a central town of England, and a place where he was least likely to be exposed to the terrors of an unfriendly army. Hutton, in his "History of Birmingham," gives a different origin to this expression, which he says arose as follows:-The day after Charles I. left Birmingham, on his march from Shrewsbury, in 1642, the Parliamentary party seized his carriages, containing the royal plate and furniture, which they conveyed for security to Warwick Castle. They apprehended all messengers and suspected persons, and frequently attacked small parties of the Royalists, whom they sent prisoners to Coventry. Hence the expression respecting a refractory person, "Send him to Coventry!"-" Notes and Queries."

IT'S AN ILL WIND THAT BLOWS NO ONE GOOD!

Antiquaries generally agree that this phrase has a Cornish origin. The coast of Cornwall is, perhaps, the most disastrous to the mariner of any, and what makes it still more lamentable, the Cornish people (not even excepting the more intelligent classes) look upon the plunder of a wreck as a birthright. If the wind blows hard, thousands are immediately on the look-out, impatient for their prey, and if any one makes the common-place remark of, "It's boisterous weather, neighbour," or, "It's a boisterous morning;" the very general reply is, "It's an ill wind that blows Cornwall

no luck!" and from hence arose the common saying, "It's an ill wind that blows no one good!"

WE'LL NOT CARRY COALS!

This saying, so common in the northern counties, takes its origin from the following anecdote :-"Three soldiers in the fifteenth century, a German, a Scot, and an Englishman, being condemned to be hanged in the Low Countries for plunder, their lives were begged— the "benefit of clergy" in that part of the world—by persons who had occasion for their services. A brickmaker saved the German's life, that he might help him in his business; and the culprit thanked his stars. The Scot was taken by a brewer; and he only covenanted that he should not be compelled to make small beer. When the Englishman's turn came, a collier appeared to demand him, dressed in the costume of the mine-grim, black, and sooty: the Briton looking at him for a time, coolly observed, that he had not been used to carry coals, and that the law had better take its course! hence came the saying, "We'll not carry coals!" half proverbially used by Shakespeare and others, to signify the uttterer would not put up with indignity.

NE SUTOR ULTRA CREPIDAM.

"Ne sutor ultra crepidam," (no cobbler should go beyond his last), owes its origin to this practice of

Apelles. A shoemaker having found fault with a slipper, Apelles corrected the fault, which the shoemaker observing the next time he saw the picture, proceeded to remark upon the leg; when Apelles, springing from behind the canvas, desired him in wrath "to stick to his last."

THOSE WHO HAVE GLASS HOUSES SHOULD BE CAREFUL HOW THEY THROW STONES.

A great many of our phrases and sayings take their data from the reign of our James I., and some of them originated from that sapient monarch himself: this is one of them. On that monarch's accession to the English throne, London swarmed with Scotch adventurers, who were continually hovering about the court, and very generally succeeded (maugre the obstacles that were opposed to them by the English courtiers) in gaining the monarch's favour, as well as employ. This gave great umbrage to the chevaliers of the court, and particularly to the gay and sprightly Buckingham himself, the principal favourite of the king. His mansion, which was in St. Martin's Fields, was famed for its multiplicity of windows, and was denominated by the wags of the day, the Glass House. Buckingham, with others of his fraternity, took every opportunity of annoying, in the most mischievous manner, the poor Scotchmen; indeed, it was not con

fined to the court: they were considered intruders, consequently fair game. Missiles were even resorted to; among the rest, was a tin tube of a portable size, through which the assailants could propel with their mouths a small pebble or stone; it was somewhat similar to what the boys of the present day call a pea-shooter. Buckingham not only winked at this annoyance, but with others of his grade adopted it; whether from want of dexterity or otherwise, it is not said, but the persecuted Caledonians found him out, and by way of retribution broke his windows! The favourite complained to his royal master, but the wary Scot had been beforehand with him, and on stating his complaint, the monarch replied, "Those who live in glass-houses, Steenie,* should be careful how they throw stones." Hence originated the common saying, "Those who have glass-houses should be careful how they throw stones."

HUMBUG!

The derivation of this word, now in such common use, is not generally known; but it is of Scotch origin. There was in former years residing in the neighbourhood of the Mearns, in Scotland, a gentleman of landed property, whose name was Hume or Home; and his estate was known as the Bogue. From the

* A familiar name by which he invariably addressed Buckingham.

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great falsehoods that "Hume of the Bogue" was in the habit of relating about himself, his family, and everything connected with him, it soon became customary, when persons heard anything that was remarkably extravagant or absurd, to say, "That is a Hume o' the Bogue!" The expression spread like wildfire over the whole country, and by those who did not understand the origin of the phrase, and applied it only to any extravagant action or saying, contracted it into one word, and corrupted it to "Humbug."

We must define humbug. It is not naked untruth. A draper's assistant, who tells a lady that a dress will wash when it will not, does not humbug her, he merely cheats her. But, if he persuades her to buy a goodfor-nothing muslin, by telling her that he has sold such another to a duchess, he humbugs her, whether he speaks truly or not. He imposes an inference in favour of his commodity, through her large vanity upon her small mind. Humbug thus consists in themselves, by supplying

making people deceive

them with premises, true or false, from which by reason of their ignorance, weakness, or prejudice, they draw wrong conclusion.

TO PAY A SHIP'S SIDE.

From pix, pitch, distorted into poix, and pronounced pay; hence the expression, " Here's the devil to pay, and no pitch hot!"