This puts me in mind of a passage I was told many years ago in England.  At a quarter-sessions in Leicester, the justices had wisely decreed, to take off a halfpenny in a quart from the price of ale.  One of them, who came in after the thing was determined, being informed of what had passed, said thus:  “Gentlemen; you have made an order, that ale should be sold in our country for three halfpence a quart:  I desire you will now make another to appoint who must drink it, for by G—­ I will not."[21]

[Footnote 21:  The following broadside, ascribed to Swift, but written probably by Sheridan, further amusingly illustrates the point Swift makes.  The broadside was printed by John Harding: 

“Another Letter to Mr. Harding the printer, upon occasion of the Report of the Committee of the Lords of His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy-Council, in relation to Mr. Wood’s halfpence and farthings, etc., lately published.

“Mr. Harding,—­Although this letter also is directed to you, yet you know that it is intended for the benefit of the whole kingdom, and therefore I pray make it public, and take care to disperse it.

“The design of it is only to desire all people to take notice, That whatever apprehensions some persons seem to be under on account of the above-mentioned report concerning Mr. Wood’s halfpence and farthings, yet the utmost advice which the right honourable Committee have thought fit to give His Majesty, is, That a certain sum of the said halfpence and farthings may be received as current money by such as shall be willing to receive the same.  And if we are willing to ruin ourselves and our country, I think we are not to be pitied.

“Upon this occasion I would only tell my countrymen a short story.

“A certain King of Great Britain who spoke broad Scotch, and being himself a man of wit, loved both to hear and speak things that were humorous, had once a petition preferred to him, in which the petitioner, having set forth his own merits, most humbly prayed His Majesty to grant him letters-patent for receiving a shilling from every one of his subjects who should be willing to give so much to him.  ‘In gude troth,’ said the King, ’a very reasonable petition.  Let every man give thee twa shillings gin he be willing so to do, and thou shalt have full liberty to receive it.’  ‘But,’ says the petitioner, ’I desire that this clause may be inserted in my patent, That every man who refuses to give me a shilling, should appear at Westminster Hall to shew cause why he so refuses.’  ‘This also,’ says the King, ’shall be granted thee, but always with this proviso, that the man be willing to come.’

“I am your, etc.

“MISOXULOS.”]