A young woman of German extraction, waited once for the Emperor Alexander on the stair-case by which he was accustomed to go down to the Parade. When the Emperor appeared, she said, "Please your majesty, I have something to say to you." "What is it?" demanded the monarch, and remained standing with all his attendants. "I wish to be married, but I have no fortune; if you would graciously give me a dowry" - "Ah, my girl replied the emperor," were I to give dowries to all the young women in Petersburgh where do you think I should find the money?" The girl, however, by his order, received a present of fifty roubles.

Extracts from the Anecdotes of John Manders : Book No. 7, 1820-1829, p. 1139

A person applied to Frederic for a place, and was refused. A short time after, he thus addressed the monarch in a letter. "I am told, sire, that you refuse me the place I asked; I cannot believe it, for you owe me it, and you would wish to be just. Make haste then to perform your duty, and clear your self from injurious suspicions." The King, surprised at this arrogance, sent for the man, and asked him what right he had to use such language, and upon what grounds he founded his pretentions? The man replied, "My claims, sire, are founded upon the right of not being left to perish, which is the first of all rights, and the most sacred of all claims." The king made no reply, but granted him the place he demanded.

Extracts from the Anecdotes of John Manders : Book No. 7, 1820-1829, p. 1133

Mr.. Rosenhagen who was domestic steward of the Duchess of Munster, related as a fact, that when the Earl of Nithsdale made his escape out of the Tower, the night before he was to be executed, the deputy Lieutenant of the Tower, as soon as it was known went to St. James's to acquaint the king with it, and to vindicate himself from any remissions or treachery in his conduct. His majesty was entertaining himself with a select party of the nobility, and it was with difficulty the lieutenant gained admittance; when, with some alarm and concern, he told his majesty that he had some ill news to acquaint him with. The king said directly, "What, is the City on fire, or is there a new insurrection?" He said, that neither was the case, but told his majesty of Nithsdale's escape. The king most humanely replied. "Is that all? It was the wisest thing he could do, and what I would have done in his place. So be not too diligent in searching after him, for I wish for no man's blood!"

Extracts from the Anecdotes of John Manders : Book No. 7, 1820-1829, p. 1135

Contrast between Spanish & English Doctors

Nothing can be be degrading than the remuneration of physicians in Spain. Two pence from the tradesman, and ten pence from the man of fashion, are deemed sufficient, while the poor of course, pay nothing. Some noble families agree with their physicians by the year, paying him annually four score reals, that is sixteen shillings, for his attendance on themselves and their household!

The universal practice in England affords a strong contrast with the above statement, and the liberality of the British Court may be exemplified in the two following instances.

When his late Majesty recovered from his long illness, the remunerations to be paid to the physicians were thus setled: to Dr.. Willis, fifteen hundred pounds per annum, for twenty-one years: to Dr.. Willis, Junr.. six hundred and fifty pounds per annum, for life: to each of the other physicians, thirty guineas per visit to Windsor, ten to Kew, Sir George Baker's fees, who had been longest in attendance amounted to one thousand three hundred guineas.

"George the second, being afflicted with a violent pain of the thumb,b which had baffled the skill of the faculty, sent for the noted Dr.. Joshua Ward; who, having ascertained the nature of the complaint before he was admitted to his Majesty, provided himself with a suitable nostrum, which he concealed in the hollow of his hand. On being introduced, he requested permission to examine the affected part, and gave it so sudden a wrench, that the King cursed him and kicked his shins. ward bore this very patiently, and when the king grew cool, Ward respectfully asked him to move his thumb, which he did easily, and found that the pain had gone.

His Majesty insisted on knowing what he could do for Ward, who replied, that the pleasure of serving his Majesty was a sufficient remuneration, but that he had a nephew unprovided for, any favor conferred on Whom he should consider as conferred on himself.

The King gave Ward a carriage and horses, and an ensigncy in the Guards for his nephew, who was the late General Gansell.

Extracts from the Anecdotes of John Manders : Book No. 7, 1820-1829, pps. 1100-1102

Friday, 3rd.. April 1829 - Died this day at Homburg, His Serene Highness the reigning Landgrave of Hesse Homburg, at the age of 59 years. He married Her royal Highness Princess Elizabeth, third daughter of his late majesty George the 3rd.. -

Extracts from the Anecdotes of John Manders : Book No. 7, 1820-1829, p. 1127

King James the Sixth of Scotland, being about to give an audience to the French ambassador, at Edinburgh, wrote thus to the Earl of Marr:

Dr. Jock,

"As I'm gaing to gie an audience this morning to the French ambassador, I deseir you to be sae gude to send me a peir of yeir best silken hose with the gou'd clocks in them. "your affectionat cusine.

"James R."

Extracts from the Anecdotes of John Manders : Book No. 7, 1820-1829, p. 1086

Napoleon and the Eunuchs.

Mr.. O'Meara one day observed to the Emperor, that the making of eunuchs was a most disgraceful and horrid practice. "I suppressed it," said he "in all the countries under my dominion; even in Rome itself I prohibited it under pain of death.   It was entirely put a stop to, and I believe that although the pope and the cardinals are now in power, it will not be again revived.

I recollect, "added he," an incident with respect to one of those gentry, which made me laugh. There was one Crescentine, an excellent singer, who often sang before me and delighted me much. As I wished to encourage merit in every science, and as it was his misfortune, and not his fault to have been mutilated, having been probably only two or three years old when it was performed, I conferred upon him the knighthood of the iron crown.

