Anonymous

“ To lay a man's right hand upon himself, where he cannot touch it with his left, will seem strange to those who are unacquainted with the trick; and when they have tried, some will be ready to bet; then take their right hand and lay it upon the backside of their left elbow, and they will soon be obliged to yield the wager lost. ”

“ More swift than a bird,
that does the green forest approach.
Answ. an arrow drawn in a bow by a gentleman archer.
My skin is black, my blood is sweet,
My heart resembles wood,
which there's fomething may be eat,
Tho' not exceeding good. ”

“ An old woman in a country village had been such a wonderful cracker of nuts all her life-time, that at her death she willed, that a bag of nuts might be put in her coffin to lay her head upon, which was accordingly done ”

“ I'm carry'd quite thro' the city.
seeming mighty pretty,
No quarrel or wrangle I breed,
My body is taper,
I fear not a rapier
Tho' stabb'd not a drop do I bleed.
Answ. The scabbard of a sword.
I'm puncheon and thick,
My belly they prick
With sharp and pointed spears,
Tho' many a head appears,
There's neither eyes nor ears.
Answ. a Pin cushion full of pins, whole heads
have no eyes nor ears. ”

“ I view the world in little space,
an always restless, changing place;
No food I eat; but, by my pow'r,
Procure what millions do devour.
anfw. the Sun.
Though the moment I'm born, as good Latin I speak,
as a lad of long standing at school;
tho' my head piece is good, I've four arms in my back,
and in yellow am dress'd like a fool. ”

“ Now after long travel, coming to the court, which was then siting, he rushed in amongst them, and the cryer of the court observing it, demanded silence, and bid him give an account to the court of what he had to say. Marry, quoth he, they say these gentlemen can tell one whether a body be a witch or no, having a wart on my side, I am afraid I am so ”

“ Is it fat? the fellow, thinking it had been the old woman cracking nuts, was horribly frightened, and thereupon he threw the lame sexton down, crying Fat or lean, take him as he is, Mr. Devil; and then ran out of the church yard like a fellow distracted, leaving the poor afrighted sexton to crawl home upon all fours.
A country man having one son, named Jack, an unlucky boy, his father one day was about to chastise him for his wickedness ”

“ Tho you seem of me fond,
For my safety provide,
And, when you walk out,
Take me close by your side;
Yet when age advances,
You cast me away,
and I to your frowns fall
an innocent prey.
answ. a Dog.
What being's most despis’d by man,
and does him all the good he can ”

“ Two lookers, two crookers,
four hangers, four gangers,
and a flap to scare the flies away.
Answ. a Cow.
Men often boast of cunning skill,
and me as often strive to kill;
Yet notwithstanding all their splutter,
make the farmer oft to mutter. ”

“ Yet has a living foul within,
and saved hopes to be.
Answ. a Cuckold.
A Wretch there is, whose growing wealth,
But serves to nake him poorer still.
and tho' his chests their thousands boast,
They cannot once his belly fill. ”

“ Where mortal man has seldom been,
Tho' ftrange, it is a naked truth.
Answ. a Paper kite, which mounts the
lofty air.
'Tis neither flesh nor bone,
Yet it passes on;
By which is fairly shewn
The length and breadth of man.
Answ. a Man's shadow, whilst he is walking
in the sun.
From five feet high,
Up to the sky
It reaches although it is round:
Now try your wits,
If fancy hits,
This riddle you'll expound.
Answ. The sight of a man's Eye.
Preferment lately was bestow'd
Upon a man, tho' mean and small ”