Fontenelle was once staying with his nephew, M. Aube, and had the misfortune to let a spark fall upon his clothes, which set fire to the bed, and eventually to the room.  M. Aube was extremely angry with his uncle, and shewed him what precautions he ought to have taken to prevent such an accident.  “My dear nephew,” replied Fontenelle, calmly, “when I set fire to your house again, depend upon it I will act differently.”

Fontenelle, being praised for the clearness of his style on the deepest subjects, said, “If I have any merit, it is that I have always endeavoured to understand myself.”

The conversation turning one day, in the presence of Fontenelle, on the marks of originality in the works of Father Castel, well known to the scientific world for his “Vrai Systeme de Physique generale de Newton;” some person observed, “but he is mad.”  “I know it,” returned Fontenelle, “and I am very sorry for it, for it is a great pity.  But I like him better for being original and a little mad, than I should if he were in his senses without being original.”

FOOLS.

Triboulet, the fool of Francis the First, was threatened with death by a man in power, of whom he had been speaking disrespectfully; and he applied to the king for protection.  “Be satisfied,” said the king:  “if any man should put you to death, I will order him to be hanged a quarter of an hour after.”  “Ah, sir!” replied Triboulet, “I should be much obliged if your majesty would order him to be hanged a quarter of an hour before!”

Dr. Gregory, professor of the practice of physic at Edinburgh, was one of the first to enrol himself in the Royal Edinburgh Volunteers, when that corps was raised.  So anxious was he to make himself master of military tactics, that he not only paid the most punctual attendance on all the regimental field-days, but studied at home for several hours a day, under the serjeant-major of the regiment.  On one of these occasions the serjeant, out of all temper at the awkwardness of his learned pupil, exclaimed in a rage, “Why, sir, I would rather teach ten fools than one philosopher.”

James I. gave all manner of liberty and encouragement to the exercise of buffoonery, and took great delight in it himself.  Happening once to bear somewhat hard on one of his Scotch courtiers, “By my saul,” returns the peer, “he that made your majesty a king, spoiled the best fool in Christendom.”

FORGIVENESS.

French Curate.—­During the French revolution, the inhabitants of a village in Dauphine had determined on sacrificing their lord to their revenge, and were only dissuaded from it by the eloquence of the cure, who thus addressed them:—­“My friends,” said he, “the day of vengeance is arrived; the individual who has so long tyrannized over you must now suffer his merited punishment.  As the care of this flock has been entrusted to me, it behoves