human
Sir, I do not think it my business to cut the throat of every desperado that may be tired of his life; but as I am at present High Sheriff of the City of London, it may shortly happen that I shall have an opportunity of attending you in my civil capacity, in which case I will answer for it that _you shall have no ground_ to complain of my endeavours to serve you. This is one of the bitterest retorts ever uttered. Wilkes's notoriety led to his head being painted as a public-house sign, which, however, did not invariably raise the original in estimation. An old lady, in passing a public-house distinguished as above, her companion called her attention to the sign.
gpt
Ah! replied she,
human
Wilkes swings everywhere but where he ought. Wilkes's squint was proverbial; yet even this natural obliquity he turned to humorous account. When Wilkes challenged Lord Townshend, he said,
gpt
Your lordship is one of the handsomest men in the kingdom, and I am one of the ugliest. Yet, give me but half an hour's start, and I will enter the lists against you with any woman you choose to name.
human
Speak, he said,
gpt
I must, for my speech has been in print for the newspapers this half-hour. Fortunately for him, he was gifted with a coolness and effrontery which were only equalled by his intrepidity, all three of which qualities constantly served his turn in the hour of need. As an instance of his audacity, it may be stated that on one occasion he and another person put forth, from a private room in a tavern, a proclamation commencing--
human
We, the people of England, &c., and concluding--
gpt
By order of the meeting. Another amusing instance of his effrontery occurred on the hustings at Brentford, when he and Colonel Luttrell were standing there together as rival candidates for the representation of Middlesex in Parliament. Looking down with great apparent apathy on the sea of human beings, consisting chiefly of his own votaries and friends, which stretched beneath him--
human
I wonder, he whispered to his opponent,
gpt
human
I will tell them what you say, replied the astonished Luttrell,
gpt
Perceiving that Wilkes treated the threat with the most perfect indifference--
human
Surely, he added,
gpt
human
Why not? replied Wilkes;
gpt
human
How so? inquired Luttrell.
gpt
Because, said Wilkes,
human
I should merely affirm that it was a fabrication, and they would destroy you in the twinkling of an eye.
gpt
Sergeant Glynn, who had been Wilkes's counsel during his former seditious proceedings.
human
replied Wilkes;
gpt
Why, Wilkes, said the Prince,
human
gpt
Ever since, sir, was the reply,
human
I had the honour of becoming acquainted with your Royal Highness.