This however displeased a great many, who said that a thing that not a man ought not to have an order for manhood conferred upon him. There were great discussions about it, in which Madame Grassini, whom I suppose you know took a part. Whilst others were blaming me, Grassini said, 'I really think the emperor has done right in giving it to him; I think that he deserves it.' Being asked why she replied, 'I think he merits it, if it were only on acct.. of his wounds.' This sally produced the greatest laughter, and turned the business completely. I believe that no person laughed more at it than myself."

Extracts from the Anecdotes of John Manders : Book No. 7, 1820-1829, p. 1056-1057

Buonaparte, and the Saints

Napoleon one day asked Mr.. O'Meara who was his patron saint, what was his Christian name? He replied that his first was a family name; and that he was called after Barry, Lord Avonmore, an Irish peer, "But," said he, laughing, "you must have some patron saint to befriend you, and plead your cause in the next world?" He mentioned his second Christian name. "Ah!" said he, "then he will plead for you. St.. Napoleon ought to be very much obliged to me, and do every thing in his power for me in the world to come.

Poor fellow, nobody knew him before. He had not even a day in the kalendar. I got him one, and persuaded the pope to give him the fifteenth of August, my birth-day. I recollect," continued he, "when I was in Italy, a priest preaching about a poor sinner who had departed this life. His soul appeared before God, and he was required to give an account of all his actions. The evil and the good were afterwards thrown into opposite scales in order to see which proponderated. That containing the good proved much the lightest, and instantly flew up the beam. His poor soul was condemned to the infernal regions, conducted by angels to the bottomless pit, delivered over to devils, and thrown into the flames.

'Already,' said the preacher, 'had the devouring element covered his feet and legs, and proceeded upwards even unto his bowels; in his vitals, Oh! brethern, he felt them. He sunk, and only his head appeared above the waves of fire, when he cried out to God, and afterwards to his patron Saint. 'Oh! patron,' said he, ' look down upon me; Oh! take compassion upon me, and throw into the scale of my good deeds, all the lime and stone which I gave to repair the convent of _____.'

His saint instantly took the hint, gathered together all the lime and stone, threw them into the scale of good, which immediately preponderated; the scale of evil sprung up to the beam, and the sinners' soul into paradise at the same moment.

Now you see by this brethern, how useful it is to keep the Convents in repair, for had it not been for the lime and Stone bestowed by this sinner, his poor soul would even now, be consuming in hell fire; and yet you are so blind as to let the Convent and the Church, built by your forefathers, fall to ruin.'

At this time, "continued he, laughing, "these canaglie   wanted to get a new convent built, and had recourse to this expedient to procure money, which, after this, poured in upon them from all quarters."

Extracts from the Anecdotes of John Manders : Book No. 7, 1820-1829, p. 1071-1073

Napoleon and Marie Louise

When Buonaparte was told the melancholy account of the death of the Princess Charlotte, he  inveighed against the accoucheurs and expressed his surprise that the populace had not stoned them to death. He observed, that the business had a strange appearance, and that precautions appeared to have been taken to deprive the Princess of every thing necessary to support and console her in a first accouchment.

he urged, that some old married woman, who had frequently borne children, ought to have been at her bed-side to comfort her. Had they been present, they would have perceived that matters were going on wrong, and would have insisted upon further assistance being rendered. It was unpardonable in the old queen not to have been on the spot. "What signified Leopold," said he, he is a garcon, and knew not what to do. Had it not been for me," added he, "Marie Louise would have died in a similar manner. During the time of her labour, I was in an apartment close by, from whence I went to her room every now and then. After she had been some hours in labour, Dubois, the accoucheur, came to me while I was reclining on a sofa, with great alarm painted on his countenance, and said, 'that the empress was in a state of great danger, that there was a wrong presentation."

I asked him if her had ever seen any thing of the kind before. Dubois replied,'that he had but very rarely, perhaps not one in a thousand, and that it was very afflicting to him that son extraordinary a case should happen with the empress.' Forget,' said I, 'that she is empress.' and treat her as you would the wife of a little shopkeeper in the Rue St.. Denis. This is the only favour I ask of you.

Dubois then asked, if it were necessary that one should be sacrificed, which should he save, the mother or the child?'  'The mother certainly,' I replied, 'it is her right.' I then accompanied Dubois to the bedside, encouraged and tranquillized the empress as much as possible, and held her while the forceps were applied. The child was apparently dead when born, but by frictions and other means he was restored to life.

His birth produced a delirium of joy in the nation.  On the discharge of the first gun, that announced the interesting event, all the population of Paris, in the greatest suspense, ran into the streets, the public walks, and the Parks, counting the number of guns. Twenty-one guns were to have been fired for the birth of a princess, and one hundred and one for a prince. At the discharge of the twenty-second gun, the Parisians rent the skies with acclamations and expressions of universal delight. Almost all the powers of Europe sent ambassadors extraordinary to compliment me on the happy event. The emperor of Austria was represented as his godfather by his brother, the Duke of Wurtzburgh, and the Emperor Alexander sent his minister for the home-department to Paris to express his satisfaction on the occasion."

"Had the poor Princess Charlotte," added he, "had some person about her, who would have acted with energy as I did, she would have been saved. Now, through the neglect of her relations, and the imbecility or something worse, of those misérables of accoucheurs, it is impossible to say what calamities may befal the British empire."

Extracts from the Anecdotes of John Manders : Book No. 7, 1820-1829, p. 1075-1078