Mysterious Benefactor.—­In the year 1720, celebrated for the bursting of the South Sea Bubble, a gentleman called late in the evening at the banking house of Messrs. Hankey and Co.  He was in a coach, but refused to get out, and desired that one of the partners of the house would come to him, into whose hands, when he appeared, he put a parcel, very carefully sealed up, and desired that it might be taken care of till he should call again.  A few days passed away—­a few weeks—­a few months—­but the stranger never returned.  At the end of the second or third year the partners agreed to open this mysterious parcel, when they found it to contain L30,000, with a letter, stating that it had been obtained by the South Sea speculation, and directing that it should be vested in the hands of three trustees, whose names were mentioned, and the interest appropriated to the relief of the poor.

DINNERS.

Bannister.—­Charles Bannister dining one day at the Turk’s Head Tavern, was much annoyed by a gentleman in the adjoining box, who had just ordered fish for dinner, and was calling on the waiter for every species of fish sauce known to the most refined epicure.  “Waiter,” said he, “bring me anchovy sauce, and soy; and have you got Harvey’s? and be sure you bring me Burgess’s;—­and waiter—­do you hear?—­don’t omit the sauce epicurienne.”  How many more he would have enumerated it is difficult to say, had not Bannister stepped up to him, and bowing very politely, said, “Sir, I beg your pardon for thus interrupting you, but I see you are advertised for in the newspaper of this morning.”  “Me, sir, advertised for!” exclaimed the gentleman, half petrified with surprise; “pray, sir, what do you mean?” Bannister, taking the paper, pointed to an advertisement addressed to “The Curious in Fish Sauces.”  The gentleman felt the rebuke, sat down, and ate his dinner without further ceremony.

A Christmas Pudding Extraordinary.—­When the late Lord Paget was ambassador at Constantinople, he, with the rest of the gentlemen who were in a public capacity at the same court, determined one day when there was to be a grand banquet, to have each of them a dish dressed after the manner of their respective countries; and Lord Paget, for the honour of England, ordered a piece of roast beef and a plum pudding.  The beef was easily cooked, but the court cooks not knowing how to make a plum pudding, he gave them a receipt:—­“So many eggs, so much milk, so much flour, and a given quantity of raisins; to be beaten up together, and boiled so many hours in so many gallons of water.”  When dinner was served up, first came the French ambassador’s dish—­then that of the Spanish ambassador—­and next, two fellows bearing an immense pan, and bawling, “Room for the English ambassador’s dish!” “Confound my stupidity!” cried his lordship; “I forgot to tell them of the bag, and these stupid scoundrels have boiled it without one; and in five gallons of water too.  It will be good plum broth, however!”