The Book of Three Hundred Anecdotes | Page 7

etymology of the word
CURMUDGEON. Having obtained the desired information, he thus
recorded in his work his obligation to an anonymous writer:
"CURMUDGEON, _s._ a vicious way of pronouncing coeur mechant.
An unknown correspondent." Ash copied the word into his dictionary,
in the following manner: CURMUDGEON, from the French, _coeur_,
"unknown," and _mechant_, "correspondent!"
Heber's Palestine.--When Reginald Heber read his prize poem,
"Palestine," to Sir Walter Scott, the latter observed that, in the verses on
Solomon's Temple, one striking circumstance had escaped him, namely,
that no tools were used in its erection. Reginald retired for a few
minutes to the corner of the room, and returned with the beautiful
lines:--
"No hammer fell, no ponderous axes rung; Like some tall palm, the
mystic fabric sprung. Majestic silence," &c.
Use of H.--"What has become of your famous General _Eel?_" said the
Count d'Erleon to Mr. Campbell. "Eel," said a bystander, "that is a
military fish I never heard of;" but another at once enlightened his mind
by saying to the count, "General Lord Hill is now Commander-in-Chief
of the British forces!"
Cowper's "John Gilpin."--It happened one afternoon, in those years
when Cowper's accomplished friend, Lady Austen, made a part of his
little evening circle, that she observed him sinking into increased
dejection. It was her custom, on these occasions, to try all the resources
of her sprightly powers for his immediate relief, and at this time it
occurred to her to tell him the story of John Gilpin, (which had been
treasured in her memory from her childhood), in order to dissipate the
gloom of the passing hour. Its effects on the fancy of Cowper had the
air of enchantment. He informed her the next morning that convulsions
of laughter, brought on by his recollection of her story, had kept him
waking during the greatest part of the night! and that he had turned it
into a ballad. So arose the pleasant poem of "John Gilpin."
Catalogue Making.--Mr. Nichols, in the fourth vol. of his _Literary
Anecdotes_, mentions that Dr. Taylor, who was librarian at Cambridge,
about the year 1732, used to relate of himself that one day throwing
books in heaps for the purpose of classing and arranging them, he put

one among works on _Mensuration_, because his eye caught the word
height in the title-page; and another which had the word salt
conspicuous, he threw among books on Chemistry or Cookery. But
when he began a regular classification, it appeared that the former was
"Longinus on the Sublime," and the other a "Theological Discourse on
the Salt of the World, that good Christians ought to be seasoned with."
Thus, too, in a catalogue published about twenty years ago, the
"Flowers of Ancient Literature" are found among books on Gardening
and Botany, and "Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy" is placed among
works on Medicine and Surgery.
Dickens' Origin of "Boz."--A fellow passenger with Mr. Dickens, in the
Britannia steam-ship, across the Atlantic, inquired of the author the
origin of his signature "Boz." Mr. Dickens replied that he had a little
brother who resembled so much the Moses in the _Vicar of Wakefield_,
that he used to call him Moses also; but a younger girl, who could not
then articulate plainly, was in the habit of calling him Bozie or Boz.
This simple circumstance made him assume that name in the first
article he risked before the public, and as the first effort was approved
of he continued the name.
Thomson and Quin.--Thomson the poet, when he first came to London,
was in very narrow circumstances, and was many times put to shifts
even for a dinner. Upon the publication of his Seasons one of his
creditors arrested him, thinking that a proper opportunity to get his
money. The report of this misfortune reached the ears of Quin, who had
read the Seasons, but never seen their author; and he was told that
Thompson was in a spunging-house in Holborn. Thither Quin went,
and being admitted into his chamber, "Sir," said he, "you don't know
me, but my name is Quin." Thomson said, "That, though he could not
boast of the honour of a personal acquaintance, he was no stranger
either to his name or his merit;" and invited him to sit down. Quin then
told him he was come to sup with him, and that he had already ordered
the cook to provide supper, which he hoped he would excuse. When
supper was over, and the glass had gone briskly about, Mr. Quin told
him, "It was now time to enter upon business." Thomson declared he
was ready to serve him as far as his capacity would reach, in anything
he should command, (thinking he was come about some affair relating
to the drama). "Sir," says Quin, "you mistake me. I am