone family should dwell in one house. Building
with stone was first introduced into England by
Bennett a Monk, in 670, and brick building by
the Earl of Arundel, in 1600, when it contimied
to be executed in a rough manner, but received
great improvement in the reign of King William,
in appearance and solidity, from certain natives
of Flanders, who came to settle here; hence
arose the term Flemish bond, as applied to the
present method used in fronts of buildings—since
which, all attempts at improvement have failed,
and the art of ornamental carving and deco-
rative brickwork, from disuse, is lost—such as is
still to be seen in i decayed state in different
parts of the metropolis and country towns ; but
the guest specimen ever supposed to have been
executed, is still in good preservation in the
front of No. 43, Saint Martin's-lane, Charing-
Cross, where there is a chaste and beautiful
specimen of two fluted pilasters—frize and cor-
nice of the Doric order.

ST. CRISPIN'S DAY.—This (lay is still record-
ed and kept a holiday in the English calendar, Two brothers,
Crispinus and Crispianus, ware born at Rome, whence they tra-
velled to Soissons in France, about the y ar 303, to propagate
the Christian religion. Being desirous of rendering themselves in-
dependent, they gained a subsistence by shoemaking, It having
been discovered that they privately embraced the Christian
faith, and endeavoured to make proselytes of the inhabitants, the
Governor of the town immediately ordered them to be beheaded,
about the year 308. From this time the shoemakers chose
them for their tutelar saints. With reference to this day, we
introduce an anecdote of Charles the Fifth. This sovereign,
in his intervals of relaxation, used to retire to Brussels. He was a
Prince curious to know the sentiments of his meanest subjects
concerning himself and his administration, therefore often went
incog. and mixed himself in such companies and conversa-
tion as he thought proper. One night his boot requiring im-
mediate mending, he was directed to a cobbler. Unluckily,
it happened to be St. Crispin's holiday; and, instead of finding
the cobbler inclined for work, he was in the height of his jolli-
ty among his acquaintance. The Emperor acquainted him
with what he wanted, and offered him a handsome gratuity.—
" What, friend," says the fellow, "do you know no better than
to ask one of our craft to work on St. Crispin ? was it Charles
himself, I'd not do a stitch for him now; but if you'll come in,
and drink St. Crispin, do and welcome ; we are as merry as the
Emperor can be." The Sovereign accepted the offer, and as a
return for his hospitality, gave the cobblers a coat of arms,
being a boot, with an imperial crown on it. There is to be
seen a chapel in Flanders adorned with a hoot and imperial

crown on it; and in all processions the company of cobblers
takes precedence of the company of shoemakers. It remains
only to observe, that the shoemakers of the present day
are far behind their predecessors in the manner of keeping
St. Crispin. From the highest to the lowest, it is a day
of feasting and jollity. It is also, we believe, observed as
a festival with the corporate body of Cordwainers, or shoe-
makers, of London, but without any sort of procession
on the occasion, except the proceeding to a good tavern
to partake of a good dinner, anti drink the pious roe..
rnory of St. Crispin. Besides this day being the Anniversary of
St. Crispin and the battle of A 4incourt, it is also that of the ac-
cession of George 111. in 760, and of the death of Hogarth
in 1754.

- i
INQUESTS.-'There is be found hi Mr. PEPYS'
Diary, among other curious traits of the times in which he
!
lived, an anecdote on the subject of inquests on cases of suicide,
which presents a remarkable contrast to the practice of the
present day. A respectable and wealthy tradesman related to
Mr. Pepys, had the misthrtune, in the great fire of London, to
lose a considerable amount of property, which threw hint into
a state of despondency, and under the influence of this dis-
ease of the mind, he attempted to drown himself, but was pre-
served by the by-standers, and brought home. lie caught,
however, in consequence of the drenching, such a cold as
brought on a fever, that terminated some weeks afterwards in
his death. A Coroner's Inquest was to be held notwithstand-
ing, and so great was the apprehension of the widow and his
other relatives, that their verdict would be
.felo de se, in which
oase all his remaining property would fall to the Crown, that
Mr. Pepys was obliged to exert his personal influence before-
hand with the Duke of York and the King, to obtain a pro-
mise of a grant of the estate to the surviving family, in case
such a verdict ensued; sad this was the more necessary in
mannerfroefgteunently had it promised on gaining scent of a
to the King for a grant
thewthemselves,ask appliedn o
in
nn courtiers
like veryana
be-
foreoct la;
os
t'sheteoidlf
ecassyvuts
verdict
idistceo:
A CHEAP HusnANn.—A young servant girl,
Who had conducted herself very much to the satisfaction of her
mistress, was presented by her with 51., to serve as a marriage
portion. Some time after her mistress desired to see the lover.—
He was ugly and mis-shapen. " Illy good lass," said the
t to
lady, " what a comical husband you have chosen !" "Ah !
xMadam,"ec
g repliedettorut. .17,girl with much simplicity, " what can one
e

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS—(Tins DAYS)

A LoquAcious IRISHMAN.—Susan Lewis wai;,
nd icted for beating James Hogan in the month.
of September last.

The prosecutor commenced with--" May it please your
Grace, and sees Gentlemen of the .lury, l am come for justice
and damages, and hopes to have the law for the bating that
woman gave. me."
CHAIR srAN,---Let us have no speeches ; tell your story.
Complainant—," I az your pardon, but I am not to beinter-
rupted. That woman, brcase 1 dtd not pay her the rint,
punched me on the head, nose, eyes, and mouth, and och, if
you had seen me kivered with blood, it would be a good round
sum you'd give me, that it would "
In this strain he continued to keep the Court in a roar lot
nearly an hour.
The defence turned the tables completely; 3lr. Hogan not
only being a bad pay, but a troublesome, turbulent kind of per-,
sor, who upon this occasion commenced the assault himself.
The Jury found Mrs. Lewis Not
Hogan—Bad, luck to yees all ;ye call. that justice, if it is its,
over the kft,