in salt, wines, cotton, and other fruits of
labour and industry, at a certain ratio per cent. and
deposited in stores over all the empire. The perishable
commodities are immediately sold, and the Mandarins and army
are paid by bills on these magazines. In no part of the
world are the inhabitants less oppressed than there.

_Massachusetts Gazette,_ Sept. 29, 1786.

* * * * *

_Religiously Inclined_.--A gentleman perceiving a fellow
leaning against the front of St. Paul's church yesterday,
who was unable to stand without some such support, asked him
if he was going to join the church. 'No,' replied
Bottlenose, 'not edzactly to jine, but I'm only
lean--leanin'--that way.'

_New Era_ [1837].

* * * * *

Meaning of the word.

GENTLEMEN. How the signification of words alter in the
course of a century. There was a time when all persons in
England, below the rank of an _Esquire_, were divided into
_Gentlemen_, Yeomen and _Rascals_. The former word is now
used to signify the individuals of the first order--those
whom you would take by the hand in the street, and sup with
of an evening. The second term retains pretty nearly its
original meaning. But to make an application of the latter
appellative at this time, would operate as an invitation to
be knocked down. 'Gentlemen,' is used in opposition among
the old chronicles to 'simple man,' and neither in any very
exalted sense. It is on record, that the French Princess, De
La Roche Sur Yon, receiving a sharp reply from a Knight, to
whom she gave the epithet of '_Gentilhomme_,' was told by
the King, to whom she complained, that she deserved all she
got, for so offending, herself, in the first instance. The
lower people in England were commonly '_the
Rascality_'--equivalent to the '_Canaille_' of the French,
or our own significant _Rabble_ of the present day.

In what sense do they use the word 'Gentlemen' in
Congress--Eh?--_Charleston Gaz._

_Salem Observer,_ April 3, 1820.

_Professional_ ANECDOTE _of Dr._ FRANKLIN.

WHEN he came to Philadelphia, in 1723, he was first employed
by one Keimer, an eccentric genius, as a pressman, for he
was then printing an