AS MERRY AS A GREEK!

This pr.verb btained existence since the subjugation of the country by Mahomet II., in 1455. Patrick Gord n, in a work published a century ago, thus writes "The Greeks (most famous of old both for arms and arts, and everything else that's truly valuable) are so wonderfully degenerated from their forefathers, that instead of those excellent qualities, there is nothing to be seen among them but the very reverse. There is, nevertheless, no people more jovial and merrily disposed, being so much given to singing and dancing, that it is now become a proverbial saying, 'As merry as a Greek!""

MERRY-ANDREW.

Although Strutt, in his "Sports and Pastimes," has several allusions to Merry-Andrews, he does not attempt to explain the origin of the term. Hearne, in his "Benedictus Abbas" (tom. i. Praef. p. 50. ed. Oxon, 1735, as quoted by Warton in his "English Poetry," vol. iii. p. 74. ed. 1840), speaking of the wellknown Andrew Borde, gives it as his opinion that this facetious physician gave rise to the name of MERRYANDREW, the fool on the mountebank's stage : "Twas. from the Doctor's method of using such speeches at markets and fairs, that in after times those that

imitated the like humorous, jocose language, were styled MERRY-ANDREWS, a term much in vogue on our stages."

COCK-AND-BULL STORY.

The following notice of this phrase occurs in "The Universal Character, by which all the Nations in the World may understand one another's Conceptions, reading out of one Common Writing their own Mother Tongues, &c." By Cave Beck, M.A. Lond. 1657. "The Egyptians of old had a symbolical way of writing by emblems and pictures, which might be read by other nations instructed in their wisdom, but was so hard to learn, and tedious in the practice, that letters soon justled them out of the world. Besides, most of their hieroglyphics were so catachrestical* (the picture showing one thing to the eye, and a quite different sense imposed upon it), that they justified the painter who drew a misshapen cock upon a signboard, and wrote under it 'This is a bull.""

DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND!

The diamond is the hardest substance in nature, and hence there is no way of grinding or polishing diamonds, but by acting upon them with their own

* i.e. Far-fetched.

powder, which is obtained by laborious rubbing of them one against another. Hence the phrase of "Diamond cut Diamond!" so generally applied when cunning and dexterity come in contact.

PUT A BEGGAR ON HORSEBACK, AND HE'LL RIDE TO THE DEVIL!

A century ago, there existed in Scotland a class of privileged persons, or Beggars, called Blue-gowns. These itinerants were a very hardy race, and from the knowledge they attained of the country from their ramblings, were often employed as messengers. Every village and every mansion had its Blue-gown; the secrets of the laird and of his fair daughter were alike known to him. In every case of importance, whether to the magistracy, to the midwife, or to the post-office, the Blue-gown was the Mercury employed. Every cross-cut, byepath, and winding of the country, was better known to him than it was to any of the Scottish lieges; indeed, he was the oracle of the locality in which he vegetated,—the lover's messenger, the laird's confidant, and the gossip's chronicler. His privileges were also greater than any; for what would get the Blue-gown reprimanded, would get another transported. In his ramblings he did not always use his own extremities, but would sometimes make free with a neighbour's horse, or when he could

not do that, would avail himself of one of the halfwild stragglers with which Scotland abounded at that period. In fact, when the Blue-gown was supposed to be in the north, he would be in the west; and when he was considered to be on some distant errand, he would suddenly make his appearance before the astonished parties. Of course, his knowledge of the cross country, and his four-legged assistant, gave him this celerity. Hence, when the laird wanted a special messenger, Blue-gown was employed, and "Put the beggar on horseback!" was the charge given, and whence originated the common saying, “Put a beggar on horseback, and he will ride to the devil!"

GRINNING LIKE A CHESHIRE CAT.

This phrase owes its origin to the unhappy attempts of a sign painter of that country to represent a lion rampant, which was the crest of an influential family, on the sign-boards of many of the inns. The resemblance of these lions to cats caused them to be generally called by the more ignoble name. A similar case is to be found in the village of Charlton, between Pewsey and Devizes, Wiltshire. A public-house by the roadside is commonly known by the name of "The Cat at Charlton." The sign of the house was originally a lion or tiger, or some such animal, the crest of the family of Sir Edward Poore.

HE IS GONE TO POT!

A tailor of Samarcand, living near the gate that led to the burying-place, had by his shopboard an earthen pot hanging on a nail, into which he threw a little stone when any corpse was carried by ; and at the end of every moon he counted the contents of his pot, in order to ascertain the number of the deceased. At length the tailor died himself; and some time after one that was unacquainted with his death, observing his shop to be deserted, inquired what was become of him. One of the neighbours answered, "The tailor is gone to the pot as well as the rest."

AS DRUNK AS DAVID'S sow!

A common saying, which took its rise from the following circumstance :-David Lloyd, a Welshman, who kept an alehouse at Hereford, had a living sow with six legs, which was greatly resorted to by the curious he had also a wife much addicted to drunkenness, for which he used sometimes to give her due correction. One day, David's wife having taken a cup too much, and being fearful of the consequence, turned out the sow, and laid down to sleep herself sober. Company coming to see the sow, David ushered them into the stye, saying, "There is a sow for you! did any of you ever see such another?"-all the while