Amelia – Complete

Amelia is still the finest woman in England of her age. Booth himself often avers she is as handsome as ever. Nothing can equal the serenity of their lives. Amelia declared to me the other day, that she did not remember to have seen her husband out of humour these ten years; and, upon my insinuating to her that he had the best of wives, she answered with a smile that she ought to be so, for that he had made her the happiest of women.

THE END

1

Opus est interprete. By the laws of England abusive words are not punishable by the magistrate; some commissioners of the peace, therefore, when one scold hath applied to them for a warrant against another, from a too eager desire of doing justice, have construed a little harmless scolding into a riot, which is in law an outrageous breach of the peace committed by several persons, by three at the least, nor can a less number be convicted of it. Under this word rioting, or riotting (for I have seen it spelt both ways), many thousands of old women have been arrested and put to expense, sometimes in prison, for a little intemperate use of their tongues. This practice began to decrease in the year 1749.

2

A cant term for robbery on the highway

3

Another cant term for pilfering

4

By removing the indictment by certiorari into the King’s Bench, the trial is so long postponed, and the costs are so highly encreased, that prosecutors are often tired out, and some incapacitated from pursuing. Verbum sapienti.

5

A cant word for a prison.

6

Though last not least.

7

A cant word, meaning to swear, or rather to perjure yourself

8

The burthen becomes light by being well borne.

9

To look down on all human affairs as matters below his consideration.

10

A set of beggarly philosophers who diverted great men at their table with burlesque discourses on virtue.

11

The art of getting wealth is so called by Aristotle in his Politics.

12

To do a kindness to a bad man is like sowing your seed in the sea.

13

D’Esprit.

14

He was a friend to mankind, for he loved them all.

15

Thus paraphrased by Mr. Pope:

“Awed by no shame, by no respect controll’d,In scandal busy, in reproaches bold,With witty malice, studious to defame,Scorn all his joy, and laughter all his aim."

16

“He was the greatest scoundrel in the whole army."

17

“Who trivial bursts of laughter strives to raise, And courts of prating petulance the praise.” – FRANCIS.

18

“This man is black; do thou, O Roman! shun this man."

19

“Go home and mind your own business. Follow your spinning, and keep your maids to their work."

20

“If Jupiter doth not immediately execute his vengeance, he will however execute it at last; and their transgressions shall fall heavily on their own heads, and on their wives and children."

21

“What none of all the Gods could grant thy vows, That, Turnus, this auspicious day bestows."